The Port Fee: A Storm Ketchum Adventure

By: Garrett Dennis

Narrated by: Ward Paxton

Engaging and quirky mystery, history, and adventure!

Underwater, everybody can hear you scream, but they can't tell where you are....

Ketch is at it again in the magical Outer Banks of North Carolina, in this new adventure from the author of Port Starbird and Port of Refuge. It's a picture-perfect summer afternoon on a pristine beach near a ghost seaport on an uninhabited island. What could go wrong? But things do, when two bodies wash ashore and Ketch stumbles upon clues that lead to the sunken treasure of an old-time buccaneer off Portsmouth Island. Ketch isn't the only one who has an interest in the treasure, and it exposes both him and his adversaries to unexpected obligations and consequences. It seems everyone has to pay the port fee....

Good guys and bad guys, boating and diving, a dash of romance, and a mysterious otherworldly presence all come together in The Port Fee, Ketch's most challenging adventure to date.

©2016 Garrett Dennis (P)2023 Garrett Dennis

Interesting story

Any additional comments?

This was an interesting story. I really liked it.
“I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher.”

The Port Fee

I was given this audio in exchange for an honest review.

Although this is not book 1 in the series, you can enjoy this book without listening to those first as I did and still enjoy. However their are a few references to other mysteries and immediate references to characters you will meet or discover more about later that would have been more obvious to someone who had listened to the whole series.

The story starts out pretty quickly with 2 bodies. And then the mystery moves on from their. It is a decently paced story their are lots of fun facts about the islands of NC. Storm is a great character and so are his friends! I loved the ending and the fact the author was not afraid to seek revenge on the bad guys!

Ghosts and Treasure Hunters

Finding two dead divers at the shore leads to treasure, a brush with death, and a ghost. Researching the cause of the divers demise "Ketch" discovers a Nazi submarine filled with gold bars and a pirate ship filled with gold coins. The ghost of the legendary Sea Hag warns him off, but he doesn't listen. After rogue treasure hunters attempt to kill Ketch and his crew and kidnap his grandson, he seeks revenge. I was gifted this from the author.

Pay the fee

If you like pirate treasure hunting than this is for you. It was a good story, if sometimes a bit to much detail about the area (I think if you know the area it will mean a lot more to you).

The characters from the previous books also appeared in the story to help storm save the day. He introduced some new team members and I look forward to seeing how all the relationships develop in further books.

The only down side was the narrator, he had only one sounding voice meaning I found it hard to tell which character was speaking adult, child and even man or women.

An interesting island and ocean adventure

The Port Fee is an island and ocean adventure with hidden treasure, pirates, a ghost, scuba diving, and more. It’s an entertaining story, although there is a point when the hero’s actions, while justified, cease to be heroic.

I would consider this book suitable for most audiences. Contains violence and mild sexual situations- probably PG-13 if it was a movie.

The narrator of the audiobook does a good job and suits the story.

I received a complimentary copy of this audiobook. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Outer Banks of N. Carolina Cozy Mystery

If you could sum up The Port Fee: A Storm Ketchum Adventure in three words, what would they be?

EVOLVING MYSTERY with a bit of SUPERNATURAL.

What did you like best about this story?

It's an easy, laid back pace of a mystery that takes place in a an easy, laid back location.

Which scene was your favorite?

I got pulled in dutifully ng the early opening of the story. The kids finding "zombies" and the gold coins. There's a mystery, there are beautiful locations. I haven't read other entries in the series but the characters are interesting too. Just don't expect edge of your seat but it's still worth the listen.

Any additional comments?

This is very laid back story, be patient though. It is entertaining. A beach read possibly.

Ward Paxton does a good job with the characterizations and pace of the story. Easy listening.

Thanks for the opportunity to review it!

This review copy audiobook was provided by the narrator at no cost. Which I can only assume was voluntary on their part. I am happy to give my honest review of it. I think I'm suppose to mention how reviewing this was voluntary on my part too.

Thank you Mr. Paxton!

Good old fashioned ghostly treasure hunt story

Any additional comments?

Good old-fashioned treasure hunt story. Many characters and suspenseful moments form a good foundation for the book. A lot of history of the outer banks in North Carolina along with lore of the area added to the story. Good narration of characters events. A few scary and heart wrenching moments as well. Good listen overall. I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher.

Danger!

outer-banks, greed, folklore, family-dynamics, friendship, mystery, environment

Adventure is right! Storm has a lot of personal baggage that comes into play, but the biggest problems in the story arise from deep concern for the local environment, the greed of treasure divers, and also the problem of sand theft (which is part of a global problem). Lots of very interesting characters and a fair amount of proselytizing about politics and ignorant people, but all that makes the book more interesting and relevant. Loved it!
Ward Paxton is VERY well suited to the material.

My kind of book.

This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.
I guess my tagline says it all. I love to listen to books when I work and this one was great. A nice story that's easy to follow, some local color and a mystery to boot. I love it when a book gets me more interested in the locale where it's set. I'm looking forward to the next books and going back in the series for more.

Different Adventure than I was expecting.

The Port Fee is a very different type of adventure book from what I was expecting. The book was well written, but sometimes it seemed like too many details were provided on some aspects, and not enough on other. The author and narrator were new to me. I'd rate the narrator at a 3 1/2 star performance because it was hard to distinguish which character he was performing. The book was intriguing and full of some unexpected twists. This book was totally original, and at times almost seemed like an instruction instead of adventure story. My review is my opinion of the book, and not a synopsis. I was voluntarily provided with this review copy audiobook at no charge by the author, narrator, and/or publisher.