FFB Review: Every Last Secret by Linda Rodriquez

From the massive archive…. 

When Marquitta “Skeet” Bannion left family and her job as a Kansas City Homicide Detective for being the Chief of Police Chouteau University, she thought she would be able to leave all the bad stuff behind and make a fresh start. It hasn’t worked out that way as pulls back to Kansas City keep making their presence felt. She was sure that, at least, she would be able to leave violent death and murder behind. The fact that the editor-in-chief of the campus newspaper, Andrew McAffe, is very much dead according to rookie Police Officer Dave Parker proves her wrong. Who killed him by bashing his head in and why he or she did it will be her focus of her investigation.

 

Figuring it out will be much easier said than done.  The victim, who had recently been in a fight with his news editor, was certainly no saint. Not only was the victim accused of various thefts and at least one sexual assault, he had his fingers in a lot of areas. As Police Chief Bannion digs into the case no secret is safe and the list of suspects grows.  So too does her frustration with those who are much more concerned about politics and alumnae fundraising than finding a murderer.  A murderer that clearly isn’t about to stop.

 

For some reason there is a blurb on this book comparing this novel to the works of Nevada Barr and Sara Paretsky. One can only conclude that comparison is made because the lead character in all cases is a female fighting, among other things, male disrespect. While being compared to New York Times bestselling authors is nice, that comparison does not address the actual storyline, type of characters involved, settings, and other elements of the book that have nothing in common with the aforementioned writers.

 

The novel does remind one of the excellent Sheriff Rhodes series written by Bill Crider. Both feature small police departments led by non-political bosses who are straightforward, make pains to point out to suspects that all secrets eventually come out, and understand that behind the public façade a far different person often exists. Rhodes and Bannion ask lots of questions, expect dishonesty from those often trying to hide other things that have no relation to the actual case, and both use stress reliving tactics while thinking about the case. Sheriff Rhodes sits out on the back porch and plays with his dogs while ruminating on the case. Police Chief Bannion puts music on, picks up her knitting needles, and goes to work while ruminating on the case.

 

“Winner of the Malice Domestic First Traditional Mystery Novel Competition” Every Last Secret is a strong debut novel featuring an interesting main character as well as numerous interesting secondary characters. The characters involved are multi dimension and complicated, like people in real life, and it does not take long at all for these characters to become very real in the reader’s mind. The action moves forward at a steady pace while gradually the character’s back stories come into pay adding depth and nuance to the work. Just under 300 pages the read is over way too soon leaving the reader wanting more.

 

 

Every Last Secret

Linda Rodriquez

http://lindarodriquezwrites.blogspot.com

Thomas Dunne Books (Minotaur Books)

http://www.thomasdunnebooks.com

April 2012

ISBN: 978-1-250-00545-8

Hardback (also available as e-book)

289 Pages

 

 

Material supplied by the good folks of the Plano Texas Library System. 

 

Kevin R. Tipple ©2012, 2021

FFB Review: Every Last Secret by Linda Rodriquez

I miss Skeet Bannion and need a fix bad. It has been over two years since the last book in the series, Every Hidden Fear came out. I first told you about this book, Every Last Secret, back in September 2012.In between readers were treated to Every Broken Trust. All three are mighty good. Like any series, you should start at the beginning. After you read my review, you should also head over to consider the list of other books you should read at Patti Abbott’s blog. You already know you should read her books. 

When Marquitta “Skeet” Bannion left family and her job as a Kansas City Homicide Detective for being the Chief of Police Chouteau University, she thought she would be able to leave all the bad stuff behind and

make a fresh start. It hasn’t worked out that way as pulls back to Kansas City keep making their presence felt. She was sure that, at least, she would be able to leave violent death and murder behind. The fact that the editor-in-chief of the campus newspaper, Andrew McAffe, is very much dead according to rookie Police Officer Dave Parker proves her wrong. Who killed him by bashing his head in and why he or she did it will be her focus of her investigation.

Figuring it out will be much easier said than done.  The victim, who had recently been in a fight with his news editor, was certainly no saint. Not only was the victim accused of various thefts and at least one sexual assault, he had his fingers in a lot of areas. As Police Chief Bannion digs into the case no secret is safe and the list of suspects grows.  So too does her frustration with those who are much more concerned about politics and alumnae fundraising than finding a murderer.  A murderer that clearly isn’t about to stop.

For some reason there is a blurb on this book comparing this novel to the works of Nevada Barr and Sara Paretsky. One can only conclude that comparison is made because the lead character in all cases is a female fighting, among other things, male disrespect. While being compared to New York Times bestselling authors is nice, that comparison does not address the actual storyline, type of characters involved, settings, and other elements of the book that have nothing in common with the aforementioned writers.

The novel does remind one of the excellent Sheriff Rhodes series written by Bill Crider. Both feature small police departments led by non-political bosses who are straightforward, make pains to point out to suspects that all secrets eventually come out, and understand that behind the public façade a far different person often exists. Rhodes and Bannion ask lots of questions, expect dishonesty from those often trying to hide other things that have no relation to the actual case, and both use stress reliving tactics while thinking about the case. Sheriff Rhodes sits out on the back porch and plays with his dogs while ruminating on the case. Police Chief Bannion puts music on, picks up her knitting needles, and goes to work while ruminating on the case.

“Winner of the Malice Domestic First Traditional Mystery Novel Competition” Every Last Secret is a strong debut novel featuring an interesting main character as well as numerous interesting secondary characters. The characters involved are multi dimension and complicated, like people in real life, and it does not take long at all for these characters to become very real in the reader’s mind. The action moves forward at a steady pace while gradually the character’s back stories come into pay adding depth and nuance to the work. Just under 300 pages the read is over way too soon leaving the reader wanting more.

Every Last Secret

Linda Rodriquez

http://lindarodriquezwrites.blogspot.com

Thomas Dunne Books (Minotaur Books)

http://www.thomasdunnebooks.com

April 2012

ISBN:  978-1-250-00545-8

Hardback (also available as e-book, audio, and paperback)

289 Pages

$24.99

Material supplied by the good folks of the Plano, Texas Library System.

Kevin R. Tipple ©2012, 2016

Review: "Every Hidden Fear: A Skeet Bannion Mystery" by Linda Rodriguez

Following Every Last Secret (reviewed here) and Every Broken Trust (reviewed here) Chief of Campus Police Skeet Bannion is back in Every Hidden Fear.  Secrets have a way of coming back home to roost and that certainly is the case with the return of Ash Mowbray.

Back in the day he had been what would now be termed “a troubled teen.” Unfortunately for many of the residents of Brewster, Missouri the return of Ash means huge problems. Secrets long thought buried in the best of families as well as the worst are now vulnerable to the light of day as Ash has come back home seeking payback for so many slights and flat out wrongs. There is a scale to everything, but for Ash nearly everyone is guilty of horrendous crimes. On a daily, if not minute by minute basis, while publicly telling secrets he is also unleashing hatred and scorn on everyone in his wake.

That appalling public behavior wasn’t the plan wealthy investor Walter Lynch had in mind when he teamed up with Ash. The plan was to get city approval to build a new shopping mall in the a wealthy area of Brewster. If the mall is actually built it will probably destroy the small businesses on the town square.  It is certainly understandable why some, faced with the almost sure death of a business they have worked their entire life building, would take the threat of a new mall very personally.

The battle lines have been drawn hard between those who want the mall and the potential economic growth it could bring and those who believe it will ruin the quality of life in this small university town located twelve miles from Kansas City. The last thing those opposing the new development want is for Brewster to become nothing more than another bedroom community for their monolithic neighbor.  Walker Lynch and his hired gun Terry Heldrich are still an unwelcome presence as far as Skeet is concerned. The behavior of Ash who has escalated the anger on both sides by the second with his insults and poisonous comments has made the battle even more personal for many.

Ash has good reason for at least some of his anger. He came from a rough upbringing and knows very well how far his parents had to go to survive. He also knows how some of the women in town sought him out more for the bedroom possibilities than for his skills on the football field or mowing their yard when he was a teen in high school. Everywhere he goes Ash is vocal about his allegations concerning the past conduct of many in the town while also making sure that everyone knows his intent, in the name of progress, is to tear down the old power structure.

With Ash around nothing is safe and nothing is sacred. That means many locals have multiple good reasons to want Ash dead and not just the parents of a teenager named Noah whom Ash has loudly and very publicly proclaimed is his son much to the shock of Chelsea and her husband Norman.  Before they can really deal with their shock and the implications to their son and their family, Ash is found dead on a nearby golf course and Noah is the primary suspect. For many, he is the only suspect as their minds are made up that he did it even if he swears he didn’t.

Thanks to the wisdom of her Cherokee grandmother and her own grudging unwillingness to leave a case outside of her jurisdiction alone, Skeet Bannion starts digging into what really happened the night Ash was murdered. Once she starts, she soon learns far more than she ever wanted to about many of the folks involved while hunting for a very clever killer.

Cherokee heritage and the often very painful legacy of secrets have long been hallmarks of this excellent series.  They are present in great detail here in this complex and multilayered novel. Third in a series that must be read in order due to ongoing character and secondary storyline development, Every Hidden Fear by Linda Rodriguez is deeply nuanced and rich in details as it moves along steadily for nearly 300 pages. Continued character development caused by the passage of time and previous events is always present in this book and series as is the meaning of family in all its many forms. The mystery itself is complex with many facets and numerous suspects with several of them among Skeet’s friends. Every Hidden Fear is another very good read from an award winning author and a book well worth your time.

Every Hidden Fear: A Skeet Bannion Mystery

Linda Rodriguez

http://www.lindarodriguezwrites.blogspot.com

Minotaur Books (A Thomas Dunne Book)

http://www.minotaurbooks.com

May 6, 2014

ISBN# 978-1-250-04915-5

Hardback (also available as an e-book)

296 Pages

$26.99

Material supplied by the author in exchange for my objective review.

Kevin R. Tipple ©2014

Interesting Reading Elsewhere-- Writing Mystery with Linda Rodriguez

Over on the Book Country blog, there is an interesting interview with Linda Rodriguez of Every Broken Trust and Every Last Secret. I really like this series and highly recommend it. The books definitely should be read in order starting with Every Last Secret. The very good interview is here and discusses the books as well as her writing process in general.

In case you missed my reviews, my review of Every Broken Trust is here and Every Last Secret is here.

Skeet Bannion returns in "Every Broken Trust" by Linda Rodriguez

“’Just remember. No criminal has the power those with wealth and political clout have. The ultra criminals use politics to thrive unmolested.’” ( Page 231)

If chief of campus police Skeet Bannion liked politics she could have stayed with the Kansas City Police Department where she just might have been their first female police chief. Instead, she bailed out on the politics and more when she left for the calmer setting of nearby Chouteau University. At least that was the plan though things have not really worked out that way. Recent events in Every Last Secret have taught her that there is no running from politics or her ties to Kansas City.

It has been a few months since those events happened as Every Broken Trust begins. As a favor to good friend Karen Wise, Skeet has agreed to open her home for a small party to welcome the new dean of the Chouteau University Law School. George “Mel” Melvin who has ties to Skeet, Karen, and many others is to be the new dean. The guest list created by Karen is getting longer and longer as is the depth of complexity to the party. Despite Karen's assurances that everything is going to be fine, Skeet is getting more and more stressed by the upcoming party as well as some of the people surrounding Mel.

The party turns out to be a disaster, but not in the way Skeet had feared. After an incident with a drunk at the party, Karen calls for help asking Skeet to come to a nearby underground storage area known as “the Caves.” A complex built into the limestone caves that run beneath the university is now is the scene of a murder victim and an injured Karen. Leonard Klameth, one of many attending the party, is now dead and Karen has suffered a serious head injury.

Who did this and why are the first two threads of a puzzle that will cause Skeet Bannion to learn far more than she ever wanted about the personal lives of those she thought of as friends. “Like many things in this case, the truth was worlds apart from appearances. A murder always opened a can or two of worms. Sometimes the worms turned out to be snakes.” (Page 158)

This second novel in the series penned by author Linda Rodriguez lives up to the highly entertaining first book. Having well established the primary character of Skeet Bannion, the focus here character development wise is on the many other characters in her life such as her ward, Brian, her current possible romantic interest, Joe Louzon, her past romantic interest, Sam, and numerous other friends that first appeared in  Every Last Secret. Her relationship with every single person in her life will be fundamentally altered in some way by the events that happen in Every Broken Trust. A complex cozy style read this latest book in the series is not only very good, it further establishes the fact that Skeet Bannion is a powerful character in her own right on every level.

Every Broken Trust: A Mystery

Linda Rodriguez

http://www.lindarodriguezwrites.blogspot.com

Minotaur Books (A Thomas Dunne Book)

http://www.minotaurbooks.com

May 2013

ISBN# 978-1-250-03035-1

Hardback

304 Pages

$25.99

Material supplied by the good folks of the Plano, Texas Public Library System. If you are in the area and would like more information about Plano libraries go here.

My September 2012 review of Every Last Secret can be found here. 

Kevin R. Tipple ©2013

Review: "Every Last Secret" by Linda Rodriguez

When Marquitta “Skeet” Bannion left family and her job as a Kansas City Homicide Detective for being the Chief of Police Chouteau University, she thought she would be able to leave all the bad stuff behind and make a fresh start. It hasn’t worked out that way as pulls back to Kansas City keep making their presence felt. She was sure that, at least, she would be able to leave violent death and murder behind. The fact that the editor-in-chief of the campus newspaper, Andrew McAffe, is very much dead according to rookie Police Officer Dave Parker proves her wrong. Who killed him by bashing his head in and why he or she did it will be her focus of her investigation.

Figuring it out will be much easier said than done.  The victim, who had recently been in a fight with his news editor, was certainly no saint. Not only was the victim accused of various thefts and at least one sexual assault, he had his fingers in a lot of areas. As Police Chief Bannion digs into the case no secret is safe and the list of suspects grows.  So too does her frustration with those who are much more concerned about politics and alumnae fundraising than finding a murderer.  A murderer that clearly isn’t about to stop.

For some reason there is a blurb on this book comparing this novel to the works of Nevada Barr and Sara Paretsky. One can only conclude that comparison is made because the lead character in all cases is a female fighting, among other things, male disrespect. While being compared to New York Times bestselling authors is nice, that comparison does not address the actual storyline, type of characters involved, settings, and other elements of the book that have nothing in common with the aforementioned writers.

The novel does remind one of the excellent Sheriff Rhodes series written by Bill Crider. Both feature small police departments led by non-political bosses who are straightforward, make pains to point out to suspects that all secrets eventually come out, and understand that behind the public façade a far different person often exists. Rhodes and Bannion ask lots of questions, expect dishonesty from those often trying to hide other things that have no relation to the actual case, and both use stress reliving tactics while thinking about the case. Sheriff Rhodes sits out on the back porch and plays with his dogs while ruminating on the case. Police Chief Bannion puts music on, picks up her knitting needles, and goes to work while ruminating on the case.

“Winner of the Malice Domestic First Traditional Mystery Novel Competition” Every Last Secret is a strong debut novel featuring an interesting main character as well as numerous interesting secondary characters. The characters involved are multi dimension and complicated, like people in real life, and it does not take long at all for these characters to become very real in the reader’s mind. The action moves forward at a steady pace while gradually the character’s back stories come into pay adding depth and nuance to the work. Just under 300 pages the read is over way too soon leaving the reader wanting more.

Every Last Secret

Linda Rodriquez

http://lindarodriquezwrites.blogspot.com

Thomas Dunne Books (Minotaur Books)

http://www.thomasdunnebooks.com

April 2012

ISBN:  978-1-250-00545-8

Hardback (also available as e-book, audio, and paperback)

289 Pages

$24.99

Material supplied by the good folks of the Plano, Texas Library System.

Kevin R. Tipple ©2012