Papa’s Problem

by: Patrick Kendrick

Published by: BluewaterPress, LLC

Reviewed by Barbara L. Fielder

What does Key West, Florida; an impending hurricane; writer Ernest Hemmingway; cock fighting; gambling; the murder of a local prostitute; and retired Scotland Yard detective have in common? Be sure to pick up this quick summer read and discover the answer to these questions.

The author places you in Key West during the late 1930s where Cubans and locals mix in a community that is struggling with the financial woes of the great depression, but find ways to gamble legally and illegally to scratch out a meager living. Among the locals Ernest “Papa” Hemmingway, his wife and children, live in a lifestyle that is opulent in comparison. Hemmingway is well known, influential and, of course, known as a boozer and womanizer. Known for his boxing fetish, he would box anyone foolish enough to throw a punch.

This is where our hero Emmet MacWain, retired Scotland Yard detective, and Hemmingway literally come into contact. A well-landed punch by MacWain puts Hemmingway flat on his back. This encounter puts MacWain in the path of Hemmingway’s wife, Pauline. Pauline is depicted as a devoted mother but, more apparently the long-suffering wife of Hemmingway.

Notorious for winding up drunk each evening, it is not uncommon for Hemmingway to drift home at all hours of the night. One night, in particular, he did not find his way home–and this begins the foundation of Papa’s Problem.

Hemmingway is the prime suspect in the murder of a local prostitute. Concerned with the lack of sophistication in crime scene investigation by the local sheriff, Pauline asks MacWain to conduct his own investigation on her behalf.
This investigation reveals the underbelly and the dangerous unethical underworld of Key West, Florida, back in the day. Does MacWain find evidence to support Hemmingway’s alibi? Are there culpable suspects in the murder case in question? Are there other issues MacWain uncovers that put him in jeopardy? Does a hurricane hamper or help the investigation?

This book is ready for your summer read; enjoy and discover the answers to these questions and more.

Armchair Interviews says: Wonderful mix of the real and the made-up.