Review: The Hour of Predators by Lane Stark

Title: The Hour of Predators Author: Lane Stark Publication Date: March 22, 2012
Synopsis:
Two gruesome murders have shocked and divided the community of Bella Coola, a small, isolated village in a remote river valley on the coast of British Columbia. The evidence points to a teenaged Nuxalk boy, and the simmering tension between whites and tribe members heats up. RCMP Inspector Marcus Chao must sort through misleading clues, cultural conflicts, tangled relationships, sexual scandals, and even rumors of sorcery to find the truth.

Marcus is a man whose life has skidded into remorse and misery. His own infidelity has ended his marriage to the woman he still loves, and now he finds himself with only two things to keep his sinking spirits afloat: the need to serve justice and his eternal fascination with solving the puzzle of the crime. This latest puzzle, however, is proving to be a maze of intrigue, and his mettle as well as his principles will be tested.
My Thoughts:
Bad things have been happening in the small town of Bella Coola. Two men have been murdered, leaving behind some very strange clues. All the evidence points towards Daniel Joseph, a Nuxalk teenager who did not get along with both victims. In fact, the evidence is so overwhelmingly aimed towards him, that it is almost too believable. At least that is what Inspector Marcus Chao, who is sent to Bella Coola to investigate the murders, thinks. He may be the only person in town who thinks someone is out to frame Daniel and he is going to do as much digging as possible to find the real murderer.
But Inspector Chao has his own problems. He and his wife, Gemma, have divorced only to have their paths cross again due to the murders. Gemma lived in Bella Coola for a short time and happens to be an expert in Nuxalk language. Inspector Chao sets out not only to find out what really happened in Bella Coola, but also to win back the love and trust of Gemma.

I have to say that I was very pleased with this book. It was much different from anything I've read lately and I found it very refreshing. While the cover states it is a Marcus Chao Mystery, the story seemed to centralize among two other characters as well, Daniel Joseph, who is the main suspect in the murders, and Claire Lester, his love interest. 
The Characters: What I loved most about the characters in this book was that they are all believable. I found each of them very easy to connect with, especially Daniel, and could picture them interacting with each other. There were two main groups of people in Bella Coola, the Nuxalk and the "white" folk. While each character had a bigger purpose, their heritage played a part in the mystery whether they wanted it to or not. Claire's stunning Nuxalk beauty caused her to be the high prize among the men in Bella Coola, even those who were respectable members of the community, and even though she was just a young girl. This played a large role in Claire's life and attitude. Daniel, on the other hand, was treated different for being Nuxalk and this made his life harder. Each character, Nuxalk or not, was dealing with the prejudices of the other side and this affected their actions and words greatly. 
The Setting: If I was dropped off in Bella Coola right now, I would be able to make my way around the town without any problems. The author does an incredible job of describing the town and surrounding areas that it was not at all hard to picture it throughout the story. Though small, it came off as a beautiful town with a rich forest. Aside from the tension with the town folk, I wouldn't mind spending a week or two there camping in the gorgeous woods. 
The Storyline: There are many things happening within these pages, but it never at all feels like too much. There is murder, physical and sexual abuse, mystery, love and even a little bit of folklore. Every time I thought I had things figured out, something else would come to light and completely through me off track. Besides the murder, there are other smaller stories woven throughout as well. The relationships between Marcus and Gemma, Daniel and Claire, Claire and Mary Grace (her great-grandmother), as well as a few others. All of these relationships are their own small story that help create a larger story that would not exist without them. 
The Writing: All I can say is that I will definitely be reading more by Lane Stark. The writing in this story was exceptional, moving gracefully between characters and situations and paced evenly throughout. 

Overall, this was a fantastic read that kept me up late for days. If you are looking for a good mystery with real characters and a new twist, this is it! The ebook is only $2.99 right now and I HIGHLY recommend you do yourself a favor and purchase a copy. You won't be disappointed!

{Purchase} {Amazon}{B&N}{Smashwords}


*I received this book for free in exchange of my honest review. This did not influence my opinion in any way and all views and opinions expressed are 100% my own.