White is one of my favorite mystery authors. He is about my age and lives in Florida, on Sanibel Island. The Doc Ford Mystery series now has 27 books in the series.

Doc Ford is a marine biologist who travels the world researching and collecting specimens for universities. He lives near a marina filled with quirky characters.

Doc has a past that sometimes requires him to get involved with international intrigue, and occasionally danger follows him home. White is known for his careful research and insights into Florida’s social and natural history.

I was thrilled to see my youngest grandson reading a book by him, one of the four “Sharks Inc.” series books. These are designed for ages 9-12, with Doc Ford and his wife Hannah as minor characters.

The main characters are Luke, a farm boy who moved to Florida from Ohio; and sisters Maribel and Sabina, who recently moved from Cuba.

In the first book in the series, “Fins,” they begin working for Doc Ford, going out in their boat tagging small sharks. In “Crocs,” they are investigating small marshy islands and shell mounds in the area to search for orange trees that may be genetically different enough from current orange trees to be able to survive “citrus greening”  disease.

They stumble across a huge alligator and her babies … or is it an alligator? Could it be a crocodile? Their video is sent to a friend of Doc’s, who confirms it is a rare crocodile.

On the island, they find plenty of early versions of the oranges brought to Florida by the Spanish, but they can’t find the tree or any seedlings to bring to local scientists. They decide they need to keep searching and camp out on the island.

They meet the owner, a reclusive elderly woman who was famous for being a knowledgeable local guide. Luke, Maribel and Sabina help her with her animals, and her boat engine, and then she allows them to camp out.

Suddenly, they are attacked by a neighbor of hers driving a huge cabin cruiser. The crazy neighbor swamps her dock and boat, and almost hits them all on the beach. Why on earth does the neighbor dislike her so much? Why is he trying to scare them off?

The kids of Sharks Inc. investigate, and don’t like what they find out. 

This series has a great setting, wonderful characters, and just enough science, history, chills and thrills for summer reading.