Genre: Mystery
Description:
The Bull, a Chicago alderman and convicted felon, is found dead in his
home from suspicious circumstances. Detective Drexel Pierce is on the case that
leads him to mobsters, former friends and a shady past. Pierce has to figure
out who killed The Bull with a boss breathing down his neck and a huge
snowstorm barreling toward the city.
Author:
Along with being a mystery writer, Patrick also writes poetry. His
works have appeared in a number of journals and publications. Patrick lives
with his wife near Indianapolis.
Appraisal:
Police dramas can be tricky, especially in a “who-dunnit” scenario.
With all the build up that goes into these types of books, the payoff needs to
be worth it. As I read The Shattered Bull, I kept thinking to myself, “Please
be worth it. Please be worth it.”
Well – it was.
Chicago PD detective Drexel Pierce finds a number of roadblocks in his
pursuit of the truth, even himself. As he investigates the murder of a Chicago
alderman, who also is a convicted felon that is involved with illegal
activities, he realizes there are a number of leads. All the while, Pierce has
his own family drama and issues that he needs to overcome.
The story itself isn't groundbreaking. Here's a guy who made a lot of
enemies and any number of them could have killed him. But given his position in
the community, it's a high-profile case with the media never too far behind. In
the meantime, there is a huge storm bearing in on the city that could make
finding the murderer a bit more difficult.
Pierce is a complex and deep character. At work, he's professional and
aims to get the job done even when dealing with a boss who gets in the way. But
at home, he suffers from a deep heartache that won't be going away anytime soon
since the death of his wife. Based on the interactions with his colleagues, it
shows that even they probably don't understand the depth of his pain.
But it's true of all the main characters in the book. They are complex
and there is more to them then initially let on. There are layers to them and a
good understanding in what makes them react the way they do.
The city of Chicago is as much of a character as the people in the
novel. Author Patrick Kanouse describes the city with such clarity that it
almost feels as though you've been dropped into the middle of the city. He has
a way with words, describing in detail the surroundings. At times, this can be
a bit burdensome, but for the most part, it works.
Kanouse painted a full picture inside a compelling story with enough
twists and turns to keep you guessing in this mystery.
Buy now
from: Amazon US Amazon UK
FYI:
Original Review posted January 27, 2017
Format/Typo
Issues:
There were no errors.
Rating: *****
Five Stars
Reviewed
by: Sooz
Approximate word count: 75-80,000 words
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