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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Reviewed for Midwest Book Review, April 5, 2009
Former police chief turned private investigator Sid Chance is hired by a businessman who's being sued for a chemical spill on a piece of property he owns. People in the surrounding area have been suffering from physical disorders and the water supply has been polluted. The businessman, however, claims the spill was left by a former company that occupied that parcel. With the help of his good friend, business owner and computer whiz Jaz LeMieux, Sid tries to find the owners of an auto parts rehab business that operated at that location for several years, but everyone seems to have disappeared, including former employees. And the few employees he does manage to unearth either die suspiciously or are too terrified to speak to him. As Sid doggedly pursues the case, he is threatened to back off, but when he doesn't comply, finds his life in mortal danger.
The pairing of Sid and Jaz makes for a dynamic investigative team. Both have their own unique talents and skills to bring to the table, and their chemistry as a team is appealing. Campbell delivers a tough-to-solve mystery, with plenty of red herrings and enough twists and turns to keep the reader turning pages.
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3.0 out of 5 stars
Ok story but didn't keep me enthralled, September 21, 2009
I am having a hard time thinking of how exactly I felt about this book. There was nothing necessarily wrong with it but I have to admit it did not engross me. I actually ended up putting it down and picking it up several times to read other books in between. One factor may have been I did not really find myself caring much about Sid Chance. I found myself thinking several times that for PI most of the deductions and findings seemed to come from the people around him. In fact, Jaz seemed to do most of the work on this case. That said I did like Jaz and it was nice to see a female place a prominent role in cracking this mystery. I think Campbell put together a nice supporting cast that it would be nice to see more of. Maybe Sid will grow on me in the next book.
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4.0 out of 5 stars
Sid Chance begins in "The Surest Poison" by Chester D. Campbell, June 14, 2009
Private Investigator Sid Chance prefers the solitary life at his rustic cabin located somewhere fifty miles east of Nashville. He'd spent three years there after his career as a small town police chief abruptly ended. Before that, he was a park ranger and that career abruptly ended. He has a history of not playing well with others and not being very good at the game of politics at work. Being a private investigator is a good fit and he has his friend Jasmine Le Mieux to thank for that.
Jasmine Le Mieux, ex cop and chairman of the board of Welcome Traveler Stores (a chain of truck stops) also referred his latest client, Arnie Bailey of the law firm Bailey, Riddle and Smith. It seems Arnie Bailey's client, Wade Harrington, owns and operates a small company just outside Ashland City that makes specialty shipping boxes. Residents in the area are dealing with the results of an environmental disaster. State investigators have found that trichloroethylene also known as TCE was dumped at his plant at some point in the past. The chemical was probably dumped onto the ground many times and has contaminated local well water and the public water supply. As the current landowner, Wade Harrington is being blamed and will have to pay claims and damages along with clean up costs. It could financially ruin him and his small company Harr Co.
Wade Harrington isn't responsible as TCE isn't anything they have ever used and isn't part of any manufacturing process for his company. But, as current owner of the property he is going to be held accountable unless the previous ownership can be found. The lawyer, Annie Bailey, wants the people actually responsible to be identified and tracked down so that if they are still alive, they can be held accountable. It won't be easy and it will mean dealing with some of the people responsible for Sid's previous problems.
Author Chester D. Campbell has crafted the first novel of no doubt a new series far different in style and tone from his very enjoyable Greg McKenzie mysteries. While this book and that series share the commonality of being cozies where history does play a role, this book features a much murkier central character that strongly prefers to go it alone. He certainly isn't Greg McKenzie in style or tone and not just because McKenzie is married and Sid isn't. There is a hard edge to Sid Chance that is always present and not just in situations that call for it.
Pacing is different as well as this novel takes far longer to get going in a meaningful way as compared to the Greg McKenzie novels. Fans that really enjoy that character may be slow to appreciate Sid as the book does not read anything like what one is used to from the pen of Chester D. Campbell. Which is not to say the book is not good. It most certainly is. However, the contrasts between the two different series are obvious and it does take time to accept the viewpoint of Sid Chance when one is very used to old friend Greg McKenzie.
Kevin R. Tipple (copyright) 2009
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