Pacy book a cracker of a mystery

Whatever It Takes — Paul Cleave (Upstart Press, $37.99) Reviewed by Louise Ward, Wardini Books

Something weird is occurring in the sleepy town of Acacia Pines and Deputy Noah Harper will do whatever it takes to find out what’s going on. The story begins with a married Noah, employed by the police department, going to great lengths to extract information from a man suspected of kidnapping 7-year-old orphan Alyssa. Noah gets what he needs and saves Alyssa, at some cost to his personal and professional life. The seriously bashed up suspect just happens to be the son of Noah’s boss, Noah’s wife is a lawyer who cannot condone his behaviour, he has left his partner locked up at the scene for plausible deniability and things are never the same again.

We then skip forward 12 years to find an unmarried Noah running a successful bar in the city Acacia Pines, his marriage and police career are long ago and far away. That is until he gets a call informing him that the now young adult Alyssa has gone missing again and he is compelled to return in order to fulfil his promise to keep her safe.

After a thrilling start, the narrative gallops along at a breathtaking pace, with Noah uncovering clues, facing old demons and, with very little in life to lose, going all out to find Alyssa. Each character in Noah’s life comes back to support or haunt him, and each has his or her own issues to resolve.

The plot is unashamedly action packed, the body count high, the intrigue and menace set at full blast. There is however a mystery to solve, and the reader has the opportunity to think through what is happening, without the odd, surprise revelations or jarring coincidences that can spoil a good crime plot. There is something very fishy going on and we are with Noah every step of the way as he uncovers the truth, at great cost, by maverick means but with right on his side.

Whatever It Takes is a cracker of a read — pacy, exciting, with a wise cracking, self-deprecating and likeable hero with a wonderful turn of phrase. I hope he returns to save the day again.

■ Paul Cleave will be appearing at the Harcourts Hawke’s Bay Arts Festival Readers and Writers event, Crime Fiction Down Under, unpacking why we love crime fiction so much on Saturday, October 19, 5pm at Paisley Stage, Napier. Tickets available from hbaf.co.nz