Greetings, sir, This is an excellent opening chapter for your novel. You’ve set up the relationship issue to simmer in the background, and then jumped right into the crime scene without further ado. The characters are engaging and the mystery hooks us. I’m committed to finding out what happens next and how it’ll be resolved, whether I like it or not “Like” is a very simplistic word; when I say I “like” something of this type, it means it’s written in a way that holds my interest without being overly “noire” (whatever that means… glorying in the grotesque details? A questionable moral foundation? An unsatisfactory ending? An illogical dreamscape that exists only to dwell on creepiness? I’ve seen a lot, and this isn’t any of that.) You deal with the murder in as tasteful a manner as possible, with touches of humor provided by the interactions between the two detectives. The situation is logical and rooted in reality, which is somehow reassuring. (I wondered how the potential female assailant would have been physically capable of overpowering the victim, and you handled that with the taser detail.) When you first shared your idea for this story, I got the impression it would be from the perspective of the vigilante, a sort of antihero. But it’s arranged as a fairly average police drama, which is fascinating considering what I think I know about what they’re up against. To help establish motive, they should check whether the victim was listed on the sex offender registry. (Does the fact that his wife works at a reproductive health facility play into it?) Your knowledge of the regional setting shines through in how confidently it’s described. I’m glad you enjoy writing about the areas you’re familiar with; that’s a useful point to bring up for others. Thanks for sharing and take care. I look forward to further developments! My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!" .
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