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Ever noticed how many books feature people’s backs on the cover? How rude! Turn around, friend – why are you being so intriguing!
In this reading challenge, we’ll dive into the world of “back cover art” … but on the front. Not confusing at all, just slightly turned around!
From noir mysteries to hard-hitting Aussie thrillers, these books feature shadowy figures who’ll invite you to step into their world and uncover their secrets.
We’ll check out some standout titles like Five Decembers by James Kestrel, Darkness for Light by Emma Viskic, and Down the River Unto the Sea by Walter Mosley.
This challenge is packed with page-turners that will leave you guessing.
Let’s get back to basics and figure out why some of the best mysteries are the ones that tap you on the back and pull you in when you least expect it.
Happy Reading, friends!
Series or Standalone? :
This is Book 3 in the ‘Caleb Zelic’ series.
"Darkness for Light" Book Blurb:
After a lifetime of bad decisions troubled PI Caleb Zelic is finally making good ones. He’s in therapy, reconnecting with the Deaf community, and reconciling with his beloved wife. But he can’t escape his past. A violent confrontation forces Caleb back into contact with his double-crossing partner, Frankie. When her niece is kidnapped, Frankie and Caleb must work together to save the child’s life. But their efforts will risk everything, including their own lives.
What did we think?: 5 Stars
I’ve really enjoyed this Aussie crime series – only one more book to go before I’ve caught up to the author! The plot is paced well, and Caleb is a memorable and fully-rounded character. He’s dealing with his own personal struggles while also trying to clean up the mess his former partner Frankie has entangled him in. Being deaf, Caleb has the added challenge of trying to lip read his way past people trying to taser or pity him during the course of the investigation. “You speak very well, you know. A little quietly, but just like a normal person.” (p94). I also found a spelling mistake on page 148, so you could say that I was the main detective and solved the most important case myself. You’re welcome, crime. If you’re a fan of Aussie crime novels, do yourself a favour and check out Emma Viskic. I’m solidly a fan at this point.
Grab yourself a copy:
Series or Standalone? :
This is Book One in the ‘King Oliver’ series.
"Down the River Unto the Sea" Book Blurb:
Joe King Oliver was one of the NYPD’s finest investigators, until, dispatched to arrest a well-heeled car thief, he is framed for assault by his enemies within the NYPD, a charge which lands him in solitary at Rikers Island. A decade later, King is a private detective, running his agency with the help of his teenage daughter, Aja-Denise. Broken by the brutality he suffered and committed in equal measure while behind bars, his work and his daughter are the only light in his solitary life. When he receives a card in the mail from the woman who admits she was paid to frame him those years ago, King realises that he has no choice but to take his own case: figuring out who on the force wanted him disposed of–and why. Running in parallel with King’s own quest for justice is the case of a Black radical journalist accused of killing two on-duty police officers who had been abusing their badges to traffic in drugs and women within the city’s poorest neighbourhoods. Joined by Melquarth Frost, a brilliant sociopath, our hero must beat dirty cops and dirtier bankers, craven lawyers, and above all keep his daughter far from the underworld in which he works. All the while, two lives hang in the balance: King’s client’s, and King’s own.
What Did We Think?: 4 Stars
I wasn’t sure I was going to get along with this book at the outset, as when we’re first introduced to our protagonist he’s cheating on his wife for the millionth time – not my fave character trait. The plot barrels along though and Joe King Oliver is soon battling his way through a corrupt police system, trying to clear his name and also solve a case involving a few more dodgy cops. Written in 2018, Mosley still retains a lot of pot-boiler swagger in his dialogue which is a kick to read – “…you’re twelve miles of bad road.” (p50)… “America was changing at a snail’s pace in a high wind, but until that gastropod mollusk reached its destination I had a .45 in my pocket and eyes on all four corners at once.” (p127). I was a bit creeped out in places where Joe kept focusing on what his daughter was wearing. It didn’t tip into anything gross, but let’s move on dude and maybe focus on your own pants. I found a spelling mistake on page 257, so this is the second case I’ve solved in this reading challenge alone – give me a medal, chief! We do also get a reference to Mosley’s famous novel ‘Devil in a Blue Dress’ on page 295, which was fun – “Willa was wearing a blue dress reminding me of the femme fatale of one of my favourite novels.” I was a fan by the end of this one, and will definitely pick up Book 2 in this series. This book also won ‘Best Novel’ in the 2019 Edgar Awards.
“I learned that reading is important, that law is an ever-changing variable equation, and that a man is a fool if he works alone.” (p214).
Grab yourself a copy:
Series or Standalone? :
This is a standalone novel.
"Five Decembers" Book Blurb:
December 1941: America teeters on the brink of war, and in Honolulu, Hawaii, police detective Joe McGrady is assigned to investigate a homicide that will change his life forever. The trail of murder he uncovers will lead him across the Pacific, far from home and the woman he loves; and though the U.S. doesn’t know it yet, a Japanese fleet is already steaming toward Pearl Harbour. This extraordinary novel is so much more than just a gripping crime story—it’s a story of survival against all odds, of love and loss and the human cost of war. Spanning the entirety of World War II, Five Decembers is a beautiful, masterful, powerful novel that will live in your memory forever.
What Did We Think?: 5 Stars
This was a surprising find, and I feel like I’ve been tricked into reading a historical ‘slice of life/romance/action adventure’ that wouldn’t have been on my radar without the twist of crime. Sent out to investigate a brutal crime, Joe finds himself caught up in a conspiracy that will end with his life in tatters and the world reeling from war. The initial murder investigation is threaded through the book, along with relationships Joe does his best to hold on to despite all forces plotting against him – “They had spent three and a half years circling toward each other inside a walled garden. Outside, the world was burning down. Now the fire had come to them.” (p267). I’d definitely read more from Jonathan Moore (James Kestrel is a pseudonym). Another check in the right column for Hard Case Crime, and one that will appeal to a variety of readers. This book also won ‘Best Novel’ in the 2022 Edgar Awards.
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