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A Commentary on Society-at-large
Where’s Jackson Pollock? follows a gallery owner in Richmond, VA, who is accused of stealing two valuable modern art paintings and needs the help of her brother and his girlfriend to clear her name and find the missing art. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
It was mostly about greed. So many people are self-absorbed in how they live life and never stop to see their own foibles. Everyone in the book, except the protagonists, had some sort of angle, some kind of scam going on, and they all thought it was business as usual. More or less, a commentary on society-at- large.
Sophia is a smart and engaging character who keeps the other characters and readers on their toes. What do you think makes her a valuable and worthy heroine?
Her unique abilities have allowed her to see the world as it is, not in a jaded way. She sees not just the good and the bad in people, but their endless variations. Having such a gift can be chaotic and overwhelming, but she has learned to cope with it.
What experience in your life has had the biggest impact on your writing?
Living on this planet for over sixty years. Nothing gives you a better experience than experience.
Can you tell us more about what’s in store for Chris and Sophia and the direction of the next book?
They are asked to use their unique skills and join a special branch of the FBI. They use their abilities to solve some of their most complicated cases. They next book has them in Boston, Montreal, Prague, and Antwerp.
Author Links: GoodReads | Amazon
Chris and his uniquely skilled girlfriend, Sophia Garcia, coax an old detective out of retirement to help solve the case and save Jackie. However, his once vaunted detective skills have deteriorated, and as the case becomes more complex, what evidence they do find incriminates her.
When the FBI becomes involved, and two people turn up dead, Chris and Sophia become desperate and must use their combined talents to find the stolen paintings and discover the identity of the real criminal and keep his sister from being convicted of the crimes.
The case is complex, the evidence convoluted, and the suspects are clever. Will anyone ever find out, “Where’s Jackson Pollock?”
Where’s Jackson Pollock?
Jim Davidson’s Where’s Jackson Pollock? is a vivid blend of art, crime, and human frailty that moves from the smoky streets of 1960s Brussels to the humid shores of modern-day Florida and Virginia. It begins with an art thief named Henri who steals two priceless paintings, a Pollock and a Rothko, and then follows their strange afterlife through decades of greed, betrayal, and reinvention. By the time the paintings resurface, they’ve become more than works of art, they’re ghosts of guilt and ambition that haunt every character who touches them. The book stitches together these timelines with sharp pacing and a film-like rhythm that makes the mystery feel alive and personal.
I found the writing punchy and cinematic. Davidson has a knack for giving even the quiet moments a pulse, a sense that something is about to go wrong. His characters feel flawed; greedy, desperate, and self-justifying, but never cartoonish. The dialogue sounds natural, almost overheard, and the detail in the settings makes every scene easy to picture. There’s an undercurrent of sadness beneath all the clever plotting, a recognition that beauty and corruption often share the same frame. That mix of tension and melancholy made me care more about the people than the paintings.
The story can linger inside a moment or a minor side story, but I forgave that because the author writes with conviction. The characters talk and act like real people, selfish, hopeful, scared, and funny. The theme that money distorts art and love both feels timeless and painfully true. I caught myself grinning at his dry humor one minute and shaking my head in frustration the next. It’s the kind of book that doesn’t just tell a story; it makes you sit with what greed and loss do to a person’s soul.
I’d recommend Where’s Jackson Pollock? to anyone who loves a good art-world mystery or character-driven crime story. It’s perfect for readers who enjoy novels where the moral lines blur and everyone has something to hide. If you liked The Goldfinch or The Thomas Crown Affair, this one will hit the same nerve. It’s smart, layered, and surprisingly emotional.
Pages: 324 | ASIN : B0FVBL15J3
How Fragile Life Can Be
Snowfall in Virginia follows a man living a seemingly perfect life, who after the discovery of a hidden treasure has his life turned upside down. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
To demonstrate just how fragile life can be. We always believe the good times are the status quo, when in reality they are more often fleeting. Just like a car accident, one minute you’re listening to the radio and cruising at 70 m.p,h., and the next there is smoke and broken glass. It usually comes when we least expect it. There is also the love story, which permeates all the storylines, that becomes a microcosm of the book.
Chris Hamilton is an engaging character that readers will be drawn to. Was there anything from your own life that you put into the characters in your novel?
His baseball career. I read somewhere that all writers will have something of autobiographical elements in their characters. Well Chris is not me, he’s what I wish I was – taller, smarter, better looking. I added his baseball career as a feeling of connection to the character.
How did the mystery develop for this story? Did you plan it before writing, or did it develop organically?
Both. The larger story arc was planned from the beginning, other elements came during the writing process. I had a beginning, middle, and end before I began, but much of it came to me as I wrote. That’s the exciting part of the process, the malleable nature of it all. Ideas come as things develop in the story.
I hope the series continues in other books. If so, where will the story take readers?
The germination started in the first book Tree of Redemption, when Chris visits his estranged and now passed father. That’s when Sophia meets Chris. The story line follows their developing relationship and all the adventures along the way. I have nearly finished the third book of the trilogy which explores more about who Sophia is and the culmination of the original story arc. There are more adventures ahead for them, something akin to Dashiell Hammett’s Thin Man stories with a touch of Agatha Christie.
Author Links: GoodReads | Amazon
He soon discovers his past is not only close behind him, but has been watching him the entire time. Things he thought no one knew…someone did.
Millions of dollars were now at stake and when mysterious letters start to appear, he finds out. Vindictive lovers, unscrupulous landowners, family members, employees and even his girlfriend know far too much.
When two nefarious visitors from Texas appear, all that happened in Texas take things from bad to worse.
A storm has been brewing for a while, and when it hits, it hits hard!
Everything from his past explodes and comes to a convoluted climax al at once, and he soon finds out that…
Mysterious things happen when there is “Snowfall in Virginia.”
Snowfall in Virginia
Snowfall in Virginia immerses readers in a thrilling tapestry of suspense and unexpected chaos. Centered around Chris Hamilton—a man ostensibly blessed with financial comfort, a cherished relationship, and a picturesque dwelling amidst the serene countryside—this narrative masterfully interrupts tranquility with an unsettling, anonymous Haiku, spiraling his world into a tumultuous abyss.
Davidson’s prose dances effortlessly between classical and contemporary, weaving a mesmerizing blend of striking imagery and intuitive language that gracefully pulls readers into the snowy, nostalgic vignettes of rural USA. Every sense is duly captivated, not only by the vibrant winter scenes but also by the palpable paranoia that echoes from Chris, compelling readers to jointly navigate through the mystery, eager to decipher the hidden culprits behind his unraveling reality.
A dazzling journey into the unpredictable, this novel expertly balances elements of romance, dynamic tension, and suspense, continuously unsettling the reader with the introduction of new potential suspects in nearly every chapter. The conclusion thus remains expertly veiled, securing its placement as a genuinely unpredictable narrative exploration.
I felt there was a plethora of characters introduced during the initial stages, which may pose a mild challenge to effortlessly track names and interconnected relationships. Each character intricately intertwines within the complex plot, demanding careful perusal to avoid entangling their respective backstories and contributions to the evolving mystery.
Snowfall in Virginia remains a shining star within the genre. A must-read for aficionados of crime and mystery fiction, Davidson’s novel is not merely a story but an exquisite, suspenseful journey deserving of a spot on every discerning reader’s list.
Pages: 290 | ASIN : B0CKKXV81N
Tree of Redemption
Tree of Redemption by Jim Davidson is a mystery set in the year 1995. Readers follow the book’s main protagonist, Chris Hamilton, who travels to Texas to pay respects to his mentor and father figure, Armando Guerra, who died a few days ago. While staying with Armando’s sisters, their head servant reveals to Chris that Armando didn’t die of natural causes but that he was killed. Being the type of man who doesn’t know when to leave a sleeping giant well alone, Chris resolves to get to the bottom of who murdered his dear friend and why. Following the clues slowly reveals a conspiracy and many people who are ready to kill to keep their secret.
The storytelling and the worldbuilding in this book are vivid and detailed. Readers who have never been to the locations in the book can imagine it in such great detail as if they’d just visited it last week. Not only does the author describe the setting visually, but he also mentions the feel of the place, the smells, and the atmosphere. As a result, readers will be able to immerse themselves in the story and feel like they are right there with Chris searching for answers.
The dialogue flows nicely, and most of the characters are remarkably believable. I would’ve liked the female cast, especially the minor side characters, to have a more important role rather than just to be looked at. I feel that most of the female characters appear to exist just for the protagonist to admire, having little depth or substance. However, the main characters are well-fleshed out and relatable to readers.
Tree of Redemption is a gripping action and adventure story with great writing and a mystery to solve. With a little romance added into the story, there is something for all fiction readers to enjoy in this captivating novel.
Pages: 321 | ASIN : B0BNZQKG3Z
LITERARY TITAN 