rglossner's review against another edition
5.0
This is a character driven mystery set in the South, with a newspaper reporter instead of a cop or private investigator as the sleuth. The writing is good, the characters believable, the mystery although predictable, is well done. I think murder mysteries where the motives go back years are often the most satisfying, even though murder in real life is almost always an impulsive act.
I enjoyed it, and I would read more stories featuring Willie Mays Black, his eccentric family, neighborhood and co-workers.
I enjoyed it, and I would read more stories featuring Willie Mays Black, his eccentric family, neighborhood and co-workers.
alanadavis's review against another edition
It's poorly written, a bit misogynistic, and uses phrases like "ridden hard and put up wet".
klnbennett's review against another edition
4.0
I picked this book because it is set in Richmond, VA. Noir mystery is definitely not my usual genre, but I found this book plenty enjoyable. I am only so so at following mystery plots, I get lost in people's names sometimes, but the authors mentions of local spots kept me interested and made this extra fun to read. One final note: Its a real "dad book" and some of the descriptions of those newfangled politically correct ideas were eye-rollers, but I prevailed.
pattydsf's review
3.0
”Growing up in Oregon Hill wasn’t easy for anyone. If your father was an African-American, current address unknown, the s—t got exponentially deeper.
Back then, the Hill was as white as a virgin’s wedding gown. It had been a working-class community, kind of a mill town hidden away inside a city, full of German and Irish and Italian ironworkers.”
Howard Owen has had his novels published since the early 1990’s. Because he is local to this part of Virginia, I have been hearing about his writing for years. It took the Book Riot Challenge (https://bookriot.com/2016/12/15/book-riots-2017-read-harder-challenge/) to get me to finally pick up one of his books. I needed a book set within 100 miles from my location. Oregon Hill is in Richmond, so it is about 20 miles from my home.
I thoroughly enjoyed living in Willie Black’s world for 240 pages. The mystery was not complicated or too gruesome, but I was not reading for the mystery. I picked the book up for the local color and stayed because the characters were interesting. I have been living in the Richmond area since 1983. So some of the local information was not new to me. However, I have only been to Oregon Hill a handful of times and I was glad to learn about that area.
If you like books that try to get local history right, if you like characters that are honorable but not perfect angels or if you like good writing, you will find all three in this mystery. I plan to find the next book in the series.
Back then, the Hill was as white as a virgin’s wedding gown. It had been a working-class community, kind of a mill town hidden away inside a city, full of German and Irish and Italian ironworkers.”
Howard Owen has had his novels published since the early 1990’s. Because he is local to this part of Virginia, I have been hearing about his writing for years. It took the Book Riot Challenge (https://bookriot.com/2016/12/15/book-riots-2017-read-harder-challenge/) to get me to finally pick up one of his books. I needed a book set within 100 miles from my location. Oregon Hill is in Richmond, so it is about 20 miles from my home.
I thoroughly enjoyed living in Willie Black’s world for 240 pages. The mystery was not complicated or too gruesome, but I was not reading for the mystery. I picked the book up for the local color and stayed because the characters were interesting. I have been living in the Richmond area since 1983. So some of the local information was not new to me. However, I have only been to Oregon Hill a handful of times and I was glad to learn about that area.
If you like books that try to get local history right, if you like characters that are honorable but not perfect angels or if you like good writing, you will find all three in this mystery. I plan to find the next book in the series.
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