Yep... Nils Shapiro will be added to my must read list of favorite detective characters. Matt Goldman has created a fantastic new character to join the ranks at the top of my favorites, as well as making my week with this damn near perfect book.

Great read. The author wrote a story that was interesting and moved at a pace that kept me engaged. The characters were easy to invest in.

I found the back page blurb very interesting, which is why I signed up to read this book. The first chapter itself had me hooked, and I forgot that it was only an excerpt of about 5 chapters that I had signed up for.
Nils Shapiro had a great sense of humour, and I liked the fact the his thinking and deductions seemed reasonable. I also liked the sense of mood and atmosphere that the author built up. I live in a tropical country, but while I read the book, it felt as if the Minnesota winter had crept in all about me.
I'd love to read this book.

This excerpt left me looking forward to reading the whole book! This is a great beginning for a new series.

Nils Shapiro, just love the contradiction in that name, is a private investigator in Minnesota who is called on by a past friend and colleague to assist the local police in a most unusual case. A woman is found murdered in her home, covered with bags of vacuum dust. Try to separate the evidence from the garbage, a little difficult for a police force with little experience in murder.

Loved the sassiness of this, Nils is quite a character, sarcastic and not at all intimidated by upper management, so to speak. He is still n love with his ex wife and desperately wishes he wasn't. A good mix of personal and story keeps it moving along at a rapid clip. Again a book coincidence, seems to be my new normal, just had recently finished a book concerning the Somali community, and this one too is partly centered on this community, in a roundabout way.

The author was a former writer of Seinfeld, a show much loved in my house, so the tone and writing is very witty, but also insightful. I enjoyed this, the cold setting, Interesting storyline and some great characters. Hope to see more of Nils in future storylines.

Really enjoyed the excerpt from NetGalley. Goldman's flair for suspense is top-notch and I went ahead and ordered the book after reading the excerpt. Highly recommend!

So I wanted to read the book from the description and then had the opportunity to read the first six chapters through Netgalley. There's really not much to say other than I now want to read the rest of the book that much more. It starts out with action and intrigue is already set up with a couple of possibilities before the ends of the chapters I read. Though it was a quick excerpt, it's enough for me to know that I'll enjoy this book. I can't wait to see how it all unravels!

Pretty good start so far, certainly seems interesting enough for me to want to continue on and see where the story, plot and characters are going.
Also the Excerpt is long enough to get a feel for the writing and story itself without being too long.
Defiantly a book worth giving a try i think

Loved this book. Great storyline and excellent attention to detail. It was a superb thriller, with strong characters. It was a real page turner.

Many thanks to Matt Goldman and Netgalley for the copy of this book. I have given my unbiased opinion voluntarily.

With a murder mystery that begins with a weird and aberrant crime scene and a PI who can dish out some humor with the appalling discoveries, TV scribe and playwright Matt Goldman turns out a perilous, well constructed first fiction debut that keeps the reader on the edge of hilarity and in the game. At least as much as one can tell from the advance preview being marketed by publisher Forge. Do we have a taste of Carl Hiaasen here?

This murder mystery is narrated by Nils Shapiro, former police officer turned private detective who's made a name for himself as a pretty successful PI in Minneapolis. I really enjoyed hearing from Nils right away in the first few chapters. I thought he seemed smart yet sarcastic with more of that dry sense of humor that I would imagine is very hard to pull off as a writer. I was immediately immersed in the frigid Minneapolis winter and thinking how hard it would be to live in a place that cold. Brrr! Of course, these dark, cold and dreary winter days made for the perfect backdrop for murder and it wasn't long into the story until Nils arrives at Maggie Somerville's home. Maggie was divorced and lived on her own and was found dead in her bed. What made this so interesting was the fact that she, as well as pretty much her whole house, was covered in thick layers of dust. What a brilliant way to cover your tracks if you're a killer huh?

The story progresses at a fairly slow pace and as Nils puts pieces of the puzzle together and makes several key discoveries, he starts making others, namely the FBI, very nervous. Not one to back down, Nils is eventually forced off the case and he and his detective friend continue their investigation in secret.

Much of this story as well as the writing worked for me and I really wanted to find out 'whodunit', however, for much of the book after the initial few chapters I found my mind wandering. There were several suspects and possibilities but I didn't feel that tension and page turning quality that I look for in mysteries that really keep me on the edge of my seat. I'm not sure if it was the added extras of Nils personal drama with his ex-wife but something was keeping me from being excited and not wanting to put this down. I will say that I didn't have the 'whodunit' or the why figured out but when I did reach the conclusion I felt like maybe if I'd have payed a little more attention I would've. I think die hard mystery lovers may really like this debut but may very well be able to figure it out. All in all, I think this was a solid debut and may appeal to those who like slower paced mysteries that can be read in an afternoon.

I'm only sorry this was just a preview as now I want to read the entire book! Great debut as I was interested from the very beginning when PI Nils gets a call about a murder, only to discover that the body and scene are covered in dust from several vacuum cleaners, leaving no DNA or trace evidence with which to work. And so begins the exciting case that will prove to be a difficult one. Can't wait for the entire book!

Wonderful preview of the novel! This is an an excerpt of Gone to Dust written by author Matt Goldman.

Gone to Dust is a debut novel, in this excerpt Detective Nils Shapiro is called by another detective to take a look at a murder scene. They arrive to discover a woman that has been found dead in her bedroom. The premise is interesting and the characters are well-written. This is a great way to get a feel of a book and now I want to read it all.

I received a copy of this sneak peek from Forge Books through Netgalley. This is my honest review.

I got to read about the first six chapters of this book, and it was apparent almost immediately that this is not a genre I typically read (because once again I went into the book blind aside from the title). And I have nothing against mystery novels, it's just not a genre I'm particularly drawn to on a regular basis. That being said, this one has me rather intrigued. You see, I'm forever asking random people "What's the best way to hide a body?" (when they post on Facebook that people can ask them anything, I'm not totally deranged). It's even one of the questions I include in my standard interview form for authors because I find the range of answers intriguing. But this sneak peek has almost made that question obsolete. Why bother hiding the body when you can just easily contaminate all the DNA evidence at the crime scene? I mean, it's kind of brilliant.

Since this was just a sneak peek, I haven't really gotten very far into the investigation yet. They've barely started questioning potential suspects, so at this point it's really hard to even make a guess as to who the guilty party is (and when I do find myself reading a mystery like this, I always try to guess who the perpetrator is.) In spite of that, I'm guessing that it's the ex-husband's current girlfriend, and I don't even know if the ex-husband even has a current girlfriend at this point.

So would I buy this book for myself? I have added it to my wish list because I am actually kind of interested in continuing the book to see where the investigation leads, but since it's not a preferred genre for me, I'm not interested enough to continue reading right now.

Do not have preconceptions on how this murder thriller will be.. It is written with wit and although a proper detective novel it does not have the same feeling of suspense as the genre normally does. Although different this did not detract from the story for me. It is still well written with great characters and I enjoyed it.

Confession time. Buzz Books turned me into an excerpt junkie. Yes, reading a book’s description is good, but several chapters is better! So I was thrilled to receive a preview excerpt from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Nils Shapiro, P.I. is consulting on a case with his friend Detective Ellegaard. Maggie Somerville has been found murdered and her home, the scene of the crime is hopelessly contaminated with the debris from numerous vacuum bags that have been dumped throughout the house. Whatever trace evidence the killer may have left behind certainly won’t be readily apparent, so really, how smart is this killer.
I was hooked on page one as Matt Goldman has a real gift for character development. As an added bonus, Nils drinks Jameson. While I do not, my partner does and I have been privy to enough stories extolling the virtues of Jameson that I felt very comfortable “hanging” with Nils. I was headed right to Amazon as soon as I finished the excerpt, but saw a tweet by the author regarding a “cool mistake” in the 1st printing, so it appears my overflowing book shelves are getting another author friend. I can’t wait to get my copy and how lucky am I that I live near a bookstore and hadn’t yet made plans for tonight.
Thank you to Matt Goldman, Macmillan-Tor/Forge and NetGalley for the ARC. I can’t wait to see how the story develops.

This (Preview Excerpt) ARC was provided by NetGalley. Appreciation sent to Tor Forge - MacMillan for making this release available. My unbiased review follows.

In an excerpt of his debut novel, Matt Goldman narrates an exquisitely well-written storyline. The characters come well-developed leaving no room for confusion. If this is a taste of things to come from him, I'll look forward to his forthcoming release.

PI Nils Shapiro (Shap) is called to a murder scene in the sleepy town of Edina, Minnesota. It had been ten years since a homicide had been committed here. The Chief of Police wanted an experienced, extra set of eyes and ears on the case. Shap came well recommended. The sooner this mess got wrapped up, the sooner the townspeople would sleep soundly. All the better for the Chief.

Upon entering the house, first thing Shap noted was a layer of dust. Everywhere. It looked like the type of dust that would accumulate in a vacuum cleaner bag. From the looks of things, many bags. How strange. The victim, Maggie Somerville was discovered in an upstairs bedroom. She was lying face up in bed. Covered with a layer of the same dust. Detective Ellegaard of the Edina PD. took lead for this case. The usual suspects were rounded up and questioned. She had not been known to have any enemies.

Maggie's body had been vacuumed and washed at the morgue. The ME claimed cause of death was asphyxiation. Drunk, drugged and smothered. She had been unconscious while the killer spread the dust around the room. Around the house. What was the true nature of this dust?

Between an ex-husband, current boyfriend, next-door neighbor, someone seen running from the back yard and mysterious calls the night of the murder - the suspect list was growing. In this compelling excerpt, there's only the one question left to me unanswered - Whodunnit?

It's difficult to review an entire book based solely on an excerpt consisting of the first six chapters. So, this review will deal only with the first six chapters... will the rest of the book uphold the promise of those first few chapters? I don't know.

But as far as those first six chapters go? This is a first rate, 5-star novel.

In these first few chapters the reader is introduced to thirty-eight year old private investigator Nils Shapiro of Minnesota. He is drawn into an investigation as a consultant to the local police force almost immediately. The stage is set for what appears to be a good crime story. The first thing to really catch my attention was the setting. Minnesota in the dead of winter. It's an integral part of the story.

It's not unusual for a location to play an important part in a novel. Philip Marlowe had Los Angeles, Sam Spade had San Francisco, and Florida is the backdrop of so many crime and mystery novels that it has become something of a genre of its own. But it is Lawrence Block's Matthew Scudder series that is called to mind by Matt Goldman's Gone to Dust.

In the Matthew Scudder series New York City is not just a location or backdrop it is like an actual character of the story. Almost a sidekick. So it is with Nils Shapiro and Minnesota (again, at least in these first six chapters). The story might conceivably happen someplace else but because Minnesota, and the Minnesota winter, is so much a part of Shapiro it wouldn't be the same story at all. In this story, as it begins to unfold, Minnesota is what catches the reader's atention, what puts him on alert that this isn't just another crime story, that Nils Shapiro isn't just a retread of the same old thing. This is something different. Will Gone to Dust hold onto that initial intrigue and continue in the same direction? The quality of the writing thus far makes it seem an almost certainty. But we will see.

Gone to Dust by Matt Goldman is another brilliant mystery to watch out for...the writer creates a thrilling read. This preview copy gave me a great glance into this new novel. Detective Nils Shapiro is a character that instantly became my new favorite. His personality and way of dealing with the investigation was beyond interesting. The things he says is funny, too. Dark, dangerous, and entertaining from page one. I highly recommend this adventure to all.

As an English reader, Matt Goldman is a new author to me and these first chapters are a breath of fresh air in this crowded market. American readers and TV watchers will perhaps know him as an Emmy Award-winning Seinfeld writer.
Gone to Dust is an unsual title and fits the scene of crime quite wonderfully. Here we find quite a unique MO which will mask and cover up all potential evidence. What is also odd is that this small police force call in a private detective to assist their investigation even before it starts. I'm sure we'll return to this; also the PI, Nils Shapiro, a friend of the leading detective, Edina Police Detective Anders Ellegaard seems immediately a great asset. His idea that the evidence has been corrupted as the perpretrator needs to cover up their DNA sets them to think they can focus on those whose DNA is in the system and discount those not recorded. againtime will tell.
The writing is sharp. The arrival of the first major fall of snow seems to change the whole dynamic and provide less phys,ical evidence at thecrime scene.
The use of witty throw away lines to describe events, situations and places lifts the narrative and enables the novel to proceed. At times though I find then so original and funny that they break the flow. I will therefore reserve judgement until reading the whole book.
"The room was so big you had to be in shape to get from one piece of furniture to the next."
"His power on women was like a microwave's on a marshmellow -"
"Other than my vibrant personality, I was as invisible as I could get."
I love finding new authors and original plot ideas; this book gives me both of these. The writing also has brought me fully into the story and made me very comfortable with the cast of characters.
I am always loathed to judge a book by its cover, and in addition I rarely read the first page, chaper etc to see if I'd buy it or read that book. Having read the first 6 chapters as an introduction into this novel I have passed the point of no return, not based on the quantity of pages consumed but the sheer quality of this novel.
I will finish this book at the earliest opportunity it is really good and likely to be well received. In a over-crowded competative market this latest arrival will lead from the front and leave the majority of new releases behind and forgotten. I believe we will hear a great deal more of this book and its author.