Book Review: Blowback by H. Max Hiller
“I have answered to a number of things: nicknames, military ranks, and more or less profane epitaphs in my thirty-seven years.”
Cue voice-over on black and white gritty film role, and that’s the feel you get from BLOWBACK, H. Max Hiller’s hard-boiled detective novel. ‘Cadillac’ Holland is assigned to a case by his boss, Avery, who knows full well Holland would do nothing by the book. While not fast-paced in any way, the pacing is perfect for this genre. As clues drop throughout the narrative, the reader is encouraged to piece the case together right alongside of Holland as he pursues one lead after the next.
Not only did I enjoy being an armchair detective alongside of Holland, but I also enjoyed the character development. Hiller has well developed minor characters in Avery, Tony, and Holland’s sister, Tullip. He created each with their unique quirks and ways of interacting with Holland that made the story feel real. Not to mention the care he took to create a post-Katrina New Orleans in which a reader could immerse themselves.
I look forward to more by H. Max Hiller and his ‘Cadillac’ Holland series.
