amino Island begins with five crooks executing a daring heist. They break into the Princeton library and steal the five original manuscripts of F. Scott Fitzgerald's novels, including his original
hand-written The Great Gatsby. The originals are priceless, but the criminals plan to sell them into the shady underworld to book collectors. Their crime works perfectly - they escape without
any detection. Due to the diversion, Princeton security doesn't even realize that the library was targeted until after the manuscripts are long gone. It is a perfect crime... until one of the FBI agents
investigating the crime scene notices what looks like a drop of blood left behind.
Mercer is a woman in her early twenties and in a tough spot. She has just lost her job and owes a mountain of student debt. Mercer worked as an associate professor at a
university, but was just informed that the school is cutting back. Three years ago, Mercer successfully published her first novel, October Rain, which was well received, but she hasn't been able
to create anything further; a second novel remains an unreachable goal. (For fun, I checked, and Goodreads lists at least
six books titled October Rain).
A well-dressed woman named Elaine approaches Mercer and offers her a princely sum of money if she will engage in some subterfuge. Elaine represents an insurance company that has
covered the priceless Fitzgerald manuscripts. Rather than paying Princeton an enormous sum, the insurance company would dearly love to recover the stolen items. They suspect that an independent bookseller named Bruce Cable,
who owns an independent bookstore on Camino Island, has possession of the manuscripts. Since Mercer grew up on Camino Island, it would be quite natural for her to return to the cottage of her youth in an attempt
to "work on her next book". While she there, it would be only natural for her to insinuate herself in the Cable's circle of friends, since he loves to hang out with writers and seduce women. Once inside Cable's
world, she could spy around, maybe confirm or deny if Cable has the manuscripts. Most likely, Mercer will learn nothing, but the insurance company is desperate for any clue where the manuscripts might be.
Mercer says no at first, but of course she opts to take on Elaine's spying role.
I liked the whole story until the end. I expected a much more dramatic resolution. I am certain that if Camino Island is ever made into a movie that the ending will be different.
My disappointments with the plot are in the spoilers below. I was considering reading the next book, Camino Winds next, but I suspect that other Grisham books will be more exciting.
*** Warning - Spoilers below ***
Why would the FBI have moved so quickly to arrest Mark and Jerry (two of the five original Princeton thieves) when they knew from the Princeton cameras that there were at least three men involved in the theft? It seemed
so obvious that they should have waited, hoping that either Mark or Jerry would lead them to the other perpetrators. Grisham portrays the FBI as highly competent and intelligent, but it seemed to me that the bureau really blunders in this book.
Why did Denny try to reacquire the Fitzgerald manuscripts? He had successfully stolen them once, and sold them for a bunch of money. I never understood why he decided he
needed to steal them again, this time from Cable. I thought Denny's reappearance to the story meant there was going to be a violent attempt at stealing the Fitzgerald manuscripts from Cable, or perhaps Denny would kidnap of
Mercer and demand the manuscripts in exchange.
Why did Bruce Cable show the original manuscripts to Mercer? Was he taunting her? Did he want the FBI to issue a search warrant? Imagine that Mercer was not spying on him, that his
guess was wrong. Showing Mercer the stolen goods might have triggered in Mercer (or any other law-abiding citizen) a desire to report his criminal possession of the manuscripts to the police. How could drawing the attention of the Feds have been to Cable's benefit?
The FBI knew there was a doorway between the basements between Cable's bookstore and Noelle's furniture shop. There is no way that they would have allowed a crate to be shipped
from her furniture store without examining its contents.
I wondered if Elaine was actually working for a major organized crime ring that was trying to grab the Fitzgerald manuscripts for itself. But that anticipated plot twist never happened.
I suspect Grisham wants the reader to like Cable - a wealthy, witty man dedicated to his bookshop. Cable throws great parties; he is a great entertainer. He has guilt free sex with
numerous willing women. But I didn't like Cable and I wanted him caught. The fact that he returns in Camino Winds makes me not want to read it.
Cable explains in the epilogue that he suspected Mercer was working for the Feds right from the start because her cover story was too perfect. That made no sense to me.
