Try Dying by James Scott Bell

I know, I know...I said I'd never pick up another one of his books again...but come on, it's got a flashy cover...and it sounds so cool...even the title grabs you, doesn't it??

"Try Dying" is the story of up and coming lawyer Tyler (Ty) Buchanan. In a freak auto accident, his fiancee is killed and he is left reeling and searching for answers.

Main question: was it truly a freak accident? Or was something more involved? The deeper Ty gets into his own investigation, the faster his life begins to unravel. What has he gotten into, and how much will it ultimately cost him?

The case he's preparing for trial is about repressed memory. Does that have anything to do with his investigation? Are the two halves of his life more connected than he realized? And are they about to collide, catching him in the middle?

Whew! Had to catch my breath there! And that happens a LOT with this author!

James Scott Bell is one of my favorite authors. Even though he annoys the snot out of me sometimes.

Let me explain...

Some authors of suspense are like magicians. They do a slight of hand on you..."Watch the right hand" while all along it's the left hand you should have been watching.

But that's not Mr. Bell.

Instead, what he does is more like this...

He tosses a ball of yarn, say...green yarn. Then, a few pages later, a blue ball of yarn starts to unwind...then red....then yellow...then purple...and you're thinking, "What in the world?" trying to follow all those loose threads.

But then...about halfway through the book...a pattern begins to emerge...you start having those "AHA!" moments...and by the end of the story, a beautiful yet somewhat tragic tapestry is before your eyes and you close the book and sigh...satisfied, yet frustrated.

Frustrated because his stories are the "ripped from the headlines" kind of stories...and his characters feel more real than your next door neighbors. Such is the case with "Try Dying". He has the power to write a story where I turn the last page, and a week later I'm wondering "Hey, what ever happened to Ty? Did he ever (fill in the blank)?"

AND. HE'S. NOT. EVEN. REAL.

THAT is the power of James Scott Bell's writing...so be warned:-)

And I give THIS powerful novel (which, I'm happy to say, I'm hearing is going to be a SERIES:-) six out of five bookmarks with a pair of handcuffs as a charm---yeah, I know, it's weird. Read the book, you'll understand.

Happy reading!

Deena