A Parasol in a Hurricane
[wcp000296]

Walter Giersbach
11 Nottingham Lane, Manchester, NJ 08759
732-657-1542 w.giersbach@att.net

Parasol in a Hurricane
book review
Take two universal ingredients—abusive relationships and a struggle for personal growth—mix them in the caldron of a small-town police environment, add a dash of corrosive personalities and bureaucracy and you’ve cooked up a tasty crime drama.
James Greer brings his expertise in law enforcement to the recipe called A Parasol in a Hurricane.
The reader can tell Greer has done his share of professional homework, quoting Stephen King on marital restraining orders that are no better than the eponymous parasol. He also mentions recommended reading for the on-the-make detective and provides a précis of squad car communications and codes. Both protagonist Detective Karen O’Neill and the object of her inquiry, runaway Marsha Beston, are independent, on-their-toes women conflicted with less-than-understanding men and a struggle for self-realization.
Greer handles a tough job well of getting into the mind of a woman saddled with a loutish husband who has dragged her from San Diego to Hicksville, Wisconsin. Through the author’s dialogue, his protagonist also does a solid job of standing up to the department’s internal affairs officer while defending her suspect.
And, yes, for a generally non-violent story, there are satisfactory killings to leaven the entrée. Parasol is a quick read filled with tension. Who knew life in rural Wisconsin could be so entertaining?

Walt Giersbach has two volumes of short stories from Wild Child Publishing, Cruising the Green of Second Avenue, and has published numerous mystery, literary and speculative short stories. He’s also the facilitator of a writing group in Manchester Twsp., NJ. He can be reached at w.giersbach@att.net or http://allotropiclucubrations.blogspot.com.