Private investigator Owen McKenna
is up to his eyebrows in trouble in Todd Borg's
latest novel, Tahoe Dark. The police have
discovered a dead body and the evidence points to McKenna as the killer. Only
one catch – he didn’t kill the man and in fact, hardly knew him. As he works to clear his own name, he finds others implicated
in the crime, but are they being set up, too?
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| Cover art copyright Todd Borg and Thriller Press |
Borg writes thrilling mysteries
with elegantly woven plots. In exchange for the reader's attention, he delivers
tight action in a beautiful setting. Borg's robust cast of characters includes McKenna's
girlfriend, entomologist Casey Street; his Great Dane, Spot and a number of local
law enforcement officers in jurisdictions all around Lake Tahoe, both California
and Nevada.
Evil seems even more vile against
the majestic backdrop of Lake Tahoe and the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Borg
does an excellent job of using the geography in his stories, making each one a
mini-vacation to the area. Just keep your head down while you’re there.
As I’ve read more and more
of his books over the years (Tahoe Dark
marks detective McKenna’s fourteenth book), my admiration for Borg’s
storytelling increases. His characters grow with each volume. Relationships wax
and wane, with realistic issues impacting the day-to-day, in addition to the
adventure inherent in the case. His situations provide interesting and unusual
crimes and motives.
If you love a great mystery
with unexpected turns, you’ll adore Tahoe
Dark. Relationship and buddy story fans will find a lot to embrace here as
well. As for dog stories, well, you don’t stand much chance of encountering
more delightful dogs in fiction than Spot.
I’ve likened Borg’s work to
James D. MacDonald and Robert B. Parker as contemporary brethren. Owen McKenna
can hold his own with Travis McGee and Spenser. Others go back even further,
with comparisons to …”Sam Spade, Philip Marlowe and Lew Archer” (Kirkus
Reviews). In my opinion, Borg’s series will become just as much of a classic as
all of those.
Yes, I am an unabashed fan
of Borg’s work. Any mystery lover will risk instant addiction with the first
one opened. I’m not alone in my admiration. Borg has been named the Toastmaster
for the 2018 Left Coast Crime Conference.
Tahoe Dark by Todd Borg
Available in print and electronic formats
Published by Thriller Press
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