A terrific read in which the victim has as interesting a back story as the characters who form the majority of the book’s action. I understand this is part of a series but it really does stand alone as the author does not assume knowledge. I enjoyed the writing style, with was descriptive without being overly wordy.

In the House of Night by Donald Levin


First, let me say that after never hearing of this authors books before now, I am rather sad that this was the first novel I read from him. Levin has a knack for storytelling especially the murder mysteries.
After a history teacher is found dead and the investigation stalls, 2 of his friends decide to ask a PI to help. The private investigator is taken on a journey across Detroit through a homeless encampment, a Buddhist temple and London’s time buried family secrets. Can they figure out the case before it is too late and someone else is dead?


4 out of 5


Thank you to NetGalley as well as the author and publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my unbiased and honest review.

My thanks to NetGalley and publisher BooksGoSocial for the e-copy.

This is Book #7 in the Martin Preuss series, although I haven't read any previous ones. It reads well as a standalone and you soon pick-up Martin's back-story.
Charlie Bright's body is found in his home; he'd been stabbed 14 times, his computer destroyed, and papers burned to ash on his office floor.
He was a retired history professor, a Buddhist and Vegan, and involved in local peace and social justice movements. Police believe the case to be a domestic; probably a stranger he had invited into his home.
Rabbi Sam Rifkin and Father Lloyd Corrigan engage Martin to investigate further as they don't believe the scenario the police are presenting and they are not being listened to, but Martin can't afford to intrude on their investigation. As a courtesy his contacts two previous colleagues who make it clear he should stay away from the case, but going on the information Sam and Lloyd has given him he starts his investigation around the edges of the official one.
This leads to a myriad of revelations regarding Charlie's family and their connections. We are led into the world of racism, anti-Semitism, hatred, and the rise of organised groups of white supremacists.
Meanwhile, back at his office, we have Rhonda - his ever resourceful administrator, and his rather humorous search for a new associate investigator in the form of Angie - the "accident-waiting-to-happen" who comes good. Additionally there is Martin's ongoing relationship with his multiply-handicapped son Toby on constantly keeps Martin "in the moment".

What happens when a peace activist collides with a violent group of white nationalists? Is Charlie's son Larry - a drug-addict, living on the streets - responsible for his father's death? There are lots of twist and turns which Martin has to navigate until he gets to the truth.

I enjoyed this book but found the lengthy passages of Martin's musings around the case rather tedious and repetitive, and a lot of pages were given over to the history of the nationalists which I found rather "dry", akin to a lecture.
Apart from that, a pretty good read.

I liked the book. Martin is a policeman turned PI. His buddies on the force don't want to help him so he goes it alone. Plenty of twists and turns as he looks into a murder. I certainly did not anticipate the turns the story takes. Toby is a calm from the hate Martin runs into. It makes me sad that this amount of hate is not just fiction but plays out in in our evening news. So the topic is relevant in our current times. It was well worth my time to read this story.

A great book which was written so well I didn’t realise it was part of a series, so the full 5 stars because it can be read as a standalone.
Starting like the opening line to an old joke when a Rabbi and a Priest turn to a detective to find out the truth about the murder of their peace loving, Jewish friend, who was a practicing Buddhist. If that doesn’t get you hooked the story soon will
Loved the story, loved the characters, going back to read the rest of the series.

I had never heard of this author, though this is the seventh in a great private eye series; and though I am an avid mystery/suspense reader and seller, and I too am from Michigan. The Detroit-area setting sparked my interest, but the honest, multidimensional characters and up-to-the-minute plot line made my reading especially enjoyable. Martin Preuss tackles investigating a grisly death while mostly avoiding interfering with the ongoing police investigation. And he finds white nationalist connections as he pursues leads in the city’s homeless encampments, area universities, and private schools. The secondary characters were developed superbly too. I shall certainly seek out other titles in this stellar series.