Customer Reviews

Original Sin (Colton Parker Mystery Series, Book 1)

5 star:		(25)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
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With "Original Sin," Brandt Dodson doesn't just wander onto the scene of mystery writers, he saunters in with dry humor and panache. His style is no-frills, shoot-from-the-hip, and knock-'em-dead.

Colton Parker is an ex-cop, turned private investigator. He's also the single parent of a teen girl. The death of his wife six months earlier has left him apathetic, distant, and wrestling with God. He is also willing to bend a few rules to accomplish his job.

His first professional challenge draws him into the seemier side of Indianapolis, where he uses his wit, brains, and brawn to delve into the truth behind an older woman's brutal murder. Along the way, he is faced with his own faults as a man, as a private eye, and as a father. He also stumbles upon a few surprises.

"Original Sin" is a tight mystery, filled with great dialogue and interesting characters. A few times, characters seem a little too willing to tell Colton everything he needs to know, and his brief encounters with a well-meaning pastor come across a bit forced and preachy. Nevertheless, Parker's questions and struggles are believable, and I was drawn into his story. This is a great debut to a mystery series. I'll be looking forward to the second installment, "Seventy Times Seven."

If you like private eye mysteries, and I do, you'll enjoy this book. Colton Parker, private investigator, used to be with the FBI, until he lost his temper and beat up a suspect. The suspect admitted he had kidnapped a young girl, and because of that confession the bureau was able to save the child, but Colton still lost his job.

Anna, his wife, was killed in an automobile accident, leaving him to raise their thirteen-year old daughter. His new detective agency is going under, and the rent is due when Angie Howe shows up with a job for him. Billy, her boyfriend has been arrested for murder, and everyone, except Angie, thinks he's guilty. The case takes him deep into the porn industry, among other things.
Brandt Dodson comes from a long line of police officers, spanning several generations, and it shows. Original Sin is a fast paced story that will keep you turning those pages.

Colton Parker used to have everything: a wife, daughter and job with the FBI. Now things are different. His wife has died, is daughter is living with her grandparents, and he has been fired from the FBI.

In an attempt at a fresh start, Parker has set up a private detective agency, and his first case poses lots of questions. His client is the girlfriend of a man being charged with the murder of a well-respected high school guidance counselor, who also happens to be the victim's nephew. But a paperclip and a missing computer are pointing at some kind of a link to an Internet pornography ring.

This is a classic detective story, with a religious twist. You see Colton's wife had found Christ not long before her death, but Colton is a non-believer. Instead of the typical Christian detective who uses the idea of the greater good as an excuse for bad and/or illegal behavior, Colton simply crosses the line, with no holds barred. It is after this that the consequences become clear, and the Christian perspective can come into play.

Colton feels no love for God, and is instead angry and depressed by the fact that he feels deserted by having his wife taken from him and being unable to connect with his daughter. A pastor tries to show him the "light" so to speak, but unfortunately the great possibility of an exploration of faith is lost amidst the somewhat cliched "death is a part of life" speech.

Overall the story was very enjoyable, with a lifelike and likeable lead character with a great dry sense of humour, but in my opinion the portrayal of the pastor came across as too preachy and cliched.

Armchair Interviews. As a mystery and detective story it was excellent with an intriguing trail of crumbs to follow.

The only thing I didn't like about this book was the end -- I just flat ran out of pages to turn! A strong story with a great cast of characters, especially for the mystery genre; I am eager to watch each of them come to life in future Colton Parker books. Colton himself is dryly engaging, vacillating from heroic to heartless and back without ever noticing his own moral contradictions. I'm not a big mystery reader, but I'll definitely be picking up the next installment.

I will be buying anything this guy writes. It was a wonderful Private Eye Mystery. I loved it. I felt like this ex FBI man was a real person. I did not want it to end. Don't want to put to much down here and spoil the book but I highly suggest you read it.

Brandt's debut is fluid and engaging. Loved it. I will try to read the next one slower so I don't run through his books too fast.

Colton Parker has just lost his job as an FBI agent after losing his temper and beating up a criminal. Colton Parker's wife has just died in a car accident because they were fighting and she left the house in anger and went out for a drive. Parker is about to lose his thirteen year old daughter because he blames himself for his wife's death, and believes he can't provide a good home or the kind of upbringing his daughter deserves. Parker, the hero of Brandt Dodson's new mystery series, is a flawed man still devestated by his wife's death. He thows all the money he can scrounge up into opening a Private Detective's office, and his first case his a real thriller.

Poor, destitute Angie wants Parker to clear boyfriend Billy who is accused of killing his aunt Emma. Billy is the kind of guy that would easily kill someone, yet Parker quickly surmises the evidence doesn't point to Billy. Investigating Aunt Emma's past, Parker finds some questions that need to be answered. Like, why would the killer steal her computer, and what his Emma's connection to a company with the initials F&F.

The novel is fast paced and is an easy fun read. The plot delves into unexpected areas such as the human cost of internet pornography and the pain surrounding the death of a loved one. Parker is a great character, flawed and sometimes out of control, yet determined to make the best of his life in spite of continuous setbacks. In additon to Parker, other solid characters include his daughter Callie who is devestated by the loss of her mom and the distance of her father, her grandparents, Parker's FBI female friend Mary and the young victimized girls, Melissa and Angie.

This is a novel you'll want to pick up. It is tough and gritty yet delivers a message of hope. As a reader, you pull for Colton Parker and relish the fact that after this first novel, there are two more books in the series. A few very minor complaints. First, the religious message throughout the book is strong, yet understated, except in one chapter when Parker gives a speech about Adam and his original sin. This didn't seem to fit. Second, Parker's relationship with a tough bookie doesn't ring as true. Those are only minor quibbles as this is a novel that is as good as any mainstream detective story you'll read. I highly recommend it.

Original Sin by Brandt Dodson is a real page turner. In some ways I couldn't even tell it was a Christian book. I don't mean that in a bad way. The subject matter (internet pornography) is just one subject that most publishers don't want to touch. I thought the author did an excellent job developing a riveting plot, believable characters, and situations that leave you on the edge of your seat. What impressed me most about this book was how the author took the reader to a deeper place delving into the meaning of life and a sense of purpose that everyone seeks. He had the main character taking an honest look at his own life, and I was moved by the things Colton learned about himself and his own sinful heart. This story ranks high on my list of favorite mystery/suspense novels and I highly recommend it. I'm looking forward to reading the sequel Seventy Time Seven. If it's anything like this debut novel, it'll be worth every minute of my time.

This is a first novel and it is a very good read. It is not up to par with James Patterson or Dean Koontz or John Grisham but it certainly deserves the attention of us mystery readers. The characters are believable and the story moves along quickly. It certainly is not a boring book at any point. I found the Christian dialogue somewhat strained - especially near the end of the book when the PI 'Colton' is able to talk about Adam and original sin's impact at a level that even many Christians would not be capable. Nevertheless I am going to order his second book and see how he continues to develop his great characters.

With the creation of Colton Parker, Mr. Dodson has successfully bridged the gap between secular mystery and Christian publishing. His protagonist is a very believable character who wrestles with real problems of his own as he seeks to unravel a murder mystery. All in all, a wholesome and thought-provoking read. I recommend it to others who enjoy mystery stories, and I will be looking forward to the next volume in this series.