A very good debut novel. I confess to buying this as an ebook because it was inexpensive and I was curious about the quality of books by independent authors. Well whether you call it a "beach book" or a "recreational read" it is well written and should have no problem keeping your attention. In terms of "return on your reading buck" it's an unquestionable 5 stars. Well worth it.

Formula Thriller

Formula - Detective with emotional baggage teams up with disgraced side-kick also with emotional baggage to solve a series of murders by a psychopathic serial killer who has rage issues because of horrific childhood with deranged mother.

Pretty average stuff - wooden characters - although the villain ain't bad

And I quote, "Daniel Woodrell is the real deal; one of the best books I've read in ages." from an earlier review.

Pretty much sum's it up for me as well.

I bought this book because it was inexpensive and I had read a short review on a blog recommending the book. I was hoping for a couple of hours of recreational reading and a feeling that I hadn't wasted a couple of bucks. Well, far from it, this was the best couple of bucks I've spent on an unknown author (at least to me) in a very long time.

A man finds a girls body in his corn field. His personal life is in shambles and he should be taking medication but he's not. The girl (the dead one) wants his help. The story then becomes a challenge of determining what's real and what's not.

It is a page turner in the classical sense, it's disturbing, but you can't put it down. With every page you, like the protagonist being drawn deeper and deeper into something you probably should avoid. Only, you know you are on a path and you know you are both now doomed to follow this path to it's completion ....cause you can't put it down.

It's good ....really good.

Not one of his best in my opinion but a good read none-the-less. The plot is rather twisted (ok, you guessed that one) but this is offset with the introduction of some fairly creepy characters so you shouldn't have any problems getting through it. As an earlier reviewer commented, I was somewhat put off by the psychological insights attributed to Mr Wolfe reading of Mr. Chapin's books and how it was used to explain Mr. Wolfe's mysterious insights into his character. But, if you can't stretch your imagination to somewhat cover your sense of reality you probably shouldn't be reading fiction anyway.

It's a stretch, but not a good one.

I have read three books in this series "Charlie Chan" and I have to admit to a little bit of an addiction developing. With each book my initial thoughts are that the books are just too typical of the whole English mystery genre. Somebody either glamorous or mysterious or both dies than an never ending lists of suspects followed by twists and turns galore and finally all the suspects are gathered in a room and the murderer is revealed.

Well if it sounds a little formulated - it is, but then it's also a great deal of fun. So, if you want a little relief from the psychotic, serial killer body count, slaughter-thriller-mystery-current-formula and yearn for a little of the old fashioned, nostalgic "who done it" formula?

And, have a couple of hours to waste on a little bit of fun - try some Charlie Chan.

You'll sleep better tonight.