Customer Reviews

Blood on the Pen

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Move over Walker, there's a new Texas Ranger in town in David W. Huffstetler's BLOOD ON THE PEN. This hard crime novel grabs the reader by the "meat hooks" on the first line and doesn't let go. Jack Harden is a tormented hero, Elsie Rodriguez is a relentless heroine, and Eddie Carter is an understandable psychopath. BLOOD ON THE PEN delves into the deeper psyche of human nature, focusing in particular upon revenge and redemption. Mr. Huffstetler entrances the reader of this mystery with wit and humor, the horrific, sadness, and a touch of romance. By the last page, redemption has won, and unlike Eddie Carter's bad novel, Mr. Huffstetler needs not worry. I highly recommend BLOOD ON THE PEN.

Every once in a while I think most prolific readers come across a book that is a diamond in the rough, "Blood On The Pen", was such a read for me. David W. Huffstetler has crafted a gripping crime thriller that can only be described as a riveting roller coaster ride from it's "okay, you've got my attention", beginning, to the suspenseful "I've now chewed my nails to the quick", conclusion. In the first paragraphs a graphic murder scene unfolds that is so grisly there is no question that the perpetrator, who is introduced as Eddie is a human being without conscience.

Texas Ranger Jack Harden, gets the call to investigate the murder of book publisher Maxwell Thornton, which is just the beginning of what becomes a string of killings that escalate in brutality and cruelty. While Harden is certainly a hero who I would describe as a grieving, tortured soul with a death wish following the sudden loss of his beloved wife Jenny, he is also a tough, crusty, larger than life Texas Ranger who is committed to his job. Harden is an honorable man.

Enter Elsie Rodriguez an intrepid reporter from the San Antonio Post who wants to interview Harden regarding the circumstances surrounding Jenny's death but quickly becomes immersed hip deep in the murder investigation. Elsie is determined to be first to break the story and to have her byline on the front page. She is fiercely competitive and while she develops a soft spot for Harden, is relentless in her quest to be successful. At first Harden wants nothing to do with the annoying reporter, later his superior leaves him no choice but to accept Elsie along for the duration of the investigation. What Harden doesn't expect is that she also ingratiates herself into his life.

What impressed me most about this novel is that each scene along with the dialogue advances a plot that is so full of twists, turns and surprises that I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. The main plot certainly involves a manipulative, sociopathic serial killer, who seems to be one step ahead of investigators alluding them at every turn. There is however a subplot that reveals the tragic events surrounding the night Jenny died and how Jack gradually works through some of his grief and anger with Elsie's support.

Mr. Huffstetler developed a stellar cast of supporting characters who, no matter how small their role, all serve an important purpose in the storyline. While the tone of this novel is quite dark (it has a film noir feel) there is also some wonderful sarcastic wit that had me laughing out loud.

"You're like an ingrown toenail, Elsie," he replied. "Sometimes it can be painful, but it goes where your foot goes."

Elsie smirked, not sure if she should laugh or be insulted. "Well, where are we going, Mr. Ranger?"

Blood On The Pen © David W. Huffstetler

The publisher describes this novel as a crime/mystery, with some light romance. I would agree, but Harden and Elsie's romance is integral to the story, because while I think the challenge of tracking and stopping the serial killer gives Harden a reason to live, he also takes tiny steps to rejoin the living with Elsie's support and caring. And, for those of you who look for an HEA in your reading I will say "Blood On The Pen" doesn't disappoint.

If you enjoy a riveting crime thriller that doesn't spare the graphic details in a series of bloody murders, and will leave you thinking long after you've turned the final pages, you may like to give "Blood On The Pen" a try. What does the title signify? Well, you'll have to read the book to find out. ;) I'm looking forward to reading more of Mr. Huffstetler's work.

Visuals. Pictures in the mind. They're what an author lives and dies by. When all five senses come alive on the page, the reading experience is no longer a stationary activity, but one that becomes palpable and real. David Huffstetler's Blood on the Pen does just that. It startles with the violence of a gripping murder mystery and gets the pulse racing with the suspense of a heart-pounding thriller. You hear the inner thoughts of a killer fill your head. You feel the last breath leaving the body of a murder victim. You frantically turn the pages desperate to find out why.

Huffstetler's prose is direct and to the point. The first line states, "Someone was going to die that night." The narrative arc is established right off the bat since three paragraphs later that prophecy is fulfilled. Huffstetler does not delay in setting things in motion. Yet his text adequately sets a scene. Stiletto heels clatter, keys jingle and thinning hair grows wet with blood, but evocative details are not relied upon to establish a deeper undercurrent. There is more going on than meets the eye as provocatively demonstrated in the line, "The same hands that wrote prose on a computer keyboard now lashed a rope around the corner post of the banister." Who is this killer and how does the refinement of profession coincide with such heated aggression?

It's a classic cat-and-mouse game as the hard-driven Texas Ranger Jack Harden, pursues the sociopath killer, Eddie Carter. In a battle of wills, the chase plays out as the gory details of Eddie's rejected manuscript start coming to life becoming a game plan for mass murder. Jack, a widower who tragically lost his wife in a drunk driving accident, teams up with young reporter, Elsie Rodriguez. As the two begin to track down leads, Elsie gets beneath Jack's tough guy veneer providing a sense of comfort from his tortured past. As the body count mounts, they begin to wonder - who is the real Eddie Carter?

Blood on the Pen's psychological zaniness stems from Eddie's disproportionate feeling of rejection. When Eddie's amateur attempt at a publishable manuscript is refused by a literary agency, all hell breaks loose. Wounded pride is the impetus that drives the narrative. An uncontrolled sense of paranoia keeps this overly sensitive author from seeing the truth about the manuscript's level of quality. In a gruesome aside, Eddie feels that by becoming a mass murdering celebrity the book would finally gain an audience based on the fame of the author rather than on the substance of the work.

Available exclusively in ebook format, Blood on the Pen is sublimely suited for the Nook and Kindle. It's a fast paced read that alleviates the tedium of a doctor's waiting room or airport layover. It doesn't require a major time commitment and can easily be finished in one sitting. A final resolution to Huffstetler's intrigue and deception is only minutes away.

Overall, literary agents should watch their backs before consigning an unstable author to the slush pile.

I'm the kind of reader that when you start off with a powerful beginning that I am prone to stay with you on the journey because I don't want it to end. That is the way I found myself with BLOOD ON THE PEN by author David Huffstetler. I understand that I am coming to know of this author and his skills later than some, but better late than never when it comes to a great storyteller and a book that keeps you turning the pages, wondering what could possibly happen next.

Whether it is the serial killer intent on exacting his own form of justice or vindication or the Texas Ranger that is balancing doing his job well while still haunted by his own tragedy in life, Huffstetler takes you into their world and allows you to see things from their perspective. This makes it difficult not to feel you are somehow connected with them as their paths march towards each other to what is an inevitable showdown.

For those looking for a little romance, the story gives you that as well. For me those the role of the reporter and the relationship that forms between her and the ranger is a necessary component for him to put the pieces of his life back in order. Failing to do so could cost him more than his sanity. It could very well cost him his life.

Tightly woven together from beginning to end, author David Huffstetler "kills" with BLOOD ON THE PEN.

Fantastic storyline, strong characters, and dynamic writing. Jack Harden is like the rebirth of John Wayne, only more interesting. The depth of emotions draws you in without your knowing it. Blood on the Pen is a must read, the kind you'll talk about at work the next day.