A Specter of Justice

Mark de Castrique writes compulsively readable books. There's something about the voice of his main character Sam Blackman that commands attention. If that's not enough, the fast pace of the book grabs a reader from the first tragic courtroom scene and won't let go until the final shot of a discarded piece of metal.

Readers have to find out why Hewitt Donaldson is being railroaded, and it's not easy. The man's been very busy for a long long time, and the potential suspect list of people who might hold grudges against him is a long one. But as I said before, it's an intriguing path to the solution, and de Castrique peoples his book (as usual) with characters who don't fit the usual cubbyholes. How many times lately have readers run show more across a homicide detective who plays well with others and a fundamentalist preacher who isn't portrayed as a complete sleazeball? Not often, eh? This is one of the many reasons why I enjoy de Castrique's books.

An added bonus is learning something about the Asheville, North Carolina area. There's a lot more there than you may think, and I certainly did appreciate learning about some of the city's more haunted aspects this time around.

Sam Blackman and his partner Nakayla Robertson are two of the good ones, and you should seriously consider reading all of their well-written adventures. Do you have to begin at the beginning? No... it's not mandatory, but don't be surprised if you read A Specter of Justice and find yourself looking for the rest of the series! show less

I’ve read seven books so far by author Mark de Castrique, and every single one has been excellent. In this fifth novel featuring one-legged veteran Sam Blackman and his partner in work and love, Nakayla Robertson, the book starts with a literal bang. Clyde Atwood, a hot-headed defendant accused of beating his wife and shooting a police officer, is convicted, partly due to Sam’s investigation. Enraged, the defendant kills his wife, tries to kill Sam and injures another. Atwood is killed immediately after, saving Sam’s life.

Wow! But the thrills and suspense have just begun. Sam and Nakayla take part in a fund-raiser for the 3-year-old Atwood twin boys left orphaned by Clyde Atwood’s villainy. However, that fund-raiser leads to show more more death. Who is killing members of the Asheville Apparitions, a spiritualist group? And who is trying to frame Sam’s flamboyant friend, Hewitt Donaldson, North Carolina’s premier attorney?

De Castrique never let up in this fast-paced mystery. I figured out one of the murderers a little before Sam and Nakayla (although not the other), but it doesn’t matter when a novel is as heart stopping as this one. show less

A fund-raising event turns into a murder investigation when two of the actors meet their deaths. Taking place at Helen's Bridge, a ghost was supposed to appear under the bridge, but instead, it dangles from the top. Although a group of Japanese tourists was present and their photos were taken as evidence, only a local photo journalist frames the shot perfectly. Against his better judgment, he framed it that way because a woman in his company asked him to do so. A second corpse appears soon afterwards. Asheville attorney Hewitt Donaldson becomes the chief suspect, and he asks Sam and Nakayla to help gather evidence to exonerate him. Sam and Nakayla attend a church service and hob nob with the pastor and a few members to gain insights. A show more local bar plays a key role as well. While one police investigator is ready to let Hewitt go to jail for the murders, another thinks things are stacking up a little too conveniently and suspects someone is framing the attorney. Will Sam and Nakayla find the killer(s) and exonerate Hewitt? They determine it may be linked to an old case, so they begin seeking connections from the various persons involved to that case. This book provides plenty of red herrings to make it enjoyable, even though I suspected the solution fairly early. There's just enough humor thrown in to make it fun. With a location about an hour and half's drive from my home, I really enjoy this series for the atmosphere. The strong character development adds to the enjoyability. I listened to the audio version and found it enjoyable. show less

“Eating a jelly-filled doughnut takes concentration.” That's our introduction to the protagonist, a private investigator, Sam Blackman, who has trouble getting to court with a clean shirt. This mystery, set in Asheville, North Carolina, is full of local atmosphere. A ghost tour of Asheville's famous hauntings is supposed to raise money for two tragically orphaned children. But things, of course, cannot go as planned.

There are lots of red herrings in this story. There is also an underlying message, or at any rate, a question about justice. Is winning more important than justice? Apparently.

The characters are fun, the mystery is fun, and I really enjoyed the atmospheric settings. I had to admit I got a laugh out of one chaplain's show more description of what he called the Prosperity Gospel: “Jesus is my boyfriend and he's going to buy me presents.” But no, this isn't a religion-bashing story.

The book is relatively short, and an entertaining, easy read between those longer, heavier stories.

I was given an uncorrected proof of this book for review. The quotes may have changed in the published edition. show less