Synopsis/blurb........
The shocking murder of a wounded veteran
challenges the investigative skills of ex-chief Samuel Craddock.
Just before the outbreak of the Gulf War, two eighteen-year-old football stars and best friends from Jarrett Creek, Texas, signed up for the army. But Woody Patterson was rejected and stayed home to marry the girl they both loved, while Jack Harbin came back from the war badly damaged. The men haven't spoken since. Just as they are about to reconcile, Jack is brutally murdered. With the chief of police out of commission, it's up to trusted ex-chief Samuel Craddock to investigate.
Just before the outbreak of the Gulf War, two eighteen-year-old football stars and best friends from Jarrett Creek, Texas, signed up for the army. But Woody Patterson was rejected and stayed home to marry the girl they both loved, while Jack Harbin came back from the war badly damaged. The men haven't spoken since. Just as they are about to reconcile, Jack is brutally murdered. With the chief of police out of commission, it's up to trusted ex-chief Samuel Craddock to investigate.
Against the backdrop of
small-town loyalties and betrayals, Craddock discovers dark secrets of the past
and present to solve the mystery of Jack's death.
Well earlier this year I unearthed a real gem in Terry Shames’
debut novel A Killing At Cotton Hill. The
author introduced us to a fictional small town in Texas called Jarrett Creek
and the engaging and interesting company of the retired police chief, Samuel
Craddock.
Her second outing for Craddock is just as interesting as the
first with the same blend of small-town intrigue and murder. Craddock is called
upon again to investigate the brutal murder of a disabled war veteran, shortly
after he suffers the loss of his father.
 |
| Terry Shames |
Craddock in the hands of his creator, Terry Shames is sympathetic, decent and caring. Always striving to do the right thing and determined
to restore some equilibrium to his home-town by ensuring the culprit is caught.
A quiet and thoughtful mystery that has me hoping for more of the same in the
future.
At 260 pages long, the book was an ideal length to race
through in a couple of days reading. No extremes of violence or language
employed by the author, just a pleasurable reading experience.
Fractionally or slightly less enjoyable than the first, for
some indefinable reason, that I’m unable to pinpoint.........why is that(?).......
but still highly recommended. (Maybe I’m just reluctant to accord a fifth 5
star rating in the same month!)
Overall a 4 from 5
My review of A Killing
At Cotton Hill is here.
The Last
Death Of Jack Harbin is released in January, 2014. Thanks to Meghan from
Prometheus/Seventh Street Books for the ARC.
I have purchased A Killing at Cotton Hill, so will definitely be reading that soonish. and this one counts as reading a mystery by a woman, so hooray for that. I hope to find some month in 2014 that I can read only female authors.
ReplyDeleteTracy, that's great, I hope you enjoy the book when you get to it. I think a full month of only female writers might be a bit beyond me. I would have the numbers on the shelf to do it, just probably not the will power! Three females this month, counting Margot's In a Word as one.
DeleteYou are doing very well with female writers, Col. Since I am female myself, and grew up in an era when females were on the cusp of having more opportunities in the working world, I have more motivation. Not that I ever wanted to write fiction. I just want women to have opportunities and recognition.
DeleteThanks, I do feel I could always do better though. Shames has at least made it onto a sort of must-read list of authors for me, if I can find my way to overall reduce my library numbers, but still allow myself the opportunity to freshen up the shelves with the odd new acquisition.
DeleteSusan Koefod was the other female author I enjoyed this month, and perhaps I would need to try a second book by her before seeing if she has the same status as Shames.
Well having been introduced to Terry Shames by you I am delighted to see there's another one, and I'll look forward to reading it.
ReplyDeleteMoira, I hope you enjoy it!
DeleteCol - I'm glad you enjoyed this one. Sounds like a very good premise for a story, and the small-town context is a plus for me.
ReplyDeleteMargot thanks - I've had a great month's reading so far.
DeleteI meant to tell you that I did purchase the first book in this series and have now added it to my reading list. I hope to read it soon. Small town settings in crime fiction gets my attention everytime.
ReplyDeleteI hope you enjoy the first Keishon - just to prove I'm not getting delusional in my latter years!
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