Bone Wires

by Michael Shean

In the wasteland of commercial culture that is future America, police are operated not by government but by private companies. In Seattle, that role is filled by Civil Protection, and Daniel Gray is a detective in Homicide Solutions. What used to be considered an important – even glamorous – department for public police is very different for the corporate species, and Gray finds himself stuck in a dead end job.

That is, until the Spine Thief arrives.

When a serial killer begins harvesting the spinal tissue of corporate employees all over the city, Detective Gray finds himself plunged into the first truly major case of his career. Caught in a dangerous mix of murder, betrayal and conflicting corporate interest, Gray will find himself not only matching wits with a diabolical murderer but grapple with his growing doubt toward his employers in the dawning months of the American tricentennial. A thrilling mystery set in the same world as the Wonderland Cycle, Bone Wires is a grim trip into the streets of the empty future.

Genres: Science Fiction, Mystery, Cyberpunk, Horror, Fiction, Crime, Thriller

380 pages, Paperback

First published July 13, 2012

About the author

Michael Shean was born amongst the sleepy hills and coal mines of southern West Virginia in 1978. Taught to read by his parents at a very early age, he has had a great love of the written word since the very beginning of his life. Growing up, he was often plagued with feelings of isolation and loneliness; he began writing off and on to help deflect this, though these themes are often explored in his work as a consequence. At the age of 16, Michael began to experience a chain of vivid nightmares that has continued to this day; it is from these aberrant dreams that he draws inspiration.

In 2001, Michael left West Virginia to pursue a career in the tech industry. He settled in the Washington, DC area as a web designer and graphic artist. As a result, his writing was put aside and not revisited until five years later. In 2006 he met his wife who urged him to pick up his writing once more. Though the process was very frustrating at first, in time the process of polishing and experimentation yielded the core of what would become his first novel, Shadow of a Dead Star. In 2009 the first draft of book was finished although it would not be until 2011 he would be satisfied enough with the book to release it.

Michael’s work is extensively character-driven, but also focuses on building engaging worlds in which those characters interact. His influences include H.P. Lovecraft, William Gibson, Cormac McCarthy, Philip K. Dick, and Clark Ashton Smith.

Reviews

[Katy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book Info: Genre: Cyberpunk/Dark Science Fiction/Police Procedural
Reading Level: Adult
Recommended for: fans of police procedurals, sci-fi

My Thoughts: This book is set in the same universe as Shadow of a Dead Star (review link here for places that support links), which is set two years after this one, set in 2076.

I should point out that galleys – even e-galleys – are usually uncorrected proofs, so hopefully this will be fixed in the final copy, but Angie’s eyes kept changing color: first green, then blue, then green again, then blue again... There were also a lot of missing words – mostly “a” and “the” and things like that, but it still broke up the flow a bit.

There was one scene that really bothered me – Dan, the main guy, had a run-in with a Pacification officer who was a serious racist. Dan was thinking to himself how ironic it was that this officer, who was a homosexual, was no longer under stigma for this, yet was a racist – it just felt like “ZOMG look at us, we’re so advanced now that our homosexuals are racist!” It felt... forced, I guess.

Now you would think with all this complaining I didn’t like it, but that would be wrong. I actually did like it – much better than the other one, which I had a very difficult time finishing. I’m really not certain why I had a difficult time with Shadow of a Dead Star but enjoyed this one. I suppose a lot of it had to do with the subtle humor in phrases like “a look that would have shamed a cat with its sheer lack of approval” or “matching the Iceman act with the power of Like-I-Give-A-Fuck”. Dan is also a great character, and the reader develops a really good feel for him. I enjoyed the character interactions and thought the writer did a great job of keeping us in the dark about the secret behind everything until the denouement.

So, fans of police procedurals set in a futuristic world should enjoy this, as well as those who enjoyed Shadow of a Dead Star or those who like cyberpunk thrillers.

Disclosure: I received a free e-galley from Curiosity Quills via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis: In the wasteland of commercial culture that is future America, police are operated not by government but by private companies. In Seattle, that role is filled by Civil Protection, and Daniel Gray is a detective in Homicide Solutions. What used to be considered an important – even glamorous – department for public police is very different for the corporate species, and Gray finds himself stuck in a dead end job.

That is, until the Spine Thief arrives.

When a serial killer begins harvesting the spinal tissue of corporate employees all over the city, Detective Gray finds himself plunged into the first truly major case of his career. Caught in a dangerous mix of murder, betrayal and conflicting corporate interest, Gray will find himself not only matching wits with a diabolical murderer but grappling with his growing doubt toward his employers in the dawning months of the American tricentennial. A thrilling mystery set in the same world as the Wonderland Cycle, Bone Wires is a grim trip into the streets of the empty future

[Ian Caithness · Rating 5 out of 5]

Michael Shean returns this week with his second novel, Bone Wires as he seeks to explore and investigate the world which he so beautifully crafted in his first novel, Shadow of a Dead Star. In this second novel, Shean demonstrates an aptitude and fluidity in being able to explore and dismantle themes and genres in the novel. Bone Wires shifts from an opening as a dark and horrific murder mystery that keeps readers on edge and becoming embroiled, even fascinated, with the sadistic murders in this neo-libertarian world to a novel rooted in the exploration of relationships and the inter-connectedness of different plots. There can be no doubt that this novel shows Shean to be a writer who is prepared to tap into the darkest recesses of the mind in order to shock audiences with his graphic detail of a world sustained by corporatism and built upon foundations of savagery and ambition.

Bone Wires follows Daniel Gray, a Tier Three Detective with Homicide Solutions, a branch of a public-listed organisation known as Civil Protection, Washington's police force, as he looks to explore a series of gruesome murders in which the culprit removes the spines of their victim as a “trophy”. Gray is portrayed as vicious and ambitious in his desire to reach the next level of corporate success in Homicide Solutions and these murders provide him with ample opportunity to become the shining star of Civil Protection. Shean's depiction of Gray in Bone Wires is harrowing for the recognition that it paints a portrait of society governed by corporate ambition and by individual desire superseding the wider moral questions. Bone Wires follows a trend and pattern set in Shadow of a Dead Star in being character-driven, allowing the reader to connect and explore the inner workings of its principal character as we are thrust into a multi-faceted plot that promises to delight, surprise and shock audiences.

What this novel does so well is to build and craft the world in which the characters are set. There is a loving attention paid to the detail from the corporate structure of Civil Protection to the chemical composition of drugs. That same love and attention is paid to the characters as it is to the world, meaning that readers are engrossed in the novel because of the characters, because of their human nature. Bone Wires excels in its depiction of characters, people who audiences will all recognise as having been part of their lives – the ambitious, the meek, the betrayed, the bully. These are all characters or facets of people that come out in the novel and create a woven tapestry of human emotion that becomes society in and of itself.

Bone Wires is, to me, a novel of two parts. The first part deals with Gray as a Tier Three Detective and his investigation into the murders of seemingly unrelated people but with one connection – their spines having been removed. In this first part, we see Gray as an ambitious and altogether inconsiderate character, someone is bound and tied to the corporate culture as much as he is a product of that culture – the suits, the lifestyle, the personality. His treatment of women is the single redeeming feature as he becomes a real person – someone is driven by the same needs, hungers and desires as most people are. The second part sees Gray as a Tier Four as he discovers that the culture with which he was so besotted with is little more than a web of deception. It explores in more depth the characters which were introduced in what I have described as the first part, characters who come out and shine as individuals, rather than as plot devices to advance Gray as a character. The first part is a murder mystery. The second becomes a fully-fleshed out detective novel.

Even if this is a novel of two parts, Shean excels in demonstrating his prowess with the written word in Bone Wires. We are treated to a luxurious exploration of this world, its characters and the underworld which thrives on the ambiguities of people's lives and personalities. What Shean does in his novels is to defy the expectations of traditional science-fiction and demonstrates a preparedness to explore different forms of genre from noir to detective fiction. Bone Wires works because it forces the reader to think and challenges the understanding of what is going on in the world. Characters become more real as the novel develops and the ending secures Daniel Gray as a memorable character who goes through a transformation from the ambitious to the noble.

Bone Wires is a free-flowing novel that explores ideas and engages the reader, trapping them in a vice of decadence, violence and plot. It captures the imagination of the reader and asks them questions. Much like the great Sherlock Holmes novels, the ending is as much a resolution of affairs and matters as it is a statement. Bone Wires is both a logical and heart-felt novel that feeds into people's ideas about what the future might be like, about their own lives and how much we are trapped by own expectations and conventions. Michael Shean, once again, demonstrates a talent for capturing the imagination of his readers and having the courage to build on his inventive and creative world. As a science-fiction novel, it is excellent but where it is exceptional is in its capturing the heart of a world ensnared by corporatism and creating characters motivated by it.

[Louisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really great book of a mishmash of a bunch of genres and it was so great to read it!

[Melinda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bone Wires by Michael Shean is a Science Fiction novel that crosses genres being a police procedural along with a crime novel set in the distant future. The closest thing that comes to mind that has come out recently is the Slab City Blues Series of Novellas by Anthony Ryan. These two things have many points in common, though the latter is more noir, gritty cop fiction meets dystopian future and the former is a more stylized version without the hardboiled detective. This novel is all about predators. Everyone is a predator in this novel – hunting someone, or something, or both, whether it's power, revenge, money, or simply their nature as a being, the coldest predator of all turns out to be a big surprise.. Read more to find out details..

THE PLOT It is the year 2076. Police services have become privatized into a public company named Civil Protection, or CivPro for short, where profits are everything. People have to have a contract to be protected by the police. Our protagonist, Detective Daniel Gray, is a blue shield, tier III in Homicide, which is now basically, a janitorial job. He is ambitious and dreams of a juicy case that will raise his level to Amber, tier IV, which will get him a new apartment, a new car, and a raise, along with respect and power within the department. Unfortunately, like the Chinese say, be careful what you wish for, it may come true. The case does come in the form of the “Spine Thief” murders, where someone is cutting people's spines out with a hot knife while they are willingly in a prone position. What would make them do this willingly? But something is not right, and the company wants to sweep everything under the rug as quickly as possible. Three of these murders happen, and while Gray must put the pieces together, he finds horrific things, and becomes a hero – yet he knows there in his gut, that there is so much more than that, which is carefully being kept from the public because it would lower the stock price. People come out of the woodwork – powerful people, trying to pull him one way or the other to meet their own agendas. He sees no way that he can keep clear of their machinations without staining his own reputation. He can't hide. He can't work with them, so the only option he sees is to be true to himself and go up the middle. He goes on the warpath to do what he believes is right, to protect what he loves. In the midst of this, he falls for a Subject of Interest (SOI)– a girl from a club - an exotic dancer, who was involved with one of the people who lost his spine. Is she involved in the murders, or something even worse? He keeps finding out new information that leads him ever onward, in his quest to find out the truth. Gray finds blackmail of powerful executives, exotic new psychotropic drugs, crooked vice cops, shell companies, sexual favors and mysterious land owners, Nazi war criminals, serial killers, industrial espionage, street gangs and more. This maze of a plot has many dead ends and red herrings, while the body count continues to rise. Sources from all walks of life abound in this book, from high up in the police to an apex predator named Jimmie BlackEyes in the Verge, ( a lawless region outside Seattle, Wa), who kills as a way of life. In the end, everyone lies, to some extent, and everyone tells the truth, when it suits their interests. You must sift things through everything to get to the nuggets of gold. It is only at the end of the maze that you find out how well you've done. The plot is tightly woven, closely packed, and like a maze, has many different avenues to search for clues, which can lead you astray, or lead you to gold. Gray has a choice: he goes through door number one, and buckles under to a system that is only interested in bottom line profits, not in justice, and he's rewarded for his efforts and walks away from his love, or goes through door number two, and continues with his off-hours investigations, helping Interval Affairs put the pieces together against the mysterious forces that may include his lady love. He could lose either way, but what really may be at stake is his soul, so he has to choose wisely. Is there a door number three? For plot, I give this novel, a 9/10.

CHARACTERIZATION: This novel was a challenge for characterization, because as predators, everyone with the exception of Gray and Jimmie has natural camouflage. Shean characterized his protagonist Gray amazingly well. As our narrator, we see inside his head. We learn his hopes and dreams, and go through his evolution as the story progresses. I believe that Shean was correct in choosing a single POV for this novel, as the story is so complex, that transitioning to different points of view would have added too much complexity to the book, almost to the point of unreadability. The book was complex enough without adding different realities and differing truths. The other characters in the book had some characterization, like his partner Carter, Megan Cinders -the coroner, Jimmie BlackEyes – the tribal leader, Angie – the stripper girlfriend, Muller – the gallery owner, Yin – Muller's apprentice and Maskowitz – the fired Tech guy. The problem was, these people are all playing double roles, with the exception of Jimmie. So we really don't get to know the real people behind those roles. The roles are characterized somewhat, but with all the smoke and mirrors going on in the book, it is hard to say who is what, with the exception of Gray and Jimmie of course. Jimmie, the apex predator. Jimmie was characterized quite well – eerie, scarey, and dangerous. You never want to see him anywhere near you, much less talk to him. Moody was a trope, a lead vice cop on the take, powerful, defensive, over weight and willing to take down others for his own profit at the snap of two fingers, but what was he really like inside? We'll never know. We get a glimpse of the real Angie at the end – cold, highly functional and highly trained - rationalizing her role, as if she were collating reports instead of what actually occurred. It was a ghoulish moment, and one that the author Shean wrote perfectly. She swapped roles with Jimmie at that point. While she did not revel in her actions as he did, her coldness and offhandedness on the subject, as if the necessary containment measures along with Muller's actions meant nothing more than a walk in the park, was so chilling that she topped the list of predators in the book, in my mind.. That was a shocking experience. It clearly effected Gray profoundly. For characterization, I give this novel, an 9/10.

IMAGERY: Shean did a masterful job of imagery. If you like your novels bloody, then this is your cup of tea, so to speak. It has everything from an abattoir filled with dismembered bodies to three bodies with their spines cut out, to a dismembered person left in a pyramid outside an art gallery. People are also shot, with blood everywhere. They also used toxic gas to kill them in droves. The one image I will always remember is Gray's meeting the Jimmie BlackEyes at the park in the Verge which is where his tribal group hangs out. Each tribe member has tattoos on their face to represent their totem animal and they are surgically enhanced for speed and strength. Some have replaced all their teeth with canine teeth for that pokey effect. They walk and move like animals in the wild – smoothly, quietly and gracefully. Gray comes to see Jimmie to ask him a question about the murders. He hopes that he won't be killed as he is led into the park by Owl and Jaguar to see Jimmie. He is scared to death, but refuses to show his fear. He arrives to find a less than stellar throne with a lithe, bronzed, well-muscled figure in black bike shorts sitting in it, whose eyes have been removed – their sockets black. The eyes themselves have been replaced surgically with black, sparkling points of unknown origin which probably see better than anything nature ever created. Jimmie seems amused that the police would come to him without wanting to cause trouble. Gray asks Jimmie his question and hopes that he won't be killed, eaten or maimed before he can get back to his car. Gray is respectful to Jimmie as an authority figure in the park, but knows that Jimmie is an apex predator, and is thankful that it is daytime, as he would never want to be anywhere near the park at night. Those black, sparkling dots survey Gray – seeming to see inside his soul, as Jimmie considers Gray's question. Gray tries not to feel like prey, pushing his herd instinct way down deep - instead forcing himself to look at Jimmie's black pinpoints. Then in a deep voice, Jimmie says he'll look into it. Gray assures him that the knowledge will help him and the tribe. Jimmie laughs. The audience is over, and Gray is led back to his car by Owl and Jaguar. Gray is ust glad to be alive. His skin crawls as he tries to bring his breathing under control, as he sits in his car. What was he thinking – being in the Verge and talking to an apex predator all alone, without a riot squad to back him up? He could have been killed, and no one would have known about it...For imagery, I give this novel a 10/10.

THE GORE SCORE: This gore score is high. You don't have an abattoir in your book and get a low gore score. They never said how many body parts were hanging on the walls, or how many people altogether had died after being dismembered, but there were many. My estimate would be 20 – 25. The spine thief took three, so that's 23-28 people right there. Two people get shot in an apartment at close range, so now the body count is up to 25 – 30. The human pyramid adds another, so that brings our total to 26-31. At the end, is a battle royale, where the police use toxic gas on their foes. The real numbers never come out, and there is definitely hails of bullets involved as well. At my best estimate, the gas must have taken at least 8 of the gang members, and bullets took out about the same between the police and the gang, so that's another 16. Now, we have a body count of 42 -47. I told you in the last review that I would keep count. Plus, a single shooting at the end of the book by Gray brings that total up to 43 – 48. We'll split the difference, and call it 45. That is a lot of bodies for a single novel. There were so many dismemberment’s in the abattoir that it should have been a scene from the Texas Chain Saw Massacre. For those of you who are faint of heart, this is not the book for you, but if revel in this stuff, you will love this book. Shean has a way with gore that will thrill your socks off. My final gore score for this novel is 9/10.

DIALOGUE: The dialogue in the book is concise and snappy. There is no overage of words here and because everyone is a predator in camouflage, you find a lot of double entendre and hidden meaning in what they say. You have to read between the lines or you won't get anywhere until the end of the novel. The only one who speaks straightforwardly is our protagonist, but he starts learning from his superiors that is not how you play the game, and wises up quickly – starting to hold back information that only he needs to have on his hunt for the truth. The dialogue was custom crafted to create those dead ends and red herrings, I spoke of previously. Remember, everyone lies, yet everyone tells the truth when it fits their purposes, especially when they want to aim someone at a target they want to hit. While the dialogue was not huge, it definitely played a role in the plot and the characterization. Shean did a good job at crafting his dialogue to give us just enough information to keep the story moving forward, keeping us on our toes, leading us astray, and making us want to read more to find out what happens. For dialogue, I give this novel, an 8/10.

PACING: The pacing in this book was consistently swift. You started the book with Gray in the car, dreaming of hunting his Amber badge, as he gets the call for the first Spine Thief murder. The action and obfuscation never let up from that point forward, as both the bodies and the crimes pile up, with Gray in the middle – trying to keep his reputation and his sanity while preserving the company bottom line – even though he is falling in love with a stripper, which is bad PR for a hero, and could lower stock prices. Pages fly by, as you want Gray to get out of his dilemma, get the girl, and get out of this life with his soul in one piece, though he doesn't realize that option is on the table. As we get near the ending, my reading sped up to compensate for the amount of information thrown at me, and the events that transpire. No one is blameless, yet surprises abound. The battle royale is one of those surprises with the result being a jaw dropping moment where my heart breaks for Gray. The pacing of this book was well constructed. Built deliberately as building blocks are built into a tower, using dynamic tension to heighten the reader's interest. The more I read, the more the dramatic tension rose. Once I got to the battle royale, I was clawing the bottom of my chair, winging through those pages - faster than anything in nature. It never let up until the very ending of the book. For pacing, I give this novel a 9/10.

THE ENDING: The ending was a big surprise to me. If I had read the novel slower and reflected on some of the clues longer, I wouldn't have been as surprised as I was, but I still would have been surprised by most of it. The ending comes in four parts, Justice, Tragedy, Redemption and Freedom. The last two parts, made the tragedy worth it. Any time you can end a novel with a message of Freedom, you get my vote. Redemption and Justice are right behind Freedom in importance to me. Being an election year, maybe Freedom is on my mind that much more, but being an American, and a Texan to boot, I believe Freedom is an inherent human right. When you end a novel with that message, it just resonates with me, including all types of Freedom – Freedom to be yourself, Freedom to save your soul, Freedom from corruption, Freedom of speech, Freedom of assembly, Freedom from search and seizure, Freedom to protect yourself, and Freedom to live your live any way you please as long as it doesn't hurt others. For the ending of this novel, which was finely crafted, to draw you into the middle of the maze and explain all the lose ends, then give Gray his Freedom, I give this novel a 10/10.

THE UPSHOT: This novel was all about predators and everything they do to get what they want, including killing by the boatload. It ended up being about justice, redemption and freedom after some very hard won lessons, forty five bodies, a lot of blood and body parts. Who would have guessed that Gray would have been the predator voted most likely to be the guy who the joke: Nice landing, wrong airport, was about, at the beginning of the story. After the story, he finally landed at the right airport, even though his future was uncertain, he was going in the right direction, with his soul in tact - sadder but wiser. I recommend this book to people who love science fiction mixed with mysteries, mystery fans who don't mind a setting in the future, police procedural and crime fans who love detailed, mysterious cases and the gore that goes with them. I also recommend this book as a human interest story – as something that may just be prophetic. As a country, America is already privatizing government functions. If everything is bottom line driven, our world will change for the worse. Remember the old coal mines of yesteryear and the veritable slaves that worked there - driven by pure profit and dwell on that for a while. Do we want those days back? For a total score, this novel gets a 55/60, a mid-5 stars.

MLB SCORE CHART

50 – 60 5 STARS
40 – 49 4 STARS
30 – 39 3 STARS
20 – 29 2 STARS
10 – 19 1 STARS
00 – 09 0 STARS

[Gaele · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a PDF copy of this book from the author for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for the review, and all conclusions are my own responsibility.

Let me start by saying that I am a “newbie” to the Sci-Fi genre, being a huge fan of Heinlein who’s stories always gave me enough of the world I live in to be related to amidst the futuristic scenarios. Michael Shean has accomplished that feat, while setting up a story that follows a Homicide Detective in the far future. I am a huge mystery fan, and here the book excels expectations, while creating a horrific series of gruesome murders, the intrigue from both inside the department and on the street are very real in feeling and description.

The story also incorporates a new romance, generated in the solution of the murders, and creating yet another layer of manipulations while providing the one true ray of light in this rather dismal scenario of earth future.

The character of Dan Grey is impeccably crafted; both his good and bad qualities are given free rein: ambition and single-mindedness combined with a rather dismal view of the people on the fringe of society. He is resentful of being watched, yet expects that the ‘watchers’ will also provide him with useful information while simultaneously providing him with alibis useful enough to keep him from being called on the carpet. He is manipulated and manipulator, although more honest about his participation in both.

Like all good crime stories that are character driven, this one has a multitude of plot twists that will keep you guessing until the very end. And then, it all comes clear. The writing is polished and tight, with details that allow you to visualize in detail the world that surrounds Dan Grey.

I would recommend this book highly to anyone who is a fan of noir or crime dramas, and I also feel that a futuristic fan would like this as well. The world is painstakingly and impeccably drawn, dark and clinical with a corporate component that is chillingly believable. While I wanted to review this book based on the mystery component, the pieces integrated so neatly into the book that I can say that there was no piece that did not work for me, romance, futuristic, noir or mystery.

[Melysah Bunting · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bone Wires by Michael Shean is not your average mystery/crime novel. It's set in futuristic Seattle. And it's crazier than you could ever imagine.

In the future technology is king and consumerism is queen. And there's a place called Wonderland. Daniel Gray works for the local private company called Civil Protection. He is a detective in Homicide Solutions. And he is trying to move up in the ranks. All he needs is a big case. They say watch what you wish for.

A number of killings take place. But these aren't your average murders. Someone is stealing spines. And that's not the only strange thing that's going on.

It's a world of enhancement implants to make you bigger and faster and scarier. Fashion is extreme. There's all kinds of gadgets. It's an addiction really.

There's two ends of the spectrum. You fall deeply into the lives of the characters. And then there's the nasty details of it all. It's the same feeling I get when I read Stephen King. It's so bad. But I can't look away. Shean reaches into the recesses of our soul to stroke the darkness within. Heinously enchanting. Breathtakingly gruesome. Spinetingling.

[Kriss · Rating 5 out of 5]

"...she had appeared like some kind of bizarre nymph that might have sprung from one of the dying trees."

I love reading stories taking place from my home city, and even though I lived in a smaller city across the green waters of Puget Sound, Seattle is our Mecca, this Emerald City, our capital of Sin. Where as children we went to see Robert Plant and Van Halen and danced in the aisles as Madonna crawled across stage crooning "Like a Virgin:" in her first stop for her inaugural world tour. It is timeless for the children of the 80's. Writing about such a city means a challenge directed to me and so many of Her own. The town gets in your blood, you see, one must remember not to be a slave to the memories and let her grow and move on Yes, She is timeless, just as such a tale I believe Bone Wires will be for quite some time.

Bone Wires reads as if someone stumbled across the corpse of Mary Shelly frozen in the wasteland of Antarctic after her monster left her there in hopes of future dreams, only to have some twisted word geneticist harvest an egg and fertilize said egg with the seed of Raymond Chandler and William Gibson. Then read stories from the archives of my fellow children of the 80's fading Shadowrun campaigns, (minus the elves, orcs and other fantasy creatures) into the speakers of the birthing waters from where the story springs forth. A story to darken our dreams with a twisted noir tale of mystery, science fiction and some mind-blowing symmetry and dance. Around and around the slick shiny pole it goes, with Gangster Northwest Indians still clinging to the hope, to a small edge of land against a dead body of water. To the insanity that is slowly creeping and threatening not only to take over our Mecca, this metropolis in the middle of chaos but to cause the dreams and ambitions of a company homicide detective crumble around him one corner at a time

Detective Grey is represented as a slave to himself, to the company, to fashion and popular beliefs, just like everyone else. But just as he wants more out of his job as a corporate police officer, like many in the field, he wants a little bit more out of life. His fashion a bit more posh, his cars a little more shiny, his coffee real and his lapels shiny. He is over the top, as is so many in this story. He can sum up the story, just all of what is wrapped up, at least one aspect of it. Angie, this dark-haired femme fatale represents the same section, but she is casting a light into the dark corners. She symbolizes the painted beauty of the inner city, those that think they are untouchable, as if their actual money and presence, where they live, what they eat and drink. What they wear... not much different then today, yet the story is much more than that. The allegory entails a very subtle and gentle sable brush, with short light pressured sweeps to bring out the tease and hints of the darkens.

I know I sound a bit over dramatic (OK a lot), forcing these purpl'ish prose upon you, I hope you can forgive me. This is another book that took me back to feelings I remember evoked by each of the aforementioned authors and all the times I played Shadowrun. It also made me think, really think about the meaning behind the disturbing imagery within. For example, the Indian tribe is the Duwamish which literally means "The People of the Inside". The Duwamish are Chief Seattle's tribe, of which the Emerald City is named and a tribe that can be traced back to 6th century AD.. The symbolic importance not only includes a NW Indian Tribe, but using the Duwamish is not lost on me. You do not need to know your Pacific NW history to recognize the significance the current "chief" of what is left of this tribe represents. Though he plays a quiet behind the curtain role, his is not one to ignore, remember that as you read the book.

It was more then the above much more. It was not just hard-boiled, or noir (by the way if you are thinking Bladerunner, think again nothing like that). It had romance, a dark twisted screwed up romance which at one point while reading I was thinking, "Oh gods, another guys attempt at a sex scene, will they not learn penthouse forum is not a legitimate source?" As the story progressed and the allegories were being brought forth stronger and stronger, much like the real coffee the main character, Detective Grey was drinking, I had an "ah-ha" moment and smiled. Oh yes this man can write! I ended up drinking a forbidden energy drink at one point so I could finish the last bit it was holding me so tight, but my brain was over worked and needed sleep. (bah sleep is for weenies and over rated!).

I have to check exactly where I am at but this is for sure in my top 12 of the year. This book is amazing. I was told not to read the first book as it was not as well written but I may just to have the story because I love how Michael Shea's mind actually works. I really love a well written mind-fuck. Yep, exactly that. No excusing or apologizing for the language. This was straight up a story to make you go holy shit and as soon as you finish want to start it again because surely you can get more out of it. It is that good.

This writer is an up and coming star. I am sure there was something in there that was off, perhaps a typo or missed space but I cannot recall, and frankly do not care. Maybe there isn't who knows? What is my point with that? THE STORY is the point. How this writer was able to take complex allegorical story devices and weave them into a cyberpunk world without it being to outlandish and over the top and still maintain the same smokey flavor of decaying flesh like the orchids from the hot-house had in The Big Sleep? I bought a book for my former American Pros teacher, who is a hard-core noir fan and who taught us not only Raymond Chandler's literary hard-boiled stories, but also shared many of his poetry collections. She showed how a poet can contribute to the telling of a story, and what makes good allegory and why this style of writing is what makes or breaks these hard-boiled novels.

I could keep going but frankly I would get lost in the maze, or is that he haze, of this story. My question is, do you like procedural? Do you like mysteries? Can you handle disturbing imagery painted with brilliant allegorical context and subtle symbolic symmetry? How about dark, bloody violent and with the promise of a bit of hope for humanity? Well that maybe a bit too much because I am not sure who had the most hope, myself, or the protagonist.

I think I want you to be the judge though, if I could I would buy all my friends I know who like this type of novel, a copy of this book. I cannot recommend it higher. It is NOT a tale for the meek, or those who abhor violence. The visceral aspects are necessary. I could write a 15 page paper on the sociological and culturally implicated symbology alone. It is getting a full set of five stars, or in honor of Seattle, five umbrellas!

[Kim Mol-van Aken · Rating 3 out of 5]

I absolutely loved the premise of this story and the story itself did not disapoint.

Dan Grey works as a homicide detective and dreams of a big break (or a sexy case as he calls it) so he can get his Amber badge. And this happens when he gets three homicides in the same week. Working to solve these cases with limited resources Dan will find out not everything is what it may seem.

Dan Grey is a character that can annoy the hell out of me but not enough that I dislike him. He is a good detective with his heart in the right place that has some serious jealousy issues. He wants to get up the corporate ladder and the sooner the better.

I liked the world created by mr. Shean. This whole world about a corporate police department is a very unsettling thought, I mean it isn’t great to know the ploce will solve crimes only to make profit. The police here also think that they are better then the other just by their rank and please don’t let anybody higher in rank get on your case because that is bad. Yeah teamwork isn’t a big part here in solving crimes.

I really did get annoyed by the fact that seemingly a lot of people here are very beautiful and this isn’t stated ones but numerous times.

Due to the horrific crimes and the strong language in this book I can definitely say this is not a book for everyone, but if you can handle it I can recommend this to you because it is a fast read, a good story in a great, but unsettling world.

[Nathalia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Let's start off with the pros. The characterization is phenomenal! I was able to "see" the characters in their environment and feel as if I was personally part of the action. The author's attention to detail is absolutely fantastic, and I loved the futuristic version of Seattle. The large, yet simple graphic between each chapter also added a nice flair to the book, something I wish more books included. As for the plot, it was complex enough where it kept the reader guessing, but simple enough where the reader didn't feel completely lost.

However, the cons were far too reoccurring and distracting to allow me to fully enjoy this novel. Whenever the author used a word that included the letter 'v', the formatting pushed the rest of the word away forming a large gap between the letter 'v' and the remaining letters. For example, many times I kept reading "ov" and "er" instead of over, or "v" and "ery" instead of very. If the words were not oddly spaced together, they were crammed together. This completely threw me out of the story since I had to stop and mentally correct the issue. The book could also use proper paragraph spacing, especially when the song "This American Age" first plays and the verse is completely jumbled up. The proper way of displaying the verse would be to center and italicize the selection, making sure to separate each sentence.

[Millie Burns · Rating 5 out of 5]

So, wow. I won this book in a blog scavenger contest. I picked it blindly from a few choices, not really knowing what I was getting. I am very happy to say chance favored me with this one.

Michael Shean weaves a fantastic storyline in a Seattle of the future. The MC is a detective with ambition, but he's not the kind of guy who wants to get to the top at any cost. The twists and turns this book takes leave you dizzy as your mind spins trying to decipher the clues woven into the tale. Is anyone really what they seem? No spoilers for you here, you'll have to read to find out.

I enjoyed this book immensely.

[Nathan Yocum · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bone Wires is an all-engrossing world onto itself. Michael Shean's future Seattle sprawl is alive, pulsing, and at times absolutely horrifying. It's a rabbit-hole mystery that amps up the tension and anxiety with each revelation. Every move is a potential double-cross, every friend a potential murderer, and underneath it all an unspeakable and unstoppable horror is brewing. I cannot wait for future volumes from this setting.

I'm declaring it right here, right now...Michael Shean is the new king of cyberpunk!

[David Marshall · Rating 3 out of 5]

This has a much better plot than the first Wonderland book, i.e. this is self-contained and not dependent on a second volume to explain the ending. But it lacks some of the stylistic panache that made Shadow of a Dead Star such fun to read. This is really a 3.5 star book.

http://opionator.wordpress.com/2012/0...

[WiLoveBooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has everything you could want in a futuristic crime thriller. The characters are well-developed and flawed. The futuristic world pulls you in and gives you a glimpse of what could be. The plot had plenty of twists and kept me guessing until the end. If you enjoy a story that is dark and gritty, this is an engrossing read that you won't want to put down.

[Kim Baldwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful read. If you're a fan of Detective Noir this is the book for you. Bone Wires really kept me guessing. Just when I thought it was going in one direction it would make a U turn and head in another. I cannot recommend this book enough.

[Ethan Mawyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Will do a full review later, but this was a very good book.

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pretty good

The writing was fairly decent and thought provoking about what the future would be like. I found a bunch of errors though. Ev



The story line was interesting and thought provoking, making you wonder about what the future will really be like. I'm a 63 yr old grandma and I know I'll never see anything like this, it still makes you wonder. I did find a bunch of common errors but one really big one that needs to be corrected. Carter and Gray are on their way to get Angie, they get in Carter's car then the next paragraph Carter is sitting down on the torn up couch. Then they arrive at the water front and Carter is shutting the car off a couple of paragraphs later. Change the couch part and it will be much better. Otherwise this was a fascinating read with good character.

[Stanley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting

Not a bad book, I like the take on a future society and its problems although I did think that it was a little slow to develop some of the plot.

[Book Gremlin Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

May have slight spoilers.

This is actually the second time that I have read Bone Wires by Michael Shean. Though the first time I read it Bone Wires was a serialized story at the publisher’s site so it was only a part a week.

After it finished overall I liked it.

This reading I absolutely loved it! In fact, I am buying the paperback ASAP!

I think I would have really liked it the first time had I read it straight through instead of it only being a part every week. I do not think I really enjoy serialized stories. Like most book lovers once I find something that I like I do not want to put it down for a moment much less wait a whole week for the next part. lol

I just thought I should explain that as most of my readers know I did a part-by-part review on Bone Wires when it was serialized, this is my overall straight through reading review.

In Bone Wires we meet Daniel Gray an officer of Homicide Solutions. The police in this futuristic world that Michael has created are not operated as they are today but by private companies. To them it literally is just business and profit margins are key. They are called Civil Protection.

Homicide Solutions is a leg of Civil Protection and though it used to be considered a great job now, in Detective Gray’s opinion, it is just a form of janitorial service and a job that the ‘citizens’ do not seem to really respect anymore.

All of that changes in Gray’s and the peoples’ perspective when a dead body of a Civil Protection officer is found with his spine removed and more murders are reviled in the same fashion the killer is dubbed by the press: the Spine Thief.

Before the killer arrived Gray was really wishing for a ‘Sexy Case’ one that would make is career. He is very much a company man and is all about advancing n his job.

What he does not count on is the gruesome murders and the following case (his first solo one, that he is given only three day’s to solve) to take such a twisting turn and drag him ever deeper into a world of deceit and horror.

Not only this but in Bone Wires everyone has a secret, something to hide and no one, most especially the companies that run things, are truly innocent. The whole world that the author has created seems to be a cesspool of sin in a way. Everyone seems so…well money and motive driven I guess. Like Gray who was all about his job, a company man, whatever is in the best interest of the company, etcetera.

We have a love interest as with most all books but this one is very…well I have to admit that I went back and forth trying to find out who the killer was and at times would have swore up, down and sideways that the girl was in on it but at other times would have sworn the exact opposite! Gray’s partner, Carter and a few other characters, was the same way! I could not figure out who it was and when everything is revealed I have to admit being shocked (even on my second reading) but it made so much sense in retrospect!

I liked the ending the most, Gray really seems to have changed his prospective on things and even if it was a hard and possibly emotionally damaging road to get there.

Bone Wires is a mystery in every sense of the word, the kind that makes to get on the edge of your seat and accuse every character at different times throughout the book that it must be them who did it or was in on it! Add in the futuristic setting and that no one is truly innocent and you have a must read! I would not be surprised if we see this book made into a move one day honestly; it is just one of those books that you can easily see becoming a movie. Of course if it was the book would still be 100 times better. ;)

I hope we get more about Gray in the future, maybe a second follow up novel as to what he is doing now.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who does not mind a gritty book. I have never been much for Science Fiction (it just has not really been a genre that clicked with me) but Michael Shean is staying on my automatic must-buy-and-read list!

*I received a hardcover/paperback/eBook copy/ARC of this book for free to review from the author/publisher/tour site; this in no way influenced my review, all opinions are 100% honest and my own.

[Vivian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dan Gray is a homicide detective. His job isn't glamorous but it does provide great perks as you move up the corporate ladder. Dan is currently a Tier 3 with a Blue Badge and he yearns for a case that will take him Tier 4 or 5 and garner an Amber Badge. Dan is all about the job. His partner, Brutus Carter, has been on the job as long as Dan has been alive. Carter actually worked for the Seattle Police Department before policing went to the private sector. Carter appears to do his job and nothing more, or at least that's how it appears to Dan.

Dan's dreams are fulfilled when he receives not one but three calls for homicides in less than one week. All of the victims have had their spines removed. The first victim is an off-duty CivPro officer, Anderson. The investigation into his death allows Dan to meet the stripper, Angela "Angie" Velasquez. Angie seems to have dirt to dish about the deceased and she gradually spills her information while flirting with Dan. Even though a similar homicide occurs within days of the first, Anderson's case is quickly closed once it is learned he was selling CivPro information to outside concerned parties. And once that case is closed, Dan works fast to become friendlier with Angie.

Even though Dan seemingly solves the "spine thief" case and ties it to at least a few hundred unsolved cases, he remains restless. Dan is quickly pulled up the chain and receives his Amber Badge. He's at a higher pay grade and receives numerous upgrades and perks, such as a new vehicle, a new apartment, and a bonus for solving the case. He even got the girl, as his relationship develops with Angie, albeit slowly. But all is not what it appears and just when it seems like Dan's life is going full-steam on his desired career track he runs into a major snag that could cost him his life.

Mr. Shean has provided a dystopian mystery thriller with Bone Wires. He paints a haunting picture of a possible future that has suffered the ravages of global warming and numerous wars. The language is often harsh which appears to amplify the dystopian qualities of this not-so-distant future world. The characters are all well-developed, and the action and settings very realistic. The good and bad guys seem to exist in a world filled with not only black-and-white, right-and-wrong but also myriad shades of grey. Dan struggles to remain on the side of right but is pulled into the greyer areas as the story progresses. Mr. Shean has provided a story filled with plenty of twists and turns so the reader is never quite sure what will come next. Bone Wires was a very different mystery-thriller read for me, primarily because of the language (a lot of profanity is used but it adds to the harshness of the story and doesn't really detract). I'm not sure if I would have chosen Bone Wires as a story to read on my own, but I'm very glad I had the opportunity to read it. If you enjoy mystery thriller reads with an edge, then grab a copy of Bone Wires. . . it won't disappoint you.

[Kaye Lynne Booth · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Bone Wires, Michael Shean creates a techno-world of the future, where cars are equipped with autodrive, dance floors are suspended from the ceiling, and soft drinks have self-chilling mechanism. Shean grabs your attention immediately, and pulls readers into the high-tech world of 2076, where police departments belong to the private sector, making concerns of profits and losses, and public relations often take priority over justice.
Detective Dan Gray wants it all: the promotion, the money, the prestige, the girl and he knows how to play the game to get it. Suddenly, it appears that he has just gotten all of it, at what price? His new girlfriend, Angie, is connected to a case that is supposed to be closed, but just doesn’t want to stay that way; the same case that propelled him into his new promotion. He has a hunch things aren’t what they seem, but he doesn’t know who to trust. Everyone seems to have their own agenda: a vice cop that wants to use his girlfriend as a snitch, a coroner and an officer from the evidence room that want to fry the vice cop, a fellow homicide cop that is suddenly looking out for his best interests, a police agency that’s more concerned about profit margins than it is about people, and a girlfriend who may have something to hide. It all seems to be connected to his case, and finding the truth may threaten his job and his girl.
Shean has good, clear character development and a main plot, with enough sub-plotting to create tension and keep readers interest. The pacing keeps readers moving right along. Although there are a few typos, the story carries its weight well enough that the distraction caused is minor, if at all. The descriptive language is at times exquisite, as in the following example, found on page 201:
“By the time he piled himself into the car, he was barely able to focus. And so he didn’t try. Instead he sat there, sprawled in the driver’s seat, staring out at the empty street for what felt like hours as his thoughts warred with one another. Finally out of the mental carnage came the victor, a sharp thought, a thought that glowed and smoked as if it were a blade pulled out of a torturer’s coals.”
Shean has shown himself to be a talented writer, with Bone Wires. A must read for those who enjoy science fiction, mystery, and dark fiction. There is even a bit of the romance element thrown in.
(This review originally featured on Writing to be Read: http://kayelynnebooth.wordpress.com/2...

[Leah (White Sky Project) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book for a blog tour. I joined the tour because the book title reminded me of the movie The Bone Collector and the blurb made me think of Criminal Minds and CSI!

Deciding to join the tour was not a mistake at all. This book definitely had all the semi-creepy yet fascinating combined goodness of science, forensics, detectives, mysteries, and serial killers. Plus it's set in a cool futuristic world where the cops are privatized and everything's all about the money, meaning people and companies are all over corporate profits, consumerism, and all that capitalistic stuff.

This book was easy to read and I liked the author's descriptive and kind of colloquial writing style. It read like futuristic street and it was easy to picture the world where this story is set. I think the author definitely did well building his unique world and getting that world out to readers. I'm trying to think of movies or other fictional worlds that would describe my impression of this futuristic world. Maybe... the grit and crime-ridden dark streets of Gotham with the high rise towers and bright neon lights of the Fifth Element, plus the technology of Minority Report and maybe Gattaca. Then throw in your typical hard ass detectives and police. Maybe, maybe not. Bottomline, this futuristic world that Shean's created is crazy cool.

This book also had a pretty interesting set of multi-dimensional characters. The good guys, bad guys, major characters and minor players all felt like very real people and had something offbeat or interesting about them--wild ambition, crazy creative genius, tattooed faces, hollowed black eyes, etc. Definitely not boring, these folks of the twisted neon future.

Storywise, this novel will take you different places--deep dark twisted places and bright holographic neon places. The twists and turns will keep you reading. The twisty darkness and horror remind me of the worst unsubs in Criminal Minds. Needless to say, I really enjoyed this book and if you're into futuristic fiction and detective mysteries and thrillers, you might, too. Let's hold hands and skip merrily into the night.

I received a review copy of this book at no cost and with no obligations. All opinions expressed here are my own.

Blog post here.

[Chris Torretta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ohhh!! What more can a girl ask for? Blood and guts everywhere. The only thing that got me was that I’m not much of a mystery person but Michael keeps this plot going. I was asking questions and trying to figure out the plot and getting everything wrong! It was great!

This did remind me of a Dystopian although it is marked as Science Fiction. It was in the future and the way the private companies did things just reminded me that all hell can break loose. And sometimes does. The cops didn’t even have much that they could do.

"Yes, it was a good old time for everyone, except here in Homicide. A hundred years ago the art of finding killers was the crown jewel for detectives wanting to make their name in any police organization. Here in the age of privatized police, however, Homicide was very often something of a proverbial dead end. After all, the kinds of people who normally got killed off were Blanks, folks who didn’t have police coverage at all, or everyday citizens who were covered under the standard civilian safety contract brokered between the Company and the city government."

People didn’t respect them like you would think. It was a really interesting set up and one I really enjoyed. And the names of these workers… For instance the main character Dan Gray was a part of Homicide Solutions. Every time I saw one of those names I just cracked up! But Michael adds in that flair, for instance Coke is called Coke Century. Genius! I’m sure Coke is going to want to copyright that. I never once questioned where or when they were. Phenomenal world creation!

So in the midst of these horrific murders where people’s spines are being stolen you have some very interesting characters. And you never get the feeling that you can truly trust any of them. It’s a fabulous mystery with lots of gory details added in, which of course, I just loved! That’s one of the reasons I picked this up, I’m not much of a mystery or science fiction fan but gore, hell yeah, bring it on! Bone Wires definitely didn’t fail my expectations!

[S.B. (Beauty in Ruins) · Rating 3 out of 5]

With Bone Wires, Michael Shean weaves a story that pays homage to multiple genres and tropes, creating a whole that is definitely more than just the sum of its parts. On the surface, this is a police procedural played out against a science fiction backdrop. Beneath the skin is an alternately shiny/gritty surface is an undercurrent of horror, backed by its serial killer atrocities, marked by a throbbing vein of socio-political commentary, centred around the privatization of law enforcement.

In a world where justice and profits are interchangeable, the investigation of a murder is considered a low-priority task, with little profit involved. Up the stakes with a string of gruesome serial murders, however, marked by the removal of the victim's spinal cords, and suddenly the detective involved is not just a celebrity, but a poster boy for the corporation. Suddenly, a seemingly simple investigation is complicated by the need to appease the shareholders as well as the public at large.

Shean's narrative style is well-suited to the mix of genres, coming across as a hard-boiled detective thriller with a strong sense of technological self-awareness. The story itself is paced well, and even when the action lags, there are enough ideas being explored to keep the reader engaged. In terms of detail, this is a book that's both gruesome and vulgar, but never to the point of being excessive.

More importantly, especially for the police-procedural genre, the characters are well-drawn, well-rounded, and well-executed. You can not only 'see' the characters as Shean describes them, but you can 'hear' them as well. They seem to exist beyond the page, bringing life to the story while also maintaining a sense of significance or consequence when they're out of sight.


Originally reviewed at Beauty in Ruins

[Thom Swennes · Rating 2 out of 5]

Be very careful what you wish for…you just might get it.
Picture this: the Seattle, Washington area anno 2076. Luckily probably no images are conjured up as the time lies fifty years in the future. Detective Daniel Gray is a tier three, working the Civil Protection Center, Homicide Solutions. Business is booming to the point that everything is a business; including the local and federal police departments. Everything, including protection, comes at a price. Budget limits were placed on each investigation to make sure that the business end of law enforcement remained profitable. It isn’t a question of who you are but rather what you do and how high you are upon the corporate latter. Gray and his senior partner, Brutus Carter are called to a strange case where the victim’s spinal cord is surgically burned out and removed. This macabre phenomenon repeats itself making it a serial murder case.
The dialogue in this story makes it sound like an old detective tale dating from the 1930’s / 1940,s instead of a half century in the future. Name brands drop like flies under a Raid attack, distracting instead of enhancing the story. The gloomy, ominous picture painted put me in a dark depressed mood and repeatedly asking myself why I (or anybody else) would be reading and enjoying this missive. The answer still escapes me. If life fifty years from now are anything like the world described in this book, it doesn’t bode well for our grand and great-grandchildren. When I was finished with this story, I considered it in retrospect and came to the conclusion that if it wasn’t staged fifty years in the future and a little less 1984 it wouldn’t be half bad.

[Icy-Cobwebs-Crossing-SpaceTime · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blog Tour Stop Oct. 12

At once science fiction and mystery, near-futuristic and Dystopian, cynicism and love story, ambition and romance, “Bone Wires” electrifies the reader and will leave its presence lingering long in the mind after the final page is turned. Gory, graphic, violent; emotional, romantic, startling; “Bone Wires” is riveting, engrossing, and entrancing.

In America’s Tricentennial Year, Corporations are rulers, and all outside the Corporate Center of any metropolitan area is “Verge,” where crime and anarchy are the norm. Yes, even law enforcement is a corporate arm. Pacification is the department of street patrol. Dan Gray is a Tier II detective in Homicide Solutions, a thoroughly ambitious individual bucking to reach the level of his mentor, former Seattle P.D. detective and now Tier IV, Brutus Carter. Gray knows just one special case will be all he needs to move up, and he finds it when one of his corporation’s executive employees is found dead in White Center, the division between the corporate core city and the Verge. The murder is beyond brutal, and it proves to be only one of a series. What Gray uncovers will curl reader’s hair and shock and terrify. But the denouements do not stop there-and readers will be totally engrossed right through to the end.

[TAMMY CUEVAS · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the year 2076, Detective Daniel Gray, Homicide Tier III, investigates a series of murders where the killer has removed the victims' spines. Among the many twists and turns of the plot, Detective Gray becomes interested in a Subject of Interest, an exotic dancer who knew the first victim.

Bone Wires is a futuristic sci-fi crime thriller with a noir feeling. While the main plot is the murder mystery, the subplot is Gray's romantic relationship. The characters are believable and the situations, although set in the future, seem realistic.

3 stars


*Disclosure of Material Connection: I am a member of FMB Blog Tours and a copy of this book was provided to me by the author. Although payment may have been received by FMB Blog Tours, no payment was received by me in exchange for this review nor was there an obligation to write a positive one. All opinions expressed here are entirely of my own and may not necessarily agree with those of the author, the book's publisher and publicist or the readers of this review. This disclosure is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255, Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*

[Patiscynical · Rating 3 out of 5]

The beautiful and the damned on display..

Well-written, with a lovely turn of phrase. There were a few typos and some real formatting issues, but that may have been a kindle issue, perhaps.
A serial killer is loose in Seattle of the future, taking a bizarre trophy from each victim.
Daniel Gray is the cop on the case, a cop looking to make a name for himself.
The city of Seattle is described very well. Somewhat similar to the cityscape in Blade Runner, futuristic and bleak.
Some characters are fleshed out well, but their motives seem obscure, or off kilter. Some characters aren't well developed at all.
Still, it was an interesting story, although the relationship between Gray and the girl seemed very strange, but finally made sense towards the end of the book.
Results: I enjoyed it, but it could have been improved with better character development. I'd try this author again.

[John O'Driscoll · Rating 4 out of 5]

Raymond Chandler meets Neal Stephenson?

I enjoyed this book. Sets age-old human frailties in a corporate dystopia with technology that's probably just around the corner if not already amongst us in the hands of those who wield true power over society. Some sympathetic characterisation which will doubtless increase in future allied works. Well worth a read IMO.

[Darlene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fast read

This quick paced story will hold your interest. They players are interesting. And, they all come into focus as the mystery unravels. The best part is we don't know the mystery til the end. A good real if a bit shallow. The book doesn't really delve into the characters as much as I would have liked.

[Carla Modrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bone wires

I read this book I two sittings, it was hard to put down. I really liked the way t h e author put the story together especially the ending very surprising. Thanks for writing it.