Follow the breadcrumbs! –a reviewer commented
From Amazon: Trevor Barcroft enlists the help of crime and mystery writer Brody Thompson to help solve his father’s murder — a murder the police and the FBI have been ignoring for five years. Trevor is convinced he knows who killed his father. Brody doesn’t agree, but he becomes convinced that there is much more to the story than anyone is sharing. He takes a strong interest in the murder and a series of related crimes.
Rascal Todd wants to help, but her editor keeps her away from the story. Why? What was Wilson Barcroft doing at Gateway Park the night he was killed? Who is the mysterious Poet? What do the odd bits of poetry he has spread around tell us? Is the Poet still alive? Will he survive? Will Brody and Trevor find the answers—will they survive?
Join Rascal and her friends and coworkers as they try to help from the sidelines without becoming targets in an ever-growing list of deadly crimes. Real life turns out to be far more dangerous than any fiction Brody could create as the history of a war long over comes back to haunt the city of Pittsburgh.
Consistent with previous books by this author, this is a character-driven story with an ensemble cast. Some characters will be familiar to readers of Antion’s other novels. Some are new faces that you might just come to love. The addition of poetry by Willow Willers provides an interesting mechanism driving this story forward, and driving Brody Thomson into dangerous territory.
My comment
Poetic Justice is a complicated thriller, but an important one leading back to “a war we never even tried to win” and reasons buried decades earlier. The characters are also complex, including the Poet who was in hiding and clues he left as short poems. Solving all the tangles was made more difficult by “pressure from miles above and years before,” as one character put it. Also fascinating is the story at the end of how Willow Withers was brought on board as the coauthor of this compelling story. (My husband, who has Parkinson’s) is a veteran of the Vietnam war, so I was especially interested in this story.)
The Author
Dan Antion was born outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He grew up and attended college in the area around western Pennsylvania. Dan has written and published the popular No Facilities blog since 2011. A lifelong interest in writing became a reality after he retired from a successful 42-year-long career in information management. Knuckleheads, published in June 2022, is the first book in the Dreamer’s Alliance Series. This story introduces the main characters in the series. . .
Dan lives in Connecticut with his wife, a few pets and all the wildlife they can feed.
The poet: London born Willow Willers is retired and lives in Berkshire, Southern England. Along with her husband and a steady stream of foster dogs mainly Guide Dogs for the Blind. Willow is mother to three sons all grown and flown and two fast growing grandsons.
A great review of this book. It is on my TBR list.
Thank you, Darlene. I’d never read a Dan Antion story before. Now that I’m hooked on some of the characters, I need to read more!
I am so happy to hear that, Joy. My character have had that same affect on me 😉
You pass it on to your readers very well, Dan.
I hope you enjoy it, Darlene.
A lovely review, joy. Congratulations to Dan.
Thanks, John. Not my normal genre, but I was certainly intrigued by it.
Thanks John.
Thank you so much for this recommendation, Joy. I love your reviews and fear I’ve fallen behind in reading your posts. I hope Thanksgiving for you and Guy was lovely. I also hope you’re doing well – dealing with the snow which seems to be blanketing parts of Iowa and Illinois at the moment. A winter wonderland out my window here. xo! ❤️😊❤️
Bless you, Vicki. This sure isn’t a regular genre for me, but I sure got involved with it, then discovered it dealt with the Vietnam war. Quiet Thanksgiving here. Our “kid” in the Twin Cities finally found a house (after looking 3-4 years) and this was moving week. I think they’re cleaning the rental this weekend. Yes, snow, pretty today. I hope you had a warm and wonderful Thanksgiving.
Yay to finding a house after a lengthy search. It’s hard – so little inventory right now in many places.
I hear you about the appeal of stories which deal with the Vietnam war…they draw me in, too.
Lisa was with us for a few days for Thanksgiving and we spent some great time with daughter Delaney and her almost-fiancée (we think) 😊Cole and his family. Lovely in every way…and plenty to be grateful for. Sending loads of snowy love and hugs to you and Guy. ❤️❤️❤️
I’d send hearts but WordPress doesn’t offer me any. =sigh=
I feel them just the same…you know that! xo! ❤️
Absolutely riveting! Poetic Justice masterfully weaves decades-old secrets, complex characters, and the haunting intrigue of hidden poetry into a thriller that lingers long after the last page. Your insights about Willow Willers’ contribution and the personal connection to Vietnam veterans add layers of depth that make this review unforgettable.
Thanks so much for your comment!
Thank you for this comment. Willow’s poetry allowed to keep the story moving at a faster pace than if I had tried to write out the Poet’s concerns and experiences. Poetry can say so much in a few words. Willow understood the Poet’s role in the story and, in fact, became the character.
Your insightful reflection truly resonates.
When poetry breathes within a story, words transform into the soul of the characters.
Willow becoming the poet is the most beautiful magic this narrative holds.
Thank you. I feel the same way.
Thanks, you legend
Congratulations to Dan on the great review! The book is nestled on my Kindle waiting for me.
Thanks, Liz. I’ve had his Knuckleheads on my Kindle for ages, but maybe it was the title that got me to read this one instead. . .
🙂Titles will do that!
Thanks Liz!
You’re welcome, Dan.
So nice that you posted this about the intriguing book, Joy. It will be on my TBR list.
This one just hit me, Tim. Fiction can better convey some tough subjects than the news or a lecture or even history.
Thanks Tim. I hope you enjoy it.
[…] I’m linking a recent blog post about Poetic Justice, which shares the stealth of the weaponry used in the Vietnam War and their aftermath in ways that the news never could. […]
Thank you so much, Joy. It’s heartwarming to read positive thoughts about this book.
With all the Vietnam vets out there living with health problems from the war, besides the ones who are homeless, you story hits home in a way a lecture could not!
Our treatment of those vets (or lack thereof) makes me sad.
Those with PTSD especially. My Favorite Guy didn’t develop Parkinson’s until a half dozen years ago. The VA has been very helpful. (His mother lived until a year ago, age 101, still in her own home. Our lives have gotten smaller much earlier because of health issues. We’ve got each other and have a comfy home to feel crummy in, so we are blessed.)
PTSD is so misunderstood.
Hi Joy I am so glad you enjoyed Poetic Justice…. I found it a deeply moving story . I was about two when the war started and about 22yrs old when it finished… That’s a long time for a war to last and such a toll it took. It obviously affected you and your husband. I learned about it via , newspapers TV and news reels at the cinema.
Working Dan was a wonderful experience thank you so much for this great review.
Oh, by the way having read and reviewed all of Dan’s books I can highly recommend them .
Wishing you and your husband a wonderful Christmas. 💜💜💜
Oh, Willow! Thank you for your note! My latest book, Meadowlark Songs: A Motherline Legacy, is mostly story verses! I learned (from Elizabeth Gauffreau, Luanne Castle, and Greg Seeley) how just a few well-chosen details can convey so much. Dan said your poems did the same for his book. It certainly did, plus the lure of the title. (His Knuckleheads has been on my Kindle for quite a while. I’ve had a rocky year health-wise–diagnosed with Crohn’s, which was hard to get settled down, plus I grew up on an Iowa farm and Knuckleheads was what my dad called cattle that wouldn’t cooperate.
Love the title already! I’m expecting an amazon gift card for Christmas and I’ll put this one of the buy list. Looking forward to reading what you have.
The title was what drew me in as well, William. Thanks for the comment! I hope that gift card is a hefty one!
you and me both.
Thank you, William. I hope you enjoy the book.
Now I’m going to have to read it! Congratulations Dan!
Thanks, Craig. This novel tells stories of truths behind the Vietnam war in such an impactful way.
Thanks Craig! I hope you enjoy it.
Bought it!
I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
Wow! Thank you so much!
“Poetic Justice” sounds like it has an intriguing plot line that involves remnants of a war pretty much swept under the rug. It has to be good! Good luck, Dan. Thanks for the great review, Joy. 🙂
And let me not forget Willow. Good luck, Willow! 🙂
Willow’s poems sure kept things suspenseful, didn’t they?
I suppose I will have to read it and find out! 😁
Thank you, Nancy. The title lured me and my Favorite Guy is a Vietnam vet dealing with Parkinson’s. Dan’s book is such a fascinating way to deal with issues from the war, maybe especially the lingering ones.
Thank you for bringing thisbto the attention of your readers. You have a knack for discovering appealing books. 😁
Bless you, Nancy.
Willow’s poetry is an essential and amazing part of the story.