Point Dume

Set in Malibu, POINT DUME is cast with a fascinating crew of characters – among them, the thirty- something surf goddess Ellis, Pedro the weed poacher who deals out of his camper, over-privileged Frank who takes pride in his mansion and vineyard, and the illegal immigrant Felix who makes the dangerous journey from Mexico to work at a cartel-run pot farm in Southern California.

The fictional narrative in POINT DUME is firmly rooted in pertinent issues that are all too real today. Arnoldi writes with authority, informed by her own extensive and revelatory research including many hikes into active cartel-run marijuana grow-sites with the U.S. Park Police. With experience and expertise, she takes on the death of surf culture, human trafficking, drug cartels, and the environmental devastation caused by illegal pot farms on public lands. She addresses the transformation of a once blue-collar suburb into a billionaire's playground with secret large- scale marijuana farms right in their backyards. With the ongoing marijuana legalization debate, recent revelations of illegal pot farms in Malibu and concern over environmental destruction, this novel is timely as well as entertaining. Sexy, exciting and surprisingly relevant, POINT DUME is the perfect addition to any reading list.