First of State

August 23, 2010
Greer's engaging eighth mystery to feature black Denver bail bondsman CJ Floyd (after 2008's Blackbird, Farewell), a prequel, reveals much that's new about CJ's background and character. Soon after returning to Denver from two tours of duty in Vietnam in 1971, 20-year-old CJ meets WWII vet Wiley Ames, who, like him, collects old license plates. When Ames is gunned down in an alley, Floyd vows to find his friend's killer. Meanwhile, Floyd's alcoholic uncle, Denver's first black bail bondsman, takes on CJ and teaches him the business. CJ never lets go of the search for Ames's murderer, and his slow, painstaking unraveling of the case over the years mirrors his growth as an investigator. As in Greer's earlier books, the black Five Points neighborhood comes vibrantly alive. This is a must-read for series fans and a great introduction for others.

September 15, 2010

This prequel to Greer's series of mysteries featuring Denver bail bondsman/detective CJ Floyd (Blackbird; Farewell) begins with his return home in 1971 after two tours in Vietnam. An avid collector of license plates and other memorabilia, Floyd meets a World War II veteran who works at a local pawn shop. When his new friend is killed in what the police call a botched robbery, Floyd decides to investigate. The story proceeds over the next five years as Floyd learns the bail bonds business from his uncle and slowly readjusts to civilian life. He continues to work on the case as well, uncovering suspects and clues with the help of his friends and advice of his uncle. VERDICT Filling his intriguing mystery with images of life in an African American neighborhood in the 1970s and details of antiquing and flea market excursions, Greer creates a richly realized setting. This should appeal to followers of the CJ Floyd series and is a good introduction to new readers. It will also attract fans of African American mysteries as well as readers looking for a good mystery with a setting just outside the ordinary.--Dan Forrest, Western Kentucky Univ. Libs., Bowling Green

Copyright 2010 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 15, 2010
CJ Floyd is 22 years old, but he seems much older somehow and certainly more disillusioned than his peers in early-1970s Denver. He finds an emotional anchor and kindred soul in Wiley Ames, a WWII amputee and antique dealer. When Wiley is murdered and his case goes unsolved, CJ vows to find the killer; in the meantime, he throws himself into his uncle Ikes bail-bond business, if only to push his painful memories into the shadows. Five years later, one of Ames most treasured antiques surfaces at a Denver flea market. Its the thread Floyd needs to unravel the murder. This prequel to Greers always thoughtful and multilayered Floyd series reveals the pain behind the protagonists curmudgeonly, emotionally guarded personality and his reluctance to employ violence. CJ Floyd is one of crime fictions hidden gems, and this is a satisfying entry in a rewarding, underappreciated series.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)