Review: The Fifth Digit by Grant Burger

 

Genre: Crime Thriller

Description:

“A SWAMP HELD A KILLER’S SECRETS.

When the remains of two young women are discovered in a remote Florida swamp, it reopens old wounds for Detective Blake Crosby, whose teenage sister was also murdered. Time and a hostile environment have covered the killer’s tracks. But Crosby is undeterred and forges ahead, determined to see justice served.

ARE ALL VICTIMS EQUAL?

Crosby will do anything to prevent the murder investigation from becoming another cold case. But when some local men with questionable morals begin to disappear, he faces a dilemma. Do the men deserve the same commitment he’s given to finding the women’s killer?

A DANGEROUS DISTRACTION.

Crosby interviews the alluring Naomi Busch, an artist who’s known tragedy. She’s icy at first, but when her mood softens, he’s captivated. If they become lovers, he’ll be crossing the professional line. But this becomes the least of his concerns when he and Naomi find themselves pitted against a network of depraved individuals. And in the ensuing conflict, Crosby finds the struggle to retain his soul is as desperate as the battle to survive.”

Author:

“Grant Burger was born in South Africa, where he lived till he relocated to Sydney, Australia, in 2002.

He has tried his hand at many things and has worked in a bookstore, a lock factory, a brewery, in pubs, in a copper mine, at a dynamite plant, as a sales representative, in construction, and in commercial real estate. Through it all, he has always been an avid reader and, for many years, a dedicated writer.

The Fifth Digit is Grant’s debut novel. The story is set in a place similar to the one he’s come to know on visits to Florida but with a few characters Floridians wouldn’t want living anywhere near them.”

Appraisal:

A very engaging story. As with any good crime thriller such as this the reader gets pulled in and is pulling for the protagonist, in this case Detective Crosby, to meet their objectives. The book is a bit longer than many in this genre, but the chapters are short making it easy to stop and start. However, I did find myself confused at times since the story shifts between the current time frame and one from the past with me sometimes not picking up on the time shift. The story kept me guessing right up to the end as new information and clues kept coming to light. Definitely an intense and engaging read.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Lots of adult language and a tiny amount of vaguely adult subjects.

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues.

Rating: **** Four Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 100-105,000 words