When three young boys stumble into Lieutenant Jim DeLong’s life one night during a winter storm, they claim they’ve seen a dead body by the swing sets of the Columbia County Elementary School. After he investigates, DeLong sees no evidence, not even a body. But were the boys telling the truth?With the help of his oldest friend and mentor, former Naval investigator Russ Calhoun, DeLong sets out to … DeLong sets out to find whether Manny Grimes is alive or dead. The further away he gets to the bottom of the mystery, the closer he comes to realize that his own life is falling apart.
Delving deeper into the murder of Manny Grimes, Lieutenant DeLong begins to unravel, losing his sense of control, falling into old temptations he spent years to overcome. Will he be able to move past his own demons and untangle the web of lies before it’s too late?
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When you’re an avid reader of mysteries . . . and you discover a new favourite author! That in itself is nothing short of a miracle.
Kay was unknown to me when I first discovered Jim DeLong. But mysteries, detectives, and murder are a trifecta that it’s hard to pass up. Jam-packed with twists and turns, both Manny Grimes and Blood Runs Cold are the type of detective story that keeps you glued to the edge of your seat. Intriguing characters that come to life on the page – you care about what happens to these people! Each time I thought I was figuring out the villain, Kay changed things up and left me in the dust. But I like that in a mystery. I may try to figure things out, but I like a story that still has surprises to offer right till the end.
Fast-paced and well-written, I highly recommend this set; you’ll be glad you checked them out!
[I was fortunate to receive pre-publication copies of both books, with no obligation to review. The opinions expressed herein are given freely and are entirely my own.]
4.5 Stars!
A really good mystery with plenty to think about and try to figure out. The characters are so well written that they were instantly recognizable as old friends. A lot of life experience in this book made me think of it after a finished for a few days.
This was, and is meant to be, a very deep, dark, and foreboding thriller that is author Angela Kay’s debut novel. I feel it has a Christian undertow due to the moral ambiguities written throughout with references to The Bible. Jim DeLong and his friend, Russ Calhoun, are very strong characters that would be easily unlikable if you were to know them in real-life. The characters are all written as flawed with demons of their own to chase and hide from at various points throughout the mystery. The body of Manny Grimes is found buried in snow at a local elementary school by three boys, but when Lt Jim DeLong, the main investigator in our story, gets there, there is no body to be found.
Well written and full of suspense, I did not even begin to have a suspect in mind until halfway through the book even though those who may be suspect all had motives from the start. I loved how the weather was written into the mystery almost like it was a character of its own; my own feel on this and, yes, it sounds odd LOL
It all boils down to a fifteen-year murder mystery from Manny’s past, the death of Manny Grimes himself, and a suspected murder/suicide that are all entwined together in this suspense-filled novel. The story line and plot really pulled me in and am looking forward to Lt DeLong’s second book in the series, Blood Runs Cold, that I also received as part of their book tour.
This didn’t read like an author’s first book. Kept me on my toes and had some twists I didn’t see coming. Very interesting!
The Murder of Manny Grimes has everything a good crime thriller should have. The opening chapter pulled me in to the mystery and the characters are so well developed that I felt like I knew them. While the case of Manny Grimes’ murder is interesting enough with its twists and turns to keep a reader turning pages, I was equally interested in the life of Jim DeLong and those around him. None of these characters are perfect by any means and DeLong has his share of flaws, but there’s something endearing about him in spite of those flaws. DeLong’s determination to find a killer while dealing with a crumbling marriage pulls at the heartstrings throughout this gripping tale. Overall, this first Cases of Lieutenant DeLong is wonderfully written and a solid introduction to what I hope is a long running series.