Review: A Sharp Medicine by Dale T. Phillips

 

Genre: Hard-Boiled Mystery

Description:

“Zack Taylor's life is once again in shambles. Having narrowly escaped death, guilty over the pain he's caused a loved one, he's hurting and angry. When looking into the disappearance of a reporter, Zack's death wish may be his cure for his troubles as he uncovers a world of corruption and evil in a world of politics, passion, and power.”

Author:

Dale Phillips has written several books in the Zack Taylor Mystery series, a supernatural thriller, non-fiction, and a ton of short stories and poetry. In the words of Weird Al, he also lost on Jeopardy (in spectacular fashion according to his bio on Amazon).

For more, visit Phillips’ website.

Appraisal:

This was a good read. A mystery that kept me guessing what the answer to what was at the bottom of the rabbit hole that protagonist Zack Taylor started down when he went looking for a reporter who had gone missing. Possibly needless to say, there was a lot to find, much more than Zack or I would have expected.

While the mystery was good and kept me on the edge of the seat, the character of Zack is what set this book apart from a typical mystery, even of the hard-boiled type. That’s because Zack has a questionable past. He’s done some things he shouldn’t have and now regrets. He’s trying to do good, at least in part to make up for those things in his past. Sometimes this gives him insight into the wrongdoers that someone else might not get. It also means that Zack doesn’t always feel as restrained by social and legal norms as most people would. This just adds to the tension and the not being sure what to expect element of the story. I guess you could even say that Zack can be a bit of a mystery himself.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Some adult language.

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues.

Rating: **** Four Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 45-50,000 words