Review of Murder in Swan Bay
Authors and publishers are not able to post replies in the review topics.
- Josephe-Anne
- Book of the Month Participant
- Posts: 1254
- Joined: 15 Jul 2019, 13:55
- Currently Reading:
- Bookshelf Size: 489
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-josephe-anne.html
- Latest Review: Singularity by Jayme A. Oliveira Filho
Review of Murder in Swan Bay
When faced with challenges in life, how do you respond? Murder in Swan Bay by Edward Vogler tells the story of a man who must overcome adversity and bring justice to his beloved city. Detective Joe Pickerelli is an overworked policeman who hardly ever spends time with his family. After begging his boss for some time off, Joe and his wife enjoy a romantic weekend together. Tragedy strikes as they are relaxing on the beach, and Joe’s life turns upside down. Reeling from the sudden turn of events, Joe vows to find the person who tried to murder him, but he soon realizes that this case is far bigger than he could have ever imagined. He follows a trail of deception, corruption, and betrayal to expose the secrets of an elusive crime family. Can the detective rise to the occasion or will he fold under the pressure?
The cover features an eye-catching photo of a rocky shoreline with some seagulls blurred in motion as they fly overhead. The angular, yellow title font complements the photo’s color scheme, but the words are blurry. Conversely, the author’s name is clearly printed in white. The themes of the novel include crime, drama, grief, family dynamics, friendship, love, and betrayal. There are several instances where profanity is used in the text. The violence in this book is implied more than it is described.
Joe is a believable character who is easy to empathize with. At first, he seems like an “average Joe,” but as the story progresses, readers see another side of him. His integrity and determination really shines through. Maddy, Joe’s eight-year-old daughter, is a ray of hope for him in his darkest hour. She provides motivation to him when he is overwhelmed by his grief and the stress of his job. Her sweet innocence brings a nice contrast to the serious tone of the story. Andy, one of Joe’s coworkers, is always eager to help him with the case. Her Southern charm mellows the male-dominated environment. Andy’s softer approach even soothes the metaphorical dragon that is Joe’s boss, Lieutenant Dawson. Dawson rules with an iron fist, barking orders at every officer under his command. Despite his unfriendly demeanor, he means well. Each character grows along with the changing situation, revealing his/her multifaceted personality.
I like the fact that Detective Pickerelli has powers of deduction that seem to rival those of the great Sherlock Holmes. Joe has a strong olfactory system, allowing him to smell everything like a bloodhound. In his descriptions, the author often emphasizes smells, mentioning odors such as sweat, cheap perfume, and delicious food. Mr. Vogler also provides excellent character descriptions and vivid details of the various settings. He also uses suspense to keep readers invested in the story. Due to the realistic depiction of the grieving process, I found myself shedding tears as I read about the death of one character and the mourning that resulted.
However, I felt that that character’s death occurred in a way that was too melodramatic in a stereotypically Hollywood style. I also found more than ten typographical errors in the text. So, the book could use another round of careful editing. Otherwise, this is a well-written book, and I have no other criticisms.
Therefore, I have decided to give Murder in Swan Bay by Edward Vogler a rating of four out of five stars. I deducted one star mainly because of the errors. If the editing is improved, this book could earn a perfect score. As is, this is an entertaining story that explores the dark nature of corruption and organized crime as well as the concept of a healthy work-life balance. I recommend this novel to fans of crime thrillers and mysteries. With one case solved and a new chapter of his life beginning, Detective Pickerelli has other adventures on the horizon. So, I look forward to reading the upcoming sequel to this novel.
******
Murder in Swan Bay
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
― Horace Mann
- NetMassimo
- Previous Member of the Month
- Posts: 6665
- Joined: 24 Jul 2019, 06:37
- Currently Reading: Exit Strategy
- Bookshelf Size: 429
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-netmassimo.html
- Latest Review: The Ripsons by Joe Morrow
- 2024 Reading Goal: 60
- 2024 Goal Completion: 41%
Massimo
-
- Posts: 54
- Joined: 01 Feb 2024, 06:05
- Currently Reading:
- Bookshelf Size: 18
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-ringle-nashak.html
- Latest Review: The Kovalenko Secret by Philip L Rettew
-
- Posts: 54
- Joined: 01 Feb 2024, 06:05
- Currently Reading:
- Bookshelf Size: 18
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-ringle-nashak.html
- Latest Review: The Kovalenko Secret by Philip L Rettew
- Alex Lynn
- In It Together VIP
- Posts: 215
- Joined: 09 Nov 2023, 11:38
- Currently Reading:
- Bookshelf Size: 51
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-alex-lynn.html
- Latest Review: God, Science and the Bible by Arnold V Page
-
- Posts: 14
- Joined: 21 Dec 2023, 14:58
- Currently Reading:
- Bookshelf Size: 0
- Biswajit Barman 1
- Posts: 64
- Joined: 25 Feb 2024, 22:57
- Bookshelf Size: 0
- 2024 Reading Goal: 91
- 2024 Goal Completion: 0%
-
- Book of the Month Participant
- Posts: 210
- Joined: 03 Aug 2023, 17:57
- Currently Reading:
- Bookshelf Size: 60
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-clauson-justin.html
- Latest Review: The Making, the Rise, and the Future of the Speakingman-fourth edition by Dan M Mrejeru
- Vinay Penubothu
- Posts: 188
- Joined: 19 Nov 2022, 22:01
- Currently Reading:
- Bookshelf Size: 23
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-vinay-penubothu.html
- Latest Review: UNEMPLOYABLE by Alysia Edith Silberg
-
- Posts: 155
- Joined: 15 Feb 2024, 03:56
- Currently Reading:
- Bookshelf Size: 16
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-rohith-kumar-pakala.html
- Latest Review: The MISOGI Method by Jody B. Miller
-
- Posts: 216
- Joined: 10 Feb 2024, 22:49
- Currently Reading:
- Bookshelf Size: 21
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-anil-baade.html
- Latest Review: The DrugTech Trilogy by Marcel Victor Sahade
-
- Posts: 222
- Joined: 07 Jan 2024, 10:25
- Currently Reading:
- Bookshelf Size: 21
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-ajay-rudrapati.html
- Latest Review: Karmic Selling by Stan Gwizdak
-
- Posts: 48
- Joined: 04 Mar 2024, 00:39
- Currently Reading:
- Bookshelf Size: 0