What do you think?
Rate this book
Daytona Beach #4
The Demoiselle Who Departed
Tuesday, the sixth of October, will be a night Marveen Dodge will long remember. That was when her beau, Officer Bill Gordon, popped the question while dancing at the Trocadero.
Is it true love? Marveen's mother has some thoughts on the matter but, then again, when doesn't she?
Meanwhile, come Wednesday, Tom Jarrell and Ronnie Grisham are back in their Beach Street office. They've just returned from their honeymoons in Miami Beach. The only thing is... their wives didn't return with them.
Local tongues will be wagging!
And then there's poor Miss van Woy, the upright and quite correct headmistress of The Casements School for Girls up in Ormond Beach. She runs the exclusive junior college housed in the old Rockefeller mansion.
It seems that one of her best pupils, Mademoiselle Jane Oliver, heiress of the famed Oliver Pickles fortune, is missing.
Miss van Woy really can't afford to have a drop of scandal attached to her school, so it's Tom and Ronnie to the rescue.
But will they find more than Miss van Woy can possibly tolerate?
- GenresMystery
386 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 31, 2019
14 people are currently reading
17 people want to read
About the author
Frank W. Butterfield
123 books106 followersFrank W. Butterfield, not an assumed name, loves old movies, wise-cracking smart guys with hearts of gold, and writing for fun.
Although he worships San Francisco, he lives at the beach on another coast.
Born on a windy day in November of 1966, he was elected President of his high school Spanish Club in the spring of 1983.
After moving across these United States like a rapid-fire pinball, he currently makes his home in a hurricane-proof apartment with superior water pressure that was built in 1926.
While he hasn't met any dolphins personally, that invitation is always open.
Although he worships San Francisco, he lives at the beach on another coast.
Born on a windy day in November of 1966, he was elected President of his high school Spanish Club in the spring of 1983.
After moving across these United States like a rapid-fire pinball, he currently makes his home in a hurricane-proof apartment with superior water pressure that was built in 1926.
While he hasn't met any dolphins personally, that invitation is always open.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
October 22, 2019
Interesting series, nice step forward in the story.
July 13, 2023
The Demoiselle who Departed (Daytona Beach 4)
By Frank W. Butterfield
Published by the author, 2019
Five stars
The two things I like most about the Daytona Beach series are (1) a look at Florida in the late 1940s, when it was still really just an old southern state. And (2) noticing all the echoes or parallels between Tom and Ronnie’s story and the simultaneous one unfolding on the west coast between Nick and Carter.
The story for Ronnie and Tom gets more complicated, and yet also clarifies everything for them. They have decided they are going to be truthful and seek justice in the corrupt Old South town of Daytona. They pay the price, but it’s a price worth paying. They are neither stupid nor reckless; but they know the risks and are willing to do what they can to make their life together.
Meanwhile, like their as-yet-unknown-to-them west coast counterparts, they gather around them a family of choice, with all the mess and complication that implies. Marveen, who is cool with this first gay couple she’s ever known, has to confront the prejudices of people around her (like her new husband, Bill Gordon), and work that into her ever-evolving world view. Marveen is an increasingly wonderful character, reminding me, of course, of Marnie, Nick William’s secretary and eventually stepsister. Is Aunt Dud going to be like Marnie’s mother? I sure hope we see more of her.
There is no murder in this story, only the repercussions of powerful, greedy, unscrupulous men. There are reminders of several past murders, but for Tom and Ronnie, that’s going to be part of the game henceforth. The story is engaging and endearing, even if I never quite fall for the allure of Daytona Beach the way most of the characters seem to. However, the way this place has become “home” to this group of diverse young people is striking, and one of the cleverest tricks that Frank Butterfield pulls off in this series. Without intending to, these guys are becoming small-town superheroes.
With Florida in the spotlight because of its neanderthal governor these days, this book (and the series) was a refreshing read.
By Frank W. Butterfield
Published by the author, 2019
Five stars
The two things I like most about the Daytona Beach series are (1) a look at Florida in the late 1940s, when it was still really just an old southern state. And (2) noticing all the echoes or parallels between Tom and Ronnie’s story and the simultaneous one unfolding on the west coast between Nick and Carter.
The story for Ronnie and Tom gets more complicated, and yet also clarifies everything for them. They have decided they are going to be truthful and seek justice in the corrupt Old South town of Daytona. They pay the price, but it’s a price worth paying. They are neither stupid nor reckless; but they know the risks and are willing to do what they can to make their life together.
Meanwhile, like their as-yet-unknown-to-them west coast counterparts, they gather around them a family of choice, with all the mess and complication that implies. Marveen, who is cool with this first gay couple she’s ever known, has to confront the prejudices of people around her (like her new husband, Bill Gordon), and work that into her ever-evolving world view. Marveen is an increasingly wonderful character, reminding me, of course, of Marnie, Nick William’s secretary and eventually stepsister. Is Aunt Dud going to be like Marnie’s mother? I sure hope we see more of her.
There is no murder in this story, only the repercussions of powerful, greedy, unscrupulous men. There are reminders of several past murders, but for Tom and Ronnie, that’s going to be part of the game henceforth. The story is engaging and endearing, even if I never quite fall for the allure of Daytona Beach the way most of the characters seem to. However, the way this place has become “home” to this group of diverse young people is striking, and one of the cleverest tricks that Frank Butterfield pulls off in this series. Without intending to, these guys are becoming small-town superheroes.
With Florida in the spotlight because of its neanderthal governor these days, this book (and the series) was a refreshing read.
August 30, 2019
A Story I Never Wanted To End
This is a fantastic series! With each new book we are drawn in and fall a little bit more in love with characters. In particular, this book really let some of the secondary characters shine and take a leading role. I love where Marveen's story is going and how strong she is becoming. I hope Alice takes on a stronger role as well. And if you haven't started the Eddie and Whit series from this author, I highly recommend it. We get to see Ronnie in them as well!
This is a fantastic series! With each new book we are drawn in and fall a little bit more in love with characters. In particular, this book really let some of the secondary characters shine and take a leading role. I love where Marveen's story is going and how strong she is becoming. I hope Alice takes on a stronger role as well. And if you haven't started the Eddie and Whit series from this author, I highly recommend it. We get to see Ronnie in them as well!
April 4, 2019
Great Fun!
While these stories should be read in series for the best comprehension, it has definitely been worth the time spent. This well written story builds on the earlier books and adds some new characters and plots. The story is well supported with local history and ends on a positive note, though with a couple of questions unanswered.
While these stories should be read in series for the best comprehension, it has definitely been worth the time spent. This well written story builds on the earlier books and adds some new characters and plots. The story is well supported with local history and ends on a positive note, though with a couple of questions unanswered.
April 11, 2019
epub - 228 pages
Tom and Ronnie return from their Miami trip - without their brides but with another lawyer, Claud, with whom Tom is contemplating buying out the Mayer practice.
Almost as soon as they arrive they become embroiled in what appears to be a simple missing person case - but is anything ever simple? While Tom and Ronnie get used to their new, closer relationship other romance is in the air...
It's been a busy few weeks for the pair and things are about to get worse.
Tom and Ronnie return from their Miami trip - without their brides but with another lawyer, Claud, with whom Tom is contemplating buying out the Mayer practice.
Almost as soon as they arrive they become embroiled in what appears to be a simple missing person case - but is anything ever simple? While Tom and Ronnie get used to their new, closer relationship other romance is in the air...
It's been a busy few weeks for the pair and things are about to get worse.
March 12, 2020
Great series!
I am really enjoying this series as mess I do the Nick and Carter series. If you have not read them, be sure and do that soon.
I am really enjoying this series as mess I do the Nick and Carter series. If you have not read them, be sure and do that soon.
July 5, 2020
Sorry to see the end (at least for now) of this series. I love reading about Tom and Ronnie and Daytona in 1947.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews