Grave Writer
Mark Arsenault
Reviewed by Diane Kasperski
Mark Arsenault has a winner in Grave Writer. Billy Povich was an award
winning investigative reporter until his world fell apart. His ex-wife
was killed in an auto accident. Even though they had been divorced for
5 years Billy still thought of her as his wife. He is now in way over
his head with gambling debts and now rather than being a leading
reporter he writes obits for the paper where he was once an ace
reporter.
Billy gets called for jury duty and is placed on a murder case. It is
supposed to be very cut and dried. Judging on circumstantial evidence
it should be an easy conviction. Billy and one other juror, Alec, think
that there is more to this crime than the circumstantial evidence.
Then mid-trial Alec supposedly commits suicide. Billy’s investigative
instinct was kicking in before that but Alec’s unexpected death
clinched it. Billy does what he does naturally to find out what the
truth is about the two deaths.
The tension and suspense start at the beginning and continue throughout
Grave Writer.
Between Billy’s past demons and his current situation which is
precarious as a juror, the story is very intense. The characters have
real flaws, worries and problems making them very real.
I haven’t read any books by Mark Arsenault in the past but I definitely
plan to read all that he has written. It would be great to see the
character of Billy Povich move on to other things using his natural
intuitive instinct.