Florida isn't merely a drab slab of limestone; instead, it is a surprisingly complex and interesting geological lab. For example, most of what we now call Florida was once a part of Africa! In this book, the many chapter authors (edited by Randazzo and Jones) cover the evolution of the Florida platform from the origin of its crystalline basement in paleo-Africa, through its docking with the North American plate, innumerable sea level changes, and the reef building, barrier island migration and mining impacts of the past few thousand years. This text is stuffed with information! The Keys even merit their own chapter -- a wise choice.

This is a university level text; and as such, it contains some of the typically academic dryness of writing and technical terminology which probably wouldn't appeal to the mildly curious reader. But for anyone who is seriously interested in either Florida geology or in carbonate platforms in general, there can probably be no better resource. Because of its thorough coverage of the processes which have built Florida, and its rich scientific bibliography, geology students and librarians will find this book to be a solid reference.

You must read to understand.

Pay particular attention to "Releve", the story contributed by Patricia Wallace and her daughter. This story introduces us to Sydney Bryant, the private eye that Pat Wallace has featured in a terrific series for adults. The titles in the series include "Deadly Devotion" and "Blood Lies".

Other outstanding stories include those by Wendy Hornsby, Scott Turow, Stuart Kaminsky, and Sharyn McCrumb (and their collaborators). This is a book that parents can read and enjoy with their children. It might inspire them to collaborate on some mystery stories of their own!

I look forward to reading the companion volume, "Great Writers and Kids Write Spooky Stories". I

"When you think of a mystery, what comes to mind? A dark secret? An unsolved crime? A curious detective hunting for clues?"

The only mystery, the only secret, the only crime is how this anthology could be so easily overlooked. "Great Writers and Kids Write Mystery Stories" (1996) is a collection of stories written by some of today's greatest mystery authors in collaboration with their children and grandchildren. Jonathan Kellerman, Sharyn McCrumb, and Scott Turow are three of the thirteen award-winning writers that create wonderous whodunits with their offspring, ages 6 to adult.

While written at about the junior high/ middle school level, this complilation is enjoyable to all. The stories are five to several pages. Some are written with the child as the amateur detective, some are written as a type of psychological thriller.

The introduction serves as a "mini-lesson" on mystery writing. And, each story features a short personal introduction by the adult and child writing team on what it was like to collaborate on their included story. Other contributors include Barbara D'Amato, Ed Gorman, Stuart Kaminsky, Elizabeth Engstrom, and many others.

This book has the unique ability to be educational as well as entertaining. Those that enjoy this book may also enjoy the first volume as well: "Great Writers and Kids Write Spooky Stories" (1995).

Because of the setting, there are fewer instances of combat in this novel than in most of the others -- although the climax, when it comes, makes up for the dearth. In place of the combat, there's a real psychological tension -- mostly surrounding the captain and his state of mind -- that reminded me at times of "The Caine Mutiny." A good part of the book's midsection is taken up by a harrowing description of the ship's voyage through a fierce and destructive typhoon.

As I said, the main characters are very similar to ones you'll find in many other Reeman novels, and so too is the developing romance between Our Hero and The Girl -- who, like so many of Reeman's female characters serves primarily, if not exclusively, as a love interest for Our Hero. And as is also typical in Reeman novels, the ship itself, in this case HMS Terrapin, an ancient frigate due for the scrap yard, is also one of the story's central characters. You may well find yourself attracted to her as much, or more, than any of the humans populating the story.

Although I put off reading this title for a while, for fear of not enjoying a non-World War II plot, I shouldn't have worried. Instead, I think this is one of the best Reeman titles I've read so far. Reeman's ability to weave a good story usually overcomes the stock nature of his characters. If you don't mind sailing with people you'll think you've met before, I predict Reeman fans -- or any fan of the war-at-sea genre -- will get a lot out of this title.