Black Water (Merci Rayborn Novels)

Rating:
Summary: The Quality of Merci
Review: Black Water is the third in T. Jefferson Parker's series featuring Orange County, California detective Merci Rayborn. Merci is a single mother (the father having died in the first book) and an ambitious cop whose dreams of being sheriff have diminished after making enemies in the department in the second book. Her new case offers a chance at redemption but even a bigger chance of endangering her career again.

The case is a deputy who has apparently killed his wife and then attempted suicide. There are many who are ready to leap to this conclusion - not wanting the Sheriff's department to look like it's covering things up - but Merci has her doubts, which are strengthened as she continues her investigation.

Merci's not the only one seeking the truth. The severely wounded deputy, despite shards of bullets in his brain, is out to find answers and vengeance. He is almost a supernatural force, a seemingly undead being who knows his own life is limited and only has a mission to sustain him.

Parker is an accomplished writer who as always delivers an entertaining novel. The only problem I have is the inclusion of the first chapter which shows the deputy's innocence. If the reader doesn't know this, it deepens the mystery. While solid enough entertainment, it admittedly does not have the spectacular quality that merits five stars. But four stars is enough to make this a recommended read for mystery fans.

Rating:
Summary: I can't stop thinking about this book!
Review: I read all of the time and I think Black Water is the best book I've read in a long time. How do I know? Because even as I read another book, I keep thinking about this book. Even when I close my eyes to go to sleep, I keep thinking about this book.
I admit that I already have strong feelings about this author. I've read all of his earlier books and I've been eagerly awaiting the release of Black Water. I'm so happy to be able to say that I'm not disappointed. T. Jefferson Parker writes this character (Merci Rayborn, a Sergeant/Detective with the Orange County Sheriff's Department) with amazing insight and sensitivity. She's a wonderfully complex character that we've watched grow through The Blue Line and Red Light. She's experienced enough loss and disappointment to test her confidence. Yet she bravely continues to put one foot in front of the other, bringing herself to a point where the reader is confident that her future is potentially bright.
As for the story, Archie Wildcraft, a Deputy with the OCSD, is found with a bullet in his head. His wife is found shot to death with his gun in their bathroom. It looks like a murder/suicide attempt but to Merci it just doesn't "feel" right. Archie survives and soon walks out of the hospital to investigate for himself, not an easy task since he still has a bullet in his head. Parker gives us amazing insight into the thinking of someone with a brain injury which, as the wife of a brain injury survivor, I know is no easy task! Incredibly, Archie and Merci separately come to the same conclusions about what really happened through the twists and turns of their very different investigations.
This is a well told story with a good plot and what I found to be a hopeful, satisfying ending. It's a book I've recommended to all of my friends by an author that should be read more people. A rare book that's worth even a second read.

Rating:
Summary: One of the best writers in the genre
Review: One of the best writers of the genre is the 2002 Edgar Award winning author, T. Jefferson Parker. He is capable of, not only writing a superior mystery ,but of writing it in style. His books delve deep into the psyche of the main protagonists. SILENT JOE, his Edgar winning stand alone is quite typical of this. The characters are unforgettable and alone can make it a worthwhile read. Detective Merci Rayborn is also a character well examined in his work. In Parker's hands she becomes a living breathing creation.
Merci Rayborn is assigned to look into the death of a young woman. The dead woman was the wife of Deputy Archie Wildcraft, a young talented cop. Archie was also shot and suffers from a bullet wound in the head. Prosecutors are pointing the finger at Archie in that the gun was found in his hand. They think it was a shooting death and suicide attempt. Merci, however, feels Archie is innocent and wants to prove it. Her investigation, once again, puts her reputation at stake. However, Merci follows her personal conviction and attempts to discover the true killer.
T. Jefferson Parker's strength as a writer is on full display in this, his latest novel. Merci is tough and an individualist. The plot is compelling enough to keep the pages turning. However, it definitely went on a bit too long. By the end, Merci and the reader have had enough. A bit of a tighter plot would suit Parker's books quite well. However, he is and should be listed among the best there is writing today.