Sunday, July 31, 2022

Tahoe Moon by Todd Borg

 
First Line: The chainsaw screamed as it chewed through the trunk of a Jeffrey pine.
 
When private investigator Owen McKenna arrives at a Lake Tahoe resort to talk about a job as a security consultant, he sees a little girl in the parking lot. Something about her bothers him, so when he comes back out from the short meeting, he looks for her.

She is eight-year-old Camille Dexter, and she is deaf. Her grandfather left her while he went to finish a job, but he's disappeared. McKenna calls a local police officer, and it's not long before they learn that Camille's grandfather is dead, crushed by a recently-cut tree. At first, Charlie Dexter's death is considered a work suicide, but the facts don't add up for McKenna. In fact, when he begins checking, he learns of other suspicious suicides in the area.

McKenna discovers a common thread tying all these suicides together, and they all have one thing in common: Camille, the only person in the group who's still alive. McKenna thinks he knows the killer's identity, but before he can find him, Camille is kidnapped, and the clock is ticking.

~

When you've got your hands on a new Owen McKenna thriller, you know you're in for a few hours of sheer reading pleasure. Author Todd Borg has taken one of the most beautiful places on Planet Earth-- Lake Tahoe-- and peopled it with one of the best casts of characters in all of crime fiction. When you read Tahoe Moon and watch Owen McKenna being interviewed by a company that wants to brand a line of fashion guns and accessories because their marketing experts know how much Americans love their Second Amendment, you may not know what to expect. Long-time fans of Owen McKenna know exactly what is going to happen, and they couldn't agree with him more.

I always learn something when I read one of Borg's books. (Well, usually it's more than one something.) Tahoe Moon has "forensic tree cutting", animal intelligence, the Great Pyramid of Cholula, the Mexican poet, Natalia Toledo Paz, and ghost writers. But no matter how much I learn or how much I enjoy Borg's fast-paced mysteries, it's the characters who always bring me back for more.

Once again, childless, single Owen McKenna shows he has a knack for dealing with children, and in this book we see that his (also childless) girlfriend, Street, does, too. Borg's adult characters are excellent and why I am a devoted follower of this series, but there have been some remarkable child characters as well, and Camille Dexter is one of the best. Readers' hearts immediately go out to this young deaf girl, and it soon becomes clear how gifted she is. Yes, folks, she is kidnapped, and if you find yourself becoming incensed over the topic of child endangerment, you can calm down a bit. I don't think I've ever seen an author handle a child abduction scene better than Todd Borg.

If I had my way, we'd all be Todd Borg fans, the author would be a multi-millionaire, and he'd write about Owen and Street and Spot forever. So if I am to have my way, I need you all to get your hands on these books. I would suggest starting at the beginning with Tahoe Deathfall, but if beginning a (so far) twenty-volume series makes your eyes bug out, get Tahoe Moon and give it a try. If I'm to be successful in my quest, I know that it all starts with baby steps.

Tahoe Moon by Todd Borg
ISBN: 9781931296304
Thriller Press © 2022
Paperback, 352 pages

Private Investigator, #20 Owen McKenna mystery
Rating: A
Source: the author

15 comments:

  1. The Lake Tahoe area is such a gorgeous setting for a novel/series, Cathy, isn't it? And this one sounds appealing - a good blend of plot and character. Just from your description, I feel for the little girl, and I can see how Owen and Street would be motivated to help her and Owen to find out what happened to her grandfather.

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    1. It is so easy to become completely invested in Borg's characters.

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  2. It's the whole premise with Camille that really makes me want to read this one. And Owen McKenna, too, of course. :)

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    1. Watching Camille's story unfold was a treat.

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  3. Blogger seems to be giving Dorothy Borders the cold shoulder today, so I'm leaving her comment for her. (Come on, Blogger, get your act together!)

    "Okay, you've convinced me. I'm adding Todd Borg to my reading list."

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  4. I know that you're a fan of this series and I suspect that I need to be also. May I say that I will check my local library for the first book and if it's not there, I'll check my back-up library and then perhaps buy it if needed. Promise. LOL

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    1. P.S. They are all available on Kindle Unlimited, which I have. Yay!

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    2. I think you'd really enjoy the characters and the setting, Kay, and two thumbs up for Kindle Unlimited!

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  5. This series does sound really good. I usually shy away from child endangerment plots, so I am glad to hear the author handled it so well.

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    1. I don't think it could have been handled better, Gretchen. I'd like to say more, but I don't want to give too much away!

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  6. What I liked about the one Tahoe book that I read was that I felt like I was in the region near Lake Tahoe. And that gave me mental images of being there, enjoying the beautiful scenery. That was so relaxing and a virtual vacation weekend.

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    1. It is a very beautiful place, Kathy. I'd been there as a child and had fond, vivid memories of the place, but Todd Borg's books are what encouraged me to visit it again as an adult. It certainly did not disappoint.

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  7. Thanks for the reminder! I stumbled across him last year and keep meaning to go back!

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