Meet Mick Callahan, a former television talk-show psychiatrist foiled by his own ego (and a penchant for liquid refreshment). Now he's earning an undistinguished living as a radio host in Dry Wells, Nevada (a place for which the phrase "small town" is too grandiose). But, several years after his self-inflicted downfall, things are looking up: in a few days, he has an interview for a job that will return him to television. The only roadblock is the potential for scandal surrounding the murder of a young woman caller to his show. Mick needs to find out whodunit before the case can foul up his job opportunity. First-novelist Shannon gives the amateur-detective theme a nice little twist by giving his hero a deadline--and a self-centered one at that. The crisply detailed small-town desert setting adds to the novel's sense of freshness. Callahan isn't the first psychiatrist-detective hero, but he's certainly one of the more memorable. Let's hope he's around for a long run.
David PittCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
". . . a fast, edgy, twisty, modern noir thriller . . ."
-- Bill Pronzini, author of
The Nameless Detective novels (20040514)
"Recommended reading for any mystery fan, a tale you will enjoy all the way through. This book will have you looking for other books by Harry Shannon. Enjoy."
--
Murder and Mayhem Bookclub (June 2004) (
Murder and Mayhem 20040501)
"A completely winning, engaging first mystery.
Memorial Day isn't a strict whodunit or howdunit, though it masquerades as the former. It's located squarely in the grey area between the noir school and that of the breezier, more modern mysteries—as well as playing off a long-standing amateur sleuth tradition...Shannon keeps the tone just melancholy enough, and the pace lively...Shannon's first mystery signals a new arrival on those wet noir streets, where the gumshoe's conscience is stronger than his greed and whose calling is tilting at windmills...Let's hope he doesn't resurrect his TV career just yet—he should have several investigations left in him after this exhausting case. You'd like to have a beer with Mick Callahan, except that he'd have a soda because he's in the program. Memorial Day reads like a smooth whiskey with a beer back (if you're not in the program)."
--
The Chiaroscuro (
UNKNOWN )
"What makes the novel especially good is the complexity of the characters...the book never drags. The author creates genuine tension by keeping us interested in the characters, so we want to know what will happen to them next. That is what makes
Memorial Day a page-turner. The dialogue is snappy and realistic without being too aware of itself--the people in the story actually seem to be talking to each other rather than reading lines...Every author tries to achieve this effect, but they are not always successful. Harry Shannon's noir debout is a good read all the way around. Recommended."
--
Cemetary Dance (June 2004) (
Cemetary Dance )
"Mick's road to redemption is wry, bittersweet, and altogether touching in this notable and brilliant new addition to the mystery genre. And Mick is all we love to see in a fallen hero; vulnerable, insightful, and just simply a likable guy. The secondary characters also shine, especially young Jerry who is funny, sweet, and charmingly na$#239ve. Shannon picks apart this small desert town with finesse and grace, and gives the reader a poignant and stirring story that is also filled with suspense and just the right amount of darkness. We hope to see more of this wonderful cast and crew from an author who has proven he's got what it takes to excel."
--
New Mystery Reader Magazine (May 2004) (
UNKNOWN )
"Mick Callahan, once a famous pop psychologist, now a recovering alcoholic, retreats to his small-town roots in Dry Wells, NV. There, two sudden murders, probably connected, get his attention. One of the victims had asked him for help, just as a Beverly Hills woman had done three years earlier and met the same fate. So he sticks around, jeopardizing a Hollywood audition, to question suspects, antagonize the richest family in town, help a computer-nerd friend, and solve the murders. Big-city problems in a little town tackled by a likable hero result in a most promising first mystery."
--
Library Journal (May 2004) (
Library Journal )
