Book Review: No Dice by Mar Preston

In honor of Mom, who hails from So Cal....

This is the first book in the author's Dave Mason police/mystery series! 

The second novel, Rip-Off, will be out later this Summer!

Synopsis: A gaming goliath is steamrolling local opposition to build a glitzy high-rise casino on Santa Monica's shoreline. Billions of dollars in potential casino profits can turn even the nicest people ugly. 

A real whodunit confronts Santa Monica Police Department homicide detective Dave Mason when a crucial city councilwoman is murdered on the eve of the crucial vote. 

The dance between politics, money, and big ideas that change the landscape, take Mason away from doing something about his daughter's bullying, and his impending divorce. He struggles against his attraction toward the witness to the murder, the attractive leader of the anti-casino campaign. 

She must prove her innocence in a murder she didn't commit. She must also live with the knowledge that the real killer--probably someone she knows--is hunting her. Is it one of the money people, the real estate developers, PR flacks, the hotels, the politicians?  

Mason struggles to keep his mind on this baffling case with too many suspects with no alibis, while his own life unravels, and the activist he's trying to protect keeps interfering, embarrassing him by turning up legitimate leads of her own. 

An explosive secret boils up from Santa Monica's seamy past that sets in motion a hunt through the quiet, dark streets of upscale neighborhoods, the downtown filled with movie types, the homeless, and the million dollar shoreline. 

But will Mason make it in time?

Review: i am totally shocked that this is the author's FIRST novel! It is such a fast paced who-dun-it, that I would have thought she had 5 or 6 books under her belt! Guess being a creative writing teacher really DOES give you the writing chops!

You will be hooked from the first chapter of the tight story. Her characters are lively, true to life and you can't beat real life for giving you an excellent backdrop to base a story on! The story has lots of twists and turns to keep you guessing. Even if you guess who the murder suspect is before the end, you'll be flipping the pages quickly to see how they get caught! You'll also be hoping there will be another book to follow- and there will be! 

If you're looking for a new voice in the police procedural genre, check out Mar Preston! 

Abut the Author:  "In Santa Monica development politics are blood sport. I love the city. It's built out to its glamorous edges, one of which is the Pacific Ocean. What gets built--and doesn't get built--stirs up hot disputes and marathon city council meetings.I loved the idea of playing with the dynamics between big money and big ideas that change the urban landscape. Just as fascinating are the interactions between cops and community activists."

I was a burnt out academic researcher for decades, then grant writer, editor, and creative writing teacher. At the same time I was a political insider during Santa Monica's rent control and living wage wars. Getting a good mystery out of what goes on behind the scenes makes all those dreary council meetings worthwhile. See her blog at marpreston.com and check her out on Twitter too!



Disclosure / Disclaimer: I received this book, free of charge, from the author, via Bostick Communications, for review purposes on this blog. No other compensation, monetary or other, has been received or implied for this post. Nor was I told how to post about it