Bricks and Bones

Male protagonist…mystery…intrigue…unique setting…friends…enemies…characters with secrets…all mesh together in this story of intrigue…try this one…enjoy…the book was sent to me by.Netgalley for review…it is a quick read although the story does move slowly at times…the conclusion…read and discover the secrets…

Bricks and Bones by J.D. Allen -- 5 Stars
Publisher: Severn River Publishing
ISBN: 9781648751899

Since I had read and enjoyed the first four books in the Sin City Investigations series, I was anxious to read the newest edition. I was not disappointed.
Las Vegas in the time of the Rat Pack and The Outfit is contrasted with the present city. The plot is fast paced, unique, full complex characters, and twisty with an unexpected conclusion. Great book.

Reviewer: Nancy

4 stars

Jim Bean, private investigator, meets with an elderly man in his palatial home. Mr. Irving Silverland wants Jim to look into a break in and theft at his now deceased wife’s business. (Mr. Silverland is reputed to have mid-level mob connections.) The business is run by his daughter Bella, Jim heads over. Missing, among other things, are some garrotts from John Gacy's home crawl space and a brick from Lizzie Borden’s fireplace.

The deceased wife, Cecilia, had an interest in the paranormal and in “artifacts” from famous murderers. She opened a museum to house her large collection and now Bella runs it. This is where Jim heads next.

Bella shows him around the museum, but refuses to talk about her missing sister Nina. Nina went missing several years earlier and no word has been heard from her since.

Grey Powers is also a collector of the macabre. He also has a popular television show about ghost hunters called (originally enough), The Ghost Hunter.. Jim visits him next. He tours his collection and gets nothing of any value from him. He seems like a pretty slick con man to Jim.

Jim is warned by the police to leave the case alone. Then, the bodies start falling.

Jim begins to doubt that Nina was dead, or that she was kidnapped at all. When Bella receives a mysterious text message, the plot thickens. Irving Silverland is connected to the mob. What is going on in this case? What do a brick and some garrotts have to do with the mob? How are the deaths connected?

The story picks up pace here and Jim and his partner Sandy feel the need to hide because they don’t know what is going on, or who is involved. But hiding isn’t Jim’s style. He continues with the investigation.

The ending of the book is fast paced and addictive. With a sandstorm thrown in for meteorological effect.

This book is well written and plotted. It is a fast read and held my interest all the way. This is my first J. D. Allen novel, but it won’t be my last. I truly enjoyed a look into the world of Jin Bean.

I want to thank NetGalley and Severn River Publishing for forwarding to me a copy of this delightful book for me to read, enjoy and review. The opinions expressed here are solely my own.