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FireSong is the fifth installment in the Gus LeGarde mystery series and talented author Aaron Paul Lazar doesn’t disappoint, hooking readers right from the beginning and keeping them turning pages with a series of unexpected twists and turns.
Our amateur sleuth, Gus LeGarde, lives in the small town of East Goodland in the heart of the beautiful Genesee Valley, and works as a music professor at the local college. Except for the occasional mystery, he lives a quiet, happy life, surrounding himself with the things he loves most: his family and friends, his dogs, classical music, and cooking and gardening. If you’re expecting Gus to be a former alcoholic, embittered man who chain smokes, you’ll be pleasantly surprised. Instead, he is a true family man with a kind heart. This quality sets him apart from other sleuths in mystery series.
The story begins when, one warm Sunday evening, as Gus is attending the local parish with his family, a tornado sweeps by and unearths a dead body that had been secretly buried in the grounds of the church years ago. On closer inspection, the body turns out to be that of Gus’ friend, a man who had disappeared under mysterious circumstances.
Thus starts this winning mystery, one that takes Gus on a journey of danger, action, and adventure. From historical Indian grounds, to stolen money, to the Underground Railroad, to a thunderous fire that nearly takes his life and that of his beloved grandson, Gus takes us on an exciting ride that will be enjoyed by most fans of the genre.
Though the story has a lot of action at times, this isn’t what you’d call a fast-paced book. In skilful detail, Lazar uses description and narration to bring to life the setting, characters, and Gus’ way of life. The dialogue is natural and engaging. The novel has a ‘quiet’ tone at times which contrasts with the faster, action segments, creating a relaxed balance for those readers who don’t like to rush it and prefer to take their time when reading a mystery. The climax is exciting and Lazar does a good job at tying all the loose ends in the conclusion. FireSong is a stand-alone book, so it doesn’t matter if you haven’t read the earlier novels in the series. This will make a fun addition to your summer reading list, so be sure to add it.
