G1027 Book Review of The devils wind by Steve GOBLE
Author: Steve Goble
ISBN: 978-1-63388-484-7
Publisher: Seventh Street Books
Part of a Series: Spider John Mysteries
Type of book: 1723, pirates, mystery, love triangle, murder, seas, trap, islands, sailing, deductive reasoning, confrontation
Year it was published: 2018
Summary:
A historical mystery that blends nautical adventure in pirate waters with a locked-room murder mystery, featuring a pirate sleuth whose wits are as sharp as his blade.
Spider John, longing to escape the pirate life he never wanted, has an honest seafaring job at last and a chance to return to his beloved Em and their child. But when Captain Brentwood is murdered in his cabin, Spider’s plans are tossed overboard.
Who killed Redemption’s captain? The mysterious pirate with a sadistic past? The beautiful redhead who hides guns beneath her skirt? One of the men pining for the captain’s daughter? There are plenty of suspects.
But how could anyone kill the captain in his locked quarters while the entire crew was gathered together on the deck? Before he can solve the puzzle, Spider John and his ex-pirate friends Hob and Odin will have to cope with violence, schemes, nosy Royal Navy officers, and a deadly trap set by the ruthless pirate Ned Low.
Characters:
Main characters include Spider John Rush, a talented carpenter who is looking to get out of the pirate life and just get back to his beloved Em and the son he had with her. Spider John is best described as careful, observant and cautious when it comes to tackling a mystery. He is joined in by Hob, a teenage pirate whom he sees as either a son or a little brother. In both of the stories Hob is best described as charismatic for me and is often a font of information for Spider John. Spider John is also seeking to get Hob out of pirate life. There is also Odin who in the previous book often bragged about Blackbeard the pirate and how he sailed with him. In this book a lot more information is revealed about Odin's background and he plays a more prominent role. There are also famous personages that make appearances but it's more fun to read the book than just having me talk about them.
Theme:
It's possible to solve the impossible
Plot:
The story is in third person narrative from Spider Johns point of view, and in fact it's reading this novel that made me want to read it's predecessor and see what I can learn about Spider John. The mystery is also believed to be impossible to solve, yet through logic and cunning as well as fieldwork Spider John manages to solve it, and unlike in previous novel, the ending didn't feel rushed and instead it was possible to take ones time and go through the evidence. Also, women played a lot more visible role in this book rather than in previous one.
Author Information:
(From the book)
Steve Goble is a career journalist, working for USA Today Network-Ohio. Before he started writing about murder on the high seas, he worte a weekly craft beer column called Brewologist. He lives in rural Ohio with his lovely and patient wife, a suprmely sarcastic teenager, and two occasionally well-behaved dogs. Learn more at SteveGoble.com
Opinion:
I received this book first and read it prior to THE BLOODY BLACK FLAG BY STEVE GOBLE. ( I got this book as a surprise.) Just like its predecessor this was a delightful read and a mystery that stayed way long after i turned my last page. The mystery, in my opinion, seems impossible to solve, and the author takes the readers through solving it step by step. In addition to some favorite characters besides Spider John, a few famous personages also make an appearance, expanding the knowledge of of the era even more. Again, a masterful read.
This was given for a review
4 out of 5
(0: Stay away unless a masochist 1: Good for insomnia 2: Horrible but readable; 3: Readable and quickly forgettable, 4: Good, enjoyable 5: Buy it, keep it and never let it go.)
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