Austin Williams

4.5 stars.

Misdirection is a superb beginning to Austin Williams' Rusty Diamond Trilogy. This highly entertaining and brilliantly clever mystery stars a refreshingly unique protagonist whose previous career as an illusionist aids his investigation into his landlady's murder.

Rusty Diamond has kept a low profile since his return to the Ocean City area after his wildly successful career as an illusionist in Las Vegas crashed and burned. All of that changes after he discovers the body of his elderly landlady, Thelma Garrett, and he is briefly detained as a person of interest. He is reacquainted with his old school friend Jim Biddison, now a lieutenant in the police department, but Rusty remains skeptical of the PD's ability to investigate the crime. Although the killer is quickly arrested, Rusty's instincts tell him there is more to the murder than meets the eye, and he cannot resist poking around to see what he can uncover.

Rusty is a very intriguing character and his previous profession adds to his overall appeal. Rusty remains an enigmatic figure since much of his past remains shrouded in mystery. The facts that are revealed give readers a good sense of his general character but it is his actions that prove most illuminating. Rusty ignores Jim's warnings to stay out of the investigation and he jumps headfirst into situations without much thought to the consequences. He might not have clue on how to conduct an investigation, but the skills Rusty picked up as an illusionist give his crime solving abilities a much needed edge.

There is not much mystery in Misdirection, but there are unexpected twists and turns. The perpetrators are revealed early in the story and Rusty quickly uncovers the motivation for the crimes. However Rusty's unusual investigative techniques and the innovative storyline provide a fast-paced and compelling read. Austin Williams also holds the reader's attention by divulging fascinating bits and pieces of Rusty's past but it is what he does not reveal that piques reader's curiosity. The novel hurtles to a suspense-laden and action filled conclusion as Rusty rushes headlong into a dangerous situation in an effort to bring all of the guilty parties to justice.

Misdirection is an outstanding first installment in The Rusty Diamond Trilogy and I am very curious about what Austin Williams has up his sleeve for our intrepid amateur investigator in the next two novels.… (plus d'informations)

4.5 stars

Blind Shuffle by Austin Williams is another action-packed adventure starring illusionist Rusty Diamond. This second installment in the Rusty Diamond Trilogy brings the clever amateur sleuth face to face with his unresolved history as he unwittingly stumbles into the mysterious disappearance of a woman from his past.

Rusty is ready to face the mistakes of his past but his trip to New Orleans does not exactly go as planned. His tumultuous arrival leads to a tense meeting with his mentor, Prosper Lavalle, where he discovers that Prosper's pregnant daughter Marceline (Marcie) has gone missing. Upon learning the police are uninterested in investigating her disappearance, Rusty sets out to discover what happened to his longtime friend and ex-girlfriend.

Rusty's first order of business is talking to Marcie's ex, Joseph Abellard, who owns a dilapidated casino out in the middle of the bayou. Although he picks up some interesting information, this meeting is fraught with danger and Rusty is forced to rely on past skills to save himself from a very sticky situation. He then joins forces with Monday Reed, a co-worker and friend of Marcie's, to aid in his investigation. When Rusty links a couple of unsolved homicides to Abellard, he and Monday feverishly try to piece together the clues to Marcie's whereabouts before it is too late.

Needing Prosper's help to set his plan to rescue Marcie in motion, Rusty is forced to reveal the series of events that led to his abrupt departure from his lucrative career in Las Vegas. After divulging the bare bones of an illusion gone horribly wrong, he and Monday embark on their plan to find Marcie. Once again relying on the skills that made him such a successful illusionist, Rusty is thrust into a dangerous situation after he forces Abellard to take him to the person responsible for Marcie's disappearance. When his plan goes awry, he and Marcie cleverly utilize the skills they learned from Prosper to extricate themselves from an increasingly dangerous situation.

Blind Shuffle by Austin Williams is a riveting addition to the Rusty Diamond Trilogy. Rusty remains an enigmatic but likable protagonist and making amends with Prosper and Marcie sets him on a collision course with his unsettled past.… (plus d'informations)