Shifty’s Boys by Chris Offutt

 

Shifty’s Boys by Chris Offutt

Rating: Starred Review

Summary: The second stunning novel featuring a Mick Hardin who is still recovering from a wound suffered during a IED blast. Set in the rolling hills of Eastern Kentucky where someone might say Hidy to you as a fine greeting. Mick is asked by a local woman who’s son is found dead in an apparent bad drug deal. Th local cops don’t care and Micks gotta find something to do before is return date with the army. 

Comments: The second splendid crime novel with Offutt featuring Mick Hardin and equally important Linda, and super organized character Johnny Boy. Superior dialog places you deep in the Kentucky hills with plenty of scenes starting or ending with song birds. Robbins being the most spectacular North American bird. Since I like a birds this was a great setting for me. Highly highly recommended. I hope to see more Mick Hardin. This is an incredible series. 

Side Note. I once traveled this area and still remember it’s beauty and deep rolling hills and twisting curves. Incredible.

https://smile.amazon.com/Shiftys-Boys-Mick-Hardin-Novels-ebook/dp/B09JV4B6G4/ref=sr_1_10?crid=120XLNAYRFCCN&keywords=chris+offutt+books&qid=1640873499&s=digital-text&sprefix=Chris+offutt%2Cdigital-text%2C128&sr=1-10

2021 Year In Review

 So many great reads this year.

Here’s three that stood out.

William Boyle’s. Shoot The Moonlight Out 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08VJLDBL5/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i0

Lighting Strike by William Kent Krueger

https://www.amazon.com/Lightning-Strike-Novel-OConnor-Mystery-ebook/dp/B08LDWY46J

Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead

https://www.amazon.com/Harlem-Shuffle-Novel-Colson-Whitehead-ebook/dp/B08QMZC2PM/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Harlem+shuffle&qid=1636040976&sr=8-1

Catch Her When She Falls by Allison Buccola

 

Catch Her When She Falls by Allison Buccola

Rating: 4 stars

Summary: A now young adult women starts questioning a murder of her high school friend and the man convicted of the crime. When Micah starts being reminded of the events surrounding the murder she goes down the rabbit hole to explain who really killed her friend Emily. 

Comments: A page turner in the likes of Riley Sager or Denise Mina of peeling back the events of a past crime. Most unique here is Buccola’s debut novel she gives very little away each page. No big surprises until you are well on your way into the bedtime reading. 

https://www.amazon.com/Catch-Her-When-She-Falls-ebook/dp/B093YS9F5S/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=Catch+her+when+she+falls&qid=1637066855&s=digital-text&sr=1-3

Shoot The Moonlight Out by William Boyle

 

Shoot The Moonlight Out by William Boyle

Rating: Starred Review 

Summary: Two young teens in Brooklyn are bored and find entertainment by throwing rocks at passing cars. When one boy hits a young girl with a very promising future they kill her. This sets the base for a cast of deep seated set of characters that go off the edge of life trying to justify there lives. 

Comments: Boyle does it again. Novel of 2021. Boyle might be the most talented writer in the last 5 years.  What he does for setting, character development, and mood is brilliant like no other. Any one who enjoys reading needs to read Boyle. 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08VJLDBL5/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i0

Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead

 

Harlem Shuffle Colson Whitehead

Rating: Starred Review 

Summary: Ray Carney is a furniture store owner in Harlem 1960’s. He also is a low level criminal who hangs around other low level criminals. Heists and Robberies occur. A couple murders land in Ray’s lap too. Somehow Ray has to navigate the straight world and the criminal world.

Comments: Straight up the best crime novel of 2022. Highly recommended. 

https://www.amazon.com/Harlem-Shuffle-Novel-Colson-Whitehead-ebook/dp/B08QMZC2PM/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Harlem+shuffle&qid=1636040976&sr=8-1

White Hot Hate by Dick Lehr

 White Hot Hate by Dick Lehr

Rating: 4 stars

Summary: A group of  four men gather through various other militias to form a group with the idea to bomb and kill Somali immigrants in Garden City Kansas. One member is a FBI informant and feeds the FBI all the plans of the group. The book details the account of there planning, disgusting thoughts, and eventual arrests. The informant Dangerous Dan is a man who really risked his own safety and his family’s to great lengths.

Comments: I can’t say this was a breakthrough real crime novel but it plainly spelled out the stupidity of some of our fellow countrymen. There is definitely some bias written into the novel whether you agree or not. 

https://www.amazon.com/White-Hot-Hate-Terrorism-Heartland-ebook/dp/B08NWTJWFC/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1PMM6009NT99T&dchild=1&keywords=white+hot+hate&qid=1635326321&s=books&sprefix=White+hot+hate%2Cstripbooks%2C185&sr=1-1

Just Thieves by Gregory Galloway

 Just Thieves by Gregory Galloway

Rating: Crime novel of 2021

Summary: Rick and Frank walk out of there hotel on the way to a job and notice a dead horse in the road out front. Frank has to spend sometime thinking about this.  Meanwhile  Rick continues to plan the job. Things go sideways and Frank returns the item stolen which sends a ripple affect throughout the rest of the novel.

Comments: One or two novels a year come out that are quite this good. Galloway takes it to a level few are capable of. Told solely from Ricks point of view. Welcome to top notch crime fiction not seen very often. Very likely the novel of 2021. Incredible. 

https://smile.amazon.com/Just-Thieves-Gregory-Galloway-ebook/dp/B08X1Q6BLD/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1WOJ6JVTPRM0L&dchild=1&keywords=just+thieves&qid=1634680541&s=digital-text&sprefix=Just+thie%2Caps%2C203&sr=1-3

Lean Fall Stand by Ian McGregor

 

Lean Fall Stand by Jon McGregor

Rating: 4 stars

Summary: A veteran Antarctica explorer is caught with his team in a blinding wind storm. As Robert is suffering rom a sudden powerful stroke a team member is carried away on the ice flow that broke off. The story follows the recovery and speculation into what happened to cause the death of a member of Roberts team. 

Comments: An interesting read. Seems to be drawn out in Roberts recovery. But for some reason I couldn’t stop reading.

https://smile.amazon.com/Lean-Fall-Stand-Jon-Mcgregor-ebook/dp/B08VDRVBKC/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1JQF99JHTPUA6&dchild=1&keywords=lean+fall+stand+jon+mcgregor&qid=1634222392&s=digital-text&sprefix=Lean+f%2Cdigital-text%2C225&sr=1-1

The Dark Remains by William McIlVanny and Ian Rankin

 

The Dark Remains by William McIlVanny and Ian Ranking 

Stared Review

Summary: Laidlaw is asked to help look into a Glasgow gangland stabbing of a high ranking member of a between rival gangs. Laidlaw not quite procedural follow causes a wave distrust through investigation.

Comments: Rankin does Tarten noir in the finest possible means. Must read. 

https://smile.amazon.com/Dark-Remains-Laidlaw-Investigation-ebook/dp/B08X12PF6L/ref=sr_1_6?crid=98QELBC0V68I&dchild=1&keywords=laidlaw+by+william+mcilvanney&qid=1634220989&s=digital-text&sprefix=Laid%2Cdigital-text%2C183&sr=1-6

It Dies With You by Scott Blackburn

 

It Dies With You by Scott Blackburn

Rating: 

Rating: Starred Review

Summary: Hudson Miller is a semi washed up boxer and lowly bouncer when he finds out his Dad in a near by town has been shot dead. Hudson inherits his fathers vast riches, a junk yard and some rental houses. He makes a go of the junk yard but is derailed when another body is discovered on the site. Miller is contacted by the victim’s sister and together they try and find answers seemingly the local cops refuse to answer. 

Comments: A stunningly great debut, a rare accomplished novel. Much in the way Clifford and Joy stunned the crime writing debut world. Great follow ups I am sure are coming. Highly recommended. 

https://www.amazon.com/Dies-You-Novel-Scott-Blackburn/dp/1643859390/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3I6OE70VESQAC&dchild=1&keywords=scott+blackburn&qid=1633168682&s=books&sprefix=Scott+black%2Cstripbooks%2C199&sr=1-1