Trudy Nan BoyceCritiques

I wasn't sure what to think about The Policeman's Daughter, and there are some uneven sections, but overall I really (really!) enjoyed this read. Boyce brings quite a bit of social commentary to her story, but also makes us care about the protagonist, Sarah Alt (Salt) and what happens to her and why. Will definitely look for more books in this vein by Boyce!

This is the first in the Sarah Alt series, but the second book chronologically. These are enjoyable despite sometimes uneven writing, and a need for tighter copyediting. I like the characters, and also appreciate the side-meanders into the slightly "supernatural"...

An interesting first novel written by a retired police detective. Gritty and realistic, often complex, I appreciated the experience Boyce brings to the table. However, I sometimes had difficulty following the plot of the story. There were a LOT of characters. Cops, friends, suspects, random people on the street, some with similar names, so many that I lost track of where they fit into the plot.½

I really wish I had liked this book better, as I truly enjoyed Boyce's previous volumes in this series, but no. It just seemed too disjointed, as though she is showing Salt's introductions to these characters that make up her other two books. Then there is Salt herself and her constant forward-then-back recollections of her life to that point, her dad, and her refusal to budge. On anything.

Otherwise, the descriptions of the Projects (the "Homes"), the complicated relationships between the people who live there, and the grinding tragedy of so many people's lives are spot on. They were written with compassion rather than pity, and Boyce must have been a heck of a police officer who brought much of herself into her work.

It takes a cop to write an outstanding police procedural. Trudy Nan Boyce, a 30-year veteran of the Atlanta PD, delivers a hard hitting, gritty homicide procedural. The Policeman's Daughter is a prequel to her Detective Sarah Alt series and centers around the homicide case that got Alt promoted to homicide.

Alt, whose street name is Salt, is a beat cop in one of the poorest neighborhoods in Atlanta, The Homes. Patrolling as a lone officer, she depends on her friend and fellow officer, "Pepper'' Greer, who patrols a nearby area. Salt and Pepper. The duo are well known to the residents of The Homes. When the body of Shannell McCloud is discovered, shot to death in the closet where she had been hiding, Alt is angry that there is nothing she can do to solve the problems in The Homes. With very little evidence and no witnessses willing to come forward, detectives tell Alt that there is very little chance of solving the homicide. But Alt is obsessed and determined to find the killer who shot the woman to death as she cowered. In the world of gangs, street crime, drugs and death, it's dangerous to be a lone beat cop, but Alt wants to make a difference.

I enjoyed this book, but it's a rough, gritty read. Boyce paints a bleak picture of life in Atlanta's gang-filled Projects, but not a hopeless one. Alt is a good cop. She really cares about the people and wants to make a difference. Boyce's years as a cop in Atlanta add a realism and truth to this story that mkae it raw and hard hitting.

I will definitely be reading more from this author. There are two other books in the Sarah Alt series. I can't wait to read them both! This prequel in the series is coming out in February 2018.

For more information on the author and her books, check out her website: http://www.trudynanboyce.com/

**I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy of this book from First To Read/Penguin-Random House. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

The Policeman's Daughter by Trudy Nan Boyce is a gritty police procedural about a woman cop who patrols of one Atlanta's poorest projects, the Homes. This third installment in the Detective Sarah Alt series is a prequel that takes place before her promotion to detective and can be read as a standalone.

Sarah "Salt" Alt has been patrolling the Homes for ten years and she not only knows, but cares, about its residents. She and her friend and fellow officer, "Pepper" Greer, are well known and well liked by the people they encounter while on patrol. After getting shot during a routine traffic stop, Salt has recently returned to work when one of women on her beat, Shannell McCloud is murdered. Homicide detectives Will and Gardner are assigned to Shannell's murder but the case quickly goes cold. Salt wants justice for Shannell so she begins digging around in hopes of uncovering the killer.

Salt is the daughter of a cop who killed himself on her tenth birthday. She has never quite gotten over his death and since they were close, becoming a cop was a natural decision. Despite patrolling the Homes for ten years, Salt has not become inured to the tragedies, poverty or criminals she encounters during her shifts. She truly cares for the Homes' residents and for the most part, she has a good relationship with the various people she meets.

Salt is no stranger to Shannell, her boyfriend and her son's father Big D and their son Lil D. She carries a bit of guilt over not being able help Lil D when he was a teenager so she has a soft spot for him. She watches out for him and she is well aware othat Lil D works for local gang leader Man Man who deals drugs. Salt also keeps running across Curtis Stone, who works for Man Man too. However, unlike Lil D and Man Man, Stone is a predator who has no use for Salt. Although she is wary of Stone, Salt is not intimidated by his thuggish tactics and she refuses to stop looking for the person who murdered Shannell.

Although a little slow paced in the beginning, The Policeman's Daughter is a engrossing police procedural. Salt is a compassionate police officer who becomes a little too personally involved with the residents of the Homes yet this is what makes her such an outstanding police officer. Pepper is a wonderful friend who tries to be the voice of reason when she gets overly involved searching for Shannell's killer. Trudy Nan Boyce does an outstanding job bringing the Homes and the people who live there vibrantly to life. The investigation into Shannell's murder is intriguing and the perpetrator's identity is cleverly concealed until the novel's poignant conclusion. A brilliant prequel to the Detective Sarah Alt series that fans of the genre will enjoy.

A Police Procedural that Feels Real

Lil’ D, Dirty Red, Q-ball, Man. They aren’t the nicknames of anyone I know, but after reading The Policeman’s Daughter, it feels like I do. Boyce vividly brings to life the people and the setting of an area of Atlanta known as the Homes. It’s a tough, violent neighborhood and a difficult life, on the edge of poverty, ruled by a drug gang, forgotten by all…except Detective Sarah Alt, aka Salt. Salt patrols her beat with guts, with intelligence, and most of all, with compassion. But what part of that compassion represents her need to feel close to her father, a cop she found dead by his own hand when she was just ten? How far will she go to cling to that memory by walking in his shoes? It’s a tense ride, as Salt tries to come to grips with her past without sacrificing herself, her home, and those around her.

Boyce weaves the tale from ‘war stories’ on the job – talking a violent man into the wagon, watching kids play in a fire hydrant on a sweltering summer day in Atlanta. As a result, the book feels a bit slow at first. But soon, the plot centers around the murder of Shannell, a woman who does whatever is necessary to get her drug fix; and Stone, the violent lieutenant of the local drug gang. There are places where the story became somewhat muddled. At one point, Stone sets up Lil’ D to be arrested for drugs, but I wasn’t sure why. To establish his dominance? To test Lil’ D’s mettle? In another, a fellow policeman, Pepper got a flat tire. Or was it shot out? Was this supposed to be a warning, because if so, none of the police seemed to make the connection, except perhaps Salt. (And yes, the nicknames Salt and Pepper seemed a little too cute at first, but that bit of syrup is soon lost in the suspense.)

The Policeman’s Daughter is not the kind of mystery you can solve by paying attention to the subtle cues, and so, identify the killer before the author comes to the finale. Boyce, through a character, tells you that. It’s a world teetering on the edge of collapse, where anyone could have snapped and killed Shannell. Even so, the conclusion is a bit shocking. And in that ending, Boyce draws the themes of past vs. present, her father vs. the force to a satisfying conclusion. Only the apparently miraculous recovery of Salt’s eyesight seemed too convenient.

Overall, The Policeman’s Daughter is driven by Boyce’s rich depiction of life in the Homes and Salt’s growth as a person and a cop. It’s well worth the read.

Another good and solid Sarah Alt (Salt) novel by this retired Atlanta policewoman and detective turned author. There are a combination of story lines here: a young Spelman student is murdered and people take to the streets; the body of a young woman from Salt's former beat is found; and the relationship between Old South and New is examined.

As Salt is called on to be part of the APD riot squad, the reader learns about the training that goes into being part of that team as well as the physical and mental demands on the officers. When rioting does break out, Salt encounters another of her young charges from The Homes, brother to the young girl whose body she finds (the "Old Bones" of the title), and when the POV of Lil D begins, a side of life opens for the reader. In addition, the home life of young Mary is explored, including her grandmother's abuse which led to Mary seeking what she saw as glamorous women who dance at strip clubs.

In an understated and still engrossing way, the relationship with Salt and Wills begins to deepen, leading to the decision about whose house they will live in and how they will keep their relationship secret from their bosses and co-workers. And Salt finds a box in the attic that contains a listing for her great-grandfather's slaves in the pre-Civil War era.

It's so refreshing to read a murder mystery set in Atlanta! Like Karin Slaughter and Kathy Hogan Trocheck, Trudy Nan Boyce's newly minted detective travels streets that have a long and strange history. And these streets in this novel lead into the seedy underbelly of drug deals and strip clubs, with some blues players added for a strong emotional pull.

The details of a cop's life, especially a woman cop are tough; fortunately in Sarah Alt's world, she has enough of a reputation and enough contacts from her beat cop days to at least start to get some stories told to help lead her to a suspect. But the information does not come easy and Sarah "Salt" Alt has to deal with the ghosts of her past as well as demons in the present. Great detecting, great details, and a gritty crime drama.

During the first part of this book, I was not sure about this Salt character. Is she cray, cray? A glutton for punishment? She is in these gang member's faces and messing with them on a daily basis. I kept thinking that this woman was going to get herself killed. She puts herself in danger like almost everyday.

Then I realize that this woman cares (and there is something going on with her head due to an gunshot injury) and danger does not scare her. Yeah, I know corny, but this is a good read and I loved the play on salt and pepper.

Thanks to Penguin Group Putnam and Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

Review of Uncorrected Proof
Atlanta Police Officer Sarah “Salt” Alt patrols one of the city’s poorest, most violent housing projects. Known as The Homes, it is here that Salt has worked for the last ten years.

Plagued with drugs, prostitution, and gangs, The Homes is a tough beat . . . one that Salt requested. Over the years, she’s come to know and care about the people who live here and when Shannell McCloud is murdered, she is compelled to find the culprit. But The Homes holds many secrets and some will do whatever is necessary to keep them hidden. Nevertheless, Salt persists in her efforts to solve Shannell’s murder, unaware of the true nature of the danger she faces.

The third in the Sarah Alt series, this gritty police procedural pulls no punches in its depiction of the day-to-day life of a beat cop. In a narrative peopled with strong, realistically-drawn characters, Salt is authentic, steeped in compassion and possessing a strong sense of morality; her backstory adds depth to the character and provides insight for readers. Sub-plots and unexpected twists keep the suspense building toward a stunning, unforeseen ending. Despite the uncompromising realism, readers will find it difficult to set this compelling tale aside before reaching the final page.

Recommended.

Detective Sarah Alt, aka Salt, has been patrolling The Homes district in Atlanta for ten years. It is the toughest district in Atlanta, home of crackheads, drug peddlers and prostitutes. She knows the people and the players. Ten years has not dulled her senses to the plight of its occupants. While she tries to help, she realizes that those born in The Homes rarely leave it alive. When Shannell, a part time prostitute, full time crackhead is found by her young daughter shot to death in her closet, Salt vows to find the killer. Having failed Shannell’s son, Lil D, several years earlier by not getting him out of The Homes and into foster care, Salt feels she owes him. A police procedural showing the ‘human side’ of Alt as well as her persistent professional side, pits her against the pushers and pimps of The Homes as well as her own armor shielding her from a colleague’s attempts to get to know her better. This third Sarah Alt installment after Old Bones, is action packed. Salt continues to march to her own drum, putting herself in danger more often than not. The story is a strong addition to the series.

This is a very good crime novel.

As a police procedural, it is an exceptional book. The book involves newly appointed homicide detective Sarah Alt investigating what first appears to be a cold case drug overdose, that quickly turns into a much deeper and darker tale.

The novel is written by a retired police officer and leaves the reader anxiously awaiting her future novels.

One thing I enjoyed about the novel is how well done it was while avoiding that feeling of a "cookie cutter" like assemblage of a novel. While reading the novel, I never had the experience of the flow of the novel being predictable because that is just how procedurals are supposed to be. And because it was written by a former police officer, the typical errors that non-police officers make when writing novels were non-existent. On top of that, in too many other novels involving complex linkage, the story becomes implausible and far reaching, while the plot of this novel was delivered in a very believable way.

Boyce also added layers and textures of life throughout the novel, similarly as to how James Lee Burke does in his writing. Her description of flowers, plants and trees in Atlanta, as well as food and casual conversations between characters, added to the feel of the novel.

While reading this novel, though, I did have two main issues. The first was the lack of police officer gallows humor. Boyce is very sparse in her usage of gallows humor. While it is possible a writer can be gratuitous in the usage of gallows humor, thus rendering it impotent, too little of it, to me, can have a similarly impact.

The other issue dealt the main character missing obvious cues to danger ahead, when through her development, we are led to believe she is an exceptional police officer. These were probably just ways to move the story forward, however, when reading the novel it did not bode well during these times when in my mind I'm hearing the robot from Lost In Space chanting, "Danger, Will Robinson."

Still, this was an exceptional police novel and highly recommended.

In Old Bones, Trudy Nan Boyce brings back many of the characters from her first novel in another story involving Detective Sarah Alt and the city of Atlanta.

In this novel, she also interjects more police humor that I found lacking in the first novel.

The story this time involves Alt investigating a murdered young female, which again leads Alt and her co-workers to places many would wish be left alone. The investigation also unfurls as the city of Atlanta is in turmoil after college protesters, protesting police brutality, are fired upon by suspects believed to be tied to a white supremacist group. Alt's investigation is further imperiled by those with influence over those in Atlanta politics.

While reading this novel, I think it is clear Boyce is a novelist to watch. She captures and describes Atlanta, history and policing very well.

If I had to characterize her writing style, I would suggest it to be comparable to that of a blend of James Lee Burke (for capturing history and flavors of a region), Michael Connelly (for police accuracy and bureaucratic nightmares of the police culture), with a bit of George Pelecanos (for the heartbreak of cultural aspects of life) thrown in.

Boyce successfully creates tales that are believable in their plot lines and characters that are multi-layered.

As far as any negative criticism of this novel, after finishing the novel, I did realize she did leave some acts in the novel unanswered and one major plot line appeared to be completed in a very quick manner.

Still, she has created characters readers should grow fond of and look forward to in future novels.

Highly recommended.

Sarah Alt (aka Salt) has just been promoted to Detective-Atlanta Homicide Squad. As the only female on the day shift, and known to typically work alone, almost as a hazing ceremony she is given the 10 year old cold case of blues singer Mike Armstrong’s death. Originally ruled an accidental drug overdose, there is new evidence, in the form of convicted felon Dwayne Stone’s testimony, that Armstrong was intentionally given a ‘hot dose’ of heroin. However, it is Stone who shot Salt a year ago, from which she still carries the physical and emotional scars. Stone will be trading his information for a reduced sentence and Salt will be working towards that goal when corroborating his testimony…another emotional scar.OutOfTheBlues

Salt carries other emotional scars as well, especially that of finding her policeman father’s body after his shotgun suicide when she was nine years old.

When Salt’s cold case intersects with a recent high profile murder, everyone gets involved, from detectives to narcotics to SWAT and the action builds up.

Out of the Blues by Trudy Nan Boyce attracted my attention because of its blues orientation and apparently Atlanta was a hot spot of early blues activity. In an era when hip hop and rap are at the top of the charts, the popularity of the blues seems to be declining and the plight of the old bluesmen is going virtually unnoticed, Boyce brings it to the forefront. Readers can visualize the dusty, dirty clubs that the book’s rag tag blues band is forced to play in. One of the characters is a down on her luck, homeless former blues singer.

Boyce’s (a former police officer) debut novel is a great start for a series, which I hope this is. She’s has a great set of characters in Salt, her detective boyfriend Wills and their dogs, the transgender desk sergeant, Rosie, Thing One and Thing Two, etc. There is an adequate split between police procedural and action. All the characters are believable. The book has an evangelical bent to it, which is not one of my favorite subjects, but it wasn’t an overpowering slant to the book.

While Boyce’s prose are a little hard to follow/read at times, Out of the Blues is still quite readable, maybe a little slower read, but readable. Her descriptions, especially blues related sounds or feelings, are a little over the top, kind of like she went to writing school and this is what they taught her…not naturally flowing is probably a better way to describe it.

While I don’t normally give star ratings, I’d probably give Out of the Blues three and a half stars. Boyce has the characters and plot down, now she just has to make the words flow more smoothly. I’d definitely read her next book and am actually looking forward to it.½

Assigned to the cold case murder of Michael Richard Anderson, newly-promoted Atlanta homicide detective Sarah Alt, known in the department at “Salt,” learns that the blues musician’s drug overdose may not have been accidental, after all. A convicted felon Salt helped put behind bars is now claiming Anderson’s death was murder and he hopes to trade his information for a shortened sentence. Salt’s investigation of the cold case takes her back to her old beat in a search for the truth.

In this gritty tale, the author provides a strong sense of place in her vivid descriptions of Atlanta, the result of which is that oftentimes Atlanta itself seems to be the main character. The nuanced, in-depth look at the city is a highlight of the narrative and the day-to-day grind of being a member of the police force is another well-depicted highlight of the story.

The infusion of the blues into the telling of the tale provides another story layer for readers; unfortunately, there are times when the songs impede the flow of the narrative.

Driven by memories of her father, who served on the force and, suffering from severe depression, committed suicide on her tenth birthday, Salt is an interesting, faceted character; however, the improbability of Salt continually being placed in so many implausible situations [and always emerging victorious] may strain readers’ credibility.

Despite the intriguing plot, readers are likely to be frustrated with the often-arising “thrown into the middle of a series” feeling that creates confusion; references to past events would seem to assume the reader is already familiar with these events.

I received this book for free through Goodreads Giveaways.

While the book was well written I did not find the story very interesting. This book would be more for those who have an interest in Blues music and like dogs as a supporting character in a book. I would read more from this author if I found the subject matter compelling.

Out of the Blues by Trudy Nan Boyce is the first book in a new series. Sarah Alt (goes by Salt) has just made detective and has been assigned the Homicide Unit. Her sergeant gives her a ten-year-old case (cold case) as her first assignment. It is the death of Michael Anderson, a jazz musician, whose death was ruled accidental (due to drugs). They received new information from a man in prison (who Salt arrested) and now they are looking at the case again. Salt starts by talking to the parents and other people who knew and dealt with Mike. Will she find out the case was murder? Can Salt manage to stay out of trouble while solving the case (avoid getting shot or hurt)?

Out of the Blues is written how the various character’s talk. It makes it difficult to read and understand (they all seem to have poor grammar). It makes it difficult to read and understand (they all seem to have poor grammar). The book has no flow (it is awkwardly written). This is the first book in a new series, but it is written like a book in the middle of a series (makes it confusing). The blurb made it sound like a good book with an enjoyable mystery. I was extremely disappointed. I was never able to get into this story and I did not like the characters. I gave Out of the Blues 1 out of 5 stars. I was frustrated by this book and really did not want to finish it. Out of the Blues was just not my type of book.

I received a complimentary copy of Out of the Blues from NetGalley and First to Read in exchange for an honest review.

I fell in love with Sandy Salt aka "Alt"! I sure hope this is the start of a new series. I loved everything about this novel. The characters were so believable, the way the guys treated her until she had proved herself in the male-dominated homicide division. She knew the detectives from working on patrol and was a very capable officer and they knew that but she still had to prove that she belonged in "coveted" homicide division.
Her first day in Homicide the Sgt. shows her to a desk, without a PC and then hands her a 10-year-old cold case to work on. Typical fare for a newly minted female detective, Ms. Boyce really hits home on that one.
I also loved the way she incorporated the rich historical facts of Atlanta and it's racial history into the novel as well. Not to mention the Blues, did I already state how much I loved this novel.
This was a great debut novel for Ms. Boyce and I hope it does become a series, I would love to find out what else she has in store for "Alt".
If you like a no-nonsense true police procedural, think of a female Ed McBain with a twist then you'll love this novel as much as I did.
I would like to thank GP Putman and Netgalley for providing me with an e-galley of this novel for my honest review.

Combining crime and the blues makes for a great launching point for this new series.

Most authors have a clear, natural strength, and for me Trudy Nan Boyce shines with setting. I don't mean that she simply paints us a portrait of a particular area, though she does that well. More importantly, Boyce makes sure we feel what it's like to live there. The roots and rhythm of the setting feels like a fully developed character in its own right, essential to the heart of the story.

The plot moves at a good pace. The investigation is a smaller aspect of a larger journey. The author touches upon some compelling topics, such as homelessness, the political power of church officials, and the history of slavery in the south. The author handles this well, showing us the uncomfortable truth without interfering with the natural flow of the story.

The stumbling point, for me, came with character development. I liked Alt's character, but I felt I didn't really know her. It was as if I'd jumped into the middle of a series with her character, rather than starting fresh. Her interactions with friends was often playful and fun, if not a little superficial, but I had no honest sense of her feelings for her boyfriend. I wanted more of a connection with her character.

This book does offer a memorable experience, and certainly makes me see Atlanta through a different viewpoint.

*I was provided with a free copy by the publisher, via Amazon Vine, in exchange for my honest review.*