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9781590586228

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I thought I would mourn Barry Clayton, the undertaker/lawman of Mark de Castrique's first mystery series. But de Castrique has come up with a fine new character in Sam Blackman: Iraq vet, former military investigator, minus one leg but no pushover. We meet him in an Asheville hospital where he was sent after blowing the whistle on conditions at Walter Reed. After a cheering visit from a fellow vet n a forthright black woman with a hook for a hand n he is shocked to hear of her death and surprised by an odd legacy from her: a young boy's 19th-century journal. At first, he thinks she gave him the journal because the boy who wrote it also had lost a leg (to a bear trap), but eventually the journal proves to be treasure in more than one way. As always, de Castrique makes his home state a pivotal part of the story, weaving in Asheville icons Thomas Wolfe and George Vanderbilt and landmarks such as Pack Square and the Biltmore House n which gets a juicy role of its own, beyond just a scenic background. And eccentric characters such as a one-legged centenarian and the elderly conspirators who smuggle him out of ithe homei for a clandestine trip give the tale that Southern flair. De Castrique notes in the introduction that a true story about a white undertaker helping bear a black man's coffin to his home cemetery was the kernel of this story. iSeems like I can't get away from graveyards, i Sam says, an observation that also applies to his creator. But hey, to find a good story, you could do worse than a graveyard.

*STARRED REVIEW* “A wealth of historical detail, an exciting treasure hunt and credible characters distinguish this fresh, adventurous read.” – Publishers Weekly of Blackman’s Coffin     *STARRED REVIEW* “Known for his effortless storytelling, de Castrique once again delivers a compelling tale blending fact and fiction….” – Library Journal of Blackman’s Coffin     “In the struggling Sam Blackman, de Castrique ( Final Undertaking , 2007, etc.) has created a compelling hero whose flinty first-person narrative nicely complements Henderson's earnest, measured and equally involving account.” – Kirkus Reviews of Blackman’s Coffin .

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Mark de Castrique grew up in the mountains of western North Carolina where many of his novels are set. He's a veteran of the television and film production industry, has served as an adjunct professor at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte teaching The American Mystery, and he's a frequent speaker and workshop leader. He and his wife, Linda, live in Charlotte, North Carolina. www.markdecastrique.com

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