As QUIETING THE STORM commences, Alexander C. Juden wastes no time throwing readers right into the deep end of protagonist John Griffin’s tortured life. This is the fourth in a line of mysteries featuring the veteran of the Great War: a major haunted by his numerous killings and (literally) the specter of a man named Tippy Frederickson. Readers will get the gist of Griffin’s situation prior to this particular narrative, but his immediate problem quickly takes center stage: he has opened his steamer trunk to discover the body of an unknown woman inside.
What began as a journey to help his old friend Patricia has turned into a far more difficult task: find this unknown woman’s killer without being accused of the murder himself. And considering his track record, keeping his nose clean will be difficult. However, learning the woman’s identity reveals a variety of new problems, from weapon smuggling to back-alley doctors. And, for better or worse, people that Griffin would happily see dead seem to be involved. With the help of old friends and new allies, Griffin follows the many tangled threads of these interlocking mysteries—leading to a terrible truth.
QUIETING THE STORM is laced with historical facts and figures. Among the book’s many original characters are detectives, doctors, mobsters, and more who actually existed, indicated by footnotes. They tend not to be major characters, instead dipping in and out of the narrative and placing Griffin’s misadventures in a very real version of New York. The footnotes never feel intrusive, instead reminding the reader that the world around Griffin really existed, for better or for worse.
This is admittedly a hefty read, and it’s highly advised that readers start Griffin’s story from the first book to get all the context. However, newcomers can put the pieces together as the story continues, with Griffin (as narrator) offering just enough backstory to keep readers caught up while pushing the story forward. It’s full of historical detail but never dry; aggressive and deadly but never overly gory; dangerous and morally grey but never cruel for cruelty’s sake. Noir fans will warm to this story immediately, and fans of early 20th century history will love getting lost in the story’s world.
In the latest of the John Griffin Post Great War Mysteries, Alexander C. Juden’s QUIETING THE STORM proves a tense and multifaceted adventure grounded in historical facts. Its new twists and turns will keep readers guessing right up to the very end.
~ Kara Dennison for IndieReader