"Call a Man Cold" by Tom Wright

Copyright © Celine Chamberlin

Remember how I said Tom Wright could easily use Blue Falling and its strong cast of characters as the beginning of a series of books, and that even a prequel would work well? Evidently Dr. Wright already knew that. Because I have just finished reading the prequel to Blue Falling.

Call a Man Cold is another excellent book, though of course by this point I am not surprised. Dr. Wright takes us back to the fictional town of Traverton, Texas, where we witness the chaotic events that culminate in Lieutenant James Bonham's willingness to finally retire from the police force. Sure, that's how this book ends, but I promise that's not a spoiler; if Blue Falling is to be published first, the reader goes into the prequel knowing that Bonham ends up retired somehow. It's finding out how that's all the fun. And when I say fun, I mean fun in the way that only a gruesome and adrenaline-filled murder mystery can be.

It will be interesting to see how these books are marketed. Of the four books, Call a Man Cold and Blue Falling are a matched pair of Texas murder mysteries. Not to disparage them, because they are excellent, but I would label them as genre fiction. Keep the Devil Dancing and What Dies in Summer, while retaining the air of mystery, suspense, and secrets, add a coming-of-age element and would be classified as literary fiction.

I will let you know as soon as any announcements are made!

"Keep the Devil Dancing" by Tom Wright

This is the third of four unpublished manuscripts by Dr. Tom Wright. It frames the second Wright novel I read, What Dies in Summer, by focusing on Jim's Aunt Rachel in her childhood and then during the aftermath of Summer.

Rachel spends most of the book reliving old wrongs in her memories of a tainted childhood, but the story ends with a promise of renewal and a sense that Rachel has the strength to overcome the sins of the fathers she has borne for years. Once again, as with Wright's other novels, there is a thread of mystery entwined in the story.

This is not the photo I would have chosen to go with the book, but it's the closest thing I could find. It evokes the nostalgia of youth and the grass-withering heat of Texas, but it's not hard to imagine there could be evil hidden within the idyllic scene.

The picture in my mind shows a young girl swimming in a pond during the heat of summer, her horse tethered nearby. Her back is turned, but she's just been startled by a noise from the path behind her. Oooh! Wouldn't you like to know what made the noise!

If you missed my posts about the first two manuscripts I previewed, you can find them by clicking on the Tom Wright label below.

"What Dies in Summer" by Tom Wright

Dr. Wright has done it again. Wait, that's a bit of an understatement. What I should say is that Dr. Wright has done it even better. I still think that Blue Falling is a good, tight, well-written story, but it pales in comparison with What Dies in Summer.

In this novel, Wright takes two of the main characters from Blue Falling back to their adolescence. I pity the fool who has to write a synopsis for the back cover of this book without giving too much away. I was grabbed and drawn in to the story from the very first sentence: "I did what I did, and that's on me." From that moment on, with the reader wondering, "But, what did you do, Jim??" the facts are revealed in such a tantalizing manner as Wright spins a story that sustains a delightfully unbearable level of tension. There were times when I could hardly resist jumping up and down, waving my arms around in the air like a frantic monkey, and yelling at the narrator because he knew something and why didn't I know it too?!

Whereas Blue Falling can be simply described as a mystery, What Dies in Summer takes that element of mystery and adds more suspense to become what could be called a thriller. Even better, the book is given additional depth as it is written from the perspective of a boy who teeters on the brink between youth and adulthood. I came to appreciate Jim's astute (and sometimes surprisingly mature) observation of details that might only be noticed by a child.

Each character in this novel is brilliantly crafted and realistic, whether minor or not. Wright's masterful writing propels the reader through the novel with lightning speed, but does not sacrifice depth or meaning. It is without reservation that I label this book as a must-read. (I know. I'm cruel. But surely you will get a chance to read it some day). This is one of the best books I have read in the past year.

"Blue Falling" by Tom Wright

It may be unfair of me to blog about a book that you have no chance of reading (yet), but I’m too excited about this opportunity I’ve been given to keep from telling you all about it. Through my Super Secret VIP Connections, I have been allowed the chance to preview novels by an as-yet-unpublished author, Dr. Tom Wright, PhD. (Remember that name, folks! If I’m any judge, one of these days you’ll be seeing it at a bookstore near you.)

Out of Wright’s four completed novels, the first that was sent to me is called Blue Falling. It’s a mystery set in the fictional town of Traverton, Texas, which just happens to be found smack-dab in the middle of the non-fictional part of the US where I live. If you could pick up this book and turn it over, you would probably read something like this on the back cover:

"On what at first appears to be just another beautiful country afternoon, retired Texas Ranger O.Z. Royal and ex-cop Jim Bonham are riding fence through the crimson clover on their jointly-owned ranch. Suddenly, their familiar surroundings are disturbed by a small plane that comes in low and crashes in the pasture not far from where they stand. Though their immediate instinct is to aid any survivors, the wreckage quickly blossoms into a fireball that keeps the two men at bay until it is too late. Soon it becomes clear that unexpected clues have been uncovered during the examination of the broken remains. Despite the resistance of his loving and determined wife Jana, Bonham can’t help but be sucked into the whirlwind of an unofficial investigation that becomes more extensive and tangled at every turn."

Blue Falling is tight, well-written, and nicely paced throughout. My connection with the book was not deeply emotional, but that is not what I expect from a mystery novel, anyway. It certainly retained my attention, and the plot was never stagnant. It’s written in a straightforward and chronological manner, with the added interest of believable psychological insight; the author is not only a talented writer--he is also a well-established psychologist.

I think Dr. Wright could easily make Blue Falling the first in a series of books. It has a good cast of strong characters. Sequels could show Bonham as sheriff and O.Z. still working in an unofficial capacity. Even a prequel would work, covering several plot points that are mentioned in this book as having happened previously. This story would also translate well to cinema, although (as usual) quite a few details would likely be left out.

I have no information for you regarding when this novel might become available for your reading pleasure, but I will do my best to keep you updated when I get the scoop. And remember . . . you heard it here first!