The Vanishing Smile [Paperback]

Earl W. Emerson (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: Ballantine Books (1995)
• ASIN: B000OVMO6I
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #9,722,119 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent entry in one of the best series going!, June 21, 1996

By A Customer

This review is from: Vanishing Smile (Hardcover)

So you like a good mystery, but McGees long gone and Spenser
sounds more like a bad cliche with every passing title. Take
a look at Thomas Black - Seattle's number one detective.

In this, the third installment in a trilogy beginning with Yellow Dog Party
and The Portland Laugher, our intrepid hero is attempting to
deal with the loss of the love of his life - Kathy Birchfield. It
seems Thomas killed her fiance and that put a damper on Thomas
and Kathy's relationship. Imagine that.

A mutual client sets up a meeting - between Thomas and Kathy
unbeknownst to them and the story is off and running. Thomas
is thrown into an investigation that leads him on several dangerous
twists and turns as he encounters assorted unsavory characters.

Emerson's gift for dialogue reminds the mystery buff of the
best of Robert Parker in the early Spenser stories. The characters
are well developed, and the tale zips along to an unexpected
conclusion.

If you haven't read any of Emerson's Thomas Black books, this
may not be the best place to start. The dynamic between
Thomas and Kathy has been cultivated slowly over the series.
Yellow Dog Party makes more sense as a staarting point for new Black fans,
but The Vanishing Smile is an excellent addition to the series.

It appears Emerson has found a publisher who appreciates him
and recognizes his talent. He has even been all the way to Texas for
book signings, and was well received.

Black is a true man of his time, and Emerson's social commentary right on. Political correctness
is not Thomas's strong suit, much to the delight of the reader.