ELGIN BLEECKER - LYME DEPOT (2019)

Synopsis/blurb.....

“Lyme Depot by Elgin Bleecker is a gripping, fast moving slice of crime fiction full of great characters and dialogue.” – Paul D. Brazill, author of Last Year’s Man and A Case Of Noir.

Tyler will do anything – within the law – to help his brother, Jared.
Jared will do anything – period – to get out of jail and run off with Amber Lee.
Amber Lee will do anything – with anyone – to escape life in rural Drum County.
Misti just wants to stay out of trouble – impossible once she meets Tyler.
Felonies, misdemeanors, shootings, corruption, a jailbreak, the sheriff chasing Jared, and Tyler chasing the truth about his brother. All in a day in Drum County.

A debut novel from Elgin Bleecker and a right cracker it is too.

Lyme Depot delivers a small town tale of two brothers. Jared and Tyler. Jared is locked up and if the rumours he hears are correct, about to be transferred to a more secure facility. He needs money and younger brother Tyler is tasked with getting it for him - skip school and collect by visiting a whole series of unsavoury characters who owe his brother.

Events unfold within the space of a day in our busy novel.

An underage drinking party, porn films, a nosey neighbour, an impulsive corrupt cop, a chase through the woods, a reckless gunshot, an innocent victim, a loyal companion, a cheating, scheming two-timing, girlfriend, our girlfriend's sister, a video store stick-up, a habitual drunk driver, musicians, concerts and alibis, a new found friend, a mum with a drug-dealing boyfriend, a wife at the end of her tether, an honest sheriff, a jailbreak with an unwanted companion, a manhunt, sniffer dogs, a hunting party comprised of two idiot city slickers, another errant gunshot, an absent father, a hit and run, a stash of money and lots lots more.

Fast-moving, populated with interesting characters and a clever plot as all the characters and story strands are expertly drawn together in a satisfying climax. Everyone gets what everyone deserves.

Another plus point is the subtle humour throughout, almost comedic at times, for instance when one of our innocents get shot in the ass. By turn, events get dark and serious, with a young teenager carelessly shot and fighting for her life. I enjoyed the ying and yang of the novel - dark and light, serious and funny. There's a real freshness about the writing and a hook that pulls you into the tale.

Perfect length at 194 pages long, which I almost read it in an evening - droopy eyelids forcing me to halt 20 pages from the finish line.

Elgin Bleecker

I liked the contrast between the characters. Our honest sheriff and his corrupt underling; Jared's flaky girlfriend, Amber Lee and Tyler's new friend Misti and especially between Jared and Tyler. Jared - selfish, manipulative and self-centred; Tyler - loyal, dogged and honest. By the end of our tale, Tyler is a little more savvy, a little less innocent and under no real illusions about his older brother's character defects.

Pace, plot, characters, setting, style of writing, action, dialogue, and climax. All big plusses.

I look forward to whatever the author does next.

5 from 5

Read in January, 2019
Published - 2019
Page count - 194
Source - review ARC from author,
Format - PDF read on laptop