Friday , March 29 2024
When a child star finds himself accused of murder, he looks to Mac Faraday to save him as he holds hostages to keep the police at bay.

Book Review: ‘Twelve to Murder’ by Lauren Carr

twelve-to-murderIn bizarre circumstances, tragedy can be much stranger than fiction. When you bring in a ‘has been’ child star and a whole lot of drama, fireworks flare in spiraling patterns, leaving you to wonder how to find the true beginning of events beneath that very same performance.

In Twelve to Murder by Lauren Carr, Mac Faraday is drawn into a situation of strangely surreal circumstances. The former child-star and idol, Lenny Frost, becomes the prime suspect in the murder of his prior agent and her husband. Lenny has taken hostages in a local pub and demands that Mac find the killer. He has twelve hours to find the responsible party before Lenny begins killing hostages. Mac finds he too must play a part as he tries to ease the tension and get hostages released. With all the food and drinks they’ve imbibed, he is having difficulty getting his job done.

Questioning Lenny, he has some possible angles. How could Lenny be responsible and yet maintain his innocence by taking lives to prove his point? Mac has a very limited time to find the answers to the murder and keep his client from killing innocent hostages. As the drama and strange events continue to weave throughout the story, Mac is at odds with himself. Can he find the murderer in time to stop this freight train before it derails the life of Lenny Frost?

Carr has brought us an entertaining mystery and comedic intrigue, making you guess until the very end in this tale of murder. Her characters are just what you would expect to encounter in some of the same circumstances, and you find then either quite likable, quirky or just possibly deadly. The directions are coy and confusing, sending you into differing thoughts of possibilities.

Mac Faraday is an excellent character with just the right amount of emotion and humor. He is also very responsible and cares deeply about those he encounters. A few flaws and a huge heart help him to win your thoughts, and you hope he finds the answers.

If you enjoy mystery and comedy you will find this fills the bill. With odd duck characters and potential possibilities everywhere you will want to keep reading from start to finish. While not the usual book club type of read, the humor and sensitivities would create a great reaction and discussion. Carr is an author to watch for, and Faraday is an investigator of worth. I hope they both show up often.

About Leslie Wright

Leslie Wright is an author and blogger in the Northwest.

Check Also

Sharp Objects

ATX TV Review: HBO’s ‘Sharp Objects’ Goes Deep and Dark with Amy Adams

HBO premiered its new limited series, Sharp Objects, staring Amy Adams, at the ATX Television …