A Welcome Grave (Lincoln Perry, 3)
A Welcome Grave (Lincoln Perry, 3) book cover

A Welcome Grave (Lincoln Perry, 3)

Mass Market Paperback – June 3, 2008

Price
$5.49
Publisher
St. Martin's Paperbacks
Publication Date
ISBN-13
978-0312947514
Dimensions
4.22 x 0.96 x 6.79 inches
Weight
6.4 ounces

Description

“Stylish...well observed.” ― The New York Times “Addictively readable.” ― Chicago Tribune “A nuanced, mature novel that proves both the depth of Koryta's talent and the vitality of the PI genre.” ― New York Times bestselling author Laura Lippman “SENTENCE FOR POLISTHED SENTENCE, NO ONE IN THE GENRE WRITES BETTER.” ― KIRKUS REVIEWS “Edgar-finalist Koryta stakes a claim as one of today's pre-eminent crafters of contemporary hard-boiled mysteries...Despite Koryta's youth ...his haunting writing and logical, sophisticated plotting rival that of established stalwarts like Loren Estleman.” ― Publishers Weekly (starred review) “If you haven't already discovered Michael Koryta…now's the time. A Welcome Grave is his best book.” ― Toronto Globe and Mail “The Rust Belt never looked so scary...a nightmare chess game.” ― The Rocky Mountain News “The story is graced by Koryta's humor and style...” ― Cleveland Plain-Dealer “ A Welcome Grave ...is proof that after only three novels it is possible to become a 'must read' in crime fiction...one of the best P.I. against the world books I've read in a long, long time. Koryta's dialogue remains vivid and his characters sharp as a diamond drill bit.” ― Crimespree magazine “In his third efficiently plotted mystery, Koryta lands most of his punches... ” ― Entertainment Weekly “Koryta's story-telling is enhanced by a fluid prose style...” ― Milwaukee Journal Sentinel “An exciting novel with carefully rendered characters, even secondary ones, who will remain with the reader long after turning the last page.” ― Bookreporter.com “This is the book that will put Koryta on everyone's ‘must read' list...The action is relentless.” ― The Kingston Observer “The best entry yet in the Lincoln Perry private-eye series” ― Library Journal (starred review) “It's time to stop referring to Michael Koryta as a boy wonder and just focus on the sheer wonder of his storytelling... A Welcome Grave is a nuanced, mature novel that proves both the depth of Koryta's talent and the vitality of the PI genre.” ― New York Times bestselling author Laura Lippman “For a while now Michael Koryta has been called one of the rising young talents in crime fiction. I say enough of that. A Welcome Grave proves the promise. Koryta is one of the best of the best, plain and simple. With stories like this, his Lincoln Perry is going to be around for a long, long time.” ― Michael Connelly From Michael Koryta ―"One of America's top young mystery writers" ( T oronto Sun) ―comes a thrilling exploration of the lengths to which one man will go in his fight for justice. "Stylish...well observed." ―The New York Times Private investigator Lincoln Perry finds himself in the crosshairs of police investigations in two states when an old rival, Alex Jefferson, is brutally murdered. Accepting involvement in the case after a request from his former fiancée, Perry agrees to locate the dead man's estranged son and inform him of his large inheritance. It seems like a simple role, at least until Perry lands in jail while the son is zipped into a body bag. "Addictively readable."― Chicago Tribune Soon Perry realizes that Jefferson's millions are the target of a thirst for revenge that hasn't been satisfied by blood. As a pair of deadly assailants push deep into Perry's life, they bring with them intense pressure from police who are determined to see Perry in jail―if he survives long enough to make it there… "A nuanced, mature novel that proves both the depth of Koryta's talent and the vitality of the PI genre." ― New York Times bestselling author Laura Lippman "SENTENCE FOR POLISTHED SENTENCE, NO ONE IN THE GENRE WRITES BETTER."― KIRKUS REVIEWS MICHAEL KORYTA's first novel, Tonight I Said Goodbye , was published when he was just twenty-one. He lives in Bloomington, Indiana, where he began working as a newspaper reporter and for a private investigator while still in high school. Tonight I Said Goodbye won the St. Martin's Press/Private Eye Writers of America Contest for first novel and the Great Lakes Book Award for best mystery, and was a finalist for the Edgar Award for best first novel. His other novels include Envy the Night (winner of the 2008 mystery/thriller Los Angeles Times Book Prize), The Silent Hour , and Those Who Wish Me Dead . Read more

Features & Highlights

  • Private investigator Lincoln Perry finds himself in the crosshairs of police investigations in two states when an old rival, Alex Jefferson, is brutally murdered. Accepting involvement in the case after a request from his former fiancée, Perry agrees to locate the dead man's estranged son and inform him of his large inheritance. It seems like a simple role, at least until Perry lands in jail while the son is zipped into a body bag.Soon Perry realizes that Jefferson's millions are the target of a thirst for revenge that hasn't been satisfied by blood. As a pair of deadly assailants push deep into Perry's life, they bring with them intense pressure from police who are determined to see Perry in jail―if he survives long enough to make it there…

Customer Reviews

Rating Breakdown

★★★★★
30%
(146)
★★★★
25%
(121)
★★★
15%
(73)
★★
7%
(34)
23%
(111)

Most Helpful Reviews

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Doom, Disaster and Deus ex Machina

I like mystery novels with deep characterization, likable (if flawed) detectives with an interesting circle of friends, and intriguing puzzles that are solved by turning up leads, working them hard, making deductions, and getting the occasional burst of inspiration. The first two of Michael Koryta's Lincoln Perry novels fit this bill pretty well.

I dislike mystery novels that use the cliched "Detective in Peril" plot line. First, such plots are too hard to believe. Real-life criminals almost never pursue the detectives that are on their trails, play cat-and-mouse with them, torment them, or threaten to rape, murder or kidnap their spouses, partners, friends or lovers. Second, these excessively dramatic plots tend to overshadow all of the elements I mentioned above as things I like about detective fiction. It's hard to make cynical wisecracks when you're in danger of losing everything you hold dear. Lazy American mystery writers (among whom we must now number Mr. Koryta) love these plots, because they provide an easy way to raise the stakes of the investigation, crank up the suspense level, and excuse a healthy dose of satisfying revenge-violence. I hate them, because they strain credulity and suck most of the fun out of the novel.

My main beef with A Welcome Grave is that it's just too unpleasant. While we don't expect fictional detectives to lead lives of careless merriment, neither do we expect them to undergo the trials of Job. In this book, Lincoln Perry's plate is piled high with dirt sandwiches. Two criminals outwit and torment him at every turn. He has to worry about both the physical and psychological well-being of all three of the people he cares about most--his partner, his best friend, and his first great love. Every one of his personal relationships is strained. He is constantly reminded of his greatest mistakes, and is repeatedly thrown together with the woman who broke his heart. Both of his current jobs are threatened. He is pursued by hostile cops from two states who suspect him of multiple crimes that could put him away for life. The Cleveland setting is none too glamorous, either.

When relief from (almost) all of these problems finally comes near the end of the novel, it isn't because of Perry's clever detective work or any innate virtue on his part. Rather, his problems are solved by the timely intervention of two outsiders who don't have any credible motive for helping him out, Deus ex machina style.

I give the book two stars because I admire Mr. Koryta's writing style and character development. This was not, however, an enjoyable read. Unless your taste in detective fiction runs to the unremittingly grim, as is apparently the case with all the five-star reviewers here, you may wish to give this one a pass, or skip to the next installment in the series.
10 people found this helpful
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A story with its own spoiler

PI Lincoln Perry is the sole witness to a shooting suicide. Roger Brewer of the state police immediately suspects Perry of the shooting, jails him, and promises to enjoy his trial for murder. It doesn't occur to Brewer or to Perry (a former police detective!) that a simple test for gunshot residue would clear or implicate Perry decisively in a matter of minutes. Of course, if Perry weren't condemned to be laboring thereafter under a suspicion of murder, there would be no story (or at least no suspense to the story). This completely unbelievable stupidity on the part of both Brewer and Perry painfully derailed my willing suspension of disbelief for the rest of the book.
5 people found this helpful
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Love this book!

Another fantastic story from one of my favorite authors. Didn't want to put it down!
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Lincoln Perry series

I have really enjoyed the series so far. I must admit my favorite character is Thor who pops in periodically.
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Best of the Lincoln Perry Series

I've been reading this series since it started and have really enjoyed it. Lincoln Perry is a great protagonist and this is, in my opinion, the best of the series. It's got a intriguing mystery and some great action.

On a side note, I've met the author and he's a genuine and friendly person along with being a great writer.

My only disappointment is that, as far as I can tell, there are no Lincoln Perry books planned in the near future. I hope Mr. Koryta surprises me with a new installment soon.
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Sorrow's Anthem

Sorrow's anthem is the sound of sirens...police and fire and emergency vehicles that come together all too often in this story.
Lincoln Perry and his partner Joe are investigating deaths and a rash of fires in Lincoln's home town. As the investigators go through many fire scenes and barely escape injury themselves, Lincoln renews old friendships and discovers past tragedies that affect many people in his life. A fascinating story, fast paced.
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Superb writing

This is a new writer to my husband and I. You definitely don't want to put the book down to do anything. So far we've read three of his works and we've been very excited about all of them. Good stories, good characters and .....hope he never stops writing. mabs