Too Dark City
Reviews
The Author promises that reviews chosen for this page will not be redacted by the author but presented as submitted by the reviewer. The author will take each review to heart in the hope of improving future manuscripts.
Editorial Review:
Too Dark City by John Gerts
A twisty, suspenseful, and entertaining historical thriller…
In Gerts’s newest installment featuring Moses Webb, the retired Detective finds himself in the midst of an escalating conspiracy as he frantically works to unravel the sinister plots behind The Shakespeare Company riot. After WWII, the Shakespeare Company’s workforce grew to 600 workers, but their lives were far from ideal. A strike and violent riot followed attempts to unionize, leading to casualties like retired detective Webb, now recovering from injuries sustained during the riot and struggling through a messy divorce. Despite his reluctance, he’s drawn back into detective work when he takes on a seemingly insignificant case of Marvin Simmons, a teenage basketball player, that leads him and his friend Harry Martensen down a path of suspects connected to Cold War paranoia, drugs, and corruption. As suspects disappear or die, Moses becomes intrigued by someone surprising, Marvin’s mother. In this gripping tale, Gerts masterfully captures the essence of a small southern Michigan town that appears idyllic on the surface but hides a dark underbelly. His characters range from upstanding citizens to cunning criminals and corrupt politicians. With his sharp and observant writing style, Gerts delves into the nuances of human behavior, highlighting its impact on the unfolding mystery. Through his vivid and terse prose, Moses is portrayed as a dynamic protagonist, bold, determined, and acutely aware of his own vulnerabilities, which he meets with hard-edged confidence. Readers will find themselves rooting for Moses as he fights tirelessly to clear Marvin’s name. Set against the backdrop of Cold War tensions, drugs, and corruption, this fast-paced and ingenious thriller mixes gritty vibes with compelling momentum.
Prairie Book Reviews
Reader Review:
Too Dark City by John Gerts
Five stars, *****
Set in Kalamazoo in 1948, Too Dark City by John Gerts is a compelling story of a possible miscarriage of justice with a black, working-class teenager being framed for murder.
Moses Webb, the main character, is a black ex-policeman who understands only too well the abundant bigotry of the time. Moses was invalided out of the police force after being shot in the line of duty and is now working as a garage mechanic. However, to the local community, Moses is an enforcer, a one-off, and someone they can turn to for help to ensure fairness prevails. To this end, Moses, hard-bitten and world-weary but deeply entrenched in the community, carries out his obligations to his friends and neighbors, often using unconventional methods and sitting just about on the right side of the law (sometimes not even that) to get results.
“So,” he said. “You now admit to investigating the lives and actions of people in this city, acting independently as a private investigator. That, Mr Webb, is illegal in this state.”
“I’m not a private investigator and never represent myself as such.”
“Oh, then how do you get your information?” Hoffman said, hoping Moses would dig an even deeper hole for himself.
“I’m a good listener,” said Moses.
Page 270
The whole work reads like a novel written by a very confident author — which it is! The world-building is exceptional, and we are transported back in time quickly and thoroughly to a small American town just after the war. Themes of discrimination and prejudice, both racial and political, are dealt with well and elevate the credentials of the work —they matter—and John Gerts makes sure they are kept in the forefront of the storyline. The plot is excellent, well thought out, and complex, with enough complications and twists to keep the reader guessing. The author has complete control over the story development and displays great skill in evoking the era’s style, which was a great delight for me as a British individual. He introduces us to a diverse cast of compelling, carefully drawn, and believable characters. I particularly liked the tightness of the dialogue —unsentimental and unambiguous, with no superfluous words.
The story is pacey, often thrilling, and engrossing with a satisfying outcome. The novel is exceptionally well-researched, and I learned a lot, especially from the meticulous notes at the end of the story.
John Gerts is a gifted writer, and this is definitely a story for those readers who enjoy fast-paced, feisty, twisting dramas with a dash of romance. The author’s love of the town and the era shines through.
Tom Pearson, author of Robin Hood Girl, Amazon.co.uk
Too Dark City - Murder In Black Or White
By John Gerts
A Book Review
This is a fictional account of a shooting that takes place in the context of a real industrial strike action. In a neighborhood of Kalamazoo, Michigan, Moses, a former policeman from the city’s north side who is known locally for his gracious helpfulness in sticky situations, is asked to watch over an adolescent with a special talent for basketball. The boy’s mother happens to be very attractive; the motivation to take on this mission is clear.
In the background to the story, there is labour strife, which in 1948 sometimes turned violent at the picket lines and in the demonstrations pitting union workers against company executives. Non-union troublemakers and shady characters were sometimes hired by the company (or by the unions) to appear during these industrial actions. In the book, the action takes place during an actual strike at a local, but nationally known consumer product manufacturing company.
Moses turns out to be quite the detective when the boy, who Moses has come to respect and admire, is accused of murder. The evidence is clear but Moses doesn’t buy any of the police department’s easy explanations and accusations. He sets out to clear the boy’s name and reputation with the assistance of Harry, a former WWII Radioman and Photographer. Moses and Harry have no power nor authority to investigate any of these events. Given the social context, there are many obstacles to overcome or avoid. Through plot twists and turns, sifting through false accusations and fabricated evidence, slowly they gather enough facts to appear in court.
I especially enjoyed two aspects of this book. First, the characters are very well developed. They are totally believable, if likeable or despicable. There are strong characters, and weaker characters. The interplay between the antagonists and protagonists in the story is dynamic and realistic. The dialogue is realistic. Even the secondary characters have an important role to play in the story; they all interact with each other in a most natural way.
Secondly, this is a fascinating romp through some of the actual history of Kalamazoo. I wanted to read this book because I personally grew up there but left at age of 18. It’s fascinating to rediscover what one knows about one’s former home – and learn things that one never knew. Mr. Gerts offers an amazingly well-researched knowledge of the city’s 1948 streets and landmarks.
This is a fast-paced and very readable book with interesting characters set in an actual historical context. It has a great down-to-earth and suspenseful storyline, and it does not ignore social and economic issues that were real then and are still relevant today.
I highly recommend this book.
Newcastle Review
Newcastle, England