Guest reviewer Kevin Tipple is back with his take on this Howard Owen novel. Check out his blog Kevin's Corner for more book reviews and book news, as well as links to topics of interest.
Reviewed by Kevin Tipple
As The Bottom: A Willie Black Mystery
by Howard Owen begins, it is the middle of September 2013 and more than a year
since Les Hacker was murdered. Peggy, Willie Black’s mom, is still devastated
and deep in grief and so she is barely functioning. At least Peggy knows what
happened and that the killer was caught and is receiving some sort of justice
in a prison hospital.
For the family and friends of others justice in the form
of catching the killer of their loved ones can be a very elusive thing. Such is
the case for the families and friends of four young female victims and counting
as a serial killer or killers are working the streets of Richmond. Every six months
another young and homeless teen is brutalized, killed, and dumped to be found
by the authorities. Each body founds has the same strange tattoo which has
caused some in the media to refer to the “Tweety Bird Killer.”
The fact that there is a small thin connection to the
latest victim and his own daughter, Andi, makes Willie Black more than a little
concerned. The connection is innocent and Andi did nothing wrong, but it does
mean the police are going to be interested in her and therefore in Willie. They
are not the only ones interested in the actions of Willlie.
A former state senator, Wat Chenault, is leading a development
project that promises jobs, an increased tax base, and all the other usual amenities
that make those in power grant tax incentives and other goodies. The fact that
much of what is promised can just as easily go away the way the contract is
written for the developer is a troubling issue, but one that is being ignored
by the proponents. The fact that the development project will make traffic on the
surrounding freeway system way worse as well as the fact that the project would
be constructed on the graves of slaves is being ignored in the rush for the all
mighty dollar.
Then there is the history of the lead proponent. Walt
Chenault has a bad history and some of that has come back to light thanks to
Willie Black’s reporting on the new development. Litigation is being threatened
against the paper as well as Willie Black. He knows the stories were accurate.
He also knows that with corporate vultures circling the carcass of his slow decaying
paper yet again, those in charge are the paper are not going to do much to
support and defend him or his work.
This latest installment, The Bottom is another very good read in the Willie Black Mystery Series.
Rich in scene setting details, numerous twists and turns, and the occasional
sarcastic commentary power along the latest mystery. As the series progresses
overall, characters are not stagnant and continue to evolve as does Willie
Black’s attempts to be relatively sober and have a relationship. The read works
on all levels. The Bottom: A Willie Black Mystery by Howard Owen, like the
previous reads in this excellent series, is highly recommended.
The Bottom: A Willie Black Mystery
Howard Owen
The Permanent Press
August 2015
ISBN# 978-1-57962-392-0
Hardback (also available in audio, digital, and paper formats)
210 Pages
My reading copy came from the North Oak Cliff Branch of the Dallas
Public Library System.
Kevin R. Tipple ©2019
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