Jack Crittendon, the features editor for the local
newspaper, and his wife, Pam, are still trying to settle
down after the traumatic events involving Granger Meade (see
Fear Has A Name for more details) when Jack stumbles upon a
possible story involving a local plant. Residents and
neighbors of the fiberglass manufacturing plant, Demler-
Vargus, are sickening and in many cases dying. Are
environmental standards being violated? And just how far
will Demler-Vargus go to keep this story out of print?
I haven't read Creston Mapes' first book in The
Crittendon
Files series, but the author does a marvelous job at
catching new readers up to speed on the series. Not only
does Creston Mapes give us the back history, but he deftly
shows us the underlying tension that has developed between
Jack and Pam after her traumatic kidnapping. Jack's anger
is easy to understand, particularly since forgiveness flies
in the face of all logic, but Creston Mapes shows us how
anger can overtake a person's life.
POISON TOWN is a thriller in which the characters take
center stage. The mystery itself isn't a surprise but it is
the emotional journey that Jack, Pam, and Jack's friend,
Derrick, undertake in their quest for truth and justice that
is so compelling. Derrick's uneasiness at risking his own
life makes POISON TOWN all the more plausible as the heroes
are true to life, having doubts and debating whether they
should follow the crowd and take the easy way out.
POISON TOWN is an intriguing story that draws the reader
into the lives of the characters. I like how Creston Mapes
poses questions for his characters, asking them just how
much they are willing to sacrifice to follow the tenets of
their faith. While the situations are perhaps more intense
than ones we may deal with daily, they are real world
situations that engage the reader. POISON TOWN is a thought-
provoking, entertaining read and easy to recommend.
People are sick and dying. Rumors are swirling. Some claim
chemicals leaking from a manufacturing plant are causing the
cancer that's crippling people on the poor side of Trenton
City, Ohio. Yet nothing at the plant appears amiss.
The problem remains a mystery until reporter Jack
Crittendon's long-time mechanic falls ill and he
investigates. Soon Jack becomes engulfed in a smokescreen of
lies, setups, greed, and scandal.
The deeper he digs, the more toxic the corruption he
uncovers. As he faces off with the big-time players behind
the scenes and tries to beat the clock before more people
die, he realizes the chillingly unthinkable--he knows too
much.
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