Over Tumbled Graves

While it has been mentioned in other reviews that the plot of this story is somewhat derivative, I would say that all stories work or don't work due to how the story is told. There are only 12 known plots anyway, right?In this story the female heroine, Caroline Mabry, is dealing both with a serial killer that seems to have made a connection to her, personally, and with her unresolved feelings for her ex-partner. As the body count increases and the police attempts to solve the crime continue to fail, her emotions become more and more frazzled, leading her back to her former partner and mentor. What I think is most important here is that Jess Walter can write: he develops believable characters, his language is years ahead of most mystery writers and he tackles themes of interest and meaning.What's more, he does not shy away from the graphic. There's plenty of sex, drugs and violence in this novel, all describe vividly and without cliche. He knows when to describe a scene in detail and when it's more horrific to just describe the characters reaction to it.

Just finished reading Over Tumbled Graves by Jess Walter. He's written before as a reporter but this is his first novel. The lead character is a female detective and she's trying to catch a serial killer. Even though it sounds like the same old stuff, this one is different. I get tired of reading books where the detective sifts through tons of evidence and only follows the good leads, as if they know in advance "who done it". This book has just enough bad leads, wrong conclusions and less than perfect cops to make it interesting. I'm not sure who recommended I read this one, but I enjoyed it and am glad I gave it a try.

If you're looking for incredible writing, great character development and a plot that'll make you awaken at 3 a.m., wanting to crawl out of bed and read more then reach for Jess Walter's "Over Tumbled Graves". It's joined my list of all-time favorites.Walter crafts an immensely satisfying mystery that tugs the reader through every twist and turn. You'll race through the pages, unable to put the book down until you reach its conclusion and then, when you do finish, you'll feel saddened that the joy ride has ended. Don't miss this one.

This may be Jess Walter's first foray into fiction, but you wouldn't know it from reading Over Tumbled Graves. His writing is immediate and powerful, with enough twists and turns to keep you guessing. His reporter's eye is evident in his accurate, detailed descriptions. I also enjoyed his rather jaundiced take of profilers.

Jess Walter understands something that escapes many thriller writers: Character comes first. This first novel has a gritty and credible plot about a series of murders in Spokane, Wash., but Walter goes beyond the usual cliches of the genre by building his characters carefully and believably. Det. Caroline Mabry is an intriguing, complicated and wholly sympathetic escort into the world that Walters evokes, a dangerous world of prostitutes, johns and seedy bars. Because we care about her, and about her sometimes partner Alan Dupree, we care even more deeply about the case that consumes her. Walter also does an exceptional job of capturing the flavor of Spokane, a mid-sized Northwest city with a super-sized inferiority complex. The plot may invite comparisons to Spokane's real-life serial killer story, but Walter's story veers off in unexpected ways. An assured first effort by a fine writer.