Review of The Emerald Frame

[Jeffrey S Brown]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Emerald Frame" by Richard Blaine.]

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3 out of 5 stars

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The Emerald Frame is a detective story told in the classic style of the 1940s noir books and movies. The book is vividly descriptive, conjuring the look and feel of 1948 American urban life. It features the hard-boiled detective, Mike Garrett, a scotch-drinking, Lucky-smoking character who is more interested in solving the riddle than taking the money. The murder of a private investigator peer launches Garrett on a whirlwind quest to answer the “how” and “why” of the case before too many more people end up dead; betrayal is never far away. Three women position themselves for the roles of femme fatale, a concerned friend, and an admiring wannabe private eye. Sterling Clavin, a high-powered criminal defense attorney with mob connections, appears as the best suspect, but Garrett is not cleared of the crime, either; he found the body, can’t find witnesses, and keeps turning up incriminating evidence. Let the games begin!

Fitting for the genre, the liberal use of humorous similes in the story is entertaining; “He had the warming, good humor of a skin rash...” and “I was feeling as cheerful as a giraffe with strep” are pretty vivid descriptions and lighten the tone. This is classic-styled noir fiction. It is fun, gritty, and enjoyable for young adults and up, despite the continuous smoking and frequent drinking. There is no substantial swearing, no sex, just good, clean murder. Even the cars have character. There are enough plot twists that left me wondering how on earth the author will tie up the loose ends.

The writing contains several grammar errors, suggesting that more careful editing is needed. This did not detract from my enjoyment of the story, but it does limit my rating to three out of five stars. Still, The Emerald Frame is a light, engaging, and amusing read for the audience that likes murder mysteries.

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The Emerald Frame
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[Leslie coccia]

This book seems like it would be so interesting, with its setting and humor and noir style. How cool that it has enough plot twists to keep the reader guessing, too. Good review!

[Joe Alex 2]

Mike Garrett seems like an intriguing character, and I love the humor sprinkled into the narrative. The plot definitely caught my interest, though I’d be curious to see how the editing affects the flow of the story. I’m definitely considering checking it out!

[NetMassimo]

This seems like a terrific murder mystery in the classic noir style. The blend of gritty and funny bits, well-developed characters, and the plot make it a must-read for fans of this genre. Thank you for your great review!