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Start giftingThe Red Storm
This audiobook uses AI narration.
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Learn moreThe Red Storm is the first novel from licensed private-investigator-turned-novelist Grant Bywaters, sure to appeal to fans of PI novels and historical mysteries.
Newly-minted private investigator William Fletcher is having trouble finding clientele. He’s not the only man out of work, but his past as a former heavyweight contender with a few shady connections—not to mention the color of his skin in race-obsessed New Orleans—isn’t helping lure clients to his door. Stuck without any viable alternative, he takes a case from an old criminal acquaintance, Storm. His only client assures him that the job is simple—locate his missing estranged daughter, Zella, no questions asked.
But when Fletcher starts knocking on doors, he sets off a catastrophic chain of events that turns the city into a bloody battleground between two rival syndicates. Then Storm is murdered, and Fletcher finds himself caught between the police and dangerous mobsters. With Zella’s safety on the line, the unlikely private detective finds himself saddled with a lot more than he bargained for.
Grant Bywaters has worked as a licensed private investigator. He now works security at the Portland International Airport and is finishing his bachelor’s degree in psychology at Portland State University. Bywaters lives outside of Portland, Oregon. The Red Storm is his first novel.
Kevin Kenerly, an Earphones Award–winning narrator, earned a BA at Olivet College. A longtime member of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, he has acted in more than twenty seasons, playing dozens of roles.
Reviews
“Grant Bywater’s debut is a stunner.”
“The Red Storm has Hammett-esque qualities mixing with Elmore Leonard smart-talking bad guys with bad-ass attitudes, guns, and punch-power knockouts.”
“Written in the tradition of all hard-boiled noirs, this debut is an exciting trip down memory lane. The atmosphere and language are perfect as Bywaters captures the reality of a black man walking a fine line in 1930s New Orleans. Unexpected twists add to the excellence.”
“Narrator Kevin Kenerly evokes the strong atmosphere of this mystery, set in 1930s New Orleans. He captures the swagger of African-American P. I. William Fletcher through dialect and portrays the smoky sensuality of Fletcher’s client, Zelda, with a deep, almost masculine, tone…Kenerly keeps the listener hooked on the plot and atmosphere, so fans of the genre should find this debut enjoyable.”
“The Red Storm‘s plot is solid, but it is the setting in both time and place that distinguish this classically styled noir PI story.”
“This is damned good…Historical fiction and hard-boiled fans will enjoy this.”
“Bywaters edges near Hammett territory with this unassuming hero who stoically accepts that, even though the odds are heavily stacked against him, he still needs to go on doing the best he can.”
“The Red Storm is a solid, hard-hitting debut. The New Orleans period background is very well done, the characters and story compelling.”
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