A dead woman who tangled with the KKK. A letter that hints at foul play. A fabled nightclub that holds secrets as tightly as a gator's grip. For some, Orlando in the years after World War II is a cozy paradise-but they're as wrong as a green flamingo. Hurricane season, 1948. Successful artist Emily Washington leaves behind her comfortable, cultured Manhattan life for what she hopes will be a quick trip to Orlando to settle her late aunt's affairs. After all, she has a marriage proposal back home, and she's not keen on the withering heat, giant bugs, and unrepentant racism she abhors. Instead, what Emily discovers in her aunt's will and from her trusted grove manager, Milton Armistead, only raises more questions. Hounded by suspicions her aunt was murdered, Emily and Milton defy the rules of Jim Crow South and team up to uncover the truth about her aunt's life- and seek justice for her death. As they confront a white-supremacist sheriff, a jazz-playing police detective, and the supposed "gentleman gangster" who presides over the glamorous Flamingo nightclub, Emily and Milton are drawn into danger-and closer to a killer who seems to be relentlessly stalking Emily herself. "A spirited New York City artist with a sharp eye for detail travels to Orlando to honor the passing of her beloved aunt, a gifted painter. Yet, from the moment Emily steps from the train onto the hot white sand, she finds herself immersed in a topsy-turvy world. She sees the radiant beauty all about her, but feels the heat, too. It is 1948 and the social injustices are as omnipresent as the thunderstorms descending on the cornflower blue skies. What starts as a short visit lengthens into a hair-rising adventure as rumors overwhelm her: Had Aunt Liz's "accident" been a murder? If so, who did it? And why? As Emily realizes she's being stalked, she wonders if her aunt's killer(s) are after her, too. Seeking justice, she puts herself in harrowing situations to uncover the truth. Who can she trust to help her? And who is out to get her? Milton, with his eyes hidden beneath clip-on glasses? Maxwell, a charismatic detective? Charlie, the savvy owner of the Flamingo Café? Lewis, who desperately wants to marry her? Judge Stimpson, who was lent a great deal of money by her aunt? Maureen, a columnist with a nose for news? Sloane, a painter and sculptor who knew Liz well? Jeff, a wounded WWII veteran taken to drinking? Billy, who likes to crack his cattle whip? Sheriff Mizell, with KKK vibes? Aaron and his pet alligator? Mattie, Aunt Liz's cook? The list goes on . . . Emily's life becomes a nightmare she hopes to wake up from. And yet, it is her resilience in seeking truth and her encounters with convincing, complex characters that truly captivates the reader. Everyday details are deftly blended with extraordinary elements that result in a deeply moving story of how to pursue justice in the face of terror and oppression. And how to discover yourself along the way. Highly Recommended." Beth Nixon Weaver on Amazon.com Read less Joy Wallace Dickinson is a writer and historian based in Central Florida. A longtime storyteller of Florida's past, she brings her deep knowledge of local history and her love for rich, character-driven narratives into her fiction. Her work often explores how everyday lives intersect with broader historical forces, blending fact, imagination, and mystery. Secrets of the Flamingo Café is her debut mystery novel.