This novel is dressed up as Science Fiction, but its roots are in the good old-fashioned detective tale. Except for his lack of skin, Schneider is the epitome of underdog detectives, looked down upon by his workmates, reviled by the public, watched with suspicion by his superiors and viewed with frustration by those who try […]
“Danger in the Rain” by Douglas Boatman
I enjoyed this novel. It’s a standard private detective serial with deeper touches of setting and character that really bring the reader into the story. However, it was a little too much of a good thing. A story like this one, full of action and description with a complicated plotline, can go in two directions. […]
“The German Client” by Bruno Morchio
This novel has a complex format. In intertwines two timelines: the present day, written in normal past tense, and the WWII era, set in present tense. That part actually works, because it makes it clear where readers are in the story. The novel starts out really well. The intimate details of the main character’s feelings […]
“Watch Her Vanish” by Ellery Kane
My sister-in-law, who taught high school for far too long, typified Country music as “People make poor life choices and then whining about the results.” A certain level of Police Procedural novel goes about the same way. The detective mystery takes a back seat to the soap opera. Personally, I don’t know why anyone would […]
“The Flats” by Kate Birdsall
Despite the title, “The Flats” is not a story about a place. It’s a story about a person. Namely Detective Sergeant Liz Boyle, a wonderfully crafted, multi-dimensional character who develops and grows as the tale progresses. The plot starts off with a gut-wrenching murder – that of a 5-year-old – and revolves around Boyle’s inability […]