Review: Clever, complicated pieces DeMaria tied together well
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 12 23, 2012
There's so much going on, in so many venues, I made sure to read Sound of Blood in large blocks so the threads wouldn't get lost. Scarne is a believable detective, fleshed out by genuine sounding cop-speak dialogue. DeMaria also appears to have a deep awareness of police work and the political realities that sometimes affect outcomes.Like a Columbo story, the reader learns facts at the outset that Scarne has to unearth. Unlike Columbo, however, the building suspense in Scarne's quest comes not just from the progress of the investigation, but also from the increasing peril he confronts with each discovery. Basing the book around a corrupt financial empire gives it a timely feel, and the author's creation of quirky hit men, employing unique methods of dispatching victims, also helped tie me to the story.I would have given Sound of Blood 5 stars, but the love interest felt like a stretch, and the text would have benefited from an editor's scalpel in a few spots. Still, the pace rarely flags, and the tie-up of the details is very well done. A satisfying read.