Scheduled to Die - A Review

Scheduled To Die

by

Alan Cupp

A Review

The second book in the Carter Mays mystery series by Alan Cupp is a better and improved follow-up to his earlier book, When Lies Crumble. With the same gritty style that seems like it has dropped from a 1940's detective novel, the current book also includes the flavor of a 21^st century Criminal Minds episode.

With a work assignment in Ashville, NC, Dana Carrington meets a fellow Chicagoan while injuring a dinner alone. What begins as a nice date ends up being a nightmare – for Dana, her best friend, and her mother. When things continue to go downhill, Dana is put into contact with Carter Mays, a private investigator in metropolitan Chicago.

Carter is tough, but likable, PI, with the spunk to go the extra mile, even if it means breaking a few rules (e.g. pretending to be a cop), but he gets the job done. The mystery itself is well-written, with enough twists to keep the reader involved, but with sufficient details to allow him or her to follow the clues as they are developed step-by-step.

Though not Christian fiction, the author is not afraid to allow his own faith to peek through; both in the “Acknowledgments” and, non-intrusively, in the story itself. Looking for a good summer read that is a bit grittier than the typical cozy mystery, Scheduled to Die may fill that bill.

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This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review.  The opinions expressed are my own.This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review.  The opinions expressed are my own.

When Lies Crumble - A Review

When Lies Crumble

by

Alan  Cupp

A Review

The first in a series of books centering on Private Investigator Carter Mays.  If this book represents the quality of the books to come, it should be an exciting series.  The feel of the book is one of a PI series which could have been written 50 or 60 years ago with its romance, gangland murders, and crime families.

Sadly, I almost chose to stop reading after two or three chapters - the initial chapters seemed to have a somewhat stilted, immature writing style.  The writing improved through the last two-thirds of the book - and the climax made waiting worth the time spent reading the book.  It is this small hiccup that allows me to give this only a four-star review.

Hired by the young woman whose fiance has disappeared, unhired by her father, and rehired again by the father, Carter Mays must wade through the ethical issues of serving multiple clients with distinct motives for finding the young man.  Emotionally, the book served as a roller coaster ride as the author/reader begins to weave the characters and motives into a gripping story.  The surprising climax comes as the characters in the story find their lives falling apart; however, Carter cannot rebuild what they have spent a lifetime destroying.

Though a bit darker than the typical Henery Press book, it will still hold the readers attention. Do not open this book expecting the usual humor that typically accompanies a Henery Press book; yet, the book is exciting and worth the late night hours I spent reading this past week.  I expect the same would be true for other readers as well.

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This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review.  The opinions expressed are my own.