Missing: A Mason Gray Case

By: William Markham

Narrated by: Adam Barr

A hard-boiled supernatural thriller

Mason Gray, a former cop, has a knack for solving puzzles, but the corpse on his living room floor is a piece that doesn’t fit.

As the number one suspect, Gray races to find the killer before the cops can pin it on him. But the cops aren’t the only ones out to get him. Those responsible for the murder want him dead and will use any means necessary to put him in the ground...including vampire hit-men.

To survive, Gray must choose to go through the looking glass; wrestle with demons, both figurative and literal; and put the bad guys in the ground first. But the price could be higher than he thought...the life of his best friend and mentor.

Fans of the Nightside, Dresden Files, Nate Temple, and Jack Reacher will love this first Mason Gray case!

©2017 William C. Markham (P)2018 William C. Markham

Noir meets paranormal

I received a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review. Noir is not my usual reading fare, but I really enjoyed this novel. It is a compelling story that kept me interested until the end. Although the summary says that vampires are involved, it was interesting to see Gray encounter them as something completely unknown to him, and not discount what he has experienced as others might have. I was also intrigued while listening to this story because I really felt like I was in Gray’s head, as opposed to seeing the world around him. However, while this kept me involved in the story as he experienced it, it also seems to have been a minor drawback. The climax of the story involves a very relationship-centered event; however, we never truly experience the importance of that relationship. We just hear Gray think about how important it is. Hopefully future entries in the series will work on developing relationships further. I look forward to spending some more time with Mason Gray in the future.
I also enjoyed Adam Barr’s narration of this story. His voice and style are a perfect fit to the story and I hope he continues to narrate the series in the future.

boring

too many details slow reading
if you need a book to sleep pick this one

Great urban fantasy

This book grabbed me from the beginning with the noir style and the gritty voice of the narrator Adam Barr. Mason Gray is your typical private investigator form the trench coat to the fedora, but his world is upended when his case goes into the supernatural.

This book is a fast paced ride with plenty of action in it. The world building is limited, but being placed in a current major city, its not really needed. The story is similar to The Dresden Files but this one brings the supernatural in a lot slower. I do like the way that Gray did approach the supernatural slowly and with an open mind accepting what he was finding instead of fighting against it.

I truly enjoyed this book and am looking forward to the further adventures of Mason Gray.

Great crossover mystery / paranormal

Wonderful blending of a mystery novel with an old fashioned vampire story from the days when the vampires were the villains. The author brought everything together perfectly in this thrilling tale. I received a free review copy of this audio book in exchange for an honest review.

Excellent listen!!

This was a great story but I want to depart from my usual way of reviewing and first gush on the narration. Adam Barr was excellent! There is a slow reveal to this listen with a taut ebb and flow to the events. Barr performed the words like a sonata. It was an absolute pleasure.

The story was creative and well-written. Mason Gray was definitely a likable character. We don't get a lot of his backstory, and there is no love interest (not sure how I feel about that), but since a lot of this story happens in Gray's head, we do get to glimpse his moral center and sense of justice.

There is a bit of a twist (HUGE!) and the way the story ended has left me patiently waiting for book two.

Such an interesting take on a vampire story!

I must admit that I was nonplussed by the traditional Private Eye writing style of the author combined with the stereotypical P.I. cadence of the narrator.

It took a few chapters to get into the story. Now, I am intrigued! I want more! This book is a great introduction to a vampire series. There are so many questions, so many possible directions that this story can take.

Vampire mystery novel

Excellent novel that blends the supernatural world and with lots of mystery thrown in.

Book follows Mason Gray on his his search for the truth. The discoveries that he makes can be shocking, so sit tight and enjoy.

Narrator did a good job on the narration, but he seemed to use the same voice for each character so it was really hard to tell who was who if you didn't pay close attention.

I received a free review copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving am honest review.