Purgatory Chasm

Starred review from March 21, 2011
Ulfelder couples precise, evocative prose with an original private investigator in his compelling hard-boiled debut. Conway Sax, a recovering alcoholic, ex-con, and car mechanic who lives in Massachusetts, fulfills his moral obligations to the Barnburners, the AA group that got him clean and sober, by doing odd jobs for them. Tander Phigg, a Barnburner whose 1980 Mercedes-Benz 450SEL Sax once worked on, persuades him to help retrieve the classic carâand the $3,500 depositâfrom Das Motorenwerk, a garage in New Hampshire that's had the vehicle for 18 months and done nothing. When Sax visits the garage, someone he doesn't see coldcocks him. The assault heightens Sax's suspicions about Das Motorenwerk, and his later discovery of a dead body confirms them. Ulfelder smoothly navigates the many plot twists, and effortlessly introduces wrinkles in his protagonist's backstory that enhance the character. Fans of Michael Koryta's PI crime novels will find a lot to like.

April 1, 2011

Fathers and sons, American style.

Conway Sax once drove race cars. He drove them fast enough to garner attention, well enough to view the NASCAR circuit as a realistic career choice. But that was before he had to admit he was an all-too-realistic drunk. What happened? There's no easy answer, but even someone as little given to introspection as Conway understands that a corrosive father-son relationship augurs negative consequences. And Conway's was a doozy. Enter the Barnburners, a serious AA offshoot for serious alcoholics. Because he credits them with saving his life, Conway willingly becomes the Barnburners' go-to guy. His reputation for heavy lifting makes it natural for Barnburner Tander Phigg to call on him in his hour of need. Conway doesn't like Tander or care much for the spurious feel of Tander's deal, glossed over though it is. But saintly or shiftless, a Barnburner's a Barnburner. So Conway saddles up, begins asking the relevant questions and is soon knee-deep in murder, mayhem and the kind of bad-seed malevolence that heedlessness makes doubly dangerous—all complicated by a father-son relationship almost as dysfunctional as his own.

The protagonist is so strong, engaging and fully realized that he dwarfs the surrounding cast. Still, a promising debut.

(COPYRIGHT (2011) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)

Starred review from May 1, 2011

Conway Sax is a former race car driver who lost everything because of his alcohol addiction. After a stint in jail and a newfound sense of belonging with his Alcoholics Anonymous group, he is finally getting his life back in order. When one of his AA associates asks for his help, he is unable to refuse despite his dislike for the man. What starts off as a simple negotiation evolves into a murder investigation and the unraveling of deadly family secrets. Conway's own past comes into play as his destitute father reappears in his life. VERDICT This outstanding debut by a former journalist and racing enthusiast is gritty and fast-paced, with an intriguing plot and believable characters. Ulfelder has introduced a solid new protagonist, and the many race car anecdotes add to the novel's allure. It will appeal strongly to readers of Loren D. Estleman and Ross MacDonald and those who enjoy hard-boiled detective mysteries.--Amy Nolan, St. Joseph P.L., MI

Copyright 2011 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 1, 2011
Conway Saxs father taught him how to drink and how to tame his reflexes so he could race cars and run down the cliff rocks at Massachusetts Purgatory Chasm State Park. But thats about all he was taught. Now off the booze, which ruined his racing career, and on parole, Conway is trying to go forward with his life. Thats not easy; hes a magnet for trouble. When a member of the AA group that helped him recover asks a favor, Conway feels obliged to help, even though he dislikes the man. When the man is found dead, Conway investigates, unearthing not only the secret life of the victim and bricks of hidden cash but also the identity of a clever and vicious serial murderer. Mix in Conways memories of childhood with a competetive, drunken parent, and theres enough going on to fill a couple of books. That aside, Conway is one of those tough but tender, emotionally damaged protagonists that calls out to certain mystery readers. For that crowd, Ulfelders first novel gets a thumbs up.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)