The Alcatraz Rose

Loosely based on historical facts, The Alcatraz Rose is a two-part entwined crime novel depicting the adventures of a modern day Sherlock Holmes, respected botanist named Doctor Lawrence Kingston. Dr. Kingston considers himself retired from his accidental career in crime fighting after a near death experience, that is until he is approached by 13-year-old Letty McGuire who asks him to help find her mother who disappeared eight years prior.

Coincidentally, this all occurs around the same time that a rose, previously thought to be extinct is found in the gardens of Alcatraz, a famous ex-prison in America. Kingston has to decide if the Belmaris Rose is attached to the disappearance of Letty’s mother or not. During his investigations, his adventures are nearly halted by yet another close encounter of the deadly kind.

The two mysteries are very well constructed by the author to meld together and cause confusion and wonder within the reader. The description of the rose alone will have the reader searching gardens, books, and the Internet to cast their eyes over its beauty.

I really enjoyed this book, it was well written, the characters were fun to read about and felt realistic.