Lost Luggage by Wendall Thomas is the first book in the NEW “Cyd Redondo” traditional mystery series. Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press.

Cyd Redondo, a young, third-generation Brooklyn travel agent who specializes in senior citizens, has never ventured farther than New Jersey. Yet even Jersey proves risky when her Travel Agents’ Convention fling, Roger Claymore, leaves her weak in the knees-and everywhere else-then sneaks out of her Atlantic City hotel room at three a.m.

Back in Brooklyn, when she reads about smugglers stopped at JFK with skinks in their socks or monkeys down their pants, she never imagines she will join their ranks. But days after the pet store owner next door to Redondo Travel is poisoned, Cyd wins a free safari. Her boss, Uncle Ray, wants to cash it in for computers, but Cyd is determined to go. When Roger turns up at the Redondo clan’s door, Cyd invites him along as her “plus one.” And just like that she is thrown heels-first into the bizarre and sinister world of international animal smuggling.

She and Roger arrive in Africa, luggage lost, to find two of Cyd’s elderly clients in a local jail. She manages to barter them out, only to discover smugglers have hidden five hundred thousand dollars’ worth of endangered parrots, snakes, frogs, and a lone Madagascan chameleon in the clients’ outbound luggage. When Roger steals the bags – is the U.S. Embassy in on the contraband ring? – Cyd and the chameleon helicopter into the jungle to go after Roger on their own.

Wondering if “plus one” Roger is actually a minus, Cyd dodges Interpol, faces off with a cobra, steals a diplomatic bag, hijacks a FedEx truck, crashes an eco-safari, winds up in a leopard trap, and is forced to smuggle snakes in her bra. It’s a scramble to find the smugglers, save her clients, and solve Mrs. Barsky’s murder before finding herself at the top of the endangered species list.

For fans of Elaine Viets, Lisa Lutz, Janet Evanovich, and Blaize Clement.

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OMG, what a fun ride I had reading this book. Brooklynite Cyd wants that safari trip and when it lands into her hands, off she goes, never expecting the adventure that she would have. With plus one, Roger, nearby, they skirt all kinds of exotic and dangerous situations but it is the resourcefulness of Cyd that keeps her a little bit out of harm’s way.

This well-written mystery was fast-paced and action-packed that quickly became a page turner as I had to know what was going to happen next. The author has a way with words presenting a visually descriptive narrative that had me in the middle of the action as I couldn’t turn the page fast enough. The mystery was tightly woven with slapstick-like qualities that endeared me to this drama. What I liked best was not knowing who to believe, knowing the only one telling the truth was Cyd. Everyone played a pivotal role in how well this story was being told, but it was the heartfelt sadness that I felt along with Cyd when she discovered the truth, but I know Cyd is a survivor. This was a great read and I look forward to the next book in this terrific series.