Reviewed by Jeanne
Emily Kelton is a journalist, currently working for the Boston Standard on three months’
probation before becoming a full-fledged employee. She has the crime beat, working anything of
interest that comes in over the scanner, desperate to get copy in—especially a
story that would rate a byline. She’s no
rookie; she’s jaded enough to know that some crimes won’t rate space in the
paper or police investigation time. She
knows a lot of the small time operators in the city, and she is good at
spotting patterns. When dead bodies
start turning up in alleys, she thinks there may be a connection but handsome
detective Jack Harcourt disagrees.
That isn’t going to stop Em.
She’s a real reporter and and she knows a story when she sees one. One way or another, she’s going to uncover
what is really going on in the streets and alleys of Boston.
This is a standalone novel from Simon, who is also the author
of several series. It’s a bit darker and grittier than some of her other
offerings but just as well written. Em is no wide-eyed innocent, for all her
rookie status. She comes off as more an old-time journalist, eschewing
databases for pounding the streets and interviewing witnesses. She is cynical and a bit of a loner though she
is loyal to friends like Roz, a reporter who is working on stories out of city
hall. Em is tough; she’s cautious in the streets but not cowed. She’s well able
to stand up for herself against editors, bouncers, or cops and can hold her own
at a bar. She is As a reader, I enjoyed the peek behind the
scenes at a newspaper, even as subscriptions dwindle and content goes online. Simon also does a good job of conveying the
atmosphere of the seamier side of Boston. Good mystery, strong
characterization, some fast-paced action and a few twists and turns make for a
most enjoyable read.
Other standalone novels by Simon are World Enough and Hold
Me Down; her most recent series is Witch
Cats of Cambridge.
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