P.J. Parrish - An Unquiet Grave (2006)
Reviewed by David J. Montgomery
It might seem a stretch for a pair of middle-aged white women to write a mystery series about a young black man. But when the writers are this good, those concerns quickly fade away. Such is the case with An Unquiet Grave, a standout thriller from the pair of sisters who write under the name P.J. Parrish.
(Parrish is the pseudonym of Kristy Montee of Fort Lauderdale and Kelly Nichols of Memphis, Tenn. Their series has garnered nominations for one Edgar, three Anthonys and two Shamus awards.)
Private investigator Louis Kincaid is planning to spend a quiet Thanksgiving with his girlfriend in Florida when he receives a message from his foster father asking him to return home to Michigan. Phillip, the man who raised him, needs Kincaid's help locating a woman he once loved. She was long believed to be dead, but when her grave was recently exhumed for transfer, her coffin was found empty.
So begins an intriguing and atmospheric story set largely on the grounds of an abandoned insane asylum, a haunting location that contains many dark and barbarous secrets from the past.
Kincaid makes for a fine hero, somber and mature for his relative youth. He's quiet, smart and methodical, not always making wisecracks like the stereotypical private eye. The old saying holds that "still waters run deep," and it's certainly the case with Kincaid.
There are times when the plot of An Unquiet Grave risks becoming a little too sensational, stretching credibility farther than it probably should.
In the book's final third, in particular, the deeper that Kincaid digs, the more dramatic the conspiracy becomes until finally it's a little hard to believe.
With a story this powerful, though, and such finely crafted suspense, chances are that readers will race through the book so fast that any minor flaws will go unnoticed.
All in all, An Unquiet Grave is suspense of the highest order.
Posted by David J. Montgomery in Book Reviews | Permalink
