While thinking about
what to do this week for Friday’s Forgotten Books hosted by Patti Abbott, I saw
a message from author Chester Campbell announcing that THE SUREST POISON is a
free kindle book through tonight. That made it clear what I should do…..
Private Investigator Sid Chance prefers the solitary life at
his rustic cabin located somewhere fifty miles east of Nashville. He’d spent three years there after
his career as a small town police chief abruptly ended. Before that, he was a
park ranger and that career abruptly ended. He has a history of not playing
well with others and not being very good at the game of politics at work. Being a private investigator is a good fit
and he has his friend Jasmine Le Mieux to thank for that.
Jasmine Le Mieux, ex cop and chairman of the board of
Welcome Traveler Stores (a chain of truck stops) also referred his latest client,
Arnie Bailey of the law firm Bailey, Riddle and Smith. It seems Arnie Bailey’s client,
Wade Harrington, owns and operates a small company just outside Ashland City that makes specialty shipping
boxes. Residents in the area are dealing with the results of an environmental disaster.
State investigators have found that trichloroethylene also known as TCE was
dumped at his plant at some point in the past. The chemical was probably dumped
onto the ground many times and has contaminated local well water and the public
water supply. As the current landowner, Wade Harrington is being blamed and
will have to pay claims and damages along with clean up costs. It could
financially ruin him and his small company Harr Co.
Wade Harrington isn’t responsible as TCE isn’t anything they
have ever used and isn’t part of any manufacturing process for his company. But,
as current owner of the property he is going to be held accountable unless the
previous ownership can be found. The lawyer, Annie Bailey, wants the people
actually responsible to be identified and tracked down so that if they are
still alive, they can be held accountable. It won’t be easy and it will mean dealing with
some of the people responsible for Sid’s previous problems.
Author Chester D. Campbell has crafted the first novel of no
doubt a new series far different in style and tone from his very enjoyable Greg
McKenzie mysteries. While this book and that series share the commonality of
being cozies where history does play a role, this book features a much murkier
central character that strongly prefers to go it alone. He certainly isn’t Greg
McKenzie in style or tone and not just because McKenzie is married and Sid
isn’t. There is a hard edge to Sid Chance that is always present and not just
in situations that call for it.
Pacing is different as well as this novel takes far longer
to get going in a meaningful way as compared to the Greg McKenzie novels. Fans
that really enjoy that character may be slow to appreciate Sid as the book does
not read anything like what one is used to from the pen of Chester D. Campbell.
Which is not to say the book is not good. It most certainly is. However, the contrasts
between the two different series are obvious and it does take time to accept the
viewpoint of Sid Chance when one is very used to old friend Greg McKenzie.
The Surest Poison: A Sid Chance Mystery
Chester D. Campbell
Night Shadows Press, LLC
April 10, 2009
ISBN# 978-0-9799167-9-3
HARDBACK
272 Pages
ARC
ARC provided by the author in exchange for my objective
review.
Kevin R. Tipple © 2009, 2012
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