Lowcountry Getaway

Liz Talbot Mystery #11

by Susan M. Boyer

Christmas in the Islands…Nate Andrews whisked the entire Talbot clan off for a holiday adventure in the U.S. Virgin Islands. As they relax on the beach of sunny St. John, Liz Talbot grapples with the secret her husband has kept since the day she met him—he’s a very wealthy man. Will all that money change everything?

Meanwhile, the wild donkeys on the island follow Daddy around like he’s their leader, and Mamma has made new friends. Beverly Baker and Frankie Summey are conducting a do-it-yourself investigation. They’re hot on the trail of Beverly’s husband, Melvin, and his mistress, the tantrum yoga instructor. When Mamma is caught masterminding an undercover operation, naturally, Liz and Nate step in.

As the family gathers around the Christmas tree, Beverly and Frankie stumble into the crosshairs of a dangerous criminal organization. Liz and Nate scramble to find a killer before three sweet Southern belles wind up in a tropical prison.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Cozy Mystery, Christmas, Southern, Cozy, Paranormal

250 pages, Paperback

Published December 20, 2022

About the author

Susan M. Boyer is the USA Today bestselling author of thirteen novels. Her debut novel, Lowcountry Boil, won the 2012 Agatha Award for Best First Novel, the Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense, and garnered several other award nominations. Subsequent books have been nominated for various honors, including Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance Okra Picks, the 2016 Pat Conroy Beach Music Mystery Prize, and the 2017 Southern Book Prize in Mystery & Detective Fiction.

Susan loves beaches, Southern food, and small towns where everyone knows everyone, and everyone has crazy relatives. You’ll find all of the above in her novels. She and her husband call Greenville, SC, home and visit the Carolina coast as often as possible.

Susan loves to hear from readers. You can reach her through her website: http://www.susanmboyer.com/

Sign up for her newsletter to get recipes from her books and to be among the first to hear the news when the next book is scheduled for release.

Reviews

[Kathy Kennerley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it! This is one of my favorite authors and series. During an enviable holiday vacation Liz's whole family gets involved in an investigation. While their antics are a riot at times Liz and Nate can't ignore how close danger got to them. They have to consider how their job affects their loved ones and make tough decisions. Great mystery, I'm always impressed with how Liz and Nate bounce ideas off each other and work through all the what-ifs. I had some deep laughs too! ARC Susanmboyer.com

[Paula B · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was so good to read about Liz and Nate and the whole wacky family again. This time they are on vacation together and it brings out the sleuth in Mama, the Dr Doolittle in Daddy, and the best in everyone else. The climax was both exciting and hilarious. I chuckled all the way through it. And the ending was so sweet. If you're a fan of the Lowcountry series, this is a must read.

[Debi Paglia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! Best one yet! This is one of my all-time favorite series. I grew up in Mt. Pleasant and love reading about all of the familiar places that Ms. Boyer writes about. I was a little worried when I started reading this book because it doesn’t take place in the Charleston area. It takes place in the Virgin Islands. I wasn’t sure if it would keep my attention like the others have. But as I started reading, I couldn’t put it down. This book tells about their whole family going on vacation. What I liked about it was that it focuses on the family members. The settings were beautifully described and made me feel like I was there. And the storylines were fast-paced and kept my attention. And there were a few surprises at the end! I can’t wait for the next book. It will be really exciting to see the new adventures that await Liz and Nate!

[Aimee Nicole Walker · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m sorry to see this cast of quirky characters go, but I enjoyed the way the series ended.

[Ethel Eckenstein · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am thrilled that Susan M. Boyer has written the next Liz Talbot book in the series. This cozy mystery is as good as the others in the series! Hurry and get your copy now!

[Ileen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lowcountry Getaway, the 11th and newest Liz Talbot mystery by Susan M. Boyer, is, in my humble opinion, far and away, the best in the series.

Although set in St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands and not in Stella Maris, the island off Charleston S.C. where private investigator Liz and her husband and agency partner Nate live.Liz’s whole family lives there, too.

But both islands are full of natural beauty and mostly untouched by development with many places to be explored and treasured. And that’s what Liz and Nate and her family plan to do during their Christmas and New Year’s vacation on St. John.

But, as someone once said, man plans, God laughs. And so plans often go astray.

Nate planned this vacation as a gift to Liz and her family. Liz has just found out on her first anniversary (Nate’s grandfather swore him to secrecy until then) that her husband is an incredibly rich man and she wonders if their marriage will change.

Meanwhile, her father is being chased by some island donkeys and her mother tries to help two women from Ohio spy on one of their husbands who’s cavorting with a younger woman. But he gets killed by some dangerous island criminals and Liz and Nate step in catch the killer.

Liz’s old friend Colleen is around to help too and adds her magic to the excitement as things get a bit dicier before they resolve.

To see what actually happens and what other family members and islanders are involved and if there’s a Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and happy ending, you’ll just have to read this amazing book to find out.

[Barb · Rating 4 out of 5]

I knew this was the last book of the series, so I put off reading it for a couple of years. I'm not the only one who does that, and I guess it's our way of fooling ourselves into thinking the series continues, even when we know it has ended.

I didn't even mind that this book wasn't set on Stella Maris, but instead on the island of St. John in the US Virgin Islands. We've visited St. John a couple of times, so it was easy to call up visuals as scenes were described. I like most of the recurring characters, and was happy to see them all in this book, even Colleen. But I really like Liz and Nate - they have an incredible personal relationship, and they work well together professionally as well. Not every marriage could withstand nearly 24/7 togetherness, but theirs has.

We didn't really know much about the murder victim before the body was found, so there weren't many suspects at first. As the investigation continued, we learned a little more, but I couldn't figure out what was going on until a certain scene. Even then, I knew who was responsible, but couldn't figure out why until the reveal.

I will miss these characters and their stories, but I hope that the author's Carolina Tales series will introduce me to a characters with new adventures and mysteries to solve.

[Sheri · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun read! Liz and Nate pack up the family, courtesy of Nate's surprise, well surprise to Liz that is, inheritance, to the smallest of the US Virgin Islands, for a holiday getaway! Surprisingly, Colleen is able to tag along, showing Liz that Colleen is not tied to Stella Maris. Mama meets some new friends and gets to flex her own sleuthing capabilities, Daddy, as usual, is the Doctor Doolittle of the bunch as he makes friends with the island donkeys. There's a surprise kidnap and rescue along with hilarity and hijinks. Susan Boyer once again delivers an excellent mystery with an addition of her warm Southern humor. I shy away from classifying her books as cozy mysteries because her books are more involved than that, they truly are Mysteries, just with added heart (and parts that make you laugh). I was unable to put it down and sad for it to end. I look forward to the Liz and Company's next adventure!

[Jeanie Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read every book in the Liz Talbot Mystery series, and I never know quite what to expect except that I will love it, and Lowcountry Getaway, the 11th book, is no exception, I loved it and was surprised at almost every turn. In fact, even Nate, who gifts a wonderful Christmas vacation to Liz's whole family, gets some big surprises that have nothing to do with the fun ones he has so carefully planned for his wife of one year and his in-laws. Lowcountry Getaway is not your typical Christmas tale, but enough holiday feel is intertwined with heart racing suspense to make this novel a wonderful read any time of the year.
My thanks to author, Susan M. Boyer who accepted my request to read an ARC of Lowcountry Getaway.

[Allison Talbot · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm thrilled that this series is being continued! I will start by admitting I was hesitant about my impression of this one when I found out it would not take place, at least partially, on Stella Maris. I was afraid I might be disappointed. I WAS NOT. I should have known Susan Boyer would be able to bring the Talbot clan to the Virgin Islands but still manage to keep all the endearing quirks and family traits we've all come to love and expect woven into the mystery. Kept me engaged and interested and already eagerly waiting for the next one. The surprising twist at the end has me very curious.... Thank you, Susan and please keep them coming!

[Michele · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another exciting adventure for the whole Talbot clan this time in St. John's. While I've never been to St. John's this book lead me through a wild donkey chase and described the whole island that I feel like I was right there with them riding around in the Jeeps. Nate and Liz planned a special holiday getaway for the whole family that takes an unexpected turn on day one when Momma make some friends and demands an iphone. While I didn't see the ending coming, I knew changes were coming for the group. I loved the escape from Stella Maris and the group got to shine in the jobs away from home.

[Cathy Garrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a delightful read from bestseller Susan M. Boyer. Once again my favorite family from Stella Maris has me laughing, holding my breath and turning pages through the night. Liz and Nate treat the family to a trip to St. John’s and the descriptions of the island throughout the book made me want to pack my bags and head south. But of course things are never going to go quite as planned and it doesn’t take long to be involved in another case with Talbot and Andrews Investigations. This is a must read with twists I really didn’t see happening. I would give it 10 stars if that was an option.

[Maricle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again we join Liz and Nate and watch as their sleuthing skills are put to the test. The author has written a good mystery with characters I’ve come to know and love. I love the writing style and the descriptive passages make me feel like I’m right there with the characters. The Lowcountry series is a favorite. It’s so well written and the characters just come alive on the page. Thanks to the author, I received a copy of this book. I leave my review voluntarily.

[Wanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Susan M. Boyer did not disappoint. It covered so many emotions, the suspense got me the hardest. This is one gift this family will always treasure. The descriptions of the island and locations made me feel like I was sitting with them. The beauty, the relationships between the characters, and the mystery is what this Christmas adventure set it above the rest.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vacation shenanigans!

Christmas vacation starts out on a beautiful island with all of Liz’s family there. It’s supposed to fun for everyone to celebrate Liz and Nate’s anniversary, Merry and Joe’s marriage and Blake and Poppy’s marriage and pregnancy. Carolyn her mamma , befriends 2 ladies from Ohio and things get strange. Who knew bad things could happen away from Stella Maris? They stumble into a murder and kidnapping that will keep you on the edge of your seat!! Poppy is missing and it’s up to Nate, Liz and Colleen to find her and get the bad guys! It’s Talbot & Andrew’s Investigation to the rescue again! It’s a fun and exciting read! Life is definitely changing for them!

[Claire Brock · Rating 5 out of 5]

So happy to have the chance to read the 11th Lowcountry offering by Susan Boyer. This one was fun and differed in location. Rather than being on Stella Maris, the usual fictional locale just off the coast of Charleston. This book took place on St. John’s, US Virgin Islands. I loved the variety this brought. Liz and Nate had the whole family there. For once Momma was the one that got them in the middle of a mess. I love this family! Thank you to Susan for allowing me to read an ARC of one of my favorite series.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

So fun to revisit this group in an island setting.

[Lynn Hutchinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great book. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about Nate and Liz and the whole family on that vacation in St. John. The description on the island made you feel
Ike you were actually there. And the mystery…it kept me guessing. I really didn’t figure it out. I hope there will be more to come in this series. After 11 books I really feel like they are friends of mine.

[Susan Willis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Liz and Nate along with the entire family are spending Christmas on St. John. Relaxation and sight seeing are their only plans until Mama meets two new friends. A delightful book. My only complaint is that, as with all my favorite books, it ends too soon.

[Peggy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. It will be interesting see how the family handles Nate’s wealth. I love the quirky animals that follow Frank around. I’m glad Colleen is back. Looking forward to more stories.

[Carol ODonnell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Liz Talbot Mysteries are one of my favorites series. This book doesn’t disappoint!! It is my favorite one yet. I believe I love Liz’s family even more after reading.

[Susan Beard · Rating 5 out of 5]

When the whole clan goes on an island vacation for the holidays, they become embroiled in an investigation that may change many lives forever. As always, this latest addition to the Lowcountry series was full of mystery and laughter—a great combination. I read the entire book in one sitting! Loved it.

[Olympia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lowcountry Getaway
Once again Susan Boyer has delivered a great book! Lowcountry Getaway was an easy read and perfect for Christmas or any time. The family is as zany as ever and also as endearing. The plot was fast moving and intriguing and the setting was different and especially nice on St. John's Island, American Virgin Island. The book abounded with beautiful and vivid descriptions that lure you to want to visit the island. As usual, Susan’s mystery twists and turns right up until the end. It’s always nice to spend time with the Talbot family but especially at the holidays. Another excellent Susan Boyer mystery!

[Robin Mattei · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this...cant wait to see how this moves forward. Great stories, characters

[Marian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Is Lowcountry Getaway the last of the Liz Talbot mysteries? It kind of reads that way, given what Elizabeth and Nate decide by the end of the book. I'll be honest, without the mysteries thrown in, I'm not sure I really care enough to read about the plight of Stella Maris. I'm glad we finally got to the bottom of Liz's recurring nightmare, though it's one of those "oh, of course that's it" moments when the biggest hint and ultimately the reason are given.

Otherwise, LG is a very quick read. I didn't even think I was reading that fast and then the next thing you know, the book is tying up lose ends. There are some moments that make you want to grumble at Liz (her persistent wondering how on earth anyone could know tiny little Poppy was pregnant, even after she'd already worked that mystery out) but overall it's a solid vacation mystery.


You could probably easily convince me the entire reason there are donkeys in this book is because of this little exchange, btw:
"Move your asses!" she screamed, smacking the one closest to her.
The donkey brayed in protest, but didn't budge.

[Michele Davidson Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was immediately swept up into Susan’s latest Liz Talbot mystery. This was a super fun holiday read!

Celebrating Christmas in St. John Virgin Islands with the entire clan, Liz and Nate unknowingly find themselves in the middle of a murder mystery and kidnapping. With the help of Mamma and a host of other assorted family, donkeys, goats and a helpful spirit, manage to triumph over disaster. This story takes us on a scenic tour of St. John and its food and beaches. You can almost smell the fresh air and feel the balmy breeze.

If you haven’t read the previous Lowcountry books, this book still is a good stand alone novel but I encourage you to start with Lowcountry Boil and enjoy the journey to this fun story.

[Linda Smatzny · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story is set on the island of St.John in the US Virgin Islands. Liz and her whole family are there for Christmas. They become involved in helping a woman that Liz's mother has befriended. At the end of the book Liz and her husband have changed the direction of their lives. The book was an easy read.

[Charles Snellings · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has been another WIN for Boyer!

This installment to the Liz Talbot Mystery Series didn’t disappoint!

I was nervous for the location difference but it added all the thrill mystery and suspense.

I had no idea the twist and turns that would ensue!

I’m hoping for some more to see through what’s next for all my favorite characters

[Elaine C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a good way to end this series! I enjoyed the mystery and the family dynamics. This was a fun, easy read ... but very entertaining. I will certainly continue to read Susan Boyer's books in the future.

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun read, a fitting end to the series.