Sun, storms, and mystery in the Caribbean.

Ever since moving to New York to live with his uncle, thirteen-year-old Henry Alabaster has been involved in one foggy mystery after another. That’s because Henry’s uncle, Kelvin McCloud, is a weather detective—someone who specializes in solving stormy problems. When an anonymous letter implores Kelvin to come to the Caribbean, Henry and his uncle are swept up in their most adventurous case yet—one which will take them out to sea to investigate a strangely troubled ship and its supposedly cursed captain, Vernon Holloway.

Out on the tropical waters, Henry and his artistic friend Rachel will have to contend with the belligerent sea captain, meet colorful fellow passengers, encounter stormy seas, and confront more mystery than they can shake an umbrella at.

Can they solve the mystery of the cursed sea captain before someone gets hurt, or worse?

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Weather is a natural discussion topic in everyone’s life and you’ll learn a lot more about aspects of weather in this likeable tale. Although it is the second book in the series following “Kelvin McCloud and the Seaside Storm,” you won’t have any problem if you begin with THE WEATHER DETECTIVES.

The third person narration moves smoothly through 28 chapters. Henry and Rachel are both appealing characters and are helping solve the mystery. You’ll be changing your mind many times as to who is seeking revenge on the captain and his ship. Familiar locales in the Caribbean come to life—all being perfect locales to reveal clues.

Uncle Kelvin’s book, Scientists, Explorers, and Sleuths, helps motivate Henry and Rachel. Many sections are read and shared within the pages of the regular story. Weather fans will want more after reading about Radar, how Fahrenheit and Celsius came into existence, the quest for Antarctica, and the creation of the wind scale to name a few.

The climatic ending is less climatic due to the two teens being left behind for their own safety. Too bad they couldn’t somehow have been more involved. Despite this plot shift, the story becomes one not only about the weather, but also the importance of family.

A fun, engaging read.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Michael Erb grew up under the blue skies of North Carolina. While getting his Ph.D. in Atmospheric Science at Rutgers University, he experienced the remnants of Hurricanes Irene and Sandy, which brought wind, rain, and flooding to New Jersey (Sandy also brought a multi-day power outage!). Currently, Michael is an Assistant Research Professor at Northern Arizona University, where he helps uncover clues about Earth’s past climate. As a scientist and author, he confronts mysteries both in his research and in fascinating books.

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I received a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review. Comments are welcome below.

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