Reviews

City Problems by Steve Goble

neilsb's review

mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

graywild's review

dark mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

Big city detective now living in small town Ohio tries to solve a missing girl case.  Throughout most of the book there are 4 main suspects.  Of course at the last 20 pages 3 new suspects are name.  The book definitely sits in the spot of summer beach reading for me.  Writing is ok but not a fan overall of mystery, especially when the guilty are named at the end of the book.

readwithhugo's review

3.0

A thing that drives me nuts is when an author writes a book that centers around the main character’s career, but it’s clear that they didn’t consult someone who works that job in real life to avoid factual inaccuracies in the story. There were a handful of examples of this in the book that kept pulling me out of the story. It’s super important to do your research when writing a book, my guy! I also noticed that the dialogue was a bit stilted because the author seemed to shy away from using contractions specifically during conversations between characters (ex: ‘Yep, you are right. It is a logical starting point.’) which made those conversations feel unauthentic and clunky. It’s okay to use contractions in your writing! It’s encouraged, really. Anyway, those were my main gripes with this book; otherwise, I liked it. The writing (that wasn’t dialogue) was solid and the plot moved forward steadily. I liked Ed a lot - he’s so salty while still being funny and kind, despite the ghosts that haunt him. Overall, this was a solid start to a new series - the author is clearly a talented writer, but I think he could benefit from a good editor going forward.

I received a review copy of this book from the publisher.

3no7's review

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

 Big-city trauma comes to small-town Ohio 

Ed Runyon is the sheriff in small-town rural Ohio. He moved there to escape a traumatic past and is happy to just calmly and dispassionately break up weekend bar fights. The narrative continues in his first person conversations. He talks directly to readers in a professional, matter-of-fact cadence. He is a no-nonsense kind of guy, takes no backtalk, and just wants to uphold the law. 

Things change when Detective Shelly Beckworth from Columbus arrives to search for a girl who vanished after party. The clues to her disappearance are few, but what there are, point to Mifflin County; Beckworth wants Runyon’s help. The missing person case suddenly turns into a complicated murder investigation, and Runyon struggles to find answers. Every clue unearthed brings more complications and dredges up haunting memories from his past. 

The pace is focused and deliberate. Conversations move the plot along, and everyday events are interspersed throughout the story. Readers get a comprehensive picture of Runyon with his dedication to duty, a down-home Buckeye sense of humor, and the sometimes burning desire for retribution.  Short, abrupt sentences create a feel of both urgency and tragedy. The plot increases in intensity as the case unfolds, and events become complex and very dramatic. 

I received a review copy of “City Problems” from Steve Goble and Oceanview Publishing. This is the first book in the new “Ed Runyon Mystery” series. It effectively establishes the main characters and sets the stage for future compelling stories in Mifflin County, Ohio.