Here are three non-cozy titles that I recently read and all three were unique in how the stories were being told, which added to my reading pleasure.

Within Plain Sight by Bruce Robert Coffin, third book in the Detective John Byron series. Coming February 4, 2020
Amid the dog days of summer, Detective Sergeant John Byron is called to the scene of a horrific crime: a young woman’s body, dismembered and left in an abandoned Portland lumber yard. The killing shares striking similarities with a spate of murders committed in Boston by a serial killer known only as the Horseman.

As Byron’s team investigates the case, they quickly push up against powerful forces in town. But Byron will stop at nothing to find the truth, not when there is a killer on the loose and everyone is a suspect. Has the Horseman expanded his killing field? Is this the work of an ingenious copycat—or is nothing what it seems? One thing is certain: Byron must uncover the truth before the killer strikes again.

My short musing: All I can say is that Bruce is a gifted writer that pulls you into his story and you’ve become John Byron as he fights his personal demons and fights to solve a mystery so deep that I held my breathe in this fast-pace, complex drama that didn’t let up until the last page was read.

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Pauper and Prince in Harlem by Delia C. Pitts, the fourth book in the Ross Agency series. Coming February 18, 2020
Blood runs cold on Harlem’s hottest summer night when drive-by assassins shoot up a crowded playground, killing the teenaged friend of private eye SJ Rook. Only fourteen, the kid was smart, affectionate, and alive with potential. His sudden death strikes Rook through the heart. Was this boy the victim of a cruel accident or was he targeted by gang hitmen in a ruthless display of power?

To find the killers, Rook must enlist the help of another teen, Whip, a mysterious runaway witness. Whip is a transgender boy whose life on the streets has drawn him into the realm of a violent mob kingpin. Bruised and discouraged by his mother’s rejection, Whip doesn’t want to be found. Not by the cops or by community do-gooders. And certainly not by Rook, a resolute stranger with vengeance on his mind. Rook’s search for the elusive kid requires persistence, street-level diplomacy, and guts. The quest becomes a dangerous trek through the meanest corners of his neighborhood. Racing from desolate homeless camps to urban swamps, from settlement houses to high-rise palaces ruled by greed and corruption, the determined Rook pursues his quarry. An unexpected twist in the detective’s relationship with his crime-fighting partner, Sabrina Ross, threatens to derail his mission while deepening their personal connection.

My short musing: Powerfully written fast-paced drama that had me immersed in all aspect in the telling of this tale. I watched how Rook pursued his quarry keeping me in suspense and the more I read, the more compelling this story became. Good job, good job.

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The Lucky One by Lori Rader-Day. Coming February 18, 2020
As a child, Alice was stolen from her backyard in a tiny Indiana community, but against the odds, her policeman father tracked her down within twenty-four hours and rescued her from harm. In the aftermath of the crime, her family decided to move to Chicago and close the door on that horrible day.

Yet Alice hasn’t forgotten. She devotes her spare time volunteering for a website called The Doe Pages scrolling through pages upon pages of unidentified people, searching for clues that could help reunite families with their missing loved ones. When a face appears on Alice’s screen that she recognizes, she’s stunned to realize it’s the same man who kidnapped her decades ago. The post is deleted as quickly as it appeared, leaving Alice with more questions than answers.

Embarking on a search for the truth, she enlists the help of friends from The Doe Pages to connect the dots and find her kidnapper before he hurts someone else. Then Alice crosses paths with Merrily Cruz, another woman who’s been hunting for answers of her own. Together, they begin to unravel a dark, painful web of lies that will change what they thought they knew—and could cost them everything.

Twisting and compulsively readable, The Lucky One explores the lies we tell ourselves to feel safe.

My short musing: An engaging read in a tightly-woven drama that let the narrative speak for itself as the characters seduced me in this intriguing tale of misdirection. This was one of those books that I could not put down until I knew the outcome.

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FTC Full Disclosure – I received an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) from the publisher.