COLD BLOOD

4 stars out of 5

Not to sound like a broken record, but I do love a good series - especially when I'm fond of the main character. John Jordan, senior chaplain at the Gulf Correctional Institute in Florida and an investigator for the Gulf County Sheriff's Department, certainly fills that bill. He works two jobs, BTW, simply because he loves doing both and can't decide which to give up. 

This is the 13th in the series; I've read several others, although I have to admit I've skipped at least two before picking up this one. No matter; I've read enough that there was no problem catching up. At this point, John has an ex-wife and child, a live-in fiance, Anna, and their very young child.

In 2005, a 21-year-old student at the University of West Florida went missing; apparently, the car she was driving crashed in a remote area near the Gulf of Mexico. According to passers-by, the woman - Randa Raffield - was very much alive when they saw her at the scene of the accident. But then, she vanished - leaving her still-drivable car locked and in a spot many miles from the place she'd told others she'd be. A police investigation ensued, but no conclusions were reached (and since she was considered to be a troubled young woman, many believed she committed suicide).

It's 12 years later now, and true crime podcast reporters Merrick and Daniel are looking into the cold case in hopes of getting to the truth. They're both friends with John and ask him for help; after getting permission from the Sheriff (who has close ties to one of the reporters), he agrees. As new details turn up, though, the investigators get threatening messages telling them to back off or else. Needless to say, they don't listen - leading up to a surprise ending that's a real cliffhanger.

And that, perhaps above all else, was what soured me a tiny bit on this one - we're talking a doozy of a cliffhanger, and I'm just not enthralled with that tactic no matter who's doing the writing or how good the book otherwise is. Add in a few too many "coincidences" and an overload of praise laid on John for his wonderfulness, both personally and professionally (to the point of sappiness), and the whole thing just missed being perfectly enjoyable. But it's still well worth reading, and I've already got the next two just waiting for me to find time to read. For those who haven't read this series, I highly recommend that you go for it.

Cold Blood by Michael Lister (Pulpwood Press, February 2017); 306 pp.