Genre:
Thriller/Western
Description:
"A
178 year-old folktale causes murder, kidnapping, and arson in 2012
Texas. A contemporary suspense novel, in which Crystal Moore, a young
computer scientist, is dragged into danger when thugs set out to kill
her only living relative, the 76 year-old grandmother who raised her.
Crystal has no idea who would want to harm her grandmother, or why.
In the midst of murder, arson, and kidnapping, the man who nearly
destroyed Crystal emotionally is coming back. This time, he can ruin
her career. She will need all the help she can get from a former bull
rider, her street-wise housemate, and her feisty, straight talking
grandmother."
Author:
"After
a successful career in mathematics and computer science, receiving
grants from the National Science Foundation and NASA, and being
listed in Who’s
Who in Computer Science and Two
Thousand Notable Americans,
James R. Callan turned to his first love—writing. He has had four
non-fiction books published. He now concentrates on his favorite
genre, mystery/suspense. His eleventh book is scheduled to be
published in 2016."
James
also presents workshops in the U.S. and in Mexico on various aspects
of the writing craft.
For
more information visit the author's page on Amazon.
Appraisal:
This
book is more remarkable for its characters than its plot - but that
is pretty good too. It's a thriller with plenty of humour:
“I'm
not sure how hard to hit you. But you can help me. You keep making
noises and I'll hit you a bit harder each time. You stop making
noises when I hit you hard enough. Ok? Shall we start?”
The
prologue sets the scene in Texas where a ton of gold is tipped into
a lake and a small boy is taken by Indians. Nearly 200 years later we
meet Crystal who works for a data recovery firm. When her beloved
grandmother, Eula, says that someone is trying to kill her the story
takes off. Is the lost gold deep in a lake on Eula's land? There are
those who think so and they won't hesitate to commit arson or murder
in their pursuit of the treasure.
Crystal
is the main character, clever and aware of her abilities. However,
she lacks the strength to assert herself in the face of opposition
from those who are older and more experienced than herself,
especially her old college tutor, Dr Krupe. He lurks in her memory,
making her feel incompetent and it is very interesting to watch her
develop throughout the book into a courageous, resourceful woman. The
other characters hold good too: Mark, her boss who used to be a
bull-rider in rodeos; Brandi, her colourful, supportive flat-mate;
and of course, Eula, her capable, undefeated grandmother.
The
story is well paced, with tension maintained throughout and it is
especially good near the end:
He
pictured the target moving as he twirled the rope. Even in the dark,
his mind locked on the man as the rope picked up speed. Without
consciously thinking about it, he let the hemp glide through his
hand. One second, two seconds, and he pulled it back.
About
half way through the story the policeman, Tom, with Crystal and Mark,
sets out the facts as they know them and pulls in all the strands of
information. This is very helpful to the reader who gets a breathing
space from tension and a chance for a clear look at the mystery
before moving forward again.
The
dialogue flows easily and entertains:
"Sounds
like you're luckier'n a three-legged chicken. You get a good
look-see?"
The
sense of place is strong; the dialogue makes it real and you can feel
the heat and smell the dust. There is a great sense of peace around
the lake on Eula's land, the marshy shallows, the deep blue of water
and sky, the slopes green with pine trees. And then a contrast of
dark, smoke-filled bars and predatory cowboys:
A
young man, a big hole in the seat of his jeans, shirt unbuttoned and
hanging open to reveal a mass of dark hair, sat on the corner of
their table . . .
On the
negative side - the character, Phil, is a bit of a distraction. He
adds nothing to the story; his only purpose is to echo Crystal's
situation with Dr Krupe which is unnecessary.
Altogether,
this book is both exciting and fun with a very satisfactory ending -
including just a hint of romance. It is the first of a series, with
the second one published already. Readers will be delighted to begin
another mystery and it will be so interesting to see how these, now
familiar, characters develop . . .
FYI:
Some
mild violence
Format/Typo
Issues:
No
significant issues
Rating:
**** Four Stars
Reviewed
by: Joan Slowey
Approximate word count:
90-95,000 words
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