A Cold And Broken Hallelujah (2014) - Plot & Excerpts
Enjoyable book, with crisp, efficient writing that melted away the more I read. Generally, I'm continually aware of an author's writing to some degree, but with this novel I found myself just concentrating on the story. It also has an authentic feel as a police procedural. I may be wrong, but it seemed more accurate than others I've read. And the Long Beach locale is interesting. I hope to read the other books in this series. A Cold and Broken Hallelujah is a short, easy read. It's a crime story that grabbed my attention with the shock of a homeless man being burned to death by a group of teenagers, and then kept me hooked through the suspense of the investigation.We get to know Detective Danny Beckett as he investigates the case. As a hard-working police officer in Long Beach with a couple of side stories from his past to help us understand who he is, Danny is a very likeable character. He obsesses over the case and needs to find out who the victim was - not just for identification purposes but for a deeper reason that Danny himself doesn't quite understand.When I first finished the book I felt a slight lack of closure, but then as I had time to let it sink in I realized that the "end of the story" wasn't what it was about. Dilts purposefully leaves the reader with some deeper things to think about. It's a crime story with a life lesson and I enjoyed it. I would not hesitate to read more by Dilts.
What do You think about A Cold And Broken Hallelujah (2014)?
More thoughtfully written than most crime novels out there.
—tine
