Book Review: Everyone Dies

Reviewed By: Woodstock - RAM

Everyone Dies     Amazon US PB Amazon US HC Amazon Canada PB Amazon Canada HC
Michael McGarrity
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Police Procedural
Series: Kevin Kearney # 8

Kevin Kerney returns in the latest entry in this very enjoyable series. Kerney is now police chief in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He has taken a six week leave, since his wife Sara Brannon is due to deliver their first child any day. Brannon wisely has also taken a leave from her duties as an US Army Military Police officer, and the couple plans to supervise the construction of their new home in the hills near Santa Fe while they wait for the baby's arrival.

But a bewildering series of crimes interrupts their plans. A prominent attorney is gunned down, Kerney's horse is found shot in the stomach and left to die a hideously painful death, dead rats appear on Kerney's doorstep, as well as on that of a local artist, and investigators begin to find notes at the various crime scenes expressing explicit threats against Kerney and his entire family.

The action moves to the southern expanse of New Mexico where Kerney's adult son Clayton Istee resides with his wife and young family. Kerney determines that they are in harm's way as well, and his fears are proved justified.

Eventually law enforcement officers from the entire state are involved in a frustrating search through old legal files, trying to establish who might have such deadly grievances against Kerney and the others who have been murdered and threatened. We get to see Clayton in action, learning more about this proud young man and the impressive nature of his skills as an investigator.

The somewhat prickly nature of Kerney and Sara's marriage is put to the test once again, and the reader will be pulling for these two to learn how to integrate their strong mutual ambitions in their respective fields of employment.

This is a fast, tense read. It's an excellent introduction to McGarrity's excellent continuing series.

Woodstock - RAM

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Woodstock - RAM