Some would call it justice. Some would call it
revenge. No matter what you call it, the concept has been a long running theme
of the Ed Earl Burch series. The same is very much true in the
fifth book of the series, The Fatal Saving Grace: An Ed Earl Burch Novel
by Jim Nesbitt.
This novel picks up a few months after The
Dead Certain Doubt. This read addresses those events and brings
some of the characters back while also addressing events earlier in the series.
That means that it is impossible to review this read without referencing some spoilers
if you have not read the previous book. I am doing my best to minimize that aspect
of things. But, if you keep reading you were warned….
This is a novel of tying up loose ends and settling
scores. It begins with Ed Earl Burch barely surviving a far Southwest Texas
ambush. These days he carries a shield as an investigator for the Cuervo County
District Attorney. Technically that would make the DA his boss, but the reality
is that he reports to the Cuervo County Sheriff Sudden Doggett as well as a
retired Texas Ranger by the same of Dub McKee. McKee has connections to powerful
people and made it happen and roped Sudden Doggett into the plan to give Burch
a badge again despite what happened with the Dallas Police way back when. Burch
tends to be a burr under Doggett’s saddle as the two men don’t mesh well for a variety
of reasons.
Based out of the Sherrif’s Office in Faver, and
within a couple of hours drive down to Marfa and Presidio, Burch is teamed up
with Deputy Sheriff Bobby Quintero as the two chase down leads on who might have
tried to ambush Burch on his way home.
Not only is Bobby good company, he has great skills
as he was a Ranger and worked in some of the worst trouble spots on the globe.
Still, Burch would prefer to go it alone. Because Burch does his own thing.
Always.
Being a one-man band fits his personality best. Having
the badge back after losing it many years ago in Dallas is great and all, but
it has not been as good as he thought it would be. He is feeling a bit
suffocated by being forced to work with others, go through a chain of command,
follow orders, and control his outlaw impulses. He was brought in to get things
done as he had the reputation of being a loose cannon that got results, and now
he is supposed to work with others after years of going his own way to get
justice and settle scores.
He is also missing the heck out of Carla Sue
Cantrell who recently took off and said she might be back whenever. He has
found solace in the arms of a couple of local women, but they are a poor substitute.
Inleading the certain lady that can make one heck of a chicken fried steak.
(Don’t read this while your hungry as food comes up
a lot. Especially if you have not had a good chicken fried steak in years.)
In the here and now, Burch was chasing leads on one
Lonny Dalrymple and apparently that stirred up somebody to try the ambush. There
was a big murder case awhile back and it was believed there were three killers
involved. Two are dead. One is death row where he belongs. The case was
supposed to be closed and done.
But, the supremely talented County Crime Tech, Katie
Navarro, was able to identify some additional latent prints from the victim’s
Airstream trailer. They belonged to Lonny Dalrymple. Burch had been going
around Presidio asking questions and was headed back to his isolated home when
a flash of light off of nearby rocks made him react. He jerked the wheel of his
old truck and the first shot of many to come hit the roof of his truck instead
of his head.
The resulting gun battle left the shooter dead and
Burch fuming. He is going to go back and brace the people he already talked to,
for starters, to track down the parties involved. He wanted to go alone, but Sheriff
Doggett told him Quintero was going with him, and that was that. He didn’t want
company, but if he has to have some, Quintero is good to have along.
Especially when the dead and gone don’t stay either
way.
As always in this crime fiction series, there is
nearly constant graphic violence and quite a lot of graphic sex. There is also
a lot of settling scores as this novel winds up several different story arcs. A
fast moving read that is over all too soon, The Fatal Saving Grace
is also a mighty good read.
Strongly recommended.
Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/3Xtq3mn
My ARC digital reading copy came from the author
with no expectation of a review.
Kevin R. Tipple ©2025
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