Click on a thumbnail to go to Google Books.
|
Loading... Coeur d'Alene Waters (2007)by Ned Hayes
None No current Talk conversations about this book.  mlbelize | Jan 27, 2014 | 
 What is it about the Pacific Northwest that leads some into dark worlds of violence and despair? Had one-time north Idaho journalist Ned Hayes made this tantalizing question the centerpiece of his debut novel, he might have only created a derivative retelling of an all-too-familiar serial killer plot. Instead, he takes the plot for this well-written literary thriller from the historical facts of the still-unsolved Sunshine Mine disaster in 1972, and winds it tight around the troubled central figure of Matt Worthson, a one time candidate for Sheriff in Coeur d'Alene. Worthson, suffering from a broken marriage and a suspect car accident, is pulled into a tangled history of corrupt politics, separatist plots, and powerful interests who control the lucrative Idaho mining industry. The novel opens with the discovery of the mutilated body of a chaplain who works with the police department, and seems to point towards a local serial killer who is again on the loose. But this tried and true plot soon moves in a more complicated direction, as Worthson's own motivations and past crimes are brought under the microscope. The story of the Sunshine Mine disaster itself is told in a flashback that is both compelling and heart-rending, as Worthson struggles with his father's impending death, and the secrets his father still refuses to reveal about the mine disaster - the truth of which has important implications for Worthson's investigation. Coeur d'Alene Waters is a solidly written murder mystery with a haunting finish, reminiscent of the best of Ridley Pearson or the early work of fellow Washington writer Jess Walter. -- Book Note, 2007 Featured Review
Coeur d'Alene, Idaho is where people go to hide: Neo-Nazis, corrupt politicians, mining men with buried secrets. In 1972, 91 men were killed in a mining "accident" sparked by a fire lit nearly a mile underground: the mystery was never solved. After the rest escaped, only three miners survived underground. More than 20 years later, Matt Worthson is a sheriff's lieutenant and the disgraced son of mining hero and Sunshine Mine survivor Stanley Worthson. Matt expects to finish out his years on the force in quiet ignominy. But when the gruesomely dismembered body of a police chaplain is found at the swanky Coeur d'Alene Resort, Matt is tapped to find the murderer. As Matt investigates the murder of his friend, he finds himself digging deep into the labyrinth of lies that seeps beneath the Coeur d'Alene region, including the Sunshine Mine disaster. Matt now has a chance to uncover both the mystery of the case before him, and the darker truths in his father's past. A neo-Nazi kid holds the only key. If Matt can find a way through the kid's bravado, he might just uncover the truth behind his own broken family. Complex, richly atmospheric and utterly convincing in its portrayal of the Pacific Northwest, Coeur d'Alene Waters will enthrall fans of Mystic River and Snow Falling on Cedars. No library descriptions found. |
LibraryThing AuthorNed Hayes is a LibraryThing Author, an author who lists their personal library on LibraryThing. Current DiscussionsNonePopular covers 
 Google Books — Loading...GenresLC ClassificationRatingAverage: (3.83)
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Wikipedia in English
1
Late one night a dismembered body was discovered in the washroom of a luxury resort near the beautiful Lake Coeur D'Alene in the Pacific Northwest. Matt Worthson, a recovering alcoholic who has lost the respect and backing of his fellow officers, was assigned to investigate and find the killer of the victim, Arlen Bowman, chaplain for the city's police force.
Right from the beginning Matt runs into problems, coverups, secrets withheld from him and secrets he himself is guarding. With guilt eating away at his confidence and self esteem, he is determined to solve the murder despite the obstacles placed in front of him, including being assigned the case by corrupt officials who thought him controllable.
The story unfolds very slowly with side trips to the Sunshine Mine fire disaster that happened nearly 20 years before the murder and the introduction of seemingly random characters and their stories, but as the book progresses, it is all brought together and dark secrets are revealed of what happened at the mine fire where 91 miners perished. There was never a moment before the end that I thought I had figured out who killed Arlen or why he had to die.
I took my time reading this dark, gritty mystery as the tension would build so high I had to walk away for a bit before feeling able to once again return to it. I felt helpless as the walls were closing in on Matt and wondered how and if he could prevail. Hayes did a masterful job of keeping ones interest and the suspense throughout.
This book has it all, corruption in a small town, guilt, greed, mistrust, betrayal yet also love, hope and redemption. I highly recommend to those who love a good historical mystery. I am so looking forward to reading more by this very promising author.
originally published on http://chapterofdreams.com/ (