5+ stars for Soundings in the Dark by Brian Anderson #bookreview #mystery #mustread #nnlbh
- N. N. Light
- 6 hours ago
- 3 min read
Title: Soundings in the Dark
Author: Brian Anderson
Genre: Mystery
Book Blurb:
Minneapolis P.I. Lyle Dahms investigates the murder of an old high school buddy. The dead man, now a highly successful software developer, is found repeatedly stabbed with swastikas carved into his corpse. Suspicion promptly falls on the dead man’s son, a high school student who had gone virtually overnight from star athlete and scholar to rebellious skinhead whose hate-filled diatribes spare no one, least of all his privileged, liberal father. Dahms soon discovers others with motives to kill his old friend, chief among them a white supremacist leader and publicity-hungry “minister” who frames his racist views as divine law. But before Dahms can close in on the truth, his investigation is hampered by the arrival of the dead man’s former girlfriend, now an embittered hooker. Claiming to know who killed his friend, she refuses to tell Dahms for fear that she will be the next victim. She does, however, leave him something. When she bolts, she abandons her three-year-old daughter to his care, leaving Dahms charged with keeping the little girl safe, finding her mother, and solving the murder before the killer can strike again.
My Review:
A layered and suspenseful murder mystery with an amazing cast of characters, including an endearing hard-boiled detective, and the highest stakes possible.
After his childhood friend is found dead with swastikas carved into his body, P.I. Lyle Dahms finds himself at the center of another mystery. His situation becomes even more complicated when his dead friend’s ex-girlfriend, fearing she’ll be killed next, leaves her three-year-old daughter, Eva, on his doorstep. But Lyle never gives up on his friends and doing what’s right. In return for all he’s done for them in the past, Lyle’s friends rally around him to protect and care for both him and Eva.
Throughout the series, Lyle’s character grows and evolves as he learns from past mistakes while continuing to wear his heart on his sleeve. This rich character development, and the growing bonds between Lyle and the secondary cast, make this story a true gem. One can’t help but get invested in the story while admiring their tenacity and willingness to unmask the villain and bring them to justice.
The mystery plot is a complex puzzle to solve with suspense and tension building from the opening pages and carrying through to the end. Lyle must gather the pieces and assemble them into something cohesive while trying to survive attempts on his life and protect Eva. It’s a delicate balance and something is liable to go wrong.
Fans of Walter Mosley and Matt Goldman will enjoy this riveting story.
My Rating: 5+ stars
Buy it Now:
Barnes and Noble: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/206148989-soundings-in-the-dark?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=hihPEv3vjB&rank=1
The Wild Rose Press: https://wildrosepress.com/product/soundings-in-the-dark/
Author Biography:
Brian Anderson is a graduate of the University of Minnesota whose Dinkytown neighborhood provides the setting for his mystery series featuring private investigator Lyle Dahms. The Dahms novels spring from his lifelong love of mystery fiction, especially the works of Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler, as well as more contemporary masters like Robert B. Parker and G. M. Ford. He is a three-time finalist in the Pacific Northwest Writers Association mystery and suspense contest, and his debut novel, The Shiver in Her Eyes, was a finalist in their Nancy Pearl Contest for published fiction.
In 2024, he released his standalone novel Yule Tide, which features a fallen angel turned private investigator who fights to wrest Christmas from the dark forces who have taken control and twisted it to their evil ends.
Brian spent much of his professional career working to alleviate domestic hunger serving as the operations director of the Emergency Feeding Program of Seattle & King County as well as the manager of the Pike Market Food Bank in downtown Seattle. Married with three beautiful daughters, he now lives and writes in Ocean Shores, a small city on the Washington coast.
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Reviewed by: Michelle
