Official Review: A Place to Die by Rusty Savage

[Braktooth]

[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "A Place to Die" by Rusty Savage.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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A Place to Die by Rusty Savage is a mystery, a coming of age story, and an description of life in a small county out in the woods of Kentucky. Savage is a self-published writer with experience in publishing and editing. His work is influenced by his personal experiences and the stories he heard from his father while growing up. He has published five novels so far.

The story is based in Hardin County in 1938. It follows the adventures of young Johnny Ringo, as he tries to get revenge for the murder of Frank, his older brother. First though, Johnny has to figure out who shot Frank in the back out in the woods. Who was Frank meeting? Was it one of the numerous bootleggers in the area that did the deed? If so, why?

Johnny deals with local police, Federal revenue agents, the ire of some local bootleggers, and a budding relationship with a high school friend all while tracking down the answer to the question that won't leave him alone: who killed Frank?

A Place to Die is an interesting story, told in a clean and simple writing style. While the story probably didn't need to be as long as it was, it is gripping enough that it doesn't leave the reader bored or wanting to stop. The main character is easy to relate to, and while he doesn't always make the wisest choices, that's pretty easy to understand given his age and circumstances. There are many secondary characters that are introduced who have separate voices and personalities, and most of them are given enough depth to make them interesting in their own right.

That said, there were a couple of plot issues that did leave me with questions towards the end of the book. Why would a deputy who is arresting a suspect just wait outside for them when they're going into their house, ostensibly to leave a note to their parents? Why wouldn't he inform said parents that their son was wanted, and to let him know if they were contacted?

The biggest issue for me was that I couldn't see why Johnny would leave someone at his back, who had access to a gun in exactly the same state he had been when he found Frank's body. It didn't make sense to me; the way the whole scene played out didn't seem either realistic or sensible.

Still, A Place to Die was an enjoyable read overall, and I would recommend it to people who like atypical murder mysteries. I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars.

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A Place to Die
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[Kourtney Bradley]

Very well written review! Nice job, and thank you for sharing!

[Braktooth]

Very well written review! Nice job, and thank you for sharing!

Thank you for that. By the way, your quote is fantastic.