Customer Reviews

The Blackbird Papers: A Novel

5 star:		(43)
4 star:		(15)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

A prominent, award-winning African American Dartmouth etiologist is murdered in rural Vermont and his brother, FBI Special Agent, Sterling Bledsoe, spearheads the investigation. When circumstantial evidence points to white supremacists, Sterling senses a cover-up and digs deeper to find the truth. The story then follows his methodical steps as he conducts interviews, observes autopsies, and delves into his famous brother's clandestine research project involving thousands of dead blackbirds found in the local woodlands.

Sterling's adventure turns sour when mid-way through the case he becomes the prime suspect and goes on the lam from the law. Thus, we are thrust from the bucolic comfort of Hanover to the familiar, crowded streets of New York City for safe haven until our hero could gather his thoughts and plot his next moves. He uses his resources wisely calling on old and new acquaintances to piece together the clues all the while avoiding FBI, local, and intra-state police.

The backdrop of the story is the strained relationship of Sterling and his older brother, Wilson. Serious sibling rivalry, parental neglect, and unresolved bitterness has plagued Sterling all his life. Wilson's untimely murder only adds to his already burdened psyche breaking his concentration at inopportune moments, not to mention a love interest that causes distractions as well.

Although the resolution of the mystery was somewhat predictable, I was pleasantly shocked by one of the co-conspirators. So obviously there are some unexpected twists and turns in the plot that yield surprising results. This is a great "whodunit" for a first time author; I loved the ecological, suspenseful flavor of the novel. I'm looking forward to his next release.

Reviewed by Phyllis
APOOO BookClub
The Nubian Circle Book Club

This was a book unlike any other I have read to date. It was filled with mystery, intrigue, suspense, and all the while, it maintained such wonderful character development that I felt as though I really knew the characters. One of the things I loved about the story was Sterling Bledsoe's toughness without over doing it. He was a man doing his job without being a superhero. The book is so well written, it really just speaks for itself. Another aspect I appreciated was how well the story flowed, there was no unbelieveable, couldn't in a million years end like that, ending.

The story, without giving anything away, is about a highly distinguished professor, Wilson Bledsoe, who is murdered on the night of celebrating his being awarded the Devonshire, a coveted science award. He is murdered on his way home, and his brother, Sterling, who is an FBI agent, takes the case. Sterling and Wilson were never close growing up, as a matter of fact, Sterling grew up living in Wilson's shadow. This caused a deep seeded anger and hatred toward Wilson.

As the story unfolds, Sterling comes to know the brother he has spent so much time disliking, and discovers what a truly wonderful person he really was. This book was so good on so many levels. You won't regret spending the time to read this one.

Blackbirds are birds of woodland and heaths which have readily adapted to farmland and gardens. They like areas with bushes, shrubs and trees, and nearby open ground and short grass.
Wikipedia

Professor Wilson Bledsoe, award winning Dartmouth, Nobel prize etiologist, doesn't make it home one night. He goes missing. The last word heard from him was while he was driving on River Road, near his home in Norwich, Vermont. This road is very familiar to me; I used to live in Norwich. Prof. Wilson is fiction, but the time and place are real. Dr Ian Smith, the author went to Dartmouth Medical School and knows the area well. His book is full of suspense and mystery, very well written and every detail is covered

Sterling Bledsoe receives a phone call in the very early morning. He is in New York City and the phone call is from the Chief of Police in Norwich, Vt to tell him his brother is missing. Sterling calls his boss, the Chief of the FBI and gives his blessing. Sterling is off, not only to the home of his brother, but he is off to solve this mystery. A convoluted,road no doubt. He comes to know almost everyone in Hanover, NH; the President of Dartmouth, the janitors who clean his brothers office, the State and local police, the townspeople and the students, and, of course, Wilson's wife, Kay. Not much is said of Kay. She is broken hearted and bereft. Wilson's body was brutalized, probably to hide the real killers, but his death was brutal. Sterling goes from Hanover to New York City and to the small town's in-between. The mystery deepens, who and why was Wilson murdered? The clues start to appear, "The Blackbird Papers"- the tattoes found on Wilson's body. Someone went to elaborate detail to hide the reasons for this death. Many people are ready to give clues, but who will believe them? The `White Liberation Army' signia is found on Wilson's body. Is this a false clue? If so, this ruse is so well done that such a plan to mask the real reason for the murder,must have very clever minds at work. Not much is overlooked by Sterling. He had a love/hate relationship with his brother. His brother was the loved one, the one that claimed his parent's heart. Now, it is Sterling's turn to give back, to make right the jealousy he has had all of these years

This story is so well written, the mystery becomes so deep that sometimes the plot is hard to keep up with. However, this is one of the few mysteries that I have not guessed the ending by the first chapter. This is an intricately weaved mystery, and it is not until the last chapter that the secret is revealed. Kudos to Dr Ian Smith and to "The College On The Hill" Recommended. pristob

From the title of this book to the storyline, I loved The Blackbird Papers. Dr. Ian Smith has proven that he is masterful at more than one profession. I'm a fast reader, anyway but when a book is really good, I can finish it even more quickly. I completed his book in just over two hours and I think I was absorbed with every page. That murder scene had me boiling with anger. I was not only mad at the murder, but I was mad at Dr. Smith for writing it in. That's the sign of a great book and a great writer. Hope to see more books by him in the near future.

Ian Smith's debut novel is quoted as being "fresh", "exceptional", and "riveting". I was expecting a fast-paced page turning read. The Blackbird Papers, described as a thriller/mystery, did not turn out to be all that I anticipated. The plot was very good but not executed in a way that excited me as a reader. Many of the clues throughout the story were too easy for Sterling to find. If he needed certain information, he found it. I always look forward to curling up with a good thriller but quarter of the way through I knew who the 'crooked' charactars were. Needless, to say that took away from the climax. No real suprises. Execution aside, I commend Ian Smith for conjuring up such a great plot and getting his first novel published.

Ian Smith grabs you in the first chapter of The Blackbird Papers and does not let you go! I simply could not put this book down. The descriptions are vivid, the plot clever, and the characters fresh and interesting. I can't wait for the return of Sterling Bledsoe!

The Blackbird Papers was a good read. It had a very interesting plot and seemed very well thought out. At times, though, it was long-winded, outlining detail by detail, which made the story drag. In a mystery story, I would like there to be some mystery, where the reader puts the pieces together. It seemed like he wasn't confident that the reader got it and that he had to explain every little thing. Oddly enough, he explained so much in excruciating detail, but then, he made an unexplained leap in logic on one of the more important pieces of the story, the suspect. (There was also a blunder, where someone knew a name that they should not have known.)

The explanations weren't confined to the mystery, either. He also explained trivial details, like why he was familiar with a particular establishment, which added absolutely nothing to the story. Dialogue is also not his strong suit. It was cheesy and awkward at points.

Lastly, his female characters and female-male relationships were not believable. Virtually every female was described as beautiful. The female characters were not developed. They did erratic things. The relationships were neglected, but they weren't really important to the story line. However, he would go on a tangent about them that made no sense.

I would suggest renting it at your local library.

A respected author in the city of Buffalo, suggested that when I am in the process of selecting a book - I should read the first page. I did, exactly, this with The BlackBird Papers. Professor Wilson Augustus Bledsoe, a celebrated African American, Nobel Prize winning professor who has just won a second coveted, lucrative science award is driving along the wooded roads of New Hampshire and Vermont from Hanover's Dartmouth to his nearby home... I was hooked. I wanted to know more about the modest professor who lived along the Connecticut River sandwiched between the magnificently beautiful Green and White Mountain states.
Ian Smith has served up an intriguing adventure from the first page to the last. This is a great read!

Watch out John Grisham! I think this novel is wonderful. It definitely shows that we all have creativity lurking deep w/in us. I hate to see the editorial review of this novel...wasn't very positive. It was a quick and enjoyable read. I'd love to see Sterling developed into an on-going character in future novels!

THE BLACKBIRD PAPERS defines the word thriller. It has lots of twists and turns and ups and downs. You feel like you've been on a rollercoaster when you're done. I loved the characters, especially FBI Agent Sterling Bledsoe. He was a lot of fun and one of the best characters I've read in a while. I am an avid reader, but I don't typically write reviews. I found this book so good that I had to write a review and congratulate the author on a job well done!! I'm looking forward to his second novel!