Reviewed By Lesley Jones for Readers’ Favorite
…a rollercoaster of excitement and tension as the troubled Holmes fearlessly hunts down the evil and corruption of Escambia County.
Blood in the Water by Rick Outzen is the sequel to City of Grudges. Owner and publisher of the Pensacola Insider, Walker Holmes’s life is still spiraling downward with an ex-wife, an ex-girlfriend, and haunting memories and demons that he is convinced only alcohol can remedy. Holmes finds himself the target of unnecessary attention once more when he exposes the rape of a young girl. When she is murdered shortly after the publication of Holmes’s article, her family turns to Holmes for help. Hoping to win a third term in office, Sheriff Frost, Holmes’ nemesis, comes under public pressure to re-open the murder case.
As Holmes fights to expose the corruption in the town, he soon realizes how influential and powerful the key players are. Holmes soon finds himself the target of Sheriff Frost but also the KKK and an organized criminal gang who are determined to preserve their lucrative prostitution and gambling empire. As Holmes battles to rid the town of corruption and violence, he also tries desperately to regain normality in his personal life.
Blood in the Water by Rick Outzen is a rollercoaster of excitement and tension as the troubled Holmes fearlessly hunts down the evil and corruption of Escambia County. I admired how every character has been created with so much consideration, the layers to their personalities were detailed, and every character made for a great addition to the plot. The characters of Frost and Peck were evil to their core and their utter lack of empathy was astonishing. I found the storyline had many intriguing and compelling layers that were gradually exposed which dragged Holmes into a criminal world he was little prepared for.
The twist at the end was amazing and was totally unexpected. Blood in the Walter is such a brilliant and well-written story that has everything a high-quality crime novel should possess.
Holmes is a flawed soul who handles his personal nightmares with excessive drinking, sarcasm, and flippancy. I loved this quote by him: “I’m always afraid, but I refuse to give in to the fear.”
I also thought Pastor Bates was a fantastic character who possessed such courage and high morals as he fearlessly spoke out for those who afraid to do so.
There are so many moments filled with suspense, I was literally on the edge of my seat at times. The twist at the end was amazing and was totally unexpected. Blood in the Walter is such a brilliant and well-written story that has everything a high-quality crime novel should possess.