High Country Nocturne, by Jon Talton (Poisoned Pen Press, June 2015) -- the 8th book in the "David Mapstone" series of mystery novels. Opening line from Chapter One:
In the end, the truth was almost beside the point.
Description (from the publisher's website):
A cache of diamonds is stolen in Phoenix. The prime suspect is former Maricopa County Sheriff Mike Peralta, now a private investigator. Disappearing into Arizona’s mountainous High Country, Peralta leaves his business partner and longtime friend David Mapstone with a stark choice. He can cooperate with the FBI, or strike out on his own to find Peralta and what really happened.
Mapstone knows he can count on his wife Lindsey, one of the top “good hackers” in law enforcement. But what if they’ve both been betrayed? Mapstone is tested further when the new sheriff wants him back as a deputy, putting to use his historian’s expertise to solve a very special cold case. The stakes turn deadly when David and Lindsey are stalked by a trained killer whose specialty is “suiciding” her targets.
In depressed, post-recession Phoenix, every certainty has become scrambled, from the short hustle of the powerful real-estate industry to the loyalties Mapstone once took for granted. Could Peralta really be a jewel thief or worse? The deeper Mapstone digs into the world of sun-baked hustlers, corrupt cops, moneyed retirees, and mobsters, the more things are not what they seem. Ultimately, Mapstone must risk everything to find the truth.
Initial Thoughts:
Actually, that's not just the first sentence of Chapter One, it's the entire content of Chapter One. And it doesn't tell me much. So, I'm not sure I really have any thoughts at this point. But after all the spooky stuff I've been reading lately, I'm ready for something a little more realistic and I've heard some good things about this one. But I haven't read any of the earlier books in the series, and I suppose that could be a problem. So.... we'll see.
Rose City Reader hosts Book Beginnings on Fridays. As she says, the idea is to post the first sentence (or so) of the book you're currently reading, along with any first impressions or thoughts you have about the book, the author, etc. It's a wonderful way of adding new books to your must-read list, and a chance to connect with other readers and bloggers.
I think this is a very honest opening line. I like it for its simplicity but also for its intrigue.
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I haven't heard of this series, so I'll start with the first one. I love mysteries.
ReplyDeleteSounds intriguing....I might not have picked it up from the title, but I am intrigued by the excerpt.
ReplyDeleteHere's mine: “AT RISK”
Sounds like a good story. I like the Arizona high country setting too, as well as the husband/wife team.
ReplyDeleteMy Friday post features The Reluctant Midwife.