The Red Storm: A Mystery - Hardcover

Bywaters, Grant

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1250073073 ISBN 13: 9781250073075

Publisher: Minotaur Books, 2015

Synopsis

Winner of the Minotaur Books/Private Eye Writers of America Best First Private Eye Novel Competition introducing a black ex-boxer P.I. working in 1930s New Orleans

Newly-minted private investigator William Fletcher is having trouble finding clientele. He's not the only man out of work, but his past as a former heavyweight contender with a few shady connections-not to mention the color of his skin in race-obsessed New Orleans-isn't helping lure clients to his door. Stuck without any viable alternative, he takes a case from an old criminal acquaintance, Storm. His only client assures him that the job is simple-locate his missing estranged daughter, Zella, no questions asked.

But when Fletcher starts knocking on doors, he sets off a catastrophic chain of events that turn the city into a bloody battleground between two rival syndicates. Then Storm is murdered and Fletcher finds himself caught between the police and dangerous mobsters. With Zella's safety in the balance, the unlikely private detective finds himself with a lot more than he bargained for.

The Red Storm is the first novel from licensed private investigator-turned-novelist Grant Bywaters.

About this title

About the Author:

GRANT BYWATERS has worked as a licensed private investigator and holds a B.S in psychology from Portland State University. Bywaters lives outside of Portland, Oregon. The Red Storm is his first novel.

Review:

"..for a first novel and a noir at that, The Red Storm is remarkably free of clichés...Grant Bywater's debut is a stunner."---Historical Novel Society

"VERDICT This is damned good--it even won the Minotaur Books/PWA Best First Private Eye Novel Competition, which is more than you did, pal. Historical fiction and hardboiled fans will enjoy this, reminiscent as it is of Walter Mosley's higher-quality Easy Rawlins mysteries."
Books for Dudes, Library Journal

"Written in the tradition of all hard-boiled noirs, this debut is an exciting trip down memory lane. The atmosphere and language are perfect as Bywaters captures the reality of a black man walking a fine line in 1930s New Orleans. Unexpected twists add to the excellence."
RT Book Reviews, 4 1/2 stars

"While the story takes place in the past the writing feels fresh and exciting. Fletcher is an enaging character and the ending has quite some nice pulpy action. It ticks all the boxes a PI novel should tick while the era and race of the PI gives it that little extra to make it stand out."Sons of Spade

"The Red Storm's plot is solid, but it is the setting in both time and place that distinguish this classically styled noir P.I. story, which Bywaters flavors with period slang as liberally as a Creole cook spices food." Shelf Awareness  

About this edition

• Publisher: Minotaur Books
• Publication date: 2015
• ISBN 10: 1250073073
• ISBN 13: 9781250073075
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 240