Reef Dance

by John Decure

Book Overview

Thirteen years ago J. Shepard's mother rose before dawn, packed a bag and walked out of his life forever. Since then, the rolling surf has been his only escape, a refuge from the daily stress of his... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0312272979
• ISBN13: 9780312272975
• Release Date: September 2001
• Publisher: Minotaur Books
• Length: 368 Pages
• Weight: 1.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 6.5" x 9.6"

Customer Reviews

Review of Brian Bradley of "Reef Dance"

Mr.DeCure's "Reef Dance" is a stand-up story which takes the reader through a gamut of human emotion - deception, love, abandonment, anger, and fear. In the forum of a child dependancy court, contrasted with the uncertain ride of the surfer, the protagonist of "Reef Dance," J Sheppard, carries the reader through his life's tulmultuous series of waves, both literally at the beach, and figuratively through the heart-breaking stories of a Los Angeles child dependancy case, and his personal story of early abandonment by his mother, which eternally haunts him. The character of J Sheppard gives the reader a first-hand look at what abandonment and deception can do to the human spirt, and how these emotional blows exacerbate J's emotional carnage. "Reef Dance" is a compelling story which insists that the reader stay till the end to learn the outcome. Mr. DeCure's use of the adjective and his colorful descriptions thrust the reader into the settings themselves, making the story all the more interesting and cohesive. A very good read!

Surfing Businessman

Mr. DeCure has done an extraordinary job of mixing the maturity of working a high energy job while maintaining the love of the surf. This is a must read by anybody who loves the surf but does not share the stereotypical "surf bum" attitude toward life and values.

Catching a new wave

John DeCure's "Reef Dance" swept me off my feet with all the power of the California surf about which he so eloquently writes. This is a new kind of mystery, one without gratuitous gunplay or exponentially-growing body counts. It is a testament to DeCure's talent that he doesn't have to resort to such writerly tricks in order to keep his story moving.And what a fine story it is! J. Shepherd, DeCure's protagonist, is a California-based lawyer to whom fate has not been kind lately. His romantic life is a disaster, and his professional career isn't going much better. J. spends his days in the spirit-crushing environment of Los Angeles's juvenile dependency court system where cases involving child welfare and custody issues are adjudicated. Not yet thirty years old, J. is already a burnout, his ideals shattered by the never-ending stream of drug-abusing, child-beating, pedophilic clients that he is continually appointed to defend. It is only through his deep and abiding love of the ocean and the sport of surfing that J. manages to find any measure of escape from his workday nightmares, and the strength to keep on going.But the course of J.'s life suddenly changes when he is given a monster of a case, the defense of a young, "white-trash" mother accused of selling her baby to a wealthy couple. J. wants nothing to do with this one and the media frenzy that it is already generating. Burnout aside, he is more than usually repelled by the idea of having to defend a woman who was apparently willing to abandon her child in exchange for cash. The case cuts too close to home, for as a teenager, J. himself had been abandoned by his own mother.J., however, is given no choice in the matter and must take the assignment. Though he at first believes the worst of his client, Sue Ellen, his investigation into the facts gradually leads him to wonder if she might perhaps be innocent after all. But the truth about the baby-selling is not the only mystery here. The more he seeks out the facts on Sue Ellen's behalf, the more J. is drawn to the central puzzle of his own life: the whereabouts of his mother, Marielena Shephard, and the reasons why she deserted him. One of his old friends, the world-famous surfing legend Jackie Pace, seems to know more than he's willing to tell about her disappearance, and as the novel progresses, the mystery of the babyselling case and the mystery of Marielena's fate reflect and play off of each other, building to a powerful conclusion.John DeCure has made an astonishing debut with "Reef Dance." His characters pulse with life, and his story's pacing never lags. The trial scenes are suspensefully written, the excitement expertly building toward the climactic courtroom showdown. The surfing backdrop makes for a welcome change from the usual mystery fare, and DeCure's vivid descriptions had this nonsurfer feeling like an old pro. Get your suntan lotion out. With "Reef Dance" on the ol' winter reading list, an "endless summer"

Colorful Characters

Reef Dance is a compelling legal mystery novel with an intriguing story line. J. Shepard, the main character, is a lawyer/surfer who encounters many strange & interesting individuals in his dual worlds. The book flows seemlessly between the court room & surfing scenes, both of which are described with a gritty realism. Surfers will feel an immediate connection with the depiction of various surf spots and the surfing lifestyle in general. The baby-selling case was gripping and presented a stark & realistic picture of how much more difficult it is for the "have-nots" to get a get a level playing field when competing with the "haves" in our society. The case also has some hilarious moments when surf legend Jackie Pace helps his "bro" J. Shepard with some crack detective work. The book really moved along. I found it hard to put down.

A powerful legal procedural

In 1992, J. Shepard is tired of his depressing cases as an attorney for the Los Angeles County Dependency Court Legal project. Each client seems helpless with no hope for the future for himself or herself and their children yet most will do whatever is required of them to keep their children. Still after today?s session with the sovereign of filth, J. looks forward to riding the surf. However, he is unable to sneak out as planned because he is assigned the media visible case of indigent and ignorant Sue Ellen Randall, who sold her baby. Sue Ellen and her husband want the infant returned, but the foster parents, wealthy with White House connections Corwin and Kitty Danforth refuse to surrender Nathan. J. wants out of the case because it reminds him of his own mother who deserted him thirteen years ago. However, he provides legal services to Sue Ellen. As he digs deeper into the dispute, he begins to believe in the naive innocence of his client. REEF DANCE is a powerful legal procedural that paints a different perspective on those mothers who sell their children. Readers will feel empathy towards Sue Ellen. However, the Danforths and their attorney are so tundra they are a wipe out, receiving no sympathy. The insight into juvenile dependency courts is breathtaking yet shocking. Readers will enjoy riding the waves with John deCure and hope J. will return in future dramas. However, the audience will feel disappointed that the talented author failed to surf a Saving Isiah type of wave so that the audience would feel genuine empathy towards both parties in the dispute. Harriet Klausner