Gone Before
by Terry Korth Fischer
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GENRE: Mystery
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Small-town detective, Rory Naysmith, thought he’d seen it all, but a young woman’s brutal murder is especially hard to stomach. Doubly so, when he recognizes the murder’s MO is identical to that of Tobias Snearl—the killer he put behind bars a decade before. His frustration grows after a series of senseless accidents plague those dearest to him, and a second woman dies—this one too close to home. Searching for answers, Rory races against time, plunging deep into the murder investigations, drawing ever closer to becoming a casualty of the dark, angry deeds himself, until he finds no one is who they pretend to be—and none are beyond evil’s reach.
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Gone Before is the second Rory Naysmith mystery, something I wasn't aware of until I started reading. One of these days, I'll check those details before I actually crack open what turns out to be part of a series. So, what I'll say about that is yes, I feel like I was behind the game a bit with getting to know the characters of small-town Winterset, but it didn't take long before I had them figured out. And those characters are part of what makes this detective mystery work so well, what makes it stand out from the crowd. Terry Korth Fischer has a great sense of humor as well as a good sense for the timing of that humor. There are many chuckle-worthy moments throughout the story, but it doesn't take away from the tension of the mystery. A small-town setting like this one with quirky characters can often fall into cozy mystery territory, and there's nothing wrong with that. It's just not one of my favorite mystery sub-genres. What I do like is a good detective series with likable characters that I can follow from one case to the next. Rory Naysmith is a likable character. He's not perfect, and he's not the picture of health with a rock-hard body. Nope, he's a regular guy who happens to be good at his job, which makes him feel more realistic than he might have. The story has good pacing, and it held my interest all the way through, so I'll have to keep an eye out for whatever comes next.
EXCERPT:
“I think my guardian angel is off for the Fourth.” The detective studied the cloudless sky and tried not to think about his foot. It didn’t work. “Just use the crowbar to break one of these frickin’ stones loose.”
The jack handle didn’t do the trick. Opening the trenching tool and using the pick end, Thacker swung it against the largest stone. It bounced off the surface.
Rory suppressed a scream as pain shot from his knee down his encased leg. “Easy!”
“Sorry, boss.”
“Try removing one of the outer stones. Loosen them, and maybe we’ll be able to budge these. I’ll hold the light, and you make room for these damn jaws to unclasp. Try finding the cornerstone.”
A fine layer of perspiration covered Rory’s face. He felt defeated and a little nauseous. He leaned back on his elbows and looked at the sky. “Thacker,” he said, “this is damn unlucky.”
The rookie moved down the mound to the edge of the pile. Using the crowbar and a lot of muscle, he attacked. Finally, he was able to roll one stone out of position. Then another. He was still three feet from Rory’s crevice, working his way toward the more enormous boulders and Rory’s ultimate freedom, when the rock he was prying loose rolled out of place. He hesitated. “There is something funny here, boss.”
“I could use a good laugh.”
“Not ha-ha funny, peculiar funny.” “Tell me anyway.”
“There’s someone else in this rock pile.”
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Terry Korth Fischer writes mystery and memoir. Her memoir, Omaha to Ogallala, was released in 2019. Her short stories have appeared in numerous anthologies in print and online. Terry is a member of Sisters in Crime, Pennwriters, Inc, and Clear Lake Area Writers. Transplanted from the Midwest, Terry lives in Houston with her husband and their two guard cats. She enjoys a good mystery, heat and humidity, and long summer days. Visit her website at https://terrykorthfischer.com
Social media contacts:
Website: https://terrykorthfischer.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/terryiswriting
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TerryIsWriting
Amazon Author Page: www.amazon.com/author/terrykorthfischer
Goodreads Author: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14349440.Terry_Korth_Fischer
BookBub Author: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/terry-korth-fischer
BookGems Author: https://www.bookgems.com/profile/tkfischer/
BLOG Website: https://www.terryiswriting.com
Newsletter: https://tinyletter.com/TerryKorthFischer
Amazon Buy link:
https://www.amazon.com/Gone-Before-Rory-Naysmith-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B09KQVCM6M/ref=sr_1_1?
Barnes & Noble Buy link:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/gone-before-terry-korth-fischer/1140489584?
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59457770-gone-before
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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE:
Thanks for hosting!
ReplyDeleteThank you for hosting me and the great review for Gone Before. It's not too late to read book 1, Gone Astray!
ReplyDeleteI look forward to reading this it sounds like my kind of book.
ReplyDeleteThe book sounds very intriguing. Great cover!
ReplyDeleteFantastic excerpt, Gone Before sounds like a thrilling read for me to enjoy! Thanks for sharing it with me! Thanks, Momma Says, for sharing your review! Have a wonderful day!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a good read
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