Los Angeles Times
Malone's gift for comedy is matched only by his ability to zero in on the darker underside of his character's live.
Los Angeles Times
Malone's gift for comedy is matched only by his ability to zero in on the darker underside of his character's live.
New York Times
Mr. Malone's twists and turns and surprises are downright phenomenal.
San Francisco Chronicle
Like Dickens—the comparison isn't far fetched—the author isn't afraid of stretching the truth to encompass it.
Library Journal
With this very personal police procedural, rife with local color and memorable characters, Malone resurrects two North Carolina police detectives from Time's Witness (1989). Hillston, NC, chief of police Cuddy Mangum and Justin Savile, head of the department's homicide division, are men besieged. The trial of a local university professor accused of murdering his wife is making its way slowly through the judicial system, and the Hillston police are taking heat because of tampered evidence, sensational media coverage, and enraged public opinion. Meanwhile, an unidentified murder victim has puzzled Cuddy and Justin for far too long, and city officials are demanding a quick resolution or quicker resignations. Pending elections, a political sex scandal, bad behavior of a visiting rock star, and Cuddy and Justin's own personal devils add to the pressure. Then second and third deaths point to the likelihood of a serial murderer. If the murderer is too easily identified and some of the clues go unexplained, the reader will still relish this page-turner for the entertainment it provides. Recommended for public libraries. Thomas L. Kilpatrick, Southern Illinois Univ. Lib., Carbondale Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.
Kirkus Reviews
It's taken Malone a dozen years (Times Witness, 1989) to return to Hillston, North Carolina, and its chief of police, curmudgeonly savant Cudberth (Cuddy) Mangum, and its homicide chief, echt aristocratic southerner Justin B.Savile V-but the excruciatingly long writing time has resulted in an award-caliber tale of murder, despair, and backroom deals. While Cuddy and JBFive are trying to identify the name of the second, hideously mutilated victim of the press-dubbed "Guess Who?" serial killer, mathematics professor Tyler Norris is on trial for the murder of his pregnant wife. Despite Judge Turbot's obvious belief in his guilt, his community standing and the wiley antics of old-time lawyer Isaac Rosethorn will probably set him free. Meanwhile, JBFive, despondent over the death of his infant son and separated from his wife Alice, has not only started drinking and smoking again, but has become mesmerized by touring rock superstar Mavis Mahar. The Guess Who killer is leaving taunting clues in Cuddy's office, around the courthouse, and even on the next few bodies, one of whom is thought to be Mavis and is barely covered by Governor Andy Brookside's raincoat, which quickly disappears in the arms of one of his aides. Two Guatemalan crones will die, as will Judge Turbot, before Cuddy stalemates the interfering attorney general, JBFive deciphers some of the more cryptic clues, and the Guess Who murderer is in their sights. The result: gorgeous writing-is there anyone better than a southerner at the top of his form?-and a near-perfect dovetailing of two instances of problematic love, the right-hand-washing-the-left over political lunches, as well as a passel of heroes to root for, including acancer-stricken fed, a cop and his dog partner, an ageing black blues pianist and a first lady true to her southern roots-and marriage vows. Start buffing up those awards now. Author tour
