One Day You'll Burn: A Novel

3.5 STARS Detective Tully Jarsdel is a rather unique character. The son of two dads, he disappointed them terribly when he left his job as a history teacher and became a law enforcement officer, and now a homicide detective. He's known by his mentor and colleagues as a 'brain' as he's one of the few who have a college degree. He's a little awkward, a bit of a social misfit .. but the one thing he is really good at is finding the bad guys. He and his mentor/partner, Morales. are called to the scene of a victim so badly burned that the body doesn't even look human. He's been slowly cooked to death .. something no one has seen before. Tully thinks the placement of the body is key .... but he is a party of one. He and Morales come to loggerheads on how to proceed when there's no motive, no witnesses, no clues. Book Blurb: They find themselves dragged into the underbelly of a city notorious for chewing up and spitting out anyone dumb enough to turn their back on survival. This is a debut novel, showcasing not only the characters, but the competing sides of Los Angeles.. which can be beautiful on one hand, the squalidness on the other. As Tully has a background in history, the book is filled with assorted lectures / information on any number of subjects. There are places that slowed down to a crawl in places and overall, I did not find this particularly thrilling or action packed. The author also exposes the family dynamics and how there is love ... but also a bit of anger and disappointment Many thanks to the author / Poisoned Pen Press / Netgalley for the copy of this crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

Talk about a scene stealer! This book is going to be big. I need more! Lots and lots more. Very well developed characters and background plot filled with intrigue! This series is going places. It snared me in right away and kept me hooked until the very end. All of the characters are done exceedingly well. The history of Hollywood adds a great backdrop to the overall story. Then there is the plot which offers mystery, suspense, twists and turns, and a touch of romance that keeps you guessing and gripped tight by the story. For a debut novel Mr. Joseph Schneider has set the bar high for all who follow. The dynamic between the two main characters, Detective Tully Jarsdel and Morales, is great. Their is a unique dynamic between them that just works when it really seems it shouldn't. I was surprised by the amount of times Morales and Tully made me chuckle. Aleena at first seemed as though she'd just be a throw away character, not adding substance just a bit of fascination. But I was pleasantly delighted to enjoy her straightforward way of life. Not many authors can pull of a funny, sensual, intelligent academic but here we have Tully and Aleena to enjoy. I will definitely be reading more from Mr. Joseph Schneider and I'm impatiently waiting to delve back into this interesting world he's created.