George Lichman fights crime and reads it too. In the real world, he’s chief of police in the city of Rocky River, near Cleveland, while in the realm of fiction he reviews crime novels for LJ and does it remarkably well. I was unaware of George’s day job until he sent in a byline for his work on a Q&A with rapper Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson and Aaron Philip Clark, authors of the novel The Accomplice. Then it all made sense: George’s thoughtful, knowledgeable, insightful reviews come from a well-informed place. And they’re fun to read to boot.

“A unique crime with an appealing motive, great character development, and engrossing storytelling sustain this novel.” From George’s review of The Accomplice by Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson with Aaron Philip Clark

When did you start reviewing for LJ?

I submitted my first review, of White River Burning: A Dave Gurney Novel by John Verdon, in February 2018.

What are your favorite kinds of books to review?

I enjoy most crime fiction but really enjoy reviewing police procedurals, which might be a double-edged sword for authors. I enjoy them because I know about policing and can get a real feel for the authenticity of the characters, the process, the crimes, and the criminals. When an author nails it, there’s nothing better! When they don’t, it can be frustrating, especially when some simple editing could make a big difference.

What do you like most about the reviewing process?

There are two things that stick out to me. First, because the LJ reviews are short, I try to identify and summarize the crux of the story for readers. That isn’t always easy to do. Second, I enjoy the “this book will appeal to fans of…(list authors here)” part of the reviews. I think that serves as an opportunity to both compare the author being reviewed to more established authors and introduce readers to authors they might not have otherwise considered. The comparisons could prompt great book club discussions, [with] guesses as to why the reviewer compared the authors.

Can you share three books that you have enjoyed reviewing for LJ?

First was Confessions of an Innocent Man by David Dow. That was assigned, merely coincidentally, as I was reading a few nonfiction books about wrongful convictions and other criminal justice issues. It was entertaining to read a fictional take on a man wrongfully convicted and then seeking revenge on those he held responsible. The next is Untamed Shore by Silvia Moreno- Garcia. It had a quiet build-up and an ending that some might not care for, but I thought it was a great book and have read more by Moreno-Garcia since then. The third was Girl, Forgotten by Karin Slaughter but easily could have been any of the Slaughter books that I reviewed.