Disclosure / Disclaimer: I received this ebook, free of charge, from Level Best Books, via #netgalley, for review purposes on this blog. No other compensation, monetary or in kind, has been received or implied for this post. Nor was I told how to post about it. All opinions are my own
Two days before Christmas, Jonathan Gray, M. D., Chief Deputy Coroner for Orleans Parish, receives shocking news. Robby O’Malley—Jonathan’s mentor for nearly forty years—has died under mysterious circumstances. Within hours after Robby’s death, Gray takes the oath of office as Coroner and participates in autopsies of an elderly couple murdered in their Garden District home.
After mass on Christmas morning, Archbishop Phillip Fontenot asks Gray to investigate the sexual assault of one of his parishioners, as well as the disappearance of her sister—without involving the police. As Jonathan winds his way through what appear to be separate incidents, he uncovers connections and secrets that members of the city’s power elite would just as soon remain hidden.
Review:
I've talked about this before- it is hard for those not from New Orleans to truly capture the city and its inhabitants. I've lived in other big cities, and while they are similar in many ways, the LONG varied history of NOLA makes it very different. Add in religious events that are celebrated by the entire area, and you have a hard time explaining the WHYS of what and how things happen in NOLA. Rigg has obviously spent a good amount of time in NOLA, and spoken with people who have educated him on some nuances, as they definitely show through in this book.
Faced with possible political fallout from the sudden death of his boss and pressure from the mayor to resolve the exams of the Garden District couple, a hard working detective team trying to solve their deaths with him, and a request from the Archbishop, Jonathan has his hands full before even being sworn is as temporary head Coroner. Add in the holiday season and it's many local events, and trying to solve the crime(s) quickly seems like a failed plan. This is a roller coaster read, and I really thought I had missed some books in this series, as the characters are so well laid out as a team. The last few chapters will have you reading late into the night to see how everything rolls out. Beware of red herrings, as they keep you guessing until the end! Can't wait to see more books in this series!
About the Author:
Michael Rigg, an attorney for more than four decades, writes mysteries and thrillers set in two very different locations: Virginia Beach (where he lives) and New Orleans (which he visits as often as possible "for research," including participation in three Mardi Gras Krewes). He is a retired Navy Judge Advocate and a retired civilian government attorney, formerly working for the Department of the Navy Office of the General Counsel. He is a member of International Thriller Writers, Mystery Writers of America, and both the Sisters in Crime national organization and its Southeastern Virginia Chapter-Mystery by the Sea.
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