Author Spotlight - Scott Grand
Scott Grand is a mystery for the most part. I happen to be friends with him on Facebook (humble brag), but unlike so many he doesn't post much and as far as I am aware isn't on any other forms of social media. He clearly has his reasons, but it might be to his detriment given how the reading world works through these channels these days.
I want to shed some light on Scott's work today, which I have enjoyed over the past twelve months taking the time to big up his latest The Girl with the Stone Heart once more. Enjoy the reviews and check out one of the books if/when you have time!
Sport by Scott Grand
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I'm at the point in my All Due Respect fandom that I'm swotting up on authors they intend to publish in the future with Grand's next book being published by ADR in November.
Sport recounts the tale of the so-named teenager and his life working for the Russian mob. Based in the 80s, it's the hard-boiled noir Stranger Things in a way.
Sport ends up working with the mob alongside his best friend, Gun, in order to pay off his father's debt. It's a quick cracking slap of a book replete with great characters and cinematic and unflinching violence.
The Girl with the Stone Heart by Scott Grand
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
"Come on. You're a ghost in your own life. Just a witness. What happened?"
I've become a fan of Scott Grand's work over the course of the year in anticipation for this one with Sport being a particular highlight. The Girl with the Stone Heart is very close to that quality and showcases Grand's ability to build unique character voices and has a melancholy tone that I so adore in my noir.
Grace is running the town bowling alley in between doing jobs for "The Council", which unlike a local Scottish one appears far more nefarious. The fishing town he inhabits is struck by tragedy as a boat containing six local fishermen disappears without a trace and Grace must deliver pay offs to the families only to discover something more sinister in the offing.
The tone and the character really made this book and while it does fall directly into my wheelhouse, it is superbly done. Everything feels old, used and run down including Grace. He's certainly not the first character of his kind in noir, but I was taken with the way he can care about people, but also have no qualms about getting violent when the need arises.
This is a wonderful little noir that has more than a stone heart and a feel and tone that make it very memorable. Like all the best things it ends too soon. Hopefully won't have long to wait for more Grand tales.
The Hunger of Those Left Unfed by Scott Grand
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
There is a lot of plot stuffed within the 23 pages of this supernatural/hard boiled noir short story and it'll leave you thinking about it long after the last page.
Finn leaves behind the Amish(?) community he has been living in with his father and quickly meets Windsor with whom he falls in love and moves in with. From there he becomes a tattoo artist after showing off the tattoos that adorn him and the illustrations he has done of the same. They are purportedly Amish tattoos relating to his place in the community and will be filled in as he becomes who he is.
The mysteries of the story rise and fall with the plot, but are always lodged in the back of your mind even as wilder things are happening.
3 Day Life by Scott Grand
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Experience recently has told me you can fit a lot into three days and so it is in Scott Grand's novella that his main character only maintains his memory for three days believing he is waking up in 1999, when in fact he is a P.I. in 2014.
Upon waking he consults his journals and his assistant, Lena, for details on his life and takes on the case of missing woman, Ginny O'Dell, who has been missing for the last 7 years. Grand weaves a classic shamus tale with a twist and a heart warming and naturalistic central relationship.
Without wanting to give too much away the darkness of the mystery doesn't fully pervade the pages as the relationship between our protagonist and Lena is explored. Their rapport feels real as their quips are never that funny, but strike in a personal way.
Grand has offered up something slightly different through all his work, but has a talent for characters and how they interact with each other.
Only Child by Scott Grand
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Digby is an ex-con and baker who is on the hunt for his artist sister after learning she hasn't turned up for work. He'll need some help from his drug dealing brother along the way.
For me, I wanted a bit more backstory between the siblings to gives the plot points a bit more emotional resonance. Without it, it's kind of a rote hard boiled tale.
I want to shed some light on Scott's work today, which I have enjoyed over the past twelve months taking the time to big up his latest The Girl with the Stone Heart once more. Enjoy the reviews and check out one of the books if/when you have time!
Sport by Scott GrandMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
I'm at the point in my All Due Respect fandom that I'm swotting up on authors they intend to publish in the future with Grand's next book being published by ADR in November.
Sport recounts the tale of the so-named teenager and his life working for the Russian mob. Based in the 80s, it's the hard-boiled noir Stranger Things in a way.
Sport ends up working with the mob alongside his best friend, Gun, in order to pay off his father's debt. It's a quick cracking slap of a book replete with great characters and cinematic and unflinching violence.
The Girl with the Stone Heart by Scott GrandMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
"Come on. You're a ghost in your own life. Just a witness. What happened?"
I've become a fan of Scott Grand's work over the course of the year in anticipation for this one with Sport being a particular highlight. The Girl with the Stone Heart is very close to that quality and showcases Grand's ability to build unique character voices and has a melancholy tone that I so adore in my noir.
Grace is running the town bowling alley in between doing jobs for "The Council", which unlike a local Scottish one appears far more nefarious. The fishing town he inhabits is struck by tragedy as a boat containing six local fishermen disappears without a trace and Grace must deliver pay offs to the families only to discover something more sinister in the offing.
The tone and the character really made this book and while it does fall directly into my wheelhouse, it is superbly done. Everything feels old, used and run down including Grace. He's certainly not the first character of his kind in noir, but I was taken with the way he can care about people, but also have no qualms about getting violent when the need arises.
This is a wonderful little noir that has more than a stone heart and a feel and tone that make it very memorable. Like all the best things it ends too soon. Hopefully won't have long to wait for more Grand tales.
The Hunger of Those Left Unfed by Scott GrandMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
There is a lot of plot stuffed within the 23 pages of this supernatural/hard boiled noir short story and it'll leave you thinking about it long after the last page.
Finn leaves behind the Amish(?) community he has been living in with his father and quickly meets Windsor with whom he falls in love and moves in with. From there he becomes a tattoo artist after showing off the tattoos that adorn him and the illustrations he has done of the same. They are purportedly Amish tattoos relating to his place in the community and will be filled in as he becomes who he is.
The mysteries of the story rise and fall with the plot, but are always lodged in the back of your mind even as wilder things are happening.
3 Day Life by Scott GrandMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Experience recently has told me you can fit a lot into three days and so it is in Scott Grand's novella that his main character only maintains his memory for three days believing he is waking up in 1999, when in fact he is a P.I. in 2014.
Upon waking he consults his journals and his assistant, Lena, for details on his life and takes on the case of missing woman, Ginny O'Dell, who has been missing for the last 7 years. Grand weaves a classic shamus tale with a twist and a heart warming and naturalistic central relationship.
Without wanting to give too much away the darkness of the mystery doesn't fully pervade the pages as the relationship between our protagonist and Lena is explored. Their rapport feels real as their quips are never that funny, but strike in a personal way.
Grand has offered up something slightly different through all his work, but has a talent for characters and how they interact with each other.
Only Child by Scott GrandMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
Digby is an ex-con and baker who is on the hunt for his artist sister after learning she hasn't turned up for work. He'll need some help from his drug dealing brother along the way.
For me, I wanted a bit more backstory between the siblings to gives the plot points a bit more emotional resonance. Without it, it's kind of a rote hard boiled tale.
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