Murder, Key West Style" may make you uneasy, but it's an uplifting story with a touching ending

My buddy, Hal, says I'm crazy.

"Why in the world would you write a whole novel about something nobody gives a damn about," he declared, leaning back on his stool to drain the final suds from the first beer he'd downed on a recent afternoon. "People give homelessness a lot of lip service, but nothing ever gets done – nobody really cares."

I protested. Hal is a friend who doesn’t mind sharing his thoughts about my novels. He weighs in whether I’ve asked for his critique or not. Usually, he’s right on point. I defended my work.

I'm a writer. Because no one cares is precisely why I decided to focus on the homeless and their plight. I wanted to shine a light on their lives. I place a social issue at the center of each of my novels. I'm hoping to provoke insightful thinking about homelessness.
“Hmm, how about shining a light on your Kegerator? I don’t see it in your garage. I’m not homeless, but I am beerless and that’s something I care about.”

I wasn’t about to give in to Hal.

Timely, I insisted. “Murder, Key West Style” is very timely. Because of the devastation caused by Covid-19, more people than ever are facing homelessness. People are out of work. Many can’t pay rent or make their mortgage payments. Evictions are skyrocketing.

"Yeah? Well, kiss your book sales good-bye. Homelessness is depressing. Who is going to spend money on something they don't give two hoots about?"

Hal's words, though probably filled with wisdom and truth, were like daggers stabbing around my heart.

"The only thought you've provoked in my head is growing curiosity about whether you've got another cold beer around here," he said, scratching his round belly and looking around my garage for a fridge.

Hal might be right, but the novel I've written looks at what happened to Sarge, a war hero from Bay City, Michigan, who dies under mysterious circumstances while being alone and homeless in Key West.

"Strike two!" Hal bellowed, bent at the waist and pawing through my beer cooler. "People don't give a shit about the homeless, but they especially don't care when the homeless are Veterans. Nobody wants to be reminded of how much Vets have sacrificed."

I had to push back on my buddy. I know lots of Vets who could use more help, which is another point I make in the book. Hundreds of homeless veterans roam all over the country, carrying around more than their share of demons. We've been fighting wars for decades and we’ve got thousands of war survivors who are still hurting. Everyday, a dozen Vets take their own lives.

"Sounds to me like you’ve hit the Daily Double," Hal said, licking foam from his finger after it squirted up from the aluminum can he discovered. "Your book has got a twofer – homeless and vets, which means double no book sales."

I wasn’t giving up on Hal. Well, there's much more in this novel. It's also romantic and humorous. It's really quite a touching love story. It would probably make you weepy.

"I doubt it, and that, my friend, is Strike Three," Hal said, tipping the can of beer back until the lid smashed the tip of his nose. "Homeless plus Vets plus romantic comedy is like the Tri-Fecta of dud subjects for a book. Think Ryan Reynolds and a cast of misfit bums. How depressing."

Hal tossed the empty in the recycle bin. I asked if he wanted a copy of the book to take home and read.

"Nope, I took a look at my sister's copy. Stayed up all night and finished it in one sitting. Couldn’t put it down – but it's still a dog that won't hunt."

I think that’s the nicest compliment I’ve ever received from Hal.

For more about Dave and his novels, visit davevizard.com. You can reach Dave by email at davidv1652@gmail.com.

Dave VizardMurder, Key West Style