★Blood Truth
Matt Coyle
Oceanview Publishing (Dec 5, 2017)
Hardcover $26.95 (368pp)
Blood Truth builds up compelling mysteries and thunders toward a surprising ending.
Matt Coyle’s engrossing noir thriller Blood Truth finds Rick Cahill dredging up family mysteries while solving a
seemingly simple cheating-husband case; it is a work that is difficult to put down.
Nearly thirty years after his disgraced father got booted off the force, Cahill discovers a safe hidden in their old
family home. It holds an envelope stuffed with cash, a potential murder weapon missing exactly two bullets, and the
key to a safety deposit box.
Before he can fully delve into the mystery, Cahill’s ex-girlfriend hires him to follow her new husband and get
proof of infidelity. A web of intrigue ensnares Cahill, placing him in the crosshairs. With his life on the line, Cahill
rushes headlong after justice.
Despite being the fourth book in a series, Blood Truth is incredibly accessible and functions almost as a
standalone adventure. It builds upon previous books, but context is supplied subtly, without hampering the flow.
Cahill is a fantastic addition to the PI literary canon. He’s a sympathetic character with deep flaws but an
unnerving drive to find truth at any cost. He lives by his father’s oft-quoted motto: “We can’t quit just because things
get hard.”
Plot and pacing shine. There are few quiet moments in the book, as Cahill is always on his way to confront
someone, recovering from a colossal misstep, or gathering evidence to figure out the next mistake to make. That’s not
to say that Cahill bumbles about; he learns quickly and adapts, but is always a few steps behind the bad guys. The
twin mysteries of his father’s hidden safe and his ex-girlfriend’s cheating husband seem totally separate at first blush
but quickly become deeply intertwined.
Expertly written and featuring a snarky and self-deprecating hero, Blood Truth builds up compelling mysteries
and thunders toward a satisfying, if surprising, ending.
JOHN M. MURRAY (November/December 2017)
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