Category: Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller Page 13 of 144

Flop Dead Gorgeous by David Rosenfelt: An Old Friend Brings a Challenging Case for Andy Carpenter @stmartinspress @netgalley

DETAILS:
Series: Andy Carpenter, #27
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Publication Date: July 04, 2023
Format: eARC
Length: 272
Read Date: June 13, 2023

What’s Flop Dead Gorgeous About?

Jenny Nichols went to the same high school as Andy Carpenter—but when he went to law school, she went to California and became a movie star. She comes back to Paterson frequently, even adopting a miniature French poodle from Andy’s rescue foundation and striking up a friendship with Laurie.

She’s staying in Paterson while filming her next movie in New York and Andy hosts a dinner with her and several others—during the dinner, her ex-boyfriend, current producer, and co-star (all the same person) shows up and causes a scene in an effort to see her. While Andy does nothing at all (his strength), Willie, Laurie, and Marcus shut down the producer and his bodyguards. They leave and the night goes on as before and everything seems fine.

Because this is that kind of book in that kind of series, that “fine” doesn’t last long. Jenny wakes up in the middle of the night to find her ex stabbed to death in her kitchen. With no one else in the house—and few people knowing she was staying there at all—the suspect list is really short, and it’s no time at all before Andy is hired to defend Jenny.

Wait, What?

I may be revealing what a horrible (as opposed to irresponsible) reader I am here—but in the second chapter, Rosenfelt said something that stopped me cold. Andy’s hosting that dinner for Jenny with a bunch of his friends and colleagues, including Sam, Willie and Sondra Miller, Vince Saunders—you know, the people you’d expect. Except for this: Marcus and his wife Julie. Did we know Marcus had a wife? Has she shown up a lot and I’ve totally forgotten her? I really don’t think so, but I don’t have time to read 20+ books (I can’t remember when he shows up first, book 2 or 3, I think) to see.

Part of my shock here has to do with the idea of Marcus having any kind of personal life is strange. It’s like when you’re in second grade and see your teacher in the grocery store. But I just have no recollection of this woman.

And, really, that’s not the strangest Marcus moment in the book…

Poor Eddie Dowd

Andy’s on his third associate in the series—the lawyer who does most of the actual lawyering, instead of the investigating and courtroom antics. He’s the guy who puts together briefs, looks up precedents, writes motions, and so on. This associate is usually comedic in some way, too.

Eddie shows up a little bit here, but nowhere is used to lighten the mood—we don’t even get one example of his overuse of sports metaphors. It was likely necessary to cut his jokes for space and/or to make up for the running joke (see below), but I couldn’t help but feel bad for the character. He barely got to do anything—particularly nothing interesting.

The Running Joke

There’s a running joke throughout this book that I can’t bring myself to ruin—or repeat. Initially, I wondered about Rosenfelt’s continued use of it—but in the end, I wouldn’t cut a single instance of it, and the later in the book we got the funnier I found each reappearance.

I don’t remember Rosenfelt going back to the well so often like this often (ever?).* Sure, he repeats jokes from book to book—Andy’s trying to retire, Edna’s lack of interest in work, Marcus’ lack of talking, etc. But fifteen+ appearances of a gag in one novel? I think this is new. I don’t know that we need it in every Andy Carpenter book from now on, but I wouldn’t mind it frequently.

* Fill up the comments here with the times he’s done it before and I’ve forgotten about it, by all means.

So, what did I think about Flop Dead Gorgeous?

I know I complain often about not knowing what to say about an Andy Carpenter novel that I haven’t said a few times before. And really, aside from what I’ve noted in the two sections above, I’m not sure what to say.

The one thing that I want to talk about the most is the one that I cannot discuss—the killer and the motive behind the killing. I can’t even think of a vague way to praise the choices Rosenfelt made in this novel’s structure. But for my money, the choice of the killer, motive, etc. are praiseworthy.

I do like the way Rosenfelt is aging Ricky—especially while not aging Tara—and letting Ricky pay attention to this case. Good character work.

Flop Dead Gorgeous features some of Rosenfelt’s funniest material in years. More of Andy in court (or so it seems) than we’ve been treated to lately. Good character work (both with regulars and new characters)—except for poor Eddie. The best mystery Rosenfelt’s given us in a long time. And Andy’s narrative voice has never been better (rarely been worse, too)—there are a couple of paragraphs that made me stop and note, “This is why I keep coming back to this series.”

We’re twenty-seven books in and I still laughed and was left on tenterhooks to see how Andy was going to prevail. That’s no mean feat. Rosenfelt hasn’t lost a step, and neither has this series. Naturally, I recommend Flop Dead Gorgeous to your attention.

Disclaimer: I received this eARC from St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley in exchange for this post—thanks to both for this.

4 Stars

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.

Broken by Don Winslow: It Doesn’t Get Better Than This

By HCNewton

On June 15, 2023

In Don Winslow, Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller, V-Z

Broken

by Don Winslow

DETAILS:
Publisher: William Morrow
Publication Date: August 10, 2021
Format: Paperback
Length: 335
Read Date: February 24-28, 2023

From the Back of the Book

No matter how you come into this world, you come out broken . . .
In six intense, haunting short novels, Don Winslow returns to the themes that are the hallmarks of his acclaimed body of work—crime, corruption, vengeance, justice, loss, betrayal, guilt, and redemption—to explore the savagery and nobility that drive and define the human condition.

In Broken, Winslow creates a world of high-level thieves and low-life crooks, obsessed cops and jaded private detectives, dope dealers and government agents, bounty hunters and fugitives. Diverse and richly drawn, these characters—some familiar, others new—are lost souls driving without headlights on the dark highway of modern America. Set in New Orleans and Hawaii, Southern California and south Texas, each story in this collection is distinctively Winslow, shaped by his trademark blend of insight, humanity, humor, drama, and consummate literary craftsmanship.

A powerful, gripping collection of tales that will become classics of crime fiction, Broken is Don Winslow at his nerve-shattering, heartbreaking best.

I’m not so sure I’d call these “short novels,” or novellas, or whatever. They’re long short stories. 50-60 pages or so each. But eh, who cares what they’re called? They’re a bunch of stories by Don Winslow—that’s enough for me.

Here are a few words about each.

Broken

Stunning. Gut-wrenching. Violent.

At its core, it’s about a narcotics officer in the New Orleans Police Department out for vengeance against the drug lord who killed his brother.

It’s about the price of vengeance, the hole a death can leave in a family, the costs of the War on Drugs to those on both sides, and what can happen when the watchmen aren’t watched.

Crime 101

Winslow is a master of style. It’s like he periodically decides to show the world that he’s the flashiest Crime Fiction writer in action. Sometimes he does it in a chapter (or less) of a novel, sometimes he does it for longer (I recall Savages being that)—this is one of those times. The entire thing is so quotable. The term cinematic comes to mind—you can practically see everything as you read it—maybe even reach out and touch it.

The story focuses on a master thief—so good that no one knows what he looks like. He’s referred to as the 101 Bandit because his targets seem to be focused up and down the Pacific Coast Highway, Highway 101.

Davis is everything you want a master thief to be (especially if you’ve watched too many movies). He’s cool, he drives flashy cars, he has exquisite taste in food and drink, and—because he lives by certain ironclad rules for his jobs–he’s never been caught.

Lou’s the detective who’s devoted to catching him. He’s not cool or stylish—he’s leaving his (cheating) wife, starting a new chapter in his life, and is determined to put the Bandit away.

Both are very good at their chosen professions—which is better?

The San Diego Zoo

Rightly or wrongly, I think of Winslow stories in one of two ways—they’re either full of gritty realism (think The Force, The Cartel trilogy, or Broken above). Or they’re this kind of crime story that you want to laugh at, even though it’s not really a comedy. They’re just as grounded, but there’s a joy to them that seems impossible to come from the same pen as the others.

This story belongs here. I shared the opening a couple of months ago—and it hooked me hard. I’m pretty sure that I texted the friend who gave me the book about my fanaticism for the story before I was half-done. I really think that I could read this daily for a month and still enjoy it.

Oh, what’s it about? A chimpanzee has escaped from the San Diego Zoo and somehow got a pistol. One of the cops at the scene is instrumental in getting the gun away from the chimp without a tourist (or anyone) getting shot and helping the Zoo retrieve it. Then gets curious about how the chimp got the gun and does his best to answer the question, and the reader gets taken on a wild ride.

Sunset

I will always and forever take an excuse to read about Boone Daniels from The Dawn Patrol and The Gentleman’s Hour. In this story, Boone is off to chase down a beloved and legendary surfer who’s skipped on bail. How beloved? Some time ago Boone tagged this man with the nickname “ELT” for “Everyone Loves Terry.”

But now Terry’s on the verge of ruining a bail bondsman’s business. And yeah, he’s beloved—except by those he’s taken advantage of (like Boone, who keeps letting him do it).

I’m on the verge of retelling the whole thing in a lousy way. So I’ll just shut up. It’s a great cat-and-mouse hunt starring the world and characters from The Dawn Patrol (my personal favorite Winslow novel).

Even if you don’t regard the initial novel as an almost-Platonic ideal, even if you’ve never read that novel, you’ll find something to enjoy in this story.

Paradise

The trio at the center of Winslow’s Savages and The Kings of Cool head to Hawaii to vacation and hopefully start doing some business. Because it’s this particular trio and they attract trouble, things go horribly wrong. But they go wrong in a flashy, stylish, and violent way. There’s some connection with other Winslow works, too.

It’s been years since I read them, so I can’t say for certain—but I think this isn’t as good as Savages, but better than The Kings of Cool. But both were so good, I’m not sure it matters.

The Last Ride

This was simply heartbreaking. It’s a story about a guard at an ICE detention center for children who’s had enough. The sight of one particular girl locked up moves him in a way that others haven’t. So he takes matters into his own hands.

So, what did I think about Broken?

This is a fantastic collection—not a dud in the batch, although I liked some more than others, but that says more about my tastes than the quality of the stories. This really feels like a broad overview of “here’s the spectrum of what Crime Fiction can be” (except for cozy, I don’t know if Winslow is capable of cozy). Each story is distinct and self-contained*—it’s hard to think that some are written by the same man—with different voices, different types of stories, and so on.

* Although there are some links between some of these stories in the volume—as well as ties to earlier novels.

One reason that I don’t want to quibble too much with the whole “short novel” descriptor is that unlike many short stories or novellas—every one of these stories packed the punch of a novel. The plots, intricacies of story and character, the emotional weight, and whatever else you want to ascribe to the reading experience felt more like it belonged to a 200+ page novel rather than a 50± page story.

Anything else I can think to say at this point is just a repetition. This is a great collection from a master of the craft. Don’t miss it.

5 Stars

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.

20 Books of Summer 2023: This Summer I Settle All Family Business

By HCNewton

On June 3, 2023

In Books, Currently Reading, Fantasy, Fiction, General Fiction/Literature, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller, News/Misc., Non-Fiction, Science Fiction, Steampunk, Urban Fantasy

Cathy at 746 Books is hosting 20 Books of Summer again. This challenge has been fun the few years and has proved to be a good way for me to actually focus on things I’ve gotten distracted from and/or impulse buys. This year, my personal theme is “This Summer I Settle All Family Business.” “All” isn’t quite right, but it’s close. I’m using this to take care of another reading challenge, to catch up on my Literary Locals reading, and to put a major dent in my Mt. TBR. It’s an ambitious list in a sense, but, I think I can do it. I mentioned the 3 Jackson Ford books on 2 posts last year as things I wanted to finish in 2022–and well, here they are. So I can at least catch up with some of my ambitions from last year (blech).

As usual, I’m going with the unofficial US Dates for Summer—Memorial Day to Labor Day (May 29 through September 4th), just because it’s easier for me to think that way. And I’ve needed those first few days of September more than once, but let’s not think about that. The mildly observant among you will note that I’m posting this after May 29, so I’m already late. At the earliest, I’ll start reading for this on June 5. We’ll make it interesting (I think it was last year or the year before I barely started before July, I will do better than that this year. Most likely).

There’s still time to join in the fun–if you’re into this kind of thing. (there are 10 and 15 book versions, too)

This summer, my 20 are going to be:

1. The Curse of the Silver Pharaoh by Pip Ballantine and Tee Morris
2. Spirelli Paranormal Investigations: Episodes 1-3 by Kate Baray
3. The Lemon Man by Ken Bruton
4. The Flood Circle by Harry Connolly
5. Barking for Business by E.N. Crane
6. Random Sh*t Flying Through the Air by Jackson Ford
7. Eye of the Sh*t Storm by Jackson Ford
8. A Sh*tload of Crazy Powers by Jackson Ford
9. The Ink Black Heart by Robert Galbraith
10. Stone of Asylum by Hilarey Johnson

11. Proxies by James T. Lambert
12. Teaching Moments by Troy Lambert
13. Stray Ally by Troy Lambert
14. Cutthroat Cupcakes by Cate Lawley
15. Shadow Ranch by Rebecca Carey Lyles
16. Pure of Heart by Danielle Parker
17. The Worst Man by Jon Rance
18. However Long the Day by Justin Reed
19. Klone’s Stronghold by Joyce Reynolds-Ward
20. Fuzzwiggs: The Switcheroo by Amy Maren Rice

(subject to change, as is allowed, but I’m going to resist the impulse to tweak as much as I can).

20 Books of Summer '23 Chart

Man on a Murder Cycle by Mark Pepper: Move Over SAMCROW, You’ve Got Nothing on This Biker

By HCNewton

On May 31, 2023

In Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

Man on a Murder Cycle

by Mark Pepper

DETAILS:
Publisher: Red Dog Press
Publication Date: May 30, 2023
Format: eARC
Length: 495 pg.
Read Date: May 24-30, 2023

Not What I Thought I Was Getting Into

At a certain point, I realized this novel was going in a direction that I wasn’t expecting—and not in an “I didn’t see that twist coming” way, but in a metaphysical sense. I was a little annoyed, to be honest. I felt like Pepper was cheating, changing the rules governing the book like he did. I was still going to finish it—you give me an ARC, I’ll read it. Also, I was curious about the fate of one or two of the characters. I just was less enthused about the prospect.

In a minor huff, I went to Red Dog’s website to read the description and realized I’d read only most of it initially (when I copied and pasted the text into my cover reveal). I got to a certain point, saw where the blurb was going (or so I thought), remembered Pepper’s Man Down, and put the thing on the TBR.

No one cheated. No one changed anything. There was no bait-and-switch here. I just didn’t do due diligence. I probably wouldn’t have read this if I’d read the whole thing.

And I’d have missed out on something I’m going to remember for a while—because once the (for lack of a better term) supernatural element entered the novel, it got a lot more twisted, darker, and exciting.

Let that be a lesson, kids—read the whole description. And then give the benefit of the doubt to a writer you enjoyed already. Or skip the description part and just trust the writer.

Wait a Second—What’s Man on a Murder Cycle About in the First Place?

Oh, yeah, I’ve gotten a little ahead of myself.

Tom Roker is a writer. Well, he wrote one very successful thriller some time ago. And has written four stinkers since then—so bad that his agent can’t get anyone to publish them, despite the (now waning) shine his previous success might bring.

While his writing has gotten worse—his desperation to repeat his success has built—driving him to work on his books more and more. Which had a horrible impact on his wife and daughter. Well, his now-remarried ex-wife and daughter who now live in the U.S.

While giving his agent his latest novel (which she’s pretty sure is going to be as bad as the others), she mentions that she’s just received a new manuscript from an unknown author that’s as good as his first book. This was her first mistake. She then agrees to let Roker read it and gives him her copy. This is her second mistake.

He reads it and is blown away—yes, it shows just how bad his current work is—and it could’ve been written by the author he was years ago. Coincidentally, Roker sees that the author had just been killed. And he hatches a plan. They publish the book under his name, his agent pockets a larger-than-usual commission, and no one is the wiser. She signs on to this plan (after he blackmails her a bit)—this is her third big mistake. Many more follow.

Things happen. The book is published—and Roker is re-invigorated. He’s writing like he used to.

But then the police show up—people are being killed using the methods employed by the maniac in “Roker’s” new book. Guess who suspect #1 is?

If nothing else, this book should ensure that no one ever plagiarizes Mark Pepper.

A Couple of Content Warnings

There’s an attempted rape scene—emphasis on attempted. But still, that can be too much for some readers. So caveat lector.

There’s also a scene that’s difficult to categorize…it’s kind of a rape scene, but it’s also a psychosexual game played by the “victim.” It’s (intentionally) disturbing and off-putting. If you can get through the previous attempt, you’ll be okay once you’re past this one.

There are, of course, also several murders. Gory, bloody, and macabre. We read about most of them after the fact, or see the lead-up to it without getting the details of the killing itself. That’s pretty much a given, I realize, but while I’m talking about potential areas of revulsion, I thought I’d throw that in.

So, Was I Right?

When I posted my spotlight on the book yesterday, I was around 75-80% through the book and said, “At this point, I can think of at least 5 different ways this book will likely end.” Three of them would’ve been satisfactory, the other two less so—but I assumed that had Pepper picked one of those he’d sell me on it.

So how close was I? Let’s imagine that the right answer is in the heart of Chicago, Illinois. I might as well have been camping out on Triton, Neptune’s largest moon.

Thankfully, I’d also said, “I’m pretty sure they’re all wrong—and what I have waiting for me over the next 25% is going to throw me for a loop.”

So I’m counting this as a win—I was correct when I said I was wrong, and the several loops that came in those closing pages were wilder than I’d have bargained for.

So, what did I think about Man on a Murder Cycle?

The first chapter of this book was stunning. If the rest of the book disappointed me, I still would’ve given it 3 stars based on that chapter. (thankfully, I didn’t have to, so this post would’ve been very difficult to write)

I wonder if the Epilogue takes away a bit of the punch of the last page. But it made me smile, so I’m not going to complain. I’ll just wonder.

Everything in between was a heckuva ride. I think I’ve used all the adjectives I want to use here already in this post: Twisting, dark, exciting, gory, bloody, and macabre. That sums it up. There’s a tinge of hope, too—but given the rest of the book, you wonder if it’s misplaced when you’re feeling it (and I’m not going to say). I really don’t know what else to say here while not giving away too much.

There’s a dark humor that shines through frequently—particularly in the closing stages of the book. There are a couple of scenes that I imagine Pepper smiled throughout the writing, and if you have a certain sense of humor, you will, too.

This is not for everyone. How many books worth the time are? But this is for a narrower audience than others. But for those who read the description and are intrigued? You’re in for a treat.

Disclaimer: I received this eARC from Red Dog Press in exchange for this post and my honest opinion—thanks for this.

4 1/2 Stars

PUB DAY SPOTLIGHT: Man on a Murder Cycle by Mark Pepper

By HCNewton

On May 30, 2023

In Book Tour, Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

I’d been planning on posting about Mark Peppers’s Man on a Murder Cycle this morning, but sadly I’m about an hour away from finishing it. Hopefully I can get something in this space tomorrow. But, today is Release Day and I want to get at least something up about it today–Mark Pepper and Red Dog Press have put out a heckuva book and I want to help them get eyeballs on it. At this point, I can think of at least 5 different ways this book will likely end, and I’m pretty sure they’re all wrong–and what I have waiting for me over the next 25% is going to throw me for a loop.

Book Details:

Book Title: Man on a Murder Cycle by Mark Pepper
Publisher: Red Dog Press
Release date: May 29, 2023
Format: Paperback/Ebook
Length: 505 pages

About the Book

HELL HATH NO FURY LIKE AN AUTHOR BETRAYED.

Tom Roker’s debut thriller was an instant bestseller. Since then, he has written four more books, none of which have been published. His reputation has faded from overnight success to one-hit wonder.

Now, finally, he’s making a comeback. His latest novel, Man on a Murder Cycle, is a blockbuster. The dark tale of Milton, a vengeful biker with a penchant for brutal acts of violence, perfectly recaptures the mood of Roker’s first novel. And everyone loves it!

It’s just a shame he didn’t write it.

The real author is recently deceased. Roker stole the manuscript, passing it off as his own. He’s covered his tracks well, so the trivial matter of who wrote what can be overlooked.

That is, until a mad man on a big bike starts killing people, exactly as described in the stolen novel – even those scenes that didn’t make the final cut.

Only one person can know what was written in those scenes, and he’s dead.

Isn’t he?

Purchase Link

Get it from Red Dog Press

(it’s probably also available on Amazon, Kobo, Google Play Books, and all good bookshops—but why not support an independent publisher?)

About the Author

Chris Mark lives in Manchester with his wife of 30 years, Jeannifer, and his daughter, Jade.
In his day job, Mark is an Intelligence Analyst for a financial regulator in Washington DC. He is a qualified secondary school drama teacher, and worked as an actor for fifteen years, having graduated from RADA in 1990.

His first two novels, The Short Cut and Man on a Murder Cycle, were published by Hodder & Stoughton, and his third, Veteran Avenue, originally published by Urbane and now by Red Dog Press. Veteran Avenue, is mainly set in LA, and is currently being developed as a TV series by the actor Warren Brown.

Find him on twitter: @PepSixSix

The Only Truly Dead (Audiobook) by Rob Parker, Warren Brown: This Trilogy Ends as Strongly as it Started

By HCNewton

On May 23, 2023

In Audiobook, Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

The Only Truly Dead

by Rob Parker, Warren Brown (Narrator)

DETAILS:
Thirty Miles Trilogy, Book 3
Publisher: Audible  
Publication Date: May 18, 2023
Format: Audible Original
Length: 7 hrs., 3 min.
Read Date: May 19-22, 2023

What’s The Only Truly Dead About?

The ending of And Your Enemies Closer has changed the scene for this series—DI Iona Madison is clinging to her career by her fingernails—under investigation from the events on that roof, as anyone officer should be. But also, thanks to her old boss’ (now exposed) corruption, she has to clean her reputation, too. Those same events reshaped the criminal landscape of Manchester and Liverpool, with new leadership trying to solidify their places.

Rumors are flying about something called the Twilight Express. But no one knows what it could be—other than big. Career-making (or saving) for the police officer who derails it.

It’s risky, but Madison sees only one way to put a stop to Liverpool’s newest crime lord—bring her former DI, his brother, Brendan, in as a consultant. Brendan resists—until his teenage son starts spending too much time with his uncle.

Find out what the Twilight Express is. Stop it. Extract Dan Foley from his uncle. Clear Madison’s name. Any of those would be enough to fuel a book. All four? That’s a daunting prospect. But Foley and Madison are probably the right people for the job.

Poor Red Shirts

Throughout this series, Parker displayed a real knack for introducing (or re-introducing) a character in such a way that you just knew they might as well be wearing a security red shirt from the original Star Trek (he’d also frequently tip his hat in dialogue sometimes so you’d know someone just changed into that uniform). Frequently it annoys me when an author does that—oh, okay, I can stop caring about this character and just wait until it happens.

Parker (with an assist from Brown), however, consistently got me invested in these Red Shirts—and usually surprised me when they were killed. The fact that he did that when I was expecting it here was even more impressive.

I don’t mean to say that he does this with every character’s death—there were characters who died—or survived—that I didn’t expect. And plenty of other surprising turns and twists along the way.

A Pleasant Bonus

Readers of Parker’s Ben Bracken series will see some old friends here—Salix and his NCA team get involved, which was fun.

If you’ve never read the Bracken books, it won’t hurt your appreciation of the characters—you’ll just see them as more people working alongside Madison and Foley. It’s just nice to see some familiar faces in this setting.

What About the Narration?

It’s always important to get a good narrator for an audiobook, doubly (or triply) so when it’s an Audible Original. This is the way that audiences get to experience the book*, so it needs to be great.

Warren Brown was a perfect choice for this trilogy—and you can hear that from the opening of Far from the Tree to the close of The Only Truly Dead. I’ve failed the previous two times to have something more to say about Brown’s work, so at least I’m consistent as I struggle here—he just does a fantastic job and there’s nothing to add to that.

He seems pretty busy with the whole TV thing, but I hope he finds the time for more audiobooks—he’s great at it.

* At least for several months before Red Dog Press can put it out in print.

So, what did I think about The Only Truly Dead?

This book just didn’t stop moving—sure, it was a little slow at the beginning as Parker was setting the stage—but even then, between moving between POV characters and scenes the book had momentum. And it kept accelerating and building up energy until it became unputdownable. (circumstances required I do that with about 90 minutes to go on Friday, and the only reason I didn’t delay any longer is that I knew it was only going to get worse—it was a long weekend waiting for a chance to dive back in)

The ending was as gripping as you could want. A character or two says that it had to end this way, and they were right. As satisfying dramatically as that is—it didn’t necessarily make it easier, or less tense, to read.

The only thing I want to call foul on is the final conversation between Madison and her Acting Chief Superintendent. I want to say that it’s nonsense and that as skeptical as he is of her, no decent officer is going to act that way. But…I can’t. Because it’s probably the most authentic moment in this procedural, if only for it being full of infuriatingly bureaucratic nonsense. You’ll know the scene when you get to it.

Even if the first two books in this trilogy hadn’t hooked me—this one would’ve and would’ve impressed me (incidentally, it’s not vital to have read the previous two to enjoy this). As with the sequel, this isn’t just a repeat of the first novel—new crimes, new characters to enjoy, new and surprising levels of depravity, and a few people stepping up to do what needs to be done to push back against the darkness. A mix of hope and darkness, and a reminder that both have lasting effects.

4 Stars

Opening Lines: Sacred by Dennis Lehane

By HCNewton

On May 11, 2023

In Blog Series, Currently Reading, Dennis Lehane, Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller, News/Misc., Opening Lines, Quotations

Head & Shoulders used to tell us that, “You never get a second chance to make a first impression.” That’s true for wearing dark shirts, and it’s especially true for books. Sometimes the characters will hook the reader, sometimes the premise, sometimes it’s just knowing the author—but nothing beats a great opening for getting a reader to commit. This is the third book in one of my favorite series (and the fourth I’d read when I first encountered it), so I was pre-commited when I picked it up. But if I’d never read Lehane before, this would’ve done it for me.

A piece of advice: If you ever follow someone in my neighborhood, don’t wear pink.

The first day Angie and I picked up the little round guy on our tail, he wore a pink shirt under a gray suit and a black topcoat. The suit was double-breasted, Italian, and too nice for my part of town by several hundred dollars. The topcoat was cashmere. People in my neighborhood could afford cashmere, I suppose, but usually they spend so much on the duct tape that keeps their tail pipes attached to their ’82 Chevys, that they don’t have much left over for anything but that trip to Aruba.

The second day, the little round guy replaced the pink shirt with a more subdued white, lost the cashmere and the Italian suit, but still stuck out like Michael Jackson in a day care center by wearing a hat. Nobody in my neighborhood–or any of Boston’s inner-city neighborhoods that I know of–wears anything on their head but a baseball cap or the occasional tweed Scally. And our friend, the Weeble, as we’d come to call him, wore a bowler. A fine-looking bowler, don’t get me wrong, but a bowler just the same.

“He could be an alien,” Angie said. I looked out the window of the Avenue Coffee Shop. The Weeble’s head jerked and then he bent to fiddle with his shoelaces.

“An alien,” I said. “From where exactly? France?”

She frowned at me and lathered cream cheese over, bagel so strong with onions my eyes watered just looking at it. “No, stupid. From the future. Didn’t you ever see that old Star Trek where Kirk and Spock ended wp on earth in the thirties and were hopelessly out of step?”

“I hate Star Trek.”

“But you’re familiar with the concept.”

I nodded, then yawned. The Weeble studied a telephone pole as if he’d never seen one before. Maybe Angie was right.

“How can you not like Star Trek?” Angie said.

“Easy. I watch it, it annoys me, I turn it off.”

“Even Next Generation?”

“What’s that?” I said.

“When you were born,” she said, “I bet your father held you up to your mother and said, ‘Look, hon, you just gave birth to a beautiful crabby old man.'”

“What’s your point?” I said.

from Sacred by Dennis Lehane
Sacred

Opening Lines Logo

Lie to Her by Melinda Leigh: Bree Taggert’s on the Hunt for a Killer Out for Revenge

By HCNewton

On May 11, 2023

In Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

Lie to Her

by Melinda Leigh

DETAILS:
Series: Bree Taggert, #6
Publisher: Montlake
Publication Date: January 17, 2023
Format: Paperback
Length: 292 pg.
Read Date: May 5-6, 2023

What’s Lie to Her About?

The first crime scene Bree and her department are called to in this book centers around a man incapacitated by a stun gun and then had his head wrapped in a thick layer of plastic wrap to smother him. If that image doesn’t stick in your head for a while, you probably didn’t pay attention. During the autopsy, when the wrap is removed, it’s revealed that the word “Liar” had been carved into his forehead.

The rest of the crime scene was clean, leading Bree and Matt to conclude that this was a well-planned as well as very personal crime. The question is, was this enough for the killer? Or did they have a list of victims?

Sadly, it seems to be a list—another victim is discovered soon after. It doesn’t take the Sheriff’s Department long to focus on the dating app usage of both men and the women in common from their history.

It then becomes a race against time as the killer may have other targets—and they just might have added Bree to their list.

Chief Deputy Todd Harvey

I’ve had a section with this title for a few books now, and I might be on the verge of dropping it. Leigh’s starting to do right by Harvey! Sure, he had to go through some trauma in Dead Against Her to get to this point, but he’s coming back from it (it seems Bree’s having a harder time with it than Todd is).

Yes, he is still largely there to serve as a conduit for exposition—but in this novel he had both an independent personal story, and conducted part of the investigation on his own, trusting his gut and skills. It’s satisfying to see.

The Time Frame

We’re told (repeatedly) over the course of this book that it’s been almost a year since the murder of Bree’s sister, bringing her to town and to her new career as Sherriff.

It’s only been a year? That’s a lot of serial killers, multiple murderers, and so on for one smaller community. Not to mention all the havoc wreaked on the lives of the county as a whole. But if you just focus on what’s happened to Bree’s family and close associates? It’s a testimony to her that anyone’s still around her (multiple kidnappings, serious wounds, assaults, and attempted murders).

Hopefully, things slow down for them (in series-time, not in the release of books).

So, what did I think about Lie to Her?

Like with many police procedurals (or mystery novels in general), our main characters spend a lot of time pursuing dead ends. The reader isn’t given the killer’s identity here like it so often happens, but most readers will be able to tell that’s what is going on. By the time that Bree, Matt, and Todd are convinced it’s X and head out to make an arrest, the reader will likely have figured it out, though, and know they’re wrong—if only because of how many pages are left. Minor spoiler: Leigh gets our heroes on the right track much quicker than I expected, though.

I mention that because I didn’t spend as much time being frustrated with our investigators as I so often get—they’re pursuing the leads they have in a way that makes sense, and it’s not the case (for most of the novel) that the reader has more information, either. Leigh keeps the story moving at a good enough pace that the reader stays engaged while knowing that the wrong target is being chased.

The mystery itself was pretty satisfying, with a good motive and an interesting plan for the killer. The observations about the motive and method after the killer is stopped helped justify some of the story choices.

The personal storylines were just as satisfying—nothing exciting, just good and steady development.

The Bree Taggert series continues to be a reliable procedural and one I think mystery fans will appreciate. Lie to Her works as a jumping-on point for those who don’t feel compelled to start at the beginning (as do any of the novels in the series), and I’d recommend giving this a shot if you haven’t tried the series yet.

3 Stars

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.

Tower of Babel by Michael Sears: Concrete Jungle Where Dreams Are Made Of

By HCNewton

On May 9, 2023

In Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

Come back this afternoon for a Q&A with the author, Michael Sears, it’s a good one.

Tower of Babel was published a month ago, and I was trying to get this posted in that first week. I missed significantly, and I wanted to start things off by apologizing to Michael Sears and Wiley Saichek, the publicist that connected me with Sears, for that.

Tower of Babel

by Michael Sears

DETAILS:
Series: Ted Molloy, #1
Publisher: Soho Crime
Publication Date: April 6, 2023
Format: ARC
Length: 394 pg.
Read Date: March 27-29, 2023

What’s Tower of Babel About?

I really don’t like not providing my own synopsis/tease for a novel. But I’m overdue with this post, and a lot of that has to do with stumbling on this section. So I’m going to appropriate it from Soho Press’ site:

Queens, New York—the most diverse place on earth. Native son Ted Molloy knows these streets like the back of his hand. Ted was once a high-powered Manhattan lawyer, but after a spectacular fall from grace, he has found himself back on his home turf, scraping by as a foreclosure profiteer. It’s a grubby business, but a safe one—until Ted’s case sourcer, a mostly reformed small-time conman named Richie Rubiano, turns up murdered shortly after tipping Ted off to an improbably lucrative lead.

With Richie’s widow on his back and shadows of the past popping up at every turn, Ted realizes he’s gotten himself embroiled in a murder investigation. His quest for the truth will take him all over Queens, plunging him into the machinations of greedy developers, mobsters, enraged activists, old litigator foes and old-school New York City operators.

Haaaaave You Met Ted?*

* Sorry, I couldn’t resist. Not that I tried all that hard.

Ted’s a good example of a very familiar type of Crime Fiction protagonist. At one point in the not-too-distant past, he’d been very successful for his age with a bright future ahead of him. Then he hits a personal and professional rough patch, and all that success and future vanishes. He’s now had to recalibrate his life, his legal career in ruins and so begins a new—albeit somewhat related—career, with new routines, a new home, new allies, and so on to restart his life.

Like most of this type, he’s moved on, but not really. He still misses his old life, still laments it, regrets the things that happened (unjustly) to bring down his house of cards, and would go back if he could. He’s given chances over the course of Tower of Babel to revisit that life, to see how green the grass is on that side of the fence, and his response to that really tells the reader more about who he is than anything else in the book can.

In a New York State of Mind

I love when a novel hits me with a great sense of place—and Tower of Babel did that to me. Sears doesn’t spend that much time describing the city or its landmarks or anything like that. But the city permeates everything. Travis Bickle drove the same streets as Mohammad did (and probably in a safer manner). Sherman McCoy struck deals with the same kinds of people. Det. Denny Malone would be known to the detectives on the murder.

This is a novel that has to take place in New York.* I just don’t see it working anywhere else—are there shady real estate deals, corrupt politicians, organized crime, and entities with too much power in Chicago, Miami, L.A., Boston, London, etc.? Absolutely. Do other major cities have teams that have a fanbase as devoted and as constantly disappointed as the Mets? Absolutely (although most of them don’t have to share a city with the Yankees). Ethnic diversity and economic disparity might have different mixes and present in different ways from metropolitan to metropolitan, but they’re there just the same. But I just don’t see how this novel works in Miami or Boston. The organized crime of it all would be different in Chicago. There’s something about shady real estate antics that seems quintessentially NYC (it shouldn’t, but it does).

* Granted, I’m just some dude from Idaho, what do I know?

Any book that transports me so convincingly is worth the time and effort (not that this took much of the latter).

Ted and Jill

Ted is still friends with his ex-wife, Jill. They’re obviously very important to each other and spend a good deal of time together—primarily because of the NY Mets and Ted’s season tickets. I absolutely loved this version of divorced adults interacting with each other (there were no kids involved, which likely helped). Early on, when I wasn’t as sold as I eventually would be on the murder storyline (and was still trying to understand the real estate angle), I put in my notes that I’d have enjoyed the novel more if it was just about them spending time together. By the novel’s end, I’d changed my mind—but I’d still take a novella just about the two of them.

It’s a healthy friendship, supportive and challenging—and just fun. (then again, this is a noir-ish Crime Novel, so I make no promises that the way things start is the way they will end).

So, what did I think about Tower of Babel?

I stumbled a little in the beginning trying to understand the way that Ted’s making his money now and the antics involved in all the real estate transactions (ethical, legal, and otherwise), but that’s primarily because my brain doesn’t do well with that sort of thing. I ultimately gave up trying and just accepted it in the same way I do with Asimov’s worldbuilding or things along those lines. By the end of the novel, I (am pretty sure that) I understood it all because I’d stopped trying to decipher it (I still can’t totally explain psychohistory or Asimov’s take on superluminal flight, for what’s it’s worth). The details are both not as important to the novel as everything else and not as difficult as I was making it.

I can see Sears settling into this character and this world and turning Molloy into a typical scrappy lawyer character in the vein of Mickey Haller or Eddie Flynn. But I don’t think that’s the direction this is going—would I read that version? Absolutely, but I already have Haller, Flynn, et al. It feels to me that this is headed in a more David vs. Corporate Goliaths tack, maybe with some murder, etc. thrown in, sure—but my money is on this series focusing on corporate crimes, and corruption (both political and economic). Either way, I’m in for at least one or two more books—and I expect most readers will feel the same way.

This is not your typical Legal Thriller, and Sears sucks you into the story in ways you won’t expect—actually, I think you’ll end up expecting very little about the story and characters as you go along. But in the end, you’ll realize that just about everything had to go the way it did. I love that feeling of being taken unaware and then seeing that there was no other way for this jigsaw to be put together. It’s so satisfying when you can look at the whole thing (and a great ride along the way).

Crimes you’re not accustomed to reading about—crimes you’re very familiar with—a cast of characters you don’t see every day, and an ethically dubious protagonist (or is he?). Tower of Babel is a great entryway into a series that should garner a fanbase, and you should think about hopping on before the bandwagon builds up too much speed.

Disclaimer: I received this ARC from the author via Wiley Saichek and Saichek Publicity in exchange for this post—while I appreciate that, the opinions expressed are wholly mine.

4 Stars

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.

Chain-Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah: Are You Not Entertained?

By HCNewton

On May 4, 2023

In Fiction, General Fiction/Literature, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller, Science Fiction

Chain-Gang All-Stars

by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah

DETAILS:
Publisher: Pantheon
Publication Date: May 2, 2023
Format: eARC
Length: 348 pg.
Read Date: April 24-29, 2023

Before I begin, let me just say that you are wasting your time reading this post when you could be out buying or borrowing and reading this book.

If you’ve made the mistake of sticking around, I’ll go ahead and talk about the book, I guess. But really, your priorities are wrong.

What’s Chain-Gang All-Stars About?

In the not-too-distant future, laws regarding the incarceration of serious felons have been adjusted, and the Criminal Action Penal Entertainment program is born. Under CAPE, convicted murderers (many with other convictions as well) can be set free before the end of their sentence if they agree to participate. Participation however, could result in their violent death.

Under CAPE, these felons will face off one-on-one (sometimes two-on-two) against other felons in a fight to the death. If you survive a bout, you score some points and progress to the next fight (in a week or so). As you gain victories, you can earn points to be used for weapons, better food, clothing, equipment, etc. After three years, you will be released.

These felons are organized in Chain Gangs associated with the participating prisons. Links (as the fighters are called) in the same Chain do not face off against each other, and become (to varying degrees depending on their chain) teams—encouraging each other, giving tips, etc.

This has become the largest sports entertainment in the U.S. Throngs show up for live events or to watch a stream. You can also subscribe to almost constant live feeds of the Links between fights. Some fighters become superstars, with corporate sponsors, merchandise, inspiring their own fashion trends, etc.

Over the course of the novel, we follow (primarily) one Link from her initial bout to the final weeks of her time. We get to know her Chain—a couple of Links in particular—as well as Links from other Chains, so we can see how people join, survive, and (usually) die through this entertainment. We also get to know some of the executives and sportscasters becoming rich from this, some fans and subscribers—as well as some of the protestors trying to stop the program.

The Links

Most of the time we follow Loretta Thurwar and Hamara “Hurricane Staxxx” Stacker. LT’s on the verge of freedom, and Staxxx isn’t far behind. They try (with some success) to get their Chain to act differently, to help each other in ways others don’t. At the same time, they’re dealing with the emotions of LT not being around for much longer (one way or another) and Staxxx moving into the leadership role. We get to know them and their team, what brought them to this point in their lives, and what might be around the corner.

But we don’t just focus on those two—there are other Links, in other Chains, that we watch. Some as they make the transition from prisoner to Link, some in their early (and final) bouts. As horrible as the fights to the death are—and they are—it’s the time with these other Links that really cements the horror of what is happening to and through all the Links. There’s one man who spends a lot of time in solitary confinement and some of what he goes through made a bigger impact on me than the bloodiest death.

None of these links would claim to be a good person—well, there’s one wrongly convicted man, but his innocence doesn’t last long as a Link. They know they’re criminals, killers, and most would say they don’t deserve life or freedom. But none of them deserve this.

Everyone Else

As fantastic as the portions of the novel about the Links are, I think it’s these characters and seeing how they relate to CAPE that is the genius of the novel. A society cannot spend so much money (and earn it, too) on something like this without it shaping it and the people in it. Think of how so much of the US economy, news, and entertainment in January/February is devoted to the Super Bowl. Now magnify that, make it year-long, and add some serious ethical and moral issues.

The corporate figures are easy enough to write off as villains. And Adjei-Brenyah does that really well—but he makes sure we see them as human villains. The kind of people it’s easy to imagine existing given the right circumstances—these are not cartoons.

The protestors we see are complex as well—they’re smart, passionate people, who are trying their best to put an end to this modern slavery. They make bold moves, some stupid ones, too. But they also have to wrestle with the ramifications of their positions. One in particular is the child of a Link—she doesn’t have a relationship with him anymore, she doesn’t want anything to do with him but doesn’t want him killed in this way. But she doesn’t want him roaming around outside of a prison, either. There’s an honesty to the portrayal of these protestors that I find admirable—they may not have the answers about the right way to deal with serious criminals, but they do know what’s wrong and are willing to take their stand.

The portrayal that’s going to stay with me the longest is of a young woman who finds the matches distasteful—not necessarily morally repugnant, but not the kind of thing she wants to watch. But goes along with her boyfriend to placate him—he’s a giant fanboy with strong opinions and facts to back them up. He’s reciting them to her constantly, but she tries not to pay attention. She does start to get involved in the live streams about the out-of-combat lives of these Links—think Survivor meets Big Brother. She eventually becomes invested in some Links through those streams and that opens a can of worms.

The Endnotes

The Endnotes are a particularly interesting feature of this book—so interesting I’ll bite back my default complaint about choosing to use endnotes when footnotes exist.

In this novel, the notes are a fascinating combination. The first type are notes about the characters and events in the novel—a little more background, or other detail that doesn’t fit in the text proper. I don’t remember seeing this kind of footnote in a book as serious as this one, but Adjei-Brenyah pulled it off well.

The second type of endnote material cites laws (real and fictional), studies, and actual history surrounding the contemporary American penal system. In addition to being valuable information for the reader to have in general—or when it comes to talking about this book—this is a clever device for Adjei-Brenyah to keep it fresh in the reader’s mind that while this is a novel, it’s a novel well-grounded in things that matter—things he wants the reader to care about and hopefully take action in response to knowing this material.

So, what did I think about Chain-Gang All-Stars?

This is going to be one of the best books I’ve read in 2023. It’s well-written, the characters are fantastically drawn and depicted, the pacing is perfect—the story doesn’t stop moving, and the perspective jumps just draw you in closer. The moral and ethical questions are real, but not all of the answers are. I don’t know how you walk away from this book unmoved and unprovoked to think and perhaps act. There are moments when Adjei-Brenyah makes it clear that you can enjoy yourself with these characters—but there are many more that will make you hate this world. Most of those will remind you how easily it could be ours.

But you won’t stop turning the pages until the end.

There’s so much that I want to talk about, so many things that Adjei-Brenyah did that many writers don’t—or wouldn’t have thought of. But I just don’t have the time to get into it (or I’d ruin the experience for you).

Here’s one example. At some point around the 20% mark, we’re given an (well-executed and seamless) infodump, that largely serves to tell the reader that anything they’ve surmised about the CAPE program is correct (or to adjust any misunderstandings, I guess) and to give a few more details. A well-timed and well-executed infodump is great to find—one that’s largely a reaffirmation is even better. That affirmation is welcome so that you can move on with certainty.

The author talks about changes in his outlook on the American penal system during the writing and research he did for this book. I don’t know that I can agree with him on those, but it’s something I had to consider because of the novel. And I can certainly empathize with his thinking. I can’t imagine there are many who don’t think our penal system needs reformation of some kind—there’s little agreement on what needs reform, and less on how it should be done. But a side-benefit of this novel is that the reader will have to think about their own positions some. It’s not all a diatribe about our prisons—it’s a book that you can just read for the story—but you’ll not want to.

Lastly, for a book that’s about death—violent death at the hands of violent people who only hope to go on so they can kill again—the book is really about life. It’s a celebration of life, a call to protect it, a call to see it for what it is. It’s a reminder that “where life is precious, life is precious.”

Disclaimer: I received this eARC from Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor via NetGalley in exchange for this post—thanks to both for this.

4 1/2 Stars

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.