BOOK REVIEW: Beachdaze

After a heart attack in London, journalist Peter Clancy moves to Serenity Bay for the quiet life.

Beachdaze ($25, Campanile Publishing, February 28) is the latest in the Peter Clancy series from T.W. Lawless. It is the sixth in the series.

When the local authorities show no interest in a series of crimes and unexplained deaths, Peter can't help investigating.

The perennially energetic journalist is on the hunt again.

He'd had been given enough warnings about his health but he didn't expect it to happen so soon.

Only a heart attack could make Peter Clancy leave his beloved London and the excitement of his work as an investigative journalist. He moves to a quiet coastal town in Victoria, the perfect place to write a new book while avoiding all bad influences.

Or so he thought.

Serenity Bay turns out to be anything but quiet. The neighbours are noisy or nosy, getting under his skin or into his pants. Not even a surprise reunion with an old friend can turn this nightmare into the peaceful retreat Peter was seeking, intent as she is on reuniting him with at least one bad influence.

Of course, Peter doesn't need much persuasion to resume his vices and it's not long before he is poking his nose into the affairs (in all senses) of not only his neighbours but the local council, property developers and even aged-care proprietors.

After initially studying journalism at university, T.W. Lawless worked as a registered nurse for many years before turning his hand to writing fiction.

He is the author of six thrillers, including two Amazon Kindle best-sellers (Homecountry and Thornydevils), as well as the co-writer of the murder-mystery Furey's War with his wife Kay Bell.