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Emerald Ridge: A Max Blake Mystery
A "fast-paced, twist-and-turn sleigh ride of story-telling, meticulously plotted and beautifully written."
Hard-boiled detective and former muck-raking journalist Max Blake’s discovery of a long-dreaded postcard from Ireland, tucked into his mailbox one morning, is the catalyst that touches off a cross-continent search for his fiancée’s favorite uncle. The Rev. Sean “Jack” O’Lennox, the archbishop of St. Patrick’s Roman Catholic Cathedral in Armagh, Northern Ireland, is missing, and the postcard – a pre-arranged signal – is his apparent cry for help.
Max is prepared to do everything in his considerable power to help Caeli Brown, his longtime partner in the Blake & Brown Detective Agency and soon-to-be wife. But she slips off to Ireland without him, and he is left with a double finding Caeli, and then determining the fate of the archbishop, a complicated man who believes that British-held Ulster should be returned to the Irish Republic by any means necessary.
EMERALD RIDGE is a thrill-a-minute sleigh-ride that features unforgettable characters, sleight-of-hand twists and turns providing surprise after revelation after bombshell. Toss in a love story and you have what it takes for a riveting Max Blake Mystery.
Hard-boiled detective and former muck-raking journalist Max Blake’s discovery of a long-dreaded postcard from Ireland, tucked into his mailbox one morning, is the catalyst that touches off a cross-continent search for his fiancée’s favorite uncle. The Rev. Sean “Jack” O’Lennox, the archbishop of St. Patrick’s Roman Catholic Cathedral in Armagh, Northern Ireland, is missing, and the postcard – a pre-arranged signal – is his apparent cry for help.
Max is prepared to do everything in his considerable power to help Caeli Brown, his longtime partner in the Blake & Brown Detective Agency and soon-to-be wife. But she slips off to Ireland without him, and he is left with a double finding Caeli, and then determining the fate of the archbishop, a complicated man who believes that British-held Ulster should be returned to the Irish Republic by any means necessary.
EMERALD RIDGE is a thrill-a-minute sleigh-ride that features unforgettable characters, sleight-of-hand twists and turns providing surprise after revelation after bombshell. Toss in a love story and you have what it takes for a riveting Max Blake Mystery.
518 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 20, 2017
28 people are currently reading
23 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
October 1, 2017
An Irish mystery about two PDs who get pulled into an Irish revolt by an Archbishop. Get ready for lots of betrayal and intrigue!
October 3, 2017
Novels with journalists are my weakness. Max Blake, a former hard-charging reporter turned journalism professor turned private investigator and the narrator of Florence's excellent mystery, does not disappoint. When a postcard arrives from Ireland, Blake's partner and fiancée Caeli Brown, disappears to Ireland in the private jet of a local mafia don to search for her missing favorite uncle, Rev. Sean “Jack” O’Lennox, the archbishop in Armagh, Northern Ireland. The postcard, Caeli knows, is a secret cry for help.
Max scrambles to catch up, and soon finds himself embroiled in the sticky stew of Irish unification politics and religion. It's a roller-coaster of a ride, and Florence ends it all with twist taking you to the sequel.
Max's musings, commentaries, and descriptions give color and life to people and places separated by a continent and an ocean. Max's love of classical rock music had me humming along to the "What a Fool Believes" by the Doobie Brothers as I read the opening chapters, and being very familiar with the Salem/Portland area of Oregon, I was hooked. Mix in a host of gun-toting Italian mafiosos moving around the Emerald Isle and you have a highly satisfying tale. It's best read on a rainy evening with wood crackling in the fireplace and a glass of Irish whiskey in hand.
Max scrambles to catch up, and soon finds himself embroiled in the sticky stew of Irish unification politics and religion. It's a roller-coaster of a ride, and Florence ends it all with twist taking you to the sequel.
Max's musings, commentaries, and descriptions give color and life to people and places separated by a continent and an ocean. Max's love of classical rock music had me humming along to the "What a Fool Believes" by the Doobie Brothers as I read the opening chapters, and being very familiar with the Salem/Portland area of Oregon, I was hooked. Mix in a host of gun-toting Italian mafiosos moving around the Emerald Isle and you have a highly satisfying tale. It's best read on a rainy evening with wood crackling in the fireplace and a glass of Irish whiskey in hand.
March 10, 2022
Great Read
What a great, dramatic story in Emerald Ridge by William Florence. This is the first book that I've read of this author’s, and I enjoyed it. I hope to read more of Florence's stories. This author has a great imagination and I'm glad it's being shared with stories. This is the first book in the Max Blake Mysteries that I've read, and it's book 6, and I will probably read more in the series. Max Blake, in this story, has to travel to Ireland, to solve a mystery that hits close to home. It's suspenseful and the characters are likeable. This is the first time I've "met" Max Blake, and I like his skills, determination, and the hints of his personal life. It is a very well-written plot, and I enjoyed it. This author is a great storyteller. The story brings the reader on a grand journey. Both thrilling and intriguing, all the way to the end. I hope to read more books by this author. Emerald Ridge is a definite recommendation by Amy's Bookshelf Reviews.
What a great, dramatic story in Emerald Ridge by William Florence. This is the first book that I've read of this author’s, and I enjoyed it. I hope to read more of Florence's stories. This author has a great imagination and I'm glad it's being shared with stories. This is the first book in the Max Blake Mysteries that I've read, and it's book 6, and I will probably read more in the series. Max Blake, in this story, has to travel to Ireland, to solve a mystery that hits close to home. It's suspenseful and the characters are likeable. This is the first time I've "met" Max Blake, and I like his skills, determination, and the hints of his personal life. It is a very well-written plot, and I enjoyed it. This author is a great storyteller. The story brings the reader on a grand journey. Both thrilling and intriguing, all the way to the end. I hope to read more books by this author. Emerald Ridge is a definite recommendation by Amy's Bookshelf Reviews.
October 7, 2017
This was a really fun roller coaster ride in reading form. I love when a book that is part of a series can stand on its own without needing any tedious explanations of the characters past adventures. I have never read any work from William Florence before but it will not be the last. I wanted to read this novel because of its setting in Ireland. The story line was enjoyable and there were plenty of plot twists to keep the reader guessing. Once or twice i did think the end was coming only to be caught in another twist, maybe too many times. I loved the characters and can't wait to read about some their other adventures. Thank you for allowing me to read your book.
September 30, 2017
I was intrigued by the description of this book and it was actually better. An international contemporary mystery that takes place in Oregon and Ireland. Two former reporters, turned private detectives are pulled into an Irish revolt by a postcard from Caeli's uncle the Archbishop of Armagh. Caeli Brown and Max Blake are aided in their search for her Uncle by the Don Fierro. Lots of action and plot twist. Caeli and Max have doubts about who to trust and who's on whose side. This is a great story and it kept me guessing right to the end.
May 31, 2021
I love the mystery and suspense in this high-paced thriller. The relationship between the characters, along with the humor, make this a must read. The Irish in me enjoyed the Emerald Isle setting.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews