Buffalo Jump

I stumbled upon this book amd imported it from Canada before it was available here. It is a really solid debut. While starting a little slow, it picks up and delivers a really good story. I was glad to see the second book come out; I have it and so far it appears it may be even better. An engaging main character. Fluid writing. Get it!

Buffalo Jump (2008) introduces Jonah Geller, a private investigator in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Jonah is having a bad day. He is still recovering from a bullet wound in his arm caused by a careless mistake on a case, his boss is still mad at him, and he comes home to find a contract killer in his apartment. Luckily the hit man, Dante Ryan, isn't there to kill Jonah, but to ask for his help. Ryan has been given the contract to kill an entire family, including a 5-year-old boy the same age as Ryan's son, and he can't do it. Ryan asks Jonah to find out who ordered the hit so that he can renegotiate and spare the boy's life. Jonah investigates the father, an independent pharmacist, and soon finds himself in the midst of a dangerous prescription drug smuggling operation. Jonah is an entertaining narrator: quick, witty, always ready to defuse the situation with a joke. The supporting characters are equally complex and surprising, especially Dante Ryan, who grows on Jonah as the investigation progresses. This debut novel won the 2009 Arthur Ellis Award for Best First Novel. [...]

I love a good mystery. Howard Shrier's first person film noire approach to private investigator Jonah Geller was funny, quick paced and quite entertaining. Like the previous reviewer I also am from Toronto - the descriptions were vivid enough for me to want to pass up hiking the Don Valley, at least when its raining, and the scenes describing sadistic killer Ricky the Clip were perhaps too disturbing. Dante Ryan was a great character as was French Canadian Frannie Paradis and Jenn. What I did find a bit unsatisfactory was the rather flat character of Jonah's boss Clint, yet characters swiftly drawn like Kate Hollinger show that the author has great potential. I also preferred the mystery of Jonah's past to the actual revelation. The scenario itself, trafficking in prescription drugs between Canada and the United States was quite believable and well laid out. The book also sets up a number of characters both major and minor for a return visit. Shrier has at least a second novel in him and I look forward to reading it. Recommended.

Being the Torontian I'm am, I can relate to real life genre that Howard has created in this soon to be best seller. Excellent job for a first time writer, he leaves you wondering how you can get a hold of his next book before it's release. I'm hooked.