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    Written in Blood
    Written in Blood
    Written in Blood
    Audiobook11 hours

    Written in Blood

    Written by Layton Green

    Narrated by Peter Berkrot

    3.5/5

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    About this audiobook

    Detective Joe "Preach" Everson, a prison chaplain turned police officer, is coming home. After a decade tracking down killers in Atlanta, and with a reputation as one of the finest homicide detectives in the city, his career derailed when he suffered a mental breakdown during the investigation of a serial killer who was targeting children.

    No sooner does Preach arrive at home in Creekville, North Carolina-a bohemian community near Chapel Hill-than a local bookstore owner is brutally killed, the first murder in a decade. The only officer with homicide experience, Preach is assigned to the case and makes a shocking discovery: the bookstore owner has been murdered in exactly the same manner as the pawnbroker in Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment.

    With the help of Ariana Hale, a law student and bibliophile who knew the victim, Preach investigates the local writer's community. As their questions increase, a second body is found, this time eerily resembling the crime scene in a famous Edgar Allan Poe novella. Preach and Ariana realize that their adversary is an intelligent, literate killer with a mind as devious as it is disturbed-and that one or both of them may be his next target.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherTantor Media, Inc
    Release dateJul 31, 2018
    ISBN9781977382252
    Author

    Layton Green

    JOIN LAYTON'S VIP READER'S GROUP (http://laytongreen.com/contact) FOR UPDATES ON NEW RELEASES, SPECIAL PROMOTIONS, AND MORE.  Layton is a bestselling author who writes across multiple genres, including mystery, thriller, suspense, horror, and fantasy. He is the author of the popular Dominic Grey series, as well as other works of fiction. His novels have been optioned for film, nominated for multiple awards (including a two-time finalist for an International Thriller Writers award), and have reached #1 on numerous genre lists in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Germany. Layton is also the co-editor of International Thrills, an online magazine for ITW (International Thriller Writers) that interviews crime authors from around the world. In addition to writing, Layton attended law school in New Orleans and was a practicing attorney for the better part of a decade. He has also been an intern for the United Nations, an ESL teacher in Central America, a bartender in London, a seller of cheap knives on the streets of Brixton, a door to door phone book deliverer in Florida, and the list goes downhill from there. Layton lives with his family in North Carolina. You can also visit him on Facebook, Goodreads, or on his website (www.laytongreen.com).

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    Reviews for Written in Blood

    3.5/5

    14 ratings3 reviews

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    • 3/5
      Joe (Preach) Everson has led a tumultuous life. As a teenager in Creekville, North Carolina, he was a champion wrestler, troublemaker, and ladies' man who had his pick of girlfriends. Sadly, a tragic loss precipitated an emotional breakdown and, instead of giving himself a chance to heal, he fled. Subsequently, he attended Bible college, and spent time as a prison chaplain. After giving up his work as a clergyman, he joined the Atlanta police force, but another harrowing experience cost him his job. Now, he has come full circle; after a sixteen-year absence, he is back in Creekville as a detective, much to the displeasure of his former high school buddies who never forgave him for leaving town without a word.

      The plot of Layton Green's "Written in Blood" involves a series of "literary murders." Various individuals are killed and the perpetrator leaves artifacts near the bodies that are reminiscent of various classic works, such as Dostoevsky's "Crime and Punishment." Joe and his partner, Scott Kirby, sift through the forensic evidence, interview witnesses, and look into the victims' backgrounds for clues. They also enrage a crime boss, Big Mac Dobbins, who threatens to retaliate if they get in his way. Joe befriends a beautiful and bright law student, Ari Hale, who works in a bookstore, is a voracious reader, and offers her opinions about Joe's case. Meanwhile, both Joe and Kirby must deal with ever-growing media attention as the body count rises.

      Green takes us inside a small Southern town that has changed radically in some ways but has stagnated in others. There is gentrification, but the have-nots still struggle to make ends meet while, at times, engaging in high-risk behavior. It is unfortunate that the author, who has a talent for portraying setting and character, loses control of his material in the final quarter of the book. He throws in murder, mayhem, and so many curveballs that, by the time the killer's identity is revealed, the solution seems almost anticlimactic. (The answer to "Whodunit?" will make you groan.) Even worse, Green overwhelms us with a byzantine and cluttered plot that involves adultery, sexual perversion, deceit, blackmail, and revenge. In addition, he fills this book with creepy and immoral predators who take pleasure in preying on weak and vulnerable victims. Preach and Ari are likeable enough protagonists, but Green would have served his heroes and us better had he not muddied the waters with so many outlandish red herrings.
    • 4/5
      Police procedural, if you're into that sorta thing, but a good one and recommended! Elements this has:- small town setting that's hiding very dark underground criminal elements beneath its Main Street facade- small town politics and connections that have to be untangled and impede investigation progress- involves a book store (I love when books/book stores play into plots)- multiple murder scenes that are copies of those in literary works- family-feud secrets come to light- a bad apple police officer who may or may not be redeemable- a damaged hero police officer- a budding romance- a strong female supporting character who could become a protagonist in her own right - really bad baddies Loved the three key characters: Preach, Ari, Kirby. Each was colorful, had a strong role, and was interesting in his/her own right with fully realized strengths and weaknesses. This is stand alone, but could easily be built into a series. If it is, I'd love to read more about them in future installments and if it isn't, I'll look for more from Layton Green.
    • 4/5
      STORY-LINE WRITTEN IN BLOOD BY LAYTON GREEN:In Written In Blood, Detective Joe "Preach" Everson, is back in his hometown of Creekville, N. C. After several breakdowns and the trauma of his last investigation in Atlanta, Preach needs to refuel and recoup. Preach never suspected the bohemian town of Creekville would be the sitting for several brutal murders with literary connections. Beginning with the killing of the local bookstore owner in a scene taken from Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment, Preach is in for a roller coaster ride.Ariana Hale, an employee of the bookstore, law student, and bibliophile, helps Preach with the literary connections. As the murders continue, time is running for Preach to solve these deaths, as well as, his and Ariana's life. My book reviews of Written In Blood follows.CHARACTERS, PLOTTING, DEVELOPMENT:Layton Green created a police procedural which will knock your socks off. With characters which are full-bodied, believable, and well-developed, Layton Green packed this book with a whirlwind of action, people, and relationships. I found the premise intriguing, and the action nonstop as Green led me through this investigation. Green created the typical small town which could be located anywhere in America. Under the small town facade, the reader finds greed, corruption, crime, deviance, and murder. To all appearances, Creedville is the perfect community until you dig under the surface and the scum floats to the top.Detective Joe "Preach" Everson's character will fascinate the reader. From preacher to prison chaplain to detective, Joe "Preach" Everson's life has been one of turmoil and pain; he thought he had seen the worse man could offer. Hoping to recoup and restore in Creekville, Preach finds himself in the middle of multi-faceted murders. He's a man torn by guilt, mental breakdowns, and the need to protect, serve, and provide justice; with his mental stability in question, he's ordered to see a therapist. His therapist of choice is his Aunt Jane. She takes his case with a caveat; he will be referred to someone else if she finds he has a problem.Using famous literary novels as the theme for the murders, the killer is elusive and smart. In a town full of criminal elements, Preach has a multitude of suspects. Layton included multi-plot lines, twists, and turns, and family dynamics into this highly suspenseful crime drama. He skillfully wove all the plot threads together, while keeping the suspense and mystery at a high peak. The action begins on the first page and continues throughout the story as Preach and his partner delve into the underbelly of Creekville. They find more than they bargained for as they dig into human lives and political arenas. Layton included a twist in Preach's partner; a man who is smart, greedy for success, and notoriety.Including a romance element into the story added depth to this power-packed drama. Not only is she a romantic interest, but she also helps interpret the scenes literary connections. However, time is running out to the solve murders and save the next victim. Preach finds Ariana and himself in the crosshairs of the criminal element in town. With an ending which left me gasping, I could not believe the identity of the killer. I did not see that coming!Layton writing's vividly descriptive and flows smoothly from scene to scene. His characters are well-developed and his storyline's fresh and original. I found myself worn to a frazzle as I closed this book, yet, thoroughly satisfied and entertained. Written In Blood is one of the best crime dramas I have read in some time. I could not put this book down. As a result, I suggest you get ready for a long day and night of reading as you delve into the town of Creekville. I would not hesitate to buy this book for myself or a friend.WRITTEN IN BLOOD RECOMMENDATION: STARS 4FINALLY, PLEASE NOTE:Additionally, I received this book from the author and Edelweiss. I chose to voluntarily review the book with honest crime suspense book reviews. Lastly, book reviews of any novel are dependent on the book review author’s opinion. Consequently, all book reviews on-line and on my blog, are my opinions. Also, ARC's do not influences my voluntary crime suspense books review.