Tag: Annie McIntyre Mysteries

PUB DAY REPOST: Hard Rain by Samantha Jayne Allen: The Rookie PI Might Be in Over Her Head

Hard RainHard Rain

by Samantha Jayne Allen

DETAILS:
Series: Annie McIntyre Mysteries, Volume 2
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Publication Date: April 18, 2023
Format: eARC
Length: 352
Read Date: April 4-7, 2023

What’s Hard Rain About?

It’s been six months since Annie McIntyre solved a murder and began training as a Private Investigator under her grandfather and his partner, Mary-Pat. It doesn’t seem like Annie’s really sure of her current path, but at least it’s a path—hopefully out of Garnett at some point.

A High School classmate—not really a friend, but more than an acquaintance—approaches her with a job. Mary-Pat tells her she’s ready to take the lead on their next case, and is about ready to apply for her license. So, she’s primed and ready—at least she thinks so.

A couple of weeks previously a flash flood had wreaked havoc on the town and the cost in property damage and lives is high. Bethany, however, was saved through the actions of someone that she fears is a victim. But his body was never found. She wants Annie to find either the body or, preferably, the man so she can thank him properly. Not expecting the latter, and equipped with only a vague description, Annie takes the job.

The police have nothing for her, and the local fire and rescue people found no sign of this man—many people think that Bethany imagined him. But Annie keeps looking—searching downstream from the area Bethany had been found in, Annie does find a body. But not of the man she’s been looking for—but a murdered woman. Now Annie has to ask, is her target a killer or a hero?

As Annie investigates, she finds herself in a new layer of crime, corruption, and danger.

The Sense of Place

When talking about the previous book, Pay Dirt Road, I had a few things to say about the city of Garnett’s depiction. I won’t repeat them here—but I really could. I don’t think it’s an issue so much with Allen’s writing, just my ideas about Texas communities. (not that I’d complain if Annie made some mention of the population size)

What I failed to appreciate—or at least write about—was Allen’s depiction of, and description of, the natural environment. Given the storms and flood surrounding this book, it’s hard not to take note of it. Allen nails this material.

I really can see the flood damage, the sky, the geography in general—Allen pairs her vivid imagery with a little bit of wry commentary (frequently, but not always) to really help the reader get a handle on the sights and sounds. I was reminded of Chandler describing L.A. This is not typically the kind of thing I spend a lot of time thinking about when reading a P.I. novel, but I really couldn’t help but do so this time—both because of the nature of Annie’s investigation and because of Allen’s skill at it. Particularly the latter.

The Portrayal of Evangelicals

So, so, so often lately—including in books I really like—evangelicals are brought in as bastions of corruption, hypocrisy, and prejudice. Especially if they happen to belong to a mega-church.

The church that Bethany is part of, that her husband and father-in-law are pastors of, that some of the flood victims belonged to, that her missing man and the murder victim may be tied to, isn’t a mega-church yet, but is well on its way to being one.

Yes, some of the members are tied to criminal activity, unethical activity, and some other hypocritical kinds of things. But by and large the members of the church are honest, faithful, and human. They’re not perfect, but they’re working at it. It’s an honest depiction, and while not necessarily flattering, it’s not vilifying, either. I appreciate that.

Learning the Ropes

I described this series as a friend recently as “a PI version of the Eve Ronin books,” and the more I think about that, the more I like it.

Yes, Goldberg and Allen have very different tones. The tenor and flavor of the books are different—each fitting their setting and authors. But at the core, you have determined young women in settings that aren’t necessarily hospitable toward them, dealing with family issues and learning the ropes of their current professions. They make mistakes that experience would provide, get correction and guidance from their mentors (and their own reactions to their errors), but have good instincts and the drive to improve.

They’re very different series and very different kinds of stories, but I like seeing Eve and Annie as different outworkings of the same idea.

So, what did I think about Hard Rain?

Last year, I said that I’d have been satisfied with Pay Dirt Road as a standalone, but that I’d be in the front of the line for a sequel. I’m glad I came back—this world and this character deserve the time a series affords (I see there’s already a third volume scheduled for next year).

I enjoyed this one more than last year’s—I don’t know that it’s that much better, but Annie being more confident (maybe only by degrees, but it’s there) and the type of story made that possible. If you haven’t read Pay Dirt Road, Hard Rain will work as a stand-alone or as an entry point to the series, but you’d be denying yourself seeing Annie’s growth.

Atmosphere, character (not just the protagonists, but all the supporting characters as well—maybe next year I’ll find/make the time to talk about Annie’s family, for example), and story—Samantha Jayne Allen delivers the goods on all fronts. I heartily recommend Hard Rain to your attention.

Disclaimer: I received this eARC from St. Martin’s Publishing Group 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.

Hard Rain by Samantha Jayne Allen: The Rookie PI Might Be in Over Her Head

Hard RainHard Rain

by Samantha Jayne Allen

DETAILS:
Series: Annie McIntyre Mysteries, Volume 2
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Publication Date: April 18, 2023
Format: eARC
Length: 352
Read Date: April 4-7, 2023

What’s Hard Rain About?

It’s been six months since Annie McIntyre solved a murder and began training as a Private Investigator under her grandfather and his partner, Mary-Pat. It doesn’t seem like Annie’s really sure of her current path, but at least it’s a path—hopefully out of Garnett at some point.

A High School classmate—not really a friend, but more than an acquaintance—approaches her with a job. Mary-Pat tells her she’s ready to take the lead on their next case, and is about ready to apply for her license. So, she’s primed and ready—at least she thinks so.

A couple of weeks previously a flash flood had wreaked havoc on the town and the cost in property damage and lives is high. Bethany, however, was saved through the actions of someone that she fears is a victim. But his body was never found. She wants Annie to find either the body or, preferably, the man so she can thank him properly. Not expecting the latter, and equipped with only a vague description, Annie takes the job.

The police have nothing for her, and the local fire and rescue people found no sign of this man—many people think that Bethany imagined him. But Annie keeps looking—searching downstream from the area Bethany had been found in, Annie does find a body. But not of the man she’s been looking for—but a murdered woman. Now Annie has to ask, is her target a killer or a hero?

As Annie investigates, she finds herself in a new layer of crime, corruption, and danger.

The Sense of Place

When talking about the previous book, Pay Dirt Road, I had a few things to say about the city of Garnett’s depiction. I won’t repeat them here—but I really could. I don’t think it’s an issue so much with Allen’s writing, just my ideas about Texas communities. (not that I’d complain if Annie made some mention of the population size)

What I failed to appreciate—or at least write about—was Allen’s depiction of, and description of, the natural environment. Given the storms and flood surrounding this book, it’s hard not to take note of it. Allen nails this material.

I really can see the flood damage, the sky, the geography in general—Allen pairs her vivid imagery with a little bit of wry commentary (frequently, but not always) to really help the reader get a handle on the sights and sounds. I was reminded of Chandler describing L.A. This is not typically the kind of thing I spend a lot of time thinking about when reading a P.I. novel, but I really couldn’t help but do so this time—both because of the nature of Annie’s investigation and because of Allen’s skill at it. Particularly the latter.

The Portrayal of Evangelicals

So, so, so often lately—including in books I really like—evangelicals are brought in as bastions of corruption, hypocrisy, and prejudice. Especially if they happen to belong to a mega-church.

The church that Bethany is part of, that her husband and father-in-law are pastors of, that some of the flood victims belonged to, that her missing man and the murder victim may be tied to, isn’t a mega-church yet, but is well on its way to being one.

Yes, some of the members are tied to criminal activity, unethical activity, and some other hypocritical kinds of things. But by and large the members of the church are honest, faithful, and human. They’re not perfect, but they’re working at it. It’s an honest depiction, and while not necessarily flattering, it’s not vilifying, either. I appreciate that.

Learning the Ropes

I described this series as a friend recently as “a PI version of the Eve Ronin books,” and the more I think about that, the more I like it.

Yes, Goldberg and Allen have very different tones. The tenor and flavor of the books are different—each fitting their setting and authors. But at the core, you have determined young women in settings that aren’t necessarily hospitable toward them, dealing with family issues and learning the ropes of their current professions. They make mistakes that experience would provide, get correction and guidance from their mentors (and their own reactions to their errors), but have good instincts and the drive to improve.

They’re very different series and very different kinds of stories, but I like seeing Eve and Annie as different outworkings of the same idea.

So, what did I think about Hard Rain?

Last year, I said that I’d have been satisfied with Pay Dirt Road as a standalone, but that I’d be in the front of the line for a sequel. I’m glad I came back—this world and this character deserve the time a series affords (I see there’s already a third volume scheduled for next year).

I enjoyed this one more than last year’s—I don’t know that it’s that much better, but Annie being more confident (maybe only by degrees, but it’s there) and the type of story made that possible. If you haven’t read Pay Dirt Road, Hard Rain will work as a stand-alone or as an entry point to the series, but you’d be denying yourself seeing Annie’s growth.

Atmosphere, character (not just the protagonists, but all the supporting characters as well—maybe next year I’ll find/make the time to talk about Annie’s family, for example), and story—Samantha Jayne Allen delivers the goods on all fronts. I heartily recommend Hard Rain to your attention.

Disclaimer: I received this eARC from St. Martin’s Publishing Group 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.

Pay Dirt Road by Samantha Jayne Allen: A Tale of Oil, Murder, and Land

Pay Dirt RoadPay Dirt Road

by Samantha Jayne Allen

DETAILS:
Series: Annie McIntyre Mysteries, Volume 1
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Publication Date: April 19, 2022
Format: eARC
Length: 304 pg.
Read Date: March 21, 2022
Support Independent Bookstores - Visit IndieBound.org

What’s Pay Dirt Road About?

Annie just graduated from college and moves back to her hometown to decide her next move. That’s the generous way to look at it, anyway, we’ll get back to that in a bit. She’s waiting tables at a local diner—well, the local diner in Garnett, TX. It’s hard to say exactly how large Garnett is, but it’s not big. But given the nearby oil fields, there’s a lot of money as well as a lot of poverty in this smaller town.

Annie and her roommate/cousin spend a lot of their evenings drinking, frequently with others they graduated from high school with. One night they go to a bonfire at the home of one of Annie’s former classmates and unexpectedly run into a co-worker, Victoria. Victoria has overserved herself at this point and doesn’t show signs of slowing down. When Annie decides to leave, she tries to find Victoria but is told that she’s gone off with someone.

That’s the last anyone sees Victoria—the last anyone will admit to, anyway. Her body is found a few days later. Driven by guilt for abandoning her, Annie takes advantage of an offer from her grandfather—former sheriff, now a PI—to work for him and look into the case.

Annie

Annie is what many would call a deeply flawed character, but others would just say human. She’s trapped by her own insecurities as well as ego. She knows she could likely do well in law school—but it would be hard and risky. She could probably talk herself into the challenge, but failing means losing hope she could get away from Garnett, and I don’t think she’s willing to do that.

Like so many people in similar circumstances, not knowing what to do, she drinks, so she doesn’t have to think about it for a while. And drinks a lot. This wouldn’t be a big deal for me as a reader, but Annie spends a lot of time judging her grandfather for his drinking—especially when they’re supposed to be working. She doesn’t say anything to him, she just keeps it inside and lets herself indulge. It’s things like this that make her a wonderful, complex character.

The Sense of Place

I’m vague on a lot about the town of Garnett (size, demographics, etc.), but I also have some concrete visions of certain parts of it. It reminds me a lot of the TV version of Dillon, Texas—which seemed to change size, economic status, and makeup from week to week, depending on what the story called for.

As I type that, I realize that my ideas about Garnett are basically half-Samantha Jayne Allen/half-Friday Night Lights. Annie would basically fit in with the Tyra Colletes and Tim Riggins of the world, not the Jason Streets and Lyla Garritys (although we get glimpses of that part of Garnett, too). I just thought of three paragraphs I could do paralleling the worlds of these two fictional towns, so I’d better move on before this becomes a very different kind of post.

What I kept getting was a feel for the town more than anything—it’s the kind of place where the best and brightest leave after high school, and the big question is: will they come back? You get the impression that if they do, it’s not because they chose to—they either have no choice, or it’s just as a way station–like Annie intends. Some of those in the latter category end up sticking around, usually not by choice. This bleakness covers the whole of the novel—in the successes as well as the failures (and the in-between moments).

At the same time, it seems that few of these people are there by choice. It is their home. Up until two weeks before her death, Victoria had been tied to Garnett, but she had plans. Annie intends on leaving. But when it comes to the land of Garnett? Their families’ acres? There’s a reflexive, instinctive, and deep sense of possession and binding. Everyone knows that Annie’s going to leave town at some point—but when there’s a suggestion that someone is going to buy the land she’s set to eventually inherit? That sets an emotional fire in her that I think surprised even her. You see something similar with Victoria, too. People like them may not like Garnett, may not want to live there but it’s home. It’s their home, and will be.

So, what did I think about Pay Dirt Road?

I don’t know that I can say that I particularly enjoyed this book—by design, it’s not a good time. But it’s a great experience. Allen’s sense of character and sense of place ensures that the reader feels what’s going on. Particularly, but not limited to, Annie’s experiences.

Like with any good mystery—and look at character—Pay Dirt Road is as much about the investigation as it is the history of the characters—for Annie, this goes back to High School, for her family, the history we see goes back far before that. The past illumines the present, and helps the reader—and eventually, Annie and others—to see what’s going on in the present.

Last year, I finally got around to reading The Far Empty by J. Todd Scott. Garnett doesn’t have the same kind of corruption (at least that we see) going on, but it has the sense of setting, of bleakness, and dedication to place/city/home. Between these two books—not to mention Locke’s Bluebird, Bluebird and Kent’s The Dime—I’m starting to think I should focus more of my Crime reading on the Lone Star State.

This could be the beginning of a series—and if it is, I’ll be at the front of the line for the sequel. This could be a stand-alone, and if so, it leaves the characters in a good place—both in terms of closure and promise for the future. Either way, this is a book that’s going to linger in the back of my mind for a while, and I think that’ll be true for others.

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.

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