THE FISHER KING
A JACK McBRIDE MYSTERY
by
Melissa Lenhardt
Genre: Mystery / Suspense / Thriller
Publisher: Skyhorse Publishing
Date of Publication: November 1, 2016
Number of Pages: 380
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When the dust settles in this Texas town, who will be left standing?
It’s been six weeks since Jack McBride’s life went to hell: the resolution of his first case as chief sparked a countywide drug war, his brother Eddie rode into town with a pocket full of cocaine and trouble on his mind, his estranged wife returned from her one-year sabbatical determined to win him back, and Ellie Martin ended their brief affair.
To the Stillwater natives, the increase in local crime can be traced directly back to the day the outsider McBride took the job, and they’re gunning to get rid of him. One particular group is led by Joe Doyle, a successful local businessman who’s running for city council against Ellie and her plan to revitalize downtown. Now Jack has discovered proof Doyle is the biggest crime lord in the county, and, with murders piling up and the drug war intensifying, Jack suspects the crimes aren’t business, but personal—and he’s the target.
The bitter election and Jack’s investigation spark old rivalries and new jealousies, making Ellie and those who love Stillwater most wonder if it’s even worth saving.
It’s been six weeks since Jack McBride’s life went to hell: the resolution of his first case as chief sparked a countywide drug war, his brother Eddie rode into town with a pocket full of cocaine and trouble on his mind, his estranged wife returned from her one-year sabbatical determined to win him back, and Ellie Martin ended their brief affair.
To the Stillwater natives, the increase in local crime can be traced directly back to the day the outsider McBride took the job, and they’re gunning to get rid of him. One particular group is led by Joe Doyle, a successful local businessman who’s running for city council against Ellie and her plan to revitalize downtown. Now Jack has discovered proof Doyle is the biggest crime lord in the county, and, with murders piling up and the drug war intensifying, Jack suspects the crimes aren’t business, but personal—and he’s the target.
The bitter election and Jack’s investigation spark old rivalries and new jealousies, making Ellie and those who love Stillwater most wonder if it’s even worth saving.
PRAISE FOR THE FISHER KING:
A fast-moving whodunit with compelling subplots and an appealing protagonist who’s likely to keep winning fans.” -- Booklist
“The Fisher King is a haunting novel about different people’s claims on a place, and the power struggles, violence, and deception they use to seize it. Dark and ominous, the novel strikes the perfect mood and will be sure to appeal to fans eager for more of McBride’s adventures.” -- Foreward Magazine
“[T]his combination of police procedural and romance puts the pedal to the metal and revs up the action.” -- Kirkus Reviews
“Melissa Lenhardt’s Jack McBride is a complex and fallible protagonist you will root for. In The Fisher King, McBride takes on small town greed and corruption to his own peril in this sexy, gritty, and gripping thriller. A terrific new series!” —Deborah Crombie, New York Times bestselling author of the Duncan Kincaid and Gemma Jones series
“Lenhardt draws you so deep into Stillwater, Texas, you’ll think you live there and know everyone in town. In-depth characters, finely drawn descriptions, and a sure-fire plot make The Fisher King a very satisfying addition to the Texas crime fiction scene.” —Terry Shames, Macavity Award Winning author of The Necessary Murder of Nonie Blake
“Melissa Lenhardt’s second Jack McBride novel, The Fisher King, is a terrific soap opera of an East Texas noir. A riveting tale of disgrace, betrayal, and redemption. . . . Lenhardt writes a hard story with a soft hand. Evocatively descriptive and painfully believable, The Fisher King is Peyton Place meets The Godfather in small-town Texas. Top notch.” —James W. Ziskin, author of the Ellie Stone series”
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* Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Indiebound *
HALL WAYS REVIEW: Warning: if you start this book, you'd better have a block of time for reading because you will not be able to put it down. Author Melissa Lenhardt pulls readers into Stillwater, Texas -- a small town with big drama -- and creates a vibe that feels much like being an observer sitting in the local diner. (Better still, the buzz hub is the local book and coffee shop!) The Fisher King isn't a cozy little mystery but a bold, often brazen suspense story that doesn't sugar-coat the seedy, ugly people and parts of life.
Though this is the second book in the Jack McBride Mystery series, it isn't necessary to read the first to be in the loop. Lenhardt gives plenty of backstory and information to get readers up to speed, but she also piques interest enough that readers will want to read the first book to know all the dirty details. (Romance fans will definitely want to know more about the often eluded to, brief but steamy affair between Jack and Ellie that unfolded in book one.)
The characters are richly written and readers will form very clear impressions and opinions of them, but no characters are cookie-cutter good or bad. Everyone is flawed, which makes each person realistic and easy to imagine. Though there are a few very likeable characters, there are plenty of despicable people who do horrible things in their quest for power and who are motivated by lust, narcissism, jealousy, and revenge. Sex and scandal! Lies and Lust! This book is juicy!
Lenhardt's writing is solid, and the dialogue is natural and balances well with expository writing. Readers will enjoy how the story is told from varying perspectives, but not all is revealed. There are plenty of twists and surprises -- and some most excellent comeuppances -- and Texans will appreciate (and get a giggle or two out of) the inclusion of Texana found throughout the story.
With a fairly neatly tied-up resolution, readers will be satisfied with the ending but left hoping that there are more Jack McBride mysteries to come. In the mean time, this reader plans on going back to book one to get to know the people of Stillwater (warts and all) a little better.
Though this is the second book in the Jack McBride Mystery series, it isn't necessary to read the first to be in the loop. Lenhardt gives plenty of backstory and information to get readers up to speed, but she also piques interest enough that readers will want to read the first book to know all the dirty details. (Romance fans will definitely want to know more about the often eluded to, brief but steamy affair between Jack and Ellie that unfolded in book one.)
The characters are richly written and readers will form very clear impressions and opinions of them, but no characters are cookie-cutter good or bad. Everyone is flawed, which makes each person realistic and easy to imagine. Though there are a few very likeable characters, there are plenty of despicable people who do horrible things in their quest for power and who are motivated by lust, narcissism, jealousy, and revenge. Sex and scandal! Lies and Lust! This book is juicy!
Lenhardt's writing is solid, and the dialogue is natural and balances well with expository writing. Readers will enjoy how the story is told from varying perspectives, but not all is revealed. There are plenty of twists and surprises -- and some most excellent comeuppances -- and Texans will appreciate (and get a giggle or two out of) the inclusion of Texana found throughout the story.
With a fairly neatly tied-up resolution, readers will be satisfied with the ending but left hoping that there are more Jack McBride mysteries to come. In the mean time, this reader plans on going back to book one to get to know the people of Stillwater (warts and all) a little better.
Melissa Lenhardt writes mystery, historical fiction, and women’s fiction. Her short fiction has appeared in Heater Mystery Magazine, The Western Online, andChristmas Nookies, a holiday romance anthology. Her debut novel, Stillwater, was a finalist for the 2014 Whidbey Writers’ MFA Alumni Emerging Writers Contest. She is a member of the DFW Writers’ Workshop and vice president of the Sisters in Crime North Dallas Chapter. Melissa lives in Texas, with her husband and two sons.
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GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY! THREE WINNERS:
1 -SIGNED PRINT COPY, 1 -DIGITAL COPY, 1 -$15 AMAZON GIFT CARD
(US ONLY)
November 1 - 10, 2016
1 -SIGNED PRINT COPY, 1 -DIGITAL COPY, 1 -$15 AMAZON GIFT CARD
(US ONLY)
November 1 - 10, 2016
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