3 out of 4 stars
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Chief of Police Ernie Gravnick's life is about to change. His latest case is not only proving to be like a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma, but it could also - quite literally - be the death of him. First, a husband and wife appear to have been brutally hacked and beaten to death, and the evidence points to their 13-year-old son as the culprit. Then while investigating a lead, Ernie is nearly beaten to death and left in a coma. It appears someone does not want him to solve this case.
To complicate things, Ernie becomes romantically involved with the person he believes to be the prime suspect. Yet, nothing is as it seems. With the possible involvement of both a mob boss and a sadistic assassin, Ernie is left grasping at straws. To stand a chance at solving the case, Ernie needs to figure out the motive behind the attack on the couple. Time is not on his side.
Bob Herpe’s debut novel, Gravnick, is a fast-paced, hard-edged, and well-written work of fiction. The plot and character development were more than adequate, and the dialogue felt real. The story picked up from the start with a momentum that built steadily. I appreciate the level of research that went into making the writing so compelling. The characterizations were believable, and the context of a dead attorney defending his client from the “grave” was quite fascinating. I also enjoyed how the author used alternate chapters to give readers a bit of background on the key characters in the book.
My favorite character was Dora Gravnick, Ernie’s mother. Her sassy spirit made her appear larger than life, despite being paralyzed from the neck down. Between her mind and her tongue, it was hard to decide which was sharper. Dora was a hoot, and I found her self-deprecating humor to be quite endearing. She was the daughter of a Mafia Don who had defied a father she idolized to marry a Jew. Following the murder of both her father and her husband, she suffered a debilitating stroke resulting from years of ceaseless binge drinking to drown her sorrows.
Unfortunately, several grammatical and typographical errors prevent me from giving Gravnick the maximum rating. However, the editing issues did not detract from the overall quality of the story as it was an engaging page-turner. The suspense, plot twists, romance, and intrigue made for a fun read. If you’re into fast-paced crime thrillers, this book is certainly worth your while. I gladly rate Gravnick 3 out of 4 stars, and I look forward to reading more books by this talented author.
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Gravnick
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