Fugitive Red

September 10, 2018
Manhattan real estate agent Jack Harper, the hapless narrator of this uneven crime novel from Starr (Savage Lane), hasn’t made a sale in months. A recovering alcoholic, he loves his eight-year-old son, but his marriage to the boy’s mother, Marie, is dying. Jack reconnects with an old friend, a former bandmate looking to buy an apartment, who recommends that he try the cheating site Discreet Hookups. After yet another argument with Marie, Jack extends his “history of bad decision-making” by joining the site and almost immediately falling for Sophie Ward, who goes by Fugitive Red on the site. A planned hookup goes horribly wrong when Jack discovers Sophie murdered in her townhouse and then, of course, becomes a person of interest. He can’t comprehend why he must be investigated and generally sabotages himself with one idiotic action after another. Smart, convincing dialogue compensates only in part for a trite solution to the murder and a denouement that strains credibility. Starr’s fans will hope for a return to form next time. Agent: Murray Weiss, Catalyst Literary Management.

November 1, 2018

The latest novel from Starr (Pimp with Ken Bruen; "Gotham" series) opens with unhappily married Jack, a down-on-his-luck real estate agent, and corporate executive Maria. Their marriage is failing, but they share a common love for their son, Jonah. Then a friend tells Jack about an extramarital dating app called Discreet Hookups, where Jack meets Sophia (online name Fugitive Red) and quickly becomes infatuated. They arrange to meet at Sophia's townhouse for their first rendezvous. But things go horribly wrong when Jack finds Sophia dead, apparently strangled with a red necktie. In a panic, Jack calls the police. He downplays his involvement with Sophia and denies murdering her but soon becomes a person of interest, and his life spirals out of control, especially when Maria finds out. Will the real killer be found before Jack is arrested? Starr spins a suspenseful tale that will leave readers wondering if Jack's life will get better after the disastrous step of breaking his marriage vows. VERDICT Recommended for thriller fans, especially domestic thrillers, such as Gillian Flynn's Gone Girl.{amp}mdash;Susan Moritz, Silver Spring, MD

Copyright 2018 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 15, 2018
Jack Harper, former musician and recovering alcoholic, is trying to make a go of it as a New York real-estate agent. His wife, Maria, does well in the corporate world, but she travels extensively; sex exited the script years ago. They have a son, Jonah, but he's seemingly all they have in common. One day Jack shows a million-dollar apartment to an old musician buddy, Rob, who made it big and is looking for a place for extramarital trysts, which he arranges on a site called Discreet Hookups, dedicated to no-drama flings. At first reluctant to try Discreet Hookups himself, Jack decides to give it a go and sets up a meeting with a woman named Sophie. It becomes anything but no drama. Sophie is found dead, and Jack is the primary suspect. This Everyman mystery makes us care about a regular but troubled mope who dips his toe in the water but nearly ends up drowning. Author Starr has 14 crime novels and thrillers on his r�sum� as well as graphic novels for Marvel and DC. The plot is first-rate, the dialogue is sharp, and the conclusion unsettling.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)