Murder mysteries in Florida

In Murder on the Prairie, the threat of development on North Florida’s historic and ecologically unique Paynes Prairie ignites passions, scandal, and murder. It tells of a struggle to protect this vast marshland famously described in 1774 by the naturalist William Bartram along with his visit to the nearby Seminole Indian village of Micanopy.

The story opens when Lorelei Crane begins rehearsals for a production of Chekhov’s play, The Cherry Orchard, while also working for an environmental organization. Crane quickly finds herself thrust into the center of dangerous situations which ultimately lead to murder. Based upon a real incident and inspired by Lars Andersen’s, Paynes Prairie: A History of the Great Savanna (Pineapple Press, 2001).

Mystery readers will enjoy this fast paced novel, its diverse characters, and North Florida setting, including Gainesville, Micanopy, and the University of Florida. Go Gators! Theater goers will take pleasure in the behind the scenes look as Crane moves between her roles as lead actress in a Chekhov play and that of amateur sleuth in a real life drama. The subject of the play parallels the story’s conflict.

Actress Lorelei Crane and Gainesville Detective Homer McBride team up again to investigate murders at Northwest Florida’s famed Wakulla Springs.

In this story Crane is performing in a play in Apalachicola when she is asked by Detective McBride to help solve a suspicious homicide at the springs. It happened during a Creaturefest event honoring the classic movie filmed there—The Creature from the Black Lagoon. As in the first of the series, this story is set in a Florida State Park and Crane again finds parallels between real life and the plot of the play in which she is starring—Henrik Ibsen’s, An Enemy of the People. This time, however, Crane’s amateur sleuthing may end her life.

The Edward Ball Wakulla Springs State Park is a major Tallahassee, Florida attraction. It is one of the largest and deepest springs in the world. Made famous by many underwater films and Tarzan movies, its caverns have been described by cave diving explorers such as Wes Skiles as the Mt. Everest of caves, and the Wakulla River contains an extraordinary diversity of wildlife. Today, Wakulla Springs shares similar pollution problems with most other North Florida springs and rivers.

This mystery should entertain and inform anyone interested in Florida’s gulf coastal region. Theater goers will enjoy Lorelei’s preparation for her role at the historic Dixie Theatre. Scuba divers will find satisfying action scenes in this fast-paced mystery.

About The Author Since her retirement as a university professor and college administrator Abrams has published two mystery novels, articles, conducted workshops on the mystery novel and playwriting, and won awards for her play, The Cellphone, produced at the Hippodrome State Theatre. Dr. Abrams lives in Gainesville, Florida near her undergraduate alma mater, the University of Florida. Murder at Wakulla Springs has been awarded a Bronze Medal for Popular Fiction in the 2006 Florida Book Awards.