This is a truly different mystery thriller. It has emotional content as the plot turns on a teenaged daughter who has been estranged by divorce. The falconry adds to the entertainment value, and there is an underlying theme of Southern racism in many of the interactions. The twists and turns in the plot are amazing, but there is a logical explanation for everything. As the story unfolds, the reader is exposed to a wide variety of colorful and interesting characters. I recommend this book for anyone who likes a good mystery thriller.

What would you do for your daughter? Frank answers that question in ways you can never imagine. Secrets upon secrets just keep you turning those pages. You'll never be able to tell who are the friends and who are the enemies. Add in the conflict of an X-wife and it is the perfect link for a terrific read.

A Witness Above is the beginning of a long running series of private detective mysteries, so in this initial volume the reader gets the backstory for the character of Frank Pavlicek. Following a questionable shooting, Frank and his partner Jake lose their jobs as NYC detectives and move to rural Virginia, where the main story begins.

The twist in this series is Frank and Jake's interest in the sport of falconry. While Mr. Straka is obviously very knowledgeable on the subject it didn't add much to the story and seemed to slow down the momentum of the main plot.

This is a case where I can recognize that A Witness Above is a well written and researched mystery, but it didn't personally click with me. I prefer a hard-boiled, nihilistic approach to these types of stories and Frank Pavlicek is a more well adjusted character. I would not personally recommend it to someone of my tastes but fans of less grim private eye stories will certainly enjoy it. 3.5 stars.

A Witness Above – A Frank Pavlicek Mystery – Andy Straka 4 stars Written from the heart

“The snow could have been confetti the way it swirled in the glow from the streetlights and skittered across the hood” When I read this in the opening chapter, I knew that I was in for a special read.

The story starts with Frank Pavlicek and his partner Jake Toronto (detectives of NYPD) are on a stakeout, when a call comes in requesting their help. Shots had been fired in an officer down. When they arrive at the scene, they find an officer barely alive and his partner is under fire. They return fire and in the process one of the suspects is killed. After the dust has settled, they discover that the person shot, was unarmed. Both men are held responsible for the killing and dismissed from the NYPD.

Since that fateful night, Frank has turned his skills to setting up his own Private Investigation office in Charlottesville. Jake lives nearby and much to their surprise, Cat Cahill (the officer who was under fire that night thirteen years previously) has retired and set up a restaurant in Leonardston (close by to where they live).

Frank is out with his hawk, Armistead, on land owned by Cat Cahill’s uncle, when he stumbles across the badly decomposing body of Dewayne Turner. The investigation into his death takes a nasty turn when his daughter, Nicole is arrested as the prime suspect. She’s also been found with two kilos of cocaine under the wheel well of her car. Frank knows that she’s been set-up to take the fall for the crime, but cannot work out why Nicole, is being made to take the fall for both the murder and the drugs.

This is a brilliantly written book, with Frank still trying after all the years since that fateful night in New York, to put his life back together. He’s kept busy with his PI work, his red-tail hawk and re-building a relationship with his daughter, Nichole. However, there’s always a nagging thought about that night and the events that changed his career. Will he and Jake ever discover what really went down at that shooting?

Andy Straka uses language that captures the countryside, the weather, and most of all the people in this story. His writing is descriptive and beautifully poetic, taking you deep into the unfolding details of the plot.

I will most definitely be reading more from this author. I await his future books with anticipation, knowing that this is an author who really delivers!
Treebeard

A well crafted story coupled with a love of raptors. The latter gave rise to great descriptions of the hunters environs. The conclusion to the story gave a nice twist which couldn't have been envisioned from the outset.

I enjoyed reading this book, which is the first in the Frank Pavlicek series. It is well-written and moves at a good pace. The author gives you a good sense of the environment in which the story is located and a feel for the characters whilst keeping your interest in solving the mystery. This book captured my imagination which is far more important to me than creating complicated plots that are designed to keep the reader guessing to the very last page. I look forward to reading the next book in the series.

A Witness Above is the beginning of a series of private detective mysteries, This book is the right one to start with as the reader gets the backstory for the character of Frank Pavlicek. Following a shooting, Frank and his partner Jake lose their jobs as NYC detectives and move to rural Virginia, where the main story begins. The addition of Falconry in this story was fascinating to this reader. I was captured from page one by this wonderful series and was unable to put the book down. I recommend this very highly for all lovers of mysteries and suspense. The characters are well drawn and interesting, the Falconry is beautiful and described to draw the reader in to the moment. and the suspense never ends. I found the plot a perfection of the events of the books. This is a series I will visit again and again for each new addition. Frank Pavlicek is a thrilling character. As a avid reader of mystery and suspense, I enjoyed that this author does not follow a standard protocol of mystery writing. His writing is in the moment , real and draws the reader in. Its a highly enjoyable reading experience ! Well Done.