Combustion

First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Martin J. Smith, and Diversion Books for providing me with a copy of this book, which allows me to provide you with this review.<br /><br />In his gripping new crime thriller, Martin J. Smith shows readers how versatile he can be, especially when he turns up the heat! Ron Starke is a longtime resident of Los Colmas, just outside the LA environs. He's idolised his father for as long as he can remember, climbing through the ranks and securing one of two detective spots on the Los Colmas PD. After weeks of handling the missing persons case of Paul Dwyer, a body turns up in some water out by a new residential development. After the forensics proves it to be Dwyer's body, Starke must turn the investigation into one with a homicide focus. With a new Chief of Police, Donna Kerrigan, riding him, Starke must do everything by the book in order to curry her favour, though she appears to have other plans. After approaching the widow, Shelby Dwyer, Starke must try to determine who might have had a motive to kill her husband. Shelby reveals a different side to Paul from the man everyone knew; one who was prone to violence, binge drinking, and chasing down any woman of his choosing. As Starke continues the investigation, the wildfires rage on the horizon, with an evacuation notice potentially days away. Working quickly, Starke learns that Shelby sought to trade in her computer the day after her husband went missing, but has no solid reason for doing so. Her less than casual follow-ups after the body is found leads Starke to wonder if there might be something more than mere technological curiosity on her mind. With a number of people coming forward with less than stellar stories about Paul Dwyer, Starke has many leads he must chase down before swooping in to make an arrest. When fire breaches the city limits, Starke has yet to find the killer, but Shelby has a secret, one that could blow the entire case wide open. Smith crafts this story so well that dedicated readers will blaze through it to discover what lies in the closing chapters.<br /><br />This is my first experience with Smith and his writing, but it will definitely not be my last. The character development is crisp and offers readers a wonderful look into the lives of many, while not bogging the story down at any point. Ron Starke's detective role is evident, but his back story, which includes a youthful romance with the widow, is neither lost on the reader or labelled as trivial. It weaves its way into the plot and offers a powerful impetus to judge the neutrality and professionalism that Starke can exhibit during the homicide investigation. Other characters work well in conjunction with Starke, including Chief Kerrigan, whose oil and water contrast throughout the story keeps Starke on his toes. A strong narrative coupled with short chapters helps push the story forward and keeps the reader wanting a little more to solve the case on their own. Smith knows all the key building blocks to a successful novel and incorporates them with ease as he places the setting amidst a developing wildfire. These elements can only offer the reader the highest quality action and suspense with Smith's latest novel. Highly recommended to anyone who has a hankering for a top tier crime thriller with a pace that does not wane.<br /><br />Kudos, Mr. Smith for this great piece of writing. You have found a new fan and I hope to devour the rest of your work as soon as I can locate it.<br /><br />Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at: <br /><a target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow" href="http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/">http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/</a>

Set against the backdrop of a developing wildfire in a fictional small Californian town, detective Ron Starke has to find the murderer of Paul Dwyer, a local property developer, whose tortured body is discovered weeks after he was reported missing by his wife Shelby. Shared history between Starke and the widow, and a strained working relationship with his new boss, Donna Kerrigan, don't make life any easier for Starke as the list of suspects in the murder investigation keeps growing. <br />This was quite a quick read, but nevertheless provided solid character development and intricate plotting as the writing was to the point without any unnecessary padding. Additionally, the very short chapters kept persuading me to read 'just one more'. Starke's relationship with his father who has early-onset Alzheimer's and his dealings with a young computer expert who helps him along in the investigation made Ron Starke a very likable character who I would love to see in future books. The plot was really intriguing as the reader was led down various paths for potential explanations why anybody would want a seemingly charitable businessman, husband, and father dead. A very enjoyable read which was fast-paced and with a few nice twists. I would definitely read more books by this author who was new to me. <br />The publisher, Diversion Books, invited me to read this book and provided a free copy. This is my unbiased and honest review. <br />

<br />A good basic mystery. And that's a good thing. It seems lately I've been reading all these books with multiple story lines and time frames. So it's nice to be reading a straightforward police procedural with well defined characters. I like Ron Starke, the detective at the heart of this novel. He's got a new boss, who's second guessing his actions. His father has early onset Alzheimer's and barely knows who he is. He lives and works in a small town, so everyone is known to him, including the wife of the murder victim. <br /><br />The storyline alternates between Starke and Shelby, the widow. Her late husband, a builder of McMansions, was a drunk, a womanizer and abusive to wife and daughter. He also had plenty of enemies. <br /><br />This one moves quickly. Just enough detail to set the time and place without overwhelming you. One part doesn't ring true. As a dog mother, I can't believe that no matter what the circumstances, you wouldn't realize your dog was missing right away. <br /><br />I give the author kudos for a brave ending. But the rationale of the killer didn't ring true. <br /><br />My thanks to netgalley and Diversion Books for an advance review copy. <br /><br />

"Starke had a flickering thought: TV news would be all over the story, and Paul Dwyer's family shouldn't find out that way. While he was no fan of Shelby Dwyer, the new widow deserved better. He took a long pull, certain the delay was spiking the blood pressure of a woman whose smile he had yet to see during her first few months as his boss. She was a puzzle."....<br /><br />Los Colmas, CA has a murder in their midst. Cop Ron Starke, has his hands full with a list of suspects, and motives. The body of Paul Dwyer, a local real estate developer,has been found in the dried up pond of some developing property.<br /><br />The widow, Shelby, has her own secrets. Paul wasn't what he appeared to be to everyone else. Not everyone thought Paul's developing the area was in the best interest of the town either. Was he killed by someone he angered with his work? Was it someone closer? <br /><br />Can Ron Starke appease his difficult boss and get the answers he is looking for? An out of control wildfire may burn the town to the ground, and there may not be anything left to investigate. Small towns and close relationships often help keep secrets. The closer Ron gets to the truth the harder his life is going to become. <br /><br />This mystery was well written, great characters and an intriguing read. I loved the relationship he has with his dad. Not a typical situation, but handled with such love. A few well placed surprises that will keep you fully engaged until the end. <br /><br />Thank you Martin J.Smith, Netgalley, and Diversion Books<br />

Paul Dwyer is dead, a floater that has only been found because his construction business diverted the water from the place where his body is dumped, and it dries up in the Southwestern desert heat, leaving his body exposed to the world. I was lucky to be able to read this book early, thanks to an invitation from Net Galley and Diversion Publishing, in exchange for this honest review. I am overjoyed to rate it five stars. I knew nothing at all about either Smith or Diversion, but it turned out to be a risk that worked out in my favor and the author’s.<br /><br />Our detective is Ron Starke, a single man whose father has Alzheimer’s. The reader cannot help but warm to him as we see him appear in his father’s room, hamburgers in a paper bag, prepared to patiently have the same conversation with his dad that he had with him several times yesterday and most likely will have tomorrow too. <br /><br />Shelby Dwyer, the victim’s widow, is a very wealthy woman now. She isn’t sorry that he’s gone, and neither is their teenage daughter Chloe. Dwyer was a violent, ugly man in private, regardless of the shine he demonstrated publicly. Naturally, Shelby is the chief suspect, a thing made more difficult by the fact that she was Starke’s girlfriend a decade ago, when they were in high school. But it’s a small town, a tiny exurb of Los Angeles, and everyone really does know everyone, aside from Starke’s supervisor, Kerrigan, a recent transplant from the big city. To make matters even more awkward, Starke had been considered a shoo-in for the job Kerrigan now occupies, and Kerrigan knows it.<br /><br />He has a feeling that his new boss is gunning for him.<br /><br />The story is told from alternate points of view, and Smith creates whiplash tension by shifting between them at key points. Character development is solid, and it makes me wonder about the possibility of a series emerging from this debut. <br /><br />Shelby may be rich now, but she is in tremendous personal jeopardy. All of the lonely nights spent holed up in the study, cruising online for connections she can’t find at home, have led her to expose herself in a horrifying way. And as she is forced to confess to Chloe about the unwise things she has said to another visitor in a chat room, a person using the handle LoveSick, and despite the horror of the moment I had to smile, as the traditional tables are turned and 17 year old Chloe has to tell her mother that you should never, never provide a stranger with personal details. <br /><br />Smith’s debut is hot as the desert sun, a page turner that will live in your head after the last page has turned. Those that know me are aware I finish an average of three titles weekly for review, and so months or even weeks later if I am contacted by the writer’s publicist, I sometimes have to flip back through my records to remind myself…wait, this is which book again? And this is especially true of mysteries, which no matter how unique, tend to share a certain sameness. But in this case, that didn’t happen. The settings are so resonant, the characters so well sculpted that I felt as if I were an unseen guest among them.<br /><br />It’s for sale today, and I highly recommend that you read it. <br />

I would like to thank Netgalley and Diversion Books for an advance copy of Combustion, a police procedural set in the fictional town of Los Colmas, California.<br /><br />Ron Starke, senior detective in the small Los Colmas force, has been investigating the disappearance of Paul Dwyer, a local property developer, when a body is found in a drying out pond. It is confirmed as Paul Dwyer but Ron's investigation is hampered on all fronts - the widow, Shelby, knows more than she is saying and newly appointed Chief Kerrigan does her best to stick her oar in with unhelpful or naïve (take your pick) lines of investigation.<br /><br />Combustion is the straightforward investigation of a murder set against the backdrop of looming forest fires. There is no subplot so it is fairly short and to the point. It is also quite a simple read as I guessed the perpetrator almost immediately and all that was left was the why.<br /><br />I think this is a novel which could have done with some fleshing out. More could have been done with the forensic computer aspects, Shelby's actions and Ron's investigation because as it is it all just falls, serendipitously, into his lap.<br /><br />Combustion is not a bad novel and will appeal to many readers, unfortunately it just wasn't complicated enough to hold my attention and get me involved.<br />

I received this arc from Netgalley. <br /><br />What a ride! Entertaining from beginning to end. It ends with a twist that you won't see coming. Definitely recommended <br />

This was a great mystery, thriller, fast paced and really hard to put down until the shocking end. I loved the characters, great and different story with a raging wildfire in the background! Highly recommend this book.

This book was absolutely spell-binding, and one of the best I've read in a very long time. The characters were exquisitely drawn, each and every one, and the dialog spot-on. And the plot! Devious, complex, engrossing and diabolical. Just brilliant.<br /><br />The central characters are Detective Ron Starke, Chief of Police Donna Kerrigan, and the wealthy wife of a real estate magnate, Shelby Dwyer. When Paul Dwyer, the husband, is reported missing by his wife, suspicions and rumors run wild. No trace is found of Paul until weeks later, when hikers find Paul's body near the pinnacle of a new Dwyer mini-mansion housing development in the hills of San Bernadino County, California. It appears the victim was tortured before being shot in the head and unceremoniously dumped in a shallow pond. From there, the tension explodes exponentially.<br /><br />Starke is assigned to investigate, but does so with some trepidation; he and the widow's wife were involved in a long-ago relationship, and for Starke, the wounds were not completely healed. When all indications point to Shelby as the likely suspect in the killing, Starke is committed to finding out the truth, no matter the circumstances. What he begins to unearth leads him down a twisted path of deception, unrequited love, pure evil, and destroyed innocence. It seems everyone involved -- from the victim to the Police Chief -- is hiding secrets more cunning and deadly than anyone imagined. The ending will blow your socks off.<br /><br />This book was so well-plotted and so engrossing that I read it in one sitting; I just couldn't walk away without knowing what was going to happen next. Rarely have I been so impressed with an author's ability to craft an intelligent, spine-tingling story; this is a book that is most definitely a "must read". If I could give this book 10 stars, I would do so in an instant. Highly recommended! <br /><br />*** This book was provided to me for free by the author and/or the publisher, through NetGalley, as an ARC in return for my honest review. ***

COMBUSTION, STORY LINE:<br /><br />In Combustion, Martin J. Smith has crafted a top drawer murder crime mystery which pulls the reader into this intriguing story-line. Lives collide, mysteries solved, and secrets revealed as a fire storm combust in Los Colmas. Ron Starke followed in his father's footsteps of law enforcement in the Inland Empire of California, Los Colmas. A dedicated officer, passed over for promotion to Chief, Ron loves his job.<br /><br />It is the dry season in California and fires are rampaging. Meanwhile, the lack of rain has revealed the under water grave of missing Paul Dwyer, wealthy construction magnate. Dwyer, super wealthy, abusive, obnoxious, and conceited, has met a very bad end. As a result, Ron Starke will find a long list of suspects including the grieving widow, Shelby. Ron will find secrets and mysteries abounds in this investigation. With a new Chief of Police on duty, Ron has his hands full ferreting out the murderer.<br /><br />Come along for a first-rate journey through mystery, secrets, and murder in sunny California.<br /><br /><br />COMBUSTION, CHARACTERS, PLOTTING, AND DEVELOPMENT:<br /><br />First I must say, this book is a thrill ride from beginning to end. Author Martin J. Smith begins on a high note and ends the story on an even higher one. The plots just keep coming in this full-bodied story-line. As a result, you will find mystery and deep dark secrets.<br /><br />Secondly, Author Martin J. Smith's character development was first-rate as we follow all the suspects. Each had reason to want Dwyer dead, including his wife and teenage daughter. Smith shows two sides of Dwyer, the abusive conceited wealthy "must have my way" man; the other, the benefactor of charities and community. Smith aptly portrayed each person has a good and bad side to their personality. Furthermore, his characterization of Ron was realistic as he depicts him with faults and issues along with his investigative skills.<br /><br />Also, Mr. Smith masterfully crafted the ending of Combustion; a killer revelation which left me saying, "wow, that I did not expect"! Do not cheat and read the ending first, do yourself a favor and savor every page until the combustive end.<br /><br />In concluding the review of Combustion, I found this book expertly written with an intriguing story-line which will hold the reader's attention. The pace of the book was fast with a clear writing style. Mr. Smith did not need to resort to fluff to fill the pages of his story.<br /><br /><br />COMBUSTION, RECOMMENDATION: 5 STARS<br /><br />In conclusion, I do not hesitate to give this book 5 stars. It will appeal to anyone that enjoys a solid well-written murder mystery.<br /><br />FINAL NOTE; I received this book from the author and Netgalley in return for an honest book review. Book reviews of any novel are dependent on the book review author’s opinion; consequently, book reviews on line and on my blog, are my opinion.