Blood and Wisdom


Fiction - Mystery - Sleuth
390 Pages
Reviewed on 12/02/2018
Buy on Amazon

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    Book Review

Reviewed by Tracy Young for Readers' Favorite

Karl Gatlin is a private eye working in ultra-liberal Santa Cruz. His client, Aria Piper, has come to him to investigate a series of threats from a religious zealot by the name of Gary Crowder. Karl, his assistant Matt, and his in-house muscleman John Ratu believed this was a simple case of intimidation and would soon be cleared up. Then a body turned up in the wishing well at the spiritual center where Aria holds her retreats. As Karl and his team investigate the long list of suspects, they uncover a backstory littered with dangerous characters and with more twists and turns than an acrobat. While John, a former rugby playing Maori giant of a man, acts as a bodyguard to Aria, Karl and Matt plunge themselves into the world of drug traffickers and gangs. The spiritual center is home to a whole cast of characters with dubious backgrounds and as Karl uncovers their secrets, he puts his life on the line to solve the case. His personal life is complicated, and he shares custody of Larry, the coolest dog in the world, with his ex-wife Adele, and Larry quickly proves himself to be a vital member of the team.

Blood and Wisdom by Verlin Darrow is a tale of spiritual awakenings and violent retribution. Darrow has created a classic tale of sleuthing and intrigue that will have you spellbound until the final page. What a great read! The pace of the story is breathtaking, and the plot is multi-faceted and will keep you breathless to the end. Verlin Darrow has written a story that takes you into the seedy underworld of drug gangs and also into the heady spiritual circles that live side by side in Santa Cruz. From spiritual gurus to former hit men, Darrow has a talent for creating characters that are unforgettable. Blood and Wisdom is a hell of a read and you will not be able to put it down.