Title: Sand Pail City
Author: Daniel Printz
Publisher: Out In Left Publishing
ISBN: 0983289212
Pages: 320, Paperback
Genre: Fiction
Reviewed by: Lisa Brown-Gilbert, Pacific Book Review
Book Review
Every thriving community gets its start from somewhere; sometimes it is through the blood and sweat of the good people that inhabit the area, and sometimes it is through the mechanisms of a dark and sinister force that is perpetuated by greed. Such the latter is the origin of Sand Pail City, Florida. In the recently published novel Sand Pail City by author Daniel Printz, he exemplifies just what can happen when greed becomes the driving force behind an idyllic community.Sand Pail City, Florida was founded as a humble ocean side fishing village populated by honest and hard working folks that maintained their lives by earning their living as fishermen. However things changed during the 1980’s as the village morphed into an ocean-front upscale haven; replete with expensive condos, elite restaurants, exclusive shopping and a large golf course for the well to do retirees as well as the young, beautiful and affluent residents. This metamorphosis of the once fishing village did not occur for the good and welfare of the town’s inhabitants; instead it occurred because of greed. The greed of the town’s Mayor, Marshall Brickman, and his Mafioso partners; who forced the town’s natives to give up their homes by the marina by use of harsh persuasion methods like murder, intimidation, and forcefulness.
Some years later, as mayor Brickman was making a bid for the office of Lieutenant Governor, a 26 year old Dusty Johnson moved into Sand Pail City along with his fiancée, Pam Blume; a gal from a well-to-do family. As fate would have it, Dusty strikingly resembles a deceased community activist and fisherman, Bill Holly. Bill Holly was considered by many a pillar of the community and was the one real hold-out blocking the takeover plans of mayor Brickman and his cohorts, as Bill Holly could not be intimidated. Bill was killed by a horrific boat fire; albeit believed by locals to have been murdered by the mayor’s gangsters. Although Dusty is really not at all related to Bill Holly, he pretended to be Bill’s son – because it helped him obtain perks like good jobs, a nice place to live and camaraderie. The sight of having Dusty Johnson around irritated mayor Brickman to a point of near insanity; as his mental guilt of Bill Holly’s death, and the belief that his son (look alike Dusty Johnson) moved to the town to exact revenge on his father’s murderers. Needless to say, Dusty’s charade eventually blows up into a melee of violence – but surprisingly also leads to unexpected friendships and forgiveness.
This fictional story is populated by truly unique and realistic characters residing in the colorful setting of the beach locations within Sand Pail City. Overall, the combined qualities of the characters and descriptions of the events makes for an enticing read. Well written with detailed, descriptive language and with an entertaining plot, it is easy for the reader to become completely absorbed in the book until the very end. I certainly recommend this book to anyone looking for a fun and thoroughly enjoyable read. A book Ideal for reading while lying in the sun, on a chase lounge, poolside, in Sand Pail City.
