Death Never Lies

The federal bureaucrat charged with stopping the importation of dangerous materials vanishes only days before approving a new list of prohibited substances.

Homicide detective turned Homeland Security Agent Greg Kane suspects that the HHS employee may have been killed to keep the new list from going into effect, but he has no idea who's behind the crime, which chemical they are so desperate to import, and what they plan to do with it once they've gotten their hands on it.

After he dives into the case things quickly get complicated for Kane with twists, turns and the tangled relationships that comprise Greg Kane's life.

*May Contain Spoilers*

David Grace pens a crime thriller with focused details in his novel, Death Never Sleeps. Many small occurrences lead readers to the present plot of this book. As a Baltimore Police Officer, Gregory Kane is shot in the head, leaving him angry and blunt. Jason Kane disappears while transporting a criminal to a prison upstate. An importation regulator goes missing while a hit is taken out on a Supreme Court Justice. One loose thread can unravel the entire mystery, if only Kane and his partner can find it. 

Greg Kane is the main character of the book, but not the only important character nor the only character that readers will relate to. After running into gun fire to stop a couple of robbers, Kane is injured as a bullet skips along his brain like a rock thrown perfectly over a pond. Readers immediately know that Kane is brave, courageous, and a little ways off from normal. When he's transferred to Homeland Security, Kane is given a certain amount of leeway because of his history, but he still manages to irritate nearly everyone he comes into contact with. He's more intelligent than most and thinks he is a humorist. No matter, readers will enjoy the upfront officer who doesn't play nice. It's refreshing when a character surprises you and Kane is full of surprises. 

Both Danny Rosewood and Allison Varner are also characters that readers will enjoy. Danny is a desk jockey who does everything he can to look good on paper so one day he'll become a field agent. He's incredibly loyal, voracious for information, and never complains. Allison is the semi-love interest of Kane. Her husband died of cancer two years prior and she won't accept that he's gone. Readers will understand her point of view but won't necessarily agree with some of her decisions. 

The plot is a complete twister of chaos and criminal activity that all fits together rather nicely. Maybe a little too nicely? Or maybe the investigation has a lot of facets? I'm thinking a little bit of both. The main point is that Munroe, a criminal who escaped police a few years prior, has returned and a scientist has disappeared. Kane knows that if he can catch Munroe then a) he will find out what happened to his nephew Jason Kane, who Greg thinks was murdered by the criminal, b) exact his revenge on the dirty cop who aided Mr. Munroe, and c) save the United States from a new drug that's about to go into production. Though there is a lot going on, Grace does a wonderful job in keeping everything direct and understandable for readers. 

Rating: 4/5 Cups

Teaser Tuesday (141)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers



Death Never Lies (Kindle 62%)
   - David Grace

"He didn't suffer," Farber said in a rush. "A quick one to the head."

Death Never Sleeps

Veteran Homicide Detective James "Big Jim" Donegan and his partner, Detective Chris Hunter, have been called to scene of their latest case, a strangled call girl who has been put halfway through a wood chipper that was left unattended in one of the city's parks.

*May Contain Spoilers* 

David Grace gives fans a crime thriller with meaningful coincidence, intriguing connections, and unusual leads in his novel, Death Never Sleeps. When James and Chris are handed the case, it turns out the killer isn't the only mystery they'll be solving. 

James, "Big Jim," is the father figure of the Murder Crimes Unit. He informally adopted Chris at a young age and raised him with rules to live by. Big Jim is the detective who gives second chances, even to the most unwarranted suspect. Readers will enjoy his gut feelings, his belief that coincidences don't exist, and the nature in which he handles both suspects and witnesses. 

Chris is the complete opposite of Big Jim but that doesn't stop him from trying to emulate his role model. Chris would rather write computer programs and formulate plans than speak to a witness; facts in lieu of faces. As a character, he's completely lost when it comes to people. He struggles with connecting and understanding others. Readers will laugh at the jokes Chris doesn't get and like him that much more for it. 

The plot of Death Never Sleeps brings readers into the murder investigation of an escort, which somehow connects to another murder, this time a school principal. As Big Jim and Chris whittle their way through the facts, lack of evidence, and criminal procedures, readers will be intrigued and entertained by the two main characters. 

Rating: 3/5 Cups