Heather’s Bookshelf: Once Upon a Crime
Author: Alan Brenham
Released: 09/21/23
Genre: Police Procedural
“Chase felt herself go cold. The horror mounted on a horse made all the gruesome evidence she’d seen afflicted by killers seem almost pedestrian. This was a new kind of madness. She shook off her revulsion and concentrated on finding facts; that’s how she would catch this monster.”
“Once Upon a Crime” introduces Detective Madison Chase as she investigates a series of murders targeting known sex offenders. The killer has a clear agenda and leaves behind their signature poems along with their decapitated or castrated bodies.
Penny Grimes sees herself as an executioner of those deserving of such a fate. She finds her targets by attending court hearings and identifying the guilty that are found innocent or let go. But Penny has a side mission. She’s targeted Detective Chase, sending her taunting messages including threats to her four-year-old daughter, Emily.
Between being a mother, the murder investigation, the directed threats, and an ex-husband determined to gain custody of their daughter, Detective Chase has her hands full. And then the nanny goes missing…
Will Detective Chase find the killer before time runs out or will more people around her fall victim to Penny Grimes?
Trigger Warning: violence, reference to pedophilia and sexual assault, adult language, murder, torture, adult language, drinking, rape, drugging
Overall, I enjoyed this story. The tale is told through multiple POVs including Detective Chase, her ex-husband, and Penny Grimes. The different POVs allow for insight into each of the characters including how much the detective is drawn in different directions and the absolute scum bag her ex-husband is. Chase is a well-written protagonist. She has clear motives, desires, and worries. It’s clear Chase cares about what happens to her daughter, but her love for Emily does not exactly permeate the pages. And while the characters that get a direct voice are well-developed, the rest of the ancillary characters including other detectives and Rachel don’t jump off the page. The pacing of the story is well done especially when it comes to building to the plot twist. It’s a big one and while I saw it coming, I thought it was still pretty well incorporated in to the story. There are some pretty brutal scenes in this story, and I’m not sure if the extent of violence and lack of humanity was needed, but it certainly made an impression. I also loved the concept of the poems and the original killing in their relation to literature and folklore. However, the rest of the book deviated from that concept. The poems were still there, but didn’t have the same impact. The ending wrapped everything up while also leaving enough open for a sequel if the author wishes.
I received a copy of this story in exchange of a fair and honest review.
OVERALL REVIEW:
A police procedural with a strong protagonist and a crazy twist! There’s some unrealized potential and some unnecessarily violent scenes that don’t add much to the story for the level of brutality.
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Check out my interview with Alan Brenham
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