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Dark Paradise
(Boise #1)
by
Boise Montague’s life in Los Angeles has fallen apart. After his wife dies, he returns to the tiny island where he grew up. Unfortunately, coming home doesn’t bring him the peace he’s looking for.
Things have changed drastically since his last visit. The island has moved on and so have the people he once knew. When Boise tries to find the one friend he thinks he can count o ...more
Things have changed drastically since his last visit. The island has moved on and so have the people he once knew. When Boise tries to find the one friend he thinks he can count o ...more
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Dark Paradise by Gene Desrochers is a 2018 Acorn publication.
A fresh and compelling mystery with a cast of interesting characters-
Set against the tropical backdrop of the balmy Caribbean island of St. Thomas, this story is centered around Boise Montague, a man who recently lost his wife. Boise needs to get out of LA, regroup, touch base and reconnect with his roots. To that end, he hopes to become reacquainted with an old pal from his childhood. But, when he learns his old friend had fallen in ...more
A fresh and compelling mystery with a cast of interesting characters-
Set against the tropical backdrop of the balmy Caribbean island of St. Thomas, this story is centered around Boise Montague, a man who recently lost his wife. Boise needs to get out of LA, regroup, touch base and reconnect with his roots. To that end, he hopes to become reacquainted with an old pal from his childhood. But, when he learns his old friend had fallen in ...more
Dark Paradise pulls you into the dark side of sunny island life on St. Thomas. Amid the tropical paradise, the tourists, and cruise ships lurk shadier characters. When Boise arrives on the island, he is dropped in the midst of it all, charged with shining a light on the darkness and unearthing the secrets that lie there. This book has much more than murder. I loved the different characters, their unique personalities, and the snappy dialogue perfuse with island lingo. I can’t wait to see what my
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‘Dark Paradise’ is the first book written by Gene Desrochers and the first installment in the Boise series (Well, I guess it will be a series!).
This means I’ve nothing to really compare it to and because of that I find this kind of books always a bit hard to review.
After all I don’t want to be harsh to a beginning writer, but I also want to be honest. So here it goes!
First of all I’m going to say I really enjoyed the way Gene Desrochers described the setting. We got a good glimpse of life on the ...more
This means I’ve nothing to really compare it to and because of that I find this kind of books always a bit hard to review.
After all I don’t want to be harsh to a beginning writer, but I also want to be honest. So here it goes!
First of all I’m going to say I really enjoyed the way Gene Desrochers described the setting. We got a good glimpse of life on the ...more
See more of my book reviews on my blog, Literary Flits
Dark Paradise is a fast-paced thriller which hits the ground running pretty much as soon as Boise's plane lands on the Caribbean Island of St Thomas. Desrochers jumps between two storylines - that of Boise trying to discover what went wrong for his childhood friend Roger, and of uncovering the motive for a young woman's kidnapping. Boise teams up with newspaper reporter Dana, but often dumps her when his own investigation seems more fruitful. ...more
Dark Paradise is a fast-paced thriller which hits the ground running pretty much as soon as Boise's plane lands on the Caribbean Island of St Thomas. Desrochers jumps between two storylines - that of Boise trying to discover what went wrong for his childhood friend Roger, and of uncovering the motive for a young woman's kidnapping. Boise teams up with newspaper reporter Dana, but often dumps her when his own investigation seems more fruitful. ...more
A great debut mystery novel that has a beat all its own.
We are introduced to Boise Montague, a man who is depressed and grieving the death of his wife. He returns to his childhood home of St. Thomas in the Caribbean. In describing the exotic locale Desrochers delivers as he draws upon his personal experiences and observations of time spent there. Boise soon discovers that his childhood best friend has been murdered due his criminal activity related to drugs. This doesn't seem right to Boise and ...more
We are introduced to Boise Montague, a man who is depressed and grieving the death of his wife. He returns to his childhood home of St. Thomas in the Caribbean. In describing the exotic locale Desrochers delivers as he draws upon his personal experiences and observations of time spent there. Boise soon discovers that his childhood best friend has been murdered due his criminal activity related to drugs. This doesn't seem right to Boise and ...more
The setting of Dark Paradise is very realistic. I love the rich descriptions of St. Thomas. I really felt like I was there. To top it off, the local dialect used made this even more compelling because you really get the sense of the people living there.
I love the mystery. Time doesn't just stand still, and sometimes paradise isn't always bright. Dark Paradise hooked me from the beginning, and it was a sort of slow burn that kept me reading all the way through.
I am a big fan of our main character ...more
I love the mystery. Time doesn't just stand still, and sometimes paradise isn't always bright. Dark Paradise hooked me from the beginning, and it was a sort of slow burn that kept me reading all the way through.
I am a big fan of our main character ...more
I really enjoyed Dark Paradise. I thought the book well written and the multiple mysteries kept me engaged throughout. Author Gene Desrochers’ detective, Boise Montague, is no Sherlock Holmes, but rather more like a determined, loyal, likable bloodhound who gets his answers more through dogged determination than anything else. He enjoys his Guinness (maybe to excess) and seems somewhat less than fastidious, and this makes him all the more believable and endearing.
I’d say both the story and the w ...more
I’d say both the story and the w ...more
The personal experience of St. Thomas, the surroundings and the people is what gives this story the extra spice and flair. It’s quirky and funny, despite the seriousness of the situations. Boise Montague is larger than life and the kind of character you don’t forget.
Boise returns home looking for some peace after a personal tragedy. His wife died in a tragic accident, but he is convinced it was murder. The police get fed up of his conspiracy theories and he decides to feed his frustrations elsew ...more
Boise returns home looking for some peace after a personal tragedy. His wife died in a tragic accident, but he is convinced it was murder. The police get fed up of his conspiracy theories and he decides to feed his frustrations elsew ...more
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I really enjoyed this story, it is well written and kept me engaged throughout.
It has some well developed characters that work well within the plot. I do enjoy a good murder mystery and this one was well crafted and very enjoyable.
It has a great pace and I really enjoyed where the author takes us with the story. The writing style is very good and I enjoyed the flow of the story.
As the first book in a new series this is a great way for it to have started – ...more
I really enjoyed this story, it is well written and kept me engaged throughout.
It has some well developed characters that work well within the plot. I do enjoy a good murder mystery and this one was well crafted and very enjoyable.
It has a great pace and I really enjoyed where the author takes us with the story. The writing style is very good and I enjoyed the flow of the story.
As the first book in a new series this is a great way for it to have started – ...more
Life hasn't been easy since losing his wife so Boise has decided to head back to St. Thomas where he grew up. Once there, he grows nostalgic for his childhood friend Roger, but Roger is dead, murdered presumably because he was a drug dealer. But Boise thinks there's more to it than that and he wants to get to the bottom of it.
A first novel, Dark Paradise is a good mystery, where Boise is not your typical detective. He makes for a fun character. In his quest to figure out who killed Roger, he me ...more
A first novel, Dark Paradise is a good mystery, where Boise is not your typical detective. He makes for a fun character. In his quest to figure out who killed Roger, he me ...more
This book is an exciting mystery and a real page turner. I couldn't put it down. Not only is it an intriguing story, but the characters are great. I can really imagine Boise, the main character, running around the Caribbean island getting himself into all kinds of trouble with his side kick Dana, a tough journalist who is always on Boise's case. These two are hilarious as they put their lives on the line running down leads and searching for clues. I can't wait for the next book!!!
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This book took me beyond the tourist traps and deep into the dark heart of the Caribbean. The ending shocked me.I loved everything about this thriller noir and highly recommend it to my friends.
Really well written.
The first novel kept my attention riveted. The author has created real characters who struggle with contemporary issues. Thank you!
The first novel kept my attention riveted. The author has created real characters who struggle with contemporary issues. Thank you!
In Dark Paradise, the debut novel and first book of the Boise Montague Series, author Gene Desrochers weaves an intriguing murder mystery tale that follows private investigator Boise Montague's investigation into the murder of his childhood friend Roger Black.
This dark Caribbean noir mystery tale is set in the tropical island setting of St. Thomas, Virgin Islands. Boise returns to his Caribbean childhood home from Los Angeles after the death of his wife Evelyn. The police thought that Evelyn's d ...more
This dark Caribbean noir mystery tale is set in the tropical island setting of St. Thomas, Virgin Islands. Boise returns to his Caribbean childhood home from Los Angeles after the death of his wife Evelyn. The police thought that Evelyn's d ...more
Boise Montague is an every-man. He’s carrying a few too many pounds, drinking too much, and is convinced Colitis is of the devil’s own making.
Losing his environmental attorney wife in a freak hit-and-run accident has caused him to flounder and descend into a downward spiral.
The police say it was an accident. He knows it was murder.
A private investigator for a law firm, Boise does his own digging, but the only thing he gets close to is being arrested for interfering in a police investigation.
To k ...more
Losing his environmental attorney wife in a freak hit-and-run accident has caused him to flounder and descend into a downward spiral.
The police say it was an accident. He knows it was murder.
A private investigator for a law firm, Boise does his own digging, but the only thing he gets close to is being arrested for interfering in a police investigation.
To k ...more
Loving the noir vibes
Book one of the Boise Montague series, "Dark Paradise", is a great first book. What I loved most were the characters. The book is a mostly dialogue based noir murder mystery, but the scenery that Gene Desrochers paints for the reader about the Caribbean islands cannot be dismissed. It's a fast-paced read, and the author manages so much character development that I was really able to picture everyone and hear what their voices might sound like in my head. I love books that gi ...more
Book one of the Boise Montague series, "Dark Paradise", is a great first book. What I loved most were the characters. The book is a mostly dialogue based noir murder mystery, but the scenery that Gene Desrochers paints for the reader about the Caribbean islands cannot be dismissed. It's a fast-paced read, and the author manages so much character development that I was really able to picture everyone and hear what their voices might sound like in my head. I love books that gi ...more
A crime thriller and mystery-this was a debut novel by the author. The plot takes place on the island of St. Thomas. As the title implies, there can be a dark side of island life that many tourists think of as paradise. The main character, Boise Montague, returns to St. Thomas after a 20 year absence. A lot has changed while he was gone and his childhood friend, who he had hoped to see upon his return is dead. Montague then begins to investigate his friend's death and that leads to all sorts of
...more
There were several aspects of this book that I really enjoyed. The setting was very well written and made me feel like I was right there in the story. I also found the characters, particularly Boise, to be well drawn and relatable. The story was good, but it dragged just a bit in places. Overall it was an enjoyable read.
I received a free copy of this book via. Voracious Readers Only. I enjoyed the book, the first by this author. I liked the characters but felt that it ran out of steam a bit towards the end. Having said that, it wouldn’t put me off reading another book in the series, or an unrelated one by this author.
Not only clever with unexpected twists but also well written. Fun, real, unexpected plot that walks you through a two-faced reality where the contrasting beauty of the Clichéd Island living crashed with the complicated reality of human relations. I love the characters. Even the characters that I wasn’t supposed to like have a certain personality element that drove them very close to me, it was like having met them before, or being able to meet them for lunch, I could feel their pain, their confl
...more
3.5 stars
Mention Caribbean islands and most people will immediately think of long white sand beaches lapped by the turquoise sea - an idyllic paradise. Gene Desrochers' first novel is a long way from the glossy brochures and focuses on the areas of the island of St. Thomas that the tourists don't get to see.
It's immediately obvious that Boise Montague isn't a man who gives up easily and has incurred the wrath of the LA Police after refusing to back down on his belief that his wife, Evelyn was mu ...more
Mention Caribbean islands and most people will immediately think of long white sand beaches lapped by the turquoise sea - an idyllic paradise. Gene Desrochers' first novel is a long way from the glossy brochures and focuses on the areas of the island of St. Thomas that the tourists don't get to see.
It's immediately obvious that Boise Montague isn't a man who gives up easily and has incurred the wrath of the LA Police after refusing to back down on his belief that his wife, Evelyn was mu ...more
After reading this book, I found myself thinking about the mystery/crime genre. I find it inspiring that so many awesome authors are writing amazing books in their own unique way, and that's very exciting for me because I love that genre. Gene Desrochers just joined my list of brilliant authors in this genre, and he too had the kind of book I would love to see as a TV series.
Set in the paradise and cultural wonder mix also know as the Caribbean, in this case the Island of St. Thomas, this story ...more
Set in the paradise and cultural wonder mix also know as the Caribbean, in this case the Island of St. Thomas, this story ...more
If Sherlock Holmes is known for his brilliant eccentricity, Miss Marple for her unassuming acuity, and Precious Ramotswe for her warm curiosity, Boise Montague is likely to become endeared for his blumbering loyalty. He’s the detective version of a cuddly alcoholic Winnie the Pooh. The private investigator and narrator of Gene Desrocher’s Dark Paradise, Montague flees the consequences of one investigation, only to seek out another in his home country of St. Thomas. A delightful and politically r
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Why do I decide to read a book? I often decide to read a book because it is a recommendation- this time It was the earnestness of the author. This book is the author’s debut, and while it’s not perfect- I was totally engrossed. The novel moved at a good pace, the mysteries were interesting, and characters were fresh. I’d like to see Boise’s sidekick fleshed out more, but I think the author plans to develop all the characters in later books. It is a perfect book for a summer beach read, or during
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Coming home doesn't always work the way we think it will. That's what Boise Montague finds out when he returns to St. Thomas after the death of his wife. But the mysteries waiting there pull him down into the dark underworld of the island, revealing layers of crime and corruption he never expected in paradise. But as he solves each one, he finds a forgotten piece of himself along the way. You'll want to read this one!
...more
Dark Paradise provided a delicious escape for this reader. I got into the story from the beginning, pulled in by the main character’s need to better understand his past while fighting the urge to unhook from life. The depiction of the subtle despair got to me. Desrochers also provides, through great and punchy dialogue, a vivid portrait of St-Thomas’ people, culture and history. Loved it.
I hadn’t read a crime novel in many years. Desrochers’ story was a good reintroduction to the genre.
I hadn’t read a crime novel in many years. Desrochers’ story was a good reintroduction to the genre.
What a great story! I felt like I knew the characters and was actually on the island with them!
I was approached by the author and given a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
After the unexplained death of his wife in Los Angeles, Boise Montague decides to go back to his native Carribean island of St Thomas for a change of scenery and with hope of rekindling some old friendships. Once there, he discovers that his oldest school friend, Roger Black, became a drug dealer and got killed in what the police assumed to be a settling of scores between drug lords. Uncon ...more
After the unexplained death of his wife in Los Angeles, Boise Montague decides to go back to his native Carribean island of St Thomas for a change of scenery and with hope of rekindling some old friendships. Once there, he discovers that his oldest school friend, Roger Black, became a drug dealer and got killed in what the police assumed to be a settling of scores between drug lords. Uncon ...more
Gene Desrochers’ novel is aptly subtitled, “A Caribbean Noir Murder Mystery.” Like that other great writer of noir murder fiction, Raymond Chandler, Desrochers’ work is steeped in disappointment in the human condition, the corruption that money brings, and the effect of corruption on innocent people.
As the story opens, private investigator Boise Montague has fled Los Angeles where his wife had been murdered under suspicious circumstances. He makes a beeline for his birthplace, St. Thomas in the ...more
As the story opens, private investigator Boise Montague has fled Los Angeles where his wife had been murdered under suspicious circumstances. He makes a beeline for his birthplace, St. Thomas in the ...more
St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands (Caribbean). Virgin Islands Historical Society. Boise Montague (JD; Nova Law School) was looking for Lucas Beauregard.
Iris informed Boise Lucas’ apartment is by Fortuna & he works nights at Island Rentals rent-a-car.
9155 Estate Thomas, Government Hill, Backstreet. Dana Goode (The Daily News reporter, Carnegie Mellon U) informed Boise about the article she had written about his former friend Roger Black (Boise’s BMF, drug dealer, 1/26/1983-12/24/2011).
Next stop for ...more
Iris informed Boise Lucas’ apartment is by Fortuna & he works nights at Island Rentals rent-a-car.
9155 Estate Thomas, Government Hill, Backstreet. Dana Goode (The Daily News reporter, Carnegie Mellon U) informed Boise about the article she had written about his former friend Roger Black (Boise’s BMF, drug dealer, 1/26/1983-12/24/2011).
Next stop for ...more
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Gene is based in Los Angeles, California. He hails from the U.S. Virgin Islands and takes much of his inspiration from Caribbean culture and island life. His short stories have been published in various digital and print magazines, such as The Short Fiction Collective, Beyond Imagination Digital Literary Magazine, and Prolific Press. His screenplay, Lost in Paradise, was a finalist in the StoryPro
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