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Northtown Eclipse
The brutal summer heat seems to have everyone in Northtown, Ohio on edge.
A high school reunion is the catalyst for long held grudges to bubble up to the surface but quickly becomes a sideshow as private detective Raimo Jarvi is drawn into a murderous rampage that extends far beyond his usual remit of unfaithful wives and petty personal disputes.
Raimo knows his estranged brother Rikki is up to his neck in something big and as the conspiracy starts to unravel it’s clear if he doesn’t move quickly they could both end up dead.
This perfect slice of mid-western noir grippingly captures the long hot summers and simmering resentments of small town America where secrets are buried deep but the past is never quite forgotten.
“Robert White knows the subconscious well and tells an immensely gripping tale on numerous levels!”
“White’s stories are gritty and intense.”
“White writes beautiful, wrenching prose… stark and unsentimental. It’s White at his best.”
"Quick paced and enjoyable..."
A high school reunion is the catalyst for long held grudges to bubble up to the surface but quickly becomes a sideshow as private detective Raimo Jarvi is drawn into a murderous rampage that extends far beyond his usual remit of unfaithful wives and petty personal disputes.
Raimo knows his estranged brother Rikki is up to his neck in something big and as the conspiracy starts to unravel it’s clear if he doesn’t move quickly they could both end up dead.
This perfect slice of mid-western noir grippingly captures the long hot summers and simmering resentments of small town America where secrets are buried deep but the past is never quite forgotten.
“Robert White knows the subconscious well and tells an immensely gripping tale on numerous levels!”
“White’s stories are gritty and intense.”
“White writes beautiful, wrenching prose… stark and unsentimental. It’s White at his best.”
"Quick paced and enjoyable..."
Kindle Edition
Published July 12, 2018
About the author
Robb T. White
19 books22 followersRobert White is a Midwest writer of genre fiction. White has published dozens of crime, mystery, and horror stories under the under the names Robert, Robb, or Robb T. White.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
December 22, 2018
Original and inventive, Northtown Eclipse takes the typical crime cliché of a seedy private eye and subverts the standard hardboiled detective story into something significantly more substantial. Author Robb White twists the tropes of the genre to tell a much more meaningful story, exploring the human condition and the post-industrial decline of American small-town society.
Robb White obvious revels in his writing; his love of language shines beyond mere storytelling. You almost don’t care where the story is going: these are words worth reading in and of themselves. He creates a tremendous sense of place which vividly brings to life the polluted waterways of lakeside mid-America.
During the scalding heat of an unrelenting summer, private investigator Ray struggles to make ends meet and to find any meaning in his pretty pitiful existence. He’s hardly a natural detective, and barely scratches a living by grabbing peep-shots of marital infidelity.
Ray is horribly broken; his emotional damage is as crippling as his visible facial scars. He’s destructively tormented by manipulative lovers who maul what little remains of his self-esteem. Ray’s failings are brought into sharp relief when he’s compared to his macho, handsome sibling. His brother's flawed life choices drag both of them into a chaotic spiral of intimidation, exploitation, corporate espionage, insider trading, sabotage and – inevitably – cold-blooded murder.
The vivid text is layered with real-world significance and it sidesteps almost every anticipated outcome. The scales swing between violent betrayal and emotional indifference as Ray struggles to make sense of a complex conspiracy, and to salvage his failing relationship with his one remaining close relative.
Literary and complex, the narrative of Northtown Eclipse might actually be a bit too convoluted for its own good. I was paying close attention but even I quite literally lost the plot at one point. In truth, by the end of the novel I didn’t really care about the superficial story of greedy men doing bad things. The soul of this story is about Ray’s last chance for redemption. It’s a powerful and poignant accomplishment.
8/10
There's more about this book - and other excellent crime/thrillers - over at http://www.murdermayhemandmore.net
Robb White obvious revels in his writing; his love of language shines beyond mere storytelling. You almost don’t care where the story is going: these are words worth reading in and of themselves. He creates a tremendous sense of place which vividly brings to life the polluted waterways of lakeside mid-America.
During the scalding heat of an unrelenting summer, private investigator Ray struggles to make ends meet and to find any meaning in his pretty pitiful existence. He’s hardly a natural detective, and barely scratches a living by grabbing peep-shots of marital infidelity.
Ray is horribly broken; his emotional damage is as crippling as his visible facial scars. He’s destructively tormented by manipulative lovers who maul what little remains of his self-esteem. Ray’s failings are brought into sharp relief when he’s compared to his macho, handsome sibling. His brother's flawed life choices drag both of them into a chaotic spiral of intimidation, exploitation, corporate espionage, insider trading, sabotage and – inevitably – cold-blooded murder.
The vivid text is layered with real-world significance and it sidesteps almost every anticipated outcome. The scales swing between violent betrayal and emotional indifference as Ray struggles to make sense of a complex conspiracy, and to salvage his failing relationship with his one remaining close relative.
Literary and complex, the narrative of Northtown Eclipse might actually be a bit too convoluted for its own good. I was paying close attention but even I quite literally lost the plot at one point. In truth, by the end of the novel I didn’t really care about the superficial story of greedy men doing bad things. The soul of this story is about Ray’s last chance for redemption. It’s a powerful and poignant accomplishment.
8/10
There's more about this book - and other excellent crime/thrillers - over at http://www.murdermayhemandmore.net
July 15, 2019
Different writer
I was expecting the writer of the Fuller series. Found this hard going to start but stuck with it. Enjoyed it .
I was expecting the writer of the Fuller series. Found this hard going to start but stuck with it. Enjoyed it .
December 16, 2018
A gritty and raw small town crime fiction
My first time reading this author. If you are a fan of slow burn crime fiction set in a small town, that's way more tumultuous and grittier than cozy mysteries, then this is a perfect story for you. I liked the believability of the story. The tormented and unconventional private investigator and a crime that doesn't want to be brought into the light set against a backdrop of the impending Eclipse set the stage for this well written story. Through extensive and deliberate detail Author Robert brings this mid western town and all its members to life. A Solid 4.5 stars because there were distinct elements in the story that I didn't like. For a more complete review see my blog Who She Reads. You can also listen to my review on Youtube https://bit.ly/2Wm7yiL
My first time reading this author. If you are a fan of slow burn crime fiction set in a small town, that's way more tumultuous and grittier than cozy mysteries, then this is a perfect story for you. I liked the believability of the story. The tormented and unconventional private investigator and a crime that doesn't want to be brought into the light set against a backdrop of the impending Eclipse set the stage for this well written story. Through extensive and deliberate detail Author Robert brings this mid western town and all its members to life. A Solid 4.5 stars because there were distinct elements in the story that I didn't like. For a more complete review see my blog Who She Reads. You can also listen to my review on Youtube https://bit.ly/2Wm7yiL
August 18, 2020
Another Good Read
An enjoyable read with a change in writing style where there appears to be changes of time, location and subject matter without warning. For me a little hard to follow to start with but ok once I'd understood this aspect.
Not one of his best in my opinion but still a very good and entertaining read!
Thank you.
No wonder it is a different style, its not the same Robert White - 26102020
An enjoyable read with a change in writing style where there appears to be changes of time, location and subject matter without warning. For me a little hard to follow to start with but ok once I'd understood this aspect.
Not one of his best in my opinion but still a very good and entertaining read!
Thank you.
No wonder it is a different style, its not the same Robert White - 26102020
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews