St. Martin’s Author Brings Back Sassy Sleuth

In Sequel SOUTHERN POISON

Author T. Lynn Ocean thinks it might be a very long time before lead character Jersey Barnes will be able to relax on her boat or learn to play golf. “She keeps trying to retire, but the characters around her seem to have other ideas,” said Ocean.

So Jersey, the brassy, sassy ex-Marine-turned-securities-specialist is back in the supercharged mystery SOUTHERN POISON (St. Martin’s Minotaur) set for release September 5.

This fast-paced sequel to Ocean’s SOUTHERN FATALITY finds Jersey fighting to save herself from an assassin, thwarts an evil plot and keeps her misfit father and his poker buddies out of jail. And then there’s the matter of exploring a romantic relationship with her restaurant and pub business partner, Ox, just when his ex wife shows up to reclaim him.

The second book of the series brings its own set of challenges, which Ocean seems to handle in her Jersey Barnes style: forward at full throttle. “One challenge in writing a series is to very quickly bring the reader up to speed without being redundant,” said O cean. “There are creative ways to do that.”

And how close is Barnes to being Ocean? “Let’s just say that if Jersey walked through my front door, we’d be best friends,” Ocean said, laughing. “But while my days are rather ordinary and dull, Jersey’s days always land her smack dab in the middle of a huge adventure.”

Despite her claim of ordinary days, make no mistake. Ocean is one sharp wordsmith who does her research in order to write with authenticity. “I’ve learned how to use a pair of handcuffs, talk on a two-way radio in military lingo and operate a boat,” she said. “I also took some advanced firearms training and discovered cool things, such as the difference between shooting from behind cover or from behind concealment. I’ve always been a shooting sports enthusiast, but in Jersey’s case, she never leaves home without a weapon strapped to her body.”

The character of Ox is a Lumbee Indian and career military man. “So I interviewed several Lumbee veterans and attended a Pow Wow in Pembroke, N.C.,8 0 said Ocean. “I write pure fun fiction but I want the details in my novels to ring true.”

Her attention to detail pays off and takes Ocean’s readers on an exciting journey that should keep them turning the pages. Fans will be glad to learn that, for now, Jersey can forget retirement. The author won’t let her.