The Coral Cut creeps out everyone who drives down North Lake Way. A petite headstone memorializes a monkey in a courtyard off Worth Avenue. A funky tree native to Africa towers above the Society of the Four Arts Demonstration Garden. Time stands still at the 1880s-era Little Red Schoolhouse.

Described by railroad tycoon Henry Morrison Flagler as a “veritable paradise,” South Florida’s best-known barrier island evolved into a warm-weather retreat for the rich and famous during the glorious Gilded Age. Secret Palm Beach: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure reveals the mysteries, quirks, and surprises that give life to the tony town and the rest of the county, all four corners of which have oddities of their own. To the north is the state’s first federally designated “Wild and Scenic” river and the lore of the legendary survivalist who inhabited its bank. To the south is Old Betsy, an antique fire engine that inspired a song. To the east is Singer Island, named after the sewing machine heir. And to the west is Lake Okeechobee, an unassuming breeding ground for some of the biggest marquee players in the NFL.

In Secret Palm Beach, author Amy Woods, who grew up in the area, takes readers on a whirlwind tour of the fascinating and fun enigmas that accentuate the tropical destination.