“But the question remains: why would anyone want to murder Maggie?” In No Marriages in Heaven by Kenneth Tucker, private eye Earl Hollo lost Maggie Middleton, his lover, in an accidental shooting five years ago. However, her estranged twin brother, Howie, believes that the shooting was intentional, and hires the 48-year-old P.I. to investigate her death. Earl is reluctant, believing he lacks the skill to investigate a ‘murder’ case and still believes that it was an accidental shooting. Nonetheless, he has his suspicions and Howie, being an Executive Funeral Director of one of Louisville’s oldest and largest cemeteries, pays good money. The investigation leads Earl to unexpected paths and uneasy truths; he is starting to doubt that he knew who Maggie really was, especially when the mob is involved.

Engaging from start to finish, the prose has a subtle flair that gives the narrative a classic sleuth nuance. There were times I forgot that Kenneth Tucker's No Marriages in Heaven was set in the 21st century and not in the 1940s or '50s. Protagonist Earl is something of a poetry enthusiast; there are well-known poems included which should please readers who’re also poetry lovers. Earl is easy to root for as he has no problems in admitting his flaws either to himself or others; a humble but tough and capable 'gumshoe'. He’s probably not the most secretive P.I. that I’ve ever read about. I was surprised with some info that he chose to disclose to a few characters, including his mother. I had fun trying to connect the dots and avoid red herrings but was ultimately blindsided by the story's denouement. Simply put, a commendable and entertaining sleuth story.

No Marriages in Heaven is a hard-boiled detective adventure novel penned by author Kenneth Tucker. Short and sharp in both its length and presentation, this no-nonsense tale gets right to the nub of the mystery as our investigator, Earl Hollo, gets down to business. Combining an emotionally charged plot with a sinister murder element, Earl is tasked with using his sleuthing skills on the death of Maggie, the woman he once intended to marry. The plot teeters on a knife edge of discovering the ugly truth of what happened to result in her death, but also the potentially ugly truth of who she really was, and the impact that has on Earl as the story progresses.

Author Kenneth Tucker evokes some truly excellent moments from the noir era throughout this highly atmospheric and engaging short novel. An element which grabbed me right from the start was the compelling use of dialogue, which lends wit and wisdom to the characters as well as moving the plot forward in a realistic and non-heavy manner. The first person narration is a useful but not overused device too, allowing us deeper insight into the mystery but also leaving well-paced gaps where we can work out clues for ourselves. Earl Hollo makes for a compelling private eye, with a realistic emotional story arc and a set of enviable skills that make him one to watch on the dark streets. Overall, I found No Marriages in Heaven to be a highly engaging and entertaining detective read.