Dead In Red
by L.L. Bartlett
Woohoo!
Psychic sleuth Jeff Resnick is back for a new mystery!
For all Jeff Resnick lovers and those
yet to discover this unique sleuth, L.L. Bartlett's second suspense
mystery, Dead in Red brings back a loved set of characters to a new
mystery territory, closer to home yet one that takes them to the darker
sides of society and the dark secrets of individuals nearby. The
psychic sleuth gives a nice twist to the unfolding mystery, but this
Jeff Resnick mystery also has an extra dimension as L.L. Bartlett peers
deeper into the relationship and tensions between Jeff and his brother.
In her debut mystery, Murder on the Mind, L.L. Bartlett introduced Jeff
Resnick. Divorced and having just lost his job as an insurance
investigator, Jeff is mugged. The attack leaves him brain damaged and
psychic. His brother Richard, a doctor, and Richard's girlfriend Brenda
care for him. Frustrated at his sudden incapacity and reliance on
Richard, Jeff investigates the brutal death of a banker.
In Dead in Red, Jeff Resnick turns his eyes from a high society
positioned victim to a murder closer to home. Tom Links, the owner of
his favorite bar and hang out, The Whole Nine Yards, asks Jeff to look
into the murder of bartender Walt Kaplan. Jeff sees a vision of a high
heeled red sequined shoe, a shoe that leads him to investigate a friend
from his brother's past, theater groups, foot fetishes and even the
haunts of the Buffalo's drag queens, but not even a psychic vision can
prepare him for the scenes that will unfold before him. As the clues
and a new vision lead him closer to answers, Jeff must race to save an
unknown person. Although fear and guilt haunt him, Jeff knows he can
only save this person by solving the crime.
Humorous, fast-paced and full of surprises and emotion. Jeff Resnick is
a great flawed sleuth. Although psychic, his vision does not make
things simple or easy, not one bit! Psychic answers are no substitute
or short cut to investigation. His visions give him an inside to the
crimes that the police do not have but they can also lead him into
dangerous paths that risk not only his life but the lives of those
around him.
Jeff's relationship to his brother Richard chafes. As a half-brother,
Richard had all the benefits that Jeff never had. Forced to rely on his
brother as an adult, he recalls the past and yet the present
circumstances forge a bond between the two. L.L. Bartlett gives the
reader new insights into Richard, adding humor and spunk to his
character. L.L. Bartlett's portrayal of family adds a richness to her
Jeff Resnick mysteries. Dead in Red raises the level as Jeff and
Richard must work together once more, adding a new glimpse of family in
the midst of the dark mystery Jeff uncovers through his psychic vision.
Dead and Red takes the reader to the darker side of town and the darker
regions of the mind. In Dead in Red, L.L. Bartlett give mystery and
suspense readers a unique eclectic mix of hard-edged characters and
scenarios mixed with intimate, tender family moments. There is no
guaranteed easy resolution or happily-ever-after summation but wow,
what a wonderful ending! Now --- when is the next Jeff Resnick mystery
out? I'm hooked.
Publisher: Five Star (June 2008)
Reviewed by Merrimon,
Merrimon Book Reviews
