[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "from muddy water" by allan davis.]

4 out of 4 stars

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Early retirement isn’t going quite as planned for former Detective Quinn of the Toronto Police Service. Recently divorced, he lives alone and is constantly haunted by nightmares of his last case as a homicide detective. To make matters worse, alimony payout to his ex-wife is seriously depleting his early-retirement pension, and his new business as a private investigator has not quite taken off. His life is further turned inside out with the arrival of his strange new tenant, Kirsten. She is a mysterious young woman who seems to share a history with Quinn. The more time he spends with Kirsten, instead of shedding light on their connection, only further deepens the mystery for Quinn. Who is she really?

As Quinn tries to piece together the puzzle that is Kirsten, his attention is drawn to a closed case involving the disappearance of three little girls. They were presumed dead, but their bodies were never found. Their parents are not convinced the police have the right culprit, and they want Quinn to look into the case before another little girl goes missing. The last thing Quinn wants so soon after his retirement is to be pulled into another police case, especially not one he believes has already been solved. Then another girl goes missing.

From Muddy Water is a compelling character-driven PI mystery novel by Allan Davis. The book starts with a teasing prologue about the history surrounding a property that has great significance to the plot. The narrative flowed at a measured pace, picking up towards the end of the book. There were only a handful of characters, as the plot mostly revolved around Quinn and Kirsten. The dialogue felt organic and in line with the characters and their roles in the story.

One thing I liked about the book was how the author managed not to give away Kirsten’s connection to Quinn too soon, despite all the clues Kirsten dropped as she weaved stories about her background. I was as confused as Quinn, trying to figure out what her deal was. Just when I thought I had it figured out, it turns out there’s more to the story. The mystery of Kirsten kept me as engaged in the story as did the mystery of the missing little girls.

I could find little to dislike about the book. Occasionally, Kirsten’s dialogue tended to be a tad too convoluted for me, but it was in line with her personality. The book appeared professionally edited as I found only one typographical error. There were no sexually suggestive scenes, only minute descriptions of violence and a sprinkling of strong language. From Muddy Water is an engaging mystery novel that moves at its own pace, perfect for readers of character-driven crime mysteries. I am satisfied to rate this book 4 out of 4 stars.