DEAD STOP
Author: Barbara Nickless
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
ISBN: 9781503943384
Genre: Murder Mystery

DEAD STOP by Barbara Nickless is one hell of a twisted read full of taut drama, nail-biting tension, with a compelling plot that utterly blindsided me. But what sets this book apart from other murder-mysteries I’ve read of late is, Sydney Rose Parnell is the kind of character you not only root for but is someone you can identify with. I felt a real affinity for her because of her past, because of the baggage she carries.

Baggage that makes Sydney while not totally unique certainly different. Having done a couple of tours of Afghanistan she’s seen death on a scale we can only imagine. Working in Mortuary Affairs Sydney knows all too well what the true horror of war looks like. From the broken, twisted remains of soldiers blown apart by an IED, to collecting, identifying, and carefully piecing together her fellow soldier, bit by bit, by bit. The weight of the dead with her even after she returns to the US and back into civilian life, to work as a Special Agent for the DPC railway as a cop and dog handler.

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RESURRECTION BAY
Author: Emma Viskic
Publisher: Pushkin Vertigo
ISBN: 9781782273912
Genre: Murder Mystery

First of all, let me just begin by saying this debut novel by Aussie author, Emma Viskic, is outstanding. Truly a remarkable novel on just about every level. It’s not long, at just 280 pages, so I read this in one frantic, page-turning day!

Let’s start with the well crafted, well delineated characters. I love Caleb Zelic who narrates the story. He’s such a great down-to-earth character, feisty and oh so different from the usual MC in that he just happens to be deaf. This makes for a wholly unique POV both in the visuals and descriptions, and more, the dialogue.

Choppy and jarring, we see the world how Caleb hears it. With broken sentences that obviously make for a few comic and laugh out loud moments. And, of course, because of this handicap, we feel every ounce of Caleb’s frustration. His determination to not to give in, stubborn to the last. Which inevitably causes clashes with both his work partner, Frankie—who, by the way, is another excellently flawed character—and his ex-wife, Kat. It’s only when we learn why Kat and Caleb spilt that we understand the weight of emotions involved.

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