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Lincoln Perry #3
A Welcome Grave
Sometime after midnight, on a moonless October night turned harsh by a fine, windswept rain, one of the men I liked least in the world was murdered in a field near Bedford, just south of the city....The detectives went looking for suspects--- people whose histories with Jefferson were adversarial and hostile. At the top of that list, they found me.
So begins A Welcome Grave, the third novel by award-winning mystery writer Michael Koryta, featuring private investigator Lincoln Perry. Once a rising star on the Cleveland police force, Perry ended his career when he left one of the city's prominent attorneys, Alex Jefferson, bleeding in the parking lot of his country club---retribution for his affair with Perry's fiancée.
Now Jefferson is dead, the victim of a brutal murder, and his widow has called upon Perry for a favor he knows he shouldn't accept but can't turn down: to find Jefferson's estranged son, partial beneficiary of the dead man's fortune. The case is simple enough, a routine "locate," and he'll be paid plenty of money for the work. The encounter should be simple, too: a brief exchange of information and maybe an empty condolence before Perry gets back into his truck and returns home. Instead, he's loaded into a police car and taken to a rural jail while Jefferson's son is zipped into a body bag.
Perry soon learns that Jefferson's millions are the target of a thirst for revenge that hasn't been satisfied by blood. As a pair of deadly assailants push deep into the investigator's life, they bring with them police from two states who are determined to see Perry in jail.
So begins A Welcome Grave, the third novel by award-winning mystery writer Michael Koryta, featuring private investigator Lincoln Perry. Once a rising star on the Cleveland police force, Perry ended his career when he left one of the city's prominent attorneys, Alex Jefferson, bleeding in the parking lot of his country club---retribution for his affair with Perry's fiancée.
Now Jefferson is dead, the victim of a brutal murder, and his widow has called upon Perry for a favor he knows he shouldn't accept but can't turn down: to find Jefferson's estranged son, partial beneficiary of the dead man's fortune. The case is simple enough, a routine "locate," and he'll be paid plenty of money for the work. The encounter should be simple, too: a brief exchange of information and maybe an empty condolence before Perry gets back into his truck and returns home. Instead, he's loaded into a police car and taken to a rural jail while Jefferson's son is zipped into a body bag.
Perry soon learns that Jefferson's millions are the target of a thirst for revenge that hasn't been satisfied by blood. As a pair of deadly assailants push deep into the investigator's life, they bring with them police from two states who are determined to see Perry in jail.
304 pages, Paperback
First published June 26, 2007
107 people are currently reading
995 people want to read
About the author
Michael Koryta
51 books2,522 followersMichael Koryta (pronounced Ko-ree-ta) is the New York Times-bestselling author of 14 suspense novels. His work has been praised by Stephen King, Michael Connelly, Lee Child, Dean Koontz, James Patterson, Dennis Lehane, Daniel Woodrell, Ron Rash, and Scott Smith among many others, and has been translated into more than 20 languages. His books have won or been nominated for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, Edgar® Award, Shamus Award, Barry Award, Quill Award, International Thriller Writers Award, and the Golden Dagger. They've been selected as "best books of the year" by publications as diverse as the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Amazon.com, O the Oprah Magazine, Entertainment Weekly, People, Reader's Digest, iBooks, and Kirkus Reviews.
His recent thriller Those Who Wish Me Dead was named the summer's best thriller by both Amazon and Entertainment Weekly, and was selected as one of the year's best books by more than 10 publications. The audio version was named one of the best audio books of the year, as well, the second time that Robert Petkoff's narration of Michael's work has earned such an honor. The novel is currently being adapted as a major motion picture by 20th Century Fox.
Michael's previous work ranges from a trio of supernatural novels--So Cold the River, The Cypress House, and The Ridge, which were all named New York Times notable books of the year and earned starred reviews from Publishers Weekly--to stand-alone crime novels such as The Prophet (A New York Times bestseller) and Envy the Night (selected as a Reader's Digest condensed book), to a series of award-winning novels featuring private investigator Lincoln Perry--Tonight I Said Goodbye, Sorrow's Anthem, A Welcome Grave, and The Silent Hour.
Various film and television adaptations of the books are underway, with The Prophet, So Cold the River, The Cypress House, and Those Who Wish Me Dead all optioned as feature films, and the Lincoln Perry series and The Ridge being developed for television. Michael has written for the screen in both feature film and television. Oscar and Emmy winners are attached to every project.
Before turning to writing full-time, Michael worked as a private investigator and as a newspaper reporter, and taught at the Indiana University School of Journalism. He began working for a private investigator as an intern while in high school, turned it into his day job in the early stages of his writing career, and still maintains an interest in the firm. As a journalist, he won numerous awards from the Society of Professional Journalists.
Michael's first novel, the Edgar-nominated Tonight I Said Goodbye was accepted for publication when he was 20 years old. He wrote his first two published novels before graduating from college, and was published in nearly 10 languages before he fulfilled the "writing requirement" classes required for his diploma.
Michael was raised in Bloomington, Indiana, where he graduated from Bloomington North High School in 2001, and later graduated from Indiana University with a bachelor's degree in criminal justice. In 2008 he was honored as a "distinguished young alumni" by Indiana University, and in 2010 he was named "distinguished alumni' by the criminal justice department.
Michael's passions outside of writing and reading involve a variety of outdoor pursuits - hiking, camping, boating, and fishing are all likely to occupy his free time when he's not working on a new book. Some of his favorite spots in the world are the Beartooth Mountains, the setting of Those Who Wish Me Dead and a place to which he returns at least twice a year; the flowages of the Northwoods in Wisconsin, where he began fishing with his father as a child and still returns each fall; St. Petersburg, FL, and the Maine coast.
His recent thriller Those Who Wish Me Dead was named the summer's best thriller by both Amazon and Entertainment Weekly, and was selected as one of the year's best books by more than 10 publications. The audio version was named one of the best audio books of the year, as well, the second time that Robert Petkoff's narration of Michael's work has earned such an honor. The novel is currently being adapted as a major motion picture by 20th Century Fox.
Michael's previous work ranges from a trio of supernatural novels--So Cold the River, The Cypress House, and The Ridge, which were all named New York Times notable books of the year and earned starred reviews from Publishers Weekly--to stand-alone crime novels such as The Prophet (A New York Times bestseller) and Envy the Night (selected as a Reader's Digest condensed book), to a series of award-winning novels featuring private investigator Lincoln Perry--Tonight I Said Goodbye, Sorrow's Anthem, A Welcome Grave, and The Silent Hour.
Various film and television adaptations of the books are underway, with The Prophet, So Cold the River, The Cypress House, and Those Who Wish Me Dead all optioned as feature films, and the Lincoln Perry series and The Ridge being developed for television. Michael has written for the screen in both feature film and television. Oscar and Emmy winners are attached to every project.
Before turning to writing full-time, Michael worked as a private investigator and as a newspaper reporter, and taught at the Indiana University School of Journalism. He began working for a private investigator as an intern while in high school, turned it into his day job in the early stages of his writing career, and still maintains an interest in the firm. As a journalist, he won numerous awards from the Society of Professional Journalists.
Michael's first novel, the Edgar-nominated Tonight I Said Goodbye was accepted for publication when he was 20 years old. He wrote his first two published novels before graduating from college, and was published in nearly 10 languages before he fulfilled the "writing requirement" classes required for his diploma.
Michael was raised in Bloomington, Indiana, where he graduated from Bloomington North High School in 2001, and later graduated from Indiana University with a bachelor's degree in criminal justice. In 2008 he was honored as a "distinguished young alumni" by Indiana University, and in 2010 he was named "distinguished alumni' by the criminal justice department.
Michael's passions outside of writing and reading involve a variety of outdoor pursuits - hiking, camping, boating, and fishing are all likely to occupy his free time when he's not working on a new book. Some of his favorite spots in the world are the Beartooth Mountains, the setting of Those Who Wish Me Dead and a place to which he returns at least twice a year; the flowages of the Northwoods in Wisconsin, where he began fishing with his father as a child and still returns each fall; St. Petersburg, FL, and the Maine coast.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 173 reviews
December 11, 2015
Who do you hire when the cops wrongly suspect you of a double murder? Why yourself of course! In this third outing for Lincoln Perry, the ex-cop turned private investigator is working his own case. His partner Joe is off on medical leave so it appears Lincoln is on his own in trying to prove his innocence.
Lincoln's peaceful life is disrupted when he learns of the torture death of his former fiancée's husband. The police pay him a visit because of his 'history' with the deceased. Five years ago he was involved in a nasty fight with the wealthy attorney over his then girlfriend, Karen. This incident led to his leaving the Cleveland P.D. Karen phones him to apologize for the police visit and asks him to visit her. She then persuades him to work for her in finding her stepson so that he may be informed of his father's death and the multi-million dollar inheritance that is coming his way.
Lincoln follows leads and ends up in Indiana where he finds the son. Before he can give him a message however, the son commits suicide! Indiana police are suspicious because Lincoln was the only witness to this event.
Back home again, Lincoln's life takes a turn for the worse. He gets viciously attacked, the police have more and more evidence that seems to prove his guilt and his gym gets shot up. Even he can understand why he looks like the likely suspect. The police think that he and Karen have plotted the two murders in order to secure the vast multi-million dollar estate. What better motive could there be?
When his new girlfriend Amy is abducted he desperately approaches Joe for help. Together they attempt to stop the nightmarish events and clear Lincoln's name. Along the way they encounter the Russian mafia, a cover-up conspiracy, and an escaped ex-convict with an agenda of his own.
A real page-turner with writing that reminds the reader of Dennis Lehane, and a protagonist that seems like he could have jumped from the pages of a Dick Francis thriller, this suspense novel will appeal to many. The dialogue flows smoothly, with sharp sarcastic wit thrown in to spice things up. The action is non-stop with a protagonist that you can't help but admire.
I haven't yet read the previous Lincoln Perry novels, but plan to at my earliest convenience. However, that being said this title reads well as a 'stand-alone'. Michael Koryta's first novel was an Edgar Award nominee. "A Welcome Grave" also shows the qualities of a winner.
Lincoln's peaceful life is disrupted when he learns of the torture death of his former fiancée's husband. The police pay him a visit because of his 'history' with the deceased. Five years ago he was involved in a nasty fight with the wealthy attorney over his then girlfriend, Karen. This incident led to his leaving the Cleveland P.D. Karen phones him to apologize for the police visit and asks him to visit her. She then persuades him to work for her in finding her stepson so that he may be informed of his father's death and the multi-million dollar inheritance that is coming his way.
Lincoln follows leads and ends up in Indiana where he finds the son. Before he can give him a message however, the son commits suicide! Indiana police are suspicious because Lincoln was the only witness to this event.
Back home again, Lincoln's life takes a turn for the worse. He gets viciously attacked, the police have more and more evidence that seems to prove his guilt and his gym gets shot up. Even he can understand why he looks like the likely suspect. The police think that he and Karen have plotted the two murders in order to secure the vast multi-million dollar estate. What better motive could there be?
When his new girlfriend Amy is abducted he desperately approaches Joe for help. Together they attempt to stop the nightmarish events and clear Lincoln's name. Along the way they encounter the Russian mafia, a cover-up conspiracy, and an escaped ex-convict with an agenda of his own.
A real page-turner with writing that reminds the reader of Dennis Lehane, and a protagonist that seems like he could have jumped from the pages of a Dick Francis thriller, this suspense novel will appeal to many. The dialogue flows smoothly, with sharp sarcastic wit thrown in to spice things up. The action is non-stop with a protagonist that you can't help but admire.
I haven't yet read the previous Lincoln Perry novels, but plan to at my earliest convenience. However, that being said this title reads well as a 'stand-alone'. Michael Koryta's first novel was an Edgar Award nominee. "A Welcome Grave" also shows the qualities of a winner.
January 31, 2015
This was a good story, but for me it was the characters that were interesting. Since it is the third in a series, I felt I already knew them and it was nice to see some progression and changes in their relationships. Koryta's next book is a stand alone, followed by the next (and possibly last) in the Lincoln Perry series. I am curious how that ends, and eager to see how the remaining seven stand alone novels are. I really enjoy this author's writing style.
September 17, 2023
Far-fetched plotting with a central character whose unreasonable, verbally aggressive and uncooperative (part of his) attitude I did not like. Or understand. I mean, why would you constantly try to antagonize the law when they have pretty good reasons to consider you a suspect? You'd expect someone who used to be on the force himself (!) to handle these situations with some form of tact. Not this donkey. My first encounter with Lincoln Perry -I haven't read the previous parts- will be my last. As for Michael Koryta; same probably. The plot is out of control, almost right from the start, but what really rubbed me the wrong way is when he decides to come up with a kidnap. So obvious, so Hollywood, so lame. So not for me.
October 23, 2016
Two-haiku review:
Lincoln's in trouble
Ex's husband is murdered
And he's framed for it
This one got to me
Glad justice finally served
Life's not always fair
Lincoln's in trouble
Ex's husband is murdered
And he's framed for it
This one got to me
Glad justice finally served
Life's not always fair
March 25, 2022
This episode got on my nerves early, I could just see LP making all the wrong moves, setting himself up for trouble. No one seemed trustworthy, with everyone jumping to wrong conclusions from the get go. Turns out to be a good read, if you're ready to be irritated constantly by the characters. Listened to the audio, with Scott Brick as the narrator. I personally like his narration, but have heard others thinking exact opposite from me.
June 29, 2018
In this third Lincoln Perry book, he find himself being the prime suspect for the murder of his former enemy, who married Perry's former girlfriend. Perry agrees to try and locate the estranged son of the murdered man. That is just the beginning of a dangerous endeavor to find the real killer and clear his own name. Some villainous characters connected to the Russian mob come into the plot. That is the only aspect of the book I find not as plausible, but it is an exciting, wild story.
September 5, 2007
A WELCOME GRAVE (Private Invest-Lincoln Perry-Minnesota-Cont) – VG+
Koryta, Michael – 3rd in series
Thomas Dunne Books, 2007, US Hardcover – ISBN: 9780312340117
First Sentence: Sometime after midnight, on a moonless October night turned harsh by a fine, windswept rain, one of the men I liked least in the world was murdered in a field near Bedford, just south of the city.
*** PI Lincoln Perry’s partner and mentor, Joe Pritchard, is recuperating from being shot during their last case. Lincoln is contacted by his ex-fiancée, Karen, and asked to find her murdered husband’s son to notify him of his father’s death and that he will inherit millions. He finds the son but, before Lincoln can explain why he’s there, the son commits suicide in front of him and Lincoln is suspected of murder both of the son and the husband. While he is trying to prove his innocence, the killers are out to kill him.
*** Boy, can this guy write. I loved his first two books and he only gets better with each one. The book is noir, but human. Lincoln is maturing, both as an investigator and a character. In this book, Lincoln confronts past betrayal while trying to move on. He also has to deal with Joe getting older and uncertain whether he’ll continue with the agency. He creates a strong sense of place, and natural dialogue. There is plenty of action that is balanced by introspection and humor, but neither slow down the story and the humor doesn’t become glib. This is a story where the sins of the past bear rotten fruit in the present. It builds upon itself; no predictable ending here. Koryta really knows how to build suspense, but also convey emotion. Koryta is still fairly new and is very young in his 20s, but it doesn’t show in his writing and I’m looking forward to many more years of great books. Highly recommended.
Koryta, Michael – 3rd in series
Thomas Dunne Books, 2007, US Hardcover – ISBN: 9780312340117
First Sentence: Sometime after midnight, on a moonless October night turned harsh by a fine, windswept rain, one of the men I liked least in the world was murdered in a field near Bedford, just south of the city.
*** PI Lincoln Perry’s partner and mentor, Joe Pritchard, is recuperating from being shot during their last case. Lincoln is contacted by his ex-fiancée, Karen, and asked to find her murdered husband’s son to notify him of his father’s death and that he will inherit millions. He finds the son but, before Lincoln can explain why he’s there, the son commits suicide in front of him and Lincoln is suspected of murder both of the son and the husband. While he is trying to prove his innocence, the killers are out to kill him.
*** Boy, can this guy write. I loved his first two books and he only gets better with each one. The book is noir, but human. Lincoln is maturing, both as an investigator and a character. In this book, Lincoln confronts past betrayal while trying to move on. He also has to deal with Joe getting older and uncertain whether he’ll continue with the agency. He creates a strong sense of place, and natural dialogue. There is plenty of action that is balanced by introspection and humor, but neither slow down the story and the humor doesn’t become glib. This is a story where the sins of the past bear rotten fruit in the present. It builds upon itself; no predictable ending here. Koryta really knows how to build suspense, but also convey emotion. Koryta is still fairly new and is very young in his 20s, but it doesn’t show in his writing and I’m looking forward to many more years of great books. Highly recommended.
May 2, 2025
Koryta, Master storyteller!
This was another great Lincoln Perry crime novel! Koryta has the ability to snag your interest immediately and draw you into a tale that is unpredictable, but well-crafted!
This was another great Lincoln Perry crime novel! Koryta has the ability to snag your interest immediately and draw you into a tale that is unpredictable, but well-crafted!
October 23, 2021
Series does not flounder with this release.
August 23, 2018
Loved it!! So many twists and turns...a fast, fun, intriguing read!
December 15, 2014
Koryta has a solid style--and A Welcome Grave shows the Lincoln Perry series is still fresh. It won't blow you away, but it's more of the same for fans of the first two.
Grave's plot set-up is quite nice. It draws on previous books just enough to be inclusive of both new and old readers. It also has a clever hook that puts the protagonist right in the quicksand in a very natural way. Where the story goes from there gets more and more complex (maybe eventually to its disadvantage), but Koryta certainly shows he'll throw plenty of tension around to keep things consistently interesting.
Another thing that Grave did well is, now in the third novel, these characters feel very much the result of their natural progression from earlier stories. Koryta wasn't shy about moving past what worked well earlier in their arcs and look for new problems as the characters change in their surroundings. I was pleased to see these people evolve as a result of things we've seen and not in some hackneyed learn-you-lesson way that comes with drippy reasoning.
Maybe where the cast did let down a bit was the lack of distinction among those new to this novel, particularly those that come down on the antagonist side of the coin. There were differences enough for these characters to be distinct, but not in any tangible, emotional way. The differences were surface, and maybe that's why it was a bit harder to connect on that end with the dark center of Grave.
Koryta is a good story detective--he knows his plot, and he shows his work in a way that doesn't usually slow the action. The attention to character detail without going overboard is something I've seen three times out now in this series, and it's one of many things that's sure to draw me back for the fourth.
Recommended for Koryta fans in a big way and those who like a good mystery with plausible twists and turns that doesn't try to blow the reader away with unnecessary fireworks.
Grave's plot set-up is quite nice. It draws on previous books just enough to be inclusive of both new and old readers. It also has a clever hook that puts the protagonist right in the quicksand in a very natural way. Where the story goes from there gets more and more complex (maybe eventually to its disadvantage), but Koryta certainly shows he'll throw plenty of tension around to keep things consistently interesting.
Another thing that Grave did well is, now in the third novel, these characters feel very much the result of their natural progression from earlier stories. Koryta wasn't shy about moving past what worked well earlier in their arcs and look for new problems as the characters change in their surroundings. I was pleased to see these people evolve as a result of things we've seen and not in some hackneyed learn-you-lesson way that comes with drippy reasoning.
Maybe where the cast did let down a bit was the lack of distinction among those new to this novel, particularly those that come down on the antagonist side of the coin. There were differences enough for these characters to be distinct, but not in any tangible, emotional way. The differences were surface, and maybe that's why it was a bit harder to connect on that end with the dark center of Grave.
Koryta is a good story detective--he knows his plot, and he shows his work in a way that doesn't usually slow the action. The attention to character detail without going overboard is something I've seen three times out now in this series, and it's one of many things that's sure to draw me back for the fourth.
Recommended for Koryta fans in a big way and those who like a good mystery with plausible twists and turns that doesn't try to blow the reader away with unnecessary fireworks.
December 16, 2020
Book 3 featuring Lincoln Perry, a private investigator.
From earlier books' backstories, we know that Lincoln was engaged some years back to Karen, who ended the engagement and married an older man, a highly successful and wealthy attorney. Lincoln, on a drunken evening, confronted the man when Lincoln found out the attorney was having sex with his fiancee.
As this book starts, the wealthy attorney is murdered in a quite horrible way. Karen asks Lincoln to help her. She needs to inform her stepson that his father is dead and that the son has a large inheritance coming. But she doesn't know where he is. According to Karen, father and son have not spoken in 5 years.
While reluctant to have any involvement with her, Lincoln agrees to take the job, partly because she is offering a large sum and his business is suffering. Joe is still in physical therapy and not able to contribute to the business. Lincoln is on his own.
Thus begins a wild deadly web for Lincoln to untangle. In Indiana, Karen's stepson commits suicide in front of Lincoln; then Lincoln is arrested as a suspect--
On a more positive note, Lincoln finally becomes romantic with his female best friend, Amy, for whom he has long harbored feelings, even unacknowledged to himself.
From earlier books' backstories, we know that Lincoln was engaged some years back to Karen, who ended the engagement and married an older man, a highly successful and wealthy attorney. Lincoln, on a drunken evening, confronted the man when Lincoln found out the attorney was having sex with his fiancee.
As this book starts, the wealthy attorney is murdered in a quite horrible way. Karen asks Lincoln to help her. She needs to inform her stepson that his father is dead and that the son has a large inheritance coming. But she doesn't know where he is. According to Karen, father and son have not spoken in 5 years.
While reluctant to have any involvement with her, Lincoln agrees to take the job, partly because she is offering a large sum and his business is suffering. Joe is still in physical therapy and not able to contribute to the business. Lincoln is on his own.
Thus begins a wild deadly web for Lincoln to untangle. In Indiana, Karen's stepson commits suicide in front of Lincoln; then Lincoln is arrested as a suspect--
On a more positive note, Lincoln finally becomes romantic with his female best friend, Amy, for whom he has long harbored feelings, even unacknowledged to himself.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 9, 2016
Una gran lectura. A medio camino entre Sara Paretsky y John Verdon, una historia envolvente que engancha desde el principio. A caballo entre los clásicos pero repleta de originalidad argumental, la trama se sostiene hasta que el autor decide por fin (al final, como debe ser) mostrarnos sus cartas, jugando hasta ese instante con nosotros por medio de sorprendentes giros. Ya sabes, cada vez que te haces el listo y crees conocer la identidad del asesino, tu sospecha se ve derrumbada porque resulta que al misterio se añade una nueva incógnita (hasta tres veces vamos a encontrar esta situación según nos aproximamos al desenlace). Baste deciros que llega un punto en el cual ni siquiera el asesino sabe quien es el asesino (increíble, ¿verdad? Pero cierto)
Una narración en primera persona ejecutada de manera sublime, haciéndote formar parte de la novela, empatizando con el personaje, un Lincoln Perry que llama a la puerta de mis favoritos (VI Warshawski de Paretsky, y Dave Gurney de Verdon)
La mejor manera de saber si es flor de un día, es repetir con Michael Koryta. De momento, un gran descubrimiento.
Una narración en primera persona ejecutada de manera sublime, haciéndote formar parte de la novela, empatizando con el personaje, un Lincoln Perry que llama a la puerta de mis favoritos (VI Warshawski de Paretsky, y Dave Gurney de Verdon)
La mejor manera de saber si es flor de un día, es repetir con Michael Koryta. De momento, un gran descubrimiento.
July 6, 2020
Favorite Perry book so far as Lincoln is framed quite nicely for the murder of the man who stole him from his fiance. The plot is deep and has many angles going at once, increases the anxiety as it develops and ties together well in the end.
April 28, 2015
I wanted to hate this book but couldn't. LOL The reader's overly dramatic reading was pretty annoying at times, and though I know the main character is supposed to be an all around good guy, I have never really connected well with Lincoln Perry. I don't know why--maybe because he sounds a lot older than he really is. He's also (to my preferences anyway) over-emotional, over-explanatory about everything from his motives and back-history to descriptions (of rooms, clothes, people's physique and appearance) etc. There also tend to be way too many coincidences and a cigar is never just a cigar in these books.
Still, something in them keeps me reading on. I think there's only one book left in this series, kind of hoping it's the end because I think it would be for me in any case.
Still, something in them keeps me reading on. I think there's only one book left in this series, kind of hoping it's the end because I think it would be for me in any case.
September 4, 2023
A heads-up: this is not my favorite genre. This started off as a fast paced thriller about a pi wrongfully accused of a murder. As more and more evidence is found pointing towards PI Lincoln Perry, he tries to find the real culprit. It feels like the same thing keeps happening: Perry finds out something that he thinks will exhonorate him, but then he bumps into the police who actually see this something as evidence of his guilt. The plot becomes less clear along the way and the characters become more like cardboard cutouts. Although the story has a lot of speed, but doesnt read like its going anywhere. After gradually losing interest from around halfway the book, I DNF-ed at 80%.
July 19, 2012
"A Welcome Grave" is the third book in the Perry/Pritchard private eye series, and author Michael Koryta scores another hit. His deft use of plot twists, snappy dialogue, and descriptions of actual Cleveland area locations makes this a fun, exciting read. I now look forward to each new Koryta novel that comes out.
August 11, 2015
Lincoln Perry story...good one!
Want to read
April 30, 2019Synopsis: one of the men Lincoln liked least in the world, Alex Jefferson, has been murdered. His widow asks for a favour he shouldn't grant.
November 26, 2019
Another fine page-turner by Koryta - my favorite lesser-known contemporary author - that went down really quick.
April 24, 2023
Several years before this book begins, Private Investigator Lincoln Perry beat the unmentionable badness out of Alex Jefferson, a local attorney, who stole Perry’s fiancé. As this book opens, someone has murdered Jefferson, and Perry’s former fiancé wants him to help find the killer. It’s not a spoiler to assure you that nothing redevelops between these two now that her wealthy husband is dead. Perry falls in love with Amy Ambrose, a local reporter, and the new-found freedom of Perry’s ex-fiancé Won’t change that.
Assuming no one has notified Jefferson’s son of his father’s death, Perry sets out to do that, hoping the son can answer questions and help Perry settle the case quickly.
The son mistakenly believes Perry brings worse news even than his father’s death, and with Perry as witness, he terminates his life. But a state cop in southern Indiana wants to nail Perry for the murder of the young man despite all the evidence that the death was suicide. Then the cops in Cleveland get in on the deal, assuming that since Perry assaulted Alex Jefferson years earlier, he came back to kill him when it was convenient for him to do that.
I’ve mentioned in previous reviews my love for scenarios in which the author makes things look bone-crushing hopeless for the protagonist. You keep reading with unwavering attention just to see whether and how the hopeless situation turns around. If that plot device appeals to you, you need to read this book. Yes, it’s part of a series, but you can read it as a standalone if you don’t want to backfill.
Assuming no one has notified Jefferson’s son of his father’s death, Perry sets out to do that, hoping the son can answer questions and help Perry settle the case quickly.
The son mistakenly believes Perry brings worse news even than his father’s death, and with Perry as witness, he terminates his life. But a state cop in southern Indiana wants to nail Perry for the murder of the young man despite all the evidence that the death was suicide. Then the cops in Cleveland get in on the deal, assuming that since Perry assaulted Alex Jefferson years earlier, he came back to kill him when it was convenient for him to do that.
I’ve mentioned in previous reviews my love for scenarios in which the author makes things look bone-crushing hopeless for the protagonist. You keep reading with unwavering attention just to see whether and how the hopeless situation turns around. If that plot device appeals to you, you need to read this book. Yes, it’s part of a series, but you can read it as a standalone if you don’t want to backfill.
February 18, 2019
This was my first experience of a Michael Koryta book. Lincoln Perry, the central character in this series, is an ex-Cleveland police officer who is now a PI. In this book he is implicated in, then accused of the murder of the man who married his ex-girlfriend. The accusations and evidence against him mount at every turn, and the police are sure he is guilty, while Lincoln (and the readers) knows he is the victim of an elaborate frame. His job is to sort through all this and prove his innocence, which he can only do by finding what's behind the frame and therefore identify the real murderer. I found the book to be a bit of a struggle to get through, as the evidence against him and the stupidity of some of his actions in response, are relentless. The ending is, however, rather satisfying.
February 22, 2019
The mounting sense of dread as Lincoln Perry gets sucked deeper and deeper into the conspiracy was well handled. What seemed weak to me was the motivation for choosing him to star in the conspiracy - it felt rather arbitrary. I expected more from the reveal. However, I really enjoyed the increasing tension, and the impossible complexity of the plot.
I experienced this as an audiobook, read by Scott Brick. He handles the various characters' voices remarkably well, but I find his sing-song delivery of the narrative to be a bit strange. Almost as if he were reading a bed-time story to a (hopefully) sleepy child. However, I know he's extremely popular as an audio narrator, and I guess this is his selling point...
I experienced this as an audiobook, read by Scott Brick. He handles the various characters' voices remarkably well, but I find his sing-song delivery of the narrative to be a bit strange. Almost as if he were reading a bed-time story to a (hopefully) sleepy child. However, I know he's extremely popular as an audio narrator, and I guess this is his selling point...
April 23, 2023
After Matt Jefferson, estranged son of Alex, learns his father was gruesomely tortured and murdered, he receives a visitor come on "family matters". Matt chooses a welcome grave over what he assumes will be the horrific one planned. Unfortunately for Lincoln Perry, hired by Alex's 3rd wife to find Matt, Lincoln becomes the #1 suspect in his suicide - and, by extension and past history, the death of his father. As evidence against Lincoln piles up, he and his friends Amy and Joe, delve into the mysterious severing of ties between father and son five years ago, the escape from prison of Doran (imprisoned five years ago for murder), missing money, unscrupulous attorneys, and assassins for hire.
February 14, 2020
Full of twists and turns.
A man is brutally tortured and killed. He was a wealthy lawyer who had made enemies. His widow calls in a private investigator, her ex- fiance, to help find the man's estranged son who is set to inherit millions of dollars. The PI has many reasons not to get involved, inclulding the fact that he hated the man for stealing his fiance and the fight they were involved in costs him his job on the police force, but he agrees to in spite of his best interests. His involvement could cost him his life and the lives of those who matter to him most.
A man is brutally tortured and killed. He was a wealthy lawyer who had made enemies. His widow calls in a private investigator, her ex- fiance, to help find the man's estranged son who is set to inherit millions of dollars. The PI has many reasons not to get involved, inclulding the fact that he hated the man for stealing his fiance and the fight they were involved in costs him his job on the police force, but he agrees to in spite of his best interests. His involvement could cost him his life and the lives of those who matter to him most.
December 26, 2018
Mystery. This is the second mystery I have read featuring private investigator Lincoln Perry, a former Cleveland policeman (thrown off the force after he assaults the man having an affair with Perry’s fiancé). In this mystery, the ex-fiance calls Perry seeking his assistance when her husband is found dead (same guy that Perry previously assaulted). A good plot but I often wished that Koryta had a better editor.
August 11, 2019
Lincoln Perry was kicked off the force when he had a "contre temps" with his fiancee's new boyfriend.
Years later, Karen calls him to locate her estranged stepson after the murder of her husband and Perry finds himself the centre of not one, but two separate homicide investigations.
Koryta writes in such a matter of fact manner that the mysteries appear all the more exciting. This novel leaves a few details unanswered, but the high octane narrative covers it well.
Years later, Karen calls him to locate her estranged stepson after the murder of her husband and Perry finds himself the centre of not one, but two separate homicide investigations.
Koryta writes in such a matter of fact manner that the mysteries appear all the more exciting. This novel leaves a few details unanswered, but the high octane narrative covers it well.
September 21, 2025
4.25 stars rounded down. It was another fantastic book from the highly anticipated Koryta- the very best in the series! I was truly riveted and stayed up much too late finishing the story. It would have been 5 stars for me but the novel/audiobook was a bit too long for its own good, and had more characters than it needed in my opinion, but still a fantastic read and a great story. Again, Scott Brick is such a talented narrator, and always adds to the outcome of any audiobook.
September 4, 2020
The beginning is just promising enough, but somewhere after the first night in a holding cell, it feels like the author is swapped with a lesser version of himself. The characters become shallow and predictable. The language becomes simple. The plot goes out of the window. The character of the Russian had so much promise and was wasted so shamefully.
December 13, 2021
Lincoln ex-fiance's husband is brutally murdered. She hires him to find her estranged step-son. After a series of unexplainable twists, Lincoln finds himself the suspect in two murders. His partner is still recovering from injuries so he finds the need to solicit help from Thor, a known Russian "enforcer".
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