Darn. Once again, I discovered a series with the second book. You can start with Steven Cooper’s Dig Your Grave, but if you like the Arizona setting and the characters, Gus Mills and Alex Parker, as much as I did, you’ll wish you had started with Desert Remains.
Detective Alex Mills of the Phoenix Police Department needs help on his latest case. His team is called to a cemetery where the body of a well-dressed man has been found in an open grave. Mills, following a hunch, calls his friend Gus Parker. Gus is a psychic and Mills wants him to take a look at the scene. Gus often has a vision that will point them in the right direction, even if it’s unclear at first.
Then, a second body is found, and the man appears to have dug his own grave. Both dead men were prominent in their field, and in Phoenix. While Mills’ team digs to find a connection between the two victims, Gus goes missing. Parker’s girlfriend is a famous rock star, and she can’t locate him. It isn’t like Gus to miss work at his day-to-day job. It isn’t like him to not answer his phone. Detective Mills has to juggle family issues and look for Gus while trying to catch the killer who forces the victims to leave notes and dig their own graves.
Readers will appreciate the strong sense of place. While I recognized Phoenix locations, the descriptions are vividly drawn even for those who never lived in the area. Both lead characters are intriguing men with personal issues.
Dig Your Grave is a compelling, intense mystery. The intricately plotted story will appeal to fans of P.J. Tracy’s Monkeewrench novels. (I still think you should start with Desert Remains, though.)
Steven Cooper’s website is https://stevencooperbooks.com
Dig Your Grave by Steven Cooper. Seventh Street Books, 2018. ISBN 9781633884809 (paperback), 368p.
*****
FTC Full Disclosure – I received the book to review for a journal.
Thanks for telling us about this one, Lesa! I checked and my library has the first book. Think I'll put that one on my list and wait on this one. 🙂
You really have to stop reviewing books that sound good or I’m never going to catch up
Lesa, I second what SandyG265 wrote. It was exactly what I thought when I read your review. I downloaded a sample of his first book.
Trust you will have a readable weekend. Hugs
Hold list went up by 2 titles. Library computer screamed. SKYNET fired laser targeting systems unleashing lightning and thunder for much of the afternoon. Human emerges from his home to scream at the heavens, "I will read what Lesa tells me too."
Local squirrels plan neighborhood meeting at nearby tree to evaluate the fat human and what can be done about him.
I'm glad you all dropped by. Because I was in St. Louis overnight, I'm only looking at my blog at 6 PM & haven't even had a chance to Tweet this or put it on Facebook. I'm NOT sorry about TBR piles or, in Kevin's case, that screaming computer. I love your note, Kevin.
That squirrel meeting broke up awhile ago and now they are back building rafts due to the floods here.
Linked your review to my blog. I tried twoce to share the post you did on FB and I am still locked down and blocked from doing so becuase I "shared too fast" yesterday. Sigh. I should change my name, become a Russin Troll. That way I could get the freedom to post AND get paid.
Oh, for pete's sake, Kevin. That's ridiculous that you're locked down. You're right. Russian Trolls make out much better than that.
Still am this morning. So "temporarily" means more than 40 hours at this point.
Well, this is lousy. I hope you get out of Facebook Limbo soon.