TJ Jenkins has just retired from the Dallas County Sheriff's Department. He's also written a book entitled Copper Eyes, a well-received account of a series of unsolved murders from twelve years ago. The nervous author is about to do a television interview that will lead to the resurfacing of an enraged killer.
Enter Detective Danielle Ramos. She's new to the County, and when she's assigned to a homicide seemingly related to TJ's unsolved serial killings, Danielle knows it's a chance to prove herself. But this killer is unusual... Why the long hiatus? What's the connection to the Sheriff's Department?
In Tails, You Lose, Jim Howell guides the reader through the lives of people affected by a formidable serial killer. This structural choice keeps the plot rolling and culminates in a well-rounded story. I also like his descriptions of police procedure. There are just enough of the unique, insider details to create a feeling of authenticity.
But don't get too excited. PublishAmerica indicates they "allowed this work to remain exactly as the author intended, verbatim, without editorial input," Result? The book comes with some fundamental crafting problems.
I found the writing heavy-handed and awkward. In particular, the narrator was such a presence in the novel that I was often pulled away from the characters (rather than making the emotional connection the author was striving for). Nowhere was this problem more noticeable than in the portrayal of the villain. This was a character who could have been intriguing. Instead, we're left with a killer who functions more as a reason to tell the story than as another opportunity to reach out and touch us.
I’ll give Howell credit for the effort, though, and I hope he keeps writing.
Clayton Bye, gottawritenetwork.com reviewer
September 2, 2006
copyright © 2006 Clayton Clifford Bye
