Review of Boomsters

Yes, I know I promised lots of holiday themed books for the month but I can't resist a good mystery - and one with a reluctant detective, to boot! I know scores of people who said "When I retire I'm going to write a book." Well, David Marks actually did! Stop by next Tuesday for an interview with this newly minted retiree and author.

More About Boomsters

BOOMSTERS is the 2024 Best Indie Book Award (BIBA®) Cozy Mystery Winner!

In the heart of Chicago, where shadows conceal secrets and organized crime reigns, one retiree embarks on an extraordinary journey.

David Blazen didn't know what to expect from retirement. Witnessing a murder that police are calling a suicide definitely was not how he planned to spend his "golden years."

With a strong need to know what happened to the victim and why, David attends the funeral, where he discovers an unusual cast of characters in attendance: the FBI, the frontrunner candidate for Mayor of Chicago, disciples of Chicago's two dirtiest crime lords, and dozens of police officers.

David begins to investigate why all these people cared about the victim and why no one was calling it a murder. In his search for truth and justice, he gets caught in a web of contentious situations, each filled with a mixture of humor and suspense.

The further his investigation goes, the more he realizes he shouldn't be asking who killed the victim or why it was being covered up. As David ultimately is confronted with becoming a criminal himself, the real question he has to ask is how much bad can he justify in the name of good?

As one reviewer said, "This book has the many twists and turns that a great mystery will throw at the reader. It is a fun read, witty, and suspenseful with many surprises turning up throughout the story. If you think you have this story figured out, you don't!"

All net proceeds from this book will be donated to nonprofit organizations benefitting senior veterans.

More About David Marks

David Marks launched DM Merchandising, a wholesale marketplace for business owners, in 1988. He spent 30 years relying on his creativity in the hopes of developing the world’s greatest impulse products. He retired in 2018, thrilled for a new chapter in life, only to discover his creativity had hit a brick wall. One day he was an innovative workaholic with a team of more than 200 employees, the next day he found himself with no forum to exercise his mind.

Desperate to do something creative, he imagined a fictitious character facing the same traumatic reality of retirement. Inspired by watching crime stoppers on TV, David began pondering the question of how much bad could be justified in the name of good. With no clerical staff and limited typing skills, he put his thumb to work and began tapping out a story on his iPhone. A book was never the goal. The exercise was simply meant to help keep his mind sharp. But in the process, Boomsters was born.

Catch Up With David Marks:

Boomsters.com

Goodreads

BookBub - @david_marks

Thoughts on Boomsters

There is no question that Boomsters takes on some serious issues: police corruption, organized crime, murder. But author David Marks lightens the mood with a touch of the ridiculous in a few of his characters, details and situations. After all, when a 70 year old retired businessman wakes up one morning and decides to become a detective (dragging along his friends and family) there is bound to be some craziness. It ranges from "Is he having a mental breakdown?" to some old fashioned and hysterical slapstick situations that had me laughing aloud. The events of this book are a investigative snowball with one small event growing, growing, growing until BOOM!

I admired that this book was more than a puzzle to be solved. There are moral and ethical questions to ponder about courage, redemption and vengeance. At 531 pages, Boomsters is longer than your average mystery/thriller. There is a lot of action crammed into the two week stretch that the book covers but I felt that it would benefit from a little tightening up of the lulls in the action. Bring your imagination because many characters are described in only the broadest terms. Detective Blaze and his crew could be anyone...even you.

Want to Win?

Enter to win a $35 Amazon gift card to winners in the US. Enter the giveaway HERE

Ready to Read

Amazon l Barnes & Noble l Bookshop l Wheatmark