Southernmost Murder by C.S. Poe

As Indiana Jones states "X never, ever marks the spot." Or does it? Intending to spend their vacation together relaxing, Aubrey and Jun instead get swept into a murder mystery and possible treasure hunt.


From the blurb:

Aubrey Grant lives in the tropical paradise of Old Town, Key West, has a cute cottage, a sweet moped, and a great job managing the historical property of a former sea captain. With his soon-to-be-boyfriend, hotshot FBI agent Jun Tanaka, visiting for a little R&R, not even Aubrey’s narcolepsy can put a damper on their vacation plans.

But a skeleton in a closet of the Smith Family Historical Home sure does throw a wrench into the works. Its identity drags Aubrey and Jun into a mystery with origins over a century in the past. They uncover a tale of long-lost treasure, the pirate king it belonged to, and a modern-day murderer who will stop at nothing to find the hidden riches. And if a killer on the loose isn’t enough to keep Aubrey out of the mess, it seems even the restless spirit of Captain Smith is warning him away.

The unlikely partnership of a historian and special agent may be exactly what it takes to crack this mystery wide-open and finally put an old Key West tragedy to rest. But while Aubrey tracks down the X that marks the spot, one wrong move could be his last.


SNik's review:

Standalone (set in the author’s Snow & Winter universe). Mystery. Semi-established couple. Friends to lovers. Mature characters. Single POV. 

Historian Aubrey is hopeful that FBI agent Jun’s upcoming visit will solidify them as boyfriends, but their vacation does not start as planned when Aubrey discovers a skeleton in the closet of a historic mansion and then it disappears. After stumbling upon a murder, they embark on some research and sleuthing while testing the waters of their budding relationship. 

This is a cute story set in Florida and quickly ramping up the mystery and possible danger as we get to know Aubrey and Jun. Single POV for me is a struggle as it is hard to get a feel for the other main character, and I do wish there was more information on their shared background, but Aubrey and Jun were both likable, interesting, intelligent and deeply invested in being together. I enjoyed the mystery, the history and search for treasure, and the steamy bits that Aubrey and Jun manage while investigating. Overall, a very entertaining read.


Southernmost Murder is currently available as an audiobook, e-book and paperback