Long before Sandie Herron reviewed audiobooks here for “Have You Heard?”, she reviewed books for Sandie’s Corner. She noticed I never reviewed the second book in Wendall Thomas’ Cyd Redondo series, so she asked if she could discuss Drowned Under. Thank you, Sandie, for your latest review. And, thank you for the updated profile photo!

Drowned Under 
Written by Wendall Thomas
Cyd Redondo mystery, Book 2
Kindle version
Poisoned Pen Press (March 19, 2019)
Pages:  290
ASIN: ‎ B07NWYZKG4
Anthony Award Nominee for Best Paperback Original (2020), Lefty Award for Best Humorous Mystery

Cyd Redondo, travel agent for Redondo Travel, is taking the heat for her Uncle Ray’s involvement in an animal smuggling ring she inadvertently uncovered in her first international trip to Tanzania in the first book of this series LOST LUGGAGE.  Cyd’s ex-husband Bobby Manzoni from a very brief marriage turns to her when his parents go missing while on a Christmas cruise in Australia.  Unable to locate them using her myriad of contacts, her travel liaison and friend Harriet suggests that Cyd join her on the cruise and they would search for the Manzonis together.

At a moment’s notice with her Balenciaga Weekender bag, Cyd hops a plane only to arrive late for the ship.  Harriet has made arrangements for a friend to deliver Cyd to the ocean liner on a helicopter but there is nowhere to land to deliver her.  An unceremonious drop off gets Cyd on board and into the arms of a hunky male doctor only to find Harriet quite dead in their room. 

Unable to convince the ship’s captain or crew that Harriet was murdered, Cyd goes to great lengths to gather evidence.  The morgue is deep in the ship’s bowels which also hold a shipment of methadone headed for a spa/resort known as The Fountains in Hobart as well as an extensive lost and found which holds the Manzoni’s luggage.  Cyd dines at the Captain’s Table, meets with the ship’s photographer, discovers the Manzonis won a dance contest and headed for The Fountains.  Cyd also runs into Sister Ellery who taught her in elementary school who has left the order only to go on a perpetual cruise rather than enter a retirement home.  Sister Ellery announces her engagement to Ron Brazil, one of the ship’s gigolos who Cyd thinks is quite suspicious.  She finds a Tasmanian Tiger in his quarters, a species thought to be extinct. 

Cyd manages quite easily to find herself caught up in the zany hijinks onboard the Australian cruise ship bound for exotic ports of call.  Author Wendall Thomas keeps the action constantly moving forward, drawing all the subplots into the concluding, action-packed chapters.  I thoroughly enjoyed this comedy of opportunity and errors.  Cyd is a resourceful, steadfast friend who just happens to get into situations where things constantly go awry.  Cyd manages to make the most of everything and gets the job done and saves the day.  Now I’m off to London to read Cyd’s third adventure in FOGGED OFF.