Angels Fall (A Mike Travis Novel) [Hardcover]

Baron R. Birtcher (Author)

Book Description

Series: A Mike Travis Novel | Publication Date: April 1, 2008

The disappearance of a teenage girl draws former Los Angeles detective Mike Travis away from his scuba charter business into the bowels of an underground culture driven by designer narcotics and violent sex. What he uncovers is a world built on secrets and entire lives built on lies. But as Travis unravels one set of deceits, he finds himself confronted with visions of his own past: his own complicity in an act of shocking cruelty. His investigation glimpses a hellish side of paradise unseen by tourists, painted with the dark brushstrokes of hard-boiled tropical noir. This is the story of one man's desire to outrun the corrosive powers of vast wealth and personal vengeance while attempting to tame the demons that dwell in his own dark and violent past. The cost of moral corruption and the high price of redemption plays out against a backdrop of coffee fields and lush jungle, of rich sunsets and the rhythmic swell of the Hawaiian sea.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Hard-boiled ex-cop, Mike Travis, is both likeable and flawed, a credible Travis McGee gone South Pacific native."  —Randy Wayne White, author, Dark Light and Hunter's Moon

"Baron Birtcher ruined my whole work day. I kept trying to set Angels Fall down to do my own stuff, but couldn't stop turning the pages. It's stylish, fast, soulful, and has an indelible and rare sense of place. You want to read this book, then you want to live in it."  —Don Winslow, author, The Winter of Frankie Machine and The Power of the Dog

"A beautifully-rendered story of loss, regret, redemption and hope. The saga of tortured cop Mike Travis continues to engage by using the oldest, and hardest, aspects of crime fiction: a good story, well-told. A must-read for any true fan of the contemporary mystery."  —Nichelle Tramble, author, The Last King and The Dying Ground

About the Author

Born and raised in southern California, Baron R. Birtcher lives in Hawaii with his wife, Christina. He is the author of the LA TIMES and IMBA Best-selling novels Roadhouse Blues and Ruby Tuesday. Baron can be reached on the web at www.BaronRBirtcher.com.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 287 pages
• Publisher: Iota Publishing (April 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0979372011
• ISBN-13: 978-0979372018
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,187,515 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Baron R Birtcher is an LA TIMES and IMBA BESTSELLING author of the critically acclaimed Mike Travis series. He has been a judge for both the Edgar Awards and Shamus Awards. His third novel, Angels Fall, was nominated in 2009 for Left Coast Crime's BEST CRIME NOVEL OF THE YEAR.


Visit him on the web at www.BaronRBirtcher.com
or
Read his blog at www.BaronRBirtcher.blogspot.com
or
Follow him on Twitter


He has recently completed his first stand-alone thriller, and is working on his next novel.

He lives with his wife, Christina, in Hawaii and the Pacific Northwest.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Page Turner!, March 13, 2008

By 

Shirley Priscilla Johnson "Author/Reviewer -... (USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Angels Fall (A Mike Travis Novel) (Hardcover)

Mike Travis is a man with hidden hurts, but one whose heart appears to embrace and give love and caring, out of his own need for love, to others. He comes from a very wealthy family, one that he never sees anymore, but often wishes things could have been different. He lies in Hawaii, is retired from Law Enforcement, but it always remains a part of him, even though now he has a scuba charter business.
In this read we find a young girl is missing, and Mike is asked by her friends to investigate. Feeling obliged to help, he is drawn into the lives of some of the young people on the Island. Lives filled with lies, drugs and sex, a life that sickens him. What he discovers is not pleasant and will rock this part of the Island, and awaken many to the realization that evil does exist, even in Hawaii.
I enjoyed this read. The author did a top-notch job at his description and portrayal of Mike Travis. Making him a likeable guy; one whose heart is wanting what is right for people, and frustrated that it can't always be obtained. The cast of players in this read were also described well, and the locals were vivid. The storyline had a good emotional pull, concerning family and friends. I liked that, it brought the characters down to earth and alive. Yet, the story also gave way to the mysterious as you watched the mystery unfold, bringing you to one surprising conclusion. Quite a good mix. All in all a very good story and one I recommend.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Casual and relaxed writing style, May 20, 2008

By 

Mary Menzel "Reviewer - www.AllTheseBooks.com" (North Carolina) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Angels Fall (A Mike Travis Novel) (Hardcover)

It was a pleasure having "Angels Fall" take place in Hawaii and not the usual New York, Miami, LA scene. Mike Travis, former LA cop, owns and helps run a coffee plantation. Usually Travis avoids any type of police-related work but at the insistence of a good friend he is persuaded to look into the disappearance of a teenage girl. Delving in to this mystery causes Travis to reflect back to his teenage years which cause mental wounds from his past to be reopened. A resident of Hawaii, Baron A. Birtcher gives first-hand, detailed descriptions of the many different landscapes of this state. Birtchers has a casual and relaxed writing style that makes his book very readable. Using well placed flashbacks, Mike Travis' haunted past is slowly revealed and explains why his current case has such a strong effect on him. Mike Travis is a down -to-earth and plausible character and I hope this is not the last we see of him.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Encore, encore, August 12, 2008

By 

Deborah Turrell Atkinson (Honolulu, Hawaii USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Angels Fall (A Mike Travis Novel) (Hardcover)

Take the phone off the hook, turn off the computer. You won't want to be interrupted on your journey with Birtcher's haunted and charismatic Mike Travis as he searches for a missing teenager on the Big Island of Hawaii. Despite the lush and fascinating setting, this thriller reveals a cruel subculture that is all too familiar.