Claudia Caranfa’s cover artwork captures several of the key elements of Five Decembers by James Kestrel (aka, Jonathan Moore). You’ll notice in the background a squadron of bombers dropping death in a world on fire while a man watches with a gun in his hand. Oh, yeah, and the girl.
Five Decembers begins in 1941 with Honolulu police detective Joe McGrady discovering a vivisected body. Minutes later, McGrady engages in a shoot-out with a suspect. McGrady lives, the suspect dies. But the murder morphs into a story that resembles The Odyssey as McGrady is sent to Hong Kong to investigate a lead. As luck would have it, McGrady is framed, beaten, and jailed just as Hong Kong is invaded by the Japanese.
McGrady’s trials and tribulations continue during the war years, but he never gives up his obsession with the case that launched his incredible Asian journey. If you’re in the mood for a high octane crime novel with more twists and turns and surprises than the Le Mans Grand Prix, rev up your engine and read Five Decembers. GRADE: A
Glad you liked it. I already put in a request for it at my library. It should be here this week.
Steve, be prepared for a story that changes direction.
I am far behind in my reading of Hard Case Crime novels. Gotta remedy that. Same with their line of graphic novels.
This one looks like a winner, George.
Jerry, I haven’t read many stories set in Honolulu or Hong Kong so FIVE DECEMBERS breaks new ground for me.
One kind of minor classic among Hawaiian readers is Jon Sirota’s LUCKY COME HAWAII, also set during WW2. Bantam published the edition I read, all those decades back, when I lived there.
Todd, Patrick visited Hawaii when one of his friends, a volcano expert, was working there.
I probably knew at least one or two people in common with Patrick’s friend, when I was a geology (and polisci and English) major at UH, though perhaps the friend wasn’t out there in the ’80s…
This is getting a lot of very positive buzz. The review in the NYT revealed that Kestrel is a pseudonym for Jonathan Moore, who has written several thrillers and has won an Edgar for best paperback original of 2020, BLOOD RELATIONS. I have a library hold on it and should get it soon.
Michael, James Kestrel (aka, Jonathan Moore) is a writer to watch. This HARD CASE CRIME original garnered positive reviews and hopefully that pays off in strong sales.
Hard Case Crime really pulled it off during hard times. Good for Charles Ardai.
Patti, the cover of FIVE DECEMBERS features a nice blurb by Megan!
Add me to the list for this one. Hmm, Honolulu or Hong Kong. I think one of the Bosch books had a section in Hong Kong. And didn’t Max Allan Collins have a Pearl Harbor book?
Of course, James Clavell’s TAI-PAN was set in Hong Kong, as was his NOBLE HOUSE.
Jeff, yes, I remember James Clavell’s 1000 page books about Hong Kong. But most mysteries I’ve read are not set in Asia other than the Judge Dee series.
Jeff, Max Allan Collins has written about EVERYTHING!
Max Allan Collins wrote one about Edgar Rice Burroughs being in Pearl Harbor when the Japanese bombed it in ’41, called THE PEARL HARBOR MURDERS!
Bob, I had forgotten al about THE PEARL HARBOR MURDERS! Thanks for the memory jog!