Detective Fiction | Self-Publishing Review

Review: Involuntary Flashback by Dave Garrett

Tapping into a classic noir vibe with a good dose of contemporary flair, Involuntary Flashback by Dave Garrett is a fast-talking, razor-sharp Big Apple mystery.

An old-school private investigator “on the top of the endangered list,” Rod Weyhengrubber is a reckless and charming protagonist with a soft spot for the vulnerable and easily manipulated. A town full of promise and desperation keeps him plenty busy, particularly the recent rash of disappearances of hopeful starlets and young dreamers. When a young ingenue named Lilly seeks sanctuary with Rod and his partner, Ida, it becomes a race to crack the case before […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2024-01-25T10:45:55+02:00October 3rd, 2023|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Dave Garrett, Detective Fiction, Thriller|

The Black Swan Killer by Daniel McKay

A refreshingly unique and cerebral take on the eccentric detective archetype, The Black Swan Killer by Daniel McKay is a fast-paced crime novel with an unforgettable protagonist.

When it comes to solving heady and head-scratching cases, John Consequent is the philosophical key for any bizarre lock, and the police have once again come knocking at his door. Putting his circuitous wit and wisdom to the test, this brainy sleuth must outmaneuver a wickedly sharp intellect whose existentialism has turned to murderous nihilism.

Celebrating the beauty of that which cannot be tested empirically, this is a clever thriller, and surprisingly light, […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2022-11-10T17:14:25+02:00November 10th, 2022|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Detective Fiction, Thriller|

Review: Sons of Brutality by Daniel Jeudy

An intensely suspenseful thriller centering around the investigation of the brutal murder of two young women by a serial killer, Sons of Brutality by Daniel Jeudy is decidedly dark but gripping.

Plumbing the seamy depths, the novel goes underground to find snuff clubs, drug-addled Satanists, occult murder, and the mob. Los Angeles is being bathed in blood as multiple sprees of vicious murders threaten to overwhelm a police department on the brink. Detective Addison Mowbray and his partner Jed are the tenacious sleuths on the hunt for answers, but as they bounce between leads, red herrings, and horrific new crime […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2021-11-02T02:19:17+02:00September 16th, 2021|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Detective Fiction, Thriller|

Review: Tokyo Zangyo by Michael Pronko

A spectacular plunge into the dark heart pumping beneath Tokyo’s shining streets, Tokyo Zangyo by Michael Pronko is the fourth stellar installment of his Detective Hiroshi series. From the gripping opening scene that sets a deadly tone, to the breakneck investigation’s dramatic climax, this novel rarely lets up in intensity or intrigue.

Detective Hiroshi Shimizu is once again summoned to the site of a grisly mystery – a bucho businessman named Shigeru Onizuka found splattered on the pavement beneath the building where he’d done his life’s work. However, his work at Senden Infinity also included being a notorious bully and […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2021-08-24T02:38:20+02:00August 5th, 2021|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Detective Fiction, Michael Pronko, Thriller|

My Key Fits Every Door by Dennis Louis Dyer

A sharp-tongued private eye is pulled into a spiral of chateau intrigue, hired muscle, and dangerous dames in My Key Fits Every Door by Dennis Louis Dyer, a classic, twist-filled PI thriller.

In this noir drama set in the 1940s, Taylor is the gruff and grumbling protagonist with a knack for getting in over his head, and falling into bed with mysterious women. The plot moves almost as fast as the whip-smart conversations and one-liners, while the hotel setting, where much of the action takes place, comes to life through subtle descriptions and immersive narration.

While there is something nostalgic […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2021-05-05T08:47:59+02:00May 4th, 2021|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Detective Fiction, Noir|

Review: Once A Man Indulges by Tony Kelsey

Wartime loyalty, dangerous dames, and mountain mobsters collide in Once a Man Indulges, a PI thriller from the meticulous pen of author Tony Kelsey.

This neo-noir tale is set in post-war 1949, when ongoing survival was far from promised, and the soldiers who had come back were often scarred in ways too complex to explain. An unexpected reunion with a past military mentor sends Harry Thorpe, rough-around-the-edges private detective, spiraling into the dark depths of Denver’s seediest realms, in this gritty blend of mystery and history.

Harry Thorpe is both original and familiar – a scarred protagonist with a […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2021-06-02T08:54:36+02:00April 1st, 2021|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Detective Fiction, Noir|

Review: Tokyo Traffic by Michael Pronko

Detective Hiroshi returns for another tantalizing dive into the underbelly of Japanese culture and crime in Tokyo Traffic by Michael Pronko. From the seedy dungeons of pornography rings to the beating heart of Tokyo’s moneyed class, this detective thriller is raw and gripping, told by a confident, complex, and creative author.

The gruff sleuth at the center of these mysteries is pursuing a new case- a brutal murder tied to the insidious porn and human trafficking rings of Tokyo. It is clear from the start that this is a triggering topic for Hiroshi, something that brings out a primal rage, […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2020-07-09T02:55:19+02:00June 21st, 2020|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Crime Fiction, Detective Fiction, Michael Pronko|

Sam Razor, Private Investigator: The Blonde with the Bad Nose Job by Carlo Armenise

Sam Razor, a rugged PI with skills for the highest bidder, gets caught up with messy Sin City mob dealings in The Blonde with the Bad Nose Job, the first case in author Carlo Armenise’s Sam Razor, Private Investigator chronicles.

Hunting down the sister of a wealthy Vegas socialite, Sam has to plumb the dirty depths of Vegas, but the real threat may actually be coming from closer to home. Navigating a tangle of lies, false identities, and a number of guns being pointed at his head, this quick-with-a-joke PI jumps from one pot of boiling water to another, […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2020-03-16T06:53:41+02:00March 9th, 2020|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Carlo Armenise, Detective Fiction|