FFB Review: The Devil's Triangle: A Willie Black Mystery by Howard Owen

While it could be argued that this book was published too recently to qualify as an FFB review entry, it came out a couple of years ago and here is where the reviews of the series started. Therefore, we continue today. The Devil’s Triangle by Howard Owen is the sixth book in a great series that started with Oregon Hill. This is a series that should be read in order. For more reading suggestions, make sure you head over to Todd Mason’s Sweet Freedom blog.

It is April 2016 as The Devil’s Triangle: A Willie Black Mystery begins. A local bar that was a watering hole for Willie Black and many others was destroyed that Friday afternoon when a small plane crashed into it. The loss of life is many and that includes several folks from Kate’s old law firm who were known to frequent the place every Friday afternoon. One of the deceased in the flaming wreckage and rubble is Greg Ellis, who was Katie’s husband.

In the first hours and days of the fiery aftermath, it becomes clear that, despite all the public speculation, it was not domestic or foreign terrorism that rained massive destruction and death on the neighborhood. It was one man by the name of David Biggio who was the pilot and soul person on board the borrowed plane. A man that clearly had his own issues, but had no reason to target the building, the block, or anyone in the place. While several basic questions of the story have already been answered, the main question of why it happened is the angle that reporter Willie Black is chasing in The Devil’s Triangle: A Novel  by Howard Owen.

Like any good series worth reading, time passes and characters evolve in this mystery series. As in real life, characters in this series go through ups and downs as events happen.  This sixth book in the series continues the changes for Willie Black, his girlfriend, Cindy Peronie, and his ex-wife, Kate, among many others. The recurring theme that has been present since the start regarding the decline in the newspaper industry as well as the public cost of the lost journalism at the local and national level continues in this read.

At the core of each read is always the mystery that Willie Black is trying to solve which is the heart of the current story/case. As in the other books of the series, the mystery here is complicated and not at all easily solved. Doing so raises the risks for Willie Black. One really does not want to be Willie’s Black insurance agent.

The series that began so well with Oregon Hill continues on here, six books later, with The Devil’s Triangle. Another solidly good read by author Howard Owen and highly recommended. 

The series to this point and my reviews:

Oregon Hill (June 14, 2019)

The Philadelphia Quarry (July 19, 2019)

Parker Field (September 2019)

The Bottom (October 4, 2019)

Grace (November 15, 2019)

My reading copy came from the Skyline Branch of the Dallas Public Library System.

Kevin R. Tipple ©2020