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Zack Taylor Mystery #2
A Fall From Grace
When a single mother is wrongly accused of murder, Zack Taylor must work to clear her name. Not an easy task, as everyone in the Maine town of Mill Springs thinks she's guilty. Zack finds, however, plenty of people who wanted the victim dead. He discovers that when small-town politics mix with big-time ambition, the combination can be lethal.
A Fall From Grace cascades like a growing avalanche, through revenge, greed, illicit sex, corruption, murder, and the difficult choices that must be made to go on living. There are those who do the right thing, and those who choose to commit desperate, horrible acts. As the events around him spiral out of control, Zack begins to do the same.
A Fall From Grace cascades like a growing avalanche, through revenge, greed, illicit sex, corruption, murder, and the difficult choices that must be made to go on living. There are those who do the right thing, and those who choose to commit desperate, horrible acts. As the events around him spiral out of control, Zack begins to do the same.
195 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 19, 2011
5 people want to read
About the author
Dale T. Phillips
59 books48 followersStephen King was my college writing teacher, and I've published the Zack Taylor mystery series, other novels, over 80 short stories, story collections, poetry, and non-fiction. My stories have been published in a number of anthologies with other writers.
I've appeared on stage, television, and in an independent feature film, and co-wrote and acted in a short political satire film. On Jeopardy, I lost in a spectacular fashion. I've traveled to all 50 states, Mexico, Canada, and through Europe. I can be reached at www.daletphillips.com
I've appeared on stage, television, and in an independent feature film, and co-wrote and acted in a short political satire film. On Jeopardy, I lost in a spectacular fashion. I've traveled to all 50 states, Mexico, Canada, and through Europe. I can be reached at www.daletphillips.com
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
October 1, 2019
Dale T. Phillip's second Zach Taylor outing has the same noir feel, as many punches and blows, and that attitude of bulling his way through to the end that I felt in A Memory of Grief. Phillips captures the feel of the hard-boiled detective in Zach Taylor's non-detective and gives us another great ride through part of Maine that make us want to go there but always remember to keep our eyes and ears open for what might be going on under our very noses.
April 2, 2012
This was a very enjoyable mystery novel by Dale Philips.
Zack Taylor is enlisted by his girlfriend, Allison, to help her cousin, Bonnie, who has been wrongly accused of murdering her boss. It would seem, however, that she has been made a scapegoat. There are plenty of potential suspects from the list of family members and business associates, all with compelling motives, but the police seem hell-bent on looking the other way and opting for the easy way out: Bonnie had motive enough and that was that.
Zack gets the bit between his teeth – he knows injustice when he sees it and does his utmost to clear Bonnie’s name; the minefield of corruption, greed, infidelity, revenge, fraud, selfishness, and sex that he uncovers leaves no doubt at all that she is completely innocent.
This is the second book in the Zack Taylor series – I have not read the first yet – but I was instantly smitten. I was drawn into the action instantly and Zack is easily likeable, if not somewhat captivating – he is loyal, compassionate, determined and focused. His investigations result in considerably more than a black eye on more than one occasion, but he remains undeterred – sadly at some personal and emotional cost.
This was a well-written mystery, well-paced and well-constructed. The baddies ranged from unscrupulous to abhorrently violent – an excellent contrast to those who are and become close to Zack.
I finished the book with mixed feelings. I was sad to not be able to turn another page with Zack on it, but consoled by the fact that I will bump into him again in Book One, A Memory of Grief, and Book Three, A Shadow on the Wall.
Highly recommended.
Zack Taylor is enlisted by his girlfriend, Allison, to help her cousin, Bonnie, who has been wrongly accused of murdering her boss. It would seem, however, that she has been made a scapegoat. There are plenty of potential suspects from the list of family members and business associates, all with compelling motives, but the police seem hell-bent on looking the other way and opting for the easy way out: Bonnie had motive enough and that was that.
Zack gets the bit between his teeth – he knows injustice when he sees it and does his utmost to clear Bonnie’s name; the minefield of corruption, greed, infidelity, revenge, fraud, selfishness, and sex that he uncovers leaves no doubt at all that she is completely innocent.
This is the second book in the Zack Taylor series – I have not read the first yet – but I was instantly smitten. I was drawn into the action instantly and Zack is easily likeable, if not somewhat captivating – he is loyal, compassionate, determined and focused. His investigations result in considerably more than a black eye on more than one occasion, but he remains undeterred – sadly at some personal and emotional cost.
This was a well-written mystery, well-paced and well-constructed. The baddies ranged from unscrupulous to abhorrently violent – an excellent contrast to those who are and become close to Zack.
I finished the book with mixed feelings. I was sad to not be able to turn another page with Zack on it, but consoled by the fact that I will bump into him again in Book One, A Memory of Grief, and Book Three, A Shadow on the Wall.
Highly recommended.
February 16, 2016
If you're looking for a cozy mystery with a feel-good ending, this is not the book for you. There's plenty of action, none of the characters thinks that solving murders is a hobby, and the main character's life is full of uncertainty and difficult choices.
I found the book a little hard to get into at first. The action and backstory were presented together as though they were happening at the same time (simple past tense for both), so it was difficult to know which was which. After a few pages I got my bearings in the story, though, and after that the problem was not noticeable.
A Fall from Grace does everything a mystery should do. The characters feel relatable, the settings feel real, the plot keeps you guessing and the suspense keeps you reading.
I found the book a little hard to get into at first. The action and backstory were presented together as though they were happening at the same time (simple past tense for both), so it was difficult to know which was which. After a few pages I got my bearings in the story, though, and after that the problem was not noticeable.
A Fall from Grace does everything a mystery should do. The characters feel relatable, the settings feel real, the plot keeps you guessing and the suspense keeps you reading.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews