In his debut novel WHEN ONE MAN DIES, Dave White tries to use and expand on some of the crime genre’s leanings – a tough road to come up with fresh ideas. Jackson Donne is a former cop, now a private investigator, and how he left the police force was not under the best of circumstances. This is slowly revealed through the story, which moves along the plot.
Donne is a P.I. who, like most in the genre, plays by his own set of rules. (Is there any other kind?) When we meet him, he has not a care in the world, hanging out at his favorite bar with a local rummy named Gerry Figuroa. Gerry leaves the bar only to be the victim of a hit and run, putting Doone on the case, due to his bartender pal thinking something is wrong with how it all went down.
Like all other good detective stories, this is only one part of the story. Doone is then hired by a woman to find out if her husband is cheating on her, only to make a discovery that will turn his world upside-down: Her spouse is not a simple bouncer, as she believes, unless bouncers in New Jersey also like to be killers who dispose of bodies in rugs.
Doing a fine job at keeping the plot focused, White balances the two stories, only to bring them together once details emerge that both these men have connections to the drug trade. It’s more than just a few details that tie the two; it goes much deeper than one would expect.
Then there is Doone’s former partner Bill Martin, who’s demoted and out for revenge. This, of course, ties him into the plot perfectly, as he’s the type whom readers want to see get his comeuppance. White paints him to be such a thorn that even when you see what is driving his revenge, you still won’t feel for him. Lastly, there is Gerry’s niece Tracy, who comes to bury her uncle. She has a past with Doone and is also part of the greater scheme. As we find out, it seems every character is somehow connected to it all.
WHEN ONE MAN DIES is a fine debut from a promising writer. It’s just that some of the crime clichés have been done before, and as much as he wants to break free, White can’t pass up using them, even while he paves new roads. You feel as though you’ve seen some of these characters before, but it can be forgiven since he improves on some of the old ideas.
For those who want a breath of fresh air in the crime genre, this novel will keep them glued. But for those who are all too familiar with many other private eyes, you might feel as it’s a bit of a retread with a few new wrinkles. –Bruce Grossman
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