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Detective P. T. Marsh #3
A Good Kill
An electrifying mystery featuring a troubled small-town police detective faced with three interwoven crimes that reveal sinister secrets about his community--and the deaths of his family, by the Edgar Award and Thriller Award shortlisted author whose novels have been described by the New York Times Book Review as "pretty much perfect."
In the years since the mysterious deaths of his wife and child, P.T. Marsh, a police detective in the small Georgia town of Mason Falls, has faced demons--both professional and personal. But when he is called to the scene of a school shooting, the professional and personal become intertwined, and he suspects that whoever is behind the crime may be connected to his own family tragedy.
As Marsh and his partner Remy investigate the shooting, they discover that it is far from straightforward, and their search for answers leads them to a conspiracy at the highest levels of local government--including within the police force. The stakes in the case become increasingly high, culminating in a showdown that has Marsh questioning everything he knows, and wondering if some secrets are better left undiscovered.
In the years since the mysterious deaths of his wife and child, P.T. Marsh, a police detective in the small Georgia town of Mason Falls, has faced demons--both professional and personal. But when he is called to the scene of a school shooting, the professional and personal become intertwined, and he suspects that whoever is behind the crime may be connected to his own family tragedy.
As Marsh and his partner Remy investigate the shooting, they discover that it is far from straightforward, and their search for answers leads them to a conspiracy at the highest levels of local government--including within the police force. The stakes in the case become increasingly high, culminating in a showdown that has Marsh questioning everything he knows, and wondering if some secrets are better left undiscovered.
384 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 15, 2021
109 people are currently reading
1406 people want to read
About the author
John McMahon
5 books732 followersJohn McMahon is the author of THE GOOD DETECTIVE and THE EVIL MEN DO, both featuring Georgia detective P.T. Marsh.
The New York Times Book Review called McMahon “one of those rare writers who seems to have sprung out of nowhere” and whose debut novel is “pretty much perfect.”
In his role as an ad agency creative director, he has won a Gold Clio for his work on Fiat, and he’s written a Super Bowl spot for Alfa Romeo.
He currently lives in Southern California with his family and two rescue animals.
The New York Times Book Review called McMahon “one of those rare writers who seems to have sprung out of nowhere” and whose debut novel is “pretty much perfect.”
In his role as an ad agency creative director, he has won a Gold Clio for his work on Fiat, and he’s written a Super Bowl spot for Alfa Romeo.
He currently lives in Southern California with his family and two rescue animals.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 121 reviews
February 26, 2025
I like finding new authors and their electrifying series. John McMahon’s police procedural collection with Detective P.T. Marsh provides an entertaining read. A school shooting leaves Marsh and his partner in a panic, though they are able to neutralise things before they get catastrophic. However, Marsh senses that there is more to it and there might be a connection between the shooting and his own family’s murder. Digging a little deeper, Marsh paints a target on his back and becomes a liability for some who were happy with secrets brewing. McMahon pens his best novel in the series to date!
After the horrible death of his wife and son, Detective P.T. Marsh has thrown himself into work at the Mason Falls Police Department. This small-town Georgia community serves him well, though Marsh cannot shield his professional and personal struggles completely. When he is called to a school shooting, Marsh and his partner, Remy Martin, begin trying to do all they can to assist.
The investigation into the shooting is anything but straightforward. Many of the leads see dead ends stop Marsh and Martin in their tracks. Soon, it’s apparent that things might be part of a larger conspiracy, all in an effort to cover things up and keep the leaks from being too apparent. Might there be corruption into the Mason Falls political community and infested within the police department? Marsh cannot dismiss this or that there might be ties to his own family’s deaths.
Chasing down anything they can, Marsh and Martin find themselves the target of a cover-up that will be costly if not handled effectively. Someone has already made it clear that Marsh has done too much and they are sure to send the detective to join his family if he does not stop poking around. Left to clash with someone to get answers that have eluded him, Detective P.T. Marsh has nothing to lose in this one case that remains unsolved. A gripping addition to the series that I could not stop reading, which exemplifies McMahon’s abilities.
John McMahon first intrigued me with a great psych thriller, leaving me want to explore a little more. I found his earlier this police procedural series and have loved the adventure on which it took me. McMahon proved great at storytelling with all three of the novels in the series to date, exploring police work in a small Georgia community. The narrative’s momentum is key and keeps the reader hooked to the development. Characters add to the story and show some definite development, which is essential as the subplot of Marsh’s hunt for the person behind the murder of his family. Plot points build as the reader remains affixed to how things will come to pass. Presenting twists to fuel a mystery allows McMahon to show the reader his abilities and keeps them begging for more.
Kudos, Mr. McMahon, for a great mini-series. I wonder if P.T. Marsh will be back soon.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
After the horrible death of his wife and son, Detective P.T. Marsh has thrown himself into work at the Mason Falls Police Department. This small-town Georgia community serves him well, though Marsh cannot shield his professional and personal struggles completely. When he is called to a school shooting, Marsh and his partner, Remy Martin, begin trying to do all they can to assist.
The investigation into the shooting is anything but straightforward. Many of the leads see dead ends stop Marsh and Martin in their tracks. Soon, it’s apparent that things might be part of a larger conspiracy, all in an effort to cover things up and keep the leaks from being too apparent. Might there be corruption into the Mason Falls political community and infested within the police department? Marsh cannot dismiss this or that there might be ties to his own family’s deaths.
Chasing down anything they can, Marsh and Martin find themselves the target of a cover-up that will be costly if not handled effectively. Someone has already made it clear that Marsh has done too much and they are sure to send the detective to join his family if he does not stop poking around. Left to clash with someone to get answers that have eluded him, Detective P.T. Marsh has nothing to lose in this one case that remains unsolved. A gripping addition to the series that I could not stop reading, which exemplifies McMahon’s abilities.
John McMahon first intrigued me with a great psych thriller, leaving me want to explore a little more. I found his earlier this police procedural series and have loved the adventure on which it took me. McMahon proved great at storytelling with all three of the novels in the series to date, exploring police work in a small Georgia community. The narrative’s momentum is key and keeps the reader hooked to the development. Characters add to the story and show some definite development, which is essential as the subplot of Marsh’s hunt for the person behind the murder of his family. Plot points build as the reader remains affixed to how things will come to pass. Presenting twists to fuel a mystery allows McMahon to show the reader his abilities and keeps them begging for more.
Kudos, Mr. McMahon, for a great mini-series. I wonder if P.T. Marsh will be back soon.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
November 8, 2021
One of my favorite authors and one of my favorite series. This is the third book in this series and a lot of loose ends are tied up in the end. The author has suggested that PT will be back in the future and I hope that he is but I'm also looking forward to what McMahon has to offer in a new series for us. If you haven't read this series yet, I highly recommend it!
June 20, 2021
A GOOD KILL, following the critically acclaimed THE GOOD DETECTIVE and THE EVIL MEN DO, marks the return of P.T. Marsh, author John McMahon’s troubled police detective. Over the course of the first two books in the series, Marsh endured the modern-day equivalent of the trials of Job. The comparison is apt, given that he has continued to persevere in his job with the police force of rural Mason Falls, Georgia, despite experiencing difficult professional and devastating personal setbacks. A GOOD KILL wraps up a couple of plot threads that have been left dangling from books one and two, though not without causing Marsh some additional problems that may carry over into the future.
The book opens with the Mason Falls police force having to deal with an active shooter situation at a middle school. It is Marsh who resolves the matter with extreme prejudice, though not before a teacher is killed. He takes the necessary action at the urging of Georgia governor Toby Monroe, who has done him a solid or two in the past. Monroe is running for reelection, and the swift resolution of this unfortunate incident gives him the opportunity to quickly get the news off of the front page. The motive of the gunman, a failed journalist named Jed Harrington, remains a puzzle and is initially more or less filed away as unknowable. Still, it haunts Marsh throughout the book and ultimately figures in one of its major plotlines…and beyond.
Meanwhile, Marsh is immediately put on another case. An automobile has been found on a local road with two individuals murdered, execution-style, in the front seat. A GOOD KILL is worth reading just for the procedural elements that are involved in the investigation of this double homicide, which winds up going far beyond the Mason Falls city limits. Through Marsh, McMahon provides some interesting information regarding a recent evolution in firearm manufacturing, as well as the pros, cons, whys and wherefores that accompany it.
Additionally, Marsh has cause to revisit a closed, unsolved case that boomerangs into the present. This leads to a couple of dramatic confrontations that open old wounds for him and inflict new ones, while introducing a character who figures prominently in the novel and may be featured in future installments.
It is all but certain that Marsh will be back for at least one more book, even as McMahon has indicated that he is working on a new series starring a different protagonist. He is a solid and dependable writer whose character-driven, page-turning stories keep the reader involved with plenty of plot twists and expert pacing. If you are looking for a thriller series with attention to detail, you should check out McMahon and Marsh.
Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub
The book opens with the Mason Falls police force having to deal with an active shooter situation at a middle school. It is Marsh who resolves the matter with extreme prejudice, though not before a teacher is killed. He takes the necessary action at the urging of Georgia governor Toby Monroe, who has done him a solid or two in the past. Monroe is running for reelection, and the swift resolution of this unfortunate incident gives him the opportunity to quickly get the news off of the front page. The motive of the gunman, a failed journalist named Jed Harrington, remains a puzzle and is initially more or less filed away as unknowable. Still, it haunts Marsh throughout the book and ultimately figures in one of its major plotlines…and beyond.
Meanwhile, Marsh is immediately put on another case. An automobile has been found on a local road with two individuals murdered, execution-style, in the front seat. A GOOD KILL is worth reading just for the procedural elements that are involved in the investigation of this double homicide, which winds up going far beyond the Mason Falls city limits. Through Marsh, McMahon provides some interesting information regarding a recent evolution in firearm manufacturing, as well as the pros, cons, whys and wherefores that accompany it.
Additionally, Marsh has cause to revisit a closed, unsolved case that boomerangs into the present. This leads to a couple of dramatic confrontations that open old wounds for him and inflict new ones, while introducing a character who figures prominently in the novel and may be featured in future installments.
It is all but certain that Marsh will be back for at least one more book, even as McMahon has indicated that he is working on a new series starring a different protagonist. He is a solid and dependable writer whose character-driven, page-turning stories keep the reader involved with plenty of plot twists and expert pacing. If you are looking for a thriller series with attention to detail, you should check out McMahon and Marsh.
Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub
May 17, 2021
I have read A Good Kill by John McMahon. Mason Falls, Georgia is a dangerous place to live. Murders, kidnapping, narcotics, corruption and now even a school shooting. Detective P.T. Marsh has a lot of crimes to solve. This is the third book in the series and I was sceptical about the two first, but thought they where good enough to continue reading and boy am I glad I did. I don't think I have ever read a book and a serie that ties together so many problems in one book. This was fantastic. So much suspense and twisted turns, I just love it. I must thank @this_is_edelweiss #GPPutnamsSons and @penguinbooks for giving me this great advance copy and @johnmcmahonbooks for writing it.
November 9, 2024
Can’t wait for the next Marsh and Remy book! I love this series!
Read
August 8, 2021A dnf, but I won it from the Goodreads giveaway, and thank you again, Goodreads!
This is just not the book for me. It has a very 'masculine feel,' and I often like books that way, but this one reminds me of the magazines my grandfather, born in 1904 and raised in a rural community, and used to fish, hunt and paint with equal fervor and talent, liked. (He was a reader, too, but was 'apprenticed out' at age thirteen. Came from a very poor background, but lived a full, rich life and died fairly well-to do. Enough about him...)
I tried several times to get into it and it had been a hard cover or paperback book, I'd have given it to a friend, but it's a Kindle, and so...
But to be fair and honest, well-written, just that the topic didn't draw me in, even after three attempts.
DNF and no rating.
This is just not the book for me. It has a very 'masculine feel,' and I often like books that way, but this one reminds me of the magazines my grandfather, born in 1904 and raised in a rural community, and used to fish, hunt and paint with equal fervor and talent, liked. (He was a reader, too, but was 'apprenticed out' at age thirteen. Came from a very poor background, but lived a full, rich life and died fairly well-to do. Enough about him...)
I tried several times to get into it and it had been a hard cover or paperback book, I'd have given it to a friend, but it's a Kindle, and so...
But to be fair and honest, well-written, just that the topic didn't draw me in, even after three attempts.
DNF and no rating.
April 5, 2025
I've really enjoyed these three books in the Detective P.T. Marsh series. This one bring this trilogy to an end of sorts but John McMahon tells us in his Acknowledgements that there're more stories to tell with P.T. and his partner Remy so it's great to know we've got something to look forward to.
August 9, 2021
In Georgia, Homicide Detective P.T. Marsh and his partner Remy are called to an active shooter scene at the school. Two teachers and several students are being held hostage. Marsh goes around back for a better view. The governor calls him and tells him to take the shot if he gets one. The governor did a favor for Marsh and so he owes the governor one. When he sees the gunman point his pistol toward the surviving teacher, he kills him Internal Affairs will determine if the kill is a good one. Marsh and Remy don't see an initial motive for the gunman but they intend to find out.
As in the previous two books, Marsh is still seeking the killer behind the death of his wife and child.
I've had good luck with the first two P.T. Marsh novels and enjoyed all so far. Marsh continues to hear the voice of his bulldog Purvis. I was happy to see him save another dog from euthanasia in this story. I still really like Remy, maybe even better than Marsh. The book ended strong.
As in the previous two books, Marsh is still seeking the killer behind the death of his wife and child.
I've had good luck with the first two P.T. Marsh novels and enjoyed all so far. Marsh continues to hear the voice of his bulldog Purvis. I was happy to see him save another dog from euthanasia in this story. I still really like Remy, maybe even better than Marsh. The book ended strong.
June 18, 2021
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
WHAT'S A GOOD KILL ABOUT?
We open P.T. Marsh and his partner, Remy, on the grounds of a high school where an active shooter has taken some hostages. The two of them are able to bring things to a swift resolution, gaining them praise as heroes. The question stops being "who could do this" and changes into a "why did someone do this."
Due to the staff size for this small city and that there are other crimes that need investigating, P.T. and Remy have to look into a double homicide while the other partners continue to follow up on the shooter. It's this crime that provides most of what P.T. and Renee to go down a rabbit hole of corruption—one that might tie into the killing of his wife and son a few years back. Even if it doesn't—it certainly ties into several deaths, drug use/sales, and other crimes.
A WORD ABOUT THE SCHOOL SHOOTING
As we talked about in the Q&A yesterday, mass shootings in general—but specifically school shootings—are about as controversial as anything in American culture today. As they should be, I think I can say without getting into it. And some readers might be put off of the book because of that, this would be a mistake. First, because as McMahon said, "the subject is not entered into divisively or politically."
Secondly, while the book starts with the school shooting—it's not what the book is about. It's the instigating event. It casts a shadow over everything that happens in the days following it for P.T. and the rest of Mason Falls. You can't get away from it for long (but there are a few pages every now and then that might draw your attention away from it).
It reminded me of the Ian Rankin novel A Question of Blood, where Rebus is called to come help a friend look into a school shooting, and it turns out to be about a lot more than that. The two books approach the subject differently and go in different directions with it. But that doesn't stop the reader from thinking about them at the same time.
WAIT—YOU CAN DO THIS IN A PROCEDURAL?
P.T. and his partner Remy get along—they spend time with each other outside of work. Yes, they disagree on some things, but there's a mutual affection and respect. In fact, that carries through the department—detectives and uniformed officers, every detective, even the Chief and everyone else—they look out for each other, support and help each other.* There's no petty jealousies coloring things, no rivalry, no behind-the-scenes machinations. I cannot think of another police procedural like that, what a refreshing change.
* Okay, the Force Investigation Unit detective has something against P.T.
Now, there are politicians at various levels and federal agents from a couple of agencies—so I'm not suggesting it's all rainbows and unicorns. In fact, things get pretty nasty on these other points. So it's not like P.T. has nothing to worry about or put up with.
JUMPING ON AT THIS POINT
This is a tricky one to jump into the series with—McMahon says that he treated the three books as a series, and so jumping on with the third book brings some challenges. And no matter how well he blends in the details about what happened in the first two books, readers like me are going to miss something. But McMahon does a great job in giving you enough information from the first two books that you can jump in and get almost all the weight of the first two books on P.T. and the rest. I knew I missed out on some of the nuances, but I had no problem following things or caring about the way he wraps up this trilogy within a series.
I'm not convinced I could go back and read the first two at this point, I should add. But you never know...
PURVIS!
Purvis is an eight-year-old bulldog, who had been P.T.'s son's pet but is now P.T.'s. Not only is he good for comic relief. P.T. bounces a lot of ideas off of Purvis, who is just the listener P.T. needs. It was a really good depiction of a man and his pet, and you all know I'm a sucker for that kind of thing, and Purvis is off to a commanding lead in my "Favorite Pets of 2021" race.
There's another dog, who seems like an adorable handful, in this book, and in P.T.'s life now. He seems like he could be a fun cast member—but the star of the K-9 action is Purvis. Still, I hope I get to see both of them again soon.
SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT A GOOD KILL?
There's very little about this book that didn't work for me—great characters; solid, twisty story; some strong action scenes; and believable criminals around at every stage. There's more than your daily minimum requirement of fictional emotions—P.T. and Remy are put through the wringer, and you feel it at every step of the way. Which just makes the ending of the book so much more meaningful, even to people who hadn't read the two previous books. You name it, McMahon provides it in one way or another.
All of this just makes this Crime Fiction reader all sorts of happy.
Grab this one, or the first in the trilogy, The Good Detective. You won't regret it.
Disclaimer: I received this eARC from PENGUIN GROUP Putnam via NetGalley in exchange for this post—thanks to both for this, and to Wiley Saichek and Saichek Publicity for bringing it to my attention.
---
WHAT'S A GOOD KILL ABOUT?
We open P.T. Marsh and his partner, Remy, on the grounds of a high school where an active shooter has taken some hostages. The two of them are able to bring things to a swift resolution, gaining them praise as heroes. The question stops being "who could do this" and changes into a "why did someone do this."
Due to the staff size for this small city and that there are other crimes that need investigating, P.T. and Remy have to look into a double homicide while the other partners continue to follow up on the shooter. It's this crime that provides most of what P.T. and Renee to go down a rabbit hole of corruption—one that might tie into the killing of his wife and son a few years back. Even if it doesn't—it certainly ties into several deaths, drug use/sales, and other crimes.
A WORD ABOUT THE SCHOOL SHOOTING
As we talked about in the Q&A yesterday, mass shootings in general—but specifically school shootings—are about as controversial as anything in American culture today. As they should be, I think I can say without getting into it. And some readers might be put off of the book because of that, this would be a mistake. First, because as McMahon said, "the subject is not entered into divisively or politically."
Secondly, while the book starts with the school shooting—it's not what the book is about. It's the instigating event. It casts a shadow over everything that happens in the days following it for P.T. and the rest of Mason Falls. You can't get away from it for long (but there are a few pages every now and then that might draw your attention away from it).
It reminded me of the Ian Rankin novel A Question of Blood, where Rebus is called to come help a friend look into a school shooting, and it turns out to be about a lot more than that. The two books approach the subject differently and go in different directions with it. But that doesn't stop the reader from thinking about them at the same time.
WAIT—YOU CAN DO THIS IN A PROCEDURAL?
P.T. and his partner Remy get along—they spend time with each other outside of work. Yes, they disagree on some things, but there's a mutual affection and respect. In fact, that carries through the department—detectives and uniformed officers, every detective, even the Chief and everyone else—they look out for each other, support and help each other.* There's no petty jealousies coloring things, no rivalry, no behind-the-scenes machinations. I cannot think of another police procedural like that, what a refreshing change.
* Okay, the Force Investigation Unit detective has something against P.T.
Now, there are politicians at various levels and federal agents from a couple of agencies—so I'm not suggesting it's all rainbows and unicorns. In fact, things get pretty nasty on these other points. So it's not like P.T. has nothing to worry about or put up with.
JUMPING ON AT THIS POINT
This is a tricky one to jump into the series with—McMahon says that he treated the three books as a series, and so jumping on with the third book brings some challenges. And no matter how well he blends in the details about what happened in the first two books, readers like me are going to miss something. But McMahon does a great job in giving you enough information from the first two books that you can jump in and get almost all the weight of the first two books on P.T. and the rest. I knew I missed out on some of the nuances, but I had no problem following things or caring about the way he wraps up this trilogy within a series.
I'm not convinced I could go back and read the first two at this point, I should add. But you never know...
PURVIS!
Purvis is an eight-year-old bulldog, who had been P.T.'s son's pet but is now P.T.'s. Not only is he good for comic relief. P.T. bounces a lot of ideas off of Purvis, who is just the listener P.T. needs. It was a really good depiction of a man and his pet, and you all know I'm a sucker for that kind of thing, and Purvis is off to a commanding lead in my "Favorite Pets of 2021" race.
There's another dog, who seems like an adorable handful, in this book, and in P.T.'s life now. He seems like he could be a fun cast member—but the star of the K-9 action is Purvis. Still, I hope I get to see both of them again soon.
SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT A GOOD KILL?
There's very little about this book that didn't work for me—great characters; solid, twisty story; some strong action scenes; and believable criminals around at every stage. There's more than your daily minimum requirement of fictional emotions—P.T. and Remy are put through the wringer, and you feel it at every step of the way. Which just makes the ending of the book so much more meaningful, even to people who hadn't read the two previous books. You name it, McMahon provides it in one way or another.
All of this just makes this Crime Fiction reader all sorts of happy.
Grab this one, or the first in the trilogy, The Good Detective. You won't regret it.
Disclaimer: I received this eARC from PENGUIN GROUP Putnam via NetGalley in exchange for this post—thanks to both for this, and to Wiley Saichek and Saichek Publicity for bringing it to my attention.
June 16, 2021
“A Good Kill” is the third book featuring P. T. Marsh of Mason Falls, Georgia. New readers may miss some of the intricacies of the encounters in this book, but a broad picture of previous events is part of the current narrative. This book is the complex life of Paul Thomas Marsh, and the story is told mostly in his first person narrative. His wife and son were murdered by a paid killer, and his life was destroyed. He struggles daily, walking through the messy swamp of the past. He has had a lot of time to think, but he is still searching for justice. He has almost nothing left; he has his job and fishing, always fishing.
McMahon immediately plunges readers and P.T. Marsh into the trauma of a dramatic situation. School shooting. One gunman. Hostages. One teacher dead. Marsh knows when a gunman takes hostages, all bets are off. A phone call. Aim. Pull the trigger. Shooter down. Why this school? Why this building? Why this teacher? Throughout the narrative, the clock turns back to answer those questions.
Mason Falls is a small town; yet its proximity to Atlanta brings other cases, other events, and other things for homicide detectives Marsh and his partner Remy Morgan to investigate. There is no time to sleep when there are crimes to be solved. The crimes seem random, and yet somehow connected. The task is to connect the pieces of this puzzle, and in this case there are actual pieces of some unknown thing to identify. When Marsh and Morgan find out what those little things really are, everything changes, and something has to be done, now.
“A Good Kill” tells several complex stories. The investigations are methodical, detailed, and precise. The facts are itemized, and the stories come together in a very unexpected way. I received a review copy of “A Good Kill” from John McMahon, Putnam’s Sons Publishers, and Penguin Random House. I also read the two previous books, and I highly recommend reading the entire series.
July 18, 2021
Another gripping page turner.
While the writer does a good job of summing up previous events, it's probably best to do this series in order.
P.T. & Remy have gotten another puzzle of a case b/c it's not as simple as it appears. Another book written partly in the police procedural style.
One of the things I like is that the story is told in first person POV so the reader learns the clues along w/the detective.
I'm not a big fan of series with an overlying conspiracy mystery that's dragged out over the various books. In this case, it's the death of P.T.'s wife & son. He's still not satisfied and continues to look for answers. But when a book is well written, I can overlook it. This is a case for that. And as a reader, I'm also caught up in the search for answers but I have to side w/his partner Remy. I'm glad she's a dissenting voice without being haughty.
Memorable quote:
"Does the pope shit in the woods on a camping trip, like the rest of us?"
"I cocked my head. I was pretty sure that wasn't a saying, but I was suddenly unable to not see the pontiff in bright white, squatting among a patch of kudzu."
And now thanks to Mr. McMahon, I can't get that image out of my head either.
While the writer does a good job of summing up previous events, it's probably best to do this series in order.
P.T. & Remy have gotten another puzzle of a case b/c it's not as simple as it appears. Another book written partly in the police procedural style.
One of the things I like is that the story is told in first person POV so the reader learns the clues along w/the detective.
I'm not a big fan of series with an overlying conspiracy mystery that's dragged out over the various books. In this case, it's the death of P.T.'s wife & son. He's still not satisfied and continues to look for answers. But when a book is well written, I can overlook it. This is a case for that. And as a reader, I'm also caught up in the search for answers but I have to side w/his partner Remy. I'm glad she's a dissenting voice without being haughty.
Memorable quote:
"Does the pope shit in the woods on a camping trip, like the rest of us?"
"I cocked my head. I was pretty sure that wasn't a saying, but I was suddenly unable to not see the pontiff in bright white, squatting among a patch of kudzu."
And now thanks to Mr. McMahon, I can't get that image out of my head either.
June 10, 2021
This starts with a school shooting in the town of Mason Falls- a town big enough for two Walmarts- and turns into a much more complex mystery. PT Marsh is the police officer who takes the shot when Jed Harrington appears ready to shoot either another teacher or the girls in the art room. Harrington has no apparent connections to the school so why the shooting? Marsh, along with his partner Remy starts to dig and finds surprising connections in this complex and intense novel. Although I read the first book, I missed the second and that wasn't an impediment to enjoying this one even though Marsh's back story is critical to this one- McMahon gives the perfect amount of info so that this makes sense but doesn't overwhelm. It's hard to review this without spoilers- there are lots of twists (surprising ones) as well as topical issues that are key to the plot. There are also vivid characters starting with Marsh and Remy, of course, but also Marsh's father in law and the people he meets along the way (wait til you meet those who are key to the technology issue). Thanks to Edwwleiss for the ARC. Great storytelling and terrific tension along with a believable (sadly in spots) plot made this an excellent read.
August 15, 2021
Police Detective P. T. Marsh lost his wife and son in an unsolved auto accident that P.T. doesn't believe was an accident at all. His latest crime scene involving an active shooter leads him to believe that whoever is behind this shooting is behind the death of his family. While investigating this crime, Marsh and his partner Remy, find proof that the shooting comes from the highest levels of local government. As the answers become clearer, Marsh begins to think that some secrets are safer left alone. But he will do anything to find out what happened the night his family died and find justice regardless of who gets hurt.
December 28, 2024
I have no idea why I finished this book. Apathy from a blek, gray January? It is full of clunky sentences and an insipid plot. I could have sworn I enjoyed the first 2 books in this series but this one grated on me from almost the begining to the very end.
August 16, 2021
This book!!!! Loved it!!!
November 10, 2021
Just simply Excellent
November 22, 2025
Det. P.T. Marsh takes out a man who had gunned down a teacher, but the dead school shooter's motive is elusive and could be tied into a personal tragedy in the cop's past.
At least that's where "A Good Kill" starts and intends to go, but for much of the novel, Marsh stumbles his way through an unrelated case.
It's either a sloppily assembled book plot or a police procedural with a pretty typical main character. Hard to tell which the author was going for.
A quintessential "dad book," the cliche protagonist is a cop who bends the rules, takes action, and gets results. He is dealing with the deaths of his wife and son -- both killed in an intentional car crash when P.T. had gotten too close to solving a mystery. He's since gotten retribution, but still thinks of what he's lost. He's not portrayed as emotionally wounded though, but stoic and strong. But it felt like an attempt to establish character depth through tragedy, but not actually giving P.T. a real personality. He's pretty bland.
P.T. is partnered up with Remy, a young cop more hip than her mentor, but also inhereting some of his flexible ethics. The chemistry between the two cops is a virtue of this novel.
There are also interactions with witnesses, informants, and suspects that also kept things lively.
The writing is easy-to-digest, and the action moves along smoothly. The book did have me staying up late to polish it off. It was entertaining and exciting.
A lot of the policing in this book did feel cheesy though, kind of like what you'd find in a cliche-filled cop movie. It came off as unrealistic. There are also other tired tropes in the book, too -- slimy politicians, professional gunmen, and backstabbing reporters. It's very basic that way.
How quickly P.T. seems to set aside mysteries involving the school shooting as he pursues a lesser case came off as odd. This guy's supposed to be a police detective, right? Why is not curious about the motive of the man he shot? Or that of those who encouraged him to use deadly force?
Even if he's not on that case, he would seem to be interested in finding out more about the shooting that made him a hero.
Overall, this book was a fine leisure reading experience. If you're looking for a cop story, it will satisfy that urge. And if you do like the characters, this is part of a series. As for myself, I'm not rushing to read more about P.T. and company. Maybe some other time though when I am up for an easy-reading police story.
At least that's where "A Good Kill" starts and intends to go, but for much of the novel, Marsh stumbles his way through an unrelated case.
It's either a sloppily assembled book plot or a police procedural with a pretty typical main character. Hard to tell which the author was going for.
A quintessential "dad book," the cliche protagonist is a cop who bends the rules, takes action, and gets results. He is dealing with the deaths of his wife and son -- both killed in an intentional car crash when P.T. had gotten too close to solving a mystery. He's since gotten retribution, but still thinks of what he's lost. He's not portrayed as emotionally wounded though, but stoic and strong. But it felt like an attempt to establish character depth through tragedy, but not actually giving P.T. a real personality. He's pretty bland.
P.T. is partnered up with Remy, a young cop more hip than her mentor, but also inhereting some of his flexible ethics. The chemistry between the two cops is a virtue of this novel.
There are also interactions with witnesses, informants, and suspects that also kept things lively.
The writing is easy-to-digest, and the action moves along smoothly. The book did have me staying up late to polish it off. It was entertaining and exciting.
A lot of the policing in this book did feel cheesy though, kind of like what you'd find in a cliche-filled cop movie. It came off as unrealistic. There are also other tired tropes in the book, too -- slimy politicians, professional gunmen, and backstabbing reporters. It's very basic that way.
How quickly P.T. seems to set aside mysteries involving the school shooting as he pursues a lesser case came off as odd. This guy's supposed to be a police detective, right? Why is not curious about the motive of the man he shot? Or that of those who encouraged him to use deadly force?
Even if he's not on that case, he would seem to be interested in finding out more about the shooting that made him a hero.
Overall, this book was a fine leisure reading experience. If you're looking for a cop story, it will satisfy that urge. And if you do like the characters, this is part of a series. As for myself, I'm not rushing to read more about P.T. and company. Maybe some other time though when I am up for an easy-reading police story.
June 3, 2021
A Good Kill by John McMahon is a very highly recommended outstanding procedural and the perfect conclusion of a three book series featuring P.T. Marsh. This is an intelligent, perfectly crafted series and I very highly recommend reading The Good Detective, The Evil Men Do, and A Good Kill. This whole series is a winning combination!
P.T. Marsh, a police detective in the small Georgia town of Mason Falls, is called by his partner Remy to the scene of a shooting at the Falls Magnet Middle School. One teacher has been shot while another teacher and three students are being held hostage by former journalist Jed Harrington. When Marsh gets into position to remove the threat, he receives a phone call from Governor Toby Monroe encouraging him to shoot Harrington to avoid bad press. Considering this request becomes a moot point when Marsh witnesses Harrington put a gun to the head of the teacher and then turns it toward the students. He chooses to protect the students, but wonders what Harrington's motive was and why Monroe was concerned. As Marsh and Remy look into Harrington, they are called to another murder scene.
In a A Good Kill Marsh investigates three complex crimes and uncovers more evidence and secrets that not only connect to the current cases, but also to the death of his wife and son. This is a riveting un-put-downable procedural. I was glued to the pages and totally immersed in the plot and invested in the outcome. McMahon keeps the investigation discerning, discoveries perceptive, and twists pertinent with no implausible leaps in the plot. The pacing of the novel is absolutely impeccable. It held my attention throughout while allowing the tension and suspense to build to a consummate denouement.
You can read all three books in the series as standalone novels, but the growth of the characters and the richness and complexity of the interconnected story lines work best when all three novels are read. By the time you finish the second novel you will know these characters, be invested in their stories, and care about what happens to them. Apparently McMahon may take a break from the P.T. Marsh series after this third novel. I enjoyed meeting his characters and following the compelling plots enough to allow that the quality of his writing ensures I will follow a new character in a new series. A Good Kill is one of the best procedurals of the year!
Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Penguin Random House.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2021/0...
P.T. Marsh, a police detective in the small Georgia town of Mason Falls, is called by his partner Remy to the scene of a shooting at the Falls Magnet Middle School. One teacher has been shot while another teacher and three students are being held hostage by former journalist Jed Harrington. When Marsh gets into position to remove the threat, he receives a phone call from Governor Toby Monroe encouraging him to shoot Harrington to avoid bad press. Considering this request becomes a moot point when Marsh witnesses Harrington put a gun to the head of the teacher and then turns it toward the students. He chooses to protect the students, but wonders what Harrington's motive was and why Monroe was concerned. As Marsh and Remy look into Harrington, they are called to another murder scene.
In a A Good Kill Marsh investigates three complex crimes and uncovers more evidence and secrets that not only connect to the current cases, but also to the death of his wife and son. This is a riveting un-put-downable procedural. I was glued to the pages and totally immersed in the plot and invested in the outcome. McMahon keeps the investigation discerning, discoveries perceptive, and twists pertinent with no implausible leaps in the plot. The pacing of the novel is absolutely impeccable. It held my attention throughout while allowing the tension and suspense to build to a consummate denouement.
You can read all three books in the series as standalone novels, but the growth of the characters and the richness and complexity of the interconnected story lines work best when all three novels are read. By the time you finish the second novel you will know these characters, be invested in their stories, and care about what happens to them. Apparently McMahon may take a break from the P.T. Marsh series after this third novel. I enjoyed meeting his characters and following the compelling plots enough to allow that the quality of his writing ensures I will follow a new character in a new series. A Good Kill is one of the best procedurals of the year!
Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Penguin Random House.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2021/0...
January 4, 2026
John McMahon says in his acknowledgements after this whirlwind read that "there're more stories to tell with P.T. and Remy. I sure hope so.
Addictive, fast paced, plot-loaded crime fiction.. McMahon keeps getting better and better.
Addictive, fast paced, plot-loaded crime fiction.. McMahon keeps getting better and better.
August 25, 2025
Really was enjoying it, just like the first two. But lost a star with the ending. Way too tidy. Didn’t fit.
September 11, 2021
Third book of the PT Marsh trilogy and John McMahon was saving the best for last. Loved it-very satisfying end to a great series.
April 20, 2025
Great
Stuff… if you are looking for really good southern crime noir then the 3 pt marsh books from John McMahon are a great start! Probably liked the 3rd one - a good kill - the best but all are fun, fast paced with plenty of cool characters and twists. Enjoy!
Stuff… if you are looking for really good southern crime noir then the 3 pt marsh books from John McMahon are a great start! Probably liked the 3rd one - a good kill - the best but all are fun, fast paced with plenty of cool characters and twists. Enjoy!
August 4, 2021
Wow. I do love mysteries that are convoluted but make sense once the right thread is pulled. This one is top notch!!!
May 15, 2025
PT’s life is quite sad but his cases are a good mystery
July 19, 2021
A Good Kill by John McMahon marks the return of Detective P. T. Marsh first seen in The Good Detective and The Evil Men Do. Both books made my favorite of the year list. This is a series that must be read in order. This is especially true for A Good Kill as this read ties up some things that have been going on in this entire series.
A shooter at a school is very bad news anywhere. The shooter is in Fall Magnet Middle School and that means a full-scale response by the police department of Mason Falls, Georgia. P. T. Mason and his partner, Remy Morgan, arrive on campus to find one gunman holding three students and two teachers hostage. The hostages are being held in the art room.
It does not help matters that a teacher is wounded. That teacher needs urgent medical attention. The pressure mounts when Marsh learns that one of the students being held hostage is the thirteen-year-old, Avis Senza. She is the daughter of their boss, Police Chief Dana Senza.
The media already knows the gunman is Jed Harrington. Nobody knows why he is in the building with a gun, why he did any of this, and what he wants. His actions do make it clear that he intends to do more harm. He has to be stopped.
In the aftermath, it slowly becomes clear the events of that fateful day have links to other events and cases. Including a very personal case that has nearly destroyed Marsh and for good reason.
This is one of those really good reads that is nearly impossible to discuss without creating spoilers. A read of the publisher blurb on the hardback makes it clear that the publisher faced the same dilemma. This procedural is complicated in multiple ways, both professionally and personally. Not only are there current cases for the detectives to work, there is the one big case that goes back several years regarding an overall story arc that has been the heart and soul of this complicated series.
One could easily think of these three books in the series as a trilogy of sorts. I had come to that conclusion by the time I hit the author note at the end which seems to make clear that the next book from this very talented author will be focused around a new character.
The entire series, including A Good Kill, is strongly recommended.
A Good Kill
John McMahon
https://www.johnmcmahonbooks.com/
G. P. Putnam’s Sons
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/bo...
ISBN# 978-0-593-32836-1
June 2021
Hardback (also available in audio and eBook formats)
384 Pages
Big time thanks to publicist Wiley Saichek who reached out to me recently to offer the book. I had no idea it was coming out until his email. Scott and I are both big fans of this series so getting the offer was and is very cool.
Kevin R. Tipple © 2021
A shooter at a school is very bad news anywhere. The shooter is in Fall Magnet Middle School and that means a full-scale response by the police department of Mason Falls, Georgia. P. T. Mason and his partner, Remy Morgan, arrive on campus to find one gunman holding three students and two teachers hostage. The hostages are being held in the art room.
It does not help matters that a teacher is wounded. That teacher needs urgent medical attention. The pressure mounts when Marsh learns that one of the students being held hostage is the thirteen-year-old, Avis Senza. She is the daughter of their boss, Police Chief Dana Senza.
The media already knows the gunman is Jed Harrington. Nobody knows why he is in the building with a gun, why he did any of this, and what he wants. His actions do make it clear that he intends to do more harm. He has to be stopped.
In the aftermath, it slowly becomes clear the events of that fateful day have links to other events and cases. Including a very personal case that has nearly destroyed Marsh and for good reason.
This is one of those really good reads that is nearly impossible to discuss without creating spoilers. A read of the publisher blurb on the hardback makes it clear that the publisher faced the same dilemma. This procedural is complicated in multiple ways, both professionally and personally. Not only are there current cases for the detectives to work, there is the one big case that goes back several years regarding an overall story arc that has been the heart and soul of this complicated series.
One could easily think of these three books in the series as a trilogy of sorts. I had come to that conclusion by the time I hit the author note at the end which seems to make clear that the next book from this very talented author will be focused around a new character.
The entire series, including A Good Kill, is strongly recommended.
A Good Kill
John McMahon
https://www.johnmcmahonbooks.com/
G. P. Putnam’s Sons
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/bo...
ISBN# 978-0-593-32836-1
June 2021
Hardback (also available in audio and eBook formats)
384 Pages
Big time thanks to publicist Wiley Saichek who reached out to me recently to offer the book. I had no idea it was coming out until his email. Scott and I are both big fans of this series so getting the offer was and is very cool.
Kevin R. Tipple © 2021
October 4, 2021
Rating - 4.9/5
Man, oh man. I don't even know where to start; all I have to say is that this is probably one of the best thriller/mystery/suspense novels that I've read this year! If you haven't read the summary already, the main character, Detective P.T. Marsh, gets involved in a school shooting. While he tries to figure out the shooter's motive, a series of murders/crimes occur shortly thereafter. With the help of his partner Remy, and the Mason Falls police department, he slowly realizes that all of these crimes are somehow all connected - to him.
Here's my quick review of the book -
PROS -
*The beginning caught my attention almost instantly; the novel didn't have a slow start, that's for sure
*Although this is part of a series (I think), I didn't feel like they left out anything that was revealed in the other books; the author did a good job of explaining what happened in the previous books, so I didn't feel like I had the need to "catch up"
*I liked how realistic P.T. Marsh's character is; in parts of the novel, he was struggling with grief and alcohol; this showed that he had some vulnerability/weaknesses; it's refreshing to see a detective that's not always rough around the edges, and tries to maintain that "tough" image around the public eye
*MAN OH MAN, the plot twists and turns; there was always something going on that was unpredictable; I felt like this kept things exciting!
*It was a fast-paced novel; there were times where I didn't even want to put the book down!
CONS-
*I don't think this is really a "con" per se, but there are SO MANY characters throughout the novel; I ended up having to type a character list just to keep track of everyone! The author does do a good job of giving a brief explanation of all of the characters though.
*I took off 0.1 due to some of the stereotypical jokes about race in the novel; I could see how it could be offensive to some races, but don't let that defer you from reading it!
Overall, I really enjoyed this book! One of my favorite mystery/thriller/suspense novels of all time this year! I actually added the rest of John McMahon's books on my "to-read" list. I think McMahon did a great job on this novel, and I hope that he continues writing other novels like this in the future!
**A huge thank you to Goodreads, John McMahon, G.P. Putnam's Sons Publishers, and Amazon Kindle for sponsoring this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own and are in no way reflected by this giveaway.**
Man, oh man. I don't even know where to start; all I have to say is that this is probably one of the best thriller/mystery/suspense novels that I've read this year! If you haven't read the summary already, the main character, Detective P.T. Marsh, gets involved in a school shooting. While he tries to figure out the shooter's motive, a series of murders/crimes occur shortly thereafter. With the help of his partner Remy, and the Mason Falls police department, he slowly realizes that all of these crimes are somehow all connected - to him.
Here's my quick review of the book -
PROS -
*The beginning caught my attention almost instantly; the novel didn't have a slow start, that's for sure
*Although this is part of a series (I think), I didn't feel like they left out anything that was revealed in the other books; the author did a good job of explaining what happened in the previous books, so I didn't feel like I had the need to "catch up"
*I liked how realistic P.T. Marsh's character is; in parts of the novel, he was struggling with grief and alcohol; this showed that he had some vulnerability/weaknesses; it's refreshing to see a detective that's not always rough around the edges, and tries to maintain that "tough" image around the public eye
*MAN OH MAN, the plot twists and turns; there was always something going on that was unpredictable; I felt like this kept things exciting!
*It was a fast-paced novel; there were times where I didn't even want to put the book down!
CONS-
*I don't think this is really a "con" per se, but there are SO MANY characters throughout the novel; I ended up having to type a character list just to keep track of everyone! The author does do a good job of giving a brief explanation of all of the characters though.
*I took off 0.1 due to some of the stereotypical jokes about race in the novel; I could see how it could be offensive to some races, but don't let that defer you from reading it!
Overall, I really enjoyed this book! One of my favorite mystery/thriller/suspense novels of all time this year! I actually added the rest of John McMahon's books on my "to-read" list. I think McMahon did a great job on this novel, and I hope that he continues writing other novels like this in the future!
**A huge thank you to Goodreads, John McMahon, G.P. Putnam's Sons Publishers, and Amazon Kindle for sponsoring this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own and are in no way reflected by this giveaway.**
July 28, 2021
THREE . Five STARS I really enjoyed the first two novels in this series ant though we had another winner in the Sandford, Atkins area. I had also heard that this would be the last book in the series.
I have to admit that I was very let down by this book. . The plot was muddy, PT Marsh was going through the motions and the story line dragged on forever. Hope his next novel picks up the slack as this was a major disappointment.
In the years since the mysterious deaths of his wife and child, P.T. Marsh, a police detective in the small Georgia town of Mason Falls, has faced demons--both professional and personal. But when he is called to the scene of a school shooting, the professional and personal become intertwined, and he suspects that whoever is behind the crime may be connected to his own family tragedy.
I have to admit that I was very let down by this book. . The plot was muddy, PT Marsh was going through the motions and the story line dragged on forever. Hope his next novel picks up the slack as this was a major disappointment.
In the years since the mysterious deaths of his wife and child, P.T. Marsh, a police detective in the small Georgia town of Mason Falls, has faced demons--both professional and personal. But when he is called to the scene of a school shooting, the professional and personal become intertwined, and he suspects that whoever is behind the crime may be connected to his own family tragedy.
June 28, 2021
I just finished the third installment of the P.T. Marsh series. Holy wow!!!! McMahon is a superb storyteller and deserves to be mentioned in the same sentence as Michael Connelly, Robert Crais, William Kent Krueger, and C.J. Box. His plotting, pacing, and character development are just superb. Marsh is a deeply thought out persona who crime fiction aficionados will appreciate. It's hard to believe that McMahon has only been on the scene since 2019. For me, he is my favorite new crime fiction writer of recent years. Do yourself a favor and check out his books: The Good Detective, The Evil Men Do, and this one. I cannot recommend this series highly enough. Cheers all you awesome readers!!!!
June 16, 2021
P. T. Marsh is back and partnered up with Remy, and they are investigating a school shooting. Their investigation leads them to a local government conspiracy, which in turn leads Marsh back to the death of his wife and son.
McMahon is at the top of his game with A Good Kill. I love watching the characters develop, Marsh is a great protagonist, but I really love Remy. This one had me questioning everything, and I loved every minute. I can't wait to see what is in store for them next!
McMahon is at the top of his game with A Good Kill. I love watching the characters develop, Marsh is a great protagonist, but I really love Remy. This one had me questioning everything, and I loved every minute. I can't wait to see what is in store for them next!
July 10, 2021
Great Series
I really enjoy these books and like PT Marsh. I am glad the mystery on his wife is solved. I would hate for the series to be over but am ready for new plot lines. I gave iyt four stars because of some errors in writing I found. For example, Beau comes through the dog door but comes from the bedroom. What?
Highly recommend
I really enjoy these books and like PT Marsh. I am glad the mystery on his wife is solved. I would hate for the series to be over but am ready for new plot lines. I gave iyt four stars because of some errors in writing I found. For example, Beau comes through the dog door but comes from the bedroom. What?
Highly recommend
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