Title: Toxic Ink
Author: J. Michael Hunter
Where to buy: Amazon (affiliate link)
Genre: Mystery
Would I recommend: Yes. The mystery is a lot of fun, and Frank may start out a bit gruff, but he grows on you.
Synopsis:
Retired crime reporter Frank Ellis seeks a peaceful retirement in the serene town of Mayfield, Virginia. To make ends meet, Frank joins the Mayfield Weekly newspaper as a part-time gig. Before he can even settle in, a series of mysterious deaths linked to the local college’s creative writing program shatters his dreams of tranquility.
As Frank investigates, suspicion falls on the eccentric faculty, a mix of writers in genres ranging from historical romance to science fiction. The stakes rise when Frank’s sister, Ash, a professor at the college, becomes a potential target. Is the killer wise enough to see that beneath Frank’s folksy exterior lies a keen mind honed by years of chasing crime stories?
Haunted by his past, Frank finds unexpected allies in a quirky true crime reading club from his apartment building. Toxic Ink is a character-driven mystery that delves into the complexities of trust, redemption, and the weight of secrets.
Can Frank outsmart the killer, or will the town’s mysteries remain buried? Join Frank Ellis on a journey through 1975 small-town Virginia, where every character has a story.
Featuring extensive X-ray entries that bring to life everything from local landmarks to colorful residents, immerse yourself in a richly detailed world where even the town’s century-old curmudgeon and the mysterious depths of Mayfield Pond have fascinating stories to tell.
Frank Ellis, a former crime reporter, is recently widowed. He’s leaving his big-city crime reporting job to live in Mayfield, Virginia – enjoy the quiet life, be closer to his sister Ash. He takes a part-time job at the local newspaper – the bills still have to get paid, after all – but he turns down the crime beat. Old habits die hard, though, and when people associated with the local college’s creative writing program start turning up dead, he’s drawn toward the investigation. And when his sister appears to be a target, he knows he’s got to get to the bottom of things.
At first I wasn’t quite sure how I’d feel about this book. Even before he was widowed, Frank was a little on the curmudgeonly side. I understood that he wasn’t thrilled with his move to Mayfield, but when his neighbors came to introduce themselves and welcome him to the apartment complex, he verged on rude sometimes. I guess that’s plausible for someone not used to small-town bonhomie, but it was a little off-putting. Thankfully, Frank began to adjust to his neighbors and even started thinking of them as – dare I say? – friends.
The time period the story takes place in is the 1970s, and if you aren’t at least passingly familiar with it, you might want to brush up on some of the slang. Jade, one of Frank’s neighbors, sounds like she’s fluent in the lingo, with a few side trips into the 1960s. It sometimes took me a minute to wrap my brain around what she was saying. I adjusted, though!
The mystery more than made up for my nitpicky problems, though. J. Michael Hunter gives us a puzzle where the answer isn’t readily obvious. There are two people dead, but what connects them other than the college creative writing program? Why were they targeted, and why might Ash be next in the killer’s sights? Frank and friends have to dig deep, and they take the reader on quite a ride as they do! The killer’s identity was quite a surprise to me, and I do love a mystery that keeps me guessing.
A charming small-town setting, an accurate grasp on the story’s time period, and a thoroughly engaging mystery makes for an enjoyable read, and one I recommend for mystery lovers! I hope there are more adventures with Frank yet to come.
I received a copy of this book from the author through Reedsy Discovery, and this review was first published there.
