THis was good book, I enjoyed it. It is the second in a series but could be read as a stand alone. Iam going back to read the first now. I won a free copy in return for a review. ( )

Book source~ Review copy. My review is voluntary and honest.

Detectives Liz Boyle and Tom Goran have quite a gruesome case to solve. Someone has brutally beaten a local defense attorney to death in a cemetery. But this is no ordinary homicide. The more Liz and Tom dig into the victim’s murder the more nastiness they uncover about police officers in their city of Cleveland. And it’s not good. Not good at all. The Blue Wall of Silence is stopping Liz from getting to the truth, but is it a truth she really wants to deal with?

Wow. This story was written and pubbed right before 2020 imploded, but the subject matter is even more relevant today. Police brutality and systemic racism in the judicial system are hard subjects to address, but it is imperative that they are. While this is an excellent murder mystery the ongoing social issues of today are the backbone of the book except as possibly seen from the inside of the police department by a female detective. Liz is highly conflicted and it’s up to her to do the right thing and resolve her personal issues in order to grow. And she does grow. In fact, she has grown a lot since the first book and I’m proud of her. Stagnant characters do not a good series make.

The investigation takes many turns and I was left guessing until nearly the very end. Terrific writing, a great plot, and excellent characters make this one of my top reads for 2020. I love Detective Liz Boyle, flaws and all. ( )

An interesting twist on the crime novel and the investigation of that crime, especially the geographic placement of the story which seems to be a current trend.

The story was the second in the character series and although I have not read the first novel the references back to that story did not detract from the flow and the story stands in its own right. However, I would therefore recommend reading the first story, The Flats, if this book is on your reading list.

I did enjoy the book, and the way in which the ending was handled was certainly different, but I felt there was something missing. To give more detail would “give the game away” to new readers so I will stop there. Safe to say it is a good read.

I really, really enjoyed this one so much. It is my favorite genre, but the book was also really well-written and enjoyable. Birdsall reminds me of Patricia Cornwell's earlier Kay Scarpetta novels. The publisher also included the first book in the series when this was sent, which was also great, and helped orient me in the series. I think that Boyle's character is believably flawed and human, the book was fast paced, not predictable and kept me going until the very end. I would say that the ending did seem just a little rushed, but that's typically par for the course with these types of books. All in all, it was a great way to spend a Saturday evening. ( )

I won a free copy in return for a review. Loved the book! It was well written and I enjoyed every page! ( )