Thoroughly absorbing, suspenseful, and very, very tense… Go, grab it.
Parker returns with this impeccably written tale laced with mystery and intrigue and featuring Cleveland Homicide Detective Stacy Tavitt. Stacy is still struggling to come to terms with her brother’s disappearance during her last investigation. When a former college classmate asks for help in finding her missing son, Colton, Stacy agrees despite her apprehensions. But the case takes a sinister turn after Colton becomes the main suspect in a murder investigation. The brisk and well-constructed plot is enhanced by equally impressive execution. Parker is exceedingly skilled at developing tension and suspense, and he is equally skilled when it comes to slowly revealing the complexity of his characters and their inner turmoil. Sincere, sharp, and slightly impulsive, Parker’s lead detective is a protagonist to root for: this is the second book in Parker’s series about Stacy, who has become a solidly engaging character amid an array of large-city cops. She knows how to take risks in her career, but finds it incredibly hard to balance that with her personal life. The secondary cast is equally compelling. Parker deftly captures their daily grind and brings looming dangers to harrowing life. The reader feels they know all of them, which raises the stakes. Sharp dialogue, an abundance of twists, and escalation in the killers’ violence keep the pages turning fast. The plot is swiftly paced and propulsive, the prose well crafted, and the culmination satisfyingly shocking. Authentic characters, polished prose, and a stunning revelation make this a mystery to savor; highly recommended.
A Final Call
By Eliot Parker
Headline Books
Pub date November 30, 2021
ISBN 9781951556662
PRICE $0.99 (USD) Kindle edition, $17.93 Paperback