REVIEWS+

A Dark and Lonely Place

by Edna Buchanan
S. & S. Nov. 2011. c.416p. ISBN 9781439159170. $26. F
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Buchanan, a former Miami Herald crime reporter well known for her hard-edged suspense novels (e.g., Legally Dead), deviates from her norm as she attempts to tell two stories of star-crossed lovers. In the early 1900s, John Ashley and Laura Upthegrove become folk heroes as they turn to a life of crime rivaling that of Bonnie and Clyde. In 2011, Miami detective John Ashley is enamored of beautiful model Laura, whom he swears he has met before, as he gets caught up in solving a complicated murder that reeks of police corruption. While Buchanan manages somewhat successfully to intertwine the stories, her attempts at local dialect are distracting ("Ah see 'em, darlin'"), and both love stories fall flat. The book's saving grace? The intriguing historical details of the real John and Laura. VERDICT If you're in the mood for a love story, look elsewhere. If you want a crime thriller, try one of Buchanan's earlier titles. However, if you're a fan of historical crime sagas reminiscent of Erik Larson's The Devil in the White City, give this one a shot. [See Prepub Alert, 5/23/11.]—Julie Pierce, Fort Myers-Lee Cty. P.L., FL
Buchanan, a former Miami Herald crime reporter well known for her hard-edged suspense novels (e.g., Legally Dead), deviates from her norm as she attempts to tell two stories of star-crossed lovers. In the early 1900s, John Ashley and Laura Upthegrove become folk heroes as they turn to a life of crime rivaling that of Bonnie and Clyde. In 2011, Miami detective John Ashley is enamored of beautiful model Laura, whom he swears he has met before, as he gets caught up in solving a complicated murder that reeks of police corruption. While Buchanan manages somewhat successfully to intertwine the stories, her attempts at local dialect are distracting ("Ah see 'em, darlin'"), and both love stories fall flat. The book's saving grace? The intriguing historical details of the real John and Laura.
VERDICT If you're in the mood for a love story, look elsewhere. If you want a crime thriller, try one of Buchanan's earlier titles. However, if you're a fan of historical crime sagas reminiscent of Erik Larson's The Devil in the White City, give this one a shot. [See Prepub Alert, 5/23/11.]—Julie Pierce, Fort Myers-Lee Cty. P.L., FL
Reviewed by Julie Pierce , Oct 15, 2011
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