“A brilliant first novel. Joseph Schneider’s contemporary writing evokes some of Hollywood’s most classic crime stories, from Chinatown to LA Confidential.” —Dick Wolf, creator of Law & OrderDetective Tully Jarsdel may not be a typical LAPD cop—but he’s the only one who can solve this caseA body so badly burned that it could be mistaken for a movie prop… except for the smell. That’s not … it could be mistaken for a movie prop… except for the smell. That’s not something the LAPD finds lying on the street every day. And when Detective Tully Jarsdel is called to the scene, it’s clear to him that something about the placement of the corpse is intentional, even ritualistic. Jarsdel’s former career in academia seems to finally be coming in handy, rather than serving merely as material for jokes from his partner, Morales.
But nothing Jarsdel learned in school can prepare him for the deep evil behind this case, which appears to be as hopeless as it is violent. As Jarsdel and Morales attempt to settle their differences and uncover the motive behind the horrendous crime, they find themselves dragged into the underbelly of a city notorious for chewing up and spitting out anyone dumb enough to turn their back on survival.
One Day You’ll Burn is a shimmering debut that captures the glitz and squalor of LA while introducing an unforgettable detective readers will rank among the best in the genre.
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ONE DAY YOU’LL BURN by Joseph Schneider is a different take on a contemporary police procedural set in the Los Angeles, California area. Rookie Detective Tully Jarsdel and his partner, Detective Oscar Morales work two murder cases as part of a new homicide squad. The first is that of a human body that was badly burned with the corpse left in a way that appears staged or ritualistic. The second case is one of a serial killer who couple’s dogs on their wedding day.
The novel is much more than a police procedural. Tully brings a unique perspective to his job. He is an ex-college history professor that was working on his PHD when he decided to change careers. It’s about loneliness even when surrounded by others. It’s about not fitting in with your colleagues even though you went through the same training regimen. It’s about depression. It’s about deciding to change careers and dealing with parents who feel you made a mistake. The story line also brings in a philosophical discussion on right and wrong.
Overall, this was unique and fresh. Tully and Morales are compelling characters that you can root for, but definitely have their own flaws and virtues. Their motivations seemed believable and well-drawn. Tully’s internal and external conflicts were well defined. The plot twists were believable, but unexpected with effective transitions. The author did a great job of world-building. For movie buffs, discussions of movies and movie props and posters come into the discussions in this story as well.
I enjoyed this well-written novel and recommend it to those that enjoy police procedurals with a twist. This is an excellent debut novel, and I look forward to reading Schneider’s next one.
Thanks to Shauneice Robinson with Poisoned Pen Press / Sourcebooks and Joseph Schneider for a physical ARC of this novel and the opportunity to provide an honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way.