PUBLICATION: July 9, 2024
Private Investigator Mysteries
Noir, Murder,
Suspense, Thriller
A Deep, Dark, Fatalistic Mystery That Will Keep You Knee-Deep in Murder
Calvin "Bronze" Goldberg is in a quandary. A congressman who was a shoo-in for re-election was found floating in the river. And while a gunshot wound to his head was the cause of death and accompanying rigor mortis, what was the motive? An eerie theory assembles like a fog in the night. The apparition in Bronze’s head whispers that a certain series of photos—photos that catch a cheating wife in the act of straycation—is connected to the homicide. The private eye resists, not wanting to believe all arrows point in one direction and follow a synchronized series of steps. But the emergence of a hitman puts the premonition’s contention back into play. The PI is now certain that there is only one motive for all the mayhem. One motive that is causing the serial killer to continue a bloodbath with impunity. While the investigator would love to know the answer as to what the motive is, there is a more central question that takes precedence, and it’s whether Bronze will be next.
WOO HOO! I took this joy ride and enjoyed every inch of the journey. Thoroughly entertaining, I found the characters to be unique and provocative, and the inclusion of backstories helping in understanding two of the key players that much more. The history lesson definitely explained some of the peculiar actions taken by Bronze and Iris, a woman who is mad crushing all over her favorite tenant throughout the entirety of this compelling story.
In many ways, BLOOD and MASCARA is a paean to old school hard-as-nails detective stories. It brought me back to watching movies in black and white and keeping track of the outfits worn by the femme fatale, the women the investigators always seem to fall for. Of course, this mood and atmosphere matching the classics is all due to the excellence of author Colin Krainin. I hereby pronounce him a wordsmith capable of using a sublime passage’s flow of words to take advantage of the rise and fall of human nature. All I can think is that his writing muse (that resides deep within him) called out as he was poised to write the first page and shouted: “Details! Give me details!” And at the sound of the starter’s gun … he was off! And so are we … exploring tunnels, and alleyways, and discovering what makes individuals turn their back on who they love in lieu of nearly getting their heads blown off trying to solve cases.
So if mystery is your thing, and private investigators running amok in trying to protect a woman caught up in web of lies beyond her reach, this might be for you. The writing is superb and niftily constructed paragraphs abound much like candlelit cities after dark. It all leads to a crash-bang of an ending where action rules and the exhaustive chase leaves you breathless.
Five stars for BLOOD AND MASCARA by word sensei Colin Krainin. And a big thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for giving me an ARC copy.
