Phillip Margolin's Latest - Woman with a Gun - Release Date - December 2, 2014

I just finished an ARC of Phillip Margolin's latest book, Woman with a Gun.  As it says in the title of this post, it will be released on December 2, a mere 11 days from today.  I have read all of Margolin's books (I think Woman is #20), and I always enjoy them.  They are like comfort food to me.  You're not going to find any of them on The Finest Books of the Year list.  Not even from a lowly blogger like me.  Then again, if you want a burger, you're not going to a 3-star Michelin restaurant for it.  But that doesn't mean you don't enjoy a burger now and again.  That's how I feel about Margolin's books.

Back on February 13, 2011, in only my 2nd month of blogging, I posted a blog about "B-Listers."  These are authors that I like reading, but that would never get a 4/4 from me. And usually not even a 3.5/4 (with a couple of exceptions).  These are 2.5/4 or 3/4. Phillip Margolin was 1 of 20 on that list.  Well, I got in trouble with 1 publisher for putting their author on.  And I guess I can understand why they subsequently dropped me from their list of the bloggers who get ARC's for review.  But that doesn't change the fact that this is how I feel, and that I owe it to you readers to give you my honest evaluation of any book that I read.

Another long-winded diatribe from yours truly.  Let me now get to the new one.

Master of mystery Phillip Margolin transcends his traditional territory in this new and different book, a haunting thriller inspired by an unforgettable photograph

Visiting an art museum displaying a retrospective of acclaimed photographer Kathy Moran’s work, aspiring novelist Stacey Kim is stunned by the photo at the center of the show—the famous “Woman with a Gun,” which won a Pulitzer Prize and launched the photographer’s career. Shot from behind, the enigmatic black and white image is a picture of a woman in a wedding dress, standing on the shore at night, facing the sea. Behind her back, she holds a six-shooter.

The image captures Stacey’s imagination, raising a host of compelling questions. Has the woman killed her husband on their wedding night? Is she going to commit suicide? Is she waiting for someone she plans to kill? Obsessed with finding answers, Stacey discovers that the woman in the photograph is Megan Cahill, suspected of killing her husband, millionaire Raymond Cahill, with the six-shooter on their wedding night. But the murder was never solved.

Drawn deeper into the case, Stacey finds that everyone involved has a different opinion of Megan’s culpability. But the one person who may know the whole story—Kathy Moran—isn’t talking. Stacey must find a way to get to the reclusive photographer or the truth may never see the light of day. 

There's really not much to add.  He does a good job of keeping you guessing.  I liked that. He also has a couple of major coincidences on back-to-back pages that I didn't like.  As I said, he's a good solid B-Lister.  You won't be sorry that you read it.  You also won't be calling the Pulitzer Prize people (although I'm sure you already know that I run in the other direction when I see a book that has the PP sticker on it).  Just enjoy the darn thing. Read it before FREE SPIRIT: growing up on the road and off the grid and after All the Light We Cannot See - or vice versa.  It's a nice tweener.