Category: Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller Page 25 of 146

On Eden Street (Audiobook) by Peter Grainger, Gildart Jackson: Grainger is at the Top of His Game for this one

On July 28, 2022

In Audiobook, DC Smith & Kings Lake, Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

On Eden Street

by Peter Grainger, Gildart Jackson (Narrator)

DETAILS:
Series: A Kings Lake Investigation, #2
Publisher: Tantor Audio
Publication Date: April 28, 2020
Format: Unabridged Audiobook
Length:10 hrs., 5 min.
Read Date: July 25-27, 2022

What’s On Eden Street About?

Sure, in Songbird we got a glimmer of what to expect from DCI Cara Freeman’s Murder Squad, but this book opens on the first day with the entire team in their office. They expect to get to know each other, spend some time chatting, hear something from Freeman and their new DI about how things are going to go for them—but that doesn’t happen. Before they can much further than hearing everyone’s name, they’re called to investigate a murder. A homeless man’s body has been discovered blocking the entrance to a restaurant downtown.

Instead of through awkward conversations, this squad gets to know each other by seeing them at work—canvassing for witnesses, looking for security cameras, dealing with the officers on-scene, and so on.

They will eventually uncover a connection to a previous case the King’s Lake Central detectives worked on—and encounter a witness that DS Chris Waters encountered in yet another case.

But mostly what they’ll learn is that nothing in this case—nothing—is what it seems. From a blind woman having to “rescue” the detectives from a dog guarding the body, to the identity of the victim, to how easily things can go astray when a helpful and efficient office worker does their job just a little too well…this new squad is going to get off to a very bumpy start.

The Murder Squad

Oh…I really like this new group. There are a bunch of new characters brought in here and we don’t get to spend enough time with them. But I appreciated what time we got with them—I think going forward this is going to be a group of characters I really enjoy—more than the King’s Lake detective squad and the petty rivalries (although those rivalries aren’t gone as is clear in the beginning of this book).

We get to know DCI Cara Freeman better as we spend more time with her—and as Chris gets to work with/evaluate her more. I’m seriously enjoying her.

There’s one new character (name withheld to prevent spoilers/lack thereof) in particular that we get less of than the rest. I think it was purposeful, and I can’t wait to see why that character is on board and what Grainger is going to eventually do with her. I trust that all will be revealed, and I’m super curious.

But the best new addition is the new Detective Inspector. Over the last handful of years, I’ve met a lot of fictional DIs, and I don’t think I’ve met one like DI Green. We don’t get to know him incredibly well or anything, we don’t know what makes him tick yet. But the ticking is a lot of fun to watch.

This is primarily Chris Waters’ series now, however, and we spend the most time with him—and I couldn’t be happier with that. It’s great to watch him develop as a detective and as a person. It’s similar to the evolution of Eve Ronin—this isn’t about the investigations of a seasoned pro, it’s about watching a promising young detective fulfill that promise.

Shadow of D.C.

I’m not sure at this stage of the series who’s having a harder time letting go of DC Smith—the detectives of King’s Lake, the readers, or Grainger.

I liked the way that DC himself appeared in this novel—it felt very natural. And, of course, Chris is going to think about his mentor a lot, as are old colleagues. But it just felt like we got too much about him overall. Too many callbacks, references to other cases, etc. But if you ran down a list of each reference/appearance of Smith in this book, and asked if they should be cut individually, I’d say no to each one—they fit, helped moved things along, served the character and moment…but the cumulative weight of them was too much.

Does that make sense? Any Grainger fans out there have some input for me?

Gildart Jackson’s Work

I don’t have anything new to say about Jackson at this point. I thoroughly enjoy his work, I can’t imagine listening to one of this series with anyone else, nor do I think I’d enjoy reading one on my own half as much.

So, what did I think about On Eden Street?

Grainger had a healthy agenda going into this: introduce and begin to establish several new characters, help the existing characters settle into new roles, help us get a better handle on Freeman (who is both new and established at this point), touch base with DC, start a new personal arc for Chris, and, in between all that, tell a good story about a murder investigation. And he succeeds so well on all fronts.

Long-time readers/listeners of this series are used to the way that Grainger will give a resolution/solution to the investigation that will fly against expectations—both of the detectives at the beginning of the book and most of what Police Procedural fans expect to see. It’s largely a given for this series. But to start with a dead homeless veteran as this opens and to end where we do? Nope. No way did anyone see >98% of this coming.

But by the time the book closes, there is simply no other way for things to have gone. Grainger’s at the top of his game here, and it’s to be celebrated. My friends and/or readers—please take my advice and start reading these books, you don’t know what you’re missing.

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, opinions are my own.

The Deepest Grave by Harry Bingham: Shotguns and vellum. Churches and saints.

By HCNewton

On July 27, 2022

In Fiction, Fiona Griffiths, Harry Bingham, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

The Deepest Grave

by Harry Bingham

DETAILS:
Series: Fiona Griffiths, #6
Publisher: Sheep Street Books
Publication Date: June 14, 2017
Format: Kindle Edition
Length: 488 pg.
Read Date: July 22-25, 2022

‘Suspicious circumstances, sir? I mean, what? An open window, something missing, that kind of thing?’

‘Well, I don’t know about the windows. That part hasn’t been reported to me. But the uniformed ofﬁcer currently attending the scene did say that this woman appears to have been beheaded. I daresay there’ll need to be some further forensic work needed before we can be certain, but it appears that the weapon of choice was an antique broadsword. It’s obviously early days, but I’m going to stick my neck out and say that no, Gaynor Charteris probably did not slip on any stairs.’

What’s The Deepest Grave About?

It’s been 453 days since Fiona’s investigated anything to do with a murder, and she’s getting impatient for something interesting to do. She’s aware that’s a lousy way for a police detective to think, and really can’t find it in herself to care. The crime scene she’s sent to (along with a new DI who is going to make life difficult for her—and she’ll repay in kind) will likely make up for that. I’ll quickly note that this opening scene just might be the most entertaining opening in the series—and definitely one of the more entertaining I’ve read this year.

You don’t get much more interesting in the 21st century than finding a woman decapitated with three spearpoints thrust into her heart. It makes a bit more sense when they learn their victim is an archeologist and professor, specializing in ancient Wales—but only a little bit.

Her new DI wants to focus on “highly disturbed” locals, but Fiona knows that’s wasted time (she wastes it on command, but still). She finds some other crimes in nearby jurisdictions that involve the thefts of largely (monetarily) worthless historical artifacts and documents from about the same era as the dig that their victim was working. Fi doesn’t understand the link or ultimate target of the criminals, but she’s convinced there’s a link. Interrupting an armed individual in the midst of a similar crime only hardens her view.

Her DI isn’t yet convinced but gives her enough rope to hang herself.

And, well, what ensues is both unlike much of what you’ve read before yet exactly what you should expect from a Fiona Griffiths case.

Arthur

One thing that frequently bothers me when I read Crime Fiction is when a significant scientific breakthrough happens—like when Gideon Oliver is part of the discovery of something that alters the foundations of anthropology when Joe Pickett discovers a species hasn’t gone extinct after all, or when Robert Langdon does whatever it is that he does to get to the “real history” of something. When Fiona started messing around with Welsh burial sites and people digging around the legend of Arthur, well, that made me nervous.

However, what Bingham does with this setup is ingenious—we get all the research and history surrounding the legend that the above authors (and others) give. But the book isn’t about Arthur, it’s about looking into him, the artifacts surrounding him—and most importantly, those who are doing the research*.

* This group includes a vicar who is a simply delightful character. A better or more thorough blogger (or just one with better time management skills) would spend some time describing him. I’m going to pretend that I don’t so that you get all the joy of disCovery yourself. I’ll just say that he starts off being a kick and gets better.

A Different Encounter with Death

Was there a moment? I always wonder that. Is there ever an exact moment of death? One microsecond you’re there, the next you’re deﬁnitely not? People, even doctors, always talk as though that partition exists, but personally I doubt it. I suspect that death creeps over us more gradually than that: an ever- dimming sunset, not a sudden rush into night.

Readers of this series know that Fi has…an interesting perspective on death. This leads to a strange attachment that she develops to the murder victims in her cases. While investigating this particular murder, she befriends a woman with a degenerative and likely terminal illness.

Fiona reacts to this in a way that probably deserves a few paragraphs of analysis from better writers. It felt genuine and troubling—maybe frightening. Which led to some rewarding reflection on Fi’s part. In turn, this resulted in some choices on her part that show that Fi’s desire to be part of Planet Normal is within reach. It’s some of the best character development we’ve seen from her for a while.

The Author’s Note

There’s a great, great note after the novel about things like choosing to center so much of this on Arthur as well as describing the kind of mystery novel that Bingham is writing, and what kind of character Fi is, compared to others in the genre over the last century or so.

For those looking to really dig into the character of Fiona Griffiths, this is something you need to read (even if it’s the kind of thing you tend to skip).

So, what did I think about The Deepest Grave?

In addition to the main story, we get some resolution (some that is encouraging, some that isn’t) about some old cases and people throughout this book. Some of Fi’s relationships are changing and she’s changing with them.

This is both a very clever crime and the way that Fiona counters it is equally clever. There’s nothing about this part of the novel that I didn’t like (although there was one red herring that I’d have preferred some more resolution). When Bingham’s on his game, he’s really on it—and this book shows it.

It’s been a few years since this came out, which makes me worry that we’re not going to see another entry in the series—despite what the material at the end of the book suggests. If so, this is a fitting way to see the series end and it will go out on a high note. If Bingham returns to these, I’ll be more than ready—I’m not prepared to say goodbye to Fi just yet if I don’t have to.

4 Stars

Whispers in the Dark by Chris McDonald: Is DI Piper a Match for this Cunning Killer?

By HCNewton

On July 22, 2022

In Chris McDonald/Frost, Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

Whispers in the Dark

by Chris McDonald

DETAILS:
Series: DI Erika Piper, #2
Publisher: Red Dog Press
Publication Date: November 14, 2020
Format: eBook
Length: 311 pg.
Read Date: July 20, 2022

What’s Whispers in the Dark About?

DI Piper is pulled away from her partner Liam’s wedding reception to take over at the scene of a murder. A good friend of her DCI is one of the victims. DCI Clive Burston and a drug dealer have been shot and killed. The way it looks, if a gun had been recovered at the scene, she’d have concluded that Burston shot the dealer and then himself. But clearly, that can’t be the case.

Then another pair of bodies shows up—it also consists of a member of the same gang as the dealer and someone who has no connection to him—or crime at all.

Just what is going on? And how is she supposed to stop it?

DI Erika Piper

Piper’s still dealing with the trauma—physically and psychologically—from the events prior to A Wash of Black—and she’s picked up a little more on the psychological side. But she’s clearly in a better place than she was when we met her. There’s a confidence to her that wasn’t there in the last book—you can see it in both her interactions with her colleagues and the way she goes about the investigation. She’s not trying to prove that she’s ready to work anymore.

She still has work to do—no doubt about that—but she’s on the right path, and it’s nice to see McDonald showing that. It’s some subtle work and well done.

Now, how the events of this novel will set her up for whatever book 3 throws at her, I don’t know. I’m looking forward to seeing how she deals with it.

So, what did I think about Whispers in the Dark?

McDonald gives Erika and Liam some strong moments—individually and together—outside the case, and I was taken aback by how invested I was in these characters before the halfway point of their second book! There were some sweet moments, and a couple that got me a little misty (for both “positive” and “negative” reasons)—I was impressed at how efficiently he was at some of those, just two or three sentences that hit the emotions just right. And then there’s the scene that made me say things about McDonald that I should probably apologize to him for.

If he’s that good with the subplots, of course he’s going to nail the main story. This is a classic mystery—the killer, the motive, how the detective figures it out, how the killer comes into contact with the victims—it’s all tried and true, and McDonald delivers it well. But how the killer does it? I don’t think I’ve seen that before (eh, maybe something like it—but not as effectively portrayed). It’s a very clever take on this story. The personal stories and the way Piper and the others go through the investigation—the ups, downs, and the unexpected—that’s what separates these books from the rest.

It occurs to me, that if you removed the names and the personal subplots, and just told me the plot of this novel, I’d think you were describing one of Noelle Holten’s DC Maggie Jamieson. The twisty sort of mix of technology, motive, and execution behind the crimes fits in Maggie’s world as well as in Erika’s. Fans of one should definitely check out the other—although A Wash of Black wouldn’t have worked as well as a Maggie Jamieson book, so I’m not saying the two series are in lockstep—just that two of my recent favorites have some overlap.

Top-notch writing—there’s a couple of scenes that are so well described I feel like I was in the room with them—a great mystery, and some characters that’ll become favorites. Get your hands on this series, reader.

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, opinions are my own.

The Self-Made Widow by Fabian Nicieza: The Housewife Detective and the Disgraced Journalist Face Off with a Devious Mind

By HCNewton

On July 19, 2022

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

The Self-Made Widow

by Fabian Nicieza

DETAILS:
Series: Suburban Dicks, #2
Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons
Publication Date: June 20, 2022
Format: Hardcover
Length:388 pg.
Read Date: July 7-11, 2022

[Det. Rossi] heard [Andi] sigh over the phone. He hated when she sighed. It was one of the few childish affectations she had, but he also knew that meant she was either frustrated, disappointed, or, worse, thinking something through.

Or even worse, he corrected himself, all three combined.

He suspected this was an “even worse” scenario.

What’s The Self-Made Widow About?

Andrea Stern’s social circle is shaken up when the husband of one of her friends dies suddenly. Many knew of his heart condition, so it wasn’t a total surprise, but it still wasn’t expected. Everyone rallies to support his wife and sons through this trying time.

During the funeral, however, Andi’s Spider-Sense starts tingling, and she starts to put some things that she’s noticed together—leading her to a daunting conclusion. Meanwhile, Kenny Lee, her collaborator in the exposure of the conspiracy and murder last year, gets an anonymous phone call saying that his death wasn’t due to natural causes, but that he was murdered by his wife.

Finding themselves interested in the same case again, they divvy up the avenues of investigating and get to work.

Kenny Lee

He was thirty years old and the only meaningful relationship he’d ever had in his life was with the fear of being in a meaningful relationship.

Kenny’s life since their last investigation has changed the most—he’s no longer a disreputable journalist, that case reestablished his reputation, got him some great publicity, and frequent TV exposure. He’s set to release his book about the murders/investigation in a few weeks and the Netflix documentary series will follow soon after that.

He is, for Kenny, back on top of the world—he’s bought a new car, is taking better care of himself, has a better attitude toward life, and maybe has a girlfriend. But it’s not enough—he’s restless, he realizes early in the novel that he needs to be chasing a story. Something makes him take another look at this death and he starts to ask questions.

He ends up using the team he has working with/for him on the documentary to help with the legwork, I really didn’t think that the novel’s cast needed to be bigger—but man, I had a lot of fun with this group. Most of them aren’t investigators, but (like with so many in this series) that’s part of their charm—and maybe the secret to their success.

I can’t help but wonder that the same impulses that led to his earlier professional downfall are being held back by his current wave of success. If that success slows or wanes, will that come back, leading him to a new round of scandal, possibly derailing Andie’s work? Or maybe making him a target for her?

Andrea Stern

Her insecurities kicked in. What was it about her that alienated people? She knew she was arrogant, sarcastic, and judgmental, but was that reason for people to be so wary around her?

Things haven’t been good for Andi and Jeff in the months since she uncovered the murder/had their fifth child. Long-simmering resentments and arguments have heated up. Andi hasn’t gone to work full-time or anything, but she has consulted with the police a little bit, and she’s clearly interested in doing more—if she can figure out how to do it. Jeff is not at all supportive of this, but Andi’s not deterred for a moment.

What does give her some pause is the effect that this particular investigation is having/going to have on her children and her friends. Yes, she’s (mostly) privately been judging the other moms, but they’re her social circle and have been for years. Can these relationships survive the secrets she will have to dig up and expose?

Thankfully, the friend she made last year, Sathwika* is encouraging, and supportive—and jumps into assisting Andi with both feet. Sathwika gets Andi more than anyone else seems to, and Andi may just have to rely on her alone after all this shakes out.

* This post is too long as is, so I won’t talk more about her now, but I need to spend a few paragraphs on Sathwika when I talk about the next novel.

That’s just what’s going on in the background—proving that Derek was killed is going to be hard enough. But then how is she going to prove her friend did it (assuming she is the one)? Is it all worth it? What will she gain and lose here?

Ruth Stern

…she also couldn’t accept someone getting away with murder.

Her first thought was: How does Mom do this?

But Ruth’s next thought, immediately coming after the first one, and bringing both excitement and trepidation in its wake, was: How do I do it better?

Like Anci in the Slim in Little Egypt books and Auri Vicram, one thing that almost always works for me is a daughter of a mystery protagonist taking it upon themselves to jump into mystery-solving (or being recruited to help). There’s a mixture of eagerness, naiveté, inventiveness, and immaturity that adds a freshness to a type of novel that can seem familiar before you even read it.

Ruth helped out her mom a little bit in the previous book, but she’s called upon to do more now. One of Molly’s sons is in her grade and they’re friendly with each other. Ruth uses this to get a better picture of life in the Goode household—both before and after Derek’s death.

It’s not the easiest thing for her to do—it feels like she’s betraying her friend. She knows the toll it takes on her mother’s relationships, and can understand that. But she continues to emulate her mother, driven by similar impulses. Ruth is one of the aspects of this series that works best, and I hope Nicieza continues to bring her in.

Molly Goode

Ohhh, Molly is possibly my favorite antagonist of the year. She’s the kind of woman that Bernadette Fox would feud with in the neighborhood or school. You can see her bullying mothers in a PTA meeting for not bringing the right kind of gluten and allergen-free goodies to a Bake Sale, or bringing the wrath of the HOA on someone who has let their grass get too long. She’s a meticulous planner, always gracious, with perfect children, and a (until he died) husband successful enough to enable her to live the kind of life she’s wanted.

In short, she’s the last person you’d suspect of a devious, premeditated murder. But then again…

What kind of person would you have to be to commit murder when one of the people closest to you solves murders as a hobby?

So, what did I think about The Self-Made Widow?

This was not a whodunit—both Kenny and Andi had a target in mind when they started looking into Derek’s death. It was a howdunit, a little bit of a whydunit—and, sure, a wasitdun? Then the biggest question—how could they prove any of it? I absolutely loved how they had to approach this one—I can’t think of a novel with an alibi like this one. This is a master class in how to put together a mystery novel for those readers who’ve read too many mystery novels.

My biggest (only?) complaint is that there’s a new Chief of Police in town, and we don’t spend nearly enough time with him—I hope that changes in the future, I liked him and think it’d be fun to see him lock horns with Andie more (and/or work alongside her).

For both Kenny and Andie, Suburban Dicks* was about them getting back to what they wanted/needed to be doing with their lives—Kenny needed to do some real reporting, and shake the scandal off; Andie needed to stop forcing herself into the mold of perfect suburban wife/mother, and do some profiling/investigating. This book focuses on some introspection for the two of them, what’s important to them? Are the choices they made last year—or this year—worth it to them? What made them this way? Between what we see about them in these books, we have a foundation for what’s to come (hopefully in many books).

* We get a nice dash of meta-humor about the title, incidentally.

It’d be easy to talk up the humor of the book—but it’s not a comedy. It’s comedically told—and there are some moments of slapstick—but at its heart, The Self-Made Widow is a murder mystery (with some other crimes thrown in for good measure). There’s a lot of darkness under the laughs, and readers should be prepared for that.

There’s a lot to chew on here when it comes to our protagonists as well as many of the supporting characters. Add in the murder and what they have to do to resolve things, and you’ve got yourself a great read. But you also get Nicieza’s laugh-out-loud humor, sharp observations, and strong narrative voice. If this novel had only one of these elements—character, plot, and writing—and it’d still be something I recommend. All three? Fuggedaboutit.

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.

Condemned by RC Bridgestock: This DI has Two Cases that Couldn’t Be More Different

By HCNewton

On July 15, 2022

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

Condemned

by RC Bridgestock

DETAILS:
Series: DI Charley Mann Crime Thrillers, #2
Publisher: Canelo
Publication Date: Canelo
Format: April 8, 2021
Length: 266 pg.
Read Date: July 13-14, 2022

What’s Condemned About?

DI Charley Mann is called out to look at a probable arson at a house that’s set for demolition. It takes no time to determine that, yeah, it was arson—but since the house was abandoned and set to be torn down, no one cares to invest the resources to investigate further—what’s the point?

Charley was curious about the house—since before she grew up in the area, there were stories about the manor house. Many (especially area children) call it haunted. Who wouldn’t be curious?

Then the demolition company finds two bodies at different locations in what little of the building still standing just before they finish their job. And now it’s time for Charley and her detectives to get to work. One body was tucked into a hidden compartment behind a fireplace, it’d been behind there for weeks—maybe a few months—and was the victim of a gunshot. The other body was hidden in the basement and seems to have been interred in the manner of a pagan ritual—possibly killed that way, too. That body has been in the basement for several decades, maybe a century.

Two homicides in one house. Two cases that couldn’t be more different. This is going to take a lot of work, and a decent amount of luck for Charley and her team.

Grinding Slowly

In Police Procedural novel after Police Procedural novel, inevitably one character will say something to another about how forensics don’t get results as quickly as they do on TV. We all know this, anticipate this, and are ready for it. But, boy howdy, do things move slowly in West Yorkshire—they’re probably more realistic than many of the other procedurals that make the same disclaimers.

The same things go for interagency communications—when Mann gets a call from some other law enforcement agency for information, etc. it’s frequently long enough ago that I’d wondered if Bridgestock had just left that hanging, or decided to not pursue that line for whatever reason.

I absolutely believe that Bridgestock is more realistic in this than the majority of their contemporaries. How does anything get done? Sun Tzu had no idea about the pace of 21st Century bureaucracy when he wrote, “Wheels of justice gind slow but grind fine,” but the man was prophetic. I just hope he’s as accurate about that fine grinding…

Trusting the Reader

While I have been enjoying this series—there’s been something nagging me about the writing (well, a few things, but let’s just focus on one). RC Bridgestock doesn’t trust their readers. After illustrating (or sometimes before) what a character is thinking or feeling, they state it. They explain a joke—or a pretty clear statement.

One example:

‘He comes across as dodgier than a care salesman,’ Annie said, ‘and car salesmen are well dodgy!’

‘Not all of them, Annie,’ Charley chuckled.

What reader isn’t aware of the general view of car salesman as being unreliable, honesty-impaired, shifty—in short, dodgy? Who (in the conversation or reading it) needs Annie to elucidate that? Then to add Charly’s disclaimer and chuckle? It’s like the old 70s/80s shows that end with a punch line and then a freeze frame showing the entire cast laughing. Cut that section at “Annie said.” Then you move on to the next scene—it’s punchier, it displays the necessary information about the suspect and the requisite jaded cop humor (it’s good to see Annie getting experienced enough to show that, by the way), and trusts the reader to know how people are going to react. It also cuts a little of Charley’s sanctimoniousness, no one needs her to defend car salesman in that conversation.

Bridgestock does this kind of thing all over the place. It’s not needed, it’s off-putting, and it slows everything down. Especially with all the—very necessary—exposition in this book, the last thing you need is to let things drag.

So, what did I think about Condemned?

I’ve had a good time with the first two books in this series—I think I enjoyed this one a bit more than the predecessor. Charley’s a good protagonist—dogged, determined, and flawed. Just what you need. A good leader, but not a perfect one. The rest of the cast of characters are just as promising, they’re the kind you want to watch grow and develop and be fleshed out.

In this book, Bridgestock has given two of the detectives on Charley’s team interesting backstories—and added to the backstory of one other. I don’t know that they’ve done enough with them to justify the time spent—but there’s promise for the future. I hope they deliver on that promise.

The mechanics of the writing still bother me—there’s one chronological flub that I keep tripping on—but I find the cases, the storytelling, and the characters engaging and compelling enough to keep me going and I can gloss over 99% of the problems. The procedural aspects seem as sound as they can be. Two murders at the same location that are clearly unrelated? That’s a great hook, and once you dive in you have to know how they’re resolved.

I do recommend this—with a couple of qualifications—you’re going to have a good time with it, and probably (like me) be ready to come back for more.

3 Stars

Songbird (Audiobook) by Peter Grainger, Gildart Jackson: Passing the Baton

By HCNewton

On July 14, 2022

In DC Smith & Kings Lake, Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

Songbird

by Peter Grainger, Gildart Jackson (Narrator)

DETAILS:
Series: A Kings Lake Investigation, #1
Publisher: Tantor Audio
Publication Date: September 18, 2019
Format: Unabridged Audiobook
Length: 15 hrs., 6 min.
Read Date: June 27-July 1, 2022

DCI Reeve was in the room now, accompanied inevitably by Detective Chief Superintended Allen. Another promotion, how was that possible—what did he actually do all day but get in the way of more junior officers trying to solve crimes and bring about convictions. Waters stopped that train of thought. Over time, we all become our fathers and mothers, that’s a sort of natural process. But surely we don’t all become our first Detective Sergeant as well.

What’s Songbird About?

It’s the first murder that’s fallen under the jurisdiction of King’s Lake since Chris Waters was promoted to Detective Sergeant, and it’s time for him to step up.

There’s been a killing at a caravan site that’s well-known to Waters, and he knows the manager. This will both work for and against him, but early on it gives him some confidence—he knows this area and doesn’t have to learn anything about his surroundings. He needs all the confidence he can get.

DI Terek and DCI Reeve take the lead on this investigation (Reeve’s much more hands-on than her predecessor, and things are better for it). Some very convincing evidence leads them to focus on a suspect early, and they go about building their case.

For reasons he can explain, and some that remain ineffable, Chris Waters doesn’t believe in their suspect’s guilt and Waters follows his mentor’s example and sniffs around a little himself. He doesn’t have the relationship with his superiors that DC Smith did, though, so he has to be careful about it. Thankfully, Serena Butler (when she’s not giving him grief over his promotion), agrees with him and the two are able to come up with some compelling reasons to look elsewhere for the guilty man.

Passing the Baton

It’s a tricky thing that Grainger tries here—the series protagonist is gone, and yet it continues. It reminded me of when Kyra Sedgwick’s Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson left The Closer and the show became Major Crimes, and the team was then led by Mary McDonnell’s Capt. Sharon Raydor. The tone shifted, the characters got to grow and develop in different ways, the team functioned differently, and the approach they took to closing cases changed, too. But the show still worked.

Grainger’s always kept a broad view of the characters while focusing on DC Smith in the past—now we spend a little more time with everyone, but the focus is on Chris. That alone will change how things go—Chris has less experience to draw upon, he’s not quite as jaded (but he’s getting there), and generally sees things differently. The introduction of Cara Freeman and her methods to the mix also changes things (sure, she’s been around for a while, but we really see her at work here).

So the series continues, it just looks and feels a little different. But the core of the storytelling seems like it’s going to persevere.

Gildart Jackson’s Narration

It’s a subtle thing, but I thought I picked up a little change in the narration—it’s got less of “DC’s voice” but it’s still distinct from other books that Jackson’s narrated. Maybe it’s all in my head, but I think I can tell the difference in his approach to the books. It doesn’t matter, Jackson’s voice and characterizations bring me to King’s Lake Central they bring the world to life. Another great job by Jackson.

So, what did I think about Songbird?

Okay, the initial suspect was clearly innocent—and it took far, far too long for someone to figure out where the evidence that implicated him came from—it was maddening yelling at my phone, waiting for them to get there. But it was satisfying very satisfying when they finally put two and two together.

And for readers of procedurals, the guilty party was pretty clear all along—but getting to the motive and then working the case so that they had evidence to arrest, that was great. Watching Waters and the rest carry on Smith’s mission was exactly what a fan wants—and the new DCI in charge of the Murder Squad, Cara Freeman has her own style and pace that makes for a pleasant new dynamic.

The plot part of this novel wasn’t Grainger at his best, but it was close enough (so close). But the heart of this book was on the transitions—the team moving on from DC, the further establishment of the Murder Squad, Waters transitioning to DS (and people getting used to that), DC transitioning to his new life—plus some personal stuff that I don’t want to spoil. And Grainger absolutely nailed it.

As this is a transition point—it’s a great time to jump in. Yeah, there’s a lot of backstory, but none of it is necessary to get 98% of this book.

This had to be a tricky needle to thread for the series (singular or plural, take your pick), and Songbird pulled it off. I’m not at all surprised to see it, but I’m very pleased.

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.

The Botanist by M. W. Craven: Nothing is Without Poison

By HCNewton

On July 11, 2022

In Fiction, M. W. Craven, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller, Washington Poe

The Botanist

by M.W. Craven

DETAILS:
Series: Washington Poe, #5
Publisher: Constable
Publication Date: June 2, 2022
Format: Hardcover
Length: 429
Read Date: July 5-6, 2022

Poe nodded. ‘I hate locked room mysteries,’ he said.

What’s The Botanist About?

There’s little that mystery readers/watchers enjoy more than a locked-room mystery, but you can understand why someone who actually has to solve mysteries for a living isn’t quite a fan.

And that’s not good for him because there are two cases in this book involving locked room mysteries—one Poe and Tilly are assigned to, one they take because they’re asked (and would take on even if they weren’t).

It occurs to me that I should probably define the term I keep using, just to be careful. Last year, Gigi Pandian (no slouch when it comes to locked-room mysteries) provided one on CrimeReads:

Locked-room mystery: A crime has been committed in a room or other location that’s been sealed from the inside, with no way out. An example is a dead man found inside a windowless room that’s been sealed from the inside, dead from a gunshot wound that people outside the room heard fired, yet inside the room there’s no gun and no way for the culprit to have escaped. Thus a locked room is only part of the equation; the key is that the situation appears impossible.

And Poe has two cases to work through. Should be easy, right?

Case #2 (Chronologically, Anyway)

Back in 2020, when I posted about The Curator, I said: “I know it’d be pushing things to have [Estelle Doyle] play a larger role in these books than she does, but the few scenes we have with her are just not enough to satisfy.” I’m so glad to be wrong—Doyle does play that larger role here, and it’s as good as I’d hoped it’d be.

Doyle, I should probably say, is a forensic Pathologist—one of the best around. She’s Poe’s go-to person any time he had questions about something wet and organic.” She shamelessly and aggressively flirts with him, going out of her way to make him uncomfortable—we’re told that “Poe was terrified and bewitched in equal measure.” Some things never change—in 2018’s Black Summer, Poe thinks she’s “incredibly sexy and utterly terrifying.”

And she’s been arrested for her father’s murder. Her comment to the police? “Tell Washington Poe.” That’s all she has to say to get Poe on the case, subverting the work that the DCI (and the rest of the Northumbria police) have done on the case.

There’s no evidence that anyone but Estelle or her father was in the house the day he was shot. There’s also no gun. Is it any wonder that Poe hates locked room mysteries?

Case #1

So the case that DS Washington Poe is supposed to be working on is hunting down a poisoner that the press has dubbed The Botanist.

His victims are high-profile figures, generally in the news for less than admirable activities/views (a racist political analyst, etc.). He mails them a poem and a pressed flower, and then they die a few days later. It doesn’t matter what precautions they take, how involved the police are, how secure their living space is…they die. It’s that simple.

Because these are notorious figures, The Botanist quickly develops a fan base—people are celebrating him, making him into a folk hero of sorts. There’s a lot of pressure on Poe and the other detectives working the case to put an end to his career before he inspires copycats/disciples. The dynamic of a large degree of public sympathy for the killer is a new angle for this series, and I really appreciated it.

A Quick Word About Tilly

I’ve been anticipating what Poe might need next and I have a program running. It’s called RipplePlace and I expect the results in approximately ninety seconds.’

‘And what’s that?’

‘It’s a search and merge algorithm, sorting key data into lexicographical order,’ Bradshaw explained, explaining nothing.

And with that she left the room. Doyle looked at the empty doorway in amusement. ‘I think she may be my favourite person ever,’ she said.

Poe nodded. ‘You understand any of that?’ he asked.

‘Not a word.’

Tilly Bradshaw isn’t as prominent in this novel as readers are used to—and really couldn’t be, because of all the other characters running around, and the way that the story had to be paced. But even when she wasn’t “on camera” (if you will), she was a presence—people were sharing some tidbit about her, using something she’d dug up, etc.

And when she was “on camera”? It was gold. She’d pull off some sort of wizardry with tech, get some sort of data put together in a way no one else would, or would say/do something to make you grin (at least). She really is a great character. It’s hard to disagree with Doyle, she just might be my favorite.

So, what did I think about The Botanist?

Poe had seen people die before. Too many times. Perceived wisdom was that police officers became desensitised to death, but he wasn’t sure it was true. It certainly wasn’t for him. The dead stayed with him. Haunted his dreams and occupied his waking thoughts. They were the soundtrack to his life and the day he couldn’t hear them would be the day he handed in his warrant card. Poe needed to live among the dead. It was how he protected the living.

One of my favorite days the last few summers have been the day the new Washington Poe/Tilly Bradshaw book arrives—topped only by the day I get to start it. This year has been no exception—I finished it five days ago, and am still riding the high.

Time with these characters is like walking into Cheers—you know everyone, you enjoy their company, the only thing you don’t know is what escapade they’re in the middle of. Sure, Sam and the gang were never on the hunt for a serial killer,* but you get my point. Craven takes some of the relationships in new directions here, brings in some new figures, and generally keeps them from being stale—but Poe, Tilly, Flynn, and Doyle are who we’ve come to know and love(?) over the last four novels.

* Or did they? I don’t know—they got into some strange areas there in Season 11.

The cases were just great. Estelle’s case was on the easy side for the reader to suss out (and I was close to right on the motive, as right as Poe was)—but that didn’t make it any less satisfying to read. And the reveal (and the events that led to it) were pulled off so well that I’m not going to complain a bit.

The solution to The Botanist case, on the other hand, was brilliant. I don’t want to say more than that so I don’t tip off anyone, but when the pieces started fitting together enough that you could see the solution coming? I had to stop for a minute to laugh at how perfect it was—but it’s one thing to figure out how the killer’s doing something, it’s a whole nother thing to catch him. Craven’s ending was fantastic—when I was finished, I wrote my last note: “the last 30 pages made me happier than almost anything else this year.”

For me, one of the best parts was how much of this book is dependent on characters other than our protagonists. Absolutely, the cases don’t get solved without Poe and Tilly—their investigations, research, bold moves, etc. are essential. But the secondary characters are are who provide the brilliance, the plans, and the insights that stop the Botanist and set up the dynamite conclusion. The day isn’t saved without our hero, but Poe doesn’t save the day. Fans of the series aren’t going to mind it because of the way that Craven has constructed this universe—he’s set up the other characters to be the kind of people that operate at Poe’s level (if not beyond it), so by all means, let them shine. Also, it makes the whole series more grounded, more believable if it’s not always Washington Poe who solves everything.

Clearly, I loved this. I strongly recommend it—and everything Craven’s written. Now it’s time for me to start waiting for my favorite day of the summer of 2023.

5 Stars

Short Tails by Spencer Quinn: Too Short, but a Lot of Fun

By HCNewton

On July 8, 2022

In Chet and Bernie, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller, Spencer Quinn

Short Tails:
Chet & Bernie Short Stories

by Spencer Quinn

DETAILS:
Series: Chet and Bernie
Publisher: Forge Books
Publication Date: June 28, 2022
Format: Kindle Edition
Length: 90 pgs.
Read Date: July 7, 2022

I grabbed him by the pant leg, which was how we closed our cases, me and Bernie.

“Aieee! Aieee!”

Oh, come on, Chuckie! Suck it up. My teeth were barely engaged at all. But the funny thing is that when that Aieee sound is in the air, they—meaning my teeth—get this sort of…urge.

“AIEEE! AIEEE!”

What’s Short Tails About?

This is a collection of short stories from the Chet & Bernie series. I don’t normally do this for short story collections, but the collection is brief enough that I can get away with it, let’s take a quick look at each.

Upper Story

I want to say that this takes place during Scents and Sensibility, but I can’t swear to it (if it didn’t, I might as well have). Bernie’s in the hospital, so Chet’s staying–and working with–their friend, Rick Torres. This story is heavy on Chet’s actions and his contrasting appraisal of working with Bernie vs. Rick. As you’d expect, the comparison does not go in Rick’s favor (no matter that he’s freer with the Slim Jims).

It’s a very short story with a great emotional punch and some good chuckle-inducing lines. I’d have honestly expected this to be last in the collection because of that–but what do I know?

The Iggy Papers

This is probably the most satisfying story in the bunch. Like with The Iggy Chronicles, this focuses on something to do with Mrs. Parson’s medical care. Bernie gets to flex his investigative muscles here a bit more than in the other stories from the book, and Chet’s major contributions come from his commentary and interaction with Iggy.

This is everything that a Chet and Bernie short story should be.

The Numbers After Two

It’s been a bit since we got to see Bernie’s head for finances on display (more accurately, total lack of one), this story gives us a tale about an interrupted vacation for the detectives and a chance to see Bernie’s gullibility on display.

I know that it’s good to see Bernie’s fallibility–Chet tends toward hagiography when he describes Bernie. We need to see him stumble outside of his romantic relationships–but I have such trouble buying that he can be as gullible as he so often is when it comes to financial schemes and yet be such a good detective. Still, this is who he’s been since Day 1 of the series, so we need to see it every now and then.

The story isn’t all about watching the train wreck of Bernie making a bad investment*, but it’s the heart of it–the rest of the story makes up for that part of it, and it ends on a good note (as it started).

* That feels like a spoiler, but if you don’t know what’s going to happen the instant that Bernie gets a wad of cash, you haven’t been paying attention.

So, what did I think about Short Tails?

These were cute stories, but there were too few of them. If this collection was 2 or 3-times as long? I’d have been as happy as a dog with a new Kong. I had fun with this, but it was just enough to satisfy me. But not much more than that.

Still, I’ll take any excuse to read a Chet & Bernie story, and I figure most of Quinn’s readers will, too. So yeah, I recommend it.

3 Stars

PUB DAY REPOST: Holy Chow by David Rosenfelt: Keeping the “Semi” in Andy’s Semi-Retired Status

By HCNewton

On July 5, 2022

In Andy Carpenter, David Rosenfelt, Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

Holy Chow

by David Rosenfelt

DETAILS:
Series: Andy Carpenter, #25
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Publication Date: July 5, 2022
Format: eARC
Length: 304 pg.
Read Date: June 20, 2022

What’s Holy Chow About?

About a year ago, Rachel—a new widow in need of a companion—came into the Tara Foundation’s dog rescue facility and fell in love with a Chow Chow named Lion (who reciprocated)—Andy remembered her fondly. Then she calls out of the blue with a favor—will Andy take the dog if she dies and her stepson, Tony, can’t/won’t take the Lion?

Andy says of course he will. Within a week, Rachel’s been murdered and Andy learns more about this woman. She was rich, in an eye-popping kind of way, and Andy is told to come to the will reading. He’s confused by this, but assumes it has to do with taking possession of Lion (just in an unusual way). The reading is interrupted by the police coming to arrest that stepson for her murder.

Andy visits Tony and decides to take his case—for solid, evidence-based reasons, and not at all because he seems like a nice guy, his Great Dane mix had recently died and he’s excited to take Lion. Okay, that’s not true—Andy smells something off about the case, but it’s (naturally) because Tony’s a nice, dog-loving guy.

The police and prosecution are presenting this as a case of an heir being angry at the size of their inheritance. But Tony doesn’t have a history of being that interested in money. Andy wonders if the murder might have something to do with the fact that Rachel had been taking an interest in her late husband’s company’s day-to-day activities lately. Or is there maybe something else afoot?

It’ll take the combined efforts of Andy’s firm, The K-9 Team, and the Bubeleh Brigade (the retirees-turned-hackers that Andy uses from time to time) to get to the bottom of this.

When Will They Ever Learn?

I’m not wondering why prosecutors don’t immediately drop the case when they hear that Andy has taken on a client. He does have a few guilty verdicts on his record. Although, you would think they’d require the police to tighten up their cases and make sure there aren’t any threads hanging once Andy requests discovery.

But what I wonder is that given his track record, why they don’t take him seriously when he calls the FBI, DEA, Homeland Security, or any other three-lettered agency. (note: I wonder similar things when Joe Pickett starts meddling in non-wildlife issues). I’m not saying they need to roll out the red carpet or anything for him—don’t let Andy Carpenter, of all people, call any shots. But he shouldn’t have to rely on favors from a friend of a friend or threats to get someone to take him seriously anymore.

How does no one have this conversation:

Agent 1: Hey remember that guy who tipped us off to that terrorist organization and saved all those lives a couple of years ago?
Agent 2: That lawyer with the hot wife and the scary bodyguard, sure. Didn’t he also tip us off to the smuggling ring last Winter?
Agent 1: Come to think of it he did.
Agent 2: Why are you bringing him up?
Agent 1: Well, he’s got this theory about _________ now.
Agent 2: Might be worth sitting down with him, looking at his theory.

Although, some of that threatening and calling in favors can make for entertaining scenes. So, y’know…

So, what did I think about Holy Chow?

Andy Carpenter #25? That’s a mind-boggling number. I know it wasn’t that long ago that I read #24, but I don’t think it registered. So, does the Andy Carpenter series have anything new up its sleeve? (I’m tempted to make an old dog/new tricks joke here) I won’t rule it out, but we don’t see much new here.

But that doesn’t make this stale, either. There’s a comfort and a reassurance in knowing Andy’s behavior while the jury deliberates, the fact that Pete and Vince are going to bust his chops and put their food on his tab, that taking a walk with his dogs will help Andy come up with an idea, and so on.

I’m not trying to take a shot at anyone here, but where this feels comfortable and not tired and repetitive is that Andy has settled into these patterns—this is his life. He’s not, say, constantly second-guessing his choice of career (as much as he complains about it), he’s not trying to decide between a sexy Homicide Detective love interest and a lethal and hot Security Specialist love interest after 30+ books. Just to come up with some completely random example that no way could be describing any particular series.

I guess what I’m trying to say is that the twenty-fifth novel in this series might not have a lot that’s new, there’s still a lot of fun to have. And, we might get a glimpse of a different side of a long-running character (a continuation of something from Citizen K-9)

The humor is still present and sharp, the courtroom antics are fun (maybe a little subdued this time compared to others because of the case), and you can’t beat the time hanging with these characters. Both the solution to this case, the reveals involved, and the resolution are as well-delivered as always.

Readers new to the series or those who’ve been around since 2003* will find plenty to enjoy in the pages of Holy Cow. A good time should be had by all.

* Or at least since Open and Shut, no matter when they read it.

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, opinions are my own.

The Border by Don Winslow: Confronting the Ghost and the Monster

By HCNewton

On July 5, 2022

In Don Winslow, Fiction, The Power of the Dog

The Border

by Don Winslow

DETAILS:
Series: The Power of the Dog, #3
Publisher: William Morrow
Publication Date: February 26, 2019
Format: Paperback
Length: 716 pgs.
Read Date: June 23-29, 2022

I can barely scratch the surface of this book—I spent months trying to write something about the previous book in the trilogy, The Cartel, before giving up because I tried to do my typical post with it. This time, I’m going to go pretty surface-level, just to get something written.

What’s The Border About?

Adán Barrera is dead. DEA Agent Art Keller’s personal White Whale is gone, and two things are up in the air: what is Keller going to do with his life/career now? and What will happen to the Drug Trade in Mexico? Barrera may have been an evil man with a trail of bodies in his wake, corrupting government officials on every level, and is responsible for getting countless people on both sides of the border addicted to poisons. But he was a stabilizing influence on the various competing gangs, and without him, chaos ensues.

Meanwhile, a ranking Senator gets Keller appointed as the new head of the DEA. Once there, Keller attempts to change the way the War on Drugs has been fought. As one on the forefront of the “old way,” he knows how poorly it has succeeded. If he’s going to make any kind of impact, he’s going to have to change the way things are done.

But it turns out there’s something uglier and dirtier than the heinous crimes Barrera and his colleagues and rivals are steeped in—U.S. politics. Keller has to battle factions in the DEA and other law enforcement agencies to put his plans into action. He commits to a risky plan that could make a real difference in the war—if he can pull it off.

If he can’t, his career, his freedom, and maybe his life are at stake.

A Financial Education

A key part of Keller’s new strategy is to watch the money—there’s a lot going back and forth across the border, both to buy drugs and then to launder it. But then…it turns out, the cartels wanted more. They couldn’t just sit on the money, no matter how clean it was—there was just too much to leave hanging around. So they invested it, and they wanted something out of those investments.

If Keller can stop the money from going back South, that would be a significant move in the War on Drugs. They’re not going to provide the product if they’re not getting paid for it.

I didn’t go into this book expecting to get a lesson in finance or anything, but I don’t know if I’ve learned as much about that kind of thing since The Bonfire of the Vanities or Liar’s Poker. But the numbers Winslow uses make what those guys were up to seem small.

Supporting Characters that Steal the Show

One thing that Winslow does time and time again throughout this trilogy is to take a character and treat them as a case study for someone in this war on drugs. He’s used hitmen, minor drug dealers, aspiring gangsters, and others. What’s amazing is that he will consistently take someone like this and turn them into a character you really care about while using them to illustrate a reality, and at some point to advance the plot, too. The latter is probably the most impressive part—they’ll spend so much of the book seeming like a digression—a compelling, often moving digression, but a digression—and then he’ll shock you by making them integral to a plot point.

There were two that really stood out to me in this book—most prominently was a ten-year-old Guatemalan boy, forced by his mother to travel to New York (alone) to live with his Aunt and Uncle. The alternative was staying in Guatemala City and being forced to work for the gangs. His journey north is heartbreaking—and what happens to him (and how he reacts) once he crosses the border just guts me.

The other one that will stick with me for a while is a young woman addicted to heroin. Her story is tragic and frequently predictable. That predictability ends up making it even more tragic the further into her story you get.

If nothing else, characters like these two remind you that the Drug War really isn’t about the DEA, the Cartels, the gangs, or anyone else—it’s about the people who get caught up in the middle. The victims. The addicts. The people most of us never see or think about.

So, what did I think about The Border?

This is a daunting read—before you open it up, and it stays that way until the last 150 pages or so.

But it’s a powerful read. A gripping read. A haunting read.

I’ll frequently talk about how a novel feels real, like the kind of thing you’d read in the news. Usually, when I say that, it’s a compliment—like I can’t believe how well the author was at portraying something realistic. But with Winslow, I don’t know that it’s a compliment. He’s done his research—so much of this book is true. So many of these characters are amalgams of several actual people and their crimes. In many cases, I’d wager that he’s toned down the violence, the money, the debauchery, the corruption—just to make it credible. That old line from Mark Twain, “It’s no wonder that truth is stranger than fiction. Fiction has to make sense,” comes to mind.

It doesn’t bother me to think that characters like Hannibal Lecter or Ernst Blofeld are running around this world, because they’re so clearly fictional. But Keller’s targets—those south of the border, in the world of finance, and the halls of power in Washington, D.C.? Those are real. Those are frightening.

This is a disquieting book. It’s disturbing. It’s distressing. And it’s supposed to be. Winslow’s trilogy is a monumental achievement. It will entertain you as well as make you reconsider your position on the Drug War.

I can’t say enough about this accomplishment. This trilogy is one of the best things I’ve ever read.

5 Stars