Faces of the Gone: A Mystery (Carter Ross Mysteries, 1)

This book won multiple awards so I looked forward to reading it but I'm already on page 198 and still don't find it interesting. Yawn...

In the vein of wonderful mysteries featuring humorous, self-deprecating protagonists, please add Faces of the Gone to the category. Brad Parks' debut novel continues the wonderful tradition begun by David Rosenfelt of stories taking place in New Jersey featuring an endearing ensemble of characters. If you like David Rosenfelt's books, you will surely enjoy this book. The book was equally suspenseful, funny and clever both in its plot lines and the interplay among its characters. All I can say is that I am eagerly awaiting the next book featuring the exploits of Carter Ross.

Four bodies, each shot in the back of the head, lie in a Newark vacant lot. The victims came from different parts of the city and are not believed to know each other. Police theorize that the murders are revenge for a bar stickup, but the Newark Eagle-Examiner's investigative reporter Carter Ross doesn't believe it. Enlisting the aid of the paper's city editor for support at the office, he sets off the find the truth. Ross finds that all four were selling an ultra-pure form of heroin, and had been executed for selling a weakened form of 'The Stuff' by 'the Director.' Ross's investigating creates front-page articles and a meeting with a high level law enforcement official. While being pumped for information, Ross realized he was facing 'the Director' and the intended next victim.

Discovering a promising new writer is one of the real joys of reading. It's part of the excitement that keeps us going back to the bookstore time and again, even though we inevitably suffer our share of disappointments. There's no need to worry with author Brad Parks, however, as he's delivered a first-rate crime thriller. Although FACES OF THE GONE is Parks' first novel, his prior career as a journalist well prepared him for this engaging story of Carter Ross, a reporter for the (fictional) Newark Eagle-Examiner. A quadruple homicide is front page news even in crime-ridden Newark, and Ross is determined to pursue the story no matter the cost. FACES OF THE GONE is gritty and hard boiled, but with a sly sense of humor. This strong and confident debut is sure to make an appearance on many "best of" and awards lists. Parks is a bright new talent whom readers will hopefully be able to enjoy for years to come.

Truth be known, my favorite fiction is set in the urban section of mid-sized cities. Wallace Stroby's stories of north and central Jersey and David Levien's novels that take place in Indianapolis are what I reach for more often than not. But now I have just added FACES OF THE GONE, Brad Parks's debut, to that expanding list. FACES OF THE GONE is set in Newark, New Jersey, one of America's more interesting, if not picturesque, cities. Parks, who describes himself as "an escaped journalist," was a sportswriter and news feature writer for the Newark Star-Ledger, and his "warts-and-all" descriptions of the city are right on the mark, down to the transitions that Newark goes through on its daily journey into night. Indeed, the impetus behind the novel --- a quadruple, execution-style murder in a vacant lot --- is based on a real-world occurrence that Parks himself investigated. And Carter Ross, the investigative reporter who narrates most of the book, may well be Parks's alter ego. Driven by compassion for the victims, Ross begins a steadfast investigation into the murders of four people who seemingly had nothing in common other than their brutal ending. The police are quick to wrap up the murders as rough justice for a prior robbery of a local tavern, with the murder victims in the role as the unfortunate and unwise robbers. Ross is not so sure. What he finds is that the victims, all from different parts of the city, had been low-level drug dealers or, in the parlance, "hustlers," selling just enough to eke out a primitive lifestyle but little else. Ross goes far on a combination of instinct, an arrogant self-assurance (which is part bluff), and, yes, some actual sincerity that gains him access to parts of the city that a white, buttoned-down male would not otherwise have. The result is an explosive article in which Ross unwittingly exposes a drug king known as "The Director," whose heroin is legendary for its purity. The murders of the four hustlers were intended as a warning for those in the know on the streets of Newark, but Ross's article now threatens to expose his entire operation. This puts him in mortal danger from which he has almost no hope of escaping, forcing him to rely on the assistance of some unlikely --- and colorful --- allies. The result is a cat-and-mouse pursuit that carries on practically to the conclusion of FACES OF THE GONE, a book that will keep you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end. Parks is a hoot, combining equal parts humor and action with strong characterization on all levels, particularly with respect to his street-level characters, whose despair and poor choices ring all too true. FACES OF THE GONE is the first of a projected series set in Newark, and those who like their stories gritty but cut with humor will cheer this one and clamor for more. --- Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub

Harlan Coben is quoted on the front of Faces of the Gone saying, "Terrific Debut." Actually, Brad Parks' debut crime novel is so terrific that it's one of the best mysteries I've read this year. Faces of the Gone introduces a fresh, attractive protagonist, and a fascinating story. When four bodies are found shot execution style in an empty lot in Newark, New Jersey, it's a little much even for the cynical media. The story attracts attention from all over, but the police quickly connect the murders to a robbery at a local bar. And, the Newark Eagle-Examiner leads with that story. But, something just doesn't feel right to investigative reporter Carter Ross. Ross admits he's as WASP as it comes, but he's learned to work the streets of Newark. And, his sources indicate that those four dead people, ranging from a dealer to a dancer who was hustling to feed her kids, had one thing in common. And, it wasn't the robbery of a local bar. But, Ross' new headlines put him dead center in a target for the man behind the murders, a man called "The Director." And, once Carter is faced with losing everything, he's determined to find answers. Carter Ross is a wonderful addition to the ranks of investigative reporters in crime novels. He's a reporter with a heart, one who has learned to "approach people with respect, listen hard, and genuinely try to understand their point of view." As he talks to family members of the dead, he truly begins to see the "Faces of the Gone." But, at the same time he's skilled at his job, he's hopeless in personal relationships. That leads to some of the funniest scenes in the book - his fear of the female city editor, on the prowl for a sperm donor, his relationship with the gay intern, Tommy, his inability to make an intelligent comment when dealing with the executive editor. Ross is a hero, despite himself. And, the world of the Newark Eagle-Examiner is an excellent background for a crime novel, with Ross the perfect amateur sleuth with investigative skills. Brad Parks was a reporter with The Washington Post and The Star-Ledger. He brings the newsroom to life with humor and love. Some of the enjoyable scenes arise from the rivalry between print and TV media, and the disdain they exhibit for each other. Faces of the Gone is more than a successful debut. It marks the debut of a new hero, a compassionate investigative reporter in a book marked by humor that doesn't detract from the tragedy of the story. Faces of the Gone, and Brad Parks, are destined for success.