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Constabulary Casefiles #2
A Colonial Murder
My name is Caelin Morrow, and I run the internal affairs bureau for the entire Commonwealth Rim Sector.
It means I hunt down corrupt federal officials of all stripes — police, military, political or bureaucratic — in the most fractious and nowadays most dangerous part of human space.
I also examine the private and professional lives of Constabulary officials destined for senior positions, to make sure they’re not hiding a habit of taking bribes, abusing their powers, or worse. Assistant Commissioner Elden Braband, newly appointed as chief of police on Mission Colony, is one of the latter, and I had declared him squeaky clean. When the colony’s governor complains about Braband a few months after his arrival, Deputy Chief Constable Maras, who commands the Rim Sector Constabulary Group, smells a rat. She asks me to investigate because honest cops don’t go bad within a few months.
But hours after my team and I land on Mission Colony, a senior official is found dead in her office, leaving Assistant Commissioner Braband in a bind. The subsequent investigation will propel us into the heart of colonial darkness where corruption, organized crime, and corporate malfeasance combine in a deadly brew.
It means I hunt down corrupt federal officials of all stripes — police, military, political or bureaucratic — in the most fractious and nowadays most dangerous part of human space.
I also examine the private and professional lives of Constabulary officials destined for senior positions, to make sure they’re not hiding a habit of taking bribes, abusing their powers, or worse. Assistant Commissioner Elden Braband, newly appointed as chief of police on Mission Colony, is one of the latter, and I had declared him squeaky clean. When the colony’s governor complains about Braband a few months after his arrival, Deputy Chief Constable Maras, who commands the Rim Sector Constabulary Group, smells a rat. She asks me to investigate because honest cops don’t go bad within a few months.
But hours after my team and I land on Mission Colony, a senior official is found dead in her office, leaving Assistant Commissioner Braband in a bind. The subsequent investigation will propel us into the heart of colonial darkness where corruption, organized crime, and corporate malfeasance combine in a deadly brew.
- GenresScience FictionMystery
362 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 26, 2020
25 people are currently reading
7 people want to read
About the author
Eric Thomson
39 books129 followersEric Thomson is my pen name. I'm a former Canadian soldier who spent more years in uniform than he expected, serving in both the Regular Army (Infantry) and the Army Reserve (Armoured Corps). I spent several years as an Information Technology executive for the Canadian government before leaving the bowels of the demented bureaucracy to become a full-time author.
I've been a voracious reader of science-fiction, military fiction and history all my life, assiduously devouring the recommended Army reading list in my younger days and still occasionally returning to the classics for inspiration. Several years ago, I put my fingers to the keyboard and started writing my own military sci-fi, with a definite space opera slant, using many of my own experiences as a soldier as an inspiration for my stories and characters. When I'm not writing fiction, I indulge in my other passions: photography, hiking and scuba diving, all of which I've shared with my wife, who likes to call herself my #1 fan, for more than thirty years.
I've been a voracious reader of science-fiction, military fiction and history all my life, assiduously devouring the recommended Army reading list in my younger days and still occasionally returning to the classics for inspiration. Several years ago, I put my fingers to the keyboard and started writing my own military sci-fi, with a definite space opera slant, using many of my own experiences as a soldier as an inspiration for my stories and characters. When I'm not writing fiction, I indulge in my other passions: photography, hiking and scuba diving, all of which I've shared with my wife, who likes to call herself my #1 fan, for more than thirty years.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
November 9, 2021
The previous book caused me some problems because I didn’t realise how the author intertwines all the different series and unfortunately I read the Ghost Squadron books first and this ruined the plot and the ending. However I did like Caelin and she was worth trying the next one in the series.
Caelin was again the star of this story and I really enjoyed her no compromise attitude. Again there is a tie in with the Ghost Squadron books, but this time it only added to the story.
Caelin was again the star of this story and I really enjoyed her no compromise attitude. Again there is a tie in with the Ghost Squadron books, but this time it only added to the story.
January 22, 2021
A Colonial Murder by Eric Thomson is the second in what we hope will be a long series of Constabulary Casefiles books. Why? Because they are so damn well written.
Thomson is an obvious planner (for those of you who aren't writers, we semi-divide ourselves into planners, or plotters, people who lay out aspects of their books ahead of time, and pantsers, people who start writing and let the characters and plot develop organically (we write “by the seat of our pants.”). Mystery writers, good ones, are plotters. And oh boy, this plot is twisted.
I got to know the principals in the first book. They are bright, engaging, well-rounded and they are back. A complaint made against a member of the constabulary takes them to the Mission Colony world where things are not what they seem. They don't reveal their true mission in order to preserve the surprise and take people unawares. Shortly after their arrival there is a murder and they take over the case.
Evil corporations, entangled government, secret factories, the mystery deepens. I am looking forward to book three.
Thomson is an obvious planner (for those of you who aren't writers, we semi-divide ourselves into planners, or plotters, people who lay out aspects of their books ahead of time, and pantsers, people who start writing and let the characters and plot develop organically (we write “by the seat of our pants.”). Mystery writers, good ones, are plotters. And oh boy, this plot is twisted.
I got to know the principals in the first book. They are bright, engaging, well-rounded and they are back. A complaint made against a member of the constabulary takes them to the Mission Colony world where things are not what they seem. They don't reveal their true mission in order to preserve the surprise and take people unawares. Shortly after their arrival there is a murder and they take over the case.
Evil corporations, entangled government, secret factories, the mystery deepens. I am looking forward to book three.
December 28, 2020
Like all Thomson's book, very well written by an author who understands how to tell a story, with a strong military background to support the structure, and can write excellent dialog for very well developed characters.
Like all his books so far, this story continues one of the time arcs in the universe has created, continuing the lay the groundwork for the final act of this one, and tying back to the previous arc to provide the provenance of this arc, while providing the historical story for the later arc.
If you enjoy well written, strong, future history military science fiction, you will enjoy all his books.
(note: I seldom give 5 stars, no matter how good a book, except to authors who meet the standards of Bujold, Weber, Drake and other top notch authors)
Like all his books so far, this story continues one of the time arcs in the universe has created, continuing the lay the groundwork for the final act of this one, and tying back to the previous arc to provide the provenance of this arc, while providing the historical story for the later arc.
If you enjoy well written, strong, future history military science fiction, you will enjoy all his books.
(note: I seldom give 5 stars, no matter how good a book, except to authors who meet the standards of Bujold, Weber, Drake and other top notch authors)
July 28, 2023
Constabulary Casebook 1 and 2
Two excellent SF books. Not really murder mysteries both read more as good detective books set in the same universe the authors other sf books are in. This time in the slime and corruption of a civilization threatened by criminal corporations and the crime syndicates. Recommend.
Two excellent SF books. Not really murder mysteries both read more as good detective books set in the same universe the authors other sf books are in. This time in the slime and corruption of a civilization threatened by criminal corporations and the crime syndicates. Recommend.
October 13, 2024
I loved this story. I like the idea of a science fiction that involves policing. I really enjoyed the good vs. Evil and the tie in with fleet and other agencies. Definitely a couple of twists along the way. And I particularly loved all the RCMP references….Sam Steele, Benton Fraser, Frank Preston….yay for the Canadian tie in. I can’t wait to read more in this series.
September 2, 2020
Superior, some of the author’s best work. Intriguing story and a main character you want to know and see in action.
This is the finest work so far that I have read by this author and I was already was a fan of his other works. Can’t wait for more, I am hooked!
This is the finest work so far that I have read by this author and I was already was a fan of his other works. Can’t wait for more, I am hooked!
November 13, 2020
Great read as normal
Great characters..easy read. I love this universe can't wait for the next installment
It does help if you begin with deckers war
Great characters..easy read. I love this universe can't wait for the next installment
It does help if you begin with deckers war
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews