Review of Homeless and Dead

[Bertha Jackson]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Homeless and Dead" by William L. Mansfield.]

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5 out of 5 stars

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Homeless and Dead: An Alexander Wright Mystery Adventure, Book 11 in the series by William L. Mansfield, is a crime thriller that revolves around the deaths of three homeless men in California’s Orange County. All three men were given haircuts, shaved, and their nails trimmed before their bodies were dismembered. These deaths make Alex, a county appraiser, more concerned about the homeless situation in Orange County. He helps his friend, Assistant Chief of Police Zack, his former brother-in-law, Mike, who heads the Santa Ana FBI headquarters, and the local newspaper reporter investigate to find out more about the victims and who might have wanted them dead. While questioning homeless people, they begin to see a pattern in what led them to this lifestyle and decide to contact the “gang of 22.” Who are the “gang of 22?” Is there a viable solution to homelessness? Who killed the three victims? What was the motive behind these murders?

William Mansfield does an excellent job of tying the issues with homelessness into this crime thriller and the mystery surrounding the murders. He details how innocent people, regardless of income status, can fall into bad times and lose everything, including their homes. It was interesting that some people would rather live in a tent, where they can make their income go further than just rent and little else. Gym memberships allow individuals to take showers and change clothes daily. I liked how William Mansfield broke down the homeless into different categories and how various government agencies should be looking after them. One example is how the Veterans Administration could do more to help veterans. I found the homeless statistics fascinating to read. Part of what they revealed about Orange County was that 61% of the homeless are unsheltered, 20% live in emergency shelters, and 19% are in transitional housing. These numbers are staggering, and I applaud the author for using this data in his story. I enjoyed how the plot flowed smoothly between Alex’s job as an appraiser, the homeless situation, and the murder mystery. One of the thought-provoking lessons I learned from this book was when you are making a decision, “never say no until you have considered all the possible reasons for yes.”

There are a couple of minor formatting issues in the Kindle version of this book, but they did not distract from my reading enjoyment. With only a handful of minor errors, I disliked nothing about this fascinating book.

I gladly give this book that focuses on one of society’s biggest problems a rating of 5 out of 5 stars. It has been professionally edited and makes the reader sit up and think about what they can do to help the less fortunate in our society. There is absolutely no reason to give this book a lower rating. Although it is part of a series, you do not have to read the other books to understand this one.

If you are a reader who enjoys crime thrillers, mysteries, or stories about society’s problems, then this book is for you. If you want to learn how easy it would be for you to become homeless, regardless of your wealth or status, read this book. I will caution sensitive readers that this book has a small amount of non-descriptive gory content and non-borderline profanity.

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Homeless and Dead
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

[Nwoko E]

William Mansfield does an excellent job of trying the issue with homelessness into this crime thriller and the mystery surrounding the murders. Great review.

[Victor Ayub Migos]

This sounds like an interesting crime thriller novel, they are actually my favorite type of genre. Looking forward to a great read while solving mysteries with William Mansfield.Nice review though.

[Favour Ugwu Chidinma]

"Never say no until you have considered every possible reason to do so". It's a milestone that I never stop remembering. Great review.

[NetMassimo]

This seems like an engaging crime thriller that also addresses a social problem, specifically concerning homeless people. If this series reached book #11, I have to think that the novels are good, so I'll look into them. Thank you for your great review!

[Shedrack A]

I've read a lot of novels about serial killers with the same killing patterns and they just keep getting me really interested. Great review!

[Kemzy5]

I do not know why I keep getting excited to read books about murders. Anyway, great review.