Monday, January 20, 2025

Aubrey Nye Hamilton Reviews: The Mailman by Andrew Welsh-Huggins


Andrew Welsh-Huggins is an accomplished author of 11 books who has been nominated for the Shamus, Derringer, and International Thriller Writers-awards. Welsh-Huggins is also the editor of Columbus Noir (Akashic Books, 2020), and his short fiction has appeared in Ellery Queen Mystery MagazineMystery Weekly, Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, and Mystery Tribune, among others. He’s written eight mysteries about Andy Hayes, a former Ohio State University quarterback turned private investigator. His nonfiction book No Winners Here Tonight (Ohio University Press, 2009) is the definitive history of the death penalty in Ohio. Hatred at Home: al-Qaida on Trial in the American Midwest (Swallow Press, 2011) documents a lengthy government investigation into terrorism that started in Columbus, Ohio.

The Mailman (Mysterious Press, January 28, 2025) launches a new thriller series with an original main character who takes the post office’s motto on the indefatigability of a mail carrier a step or two further. It wasn’t snow or rain that was interfering with independent courier Mercury Carter’s attempt to make a delivery to Rachel Stanfield, it was the full-blown home invasion that was in progress when he arrived. He makes short work of the thugs at the door of the Stanfield house; the remaining toughs flee this unexpected interference, taking Rachel with them. Carter follows them from Indianapolis into Illinois and points south, intent on completing the hand-off he was hired for. Each stop along the way involves a confrontation in which the kidnappers come off second best but not convincingly enough to make them leave Rachel behind.

Carter’s background as a postal inspection agent is a novel way to establish plausible law enforcement experience as well as knowledge of the mechanics of package delivery. Carter demonstrates creativity in problem solving. For instance when he needs a different vehicle because his is familiar to the kidnappers, he takes advantage of the labor shortage everywhere and signs on as pizza delivery guy just to access a different car for a short time. The pizza shop owner’s frustration when she realized her new driver lasted about an hour was palpable, understandable, and funny. All in all, Mercury Carter is an excellent contribution to the crime fiction hero pantheon. I am looking forward to the next installment of Carter’s adventures. Recommended.

Library Journal starred review and Library Journal Mystery Pick of the Month.


·         Publisher: Mysterious Press (January 28, 2025)

·         Language: English

·         Hardcover: 360 pages

·         ISBN-10: 1613166109

·         ISBN-13: +978-1613166109

 

 

Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/3CgNwjN 

 

Aubrey Nye Hamilton ©2025 

Aubrey Hamilton is a former librarian who works on Federal It projects by day and reads mysteries at night.

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