The Death Business is a short
novella by Jochem Vandersteen features Noah Milano, security specialist. Back
in the day he did some bad things thanks to being raised in a family that was a
major player in organized crime, but these days he is trying to do better. His
best friend, the stunningly beautiful Minnie, works at the Medical Examiner’s
office and she wants and needs Noah's help.
Back in college Minnie had a
roommate by the name of Carol Dickinson. They were very close back in the day.
As often happens, they had pretty much lost touch in recent years. Carol
recently died of a heroin overdose in the bathroom stall of a local Hollywood
club. While a fellow colleague in the office thinks the death is nothing more
than the typical junkie death, Minnie is sure Carol never used drugs and would
not have risked her soaring career as an entertainment journalist. When Noah
points out as gently as he can that maybe she changed, Minnie explains that even
if that were true, she was left handed and would not have shot herself up in
the left arm.
While Minnie is absolutely
sure it was murder and wants his help, investigation isn't what Noah usually
does. He considers himself as a security specialist move along the line of
threat assessment and bodyguard type stuff. But, he has been solving murderers
as Minnie reminds him and he owes her for more than he can say. Noah would do
just about anything for her and pretty sure he is getting the details and considering
how to proceed.
Noah undertakes an odyssey
through the club scene with occasional forays into his criminal contacts to find
out what story Carol was working on and who wanted her dead. She had a
reputation for getting the story. As Noah digs into the story she may have been
working on it becomes clear that Noah is going to need help and his own fast
reflexes to stay alive if he hopes to catch those responsible.
The editor of the very good The
Shamus Sampler author Jochem Vandersteen hits all the right notes with
his primary character Noah Milano. Reminiscent of classic pulp fiction as
numerous others note in the blurbs in the front of the book, the storyline
features plenty of babes, broads, guns, violence, and the occasional flash of
sarcastic humor. Along the way the truth slowly comes out as Noah works from
person to person getting answers often with a great degree of difficulty. A fun
read that roars at a fast clip, The Death Business: A Noah Milano Novella
is full of rich characters, action, and plenty of clues that lead the reader
through a very enjoyable and very complicated case.
The Death Business: A Noah Milano
Novella
Jochem Vandersteen
Sons of Spade
ASIN: B00I7QW66U
February 2014
E-Book
74 Pages (estimated)
$2.99
(Currently 99 cents as a Kindle Countdown Deal)
Material supplied by the author in
exchange for my objective review.
Kevin R. Tipple ©2014
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