Carrie Doyle’s It Takes Two to Mango treats readers to a tropical mystery full of twists and turns.
When high-powered editor Plum Lockhart is suddenly terminated from her job at a luxury travel magazine, she spirals. She has no future employment prospects, her self-worth is at an all-time low and the bitter New York City winters are certainly not helping. When an unexpected job as a villa broker at a resort comes her way, she packs her Prada and flies down to Paraiso, a small fictional island in the Caribbean that I dearly wish I could visit.
Plum is used to the fast-paced city life and harsh deadlines, not Paraiso’s relaxed saunter. With humidity messing with her hair and an office rival messing with her bookings, she becomes desperate to regain control and score a win at work. So she rents her assigned villa, the dingy and dismal Casa Mango, to a bachelor party, despite her boss’s wishes. All seems to be going according to plan, and Plum’s ego is restored—until the best man turns up murdered. Frustrated with the shoddy police work and eager to solve the crime, Plum partners up with the resort’s dashing head of security and takes matters into her own hands. Together they navigate Paraiso’s multitude of mysteries while a possible romance between them blooms.
The paradise of Paraiso is the perfect setting for a cozy mystery, and the resort features an outrageously entertaining cast of colorful characters. In her trusty golf cart, Plum meets uber-wealthy villa renters, social media influencers, yoga die-hards and eccentric staffers. The heart of this story, however, is Plum’s own self-discovery as she transitions from cruel and untethered to confident and kind. But she never loses that spark, that drive, that makes her who she is. It Takes Two to Mango is a fantastic start to a new series, and readers will be eager to return to Paraiso for Plum’s next adventure.
