REPORTEDLY
MURDERED
Reportedly Murdered
How does Gregory Thackery, a novice reporter working for a third-rate newsweekly, scoop the New York Press, the New York Daily Tribune, New York News Journal, and the vaunted New York Dispatch, America's so-called "newspaper of historical memory"? Luck? Common sense? Hidden connections? Even the clueless Gregory doesn't know for sure.
Gregory Thackery is a would-be reporter drowning in political intrigue, career stagnation, marital problems, and a deadbeat brother naked on his couch. Throw in one dead body and you have all the fixings for a fun ride through the ugly underbelly of small-time newspapers and back-stabbing community boards. Geoffrey Walters has a gift for imbuing his characters with the baffling, maddening, and ultimately endearing quirks that we see in real people every day. The dialogue has a fast-paced, off-kilter hilarity rivaling that of Elmore Leonard. You almost don't care who-dunnit, it's so much fun watching our hero flail his way to the answer...and the big scoop.
—Lisa Reardon, acclaimed author of Billy Dead
Geoffrey Walters brings deadpan wit and well-wrought prose to bear on a genre that too easily devolves into formulaic and unfunny noir, knowing all the while that—as Flannery O’Connor put it—‘evil is not a problem to be solved but a mystery to be endured.’
—Joshua Hren, author of Infinite Regress
Written with wit and an impressive flair for narrative style storytelling, "Reportedly Murdered" is another Gregory Thackery 'whodunnit' suspenseful mystery laced with memorable characters and unexpected plot twists. Simply stated, "Reportedly Murdered" is especially and unreservedly recommended for community library Mystery/Suspense collections, and the personal reading lists of all dedicated mystery buffs.
—Midwest Book Review
Really REALLY enjoyed reading Reportedly Murdered. Lots of tension, fun characters, and humor. I see it being an independent film, too.
—Julie McKee, author of The Adventures of Amy Bock
Polished and engrossing, ‘Reportedly Murdered’ prospers in every way a Murder Mystery should with Walters giving his readers a classic slice of journalistic intrigue that delivers much in the way of stylistic verve.
Moving along at a brisk clip ‘Reportedly Murdered’ is paced like a police procedural with Walters wringing suspense out of the parsing of nuances as protagonist Gregory Thackery digs deeper into the ‘reportedly murdered’ Bordeaux.
The writing is first class and there are more than enough unexpected plot twists to keep the attention of readers throughout as Walters pulls his readers into the ensuing drama, but he’s not one to give anything away. Keeping readers involved and “in the moment” until the final chapter has come to a conclusion.
The key to keeping ‘Reportedly Murdered’ from becoming just another genre crime novel is Thackery. A much-conflicted character he’s the kind of guy who occupies the school of hard knocks for a living and Walters is quick to bring him to life by capturing little quirks in typical conversation, spontaneous explicit declaratives and a good smattering of wit!
Tight, focused scenes create a sense of realism that draws the reader into the story as Thackery struggles to make sense of the clues he unravels whilst taut layers of intrigue raise Walters’ narrative above the genre generic to something more profound.
Following tips, hounding sources, and having one door after another slammed in his face Thackery’s story is further lifted by a cast which leans into the story’s urgency and continued relevance. Especially when he finds himself as a person of interest in Bordeaux’s murder!
Generating the kind of edge of your seat intrigue that keeps one glued to the words and the pages turning. Reportedly Murdered proves a first-class read and is unreservedly recommended.
—Book Viral Reviews
An unputdownable mystery novel about a reporter-turned-detective with a colorful cast of characters
With Reportedly Murdered, Walters has a realistic reporter-turned-detective mystery.
Each character, all unique and intriguing, is a viable suspect. The colorful cast is what keeps this story so rich.
Walters has a gift for writing dialogue infused with unique quirks and habits. I felt as if I knew all of the characters personally by the end of the story.
Reportedly Murdered is a fast-paced, easy read that is hard to put down. Set in New York City, it feels like a good old fashioned whodunnit detective mystery, even though Gregory isn’t really a detective.
Walters concludes the story neatly, giving readers the closure that we’re looking for. Fans of the mystery genre and detective fiction are going to enjoy this one. Here’s to hoping Walters continues the Gregory Thackery series.
—Independent Book Review