The Detective Temeke Crime Series Book 1
New Mexico/Arizona 2016 Book Award Finalist
Everyone has secrets. Some more deadly than others.
When the ninth young girl falls into the clutches of a serial killer, maverick detective, David Temeke, faces a race against time to save her life. The Duke City Police Department in Albuquerque, New Mexico is no stranger to gruesome murders, but this new serial killer on their block keeps the body parts of his eight young victims as trophies and has a worrying obsession with the number 9.
The suspect is incarcerated in the state's high security penitentiary but Unit Commander Hackett is faced with a dilemma when another teenage girl goes missing. Detective Temeke and his new partner, Malin Santiago, are sent to solve a baffling crime in the dense forests of New Mexico's Cimarron State Park. But time is running out. Can they unravel the mysteries of Norse legends and thwart the 9th Hour killer before he dismembers his next victim?
This is the first in the Detective Temeke Crime series. Watch out for more from Detective Temeke and Malin Santiago
1.THE 9TH HOUR
2.NIGHT EYES
3.PAST RITES
What people are saying about THE 9TH HOUR:
"Tense action and complex psychological motivation is woven into a wonderfully satisfying novel." ~ Kristin Gleeson - Author of the Celtic Knot Series
"An intense, superbly crafted reading experience. I guarantee you'll go on reading well past the ninth hour." ~ Jim Pingelly, Kingdom Writing Solutions
The 9th Hour cometh! Despite - or because of - knowing so many writers, I still feel the magic when a book comes out that makes the hairs on my arm tingle because I think it's GOOD. I read MANY books and I only review and recommend those I really like, so of course this shows my taste as a reader. If you like modern detectives, think Ian Rankin set in New Mexico, you'll love this. A new detective walks the mean streets of my bookshelves - Temeke. The 13th Sign Publishing.
"Gripping, innovative, brutal and yet redemptive. This is crime fiction with a serrated edge and a brilliant sheen." ~ Marco Storey, author and speaker
"An assured page-turner that leads inexorably to a satisfying conclusion. I can't wait for Detective Temeke Book 2!" ~Jean Gill - The Troubadours Quartet
Where Columbo meets Alex Delaware
Geoff Nelder
“Write what you know,” is what many pundits of literature say and with this author’s background in the police, her experience shines through. Not that I think she’s decapitated young women – at least not many – but you know what I mean. I can’t say the same for me as a scifi writer because I’ve yet to travel to Jupiter, but I’m working on it.
Detective David Temeke is a gutsy, maverick that appealed immediately to my wayward self. I loved his skin colour – as dark as the stone, greywacke. I’ve not seen this geological reference in a novel before and I applaud it. I know greywacke because I took students on a geography field trip to Aberystwyth, Wales and a geology teacher came too with his students. While we hiked all over western Wales, his students spent a week microscopically studying the differences in one greywacke compared to others. Haha.
Claire Stibbe expertly paints her characters using phrases I wish I’d used in my books (and I might steal them) such as a woman who treated men to a “glorious display of butt and bust, both bursting with enthusiasm”. When the detective is asked if he lusts after younger women, he replied in the affirmative but adding that young meant aged 39.
As for the plot, gruesome as finding decapitated bodies are, the twists and turns are cleverly crafted. Yes, the reader knows “who dunnit” but like in the way we enjoy the way Detective Columbo snares his man. Temeke though is grittier than Columbo – more like Alex Delaware in the Jonathan Kellerman crime thrillers.
Highly recommended.
Set in colorful New Mexico, The 9th Hour successfully combines the intense investigation to find a serial killer before he strikes again with the inner workings of the killer’s mind. Into this mix comes a British born detective of African descent and a killer obsessed with Nordic mythology. Stibbe’s ability to bring these diverse elements together shows skilled writing. Her ability to do this effectively, holding the attention of the reader shows real talent.
Detective David Temeke brings a passion to his investigation that is softened by his sense of humor. Teamed with Malin Santiago whose mother was Norwegian and who speaks the language, Temeke has personal issues that crop up during the investigation. Malin has a somewhat dark past herself and struggles with demons of her own. While giving the characters an added dimension, Stibbe manages to keep these side stories from interfering with the plot; finding the serial killer before he claims another victim.
Providing insight into the workings of the police department investigating the crimes, Stibbe builds a tight story with characters that evoke emotions from sympathy to downright disgust.
The character that elicits the most sympathy is Darryl Williams, a distraught father dealing with the worst tragedy a parent can face, the murder of a child. As Williams deals with his loss and the difficulty of raising his remaining daughter’s, the reader is drawn along, sharing his pain.
The story moves forward smoothly, the tension grows, and just when you think everything is about to be resolved, bang; along comes another dark surprise. I highly recommend this book for anyone who enjoys a fast paced and dark detective story. I also look forward to more investigations with Detective Temeke and hopefully his partner Malin Santiago.
