Cruelty in Paradise: The Birds Were...

“Cruelty in Paradise - or - The Birds Were Yelling Beautifully is a suspense novel set primarily in Florida in the early eighties, a story that will sneak up on you in the night. Once you get into it, you won’t book the book down.”
-Hayes Brandwell, Online Critics Corner

Ted Locksby has never been a detective. Neither has Lilly Houceen. Ted is a neurosurgeon who lost his practice after an accident to his hand. He values his friendships and blames himself for not recognizing of the despair – and the resulting susceptibility to evil machinations – of his friend Tommy. Lilly is the sister of a man Tommy killed. She’s an independent, competent, unassuming woman with remarkable sagacity. In their attempt to discover the identity of the malefactor who manipulated Tommy, Ted and Lilly get thrown together with a Brevard County, Florida, detective who warns them of danger in their investigation. Next thing you know, they’re involved in murders, mysterious twins, large corporations with hidden agendas, and perils beyond their wildest expectation.

Growing up in the Florida outdoors offered Tim L. Lewis first-hand knowledge which he has shared in articles on fishing, diving, hunting, archery, and nature in many outdoor magazines over the decades. He is also the author of Bows, Swamps, Whitetails, Tales of Trails, and Bows, Swamps, Mountains, and Game as well as a chapter of Deer and Deer Hunting. Scholastically, he holds a bachelor’s degree in zoology and a doctorate in dental medicine.