Steamy romance and scintillating mystery in one hilarious romp!
Luke Hansen, gentle giant and piano tuner from Minneapolis, is on a mission. He needs to catch the con man who sleazed off to Florida with a treasured piece of Piano Tuners Guild property. But when he tracks the thief down to the Castillo Import Company in Miami, he has no idea what kind of sexy Cuban insanity he’s in for.
Esmeralda Castillo, swimsuit model and aspiring zookeeper, is not going to let some hunky piano man get in her way, not when there are elephants that need saving from unscrupulous ivory dealers. But when she finds herself up to her bikini in cocaine gangsters, drag queens, and alligator catchers, she decides that a smokin’ Minnesotan who can beat the daylights out of all of them just might come in handy.
Esmeralda and Luke soon find themselves in a fight to the death over illegal commodities, family, and honor. But the most dangerous thing they’ll encounter? Love.
Rated R for sex, violence, and pianos!
Assessment:
Plot: Well organized and full of energy, the novel develops in unexpected manners, but never loses its focus. While there are hints at romance, the excitement of the chase is what will keep readers riveted to the pages.
Prose/Style: Curry's writing is strong, with a well-defined narrative voice and a command of language. Suspense is consistently sustained, while dialogue is smooth, effortless and authentic.
Originality: The story is quirky and original; the circumstances are believable and realistic. Overall, it's a riveting and memorable read.
Character Development: The characters are distinctive and realistic, with none of them wasted or painted with a single brush.
Date Submitted: August 05, 2019
"In Bad Keys, a piano tuner finds romance with a zoo intern who moonlights as a swimsuit model. J. B. Curry's energetic novel is a mash-up--part screwball comedy, part amateur gumshoeing, and part fish-out-of-water mayhem. It reveals an unexpected path toward awakening.
Sometimes profane and often delightful in its ability to find absurdity even in moments of danger, the novel incorporates everything from an alligator catcher to a falling piano. There's seldom doubt that Luke and Esmeralda will prevail, but their journey is packed with enough twists and gunfire to keep the finale satisfying. Timely recurrences dial up the humor, and Florida's many fringe characters add color and atmosphere, including a club bouncer with Edwardian mannerisms.
Bad Keys is an unusual mystery and romance. Beneath its wild chase lies optimistic belief in what people can do when they act with conviction."
“Scintillating mystery and steamy romance rolled into one fast-paced romp! A lush setting and laugh-out-loud characters will have readers coming back for more from J.B. Curry.”
