The Good Cop by Brad Parks – Murder or Suicide in Newark, NJ? Mystery Book Review

“The Good Cop” is the latest mystery novel from award-winning author Brad Parks, starring Carter Ross.

Carter Ross, 32, is an investigative reporter for the Newark-Eagle Examiner, New Jersey’s largest newspaper; and he loves his work, “One of the fundamental things that I believe as a writer is that words have the power to move people.”

His commitment to journalism often leads him down a dangerous path to expose the truth; and in Parks’ fourth book, the mystery, chaos, and joy continue.

Darius Kipps, a 12-year veteran of the Newark Police Department, dies in the Fourth Precinct shower from a gunshot wound to the head; and the authorities rule it as a suicide.

Why would Darius commit suicide when he loved his job, his wife, and his children, especially his long-awaited 5-month-old son, Jacquille?

After interviewing Darius’s widow, Mimi, Carter is convinced that her death may not have been suicide; and begins his last adventure.

Carter lives a simple, single life in Bloomfield, New Jersey with her cat Deadline; and he wears a boring and limited wardrobe of two-tone pleated pants, two-tone shirts, and three-tone ties.

“You have to know what flavor of ice cream you are in this world, and I am vanilla,” says Carter.

Tommy Hernandez returns as a newspaper intern turned temporary permanent employee. He is a 24-year-old second-generation Cuban-American who is “gay because the day is long.” Carter and Tommy enjoy a professional alliance and scold each other’s inclinations.

“You know, if you’re really going to become my side, you’re going to have to do something with those pants,” Hernandez says.

Sexy, 39-year-old Tina Thompson is Carter’s boss. The duo engage in an on-and-off romance, each with a different agenda. Tina, aware of her waning biological clock, simply wants Carter to be the father of her child. He wants more.

The conflict arises when Tina realizes that Kira O’Brien, the young librarian recently hired by the newspaper, is competing for Carter’s attention.

Kira invites Carter to an absinthe party at his friend Paul’s loft. Her gothic appearance includes various piercings and tattoos and black nail polish.

Paul is enrolled in a multidisciplinary Ph.D. program in “Death Studies” at Rutgers-Newark; and interns at the Essex County Medical Examiner’s Office, which provides you with a key to enter after hours.

After drinking their mint green liquid concoction, the trio set out to examine Darius Kipps’s body in the morgue, making for a bizarre and investigative experience into his death.

Newark Eagle-Examiner intern, Geoff Ginsburg, earned the newsroom nickname “Ruthie,” in honor of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. To monitor Carter, he assigns Ruthie a collaborative Newark public housing story with him.

Aware of her ploy, Carter comically counteracts her game by delegating a story to Ruthie that involves organic food coloring for gluten-free foods, home pregnancy tests, and newly installed bathrooms in Newark Housing Authority homes.

The Reverend Doctor Alvin LeRioux (aka Pastor Al) is an expensive man in a 300 pound suit who runs the Redeemer Love Christian Church. He calls a press conference with Mimi Kipps, demanding an investigation into her husband’s death.

Carter is suspicious of his intentions, especially when he later requests an end to the investigation.

Carter soon finds himself deep in the waters of the Black Mafia family; And his beatnik Chevy Malibu is no match for the bullet-throwing silver E-class Mercedes with tinted windows determined to shoot him dead.

Red Dot Enterprises furthers the story by promoting the trafficking of antique and small-caliber guns through the I-95 corridor, which includes the New Jersey Turnpike.

“The Good Cop” features Parks’ signature humor throughout. While visiting Pastor Al’s church, Carter says, “I passed a sign on a pole that said, PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CELL PHONE WHILE I AM IN GOD’S HOUSE, and I obeyed, in case God was ready to hit me with his version. of roaming charges. “

Anyone with ties to Newark, New Jersey, or the region will experience a special affinity for Parks’ narratives, as the city serves as his center stage. The Garden State Parkway, Irvine Turner Boulevard; and phrases like “I’m still a Jersey boy. Aggressive driving is a state birthright” are identifiable.

Parks’ accolades exemplify why he is a successful writer. Beyond superficial gratitude to his agent and publisher, etc., Parks acknowledges that he has a great life, both personally and professionally; and appreciates your readers.

Read any book by Brad Parks and you will indirectly experience his eupeptic presence.

Brad Parks’ publisher, Minotaur Books, has many talented mystery writers, including Linda Castillo and Paul Doiron. Castillo’s main character, Kate Burkholder, is a former Amish woman turned detective. Paul Doiron introduces Maine Ranger Mike Bowditch. Castillo’s new book, “Her Last Breath,” will be published on June 18, 2013. Paul Doiron will release “Massacre Pond,” on July 16, 2013. To find out more about these authors, visit: http: // www .minotaurbooks.com.

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