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Tainted Evidence: A Lieutenant Beaudry Novel
Imagine just having gotten back from vacation only to find out your best friend’s cousin has been murdered.
This is what greeted Lieutenant Beaudry, a renowned but controversial officer who isn’t particular in living by the police handbook. He is known to solve cases by his own rules. Will he make sure not to ruin it this time after his recent dispute? Or will he tamper the evidence just like his close friend Nico did after seeing his cousin motionless in his car.
Tainted Evidence by Michael Kent could seem like your typical murder novel except that in this story the professional assassin knows the art of prosthetics, perfectly disguising himself and surpassing immigration officers. He also makes his murders seem accidental. Nobody is suspicious until an officer was present in court when the judge suddenly lost consciousness, and later on, his life.
I liked the plot, as it stayed close enough to reality to be believable and there weren’t too many tangled lies and deceit to unravel. The descriptions of scenes are so detailed that even my imagination played it in my head with vivid clarity. Michael Kent is able to offer picture perfect scenes for his superb characters to inhabit.
My favorite character in Tainted Evidence has to be Pat. The book depicted her as an independent woman who successfully came out from an undesirable marriage. She had a struggle with her ex-husband but managed to break free, started over, recovered until becoming fully independent. I admired how she took charge of her own new life, not being discouraged by her
past, and being able to live alone and even choosing the house she and Beaudry would live in. She is a perfect epitome of a strong woman in this day and age. As fierce as her character seems, she did maintain her soft side by being as understanding as possible to Beaudry’s hectic schedule.
I also appreciated the inclusion of Jimmy, an autistic boy with exceptional photographic memory and drawing skills. I applaud the fact that his talent has been highlighted instead of his lack of social skills. I think this is a good example of Michael Kent writing, he always plays to a characters strengths.
Interesting characters and a fascinating murder mystery will give any fan of the mystery crime genre plenty to enjoy.
Pages: 220 | ISBN: 0993713165
A Lieutenant Beaudry Novel
Blood Tail is a murder mystery novel set in Canada with twists at every turn and the plot going deeper than just who killed who. When you first sat down to write this story, did you know where you were going, or did the twists come as you were writing?
I took the advice from one of my favorite authors Janet Evanovich. I do a rough outline of most of the novel, including dropping a red herring, or some foreshadowing that may or may not happen. But, in the writing, things do change and I have to modify as the tale progresses.
I enjoyed the depth of the main character, Lieutenant Beaudry. What was your process to bring that character to life?
I planned a series knowing that the main characters would appear regularly. I wrote a short background and description for each, more in depth for Beaudry. I’m still adding details that make him bigger that life (no pun on his size).
Did you do any research for this novel? Regarding crime and murder and how the police department handles those things?
I don’t read, I devour mysteries from many top selling authors; it’s the best way to learn the craft. I also had the opportunity to attend The Writer’s Police Academy (www.writerspoliceacademy.com) where I gained a wealth of hands-on knowledge from experts in law enforcement and seasoned police instructors. As I write, if in doubt, I Google to check the facts.
Blood Tail is the first book in the Lieutenant Beaudry series. What can you tell us about what’s next for Lieutenant Beaudry and when the next book will be available?
Each Beaudry adventure is a ‘stand-alone.’ Reading the prior one is not required (but would be nice). His next is ‘Folded Dreams’ a bit more violent as Beaudry vents some of his frustrations at losing his wife. He’s in a gun battle with —- Oh, can’t spill the beans. The novel is available on Amazon Kindle and print. Next one up is ‘Twice Dead’ publication in May 2016.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Website
Lieutenant Beaudry inherits a bloodbath in upper Westmount, the richest postal code in Canada. A prominent lawyer and TV host was beaten and shot, his bodyguard hacked to death. A Russian money-laundering operation, a psychopathic Korean playboy, a sleazy private eye, and an international hit team are somehow connected, and Beaudry must close the case without shooting anyone. Meanwhile, his ex-wife has run off in his vintage muscle car, and Internal Affairs is poking around—in other words, he’s having a normal week.
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