Booty Bones Book Summary and Study Guide

After meeting with Angela, Sarah Booth was given the story behind her father's murder and how he was getting close to solving a treasure hunt, but before he could find his treasure he was found dead. She is also up against a sheriff that does not like Angela, which can be difficult for Sarah Booth, but with the help of her town's sheriff, Coleman, he might be able to get an opportunity to review the evidence on the case. Once Sarah Booth decides to take the case, Angela finds that her place has been shot and potentially could be a warning to stop any investigation.

Sarah Booth in the beginning of the investigation finds out that Angela had made a lot of enemies in the community with her media coverage that uncovered scandals. One of the first interviews was with Larry's lawyer Coty McGown. She discovered that Larry was very drunk and had visited Mr. Trotter the night of his murder. There was no weapon found and the evidence was based on the witness, Arley McCain and what was found at the murder scene. Larry's fingerprints were found all over Mr. Trotter's boat, Miss Adventurer because Larry stated he was helping his friend. There was missing video of the marina and a witness that could have helped his case, but due to the fact that she was a married woman Larry did not give her name until after he was convicted. Lydia Clampett was the missing witness that can attest to his drunkenness and that she dropped him off at the marina. Most of all, there was the Deputy Sheriff Chavis and the actual evidence from the crime scene that made him look guilty.

With the help of Sheriff Coleman, Sarah Booth was able to get the help she needed to get the cooperation with the local police office, who processed all the evidence. Sheriff Benson agreed to help in hopes of finally putting this behind them and getting Angela to accept that two drunks getting into a fight left Mr. Totter dead instead of someone killing him for his buried treasure rumored to be on Dauphin Island. Sarah Booth had the opportunity to view all the evidence and speak with all of the officials on the crime scene. While all of this going on, Graf and Sarah Booth are struggling to deal with Graf's injury and their lack of intimacy.

While Graf is on his own, Sarah Booth is able to speak with a few people and ask some questions around the area about the treasure. She goes off and stops at an antique stop to get some background information from Terrance Snill about the treasure that John Trotter was seeking out. It was called the Esmeralda treasure of which pirate Armand Counteau robbed many to get the treasure and would sell some of it back to those he stole from. Terrance told her that John had a partner in the search for this treasure, which was Remy Renault that Sarah Booth suggested to Larry during their visit with him and his wife Lydia Clampett could have set him up for the murder. Sarah Booth tried to interview Remy, but he was very aggressive toward her, so she left after finding out he was arrested that night in Mobile and felt John Trotter was keeping information on the treasure from him. She learned that Lydia was Remy's sister not his wife.

Larry told her that he was dropped off by Lydia Clampett that night after he tried to steal a telescope from a museum. Sarah Booth was told that Remy was in jail, but she strongly felt that he could have done it and then gotten arrested. She found it also interesting how the marina's camera were not working the same day of the murder. Sarah Booth found a motive for Remy because if John Trotter was close to finding the treasure and planned to cut Remy out of the treasure, then Remy could have the treasure for himself. So, Sarah Booth finds out by interviewing Chavis that he was never brought into the investigation along with Lydia. At the prison with Larry, she was warned to watch herself by someone purposely bumping into her. She leaves to go to the fort to find some clues, but she is followed by someone. Sarah Booth's investigation was getting close because she had encountered three dangerous situations since she started; someone now wants to shut her up.

She now decides to go to the museum to find out what the telescope was so special. Her friend Tinkie comes up to help speak with the curator of the museum and learns there is something inside of the glass. They learn how the curator, Prevatt obtained the telescope from John Trotter after John sold it to him during hard times, but was hoping to get it back. On the day of John's murder, Larry was trying to get to it, but was unsuccessful. In another interview with Arley, he thinks he may have heard another small boat's engine that night of John's murder. Meanwhile, a hurricane is heading their way while they search for clues from all of the people on this island. Sarah Booth runs into a woman, Phyllis who is passionate about the turtle population on the island and learns she was dating John Trotter. Phyllis felt that Angela should leave this business with her dad's murderer alone and move on. Sarah Booth is finding herself conflicted with Graf, the hurricane, the Angela's case.

Sarah Booth decides that she must find Angela and get to a safer place from the hurricane. This leads her to Arley, who has not heard from Angela since the hurricane. Tinkie and Sarah Booth decide to visit Remy as their last hopes of finding her after both of them went to Angela's house. They find it was wrecked and blood in her kitchen. At Remy's house, they find Remy's sister dead and blood on the bed. After this time, Angela is reunited with them and tells them how someone drugged her and hit her on the head. They also discovered Chavis found in the same position as her father when he was murdered on the boat. Chavis shares with them that he was trying to give them information about the murder but he was knocked out and drugged like Angela. In a hurry to leave, they all help to tie the boat up, but come into contact with a mysterious car and person who lets out Sarah Booth's dog Sweetie and cat Pluto.

Now they are with Chavis, he tells them that Larry was innocent and that someone in the Sheriff's department has treated him bad leaving him to arrest the wrong person. From this information, they learned that there was someone bad working at the Sheriff's department along with Snill, Phyliss, and Sheriff Benson. Benson had pushed him to convict Larry to hide the real murderer. Once some of the pieces fall together, they run into Sheriff Benson and Phyliss, which are both working together. They learn from a confession that Phyliss killed John Trotter because she didn't want the treasure to be found to keep everyone from making the island a tourist attraction to save the turtles. They also learned that Phyliss and Sheriff Benson killed Remy and his sister to keep the treasure from being found by them. All of them were trying to get the painting, telescope, and riddle in order to get to the treasure before anyone else did. Angela, Tinkie, and Sarah Booth are now in a dangerous situation because Phyliss and Sheriff Benson are trying to kill them by forcing them on the boat in bad weather hoping they would drown instead of being murdered. But, Sarah Booth is saved by her dog and cat when they go after Phyliss and Sheriff Benson resulting in them being thrown into the storm infested waters.

Once they are safe from the murderers, Phyliss and Sheriff Benson are arrested leaving the three women faced with a boat off into the storm. They find Graf there to help them and they are safety brought to shore. Sarah Booth now faces her problems with Graf and his distancing from her. She learns he had a child and must go to raise his daughter. She comes home to her friends with a broken heart and a treasure found.

Best part of story, including ending: I liked how is was difficult to find out who the murderer was even with all the conversations Sarah Booth had with potential suspects. I think this book shows how vulnerable Sarah Booth is with her fiancé Graf because in the other books both of them are madly in love.

Best scene in story: My favorite scene was when Tinkie, Angela, and Sarah Booth discover who the murderer really was. A boat comes up and along came Phyliss, who they are trying to warn her about the Sheriff Benson because he was planning on killing the three women. They find out Phyliss is actually with Sheriff Benson and the mystery is finally discovered. They tell the three women who killed John Trotter, Remy and Lydia. As they are ready to kill the three women, Sweetie and Pluto, who are Sarah Booth's dog and cat go after Sheriff Benson and Phyliss causing them to fall into water. They save the day with some biting and scratching. This scene is my favorite because you never expect that a dog and cat would save the day.

Opinion about the main character: I don't like how Sarah Booth doubts her love for Graf because in all the other books she is madly in love. She seemed a little depressed and sad.