Back On Murder - a review

[Tracy Krauss]

Back On Murder by J. Mark Bertrand is a murder mystery extraordinaire. Houston detective Roland March is disillusioned and misunderstood, relegated to special assignments nobody else wants. He gets his big chance for redemption when he is assigned to a missing person’s case - one which he thinks is connected to a drug murder; but proving it might just cost him his life.  Beyond a very engaging story line with plenty of plot twists and surprises, Bertrand’s writing style is masterful.  His voice is fresh, descriptive, insightful and never, ever cliché.  Coming from a Christian publisher, I can honestly say that this book will appeal to the masses, no matter what one’s religious stripe. There are some Christian characters in the book, but they are portrayed as real people and there is never a preachy moment. This is achieved, I think, by the use of the first person narrative. Since the main character himself is not a believer, he is simply observing the behavior of those around him, weighing their worth on a human level. This novel deserves a five star rating, without a doubt.