Customer Reviews

Black River Falls

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

"Black River Falls" is one of those books you hate to admit that you enjoyed, but it is to Ed Gorman's credit that this leisurely-placed dark story works so well.
We meet Ben Tyler, an average looking "nerd" who finds himself falling in love with the mysterious Allison. Allison has her own sordid past, in that a roommate of hers was brutally murdered the year previously. Ben doesn't know this of course. Ben has a loving mother, who is a veterinarian, and a charming, handsome older brother, Michael, who wows the women, including one Denise Fletcher, a married woman whose husband is maniacally jealous. Enter David Weyrich, a seasoned PI, who is looking for one Steve Conners, who he is sure killed Allison's roommate, and just happens to be a good friend of none other than Michael Tyler.
Gorman gives us some very touching scenes, including one in which Ben has to help his mother put his feline-leukemia afflicted kitten to sleep. This is poignant and rare in a book of this nature.
Of course, there are now shocking surprises, once we find out the truth about Steve and Michael; from then on, it's a cat and mouse game, with the evil villain doing his best to silence those who could give away his dreaded secret.
Gorman presents a strong case of inherited traits, in that the killer may have inherited his traits from his murderous grandfather.
All in all, the story has some great moments, and even though our beloved heroine bites the dust, Ben's revenge, along with the just desserts for Allison's killer keep the plot moving.
A nice, sneaky thriller.

While it may not quite be up to snuff with some of Gorman's other offerings, Black River Falls is a friendly enough book, with plenty of rich characters walking around. Ben, the unlikely hero of the tale, is an innocent underdog with a heart of gold. The veterinarian mother, Lynn, is the widowed caregiver with the heart of gold. Well, you get the idea.

Gorman tapdances dangerously close to the territory of his buddy, Dean Koontz. There aren't any elements of the supernatural here, but the good natured intelligence of the Good Guys comes close to being a notch too sweet and tender for my tastes (yes, including the weepy 'putting the kitten to sleep' scene).

It's another pretty-good rural mystery from a guy who can write it better than this. The Midwest gets painted pretty well, actually, but it's the formulaic tale of a psycho brother versus the good brother that wears thin towards the back pages.

This has to be one of my favorites of all time. I borrowed this little gem from a friend and read it in no time at all. In my opinion (as a fan of Gorman) this is one of his best. It really keeps you hanging to the very end.

This is a tough book to summarize, mainly because Gorman throws a number of plot twists into the mix. I can't go into details without spoiling the surprises, so I won't (unlike Leisure Books, which reveals a major plot twist on the back cover). Suffice it to say that the story deals with the murder of a young woman named Dana Albrego and its effect on Lynn Tyler, and her sons, Ben and Michael, a close knit family who live in the small town of Black River Falls. Dana's death, the catalyst for the story, triggers several additional killings, and ultimately results in the revelation of a black secret in the Tyler family.

An engrossing tale of small town murder and mayhem, Black River Falls owes its effectiveness largely to Gorman's detailed characterization--he brings the Tylers and supporting characters to vivid life, which increases our anxiety when they are threatened. Gorman shows a sure hand, again demonstrating why many consider him a writer's writer, a consummate professional. Check this one out and join the ever expanding group of Gorman fans.

Ed Gorman has got to be one of the best thriller writers working in the genre today. Gorman's writing is sharp and easy to read, he doesn't over-write like so many others out there; his style is simple and straight-forward.

Gorman keeps the story moving along, despite some slow spots, paces it well and keeps the premise pretty basic. The only pet peeve I have is the repetitive dialogue.

"Really?"
"Really."

That is what I mean. He does this several times during the novel and it gets a little annoying after doing it 4 or 5 times.

However, the novel is excellent overall and Gorman is a master storyteller. This is a must-read for Gorman fans.

Loved this novel, it is an old mass-market noir classic from one of the masters of that genre. I'm delighted it's back in circulation on Kindle.

I enjoyed reading this! It was definitely better than "Hungry Eyes" but not as good as "Daughter of Darkness". Keep up the good work!