Book review: The Boat Man - Dustin Stevens

Detective Reed Mattox, just three months removed from the death of his partner, has turned invisibility into an art form. Switching to the K-9, taking over the graveyard shift, moving to a farmhouse miles outside of Columbus, his every move has become predicated on putting as much distance between himself and the outside world as possible. 

That distance is shattered though when bodies begin turning up in The Bottoms, the poverty-stricken section of town he is assigned to patrol. Grisly, horrific scenes start to pop up in the middle of the night and the overburdened precinct has no choice but to put Reed on it. 

Now operating far outside of his comfort zone with a Belgian Malinois for a partner that attracts attention wherever they go, Reed is forced to unravel the murders, taking him clear across the city and back years in time, to an event that some very influential people will do anything to keep buried...

My opinion.

The feeling of dread radiates from both the cover and synopsis. Once again Dustin Stevens paints an incredibly detailed picture. In The Boat Man he introduces a new character, Reed Mattox. He's a talented detective, a no-nonsense man focused on the job ahead. He cares deeply for his new partner, Billy, and together they make an interesting team - a nice twist on the traditional detective team.

Like every Dustin Stevens book I've read, The Boat Man is thrilling and addictive. Not only do you, as a reader, get to follow the investigation up close and in detail, you also get glimpses of "the other side". Who is "The Boat Man"? What's his motive? The more you find out about his story, the more complicated it gets. Is he a villain or a victim?

There's never a dull moment throughout this story and Dustin Stevens keeps challenging you to think along, to think ahead. He never shies away of throwing you a curve ball just when you thought you had it all figured out. A thrilling story I really enjoyed reading.