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Shadow Cay

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An instant hook thriller when paradise becomes a life-and-death nightmare. Already reeling from a rash of maritime disasters, a war and international terrorists, vigilante Madeleine Nesbitt and amateur detective Peter Duncan are destined for even darker days when they investigate the man with no conscience behind the world's most profitable enterprise. They find themselves in a sea of corruption, deception and lies.

492 pages, Paperback

First published March 30, 2010

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About the author

Leona DeRosa Bodie

7 books152 followers
Leona Bodie is the multiple award-winning author of an adult suspense novel and several illustrated children’s books. Leona’s career took her from high school English teacher to biotechnology corporate executive and president of the Greater Miami Society of Human Resource Management before she shifted to writing books. She is past Vice President of the Florida Writers Association and lives in Florida with her husband Walt, a Miami-Dade forensic specialist for 21 years. She is currently working on a sequel to her thriller SHADOW CAY, which has been endorsed by the President of Florida Association of Forensic Professionals and named a Royal Palm Literary Award winner in the thriller/suspense category.

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5 stars
47 (25%)
4 stars
49 (27%)
3 stars
48 (26%)
2 stars
23 (12%)
1 star
14 (7%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
Profile Image for Giovanni Gelati.
Author 20 books885 followers
August 3, 2010
I am a big proponent of the saying don’t judge a book by its cover. Leona Bodie’s novel Shadow Cay proves me right. In this day and age of flash and sparkle, the pleasant, simple cover to the novel does not do justice to the action and suspense contained in its pages. I live in Bucks County,Pa., but any time I am able to slip away to Florida I do love to do it. I know this is just in the literary sense with the novel, but Bodie does such a nice descriptive job I felt like I was there. Please pass the SPF50, thank you.
The back cover of the novel gives us a glimpse of the story: ” Already reeling from a rash of maritime disasters, a war and international terrorists, vigilante Madeline Nesbitt and amateur detective Peter Duncan are destined for even darker days when they investigate the man with no conscience behind the world’s most profitable enterprise. They find themselves in a sea of corruption, deception and lies.”
Leona Bodie has already gotten several children’s books under her belt and this debut effort into the suspense genre is worthy of the read. She is adept at her narratives and brings the reader into another place, making us feel comfortable with the surroundings. Her characters contain all the right elements to make them engendered to us, and I could really feel myself getting a good groove on the direction they were headed. The plotline is well executed and carried out and it left me wanting more at the end of the novel. I don’t think one could ask for more in a work of fiction. Here is a news flash from Leona Bodie herself:
"Although the winners in various fiction and nonfiction categories will be not be announced until this October in Orlando, SHADOW Cay has already been named a finalist for the 2010 Royal Palm Literary Awards, a competition sponsored by the Florida Writers Association, a nonprofit statewide professional organization."
Shadow Cay is a good discovery, don’t make a hasty judgment, give this a novel a try, put it in your Goodreads –to-read -list and enjoy it. What are you reading today? Check us out and become our friend on Facebook and Shelfari. Go to Goodreads and become our friend there and suggest books for us to read and post on. You can also follow us on Twitter, Book Blogs , Gelati’s Scoop Facebook Fan Page, and also look for our posts on Amazon, Barnes and Nobles, and the Bucks County Library System. Did you know you can shop directly on Amazon by clicking the Gelati’s Store Tab on our blog? Thanks for stopping by today; we will see you tomorrow. Have a great day.

Profile Image for Sally Malkowski.
103 reviews13 followers
July 3, 2013
This is a difficult review for me to make as I knew very little about pacemakers and drug cartels before I read this book. But I do know about Florida, as I lived there twenty-seven years, and that was the draw. Leona Bodie has written a compulsively entertaining read which infused the info without the boredom I anticipated. Many characters/many plots/many timelines/many locations between Florida and the Bahama Cays … woven skillfully into 480 pages that I wished would never end. There are some auto-correct/punctuation/grammar issues but they didn't cause me to quit reading. Not for the Sunday School reader or the high brow, but if you fit somewhere in between, you might want to give it a try.
Profile Image for Sandra Stiles.
Author 1 book74 followers
July 27, 2010
This was a very fast paced (action) book. It was very believable, especially in this day and age. Rico Salazar is the head of a large drug operation. He finds the perfect spot to run things from and has patrol boats keep everyone away. Everyone knows the consequences of venturing into his area. madeleine Nesbitt has begged her parents not to fish in that area. They ignore her premonition and trouble strikes. Her parents put her over the side to save her. Unfortunately she is found in the water and taken to the island. For a sixteen year old she has a lot more smarts than most kids her age. She knows the only way to survive and possibly escape is to play along.
Madeleine becomes so good at playing along that Rico begins to trust her. He gives her more and more jobs to do. She is creative enough in handling them that she occasionally causes him some setbacks. He doesn't suspect her. Finally she is given the opportunity to make a delivery to the US. Once there she slips away. This seems easy since she had never given him her real name. But how long can she remain hidden from him and his men?
This was a page turner. The action was steady enough to keep me non-stop turning the pages until I had finished it. Can't wait to recommend this to friends at school.
Profile Image for Wendy Hines.
1,322 reviews263 followers
January 24, 2012
Madeleine had a serious health problem when she was younger. A birth mark that blossomed as a tumor and became life-threatening was finally surgically removed when she was seven. However, after the surgery, Madeleine was never the same again. She has visions and they are usually of people she doesn't know.

When her parents are murdered, Peter Duncan, the boy who saved her from the ferry, offers his aid to Madeleine. The two are soon in over their heads in a sea of corruption and international intrigue. Rico Salazar has spent most of his life building up his business and he will stop at nothing to keep it secret and stabile.

Shadow Cay is a thriller with a dangerous sexy edge. The characters took me awhile to piece together as their stories start out separately before they weave into the main plot, but once I did, I was captivated. Madeleine is a superb heroine that I can't wait to see in another installment. Bodie writes a fast paced story that ends with a bang. You won't want to miss this one!

Profile Image for Susan.
760 reviews33 followers
November 20, 2012
Leona pens her characters in "Shadow Cay" believable and strong, in a plot that is packed with crime, action, thrills, and suspense. I found the beginning to be a bit slow, but once you read past the first chapter, it will hook you right in. A total must read for all crime, suspense fans.

This review is based on a complimentary copy which was provided for an honest review.
Profile Image for J.W. Thompson.
Author 10 books498 followers
November 12, 2010
Leona Bodie is a new master storyteller. I found Shadow Cay hard to put down, once I started it. The characters are lifelike and made me care. Big bucks and bigger dreams entwine in a web of deceit. I can't wait to read more by this author.
Profile Image for Michelle.
1,475 reviews
June 11, 2017
Good book

You people should just read this book yourselves and write your own review on this novel yourself and I really enjoyed reading this book very much so. Shelley MA
Profile Image for Cynthia Maddox.
Author 1 book18 followers
September 14, 2014
I anticipated a much better read that the one I got. The story started really well. I liked the opening chapter. In fact, it hooked me. Normally, I don't mind novels with multiple viewpoints if they are well done. Had the author stuck with a couple of POV characters the story might have been truly a great read.

However, the volume of POV characters that marched into the story was difficult to keep up. Each chapter I wasn't sure who was going to be onstage. And several times, that is all that happened, a narrator told of events happening rather than putting the reader into the action. This got worse the farther into the story I got.

There were even a few minor characters that were POV characters who appeared only a couple of times and their appearance could easily have been eliminated with no problem.

Still, I wanted to know what happened so I stuck it out. Only to be extremely annoyed by the narrative ending of the story. It totally fell flat. The ending read as if it was just an extra chapter of notes that the author had in their file to explain the final events to the author and which she felt the reader needed. We don't. We know what happened to the bad guy and the good guys and we're good. We don't need to know what happens somewhere else to a secondary... no... not even a secondary, just a character who was simply a walk on.

Very disappointed as I do think this could have been told much better if the author had stuck with fewer POV's and less narration.

I'm not likely to read another of her books.
Profile Image for Theresa.
29 reviews3 followers
November 20, 2012
I am sure there is a lot that can be said of Shadow Cay by Leona Bodie. If nothing else, this story will provoke strong emotions and at times leave you breathless. This book is not for the faint of heart. There is suspense and drama and often time intense violence.

The vivid details bring all aspects of this story to life. From the beautiful Bahamas to bright and flashy Miami, Leona Bodie has a talent for describing scenes through her words. She also creates gripping suspense with those same skills, keeping the reader turning the pages to find out if Madeleine and Peter are successful in their efforts to stop Rico Salazar and the dangerous Colombian drug cartels.

The character development in Shadow Cay was rich and engaging. I felt like I was able to know the characters intimately as the story progressed. With a novel of this length good character development is key to keep the reader involved.

The author's use of dates to keep the storylines in focus was immensely helpful. The flashbacks and hopping between plots aid in the suspense but can get a bit confusing especially in the beginning while the author sets the stage for her thrilling climax.

I don't tend to like violent novels. I often read before bed and don't like the imagery following me into sleep. The suspense and intrigue in this novel makes it worth getting through the violence to the thrilling conclusion. Great job, Leona!
Profile Image for Niki.
230 reviews1 follower
November 27, 2012
I read this book for a fair, honest review:

This book is about several people whose life intertwine during this book, two are in organized crime, real bad boys, Madeleine goes on the fairy with a good friend and she feels something is wrong and next she knows the boat sinks and all she remembers is scream, noise and the one that saves her. He tells her his name. ..... then one day she goes fishing with her parents and Madeleine has a bad feeling about that too, she tries to convince her dad not to go but he doesn't want to hear about it. That night when they lay close to an island to catch a good amount of fishm they wake up by brutal sounds and lights, Her dad tells her to get out of the boat, she does listen en to her horror her parents are killed in cold blood,



As only survivor she ends up on an Island that is owned by a drug baron, who ordered her parents murder. She know she has to lie and takes another name, he lets her stay and falls in love with her, she swore revenge and all she did was collecting evidence to hang him one day.



Peter Duncan comes work for company that makes pacemakers and meets in time Madeleine, they both regocnize each other but can't remember from what. Peter investicat the errors in his boss's pacemakers that are killing people way to early (3 yrs) together they go and fight the orginazed crome and bring them down, will they succeed ? read for yourself.

Great book, love the characters and the thrill in it,



Profile Image for BecksBookPicks.
154 reviews37 followers
July 15, 2010
I have a mixed review. I don't usually read full out thrillers unless its James Patterson. So , i might not have fully known what to expect. In saying this, I liked the book. The story was captivating. I did want to get to the end, to see what was going to happen. I was rooting for the bad guys to be taken down.


What I didn't like was that I kinda didn't get the point fully to the story. The story was good like is said, but i don't fully feel like from the description on the back on the book, that i had any clue was i was going to read about. For the most part i went into it blind. I think the description on the back of the book could explain a little more. There were a lot of characters in this book to keep up with. That was rather difficult until i got a little more then halfway through. The book is full of dates, that at first i felt were important to keep up with, but then learned i didn't really have too.


Like i said, it was a good thriller if that is your kind of book. There is no romance for romance junkies hoping to find a tiny spark between two people. You will feel emotions for the people who lost their lives. And most of all, you really are waiting for the bad guys to get taken down and rooting for the good guys to make it. I think this would make an excellent movie. Maybe we will get to see it on the big screen!
Profile Image for Naomi.
4,722 reviews143 followers
January 4, 2013
Read my full review @http://bit.ly/UAUrmD

My opinion: I heard another author speaking about this book. When I looking at the book, my first thought was that it was definitely a book that I would love to review due to its' description and previous reviews. Imagine my surprise when the review request came in from the author to review it. I think it took me all of 5 minutes to get back to her with a "Heck, yeah! I will review your book!"

This book was everything it described and more. I found myself putting aside other review copies I am working on, sneaking in time to read it, etc. Once I was able to sit down and finally dedicate time to read it, I read 400 pages in approximately 5 hours. The story flowed like liquid gold!

Now, I will admit that there were moments when I did get the characters a bit confused, as there were a large number of characters who pop in and out of the storyline, but as it progressed, it became very apparent that how she wrote it was critical to the ending.

Another point of honesty, looking at its' cover, I expected this book to be cozy-lite. IT ISN'T!

Ms. Bodie is yet another example of DON'T JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS' PUBLISHER. This is Indie writing at its' finest.
Profile Image for Mary X.
162 reviews30 followers
July 20, 2016
I really wanted to like this book because I won it in a goodreads first reads giveaway. But I just do not like it and cannot make myself keep reading it to the end. Too many POVS to keep bouncing around. It reads very much to me like it was written by an amateur writer. I wish I was better at writing reviews to explain what I mean by that better. Also a pet peeve of mine is time-lines that don't make sense to me. When Peter pulls Lane out of the water it says he is 16 in 1991. So skip ahead to 1999 when he would be 24 and he appears to be a LT in the military, served in conflict missions but was also a celebrated scientist? He seems kind of young to be that far in life. I mean I assume he went to college at some point, boot camp, officer training school, etc... and in there somewhere worked as a scientist? He just seemed too young for that and I say that as someone who was married to a military officer for many years. But that said, I did not finish the book and so maybe this was a type? Or it's explained later that was a child genius? I just know that I have picked this book up 20 times now and cannot make myself get into it enough to finish when I have so many other books I want to read.
Profile Image for Amber Garr.
Author 34 books455 followers
July 7, 2012
4.5 stars

Shadow Cay is an action packed, fast-paced story about murder, corruption, deceit, and drug cartels, with a little bit of love thrown in too. Taking place in the Bahamas, Florida, and Colombia, Leona’s writing style is right on par with the top mystery and thriller authors in bookstores today. A young girl witnesses her parent’s murder and ultimately finds herself in the middle of drug ring headed by the man responsible for ruining many lives. The story is told from a number of character perspectives, allowing the reader to fully explore the extent of their connectivity and deception filtering through those involved. Shadow Cay is an entertaining read, and is well deserving of all the awards and recognition highlighted on Leona’s website. Although at times I did find the switch in characters and timeline slightly confusing, Leona’s writing style is poetic and captivating. She has a way with words that I’ve rarely seen before and I found myself getting lost in her elegant descriptions. I definitely recommend Shadow Cay, especially for fans of Michael Crichton, Dean Koontz, Jonathon Kellerman, Patricia Cornwell, and the likes.
Profile Image for Simone.
472 reviews17 followers
November 28, 2012
I received a copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review. Madeleine Nesbitt has had a life filled with difficulty, from birth until the age of seven; when they remove the tumor the size of a Honeydew melon, from the back of her head. Since the surgery she begins to have a sixth sense of sorts, not wanting to worry anyone she keeps this to herself. At the age of eight, the wealthy man that paid for her surgery (and also family friend), takes Maddie on one of the newest cruise liners for a day trip. Maddie has a really bad feeling as she approaches the ship but it is brushed aside. The day trip turns tragic as something happens to the ship and it begins to sink. As she begins to sink, she sees an ominous character. Luckily Maddie is saved by a young man whose name she does not recall and haunts her dreams. This book is an unexpected thrill ride, excellent characters you can relate to, love, and hate. This book is very descriptive and makes you feel like you’re there in the moment. An awesome book through and through!
Profile Image for Lorin Cary.
Author 5 books7 followers
April 16, 2013


A drug cartel, a corrupt medical device manufacturer, murder, mayhem, tension. They’re all here. The problem I had with this thriller is that at the outset there were too many point-of-view characters to follow, which made it hard to tell what the story question was. In time the threads came together, the pace picked up and the story made sense. It’s set in the Caribbean, where drug lord Rico operates, and Miami, where AJ runs a profitable medical device company in part financed by Rico. Madeline Nesbitt has visions and is out to revenge the murder of her parents; Peter Duncan, an honest man who works for AJ, emerges as her soul mate. These two will unravel and cause the downfall of the twin pillars of evil. It’s a compelling story and once into it, I wanted to keep going. That’s a big plus for any author to create in a reader. Still, there were problems. I found the viewpoint shifts at times disjointed. Sometimes narration seemed to be “reader feeder.” The relationship of the protagonists could have been more fully developed, and their role in the conclusion beefed up.
Profile Image for Vicki.
556 reviews37 followers
January 23, 2012
Where do I begin? Well, first of all, there are so many characters that at first it's hard to keep them straight. As I read, all but a few fell into place in my mind.

The book is full of action. Really full of action, and that made it so interesting I couldn't put it down. It's one of those on the edge of your seat books. It was seriously one thing after another and the bad guys are large and in charge...all the way to the end. Then, for me, the book ended to quickly. I was a little let down by not having a clearer, clean cut ending.

Overall, I'd give this book a 4 out of 5, because even though the ending wasn't what I'd have liked, the book was very intense from the very first page. The characters were all well written, especially Rico. What a piece of work he was!! My favorite though would have to be Lane (Madeleine). She was a strong young woman when the book begins and by the end is a force to be reckoned with.

I look forward to reading more from this author!
Profile Image for Gina.
477 reviews10 followers
November 19, 2012
I read this book for Promotional Book Tours for a fair and honest review. This is a rather large book. It's over 400 pages long. I can't remember the last time I read a book that long.

There is 3 main characters in this book with their own stories; Madeline a teenage girl with psychic abilities, Claude Pelletier who is a middle aged man whose wife just left him and Rico who is a drug trafficker.

This book is full of adventure and the high seas. It kind of reminds me of a pirate adventure. There is a lot going on in this book and sometimes it's hard to keep track of the story.

The author has the ability to really paint a picture of the scene she is writing. This book is kind of like a one size fits all book. This one book has a few different genres in it. No matter what genre you enjoy reading, this book will interest you.
Profile Image for April.
1,839 reviews74 followers
February 5, 2011
SHADOW CAY by Leona Bodie is a suspense/adventure thriller set in 1991 Bahamas.It is well written with depth,details,action packed,fast paced,twists and turns.It has big dreams,big money, adventure,suspense deceit,deception,terrorists,vigilante,corruption,lies,maritime,disasters,amateur detective,love,murder,revenge,cartels,greed,and a psychopath.The characters are believable,some are larger than life,some are just plain evil.If you enjoy an action packed,thriller,roller coaster, with danger, disaster on very corner,full of adventure and suspense you will enjoy this one.This book was received for the purpose of review from Bostick Communications and the author and details can be found at WRB Publishing and My Book Addiction and More.
Profile Image for Kathleen Kelly.
1,376 reviews128 followers
January 26, 2012
Shadow Cay by Leona Bodie is book about terrorists, greed, power and money. It is also a story of revienge. Madeleine Nesbitt lives the island life to its fullest until a tragedy takes place that changes her life forever. Forced to live with a murderer and drug dealer, Madeleine does what is necessary to survive and waits for the perfect opportunity to avenge her parents deaths.A story that at times had me on the edge of my seat urging Madeleine on. A fast paced story with lots of intrique and excitement. I enjoyed this story and highly recommend it.
Profile Image for Mike Bove.
Author 13 books59 followers
October 15, 2011
I truly enjoyed Shadow Cay. Each short chapter drew me further in, so I anticipated the final outcome more and more. Madaleine/Lane is a strong character. I couldn't help but root for her along the way. There are ruthless and unsavory characters, too. I enjoyed not rooting for them. Unfortunately, some of the topics such as hiding problems with medical devices and illegal drug manufacturing, are a reality. Leona Bodie has weaved them into her story to make it a thriller to think about.
Profile Image for Lisa Rayns.
Author 7 books146 followers
November 8, 2012
An awesome suspense novel!

Shadow Cay is a well-written nautical tale. I read one other review that said “Do NOT read this book if you are planning to sail…” and I was thinking “It would be awesome to read this while sailing!” So, I guess that’s how people differ. Either way, I loved the pacing and suspense in this book that kept me intrigued the whole way through. Excellent developed characters, exciting action, and interesting settings. Loved this book.
Profile Image for Janet Balletta.
Author 4 books21 followers
March 23, 2014
I was hooked from the start by the brave Madeline Nesbitt who's determined to find and avenge the killers who turned her life upside down. You will be holding your breath when Madeline's quest leads her into the underworld of drug trafficking, cooperate greed, and medical malpractice. I could not put the book down until the bad guys were caught and justice was served. It's kind of story that will stay with you long after you have put it down!
Profile Image for Karolyn.
119 reviews
July 3, 2013
This was a very long and wordy book. Read more like diary. Is was very interesting but also for me a little confusing. It was about the drug cartels and defective pace makers. And very involved how it all came together. I almost quit reading it but glad I didn't. Had to find out how it ended.
Profile Image for Elizabeth.
440 reviews9 followers
April 4, 2014
I received this book as an advanced readers copy from Goodreads. Although the book started out a little slow, it became intense and I couldn't put it down. I haven't read anything other than Shadow Cay by Ms. Bodie but really enjoyed this book, maybe because I recognized so many places in the book. I. Look forward to the sequel.
Profile Image for Richard Thompson.
Author 7 books8 followers
October 26, 2015
This is my first Leona Bodie book. At first I felt this tale of a young woman caught in a web of murder, rape and drug running was a bit slow-paced and the number of characters confusing. But, I must admit that things picked up smartly and the last half of the story was a fast-paced thriller. I enjoyed the Bahamian settings as well.
July 8, 2013
Again, the location is what brought me to this book. It takes place in the Bahamas and South Florida, both familiar to me. The story does keep a person wondering. The good guys win, but I wanted a bit more...what, I am not sure.
Profile Image for Kiravorn.
6 reviews
March 17, 2016
I have just received a copy of this book through Goodreads first reads. It's not the type of book that I usually read, so I hope to enjoy this forage into what is a new genre for me.

*review to follow*
Profile Image for Leona Bodie.
Author 7 books152 followers
April 13, 2011
I wrote it so I love it! ;-)If you love action, suspense, twists and turns, exotic locations and international intrigue, you'll love it too.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews

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