First off, after reading this book, I have no idea where the title comes from. There’s also a book of the same title by James Patterson. One of the reviews says that M.J. Arlidge is the the next Jo Nesbo. I disagree. I found the book a choppy read with a bit too much touchy-feely stuff for my liking, where we were told how the characters ‘felt’ at each and every turn. Perhaps that comes from the voice of female authors, since I find it more often than not. I also think the author went overboard on female characters…the protagonist, antagonist, and most other characters, with the exception of two males. In any policing organization that I am aware of, that is just not the norm. Other than those quirks, the story is a good read.
Come on out and see me and fellow local Author Jack Bennett Sr. to get one of our new books personally autographed. We’ll be at Storytellers tomorrow (June 11th) from noon until 2pm. The store will be open for other shopping – they have a great selection of books and puzzles and other unique items.
My latest Norm Strom Crime Novel – Trafficking Chen – A tale of kidnapping and human trafficking.
It’s here – my latest installment in the Norm Strom Crime Series – Trafficking Chen. Tragically, a bit more exciting than the new phone book. Do they even exist anymore?
A young Chinese girl is kidnapped from her home in settlement of her father’s gambling debt. She is forced into slave labor and eventually prostitution. When a new group of Asian dancers lands in a Windsor strip club, Norm Strom joins a task force to investigate.
Trafficking Chen can be purchased locally at Story Tellers in Windsor or River Bookshop in Amherstburg. It is available in paperback or eBook online as of June 1st.
See what all the hype is about and get yourself a copy now.
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.
My Latest Novel – Available June 1st or by Pre-order
10 books in less than 10 years. (I pat myself on the back) My latest novel, Trafficking Chen, takes readers back to Norm Strom’s working days in Street Crimes. The Detective tries to balance his personal struggles with the demands of his job.
Here is the introduction:
Human Trafficking has affected countries across the world for centuries, and continues to do so today. There are countless victims.
Trafficking Chen is the heartfelt story of one victim, Chen, a young Chinese girl taken from her family home in settlement of her father’s outstanding gambling debt. Forced into slave labor by a powerful Chinese Triad, she becomes a servant to the rich.
Chen comes of age, and must serve using her own body to satisfy her master’s sexual appetite. She becomes a prostitute and is shuffled around her own country. Eventually the Triad ships her and others like her, overseas, to Canada. There she is sexually exploited and put to work as an exotic dancer in their chain of strip clubs.
Street Crimes Detective Norm Strom mostly investigates property-related crime, but he receives a tip from a confidential informant about illegal Asian women dancing at a local club. While trying to handle his personal issues, Strom joins a task force investigating possible human trafficking in his city.
Early Reviews:
You know those old View Master reels? You put one in the device and peer in . . . It’s a scene. You look closely and become involved with the subject. You don’t want to leave but you are compelled to click down and rotate the reel to the next image. It is related, but different and again so interesting! And so it goes, every click a new exciting scene. Trafficking Chen is like that. A story that dares you to turn the page – but you can’t look away from this engaging narrative of dark events that are written from a whiskey-tinged razor-sharp voice of experience. Real cops, real victims, real bad guys intertwined in a race that will keep you powering through. Enjoy the views! Kay T.
In his latest Norm Strom Crime novel, Trafficking Chen, author Ed Gagnon continues his winning streak of in-depth storytelling and intrigue. As a former Police Detective, Gagnon’s books offer readers an authentic insider’s view of how every day crimes – robbery, vice crimes, etc. – are committed, but more importantly, how they are solved. For fans of the main character, Det. Norm Strom, they will get a dose of reality, as his crumbling private life starts to impede his professional judgment when he begins to investigate a human trafficking case involving a local strip club. A parallel storyline shows the struggles and courage of a young 14-year-old girl, Chen Shen, who is violently taken from her Shanghai home and forced into prostitution, which leads her half way around the world to Canada . . . and onto Det. Strom’s radar.
John Schlarbaum – Author of “Abandoned -A Jennifer Malone Mystery”
I had to check other reviews for this one to find out if wasn’t just me that thought it sucked. Not even sure if it was deserving of one star, I was only able to trudge my way through fifty pages. The only thing I garnered from that read was who the protagonist was.
The book is just over 500 pages, with very small font, and could have easily been less than half that. Call me silly, but I really don’t need to know things like the history of a police car or every little detail of the police department, including ranks, numbers, descriptions, etc.
I’ve complained about fluff in other novels, and haven’t read this author before, but my best description is that it is a plethora of useless facts and information that totally distract from the story – if you can figure out what exactly that is.
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 Snowman is the first ‘Harry Hole’ Jo Nesbo novel that I’ve read. Although a Norwegian author, he can weave a crime fiction tale with the best of them. I had some difficulty getting into this book, and keeping things straight as the story progressed, because of all the Norwegian names of places and characters. For me, it was hard to concentrate when I couldn’t pronounce or remember most of the proper nouns that were used. Having said that, the plot was intricately pieced together, with enough twists and turns to keep any crime reader fully engrossed. Nesbo’s police protagonist and sadistic antagonist were equally likable, especially once the latter was eventually discovered.
Every once in a while I pick up a James Patterson book somewhere, mostly to check out what he and his stable of writers are up to. It’s not hard to find one, according to the Washington Post his publisher says that Patterson’s name is on the cover of one in every twenty-one books sold in the U.S.
Gee, I’d be happy having my name on the cover of one in every hundred thousand.The Murder House is a good story. It’s characters are easy to love and hate. They play off each other well, giving the plot plenty of suspense. I made the mistake of putting the book down for a couple months, and I’d forgotten what was going on, but it was easy to get back into and I wasn’t disappointed that I picked it back up. It’s good read with a respectable pace.
I have to say Michael Connelly and Harry Bosch are two of my favorite men, the author and one of his characters. In “The Crossing” Connnelly writes a crossover novel with one of his other characters, The Lincoln Lawyer, bringing the two series’ together in one great story.
Connelly is a master at building up the momentum to the point where you’re flipping pages faster than burgers at McDonald’s.
The Crossing is about the newly retired Bosch helping his half brother, lawyer Mickey Haller, get a suspected murderer out of jail. It is crossing the line for Bosch, who spent his career putting killers in jail.
The Murder House
The Crossing (Harry Bosch, #18; Mickey Haller, #6; Harry Bosch Universe, #27)
Life Written and Reviewed 