The Best of Evil (Aramis Black Mystery Series #1) [Paperback]

Eric Wilson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 19, 2006

“Spare your soul,” he ranted, “and turn your eyes from greed.…”

The tattoos on his arms still reading “Live by the Sword” and “Die by the Sword,” Aramis Black is ready for a fresh start. Determined to set aside his violent tendencies, he opens an espresso shop in Nashville and begins to put his childhood memories behind him. The past isn’t finished with him, though. One ordinary day at the shop, a man is shot before his eyes, speaking dying words to Aramis that are all too familiar.

Aramis realizes that his path to freedom will demand forgiveness–forgiveness from God and forgiveness of others. Along the way, he must uncover the conspiracy behind a centuries-old mystery and the shocking truth of his mother’s death. The question remains: Will Aramis be able to conquer his past, or will evil get the best of him?

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Aramis Black took a walk on the wild side in his youth, but now he is trying to make a go of conventional life in Nashville, not in music but as the proprietor and co-owner of a coffee shop. Unsavory types from his past stalk him, however, convinced that he knows the whereabouts of treasure buried long ago by Meriwether Lewis on the Natchez Trace. The Lewis material, speculating on whether Lewis' death was suicide or murder, gives some depth to what is otherwise rather a slight mystery. The Nashville setting is a plus, too, in this first of a trilogy. John Mort
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

Praise for The Best of Evil

“With The Best of Evil, Eric Wilson reveals himself as THE author to watch. His writing sizzles; his characters grab you and won’t let go; his story intrigues, entertains, and makes you think. This is a page-turner you’ll talk about with your friends.”
–Robert Liparulo, author of Germ and Comes a Horseman

“The world through Aramis Black’s eyes is mysterious, rich, and brewing with surprise.”
–Brandilyn Collins, Seatbelt Suspense™

“Eric Wilson masterfully weaves together mysteries from past and present in this gutsy thriller. Wilson is an extraordinary writer with one of the freshest voices in fiction today. The Best of Evil is first-rate suspense.”
–Gina Holmes, Novel Journey/Novel Reviews

“A work of amazing maturity and skill.”
–James Byron Huggins, author of Cain, The Scam, and Sorcerer

“The Best of Evil is riveting reading–Eric Wilson at the top of his game.  He combines suspense, history, a reality-game show, full-blooded characters and yes, palpable evil, into one addictive read.  You’ll love his flawed but charismatic protagonist, Aramis Black, a man prepared to live by the sword and die by the sword.  Quite simply, The Best of Evil is the best of fiction.”
–Randy Singer, author of The Cross Examination of Oliver Finney

“In The Best of Evil, you get the best of Eric Wilson–the only novelist I know who can make you wish you’d paid more attention in your seventh grade history class.  Wilson manages to make Meriwether Lewis into a figure of contemporary fascination in this intriguing tale, set in modern-day Tennessee.  Aramis Black is serving up hot coffee and sarcasm when a customer gets shot dead, propelling us into a story with all the twists and turns of a Smokey Mountain road.  A stolen hankie, a pretty girl, a lock of hair, simmering family tensions, and a complicated hero with a dark past–The Best of Evil has it all.”
–Melanie Wells, author of When the Day of Evil Comes and The Soul Hunter

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 338 pages
• Publisher: WaterBrook Press (September 19, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1578569117
• ISBN-13: 978-1578569113
• Product Dimensions: 5.4 x 1.1 x 8.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (40 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #930,244 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I've written twelve novels:

1. Two Seconds Late (Feb. '12)
2. One Step Away
3. Valley of Bones
4. Haunt of Jackals
5. Field of Blood
6. Fireproof
7. Facing the Giants
8. Flywheel
9. A Shred of Truth
10. The Best of Evil
11. Expiration Date
12. Dark to Mortal Eyes

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best of Eric Wilson, October 15, 2006

By 

Tim Frankovich "ChristianFictionReview.com" (League City, TX) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Best of Evil (Aramis Black Mystery Series #1) (Paperback)

Aramis Black is the hero of Eric Wilson's new series of novels, beginning with The Best of Evil. Formerly a violent and disturbed individual, Aramis has determined to make a change in his life and now runs an espresso shop in Nashville, living with his brother, a wannabe musician. His past won't leave him alone, however, as a mystery involving his mother's murder comes back to haunt him, and an issue of forgiveness slaps him in the face and refuses to go away.

At the same time, the producers of a new reality TV show (called, amazingly enough, The Best of Evil), are interested in his story and the forgiveness issues it raises. Whether Aramis wantsto or not, he's going to have to confront his ghosts and get rid of them once and for all.

The mystery of his mother's murder dates back much further than he ever knew, even all the way to Merriweather Lewis (of the famous Lewis & Clark). How could the death of that historical icon fit in with the trials of one Aramis Black today? Well, that's half the fun.

The other half is just sitting back and enjoying the twists and turns of this great mystery. Wilson has some great characters here, none of which are perfect little Christians. In fact, they probably should be more rough-edged than they actually are.

The only stretch is the idea that Aramis could live until he was an adult with his own business before ever finding out anything about his namesake, or even who he was named after. I can accept that he might never have read The Three Muskateers or seen a movie version of it, but none of his teachers throughout school ever did? Or the casual acquaintance? I mean, my first comment upon meeting someone named Aramis would be to reference the Musketeers. Ah, well. Maybe I'm too literate for my own good.

Wilson also throws in an intriguing clue at the very end of the book, making you really wonder what he's up to. (I also note he got another reference to Rasputin in there - something that seems to pop up in every book.)

The Best of Evil is a very promising start to a new mystery series. I'm certainly looking forward to seeing where Aramis Black goes from here. Highly Recommended.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another Great Read by Eric Wilson, October 15, 2006

By 

Dina Bailey (Texas) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Best of Evil (Aramis Black Mystery Series #1) (Paperback)

Aramis Black is a tattooed, former tough guy, now serving up lattes in his own coffee shop, wanting to be a son that would make any mama proud.

The problem is that his mom was murdered when he was 6. Now her words and his rough past force themselves back into his life when a customer is murdered in his coffee shop.

After enjoying Eric Wilson's first two books, Dark To Mortal Eyes and Expiration Date, I anticipated the release of The Best of Evil and was not disappointed.

In The Best of Evil you'll meet likeable, real, and quirky characters and find help from the most unlikely of people. Enjoy the humor laced throughout the book, and follow Aramis in his (sometimes unwilling) search to solve the mystery of the murdered customer, his murdered mother and a turbulent past.

This is one book you don't want to miss. I'm now looking forward to Eric's next book in the Aramis Black series, A Shred of Truth.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Don't Miss This One, February 14, 2007

By 

Susan Sleeman "Host of The Christian Suspense... - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Best of Evil (Aramis Black Mystery Series #1) (Paperback)

As a writer it's not often that I'm captivated by an author's writing style yet so drawn into the plot of a book that I forget to savor the writer's gift. The Best of Evil is one of those books. Eric Wilson's prose is outstanding, his characters deep, his pace fast moving but full of life's meaning that connects us with the characters, and his dialogue genuine.

In The Best of Evil we join Aramis Black after he's left behind a troubled past and moved to Nashville to live with his brother to embark on a fresh start. At least he thought his past washistory. When a man is ruthlessly gunned down in his coffee shop, Aramis is drawn down a path that resurrects his mother's murder, brings to life a longstanding mystery, and holds a visit from old enemies. While searching for clues, Aramis is challenged with letting go of his anger to forgive those who have hurt him and learning to live his newfound faith.

From the first page I wanted to get to know Aramis Black. He's lived a hard life, yet he remains optimistic and continues to look for a better life. We want to see if he is successful in living his faith in the real world; see if he can forgive hurts that seemingly are too big to getpast. As we follow the story, ultimately we see ourselves and find encouragement in his perseverance.Through this character, author Eric Wilson shows us no matter our past, no matter our mistakes, God forgives us and anything is possible.

Susan Sleeman Host of The Christian Suspense Zone