John C. Ford (1) (1971–)

When Christopher takes a job in the local medical examiner's office (read: morgue) he thought he would learn some embalming tricks and anatomy... imagine his shock when the first body he sees has 5 bullet holes in it -- and is pronounced a suicide! Chris joins forces with a hot, ambitious cub reporter, Tina, to solve the mysterious death and cover-up. Well-paced mystery.

Author Ford juggles lots of balls on this mystery -- a few red herrings, a detailed but traceable plot, a side-bar romance (plus the hint of sexual escapades --unfulfilled!) and a kidnapped younger brother -- and manages to keep them all in the air. The characters, pacing, and dialogue are dandy. Aside from the obvious violence and the siren qualities of reporter, Tina, there is nothing objectionable. Weaker readers may have trouble following the plot, but those who persevere will find a satisfying resolution.… (més)

Robert Smiley, Jr., is the son of encription-king, Robert Smiley, Sr. Forever in his dad's large shadow, "Smiles" shows fits and starts of initiative and intelligence but always seems to sink back into young adult slacker mode: video games, fast food... even his girl friend, Melanie, is a childhood friend grown up. Smiles is between jobs and between lives, having been kicked out of a prestigious prep school. He lives in an apartment near MIT where his only real friend is his brilliant but naive neighbor, Ben.

When Ben confesses to Smiles that he believes he has found the solution to a centuries-old math puzzle, the Riemann Hypothesis which is the basis for all modern encription services, including Smiles' Dad's company, Smiles sees his chance to win fame and glory. He leads Ben into a clandestine meeting with the NSA. But things do not go as planned and things are not as they seem. The plot includes a wild ride to Las Vegas, a kidnapping, hot tubs, and $7 million dollars. The author manages to tie up all of the loose ends and bring the mystery to a satisfying conclusion.

There is nothing objectionable beyond a few make-out scenes, threats of violence, and an opening death that happens 'off screen.' While not a character study, Smiles, his father, and Melanie all evolve in small ways that are believable and worthy of some discussion. The plot is tightly-woven with enough twists and turns to keep this reader up into the night.

This is a deft little mystery that is well-paced, intriguing, and eminently relevant. The author, John C. Ford was a runner-up for the Edgar Award for his first book, THE MORGUE AND ME. This book seems destined to follow in its footsteps.… (més)

Christopher's summer job is a bit unusual: he works in the city morgue, which is how he stumbled on a murder conspiracy. A man shot five times was declared a suicide, and the coroner had thousands of dollars in cash right afterward. Christopher knows something is seriously wrong here, and sets out to uncover the truth. A young reporter looking for her big break, Tina, gets in on the action and together they try to unravel the mystery. A well-paced mystery that keeps readers guessing, with just enough romance, intrigue, and humor to make it a worthwhile read.… (més)

"Petoskey, where nature smiles for seven miles," as quoted by the city limits sign, is a description that reflects the character of the town where the story takes place. Petoskey is a small town on the shores of big Lake Michigan. The praised bluffs of the town were destroyed for a golf course, which is where the cover-up and bribery begin. Christopher Newell lives in Petoskey and gets a summer job at the local morgue. His first week on the job is not what he expects. He sees a dead body with several bullet wounds, but knows the death certificate reads that the man committed suicide. He also finds a large sum of money in the medical examiner's office drawer. He knows he is witnessing a murder cover-up. He then befriends Tina, a newspaper reporter, who helps Christopher unravel the clues to the murder. As the investagation goes on, the two of them discover Christopher's best friend, poltical officials, police and lawyers may also be negativly involved. Christopher encounters many obsticles while attempting to solve the crime. He and his brother are both kidnapped on seperate occasions, he and Tina are pursued by the murders, and Christopher must confront his best friend who is somehow involved in all of the madness. Read all this and more in John C. Ford's The Morgue and Me.… (més)