Tag: Murder

Quicksand – Murder Unresolved

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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.

The Dark Hours – Michael Connelly

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The Dark Hours (Renée Ballard, #4; Harry Bosch, #23; Harry Bosch Universe, #36) by Michael Connelly (Goodreads Author)

Edmond Gagnon‘s review – Feb 09, 2024 

I gave this book four stars but I feel it was only worth 3.5.
There is nothing wrong with the story and perhaps I was less impressed because the protagonist was mostly Renee Ballard, not my favorite Connelly character.
Technically, it’s a Renee Ballard and Harry Bosch novel but the latter only makes a limited appearance later in the story as the female detective’s backup.
In The Dark Hours, Ballard juggles two cases, murder and rape, but struggles with everyone else in the “new L.A.P.D.” to get the job done. Of course, she can always count on retired Detective Harry Bosch for help.
The story picks up pace as Ballard bounces between the two cases, and then races to the finish line to wrap up all the bad guys in messy finale.

The Accident – Linwood Barclay

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The Accident
by Linwood Barclay (Goodreads Author)

Edmond Gagnon‘s review – Jun 10, 2023 

Reading the intro on the back of this book, I was leery, thinking it would be a yawner with a ho-hum plot. But thankfully, I was wrong. I guess what put me off was that the story was about Joe Citizen investigating a car accident that caused the death of his wife.
As I tread cautiously into the first few chapters, Linwood Barclay’s mastery as a story teller quickly grabbed my attention. What appeared to be a common tale told by a common man, slowly evolved into a good whodunnit mystery thriller.
Our protagonist in this story is not a super hero or even a dogged police detective. He is the guy next door who has a natural curiosity about his wife’s death. He has questions. And in seeking answers to the ones that keep him up at night, he starts to unravel a complex and complicated plot that keeps readers guessing throughout the whole book.
Kudos to fellow Canadian author Linwood Barclay for a very good read.

The 6:20 Man – David Baldacci

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The 6:20 Man by 

David Baldacci (Goodreads Author)

Edmond Gagnon‘s review – Sep 19, 2022 

I’ve read Baldacci before but not with the protagonist Travis Devine. I liked the character, he was real and easy to relate to, not a super hero by any means, just a good guy trying to do the right thing.
The story was different; a murder in the financial district, obviously committed to cover up something illegal. But the plot is not that simple.
Baldacci keeps us guessing as to who done it, then adds in a few more murders to confuse us even more. A few twists and turns of events and late surprises keep you flipping pages right until the end.
The pace was quick and the story was interesting. A good read.

Pop Goes The Weasel – M. J. Arlidge

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Pop Goes the Weasel (Helen Grace, #2)
by M.J. Arlidge

Edmond Gagnon‘s review

Feb 27, 2022  

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.

Two Kinds of Truth – Michael Connelly

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Two Kinds of Truth (Harry Bosch, #20; Harry Bosch Universe, #30)
by Michael Connelly (Goodreads Author)
Edmond Gagnon‘s review Jan 27, 2022  


This was one of three Bosch novels I traded for while in Sayulita, Mexico. All are out of order, something that happens when you pick up cheap second-hand books to read while you’re away. If that’s not confusing enough, I’ve made it worse by watching all seasons and episodes of the Bosch TV series.
So, where it was nice to read the more in-depth literary versions of certain stories, it also had me confused at times where certain characters, partners and cases have been changed or condensed for the theatrical version. Either way, it’s all Bosch and it’s all good.
This story is typical Harry, where he won’t rest until he brings a killer to justice. Throw in an old case that comes back to haunt him, worry about his daughter, the usual politics that comes with police work, and you have another good Bosch novel.

The Night Fire – Michael Connelly

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The Night Fire (Harry Bosch, #22; Renée Ballard, #3; Harry Bosch Universe, #32)
by Michael Connelly (Goodreads Author)
Edmond Gagnon‘s review Jan 25, 2022  

When will Harry Bosch be old enough to fully retire? It mentions in this book that he’s almost 70! That means he’s been chasing killers for over 40 years. That would be way more than enough for me to want something more out of life. But then who could we count on to fight for all those lost souls…the one’s that matter because they all matter.
Even though Harry is retired from policing it doesn’t stop him from teaming up with one of his old partners (Renee Ballard) to hunt down killers. And Bosch’s brother from a different mother (Mickey Haller) gets a bit of ink in this book, now that the two of them have found some common ground to get along.
I enjoyed The Night Fire but the Ballard character just doesn’t do it for me. As usual, Bosch is the anchor that holds Connelly’s ship fast.
Hopefully the author can get a few more stories out of our favorite cop character before he gets stuck in the mud at the bottom of the ocean.

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.

Edge of Danger – Jack Higgins

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Edge of Danger (Sean Dillon, #9)
by Jack Higgins
Edmond Gagnon‘s review Apr 28, 2021 


I find it strange how Jack Higgins took a perfectly good thriller and turned it into a lack-luster story that was barely worth the three stars I gave it.
I struggled through the first half of the book, trying to figure out what was bothering me so much, and I came up with a few things.
The characters all seem to be rich, drink only champagne no matter the occasion, and lack any type of empathy or emotion throughout the story.
Those same characters lack description, thus giving the impression they all look the same and are cut from the same cloth.
Even the action scenes were dull.
I’ve read two other Higgins novels and have now been disappointed twice.