Book Review: Superior Position

Reviewed By: Webspinner - RAM

Superior Position     Amazon US TPB Amazon Canada TPB
Evan McNamara
Class/Genre:   Mystery
Salvo Press; June 2004; 281pp

Former Army sniper Bill Tatum likes his new job. As Deputy Sheriff of Mineral County, Colorado, he gets to ride a horse and wear a cool hat, but he never expected to find the body of a dead woman in the hills behind his cabin. The fact that she was a reporter and that the town is in the midst of the tourist season they depend upon to get through the winter doesn't help, either. For the first time, Bill regrets his lack of official law enforcement training, especially when the Sheriff puts him in charge of the investigation because of his sniper experience.

The dead woman was a reporter -- one who thought she had found a story in the urban sprawl she saw as defacing the mountain areas she loved as a child. She also thought she had uncovered political corruption. Deputy Bill Tatum has more clues and theories than he knows what to do with, the bodies are falling faster than he can come up with theories, and the morgue begins to fill up past capacity.

This is a first novel for Evan McNamara. As such, it has definite possibilies. Did I figure out "who-dun-it" before Deputy Bill? Yup. Did that spoil the story for me? Not a bit - I've been reading these for a long time. McNamara has created a believable scenario and a cast of characters that deserve a next book With a little less "military" information and a little more concentration on the characterizations, he can create the backdrop for a good series that is deserving of a chance in the market. Well done!

Webspinner - RAM

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