A Far Gone Night by John Carenen
Publication Date: September 9, 2014
Neverland Publishing
Formats: eBook, Paperback
Genre: Mystery
Series: A Thomas O'Shea Mystery (Book Two)
Source: Publisher/author via Book Junkie Promotions for an honest review
Suffering from insomnia, wise-cracking tough guy Thomas O'Shea goes for a late-night stroll through the peaceful streets of Rockbluff, Iowa, and finds himself pausing downtown on the bridge that spans the Whitetail River. When he glances downstream, something catches his eye…something that looks like a body. He scrambles down to the riverbank, pulling the body of a young girl from the water. The girl is naked, with two bullet holes in the back of her head. Ever suspicious of law enforcement, O’Shea chooses not mention the bullet holes when Deputy Stephen Doltch, on routine patrol, discovers him at the river's edge. When the coroner's report lists the cause of death as "drowning," Thomas goes into action.
Confronting the coroner, he is met with hostility. But then the coroner and his wife disappear, along with the body of the dead girl. Once again, Thomas gears up to find answers that will reveal who put the bullets in the girl's head, why she was killed, and her identity, which may hit a little too close to home.
Teaming up with his friend Lunatic Mooning and Clancy Dominguez, an old buddy from his Navy SEAL days, Thomas and the other two men join together to bring justice to the dead girl, a quest that takes them to the Chalaka Reservation in Minnesota, seedy businesses adjacent to the Chalaka Casino, and straight into the world of organized crime.
A fast-paced story, laugh-out-loud moments and familiar, quirky characters from Carenen's debut novel, Signs of Struggle, contribute once again to the complex world of Thomas O'Shea. Enter…if you dare.
My Take:
A Far Gone Night was one of those books that I was just going to take a peek at while I was reading a few others for review - just to see what was in store for me. Needless to say, I was hooked from the start. I hadn't read the previous book and I was completely intrigued by this guy who just seemed to attract trouble no matter what he did. I had to find out who this Thomas O'Shea guy was, why did he seem to threaten the local law enforcement so much, and why was he such a trouble magnet?
I found O'Shea to be a funny, engaging and at times a surprising protagonist. I was completely engaged by the story and his back story as well as the unique and always interesting characters who inhabit Rockbluff, Iowa. Seriously, I was captivated by this world and had so much fun reading this book. There is so much to be explored here. The characters have interesting and complicated lives and there is a certain amount of corruption and many secrets to be uncovered. O'Shea is a complicated guy who is loyal above all else.
I haven't read the first book of the Thomas O'Shea Mysteries, but I will be remedying that situation as soon as I can. I think that anyone who likes mysteries and quirky characters and small towns will love A Far Gone Night. They mystery is fun, there is a lot of excitement and humor and many issues to be contemplated while reading. What more could a reader want?
About the Author
John Carenen, a native of Clinton, Iowa, graduated with an M.F.A. in Fiction Writing from the prestigious University of Iowa Writers Workshop and has been writing ever since. His work has appeared in numerous popular and literary magazines, and he has been a featured columnist in newspapers in North and South Carolina. A novel, Son-up, Son-down was published by the National Institute of Mental Health.
His debut Thomas O'Shea mystery novel, Signs of Struggle, was published in October of 2012. A Far Gone Night, the long- anticipated sequel, continues the exploits of the enigmatic protagonist and the quirky characters of Rockbluff, Iowa.
John is currently an English professor at Newberry College in Newberry, South Carolina. He and his wife live in their cozy cottage down a quiet lane in northern Greenville, South Carolina. He is a big fan of the Iowa Hawkeyes and Boston Red Sox.
For more information please visit John Carenen's blog. You can also connect with him on Facebook and Goodreads.
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