"Murder on the Dodder" By Keith Bruton: Review/Giveaway

Review by Terrance McArthur

Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win a copy of the book and a link to purchase it.

A list-making hitman on a bicycle, Patrick Callen is back in Murder on the Dodder, the second Lemon Man mystery by Keith Bruton.

I know what you’re wondering: What’s a Dodder? The Dodder is one of the three rivers in Dublin, Ireland.

Jack, Patrick’s mentor, is missing, and a voice on the phone is making demands. The guy isn’t asking for ransom money. He wants murders. For starters, find the target, kill him, drop him into the waters of the Dodder, send pictures, and wait for the next set of instructions.

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Image Source Brash Books

Although Patrick is an experienced killer (known as The Lemon Man, a nickname acquired on his first assassination), at the top of his craft, things do go wrong. He is injured repeatedly, tangles with a pro wrestler, and becomes a viral Internet punchline. His girlfriend thinks he works part-time in a bicycle shop, and she doesn’t understand why he takes off at a moment’s notice and returns with injuries.

One of the joys of Murder on the Dodder (How can there be joy in murder? Trust me on this one.) is Bruton’s obvious love and knowledge of the city of Dublin. As Patrick pedals his bicycle around the town, you learn the bridges, the streets, the history, and the architecture of the old town. It’s a guided tour, complete with sounds and smells.

Usually, Patrick is hired to right wrongs—a murderer who got a lenient sentence, a politician who did more damage than good, a wife-abuser—but the calls coming from Jack’s phone number send him on a series of kills that get the police, a local mob, his regular employer, and his friends out to get him. His quest to get his kidnapped friend home safe becomes a search for the voice on the phone.

Bruton’s world of Patrick Callen is full of odd characters, brutal crimes of violence. great mental scenery, and twists that will make you laugh out loud. Things may not go right for Patrick, but he stumbles through each disaster with hope. Things could only get better . . . unless they don’t.

Take a stroll along the banks of the Dodder, but be on the lookout for dead bodies.

To enter to win a copy of Murder on the Dodder, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line "dodder,” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen April 20, 2024. US residents only and you must be 18 or older to enter. If entering via email please include your mailing address in case you win. If entering via comment please include your email address so we can contact you. You can read our privacy statement here if you like.

Check out other mystery articles, reviews, book giveaways & mystery short stories in our mystery section in Kings River Life and in our mystery category here on KRL News & Reviews. And join our mystery Facebook group to keep up with everything mystery we post, and have a chance at some extra giveaways. And check out our new mystery podcast which features mystery short stories and first chapters read by local actors! A new episode went up this week.

You can click here to purchase this book.

Terrance V. Mc Arthur is retired as a Librarian in Fresno County, California. He is also a storyteller, puppeteer, magician, and maker of pine needle baskets. On top of that he writes stories that range from rhymed children's tales to splatterpunk horror. He's an odd bird, but he's nice to have around.

Disclosure: This post contains links to an affiliate program, for which we receive a few cents if you make purchases. KRL also receives free copies of most of the books that it reviews, that are provided in exchange for an honest review of the book.