Tag: Crime Novels

Quicksand – Murder Unresolved

On By Author Edmond GagnonIn Book Reviews, EntertainmentLeave a comment

My latest title in the Norm Strom Crime Series is officially being released. Quicksand – Murder Unresolved is a fictional story that was inspired by a local cold case from years past.

A young mother of two who is estranged from her husband, is struck down by a hit and run driver in broad daylight out front of her workplace. There are several witnesses to the incident but no one can identify the driver of the vehicle.

The first person of interest to police is one of Norm Strom’s co-workers who was dating Annie Gladstone just prior to the the incident. Her husband later becomes the main suspect but he is not arrested until several years later.

The story unfolds in the aftermath of the hit and run, chronicling details of the police investigation, court case, and how the Gladstone family has to relive the incident day by day and year after year.

Quicksand is now available online at Amazon or your favorite book retailer. Locally, you can find a signed copy at Storytellers Bookstore in Windsor or River Bookshop in Amherstburg. You can also visit my events page for Local Events where I’ll be personally signing copies of all my books.

Quicksand – Murder Unresolved

On By Author Edmond GagnonIn Book Reviews, EntertainmentLeave a comment

My latest Norm Strom Crime novel has just been released – available in eBook on Amazon NOW. The release in paperback there and on your other favorite book site is coming soon.

Quicksand is a fictional story of an unsolved local murder that occurred in a quiet lakefront village where Norm Strom resided before moving back to Windsor, Ontario. Annie Gladstone is run down in broad daylight by a hit and run driver who is never identified or arrested.

One of Strom’s co-workers, a fellow cop, was dating Annie and is questioned about the incident. Her estranged ex-husband quickly becomes a person of interest and later the main suspect. An arrest is made several years later and the Gladstone family relives the entire event in court.

The case is still open and the murder remains unresolved to this day.

Edmond Gagnon Author in Melaque, Mexico

On By Author Edmond GagnonIn Book Reviews, EntertainmentLeave a comment

Greetings to my fellow Readers, visiting or living in the Costalegre, Mexico.

I’m currently staying in Melaque and will be selling my latest titles in the Norm Strom Crime Fiction series, ‘Border City Chronicles’ ‘Moon Mask’ and ‘Trafficking Chen’ at the Sunday (Feb 20th) Morning Market @ Viva Maria 1910, near Tito’s in West Melaque.

The Crafters Market starts at 10am…ish and runs through the morning. There are various crafts like jewellery and pottery, and homemade goodies like clam chowder and cabbage rolls to be had.

I have a limited number of books available so be sure to get your personally autographed copy before I sell out. Feel free to check my website for details on the crime series: www.edmondgagnon.com

The Black Ice – A Bosch Novel

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The Black Ice (Harry Bosch, #2; Harry Bosch Universe, #2)
by Michael Connelly (Goodreads Author)
Edmond Gagnon‘s review Oct 08, 2021 


For me, reading a Harry Bosch novel is like inviting an old friend to dinner and catching up over beers. The Black Ice is the 2nd installment in Michael Connelly’s Bosch series, published back in 1993, but recently re-released as a paperback.

Whether it’s an old book or a new one, I can’t get enough of Harry Bosch. There’s still a few stories I haven’t read yet, but the television series has filled in a lot of the blanks. I think I’ve seen each episode at least five times now.

The Black Ice is a good story, about a Robbery/Homicide case that should have been assigned to Bosch, but he inserts himself into it anyway. The plot moves well and kept me interested throughout. And, if you’re a really sharp detective, you might pick up on a couple clues as to the major twist at the end.

I’ve rated this book five stars because it lacks nothing and is a great read.

The Judge – Steve Martini

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The Judge (Paul Madriani #4)
by Steve Martini
Edmond Gagnon‘s review Jun 21, 2021  


This is the first Steve Martini novel I’ve read and I’d have no problem reading more. Comparable to John Grisham when it comes to courtroom drama – but not quite as good, the author tells a good story with believable characters.


I thought the story dragged a bit, mostly because Martini goes into excruciating detail about every little clue or piece of evidence introduced, slowing the story down. Having said that, I enjoyed the plot and was surprised when the truth about the real killer was revealed at the very end.


For Grisham fans out there, Martini is worth checking out.

Horseplay – Norm Boucher

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Horseplay: My Time Undercover on the Granville Strip
by Norm Boucher
Edmond Gagnon‘s review May 05, 2021 

For his first true crime novel, I think retired police officer Norm Boucher hits the nail right on the head in recalling and writing about his personal experiences while working undercover in one of the worst heroin neighborhoods in Canada.

Being a retired police officer, with some experience working in narcotics, I was impressed how the rookie author checked all the boxes in putting together a book that gives an unadulterated view of what life is really like on the street within the heroin subculture.

Horseplay takes readers into the underbelly of society, revealing what went on behind the scenes in the early 80’s, in one particular area in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Rogue Lawyer – John Grisham

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Rogue Lawyer (Rogue Lawyer, #1)
by John Grisham (Goodreads Author)
Edmond Gagnon‘s review Apr 11, 2021 

John Grishams’s done it again…gone and proved he can create a totally new character, base the next series on him, and write a great story. The prolific author introduces us to Sebastian Rudd, a street litigator who is even more gritty than the Lincoln Lawyer.
The Rogue Lawyer is done a bit different than Grisham’s other courtroom dramas, in that it contains five parts, with different clients and their individual stories, giving readers perspectives from both the innocent and guilty.
Like Mickey Haller, Rudd uses his vehicle for an office, but for different reasons. He represents the lowest of the low, whom no one else will take on as clients, thus making him very unpopular. I don’t give five star ratings very often, but this book was a very good read and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

The Late Show – Michael Connelly

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The Late Show (Renée Ballard, #1; Harry Bosch Universe, #29)
by Michael Connelly (Goodreads Author)
Edmond Gagnon‘s review Mar 24, 2021  


I really like Michael Connelly and the unique characters he’s created over the years to carry the stories in his crime novels. I wasn’t sure about his latest, Renee Ballard, at first, but grew to understand and eventually like the new crimefighter more as the plot unfolded.


LAPD Detective Ballard is no Harry Bosch, but she is a good cop with her own style, perhaps more representative of the newer breed of crime investigator. In ‘The Late Show’ Ballard is not only challenged by the serious cases that come her way, but she has to stand up for herself and fight to regain her good reputation that was sullied by a former boss.


The story is a bit slow at first, but the intrigue and action build at a good pace. The twist thrown in near the end completely took me by surprise.
I think Renee Ballard is a good addition to Connelly’s cast of characters.

The Wrong Road – Jack Bennett Sr.

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I just finished reading, The Wrong Road – A Crime Story, the second book by fellow local author Jack Bennett Sr. More a short story or novella, Bennett weaves a tale of a young and impressionable man from Windsor, Jimmy Burns, who wants to become a somebody by hanging with the wrong crowd.

Burns figures the best way to impress the local stripper he’s taken a shine to, is by showering her with money that he doesn’t have. The solution to his dismal situation is to resort to crime in order to improve his cash flow. Burns soon learns that he’s being taken for a ride and decides to strike out on his own, continuing a cross-country crime spree.

The story finds Burns digging a deeper hole for himself, before he meets the woman who might actually help turn his life around.

The Wrong road is an interesting story and an easy read. I give it 3.5 stars out of 5. It is available locally through the author or at Story Tellers Book Store in Windsor.