The Johnny Denovo Mysteries

"The Green Monster"

One of the most disruptive innovations in book publishing is the rise and now mainstream adoption of print-on-demand publishing services. The quality of POD books can exceed those of offset books, and prices are approaching equivalency. So it’s appropriate that one of the most interesting review and discussion sites for POD books is called PODPeople. Run by Cheryl Anne Gardner, the site is a consistent source of insight and inspiration for independent authors and discriminating readers alike.

So I was excited to have my book, “The Green Monster: A Johnny Denovo Mystery,” reviewed recently. It’s one of the most insightful reviews I’ve had, and while Cheryl Anne’s tastes don’t quite line up with the book’s target audience, her review made this clear.

Some of the highlights:

In Detective Fiction, the rules of the game – codified in 1929 by Ronald Knox — declare that a detective story “must have as its main interest the unravelling of a mystery; a mystery whose elements are clearly presented to the reader at an early stage in the proceedings, and whose nature is such as to arouse curiosity, a curiosity which is gratified at the end.” In this, Mr. Kent achieved what he set out to do.

. . . a light, fun, good for all ages mystery, replete with corporate espionage, eco-terrorism, double agents, false identities, and a Chinaman that makes the best wonton soup for those rare occasions when you are infected with a particularly nasty weaponized virus.

[W]hat struck me as interesting about Denovo is his rather peculiar deductive technique in which he translates metaphors in order to solve his mysteries. I liked that angle a lot, definitely a new approach. Use of metaphors, especially in language, are often subconscious tells, revealing hidden personality traits and motivations, so while Denovo isn’t Spiderman, he does have almost inhuman depth perception.

This lines up with other observations of the Johnny Denovo books — great plotting, escapism, and a likable set of characters. Those goals have informed the series from its inception. And while Cheryl Anne might like lush prose and grittier novels, if you like tight prose and fast-paced, complex mysteries, then Johnny Denovo — “Spam & Eggs” or “The Green Monster” — may be just your cup of tea.