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John Q #1
The Long Count
In The Long Count, the first book of JM Gulvin's masterful new crime series, we meet Ranger John Quarrie as he is called to the scene of an apparent suicide by a fellow war veteran. Although the local police want the case shut down, John Q is convinced that events aren't quite so straightforward.
When his hunch is backed up by the man's son, Isaac - just back from Vietnam, and convinced his father was murdered - they start to look into a series of other violent incidents in the area, including a recent fire at the local Trinity Asylum and the disappearance of Isaac's twin brother, Ishmael. In a desperate race against time, John Q has to try and unravel the dark secrets at the heart of this family and get to the truth before the count is up...
When his hunch is backed up by the man's son, Isaac - just back from Vietnam, and convinced his father was murdered - they start to look into a series of other violent incidents in the area, including a recent fire at the local Trinity Asylum and the disappearance of Isaac's twin brother, Ishmael. In a desperate race against time, John Q has to try and unravel the dark secrets at the heart of this family and get to the truth before the count is up...
300 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 6, 2017
7 people are currently reading
593 people want to read
About the author
J.M. Gulvin
2 books19 followersAKA Jeff Gulvin.
Born in the UK, JM Gulvin divides his time between Wales and the western United States. He is the author of many previous novels, as well as Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman's bestselling travel book Long Way Down. He is married and has two daughters.
Born in the UK, JM Gulvin divides his time between Wales and the western United States. He is the author of many previous novels, as well as Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman's bestselling travel book Long Way Down. He is married and has two daughters.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
May 4, 2016
First of all I LOVED this. Probably should get that out there right at the start. As a big fan of atmospheric scene setting and engaging unforgettable characters The Long Count was definitely one for me.
Heading back to 1960’s Texas, JM Gulvin weaves a brilliantly addictive and dark tale around his main protagonist John Quarrie, Texas Ranger and single father who gets all caught up in some violent goings on – the author has a brilliantly evocative turn of phrase and slowly but surely sucks you into the vortex – I read this in one sitting so immersed was I in the beautifully written multi layered storytelling.
The mystery elements are wonderful, slow burning intricate plotting that keeps things flowing yet allows you to take stock and really feel the events as they unfold- going back to my love of scene setting, JM Gulvin is masterful at creating imagery through language – every moment of The Long Count was a joy to read. John Quarrie as a character is brilliantly drawn – if this keeps up he could easily become one of my favourite literary characters, principled and sincere, intelligent and appealing. As a reader you are more than happy to follow him down the rabbit hole into the darker layers of human nature.
What a way to open a series – and thank heavens it is exactly that – because I want more. Preferably now. What I have to wait? Well ok then but hurry things along please….
Highly Recommended
Heading back to 1960’s Texas, JM Gulvin weaves a brilliantly addictive and dark tale around his main protagonist John Quarrie, Texas Ranger and single father who gets all caught up in some violent goings on – the author has a brilliantly evocative turn of phrase and slowly but surely sucks you into the vortex – I read this in one sitting so immersed was I in the beautifully written multi layered storytelling.
The mystery elements are wonderful, slow burning intricate plotting that keeps things flowing yet allows you to take stock and really feel the events as they unfold- going back to my love of scene setting, JM Gulvin is masterful at creating imagery through language – every moment of The Long Count was a joy to read. John Quarrie as a character is brilliantly drawn – if this keeps up he could easily become one of my favourite literary characters, principled and sincere, intelligent and appealing. As a reader you are more than happy to follow him down the rabbit hole into the darker layers of human nature.
What a way to open a series – and thank heavens it is exactly that – because I want more. Preferably now. What I have to wait? Well ok then but hurry things along please….
Highly Recommended
October 21, 2017
Nem nagy titok, de egyszerűen imádom a krimiket, és ha már krimik, akkor a hangulatos, talán kicsit lassabban csordogáló, „lábmunkát igénylő” darabokat élvezem igazán. Ahol a sztori szépen építi magát, és nem guglizza ki senki sem a perdöntő bizonyítékokat, ahogy nyuszikat sem a kalapból.
http://napifalat.blogspot.hu/2017/10/...
http://napifalat.blogspot.hu/2017/10/...
April 30, 2016
Jeff Gulvin may be British, but he beautifully captures the texture of Southwestern USA in this outstanding crime thriller. Returning to crime writing after a hiatus where he concentrated on non-fiction books (such as co-writing the account of actor Ewan McGregor and Charlie Boorman's motorcycle journey from the northern tip of Scotland to the Southern tip of Africa), Gulvin delivers an exquisite tale that introduces a fascinating new hero who finds himself knee-deep in a series of puzzling and violent events among the small towns and rural expanses of 1960s Texas.
John Quarrie is a Texas Ranger and solo father looking to lead a simple life and raise his son well at a time the wider world is in flux. With his fellow Rangers tied up dealing with student protests against the Vietnam War, he has to drive across his large state to attend to an incident, only to be detoured by the body of a man found in his basement. While signs point to suicide, Quarrie has seen enough bullet wounds in his time to have suspicions the scene was staged. Similarly the son of the dead man, a returning veteran from Vietnam, can't believe his father would kill himself, and as Quarrie investigates a number of violent incidents occurring across Texas, including the killing of a cop, he realises that something very disturbing is going on, something powerful people are looking to hide.
This is a book that I liked immediately, and then grew to like even more as it developed. Gulvin draws the reader in with a smooth style that like his setting still has a bit of grit to it. Quarrie is an engaging hero, an honorable man who's been a little battered by life but is still trying to do the right thing. I particularly enjoyed Gulvin's evocation of the setting, the natural and sociological geography of Texas decades ago. In some way it's a simpler time - before the Internet and lots of forensics - but also a complicated time as wars rage in Southeast Asia and the world is rapidly changing.
THE LONG COUNT is wonderfully crafted - with plenty going on beneath the surface of the mystery story, without it ever becoming over-complicated or overwritten. The dust and heat of Texas was almost tangible, along with a creeping sense of unease as the truth starts scratching through.
There's a spare elegance to Gulvin's storytelling and prose, a deceptive simplicity - in a way it reminded me a little of Wiley Cash's Gold Dagger-winning novel THIS DARK ROAD TO MERCY; multi-layered and lots going on, but never feeling rushed or crowded. Subtext aplenty, but not heavy-handed. That sense of timelessness and space that seems to bleed into Southern Gothic tales.
Like Texas barbecue, THE LONG COUNT may have slow-cooked for a long time, but the result is mouth-filling and packed with layers of flavour. A little heat, a little spice, and plenty to savour.
A delicious and satisfying South(west)ern Gothic tale. More please.
This review was first published on Crime Watch: kiwicrime.blogspot.com
Craig Sisterson writes for newspapers and magazines in several countries. He has interviewed more than 150 crime and thriller writers, discussed mystery writing onstage at literary festivals and on national radio, and is the Judging Convenor of the Ngaio Marsh Award. You can follow him on Twitter: @craigsisterson
John Quarrie is a Texas Ranger and solo father looking to lead a simple life and raise his son well at a time the wider world is in flux. With his fellow Rangers tied up dealing with student protests against the Vietnam War, he has to drive across his large state to attend to an incident, only to be detoured by the body of a man found in his basement. While signs point to suicide, Quarrie has seen enough bullet wounds in his time to have suspicions the scene was staged. Similarly the son of the dead man, a returning veteran from Vietnam, can't believe his father would kill himself, and as Quarrie investigates a number of violent incidents occurring across Texas, including the killing of a cop, he realises that something very disturbing is going on, something powerful people are looking to hide.
This is a book that I liked immediately, and then grew to like even more as it developed. Gulvin draws the reader in with a smooth style that like his setting still has a bit of grit to it. Quarrie is an engaging hero, an honorable man who's been a little battered by life but is still trying to do the right thing. I particularly enjoyed Gulvin's evocation of the setting, the natural and sociological geography of Texas decades ago. In some way it's a simpler time - before the Internet and lots of forensics - but also a complicated time as wars rage in Southeast Asia and the world is rapidly changing.
THE LONG COUNT is wonderfully crafted - with plenty going on beneath the surface of the mystery story, without it ever becoming over-complicated or overwritten. The dust and heat of Texas was almost tangible, along with a creeping sense of unease as the truth starts scratching through.
There's a spare elegance to Gulvin's storytelling and prose, a deceptive simplicity - in a way it reminded me a little of Wiley Cash's Gold Dagger-winning novel THIS DARK ROAD TO MERCY; multi-layered and lots going on, but never feeling rushed or crowded. Subtext aplenty, but not heavy-handed. That sense of timelessness and space that seems to bleed into Southern Gothic tales.
Like Texas barbecue, THE LONG COUNT may have slow-cooked for a long time, but the result is mouth-filling and packed with layers of flavour. A little heat, a little spice, and plenty to savour.
A delicious and satisfying South(west)ern Gothic tale. More please.
This review was first published on Crime Watch: kiwicrime.blogspot.com
Craig Sisterson writes for newspapers and magazines in several countries. He has interviewed more than 150 crime and thriller writers, discussed mystery writing onstage at literary festivals and on national radio, and is the Judging Convenor of the Ngaio Marsh Award. You can follow him on Twitter: @craigsisterson
May 16, 2016
With comparisons to Shutter Island and True Detective, my expectations were high for this first outing featuring Texas Ranger John Q. From the very outset of the book Gulvin completely immerses the reader in this particular era of the 1970’s with the reverberations of the Vietnam War playing through the book, and an atmospheric depiction of the sprawling location of Texas. The opening chapter with a real sit up and take notice incident is an absolute corker, that instantly grabs the reader’s attention, and sets the pulse a racing for what is to follow. I loved the sharp cutaway and the instant change of pace in the second chapter, this being the first introduction into the personal world of our erstwhile hero Quarrie. This is a change of rhythm and pace that Gulvin fluctuates between throughout the book, thus ensuring that the more violent aspects of the plot work perfectly in tandem with the more emotional and heart-wrenching interludes, keeping the reader slightly on the back foot, and playing with our responses to the narrative as a whole.
By extension these changes of pace seem to echo in Gulvin’s characterisation throughout the book, and seldom do I encounter a book where every single protagonist- irrespective of how long they appear in the book, or the size of the part they play- are so clearly fleshed out. Quarrie is a man with two personas, as a single father with a young son, James, never happier than in the lively company of James or his Korean War buddy Pious, just shooting the breeze or in his professional status as a dedicated and dogged Texas Ranger. The background story to the loss of his wife never resorts to mawkishness, and in a side plot with James and Pious investigating the history of a train crash in a local river, the real excitement in James’ enthusiasm for his own mystery to investigate comes shining through. This side narrative provides moments of light as Quarrie’s own case finds him drawn into a world of psychological darkness, evinced by the unsettling goings-on at a mental asylum, with a vendetta being waged against those who work there, and the dark personal history of a family with connections to it. The character of Isaac, whose father’s suspicious death is a real lynchpin of the book, is also incredibly well drawn, and as the story develops there are further revelations about himself and the bounds of loyalty his family, in particular his twin brother Ishamel, that hold more than a few surprises…
Gulvin builds the tension of Quarrie’s investigation perfectly, and trying hard to avoid spoilers, there is a real emotional intensity and pathos to this story as Quarrie is drawn into the world of the asylum and those that dwell within it. Obviously being set around forty years in the past, Gulvin engages the reader’s interest further by highlighting what now seem archaic and cruel treatment methods for those with mental disturbance, and drawing on both the Korean and Vietnam conflicts to add weight to the psychological depth of the book. Nothing makes my heart sing more than a book that rises above the commonplace labels of generic crime fiction, and an author that so perfectly insinuates deeper themes, and a well-realised sense of place and history into their work. J M Gulvin has achieved this admirably. Highly recommended.
By extension these changes of pace seem to echo in Gulvin’s characterisation throughout the book, and seldom do I encounter a book where every single protagonist- irrespective of how long they appear in the book, or the size of the part they play- are so clearly fleshed out. Quarrie is a man with two personas, as a single father with a young son, James, never happier than in the lively company of James or his Korean War buddy Pious, just shooting the breeze or in his professional status as a dedicated and dogged Texas Ranger. The background story to the loss of his wife never resorts to mawkishness, and in a side plot with James and Pious investigating the history of a train crash in a local river, the real excitement in James’ enthusiasm for his own mystery to investigate comes shining through. This side narrative provides moments of light as Quarrie’s own case finds him drawn into a world of psychological darkness, evinced by the unsettling goings-on at a mental asylum, with a vendetta being waged against those who work there, and the dark personal history of a family with connections to it. The character of Isaac, whose father’s suspicious death is a real lynchpin of the book, is also incredibly well drawn, and as the story develops there are further revelations about himself and the bounds of loyalty his family, in particular his twin brother Ishamel, that hold more than a few surprises…
Gulvin builds the tension of Quarrie’s investigation perfectly, and trying hard to avoid spoilers, there is a real emotional intensity and pathos to this story as Quarrie is drawn into the world of the asylum and those that dwell within it. Obviously being set around forty years in the past, Gulvin engages the reader’s interest further by highlighting what now seem archaic and cruel treatment methods for those with mental disturbance, and drawing on both the Korean and Vietnam conflicts to add weight to the psychological depth of the book. Nothing makes my heart sing more than a book that rises above the commonplace labels of generic crime fiction, and an author that so perfectly insinuates deeper themes, and a well-realised sense of place and history into their work. J M Gulvin has achieved this admirably. Highly recommended.
April 29, 2016
The Long Count is a brilliant crime thriller. I had absolutely no idea what to expect when I first started the book as I only glanced at the blurb without really taking it in. Once I started, I didn’t want to put it down. I devoured The Long Count in 3 sittings.
John Quarrie (John Q) is a Ranger and he reminds me of Jack Reacher and Walker, Texas Ranger at the same time. He is tough, honest and very quick with his guns if the situation arises. When he is called to the scene of a suicide of an Army vet while on his way to another incident, he is all but convinced that it’s not as simple as it seems. Quarrie suspects murder, but the local law enforcement disagree.
The Army vet’s son Isaac, just having returned from Vietnam is also certain that his father would never commit such an act. Together, John Q and Isaac find coincidences in nearby violent crimes and so they investigate the connections further not realising that it will have dangerous consequences.
I don’t like to divulge too much about plots, but sufficed to say this book is so well planned out. It is full of red herrings, beautiful descriptions of the American deep South, moments where you find your pulse is racing a little because you just know something is going to be said or done. Honestly, I thoroughly enjoyed The Long Count. It has everything I look for in a book. It has a really likeable character in John Q, there are plenty of little nuggets of information scattered around the book which only come together towards the end and it is also a fantastic appetite-whetting beginning to a series.
Regular readers of my blog will know I’m a sucker for a good series, and if The Long Count is just the start, then I cannot wait for the next installment. John Q is also one of my favourite characters I’ve encountered so far in the books I’ve read this year.
John Quarrie (John Q) is a Ranger and he reminds me of Jack Reacher and Walker, Texas Ranger at the same time. He is tough, honest and very quick with his guns if the situation arises. When he is called to the scene of a suicide of an Army vet while on his way to another incident, he is all but convinced that it’s not as simple as it seems. Quarrie suspects murder, but the local law enforcement disagree.
The Army vet’s son Isaac, just having returned from Vietnam is also certain that his father would never commit such an act. Together, John Q and Isaac find coincidences in nearby violent crimes and so they investigate the connections further not realising that it will have dangerous consequences.
I don’t like to divulge too much about plots, but sufficed to say this book is so well planned out. It is full of red herrings, beautiful descriptions of the American deep South, moments where you find your pulse is racing a little because you just know something is going to be said or done. Honestly, I thoroughly enjoyed The Long Count. It has everything I look for in a book. It has a really likeable character in John Q, there are plenty of little nuggets of information scattered around the book which only come together towards the end and it is also a fantastic appetite-whetting beginning to a series.
Regular readers of my blog will know I’m a sucker for a good series, and if The Long Count is just the start, then I cannot wait for the next installment. John Q is also one of my favourite characters I’ve encountered so far in the books I’ve read this year.
May 6, 2016
Thriller set in South East USA
The Long Count is an excellent psychological thriller set in the South East United States (Alabama, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas). It will appeal to all those who enjoyed the first season of True Detective, the cult TV series.
Isaac returns homes from fighting with the US Military in Vietnam to find that his twin brother Ishmael has survived a fire that destroyed the mental hospital in which he was being treated – and is going on a murderous spree across several States. Isaac, together with Texas Ranger John Q, is determined to track him down and limit the damage. The fast moving action takes them across State lines as they pursue Ishmael. The twins father is murdered and Ishmael is the prime suspect. Isaac searches out his long estranged mother and seeks to protect her…
The book takes us back to an age when attitudes to mental illness were not as they are today, and where racism was still deeply embedded in the American South (if, indeed, that has changed…). It is an interesting book that explores mental illness and the impact it has on family and those involved. It is also a very frightening book… John Q is an excellent and empathetic detective, and The Long Count is the first in a series that will be featuring him.
The denouement is both well worked, and extremely surprising. One you just don’t (or, rather, I didn’t) see coming. Reading back I guess there are clues, but not that you’d really focus on. I would pretty much challenge anyone to spot what is going to happen. And that makes for a great thriller.
The Long Count is certainly a book I would recommend. It will make you think.
Over on our blog we chat to the author: http://www.tripfiction.com/thriller-s...
The Long Count is an excellent psychological thriller set in the South East United States (Alabama, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas). It will appeal to all those who enjoyed the first season of True Detective, the cult TV series.
Isaac returns homes from fighting with the US Military in Vietnam to find that his twin brother Ishmael has survived a fire that destroyed the mental hospital in which he was being treated – and is going on a murderous spree across several States. Isaac, together with Texas Ranger John Q, is determined to track him down and limit the damage. The fast moving action takes them across State lines as they pursue Ishmael. The twins father is murdered and Ishmael is the prime suspect. Isaac searches out his long estranged mother and seeks to protect her…
The book takes us back to an age when attitudes to mental illness were not as they are today, and where racism was still deeply embedded in the American South (if, indeed, that has changed…). It is an interesting book that explores mental illness and the impact it has on family and those involved. It is also a very frightening book… John Q is an excellent and empathetic detective, and The Long Count is the first in a series that will be featuring him.
The denouement is both well worked, and extremely surprising. One you just don’t (or, rather, I didn’t) see coming. Reading back I guess there are clues, but not that you’d really focus on. I would pretty much challenge anyone to spot what is going to happen. And that makes for a great thriller.
The Long Count is certainly a book I would recommend. It will make you think.
Over on our blog we chat to the author: http://www.tripfiction.com/thriller-s...
February 20, 2022
This was a pretty average crime/mystery book.
I don't normally like crime books set in the US and this book unfortunately did not buck that trend.
The writing, the characters and the plot were just okay.
I struggled to connect to the characters and lost interest in the plot as the story progressed.
The ending was interesting as there was quite a big twist which I didn't see coming.
This book also had shorter chapters so made for a quick and easy read.
There was nothing particularly wrong with this book it just didn't excite me.
Overall, an okay crime mystery book but not a series I will be returning to unfortunately.
I don't normally like crime books set in the US and this book unfortunately did not buck that trend.
The writing, the characters and the plot were just okay.
I struggled to connect to the characters and lost interest in the plot as the story progressed.
The ending was interesting as there was quite a big twist which I didn't see coming.
This book also had shorter chapters so made for a quick and easy read.
There was nothing particularly wrong with this book it just didn't excite me.
Overall, an okay crime mystery book but not a series I will be returning to unfortunately.
November 17, 2019
My first read by Gulvin so I was basically going in blind. The cover art was what actually drew me in initially; the blurb then sealed the deal #sold #takemymoney
Purchasing a copy of The Long Count turned out to be a great life choice + I thoroughly recommend it. 4.5 stars
Purchasing a copy of The Long Count turned out to be a great life choice + I thoroughly recommend it. 4.5 stars
February 14, 2021
This book came in my ABOS box & I will definitely read more by this author.
Although I admit I saw the big twist coming, it’s not hinted at all that much so a great ending. A few smaller twists in there too.
Although I admit I saw the big twist coming, it’s not hinted at all that much so a great ending. A few smaller twists in there too.
December 1, 2019
This story introduces Texas Ranger Sergeant John Quarrie, also knows as John Q, in 1967, during the height of the Vietnam War, and during which he is called upon to cover a complex murder spree on the other side of Texas, because so many of his fellow rangers are involved with demonstrations. He doesn't like having to be so long away from him son ten-year-old James. His wife Mary Clare died a year after James was born. But James has a composite family including Pious Noon, a black man who Quarrie saved from a life sentence after being accused wrongly of cowardice during the Korean War, Pious's mother and his sister Eunice, Mrs. Feeley and Nolo, the ranch manager. It is one under which James is thriving, and getting help from when doing a history project that gets connected to the case that John Q is working.
A former soldier apparently commits suicide though John thinks not. A woman is murdered violently and then a police officer is also found beaten to death. What follows is series of killings all tied to a burned hospital, Trinity, which was a sanitorium for the criminally insane. The suicide of Icarus Bowen, the homecoming of his son Isaac, from Vietnam, and the disappearance of his "twin" brother, Ishmael, unaccounted for after the fire are all perplexing issues for John, who is driving back and forth between places all the poor souls who got in the way, were murdered. He seeks out Dr. Beale, a psychiatrist, who was trying out a theory of his regarding Dissociative Identity Disorder, which Ishmael suffered from, and Nancy, the nurse helping and Orderly Briers, also attending the patients of the hospital, especially a particularly violent one, Miss Annie.
While swimming for catfish near a train wreck of 1903, John and Pious discover the bones of what appears to be a young person. They report the body, but all believe that it is one of people who perished when a bridge went out and the conductor was unaware. James is moved by the story that he is using for his project. It is after John gets the tragic information about the Bowen family that he realizes that the bones are that of Isaac Bowen, drowned when he was ten, while he and Ishmael were looking for catfish. The accident resulted in Ishmael being mentally ill and the subsequent agreement of his father to try a new technique to get him out of his mind's trap. It backfired, however, and Ishmael goes on the killing spree, after those he blames for his pain and betrayal. Isaac only exists now in his mind. His mother had left the "boys" with their father unable to stand the disappearance of Isaac, who they thought had been abducted, and the ever increasing probelm of Ishmael. The twist of the story is that Ishmael is the son of Miss Annie who had been married to Ike Bowen, who had been unfaithful, with her best friend. Miss Annie had stabbed him three times when she discovered them together, and while he survived to divorce her and marry her friend, she became lost in her mind. She was pregnant with Ishmael, and when the baby was taken from her she lost it completely, constantly playing with a doll as if it a real baby, and very violent if anyone tries to take it from her. Isaac was the son by the Ike's new wife, Clara (Carla Simpson), who has been living near. The boys had overheard a drunken conversation of their father and his friend one day, when they were ten, and Ishmael had taunted Isaac about the issue. It had resulted in his not paying attention at the river, and losing count, with his brother getting his foot caught and Ishmael unable to get him freed in time. The title The Long Count, refers to how long one could hold a breath when going after the fish.
This was a sad and compelling story, one I could not put down. Gulvin does a commendable job of putting out small pieces of the story (At one point I thought Isaac was involved in the killings but could not figure out how, not at all expecting the outcome.) building the suspense but not revealing the true horror of pain and betrayal. I actually expected that the new theory Dr. Beale was trying was something that inflicted more physical pain. I loved the comparing of John Q's family life and that of the Bowens', and the longing in John Q to be with his son as he faces the events of the Bowen family. The friendship of Pious and John is particularly compelling given the times and the place when blacks did not associate with whites as friends, or close family. The unusual makeup of John's entire "family" makes for a richer and more sympathetic picture.
A former soldier apparently commits suicide though John thinks not. A woman is murdered violently and then a police officer is also found beaten to death. What follows is series of killings all tied to a burned hospital, Trinity, which was a sanitorium for the criminally insane. The suicide of Icarus Bowen, the homecoming of his son Isaac, from Vietnam, and the disappearance of his "twin" brother, Ishmael, unaccounted for after the fire are all perplexing issues for John, who is driving back and forth between places all the poor souls who got in the way, were murdered. He seeks out Dr. Beale, a psychiatrist, who was trying out a theory of his regarding Dissociative Identity Disorder, which Ishmael suffered from, and Nancy, the nurse helping and Orderly Briers, also attending the patients of the hospital, especially a particularly violent one, Miss Annie.
While swimming for catfish near a train wreck of 1903, John and Pious discover the bones of what appears to be a young person. They report the body, but all believe that it is one of people who perished when a bridge went out and the conductor was unaware. James is moved by the story that he is using for his project. It is after John gets the tragic information about the Bowen family that he realizes that the bones are that of Isaac Bowen, drowned when he was ten, while he and Ishmael were looking for catfish. The accident resulted in Ishmael being mentally ill and the subsequent agreement of his father to try a new technique to get him out of his mind's trap. It backfired, however, and Ishmael goes on the killing spree, after those he blames for his pain and betrayal. Isaac only exists now in his mind. His mother had left the "boys" with their father unable to stand the disappearance of Isaac, who they thought had been abducted, and the ever increasing probelm of Ishmael. The twist of the story is that Ishmael is the son of Miss Annie who had been married to Ike Bowen, who had been unfaithful, with her best friend. Miss Annie had stabbed him three times when she discovered them together, and while he survived to divorce her and marry her friend, she became lost in her mind. She was pregnant with Ishmael, and when the baby was taken from her she lost it completely, constantly playing with a doll as if it a real baby, and very violent if anyone tries to take it from her. Isaac was the son by the Ike's new wife, Clara (Carla Simpson), who has been living near. The boys had overheard a drunken conversation of their father and his friend one day, when they were ten, and Ishmael had taunted Isaac about the issue. It had resulted in his not paying attention at the river, and losing count, with his brother getting his foot caught and Ishmael unable to get him freed in time. The title The Long Count, refers to how long one could hold a breath when going after the fish.
This was a sad and compelling story, one I could not put down. Gulvin does a commendable job of putting out small pieces of the story (At one point I thought Isaac was involved in the killings but could not figure out how, not at all expecting the outcome.) building the suspense but not revealing the true horror of pain and betrayal. I actually expected that the new theory Dr. Beale was trying was something that inflicted more physical pain. I loved the comparing of John Q's family life and that of the Bowens', and the longing in John Q to be with his son as he faces the events of the Bowen family. The friendship of Pious and John is particularly compelling given the times and the place when blacks did not associate with whites as friends, or close family. The unusual makeup of John's entire "family" makes for a richer and more sympathetic picture.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 6, 2016
The Long Count – The First in a New Series
An atmospheric introduction to a new detective and a for me a new American law enforcement agency. The most I had ever known about the Texas Rangers was from Chuck Norris and Walker, Texas Ranger.
We are taken back to the late 1960s when America was in the middle of an identity crisis, one President assassinated and his replacement had led them to the Vietnam war. The draft was in the process of taking many away to the killing fields abroad. At home there were demonstrations to end the war and search for a peaceful end to the killing.
John Quarrie a Korean War veteran, better known around the state as John Q is a single father to James but fortunately has a support system around him for when he is away. John Q is given an investigation over in Marion County, well outside his normal area, but other Rangers are down in Austin trying to police the anti-Vietnam demonstrations.
On his way to Marion County he answers a call from a local Police Department and answers their call to find a World War 2 veteran who seems to have committed suicide and the local Police want to close the investigation down. John Q is not so convinced about the suicide and so begins a series of events that lead him down some very dark roads.
When the man’s son Isaac returns from Vietnam, he too, is not convinced that his father would commit suicide, but rather murdered. John Q starts an investigation in to a series of violent incidents that happened around the area and this included at a local Mental Health facility that had been burnt to the ground.
Things are not helped by the disappearance of Ishmael from the facility that had been torched, things are not helped in that there was no reason for him to be there because he had not committed any crime. What was clear all those that had interacted with Ishmael were turning up dead with quite violent deaths.
John Q knows that he is a desperate race against time to solve the mystery of what has happened to Ishmael while at the same time do justice to those murdered victims. At the same John Q has to unravel the hidden secrets of Isaac’s family and knows he needs to get to the truth before more people die.
This is a wonderfully atmospheric whodunit and the story drips of the time and the prose is clear and crisp and you feel as if you are there. John Q is a brilliantly tenacious investigator who knows what he is looking at even when others are trying to get him looking in other directions.
This really is an excellent introduction to a new Police hero, a man that never gives up, and that John Q is someone who grows on you. It will be interesting to see how this character will develop from here, one of the great skills of the author JM Gulvin is a master of scene setting and getting characters that get under your skin. At the same time, he is a magician able to use a slight of hand so that you do not see the twists coming.
A great start, and I cannot wait to see how John Q develops.
An atmospheric introduction to a new detective and a for me a new American law enforcement agency. The most I had ever known about the Texas Rangers was from Chuck Norris and Walker, Texas Ranger.
We are taken back to the late 1960s when America was in the middle of an identity crisis, one President assassinated and his replacement had led them to the Vietnam war. The draft was in the process of taking many away to the killing fields abroad. At home there were demonstrations to end the war and search for a peaceful end to the killing.
John Quarrie a Korean War veteran, better known around the state as John Q is a single father to James but fortunately has a support system around him for when he is away. John Q is given an investigation over in Marion County, well outside his normal area, but other Rangers are down in Austin trying to police the anti-Vietnam demonstrations.
On his way to Marion County he answers a call from a local Police Department and answers their call to find a World War 2 veteran who seems to have committed suicide and the local Police want to close the investigation down. John Q is not so convinced about the suicide and so begins a series of events that lead him down some very dark roads.
When the man’s son Isaac returns from Vietnam, he too, is not convinced that his father would commit suicide, but rather murdered. John Q starts an investigation in to a series of violent incidents that happened around the area and this included at a local Mental Health facility that had been burnt to the ground.
Things are not helped by the disappearance of Ishmael from the facility that had been torched, things are not helped in that there was no reason for him to be there because he had not committed any crime. What was clear all those that had interacted with Ishmael were turning up dead with quite violent deaths.
John Q knows that he is a desperate race against time to solve the mystery of what has happened to Ishmael while at the same time do justice to those murdered victims. At the same John Q has to unravel the hidden secrets of Isaac’s family and knows he needs to get to the truth before more people die.
This is a wonderfully atmospheric whodunit and the story drips of the time and the prose is clear and crisp and you feel as if you are there. John Q is a brilliantly tenacious investigator who knows what he is looking at even when others are trying to get him looking in other directions.
This really is an excellent introduction to a new Police hero, a man that never gives up, and that John Q is someone who grows on you. It will be interesting to see how this character will develop from here, one of the great skills of the author JM Gulvin is a master of scene setting and getting characters that get under your skin. At the same time, he is a magician able to use a slight of hand so that you do not see the twists coming.
A great start, and I cannot wait to see how John Q develops.
September 2, 2016
The Long Count, the first book of JM Gulvin's masterful new crime series, we meet Ranger John Quarrie as he is called to the scene of an apparent suicide by a fellow war veteran. Although the local police want the case shut down, John Q is convinced that events aren’t quite so straightforward.” .. GoodReads.
Wow, what an excellent crime thriller. I had set this aside while I tried to catch up with other books that were about to expire at the library. BOY oh BOY, after finishing reading this psychological thriller, I am sorry I set it aside in the beginning. Once I was able to continue following the gunslinging-Texas ranger footsteps' of John Q, I could not put it down.
The Long Count is set in the 1960’s: Americans were protesting the Vietnam War, a president was assassinated and there were many civil rights issues unresolved. The story begins with John Q and his friend Pious, fishing. They discover human remains. However John Q is quickly called across the state of Texas to investigate another crime.
I do not want to reveal any more plots and details. This crime thriller is well written. The descriptive writing style is phenomenal. JM Gulvin has spread out clues throughout the read that keeps your fingers flipping the pages, similar to flipping your smartphone on the pokeman app. The clues are all linked together at the end. JM Gulvin had me surprised at the results. I would definitely recommend this read.
Bring on book two,,,please.!!!
I received this book from TripFiction in exchange for an honest review. BTW., head on over to http://www.tripfiction.com/thiller-se... for an interview with the author.
Wow, what an excellent crime thriller. I had set this aside while I tried to catch up with other books that were about to expire at the library. BOY oh BOY, after finishing reading this psychological thriller, I am sorry I set it aside in the beginning. Once I was able to continue following the gunslinging-Texas ranger footsteps' of John Q, I could not put it down.
The Long Count is set in the 1960’s: Americans were protesting the Vietnam War, a president was assassinated and there were many civil rights issues unresolved. The story begins with John Q and his friend Pious, fishing. They discover human remains. However John Q is quickly called across the state of Texas to investigate another crime.
I do not want to reveal any more plots and details. This crime thriller is well written. The descriptive writing style is phenomenal. JM Gulvin has spread out clues throughout the read that keeps your fingers flipping the pages, similar to flipping your smartphone on the pokeman app. The clues are all linked together at the end. JM Gulvin had me surprised at the results. I would definitely recommend this read.
Bring on book two,,,please.!!!
I received this book from TripFiction in exchange for an honest review. BTW., head on over to http://www.tripfiction.com/thiller-se... for an interview with the author.
May 15, 2017
A good start to a series with plenty of potential . My expectations before starting were high after reading all the rave 5 star reviews. Unfortunately I struggled at first ; I found John Qs character rather flat at first .
l also would have liked a greater sense of the time in which the book was set. More politics of the era ; civil rights and also the music would have been welcome. However, this was just my personal preference.
After a while I did settle into the story and began to really enjoy it. A pacy read and Gulvin really racks up the tension towards an excellent conclusion.
A well written and assured debut that will ensure I read the next in the series.
l also would have liked a greater sense of the time in which the book was set. More politics of the era ; civil rights and also the music would have been welcome. However, this was just my personal preference.
After a while I did settle into the story and began to really enjoy it. A pacy read and Gulvin really racks up the tension towards an excellent conclusion.
A well written and assured debut that will ensure I read the next in the series.
October 27, 2018
John Q is asked to investigate a apparent suicide, a great psychological thriller that really captures the 1960’s Texan setting.
August 28, 2017
This was a very interesting story. It is set in the late 1960’s. Texas Ranger John Quarrie is a returned vet from Vietnam. He has been called out to travel to another town to look into a crime. Along the way he, comes across a suicide. The town is anxious to close the case but Quarrie believes it is murder not suicide.
The dead man is a WWII veteran and the man’s son, Isaac, has just got back from his third tour of Vietnam and does not believe his father was murdered either. In addition to this, a local asylum for the criminally insane has burnt to the ground and Isaac’s twin half-brother, Ishmael, is missing.
The action from here is full of twists and turns that take place in both Texas and Louisiana. Quarrie is busy running back and forth as well as returning to his home where his young son is being cared for by friends and family as Quarrie is widowed.
The pacing of the book is not hurried which is great because there are a lot of little details to unravel. Even so, there is anticipation and things that pop up that make you consistently re-evaluate what you think you understand about what’s happening.
I read this book reasonably quickly but the print is small in the paperback edition. If you are reading this on your Nook, Kindle or other e-reader, you will have no problem adjusting the font.
A solid 3-4 star thriller and crime procedural.
The dead man is a WWII veteran and the man’s son, Isaac, has just got back from his third tour of Vietnam and does not believe his father was murdered either. In addition to this, a local asylum for the criminally insane has burnt to the ground and Isaac’s twin half-brother, Ishmael, is missing.
The action from here is full of twists and turns that take place in both Texas and Louisiana. Quarrie is busy running back and forth as well as returning to his home where his young son is being cared for by friends and family as Quarrie is widowed.
The pacing of the book is not hurried which is great because there are a lot of little details to unravel. Even so, there is anticipation and things that pop up that make you consistently re-evaluate what you think you understand about what’s happening.
I read this book reasonably quickly but the print is small in the paperback edition. If you are reading this on your Nook, Kindle or other e-reader, you will have no problem adjusting the font.
A solid 3-4 star thriller and crime procedural.
August 7, 2017
A Texas Ranger is called across the state to investigate the killing of a deputy sheriff and on his way he stumbles upon an apparent suicide which he believes looks a little fishy. He leaves that for the locals to handle and as he gets involved in the deputy's case he finds more bodies and tries to figure out the connection between all of them and the apparent suicide. It seems as if they all go back to a mental hospital and a particular doctor. The Ranger, John Q., gets some help from a returning Vet from Vietnam who was the son of the apparent suicide victim. Trying to work through all of this John Q. is trying to keep in touch with his son who is working on a school project dealing with a train crash early in the 1900s. Some how through all of the twists and turns the case is solved and closure brought to a lot of people.
John Q is a Texas Ranger that can be placed next to Augustus McCrae and Woodrow F. Call from Lonesome Dove fame. He is quick on the draw, compassionate, and works for the underdog. This is an excellent start to a new series of mysteries from JM Gulvin. Excellent read.
John Q is a Texas Ranger that can be placed next to Augustus McCrae and Woodrow F. Call from Lonesome Dove fame. He is quick on the draw, compassionate, and works for the underdog. This is an excellent start to a new series of mysteries from JM Gulvin. Excellent read.
July 24, 2017
This is the first in a new series about a Texas Ranger named John Quarrie aka John Q. Set in the 60s, John Q is called to check out certain incidents while on the road. One thing leads to another and he is soon caught up in a mysterious pursuit for a missing inmate. The more he digs deeper the more complex it is. I have to say I loved it; I couldn’t out it down and had no idea what was going on. The characters are well developed and John Q is a man not to be reckoned with. He is also a single dad and to see his personal side makes him more likable. I hope his next book is just as intriguing.
August 5, 2017
This was a very intriguing first novel of a series about a Texas Ranger, John Quarrie. He's dispatched to a crime scene, when he's redirected to a suicide scene of a Icarus Bowen. Upon his arrival at this scene, his investigation experience leads him too believe that this was no suicide, but rather a murder. Shortly there after Mr. Bowen's son Isaac, after serving 3 tours of duty in Vietnam arrives at his dad's house, only to come upon this scene. Now both John Q. and Isaac set out to try too find Isaac's twin brother Ishmael, this is when the investigation unfolds into a series of murders and deception.
June 12, 2019
This was an excellent mystery.
The book introduces us to Texas Ranger John Quarrie aka John Q. He is the fictional descendant of famous Texas Ranger Frank Hamer. The action takes place in the mid-1960s.
John is on the trail of a serial killer, along the way he runs into some very interesting characters, with lots of unanswered questions and plenty of red herrings.
By the time the story is finished, you think you know what happened. However, before the book is complete there's yet another surprise in store.
By time the story's done, you realize the clues had been there all along.
Highly recommended.
The book introduces us to Texas Ranger John Quarrie aka John Q. He is the fictional descendant of famous Texas Ranger Frank Hamer. The action takes place in the mid-1960s.
John is on the trail of a serial killer, along the way he runs into some very interesting characters, with lots of unanswered questions and plenty of red herrings.
By the time the story is finished, you think you know what happened. However, before the book is complete there's yet another surprise in store.
By time the story's done, you realize the clues had been there all along.
Highly recommended.
March 30, 2020
Absolutely loved this book!! A must read.
From the first page there was some drama, which I adored (although the first chapter or so was a bit slower than the rest of the book). I enjoyed the main character, and though he was a really great detective.
There were quite a lot of murders in this book, and the author weaves an intricate web of deceit; I loved trying to figure out who the murderer was.
The final reveal of this story had me shocked; I never saw any of it coming, and I loved it.
A definite re-read for me and I will be continuing with this series.
From the first page there was some drama, which I adored (although the first chapter or so was a bit slower than the rest of the book). I enjoyed the main character, and though he was a really great detective.
There were quite a lot of murders in this book, and the author weaves an intricate web of deceit; I loved trying to figure out who the murderer was.
The final reveal of this story had me shocked; I never saw any of it coming, and I loved it.
A definite re-read for me and I will be continuing with this series.
May 25, 2024
I enjoyed this book set in the dry heat of Texas in the late 1960's. The writing style could be challenging to begin with but I quickly settled into the atmospheric and beautifully imagined landscape.
Packed with wrong-turns, the author cleverly turns up the heat, page by page and although I did see the main twist coming it still tricked me in other ways.
Cinematic and authentic-feeling, it left me with the kind of warm glow only a satisfactory ending can bring. I would read more books featuring the protagonist John Q for sure.
Packed with wrong-turns, the author cleverly turns up the heat, page by page and although I did see the main twist coming it still tricked me in other ways.
Cinematic and authentic-feeling, it left me with the kind of warm glow only a satisfactory ending can bring. I would read more books featuring the protagonist John Q for sure.
September 8, 2025
This mystery kept me guessing to the end. With many twists. A Texas ranger is called to work on the murder of a police officer. On the way across Texas he is the nearest law officer to another death. What the local police would call a suicide. However, he believes it smells of murder. As the ranger investigation of the police officer proceeds more bodies pill up and a strange connection to both deaths starts to emerge. I will say that I enjoyed the entanglement of this mystery and the way it turned out. Great story.
October 4, 2017
Since I grew up in the South and came of age during the Vietnam war, I loved this psychological thriller, first in a series, set in the South during the Vietnam era. It grabbed me from the beginning and never let go. I look forward to the other books in this series featuring the adventures of Texas Ranger, John Q, the godson of the ranger who took down Bonnie and Clyde and who is quite the character. Recommend for psychological thriller fans.
December 2, 2017
John Q is an old fashioned Texas Ranger, even for the time this is set in, the late 60s. This was a turbulent time with the Vietnam War, racial protests and a country waking up to endless possibilities. In this John Q ends up tracking a murderer and trying to identify the root cause for the murders being committed.
It captures the time really well along with the atmospheric heat and attitudes of the day. There are some twists that are a little signposted, but there is plenty here to enjoy.
It captures the time really well along with the atmospheric heat and attitudes of the day. There are some twists that are a little signposted, but there is plenty here to enjoy.
February 22, 2023
Giving this book a 3.5. It is my delve into John Q. Mystery. Enjoyed it. It is certainly another of those in the category that was just okay until the summation of the book. Which gave it the extra .75 stars.
I will pick up another of these as it certainly kept my interest.
I will pick up another of these as it certainly kept my interest.
September 29, 2017
I read this as an ARC. It was ok, not spectacular. This was the first book I have read from this author.
January 25, 2021
Enjoyable read overall. Very well researched in terms of setting and time period but the pacing was slow at times. Enjoyed the twist ending, even if slightly predictable.
February 5, 2021
I enjoyed this book but I found the end very predictable and had guessed the ending when I was not even half way through.
July 27, 2021
A well written book just when you think you've figured it out another twist.
November 28, 2021
Really enjoyed this. A twisty thriller with a satisfactory ending.
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