Blood Truth

Matt Coyle

Oceanview Publishing (DECEMBER) Hardcover $26.95 (368pp) 978-1-60809-239-0

Blood Truth builds up compelling mysteries and thunders toward a surprising ending.

Matt Coyle’s engrossing noir thriller Blood Truth finds Rick Cahill dredging up family mysteries while solving a seemingly simple cheating-husband case; it is a work that is difficult to put down.

Nearly thirty years after his disgraced father got booted off the force, Cahill discovers a safe hidden in their old family home. It holds an envelope stuffed with cash, a potential murder weapon missing exactly two bullets, and the key to a safety deposit box.

Before he can fully delve into the mystery, Cahill’s ex-girlfriend hires him to follow her new husband and get proof of infidelity. A web of intrigue ensnares Cahill, placing him in the crosshairs. With his life on the line, Cahill rushes headlong after justice.

Despite being the fourth book in a series, Blood Truth is incredibly accessible and functions almost as a standalone adventure. It builds upon previous books, but context is supplied subtly, without hampering the flow.

Cahill is a fantastic addition to the PI literary canon. He’s a sympathetic character with deep flaws but an unnerving drive to find truth at any cost. He lives by his father’s oft-quoted motto: “We can’t quit just because things get hard.”

Plot and pacing shine. There are few quiet moments in the book, as Cahill is always on

his way to confront someone, recovering from a colossal misstep, or gathering evidence to figure out the next mistake to make. That’s not to say that Cahill bumbles about; he learns quickly and adapts, but is always a few steps behind the bad guys. The twin mysteries of his father’s hidden safe and his ex-girlfriend’s cheating husband seem totally separate at first blush but quickly become deeply intertwined.

Expertly written and featuring a snarky and self-deprecating hero, Blood Truth builds up compelling mysteries and thunders toward a satisfying, if surprising, ending.