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Marty Singer #1
A Reason to Live
In the late nineties, a bad cop killed a good woman and DC Homicide detective Marty Singer watched the murderer walk out of the courtroom a free man.
Twelve years later, the victim's daughter begs for help: the killer is stalking her now. But Marty has retired to battle cancer. A second shot at the killer--and a first chance at redemption--Marty has A Reason to Live .
B0081MW9LM
The Marty Singer detective series:
A Reason to Live (Marty Singer #1)
Blueblood (Marty Singer #2)
One Right Thing (Marty Singer #3)
The Spike (Marty Singer #4)
The Wicked Flee (Marty Singer #5 - Summer 2014)
Twelve years later, the victim's daughter begs for help: the killer is stalking her now. But Marty has retired to battle cancer. A second shot at the killer--and a first chance at redemption--Marty has A Reason to Live .
B0081MW9LM
The Marty Singer detective series:
A Reason to Live (Marty Singer #1)
Blueblood (Marty Singer #2)
One Right Thing (Marty Singer #3)
The Spike (Marty Singer #4)
The Wicked Flee (Marty Singer #5 - Summer 2014)
360 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 1, 2012
4224 people are currently reading
3701 people want to read
About the author
Matthew Iden
34 books344 followersI write fantasy, science fiction, horror, thrillers, crime fiction, and contemporary literary fiction with a psychological twist.
I’ve held jobs with the US Postal Service, international non-profit groups, a short stint with the Forest Service in Sitka, Alaska, and time with the globe-spanning Semester at Sea program. Trips to Iceland, Patagonia, and Antarctica added to the creative pot, as well, and I started to put all those experiences to good use about eight years ago--thinking, dreaming, and writing.
Please email me at matt.iden AT matthew-iden.com, Tweet @CrimeRighter, or find me on Facebook, http://www.facebook.com/matthew.iden.
The Marty Singer detective series is:
A Reason to Live (Marty Singer #1)
Blueblood (Marty Singer #2)
One Right Thing (Marty Singer #3)
The Spike (Marty Singer #4)
The Wicked Flee (Marty Singer #5)
I’ve held jobs with the US Postal Service, international non-profit groups, a short stint with the Forest Service in Sitka, Alaska, and time with the globe-spanning Semester at Sea program. Trips to Iceland, Patagonia, and Antarctica added to the creative pot, as well, and I started to put all those experiences to good use about eight years ago--thinking, dreaming, and writing.
Please email me at matt.iden AT matthew-iden.com, Tweet @CrimeRighter, or find me on Facebook, http://www.facebook.com/matthew.iden.
The Marty Singer detective series is:
A Reason to Live (Marty Singer #1)
Blueblood (Marty Singer #2)
One Right Thing (Marty Singer #3)
The Spike (Marty Singer #4)
The Wicked Flee (Marty Singer #5)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 305 reviews
March 28, 2019
It is pretty standard that the main character in any police/ private investigator type mystery has to have an issue, usually alcoholism or a recent divorce due to the pressures of the job or something similar. Well Marty Singer has the ultimate issue. He has just been diagnosed with cancer and is about to commence some aggressive chemotherapy.
Actually as the book begins we find Marty in a depressed state due to his diagnosis and the fact that he has had to retire early. As the title says he needs to find a reason to live and he very speedily finds one with the rehashing of an old failed case and the start of a new relationship.
I enjoyed the characters in this book. especially Marty who battles on with life despite the chemo treatments which leave him very realistically wiped out. The story was interesting and hard to put down. It turned out to be a very speedy read because I just had to keep going until I found out the true facts.
Marty is one of those characters you want to find out more about and I am happy to see there are a number of books in the series.( I am guessing the chemotherapy must be successful!)
Actually as the book begins we find Marty in a depressed state due to his diagnosis and the fact that he has had to retire early. As the title says he needs to find a reason to live and he very speedily finds one with the rehashing of an old failed case and the start of a new relationship.
I enjoyed the characters in this book. especially Marty who battles on with life despite the chemo treatments which leave him very realistically wiped out. The story was interesting and hard to put down. It turned out to be a very speedy read because I just had to keep going until I found out the true facts.
Marty is one of those characters you want to find out more about and I am happy to see there are a number of books in the series.( I am guessing the chemotherapy must be successful!)
January 12, 2020
I’d barely started reading A Reason to Live when I hit this paragraph.
I was killing time at a coffee shop, slouched in an overstuffed chair that had been beaten into submission years earlier. The café—I don't know the name, Middle Grounds or Mean Bean or something precious—was a grungy, brown stain of a place flanked by a failing Cajun restaurant on one side and a check-cashing store on the other. A crowd of Hispanic guys hung around out front looking simultaneously aimless and expectant, hoping their next job was about to pull up to the curb. I looked up from my cup and stared at the girl who'd called me by name. She was slim, with delicate brown hair worn past the shoulders and intense, dark eyes set in a face so pale Poe would've written stories about it.
I was impressed. In a single evocative paragraph I understood the coffee shop, the neighborhood it was in, the crowd outside (which figures into a later scene), a lot about the narrator Marty, and not only pictured the girl who’d approached him, but was curious about what she wanted. I was hooked. And I stayed hooked.
The premise, that a murderer who escaped punishment has returned and is stalking the original victim’s daughter, is a good one that gives the protagonist, Marty, a chance at some kind of redemption. That Marty is retired because he has cancer complicates things in a couple of ways. First, although this is much like a police procedural, technically Marty isn’t even a cop anymore, so he doesn’t have ready access to the resources he had in the past. Then his chemotherapy treatment interferes with his ability to do much of anything some days, so detecting is out of the question.
This is the first of a series with at least three more books already available. I’m not sure if that means chemo goes well, but I’m eager to find out what his next case turns out to be.
**Originally written for "Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy. **
I was killing time at a coffee shop, slouched in an overstuffed chair that had been beaten into submission years earlier. The café—I don't know the name, Middle Grounds or Mean Bean or something precious—was a grungy, brown stain of a place flanked by a failing Cajun restaurant on one side and a check-cashing store on the other. A crowd of Hispanic guys hung around out front looking simultaneously aimless and expectant, hoping their next job was about to pull up to the curb. I looked up from my cup and stared at the girl who'd called me by name. She was slim, with delicate brown hair worn past the shoulders and intense, dark eyes set in a face so pale Poe would've written stories about it.
I was impressed. In a single evocative paragraph I understood the coffee shop, the neighborhood it was in, the crowd outside (which figures into a later scene), a lot about the narrator Marty, and not only pictured the girl who’d approached him, but was curious about what she wanted. I was hooked. And I stayed hooked.
The premise, that a murderer who escaped punishment has returned and is stalking the original victim’s daughter, is a good one that gives the protagonist, Marty, a chance at some kind of redemption. That Marty is retired because he has cancer complicates things in a couple of ways. First, although this is much like a police procedural, technically Marty isn’t even a cop anymore, so he doesn’t have ready access to the resources he had in the past. Then his chemotherapy treatment interferes with his ability to do much of anything some days, so detecting is out of the question.
This is the first of a series with at least three more books already available. I’m not sure if that means chemo goes well, but I’m eager to find out what his next case turns out to be.
**Originally written for "Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy. **
August 15, 2012
I'm not a fan of crime thrillers and I never did like first person POVs. Matthew Iden had TONS of strikes against him even before I picked up the book (which I downloaded on a whim when it was free and kept on my TBR for an indefinite period of time) BUT he's written an outstanding novel and I will be picking up his sequels. The very best indie novels are indistinguishable from traditionally published novels - they have great characters set in a great story. For that reason, "A Reason To Live" is right up there on the list of the very best indie novels.
The action is well-paced, with enough balance between the amorously-diverting stakeouts, blood-generating shootouts, and chemo treatment passing-outs (yes, not a word, I know, but I couldn't resist.) Marty Singer, the protagonist, has a unique voice that remained consistent and in line with his background and motivations through the novel. (This is harder for authors to pull off than most readers realize.) Marty is a tough guy with a soft side; he was accessible, which for me made the novel readable and pulled me through the end. The other characters were similarly engaging. The killer was compelling in his insanity; he was genuine. You couldn't just hate him because you did actually understand him.
Mr. Iden, fantastic job on your debut novel. Keep it up, you've won yourself a fan.
The action is well-paced, with enough balance between the amorously-diverting stakeouts, blood-generating shootouts, and chemo treatment passing-outs (yes, not a word, I know, but I couldn't resist.) Marty Singer, the protagonist, has a unique voice that remained consistent and in line with his background and motivations through the novel. (This is harder for authors to pull off than most readers realize.) Marty is a tough guy with a soft side; he was accessible, which for me made the novel readable and pulled me through the end. The other characters were similarly engaging. The killer was compelling in his insanity; he was genuine. You couldn't just hate him because you did actually understand him.
Mr. Iden, fantastic job on your debut novel. Keep it up, you've won yourself a fan.
September 26, 2015
3.75 stars rounded up
It has been a while since I started a new mystery series by a new-to-me author. I picked this up from "Read Now" Mystery Section at Netgalley on a whim; I liked the cover. But as I started, it turned out to be a good decision. I really enjoyed this mainly because of one element. Marty Singer, the former DC homicide detective retired because he suffered cancer. For me that was one of the major factors contributed to my thinking this was different. I don't think I have read detective stories whose character are battling major illness. Workaholic, yes. Addict, yes. Lack of ability for social connection, yes. But one with cancer, no.
On one hand, the cancer plot humanizes Singer greatly. Matthew Iden doesn't pull punches too. We have Singer undergoing chemotherapy as well as suffering from the horrible after effect that makes him passed out or feeling weak or losing appetite. It was appealing to me because it shows that even a good detective is not indestructible. I sympathized for Singer greatly.
On the other hand, though, I also thought the cancer plot slightly put the investigation on a break. Due to his illness, Singer can't exactly going full speed in gathering information, or physically kicking other people's ass to get his answer. It's not exactly a double-edge sword situation... I mean, I wouldn't want Singer to be miraculously healed because that would take out the unique part of this series. I guess I just need to readjust my expectation when I continue with further books.
The mystery part is pretty decent. Singer is not a private detective actively taking cases so the dead body in this story is from 12 years ago (we have more dead bodies near the end though). The case comes to him on a 'chance' when the daughter of a murder victim sought out Singer's help after thinking that her mother's murderer is back taunting him. I said "decent" because Iden has these italic chapters as part of the other major player's perspective which kind of reveal big clues (and later, the villain), which kind of taking the suspense (or the fun of me guessing) out of the equation. There are still few twists along the way, but not one that made my eyes go wide in disbelief for example.
Iden adds a 'touch' of romance for Singer; but I thought it was a bit out of the blue (especially considering the woman character). Don't think the story needs a romantic flair anyway, so I was happy the way that it ended.
All in all, I think this is a good start of a series. I think I will check out the sequel; I'm in the mood for mystery now.
The book is provided by Thomas & Mercer publishing via Netgalley for an exchange of fair and honest review. No high rating is required for any ARC received.
It has been a while since I started a new mystery series by a new-to-me author. I picked this up from "Read Now" Mystery Section at Netgalley on a whim; I liked the cover. But as I started, it turned out to be a good decision. I really enjoyed this mainly because of one element. Marty Singer, the former DC homicide detective retired because he suffered cancer. For me that was one of the major factors contributed to my thinking this was different. I don't think I have read detective stories whose character are battling major illness. Workaholic, yes. Addict, yes. Lack of ability for social connection, yes. But one with cancer, no.
On one hand, the cancer plot humanizes Singer greatly. Matthew Iden doesn't pull punches too. We have Singer undergoing chemotherapy as well as suffering from the horrible after effect that makes him passed out or feeling weak or losing appetite. It was appealing to me because it shows that even a good detective is not indestructible. I sympathized for Singer greatly.
On the other hand, though, I also thought the cancer plot slightly put the investigation on a break. Due to his illness, Singer can't exactly going full speed in gathering information, or physically kicking other people's ass to get his answer. It's not exactly a double-edge sword situation... I mean, I wouldn't want Singer to be miraculously healed because that would take out the unique part of this series. I guess I just need to readjust my expectation when I continue with further books.
The mystery part is pretty decent. Singer is not a private detective actively taking cases so the dead body in this story is from 12 years ago (we have more dead bodies near the end though). The case comes to him on a 'chance' when the daughter of a murder victim sought out Singer's help after thinking that her mother's murderer is back taunting him. I said "decent" because Iden has these italic chapters as part of the other major player's perspective which kind of reveal big clues (and later, the villain), which kind of taking the suspense (or the fun of me guessing) out of the equation. There are still few twists along the way, but not one that made my eyes go wide in disbelief for example.
Iden adds a 'touch' of romance for Singer; but I thought it was a bit out of the blue (especially considering the woman character). Don't think the story needs a romantic flair anyway, so I was happy the way that it ended.
All in all, I think this is a good start of a series. I think I will check out the sequel; I'm in the mood for mystery now.
The book is provided by Thomas & Mercer publishing via Netgalley for an exchange of fair and honest review. No high rating is required for any ARC received.
September 17, 2017
The author of this detective novel crafts his words well. I seem to need to squeeze more fiction into my life, and this one, waiting on my Audible queue, was next up. The set-up went according to a certain convention, that of the unhappily retired police detective (Marty Singer) who is sucked back into work over unfinished business with an old case. I thought the pretext could be a lovingly repeated trope, as opposed to being unoriginal--but then again I don't usually read detective novels. The fact that the detective retired because he had come down with colon cancer and was faced with chemotherapy may be a first. The medical seemed to be handled authentically, or at least didn't set off my inauthenticity reactor. The characters were generally believable, the plot was moving along nicely, and the narrator has an appropriately hard-boiled cadence. But shortly before the end, the plot got obstructed with too many complications on the way to resolution and tripped the plausibility index. That, I could have forgiven, but not the way some characters were disposed of. That is another convention of the genre but one that puts me off. Possible spoiler alert here:
I wouldn't mind reading another one from this series if it were on audio and not too expensive.
I wouldn't mind reading another one from this series if it were on audio and not too expensive.
July 11, 2013
I picked up "A Reason to Live" from the kindle lending library. This is the first in the Marty Singer series.
When Marty is diagnosed with the "Big C", he retires from the police department. Now, only a few months into his retirement, he is approached by Amanda, a young lady that Marty met when he was investigating her mother's murder twelve years ago. Amanda is all grown up now, a teacher at a local university. Amanda had been receiving flowers from someone she is sure is from the man that killed her mother, a former police officer. The guy dropped off the map after he got away with murder. Now it seems he is back and Amanda is his new obsession.
Marty faces a whole new set of obstacles trying to find Michael Wheeler and protect Amanda. First of all he is not on the force anymore, so doors that would have been opened to him before, are no longer an option. Secondly, he is about to start his first round of chemo and the effects of the treatment hits Marty pretty hard. So, Marty looks up his old partner and the two work together to keep Amanda from becoming another victim.
Opening up a twelve year old case naturally brings old memories to the front of Marty's mind. Wheeler's attorney, the prosecutor, the trial, disappearing evidence and the aftermath of losing such an obvious open and shut case. The last person Marty expected to become an ally was Wheeler's attorney. But, that case ruined her career and Wheeler scared her. She too could be a target, so she also joins in the chase to find Wheeler.
This is a motley group of comrades that try to prevent a crime without much help. This novel has a great balance of modern hard boiled detective, dark humor, and human frailty. The detectives are not reliant on forensics or other modern tools. They must depend on their wits and brains and little old fashioned leg work to get the job done. There's plenty of action, suspense, and few nice twist to keep you on your toes.
The areas where we must face Marty's cancer are done especially well. Realistic, yet not morose. This case gives Marty something to focus on other than his illness and changes he will face in his life. He can still contribute and enjoy life and love despite his illness, which gives us hope that Marty will continue fight his disease successfully.
I am looking forward to the next book in this series. Overall a solid A.
When Marty is diagnosed with the "Big C", he retires from the police department. Now, only a few months into his retirement, he is approached by Amanda, a young lady that Marty met when he was investigating her mother's murder twelve years ago. Amanda is all grown up now, a teacher at a local university. Amanda had been receiving flowers from someone she is sure is from the man that killed her mother, a former police officer. The guy dropped off the map after he got away with murder. Now it seems he is back and Amanda is his new obsession.
Marty faces a whole new set of obstacles trying to find Michael Wheeler and protect Amanda. First of all he is not on the force anymore, so doors that would have been opened to him before, are no longer an option. Secondly, he is about to start his first round of chemo and the effects of the treatment hits Marty pretty hard. So, Marty looks up his old partner and the two work together to keep Amanda from becoming another victim.
Opening up a twelve year old case naturally brings old memories to the front of Marty's mind. Wheeler's attorney, the prosecutor, the trial, disappearing evidence and the aftermath of losing such an obvious open and shut case. The last person Marty expected to become an ally was Wheeler's attorney. But, that case ruined her career and Wheeler scared her. She too could be a target, so she also joins in the chase to find Wheeler.
This is a motley group of comrades that try to prevent a crime without much help. This novel has a great balance of modern hard boiled detective, dark humor, and human frailty. The detectives are not reliant on forensics or other modern tools. They must depend on their wits and brains and little old fashioned leg work to get the job done. There's plenty of action, suspense, and few nice twist to keep you on your toes.
The areas where we must face Marty's cancer are done especially well. Realistic, yet not morose. This case gives Marty something to focus on other than his illness and changes he will face in his life. He can still contribute and enjoy life and love despite his illness, which gives us hope that Marty will continue fight his disease successfully.
I am looking forward to the next book in this series. Overall a solid A.
September 1, 2016
This book was a distraction. Don’t tell my man, but dinner was late a few nights because I wanted to listen to this book instead of making a glorious meal (and I do enjoy cooking). Yeah. I liked it that much. Quite frankly, I got attached to Marty Singer. His character made the book for me. He’s got a cat, is a history buff, bit of a wise ass, and has a soft spot for people being stalked by killers. I wanted Marty to kick his cancer in the ass, catch the killer/stalker, and save the day. And he does, but the path is full of twists and turns. Marty had to be nimble to catch his man.
Amanda, a 20-something year old with one degree and working on a second while interning at the university, was the maiden in distress. As Marty was my favorite character, Amanda was my least. I really only have one criticism about this book, and it is how Amanda is portrayed. She lost her mother to a shooting as a kid, grew up in foster care, got a degree, has a job, and is working on a second degree. So why is she portrayed as a 16 year old kid half the time in the book? Other than being the object of desire for the stalker, she doesn’t really bring anything to the story.
OK, enough on that. Enter Julie, the defense attorney who got the cop involved in the shooting of Brenda Lane off. Yeah. Now that the stalker/killer is back and leaving little flowers for Amanda, Marty starts digging through Brenda’s case. Alas, much of the files from the 1990s have been lost or somehow destroyed. So Marty goes to Julie, to see if she has any information on the cop and is willing to share. I really liked Julie’s character because she starts off so very prickly, but then softens, decides to help out, and as a friendship forms between Marty and Julie and Amanda, we learn some of the reasons Julie seems so bitter. She had depth and I liked how that depth was explored.
The pacing was excellent, with plenty of suspense intermixed with reflection, piecing the clues together, and a bit of action. The ending had a few twists I was not expecting (excellent, as I don’t like to guess the ending every book). And the ending also left me hoping Marty’s battle with cancer goes well. Which of course makes we want to read the next in the series.
The Narration: Lloyd Sherr was an excellent pick for this book. He owned the role and I can’t imagine another voice for Marty. He also had distinctive voices for the other characters, including the ladies.
Amanda, a 20-something year old with one degree and working on a second while interning at the university, was the maiden in distress. As Marty was my favorite character, Amanda was my least. I really only have one criticism about this book, and it is how Amanda is portrayed. She lost her mother to a shooting as a kid, grew up in foster care, got a degree, has a job, and is working on a second degree. So why is she portrayed as a 16 year old kid half the time in the book? Other than being the object of desire for the stalker, she doesn’t really bring anything to the story.
OK, enough on that. Enter Julie, the defense attorney who got the cop involved in the shooting of Brenda Lane off. Yeah. Now that the stalker/killer is back and leaving little flowers for Amanda, Marty starts digging through Brenda’s case. Alas, much of the files from the 1990s have been lost or somehow destroyed. So Marty goes to Julie, to see if she has any information on the cop and is willing to share. I really liked Julie’s character because she starts off so very prickly, but then softens, decides to help out, and as a friendship forms between Marty and Julie and Amanda, we learn some of the reasons Julie seems so bitter. She had depth and I liked how that depth was explored.
The pacing was excellent, with plenty of suspense intermixed with reflection, piecing the clues together, and a bit of action. The ending had a few twists I was not expecting (excellent, as I don’t like to guess the ending every book). And the ending also left me hoping Marty’s battle with cancer goes well. Which of course makes we want to read the next in the series.
The Narration: Lloyd Sherr was an excellent pick for this book. He owned the role and I can’t imagine another voice for Marty. He also had distinctive voices for the other characters, including the ladies.
October 18, 2012
This is a debut full-length novel by this author who's written a lot of short stories prior to this which I never bother with. I want to read a proper lengthed book. (Is that a word) ?? Anyway, you get what I mean !! I don't download a book unless it's longer than 200 pages.
It's about a retired cop in Virginia who has recently started treatment for cancer. A young girl tracks him down since he was the lead detective in her mother's murder twelve years ago and now she thinks she's being stalked by her killer. He got away with being imprisoned for the murder and it always haunted Marty as he knew he was guilty. So now he decides he'll help her track him down.
I liked their relationship and he writes well about Marty's chemo treatments. He doesn't bog the reader down with it or make it a totally depressing read but he does tell it like it is and it's interesting to know what happens to him and how it makes him feel. As far as he's concerned it's an inconvenience he could well do without especially since he now has "A Reason To Live".
There were a few errors that grated, mostly the omission of the odd to or a here and there. One person had a name change from one page to the next which was careless editing and the spelling of another person's name changed on the same page too !! This cost the 5th star in my rating, though.
All in all a great read and he's written a sequel too I have on my wishlist.
It's about a retired cop in Virginia who has recently started treatment for cancer. A young girl tracks him down since he was the lead detective in her mother's murder twelve years ago and now she thinks she's being stalked by her killer. He got away with being imprisoned for the murder and it always haunted Marty as he knew he was guilty. So now he decides he'll help her track him down.
I liked their relationship and he writes well about Marty's chemo treatments. He doesn't bog the reader down with it or make it a totally depressing read but he does tell it like it is and it's interesting to know what happens to him and how it makes him feel. As far as he's concerned it's an inconvenience he could well do without especially since he now has "A Reason To Live".
There were a few errors that grated, mostly the omission of the odd to or a here and there. One person had a name change from one page to the next which was careless editing and the spelling of another person's name changed on the same page too !! This cost the 5th star in my rating, though.
All in all a great read and he's written a sequel too I have on my wishlist.
August 8, 2012
More of a 4.5 stars!
A Reason to Live introduces an interesting and engaging new character to the mystery/police procedural world -- Marty Singer.
Singer is a recently retired cop who’s starting his battle with cancer when a case from the past comes knocking on his door. A murder victim’s daughter is worried she’s being targeted by the same man who killed her mother twelve years earlier.
This is an impressive debut novel from author Matthew Iden and I’m looking forward to reading more of his work and seeing how he develops his main character.
As well as creating a page-turner, I particularly liked the way Iden has drawn his main character. The details of Singer’s response to his cancer diagnosis, while not part of the book’s main plot, create a believable and interesting dimension.
Likewise, the potential victim is compassionately drawn, and I love the way Iden gives us an insight into how a murder victim’s daughter is coping 12 years down the track.
A Reason to Live promises to be the start of a compelling series.
A Reason to Live introduces an interesting and engaging new character to the mystery/police procedural world -- Marty Singer.
Singer is a recently retired cop who’s starting his battle with cancer when a case from the past comes knocking on his door. A murder victim’s daughter is worried she’s being targeted by the same man who killed her mother twelve years earlier.
This is an impressive debut novel from author Matthew Iden and I’m looking forward to reading more of his work and seeing how he develops his main character.
As well as creating a page-turner, I particularly liked the way Iden has drawn his main character. The details of Singer’s response to his cancer diagnosis, while not part of the book’s main plot, create a believable and interesting dimension.
Likewise, the potential victim is compassionately drawn, and I love the way Iden gives us an insight into how a murder victim’s daughter is coping 12 years down the track.
A Reason to Live promises to be the start of a compelling series.
July 3, 2014
Storyline was thin and characters woefully underwhelming. Stereotypical jaded hard cop going through chemo, unethical (but beautiful, and ultimately beddable, defense attorney) and young, naive victim of past wrongs failed to equal anything close to a good book. Female characters were so irritating I found myself yelling at them in my head. Singer's major leaps from investigative process to full on crisis, from sleep to stalking a would-be intruder was just too much to take. Even the "twists" had me rolling my eyes.
In the interest of this being Iden's first in a series, I will give him two stars (vs. the one star this book deserves). I'm hoping (for other people's sake) that the books get better.
In the interest of this being Iden's first in a series, I will give him two stars (vs. the one star this book deserves). I'm hoping (for other people's sake) that the books get better.
March 25, 2014
This was pretty good for a Kindle Freebie. Thankfully, it was free of the blight of appalling spelling, grammar and generally shoddy editing that is the curse of the Ebooks....
Mary Singer has recently taken retirement from the Washington Police, it wasn't his choice to retire, life forced him into it. I think some readers might find the descriptions of his condition upsetting.
He is facing a difficult time and things become more complicated when the now adult child of one of his old cases arrives in his life and asks for his help.
I might read more of the series, the story was good, the characters seem believable.
Mary Singer has recently taken retirement from the Washington Police, it wasn't his choice to retire, life forced him into it. I think some readers might find the descriptions of his condition upsetting.
He is facing a difficult time and things become more complicated when the now adult child of one of his old cases arrives in his life and asks for his help.
I might read more of the series, the story was good, the characters seem believable.
September 17, 2015
Retired cop Marty Singer is given a chance to get it right when the murder victim’s daughter is being stalked by the unpunished murderer and she asks for his help. Marty is retired due to his recent cancer diagnosis and has days where he cannot due much due to his chemo treatments which makes his character seem all the more human as he struggles to get thru his day to day life. This was a good legal thriller with a twist at the end. I look forward to reading more of the Marty Singer books. I would like to thank the publisher and Net Galley for the chance to read this ARC.
October 20, 2014
A different take on a flawed hero, a chance to make amends and a psychopathic stalker make for a ripping yarn. It was kind of heart-warming too. It will be interesting to see where to from here for this particular hero.
March 29, 2020
Great police story with twists and turns. Quick read too!
September 13, 2012
A good start, indeed. I especially like the way you handle the first-person narrative of Singer. It's real enough get me float along with the story flow. You definitely have a personal touch in the story-telling part. And for that, the book should get 2.5/5 stars from me. It's almost a 3 (in GR definition: like it) but I still think there is still some gaps to be filled.
- Depending on your target audience, this may applies or it may not:
the plot unravels kinda too fast, almost like a movie. Many people prefer that style, some do not. You started slow and you pumped the gas all along the way and the ending became like a split-second action clips. I mean, there's no pause for readers to appreciate and to reflect the intricacy of the plot and the complexity of the characters you built. I can see you try to introduce surprise twists here and there to avoid falling in line with old motives. I know this is a crime novel, a thriller, but even a thriller fleshes out from a solid backbone. Perhaps it's only me, but I think the occasionally interjected italicized paragraphs about "the bad guys" kinda spoiled the fun, and sold out the twist. Books, I believe, unlike movies, have their own subtleties and uncertainties, instead of occasional switches to third-person-perspective of nameless bad guys plotting destruction while laughing to the camera.
- Characters: Marty has a real-enough voice, and I want to hear more about his life and all its wrinkles and ironies. In his interactions with others, I want a glimpses of their feelings in his mind. I want to see him making decisions. Not only those split-time decision of a hero in shooting the villain, but also those long, hard and painful pondering which leave him reeling, agonizing and yearning even after the die is cast. In short, I want to see his reflections and mine. That's what makes a character real, human to me.
- Depending on your target audience, this may applies or it may not:
the plot unravels kinda too fast, almost like a movie. Many people prefer that style, some do not. You started slow and you pumped the gas all along the way and the ending became like a split-second action clips. I mean, there's no pause for readers to appreciate and to reflect the intricacy of the plot and the complexity of the characters you built. I can see you try to introduce surprise twists here and there to avoid falling in line with old motives. I know this is a crime novel, a thriller, but even a thriller fleshes out from a solid backbone. Perhaps it's only me, but I think the occasionally interjected italicized paragraphs about "the bad guys" kinda spoiled the fun, and sold out the twist. Books, I believe, unlike movies, have their own subtleties and uncertainties, instead of occasional switches to third-person-perspective of nameless bad guys plotting destruction while laughing to the camera.
- Characters: Marty has a real-enough voice, and I want to hear more about his life and all its wrinkles and ironies. In his interactions with others, I want a glimpses of their feelings in his mind. I want to see him making decisions. Not only those split-time decision of a hero in shooting the villain, but also those long, hard and painful pondering which leave him reeling, agonizing and yearning even after the die is cast. In short, I want to see his reflections and mine. That's what makes a character real, human to me.
August 22, 2013
Marty Singer is a retired detective battling Cancer...when the daughter of a murder victim comes to him for help he has the chance to right a wrong from a case that haunts him still. Despite his illness Marty is determined to protect the girl and find the truth...
I was very impressed with this novel, the authors debut I believe and it did get me wondering again about the foibles of publishing..this is terrific crime fiction. An interesting protagonist who you can really get behind, a wonderful mystery story and terrific writing meant that I enjoyed this one thoroughly - and yet prior to the Kindle explosion and the ability to self publish I wonder if it would ever have seen the light of day. Much as self publishing might "flood" the market thank heavens for it I would say, there are some real gems out there and this is one of them.
Marty is an extremely well drawn character - he doesnt rush around brandishing his gun and effortlessly side stepping the bad guys - he can't. He's too ill. And yet with quiet determination he tracks down the clues, looks after a vulnerable victim and finds himself a reason to live...
The story unfolds with perfect timing - told mostly from Marty's point of view we see things through his eyes, something shocks him it shocks us. His backstory - that of his battle with Cancer - is realistic and involving and you will end up hoping for a good outcome for him. I believe there are more Marty Singer stories out there and I will be off to track them down when my schedule allows!
The mystery element is clever without being over complicated and these can be the best kind. A few twists and turns along the way, the introduction of some "sidekicks" who I hope to meet again and a satisfying yet intriguing resolution puts this novel in the top 10% of crime and mystery books that I have read lately. Recommended.
Happy Reading Folks!
I was very impressed with this novel, the authors debut I believe and it did get me wondering again about the foibles of publishing..this is terrific crime fiction. An interesting protagonist who you can really get behind, a wonderful mystery story and terrific writing meant that I enjoyed this one thoroughly - and yet prior to the Kindle explosion and the ability to self publish I wonder if it would ever have seen the light of day. Much as self publishing might "flood" the market thank heavens for it I would say, there are some real gems out there and this is one of them.
Marty is an extremely well drawn character - he doesnt rush around brandishing his gun and effortlessly side stepping the bad guys - he can't. He's too ill. And yet with quiet determination he tracks down the clues, looks after a vulnerable victim and finds himself a reason to live...
The story unfolds with perfect timing - told mostly from Marty's point of view we see things through his eyes, something shocks him it shocks us. His backstory - that of his battle with Cancer - is realistic and involving and you will end up hoping for a good outcome for him. I believe there are more Marty Singer stories out there and I will be off to track them down when my schedule allows!
The mystery element is clever without being over complicated and these can be the best kind. A few twists and turns along the way, the introduction of some "sidekicks" who I hope to meet again and a satisfying yet intriguing resolution puts this novel in the top 10% of crime and mystery books that I have read lately. Recommended.
Happy Reading Folks!
August 29, 2012
A Reason to Live is the brilliant debut novel by Matthew Iden. It follows retired DC cop Marty Singer as he battles his cancer diagnoses and a past case that has haunted him throughout his career.
The story combines corrupt police, old friendships and good old detective work and begins when Singer is approached by the daughter of a woman murdered some 12 years earlier.
I’ll admit that I found the first couple of chapters a little slow going, but this story soon kicked into gear and I found myself riveted and I tried to work out the connections and who was after Amanda.
The detective work is interspersed with other information too, including a short romance, the wonderful cat Pierre and Singer’s cancer treatments, all bringing a human element to the detective character. All too often Detectives in such novels can seem one dimensional with no life other than that derived from their casework. Iden does a fantastic job of bringing warmth to his main character, and you really are supporting him as he unravels the case.
The book ends well, tieing up all loose ends and providing a clear explanation for what happened 12 years earlier, what happened in the intervening period and how it lead to the present day; I genuinely felt satisfied by the ending, again in these types of novels it is easy to feel short changed. Iden doesn’t rush his story and doesn’t leave any details to the imagination.
A solid 5 /5 from me, and I look forward to reading more about Marty Singer in the future.
May 29, 2014
This book was a typical mystery novel, other than the fact that the main character is a retired homicide detective and has cancer. Soon after Marty's retirement the daughter of a victim in one of his old cases comes to him for help. The story line had a lot of surprising twists, which was nice to see. I liked that it wasn't predictable from the beginning to the end.
I liked that the author included Marty's doctor visits, the chemo treatments and made it realistic how these treatments affected his life. I haven't read any other book where the main character has colon cancer, it isn't talked about as much as it should be. The author did an excellent job of showing how a cancer diagnosis can happen to anyone and can totally change the direction of that person's life.
Back to the story now! I liked the characters, there was just enough information to make them real without overloading with unnecessary information. It was a well written story and a quick read. I enjoyed it and look forward to reading more in the series.
I liked that the author included Marty's doctor visits, the chemo treatments and made it realistic how these treatments affected his life. I haven't read any other book where the main character has colon cancer, it isn't talked about as much as it should be. The author did an excellent job of showing how a cancer diagnosis can happen to anyone and can totally change the direction of that person's life.
Back to the story now! I liked the characters, there was just enough information to make them real without overloading with unnecessary information. It was a well written story and a quick read. I enjoyed it and look forward to reading more in the series.
September 25, 2015
Great mystery.
Touching, compelling story and real characters you'll like to meet. Some of them for sure. Great reason to read is the Marty Singer, he's in his fifties and has colon cancer. While going through chemo trying to help Amanda and keep her safe. Also makes sure his cat Pierre is taking care of too.
Touching, compelling story and real characters you'll like to meet. Some of them for sure. Great reason to read is the Marty Singer, he's in his fifties and has colon cancer. While going through chemo trying to help Amanda and keep her safe. Also makes sure his cat Pierre is taking care of too.
March 15, 2017
I love a good book where I can't figure out the ending. I usually am pretty good at guessing. Was this the best book I ever read-No. But if you can keep me guessing and wondering what's going to happen next, it's pretty high on my list of books to recommend.
May 20, 2017
Marty Singer is a new character (to me) and an interesting one. He's a retired detective who's been carrying guilt for a botched case for 12 years; a murderer got off because of police error. Now comes a chance to help the victim's daughter. There is the small matter of having cancer & needing to start chemo in a few days. Since there is a novel, you already know that he decided to do the right thing. And I can't tell you any more without spoiling it for you.
The main characters are solidly written, with the small details that make them real, such as when Marty moans to himself that he no longer has a siren to use in traffic. The victim's daughter, even though she came to Marty asking for help, has to be jolted and argued into taking her situation seriously. The "bad guys" are rather more two-dimensional.
And that's it. Good plot. Interesting, human characters. Enjoy!
The main characters are solidly written, with the small details that make them real, such as when Marty moans to himself that he no longer has a siren to use in traffic. The victim's daughter, even though she came to Marty asking for help, has to be jolted and argued into taking her situation seriously. The "bad guys" are rather more two-dimensional.
And that's it. Good plot. Interesting, human characters. Enjoy!
May 24, 2017
Interesting main character and premise--a homicide detective in D. C., Marty Singer, who retired after thirty-plus years because he's battling cancer---and a twelve-year-old case against a former cop, who walked because the case was bungled, key evidence was missing, etc. The daughter of the woman who was killed in the old case comes to Marty because she believes the man who killed her mother is now after her. Marty isn't sure what he can do, but he's willing to help her. They get help from some unexpected sources, but also make some discoveries that confuse them. Who is threatening her, and why? Will Marty be able to protect her while starting chemotherapy?
The cast of characters is rather large, and it takes a while for the various plotlines to mesh together, but it's an enjoyable read.
The cast of characters is rather large, and it takes a while for the various plotlines to mesh together, but it's an enjoyable read.
August 1, 2020
Loved this book and am looking forward to seeing if the rest of the series is as good!
July 12, 2017
OK. Not bad but nothing special. There are better crime stories out there. For example, it takes place in DC, but the story felt like it could have been anywhere in US.
September 29, 2015
"But you were the only one in charge of the case, Marty," he said, stopping and jabbing a finger into my chest. "The rest of us got to stand by and watch it go down the tubes. A good woman died, a girl got orphaned, and we got watch Wheeler walk out with a smile on his face because you screwed up."
This is my first read of the five book series about Detective Marty Singer. Series, detectives, crime stories, you're calling my name. In the late 1990's Marty was forced to watch a bad cop, Michael Wheeler, get away with murder. Twelve years go by and Marty, now retired, gets a call for help. The victim's daughter Amanda comes to Marty begging for his help. Someone is stalking her and she thinks its the guy who murdered her mother.
Amanda's need is giving Marty a new reason to go on since he's been battling cancer. Marty is going to help put this murderer where he belongs this time. Is the man who murdered Amanda's mother even the same guy who is now stalking her? Why would he wait twelve years to reappear? So where has Michael been? Marty has his work cut out for him trying to uncover the truth. Maybe this time he can help Amanda find justice for her mother. If his body can handle the pressure.
He's going to need help though just in case he can't see it through. He hooks up with an old partner even though they're not on the best of terms. They agree to help Amanda anyway. Not everyone they encounter, including the murderers attorney, Julia Atwater, is willing to help them. Their adventure will eventually bring them around to where it all began. Filled with action and few twists and surprises you don't see coming. All of it leading it back to giving Marty "A Reason To Live."
Descriptive writing along with some dry humor and I know you'll enjoy this book. Look for Pierre the cat, and his cattitude. This is what I like to refer to as a "comfort book." Its the kind of book you come home and put your comfy clothes on and curl up with. Its inviting and reminds me of the writing in Robert Parker's "Jesse Stone" series.
I'm already hooked. Will be glad to read the next four books! Immediately in the first few pages I was drawn to the character of Marty Singer. He felt real and is a well in depth character. I'm going to enjoy knowing him for five books.
Thank you to Netgalley and Thomas and Mercer Publishing for a chance to read this series
This is my first read of the five book series about Detective Marty Singer. Series, detectives, crime stories, you're calling my name. In the late 1990's Marty was forced to watch a bad cop, Michael Wheeler, get away with murder. Twelve years go by and Marty, now retired, gets a call for help. The victim's daughter Amanda comes to Marty begging for his help. Someone is stalking her and she thinks its the guy who murdered her mother.
Amanda's need is giving Marty a new reason to go on since he's been battling cancer. Marty is going to help put this murderer where he belongs this time. Is the man who murdered Amanda's mother even the same guy who is now stalking her? Why would he wait twelve years to reappear? So where has Michael been? Marty has his work cut out for him trying to uncover the truth. Maybe this time he can help Amanda find justice for her mother. If his body can handle the pressure.
He's going to need help though just in case he can't see it through. He hooks up with an old partner even though they're not on the best of terms. They agree to help Amanda anyway. Not everyone they encounter, including the murderers attorney, Julia Atwater, is willing to help them. Their adventure will eventually bring them around to where it all began. Filled with action and few twists and surprises you don't see coming. All of it leading it back to giving Marty "A Reason To Live."
Descriptive writing along with some dry humor and I know you'll enjoy this book. Look for Pierre the cat, and his cattitude. This is what I like to refer to as a "comfort book." Its the kind of book you come home and put your comfy clothes on and curl up with. Its inviting and reminds me of the writing in Robert Parker's "Jesse Stone" series.
I'm already hooked. Will be glad to read the next four books! Immediately in the first few pages I was drawn to the character of Marty Singer. He felt real and is a well in depth character. I'm going to enjoy knowing him for five books.
Thank you to Netgalley and Thomas and Mercer Publishing for a chance to read this series
September 15, 2015
Ex-detective Marty Singer is struggling to come to terms with an early retirement and the mental and physical challenge of fighting back against colon cancer when Amanda asks him for help. 12 years ago her mother was murdered - by a cop who walked free and then disappeared. Now she thinks he's back, and Marty grasps this chance for redemption - a chance to make right the mistakes of the department. An easy read, but very descriptive that really paints a vivid picture for every character and scene. The action moves forward at a brisk pace, but we're kept grounded by the harsh reality of Marty's cancer treatment.
We have good old fashioned crime work, done by Marty's old partner, another cop haunted by the past and the surprise help of the killers defense attorney to create a foursome of characters that all have depth. There's a lot of mystery - why did the killer walk free? Where are all the files? Who is covering up for him, and why? Where has he been? Of course, it also had twists and turns - definitely not predictable!
Marty Singer, despite being a 53 year old guy brought low by cancer, is still a bad-ass. He's a quick thinking history buff who loves his cat and has always tried to do the right thing. I loved him from the start. If I had to choose a detective to be on my side in the case of a crime, it would be Marty.
This was a seriously impressive crime debut; and now I have another four novels to catch up with in the series. I was supposed to be reading quite a few other things, but I really want more Marty Singer, so book #2 is going to be read next!
My thanks go to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for providing me with a review copy of this book, which will now be available in paperback from 15th September.
We have good old fashioned crime work, done by Marty's old partner, another cop haunted by the past and the surprise help of the killers defense attorney to create a foursome of characters that all have depth. There's a lot of mystery - why did the killer walk free? Where are all the files? Who is covering up for him, and why? Where has he been? Of course, it also had twists and turns - definitely not predictable!
Marty Singer, despite being a 53 year old guy brought low by cancer, is still a bad-ass. He's a quick thinking history buff who loves his cat and has always tried to do the right thing. I loved him from the start. If I had to choose a detective to be on my side in the case of a crime, it would be Marty.
This was a seriously impressive crime debut; and now I have another four novels to catch up with in the series. I was supposed to be reading quite a few other things, but I really want more Marty Singer, so book #2 is going to be read next!
My thanks go to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for providing me with a review copy of this book, which will now be available in paperback from 15th September.
March 9, 2013
I really enjoyed this novel. Gotta say, had a pretty hard time putting it down. I would have give this a 5 if it wasn't for all the grammar errors in the Kindle edition; at times I'd had to reread sentences to try to make sense of it.
I feel like this novel was a complete story from beginning to end. I didn't feel like there were any gaps or important things left out like you sometimes get with novels. Something I love about mysteries is the fact that they keep you guessing what's going to happen next, especially when there's a big twist/reveal at the end and this novel delivered on that. It was light an airy one moment and then serious the next, keeping me wanting more. I found it pleasant that Matthew chose not to use the typical hero, you know the kind, someone strong and healthy, nothing gets them down. The fact that Marty had personal problems in his life, made the story more realistic and I think it tapped into the human condition.
I can't wait to read the next Marty Singer novel and continue following Matthew's writing career into the future.
I feel like this novel was a complete story from beginning to end. I didn't feel like there were any gaps or important things left out like you sometimes get with novels. Something I love about mysteries is the fact that they keep you guessing what's going to happen next, especially when there's a big twist/reveal at the end and this novel delivered on that. It was light an airy one moment and then serious the next, keeping me wanting more. I found it pleasant that Matthew chose not to use the typical hero, you know the kind, someone strong and healthy, nothing gets them down. The fact that Marty had personal problems in his life, made the story more realistic and I think it tapped into the human condition.
I can't wait to read the next Marty Singer novel and continue following Matthew's writing career into the future.
September 15, 2013
I read this one with my ears. A Reason to Live is a winning combination of mighty fine writing and excellent narration. I love Marty Singer. He is a hero who agrees to help a scared young woman even when his own life is uncertain due to his battle with cancer. Amanda's mother was murdered twelve years ago and Singer was one of the investigating officers. She kept his card all these years and has asked him for help. It seems the murderer (who got away with it) is back and stalking her. The mystery and plot twists kept me captivated and entertained all the way to the end.
Lloyd Sherr is the perfect choice for Marty Singer. His voice pinned me in the moment, left me feeling the emotions of a man worried about his own life, but also a hero who forgets himself long enough to help someone else.
It's the first in the series and I can't wait to hear more. I highly recommend A Reason to Live to anyone who loves a good mystery.
Lloyd Sherr is the perfect choice for Marty Singer. His voice pinned me in the moment, left me feeling the emotions of a man worried about his own life, but also a hero who forgets himself long enough to help someone else.
It's the first in the series and I can't wait to hear more. I highly recommend A Reason to Live to anyone who loves a good mystery.
Read
December 31, 2013An excellent start to a great mystery series
It takes a lot to get me to give five stars to a book--but Matthew Iden's A Reason to Live took me there. One of the best new series I've read in a very long time. Authentic, gritty, surprising and real. No Jack Reacher superhero here. Marty Singer is all too human. But, like Lee Child's hero, he's stubborn. I'd say that's probably his best quality. Oh, and he has a cat.
This book was on my to-be-read pile for quite awhile, and I'm kind of kicking myself for waiting so long to read it; on the other hand, by waiting, there are now three more Singer mysteries to read, and I'm working my way through them one after another. If you like a really well plotted mysteries with three dimensional characters, you'll like A Reason to Live.
It takes a lot to get me to give five stars to a book--but Matthew Iden's A Reason to Live took me there. One of the best new series I've read in a very long time. Authentic, gritty, surprising and real. No Jack Reacher superhero here. Marty Singer is all too human. But, like Lee Child's hero, he's stubborn. I'd say that's probably his best quality. Oh, and he has a cat.
This book was on my to-be-read pile for quite awhile, and I'm kind of kicking myself for waiting so long to read it; on the other hand, by waiting, there are now three more Singer mysteries to read, and I'm working my way through them one after another. If you like a really well plotted mysteries with three dimensional characters, you'll like A Reason to Live.
May 11, 2015
This was a free book on my Nook. What a surprise! It turned out to be one the best mysteries I've encountered for a long time. Vivid imagery heightens the impact of a well-told story. Marty Singer is an ex-cop, forced into retirement when he learns that he has a debilitating cancer. But along comes a young woman, Amy, who needs his help. She is the daughter of a murder victim whose case he worked years ago. Her mother had been stalked by another cop and now her stalker has been released from prison and is coming after Amy. Engrossing.
Even if this is not your type of read, consider reading it just for the joy of the author's splendid use of similes and metaphors.
Even if this is not your type of read, consider reading it just for the joy of the author's splendid use of similes and metaphors.
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