EXCERPT
Death in July
by Michael Joseph
Death in July by Michel Joseph is the first of a series. Also available: A New Dawn Rising (read my blog post) and Searching for Hope.
Description
When retired war veteran Geoffrey Compton is found dead in his home, all the evidence points to suicide. However, his son Benjamin suspects there was more to the death and hires maverick ex-cop Sam Carlisle to investigate. Sam discovers a number of Geoffrey's old acquaintances have also passed away recently in suspicious circumstances, leading him to believe somebody is exacting revenge on these people, snuffing out their lives in the most calculating manner. To prevent more fatalities, Sam must trawl the past and find the cause of this twisted retribution, putting himself on collision course with the elusive figure responsible.
The follow-up to A New Dawn Rising sees the return of former undercover cop Sam Carlisle, now free of his demons, tackling his first mystery as a private eye. As well as investigating Geoffrey Compton's death, Sam also finds himself trying to protect a friend from her vengeful ex. Sam is stretched to the limit in Death in July, juggling two separate cases full of intrigue and danger.
Excerpt
Geoffrey Compton put his hand on the smooth metal and watched the tail-lights of the taxi disappear around the bend.
He heard a noise nearby.
Ignoring it, he pushed open the wrought-iron gate and shuffled up the path.
Another sound. A soft shoe scraping the pavement. Getting closer.
Geoffrey hastily took out his key and opened the front door. Tiredness overwhelmed him. He was looking forward to his bed. Wearily, he stepped into his hallway.
Suddenly, a push in the back sent him lurching forwards. He threw out a flailing arm to steady himself, but it was too late. He was falling. The tiled floor rushed up at him, and his head struck it with a thud. His world started to darken. Shouting and footsteps sounded in the distance.
Then everything went black.
Featured Review
I had never read anything by this author but absolutely loved this book. The story is typical of a private investigator hired to solve an undetected crime but that is as far as the predictability goes.
The tale twists and turns dragging the reader further into the mystery of the deaths as well as engaging them in desperation to discover who the men are who are trying to shut Sam Carlisle up.
The main character of Sam is a lovable rogue. He is realistic and fun.
The plot of this mystery is amazingly clever and I would definitely want to read more books by the author.
About the Author
He published his first mystery thriller, A New Dawn Rising, in 2013. The follow-up, Death in July, was released later the same year. His third novel, Searching for Hope, was released July 2014.
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