A Blind Eye

All he has to do is stay away from the Texas Rangers for a few more days--until the Grand Jury term expires and he can go home. But a freak snowstorm strands writer Frank Corso, along with sometime-girlfriend and photographer Meg Dougherty in an airport and Frank decides to brave the blizzard rather than wait to be arrested. Stuck in the blizzard, Frank and Meg discover evidence of a seventeen-year-old murder. As part of a bargain to keep him away from the Rangers, Frank agrees to look into the old murder and Meg reluctantly goes along.What they find is a story of abuse, incest, and a girl's attempts to control her environment at any cost. As they get closer, they wonder whether this girl, now a woman, might kill again--and whether they can stay alive themselves. Of course, getting closer depends on staying ahead of the Rangers, the FBI, and the local Sheriff who has her own issues. Author G. M. Ford writes a page-turning and compelling story. Frank, with his little problem with the truth, makes an intriguing character--bad enough to be sympathetic but heroic enough to make him admirable as well. Ford's writing grabs the reader by the throat and pulls them through an exciting adventure.Readers who enjoy action, a bit of psychological analysis, wise-talking heros, and a quirky bit of romance will definitely want to get their hands on A BLIND EYE.

"A Blind Eye," by G. M. Ford, features the tough and taciturn Frank Corso, a true crime writer who is on the lam. Corso is wanted in Texas as a material witness, and he decides to lie low until the warrant for his arrest expires. Along with his former lover, photojournalist Meg Dougherty, Frank gets into an accident on a Wisconsin highway during a heavy blizzard. When Dougherty and Corso take shelter in an abandoned house, they discover the grisly remains of a murdered family. Corso is manipulated by the local sheriff into investigating this crime, which leads him to several states in his pursuit of a very unusual serial killer. "A Blind Eye" explores the pathological side of human nature, especially the way in which horribly abused children sometimes grow into deeply disturbed and violent adults. Corso is a terrific character. He is strong, courageous, and eerily intuitive, and his girlfriend, Meg Dougherty, is gutsy and tenacious. The secondary characters are also well-drawn. G. M. Ford's plot is intricate and engrossing, and he ratchets up the tension to an agonizing level prior to the hair-raising and electrifying finale. "A Blind Eye" is a powerful and unsettling thriller that may give you nightmares.

First G.M. Ford book I've read. Very entertaining with likable characters. Dialoge reveals quite a sense of humor. Starts out a bit slow but going to the end is worth the trip.

Reporter Frank Corso fell from grace when he was accused of making up a crime story. However, Frank is resourceful and easily reinvented himself into a true-crime writer who claims to have insider information on a Texas high-society murder. Rather than face the results of a subpoena demanding he talk, Frank does what comes naturally; he goes on the run. Accompanying Frank into hiding in wintry Wisconsin is his photographer, Meg Dougherty.Following an accident caused by blizzard like weather, Frank and Meg take shelter on an abandoned farm in Avalon. In the shed, they discover the remains of the male members of the Holmes family, whom everyone thought, simply left town fifteen years ago. The local sheriff cuts a deal with Frank that he won't be handed over to Texas if he investigates the murders. Already fascinated by the grisly scene, Frank accepts the terms. He starts his inquiries by looking into the mother of the brood who's not part of the skeletal remains. He soon traces her bloody trail to other homicides, but the culprit has plans to add the writer to the pile of deaths.The suspense is at the usual high level expected in a G.M Ford novel starring the likable antihero Frank who is accompanied by a support cast that adds exaggerated regional eccentricities. Yet with all that the tale seems off slightly because whenever Frank hits a dead end he finds this incredible Ziggy like source that moves him further along on the case. Still fans will continue reading because the rapid pace, the chilling suspense, and the quaint cast make for a strong entertaining read.Harriet Klausner