John Keyse-Walker
Autor/a de Sun, Sand, Murder
Sobre l'autor
John Keyse-Walker is an American author and lawyer. He grew up in Columbia Station, Ohio. He is an avid outdoorsman who spent much of his youth exploring, fishing and swimming, but he also enjoyed reading. He is a graduate of the College of Wooster, in Wooster, Ohio where he majored in political mostra'n més science. His law degree is from Duke University School of Law. He practiced law for thirty years in Elyria, Ohio. For many years he served as the firm's managing partner. He retired in 2012. It took him two years to write his debut novel, Sun, Sand, Murder, published in 2016. It won the Minotaur Books/Mystery Writers of America First Crime Novel Award. Beach, Breeze, Bloodshed is his second book, published in 2017. The two books comprise the Teddy Creque Mysteries Series. (Bowker Author Biography) mostra'n menys
Sèrie
Obres de John Keyse-Walker
Etiquetat
Coneixement comú
- Gènere
- male
- Llocs de residència
- Columbia Station, Ohio, USA
Florida, USA - Educació
- College of Wooster
Duke University Law School - Biografia breu
- [excerpt from author's website]
John Keyse-Walker grew up in Columbia Station, Ohio, the son of a vegetable greenhouse operator and a stay-at-home mother. Much of his youth was spent exploring the fields, woods, and rivers near his rural home, or fishing and swimming in Florida, where his family had a modest second home. While he enjoyed reading, books took a backseat to outdoor pursuits.
He attended the College of Wooster, in Wooster, Ohio, majoring in political science. He went on to obtain a law degree from Duke University School of Law (Go Blue Devils!), where he met a fellow student and Southern belle, Irene Walker, who became his wife.
After law school, he took the Ohio bar and began a practice in Elyria, Ohio. For the next thirty years, he had a diverse practice consisting mostly of trial work, and for many years served as his firm's managing partner.
In 2012, he retired, planning to devote time to travel, fishing, tennis, kayaking, and volunteer work. When he found those pursuits failed to fill the hours in the day, he began to write.
Membres
Ressenyes
Bert and Mamie Take a Cruise de John Keyse-Walker
Bert and Mamie made it through the Depression by farming inside green houses and selling the almost year-round produce off. Bert has always wanted to see Africa, Mamie gamely agrees to a cruise around the continent. It's 1939. Their ship is the Columbus, a German luxury liner. The specter of Reich is on board and eventually, a German military man is tossed overboard. However, Mamie, out getting some air late at night after the ship crosses the equator, is the only witness this alleged crime. Bert served as deputy back in the day (but only for a year), so the captain taps his to look into the crime and keep an eye on the star witness, his wife, Mamie.… (més)
½Married for thirty years, Mamie agreed to this cruise around Africa so that her husband Bert could indulge his lifelong passion for adventure-- something you can't find much of in Hills Corners, Ohio. While Bert is hankering for some rip-roaring tales to tell the folks back home, Mamie is the sort who prefers room service, lounging poolside and dancing in the evenings. They are an outgoing couple who rapidly make friends among the passengers and crew, although they would prefer to avoid the Nazis on board.
When Mamie witnesses a crime, the captain of the ship wants to keep it as quiet as possible and uses Bert's experience as a sheriff's deputy (even though it was only for a year and twenty years ago at that) to avoid bringing in the police when the ship arrives at port. Husband and wife make an interesting investigative team, reminiscent of Hollywood's Nick and Nora Charles of The Thin Man movies. While Bert tries to keep his wife safe, Mamie gathers many important clues through her girl talk with the friends she's made on board.
Bert and Mamie are a likable pair, and I enjoyed their give and take. The author's setting of an actual ocean liner and cruise just before the start of World War II brought the story to life and made me wish I could travel along with them as they sailed around the continent, stopping several times along the way for "in-country" trips. All in all, a choice investigation for an armchair traveler like me.
(Review copy courtesy of the publisher and Net Galley)… (més)
When Mamie witnesses a crime, the captain of the ship wants to keep it as quiet as possible and uses Bert's experience as a sheriff's deputy (even though it was only for a year and twenty years ago at that) to avoid bringing in the police when the ship arrives at port. Husband and wife make an interesting investigative team, reminiscent of Hollywood's Nick and Nora Charles of The Thin Man movies. While Bert tries to keep his wife safe, Mamie gathers many important clues through her girl talk with the friends she's made on board.
Bert and Mamie are a likable pair, and I enjoyed their give and take. The author's setting of an actual ocean liner and cruise just before the start of World War II brought the story to life and made me wish I could travel along with them as they sailed around the continent, stopping several times along the way for "in-country" trips. All in all, a choice investigation for an armchair traveler like me.
(Review copy courtesy of the publisher and Net Galley)… (més)
Havana, Cuba in 1957 is vividly brought to life in the brilliant noir novel, Havana Highwire by John Keyse-Walker.
We first meet the protagonist, Henry Gore, an American born PI, now working in Havana, as he mistimes taking a picture of the philandering husband of his client, is beaten by the staff of the mob run hotel, and then tossed into the street. Out of money, he eventually accepts a job working with Cuban security forces to reveal the identities of a rebel group while posing as a gunrunner. What follows is a novel whose plot takes twists and turns that kept me on my toes and wanting to read more, while our “hero” keeps running into more and more moral quandaries. Well written with well drawn characters, and intricately plotted, Havana Highwire is one of the best noir novels I’ve read in a good while. For lovers of the genre, I highly recommend the book.
My thanks to Severn House and to Netgalley for providing an ARC of this fabulous novel.… (més)
We first meet the protagonist, Henry Gore, an American born PI, now working in Havana, as he mistimes taking a picture of the philandering husband of his client, is beaten by the staff of the mob run hotel, and then tossed into the street. Out of money, he eventually accepts a job working with Cuban security forces to reveal the identities of a rebel group while posing as a gunrunner. What follows is a novel whose plot takes twists and turns that kept me on my toes and wanting to read more, while our “hero” keeps running into more and more moral quandaries. Well written with well drawn characters, and intricately plotted, Havana Highwire is one of the best noir novels I’ve read in a good while. For lovers of the genre, I highly recommend the book.
My thanks to Severn House and to Netgalley for providing an ARC of this fabulous novel.… (més)
Is this Sam Spade in Havana?
Laconic, self deprecating ex-army intelligence officer, had “expected to finance [his]permanent vacation in [Havana] the land of sun, balmy breezes, rum, gambling, and compliant señoritas”, doing soft Private Investigator work. You know, like chasing down husbands for hard evidence in divorce cases.
We all know that nothing is going to be that simple. Still it’s the 1950’s and a guy needs dreams. The reality leads Henry Gore way beyond the dream into darkness and confusion
Then there’s his street wise, old before his years, side kick Benny. Maybe eight years old, Benny sort of adopts Gore, even after attempting to rob him. A likeable, eager to please youngster who provides a lively counterpoint to the by now jaded Henry.
When Henry takes on a job offer from a Cuban Senator to look for trouble makers, described to him as “a minuscule element, of the population who seeks to disrupt and overthrow the legitimate government of President Batista…nothing more than bandits, really, common criminals, and their efforts have had little effect in Cuba,” an alert reader has some inkling of the political mayhem Henry is about to step into.
However our hero has no historical perspective. Although being asked “to formulate espionage and counterespionage strategies to combat the bandits who plague [the] country,” should have rung alarm bells.
Still Henry is broke, having been warned away from the read and butter work he’d hoped for by mobsters and he was being offered a large amount of cash.
Havana in the 50’s! A corrupt government and the American mobsters working hand in hand.
A liberation movement—a revolution just beginning. And let’s not forget that Senator’s girlfriend. A poignant moment of the meeting of two souls.
I started out feeling hopeful that this would be a well rounded historical political thriller but you know it’s not good when you start skimming some of the pages. As we go into the nitty gritty of the liberationists struggle for arms, the corruption of the Batista government forces, there were moments of explicit violence that I didn’t need. But then this novel is touted as being on the noir side of the equation.
I did not expect events to slide into the seemingly hopelessness they did. We either have the making of a man who might go onto a more noble future or we have a numbed man trapped by his own cynicism, who has an Ah! Hah! moment, only to be checkmated at every turn. I was left wondering what the “more to come” might look like?
A Severn House ARC via NetGalley. Many thanks to the author and publisher.
Please note: Quotes taken from an advanced reading copy maybe subject to change… (més)
Laconic, self deprecating ex-army intelligence officer, had “expected to finance [his]permanent vacation in [Havana] the land of sun, balmy breezes, rum, gambling, and compliant señoritas”, doing soft Private Investigator work. You know, like chasing down husbands for hard evidence in divorce cases.
We all know that nothing is going to be that simple. Still it’s the 1950’s and a guy needs dreams. The reality leads Henry Gore way beyond the dream into darkness and confusion
Then there’s his street wise, old before his years, side kick Benny. Maybe eight years old, Benny sort of adopts Gore, even after attempting to rob him. A likeable, eager to please youngster who provides a lively counterpoint to the by now jaded Henry.
When Henry takes on a job offer from a Cuban Senator to look for trouble makers, described to him as “a minuscule element, of the population who seeks to disrupt and overthrow the legitimate government of President Batista…nothing more than bandits, really, common criminals, and their efforts have had little effect in Cuba,” an alert reader has some inkling of the political mayhem Henry is about to step into.
However our hero has no historical perspective. Although being asked “to formulate espionage and counterespionage strategies to combat the bandits who plague [the] country,” should have rung alarm bells.
Still Henry is broke, having been warned away from the read and butter work he’d hoped for by mobsters and he was being offered a large amount of cash.
Havana in the 50’s! A corrupt government and the American mobsters working hand in hand.
A liberation movement—a revolution just beginning. And let’s not forget that Senator’s girlfriend. A poignant moment of the meeting of two souls.
I started out feeling hopeful that this would be a well rounded historical political thriller but you know it’s not good when you start skimming some of the pages. As we go into the nitty gritty of the liberationists struggle for arms, the corruption of the Batista government forces, there were moments of explicit violence that I didn’t need. But then this novel is touted as being on the noir side of the equation.
I did not expect events to slide into the seemingly hopelessness they did. We either have the making of a man who might go onto a more noble future or we have a numbed man trapped by his own cynicism, who has an Ah! Hah! moment, only to be checkmated at every turn. I was left wondering what the “more to come” might look like?
A Severn House ARC via NetGalley. Many thanks to the author and publisher.
Please note: Quotes taken from an advanced reading copy maybe subject to change… (més)
Estadístiques
- Obres
- 6
- Membres
- 82
- Popularitat
- #220,761
- Valoració
- 3.5
- Ressenyes
- 10
- ISBN
- 14