FFB Review: "Sorrow’s Anthem" by Michael Kortya

Long ago, before he went supernatural with his recent books, author Michael Kortya had an excellent series featuring private investigators Lincoln Perry and Joe Pritchard. If you have not read these books, you should.
 
You should also check out the rest of the suggestions for Friday's Forgotten Books over at Patti Abbot’s blog.

Building upon the series that began in Tonight, I Said Goodbye author Michael Koryta brings back private investigators Lincoln Perry and his partner, Joe Pritchard in another excellent read. This time around, Lincoln Perry is driven to help an estranged friend and it could cost him in ways he never saw coming.

Years ago when Lincoln was on the Cleveland Police Force he was put into a very difficult position. He could ignore his old friend’s criminal activities or he could work him like any other suspect. Lincoln chose not to prevent his childhood friend Ed Gradduk from going to jail. That decision severed a friendship, marked Lincoln as an outcast in his old neighborhood, and changed both lives forever.  With Ed in the news and on the run from charges of arson, murder, and others, Lincoln sees an opportunity to try once more to save his friend from himself as well as assuage his own guilt.

Minutes after finding him, Lincoln is powerless to save him as Ed dies in a confrontation with police.  But, just because he died does not mean the case is over.  It just means Lincoln feels even more guilt and now he has to deal with a grieving mother, former friends that hold him responsible and a trail that has few answers now that the man that could give them is dead.

As the bodies began to stack up and houses burn in the old neighborhood, Lincoln is forced to relieve a childhood that he thought he understood completely.  Decisions made decades ago have come back to haunt those alive today and it becomes a real question as to whom will survive the repercussions.

As he did in the first novel, the author weaves another complicated and compelling read.  The pace moves along steadily without a wasted word or thought as Lincoln works the case.  Back story sections are brief, to the point, and provide not only information, but rich character detail.  Such transitions are done well and do not serve as information dumps as routinely happens with lesser authors.

While this is second in the series, it certainly could be read independently as a stand alone.  There are brief references to the earlier novel but the information shared would not harm the enjoyment of that read.  This is another excellent novel from the author and does not fall prey to any of the normal second novel weaknesses.

Sorrow’s Anthem

Michael Koryta

Minotaur Books

www.minotaurbooks.com

ISBN#0-312-34010-9

Hardcover

320 Pages

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

Kevin R. Tipple © 2005, 2012

FFB Review: "Tonight, I Said Goodbye" by Michael Koryta

Friday and that means Friday’s Forgotten Books hosted by the always wonderful Patti Abbott at her blog found at http://pattinase.blogspot.com/ If you are not reading her blog on a daily basis, you are making a serious mistake……

For John Weston, his life has been virtually destroyed. His son, Private Investigator, Wayne Weston, has been found dead, apparently of a self-inflicted gunshot to the head. His granddaughter, five-year-old Betsy Weston, and her mother, Julie Weston, are both missing. Media speculation, absent of any facts or evidence, is that Wayne killed his wife and daughter, disposed of the bodies, returned home and was so despondent that he committed suicide. John Weston does not believe any of it and wants Private Investigators Lincoln Perry and Joe Pritchard to get involved. He wants to know what happened and wants them to find Betsy and Julie.

John Weston knows the Police are actively working the case but his son knew of Lincoln Perry and had spoken highly of him and his partner. What Lincoln knows of the flamboyant Wayne Weston makes him feel differently about him, but there is no dispute that John Weston is suffering a living death. There are lots of reasons to stay out but one major reason to get involved and Lincoln finds himself agreeing to what John Weston wants. Before long, Joe Pritchard’s concerns about accepting the case pale in comparison to the clear and obvious fact that Wayne Weston made some very powerful enemies, both in public and in not so public areas. Enemies who will tolerate their presence and digging until they actually begin to make progress. Once that happens, the body count begins to steadily climb, as not only are the investigators targets but anyone they come into contact.

This novel quickly becomes a gripping read as one is pulled into this complex tale of powerful men, the Russia Mafia, murder, law enforcement corruption and good old basic evil. This is a powerful read, despite the author’s relative young twenty-one year old age, as the book works on all levels as if the author were much older. Despite some reviews, which have chastised the author for lack of character development, that simply isn’t the case. While the novel is primarily written from the viewpoint of Lincoln Perry, Joe Pritchard is also complex and given plenty of time before readers. Every debut novel has secrets about the main characters which will be fleshed out further later in the series and this novel is no exception.

That clear character development enhances a complex storyline with numerous twists and turns that reveal puzzles within puzzles. Just when it becomes clear who the enemies are, the author shakes things up and changes the stakes as well as the perceptions. Then, there is the final twist in the last few pages that hits with the literary effect of a sucker punch in the stomach. There is a reason why this novel won the “St. Martin’s Press/PWA Prize For Best First P.I. Novel.” If it isn’t clear already, the book is very good.


Tonight, I Said Goodbye 
Michael Koryta
http://www.michaelkoryta.com
Thomas Dunne Books
2004
ISBN # 0-312-33245-9
Hardback
290 Pages


This entire review first appeared online at the now defunct "The Vacantfunhouse."


Kevin R. Tipple © 2005, 2012