A man is deceased. A social worker's troubled brother is suspect. And, a small municipality at the border of Yakama Indian territory threatens to rip apart as neighbors, and even the police, heap supposition upon implication.

Using the Cascade Mountains of Central Washington as the background for Dire Salvation provides reader expectation that that some of the characters and concepts are going to center on American Indian ideation.

The storyline is that of a murder mystery whose commencement sets the mood in the opening sentences: The young brother of Social Worker Calla, Lonny is a young lad with social problems and run ins with the law and is now being held for as a person of interest for a murder.

Enter the Mayor, of the little town populated with many Yakama Indians as well as with non-Indians - Phil Bianchi by name - who works with a junior police officer Greg Tararchuk to investigate the situation.

The `murder' is found to be due to the ingestion of a chocolate chip cookie laced with an hallucinogenic drug DMT (dimethyltryptamine) known by the locals as `Salvation'.

How this gathering of people work with the local fish hatchery folk to resolve the odd death includes a good bit of Indian lore: Lonny is petrified of the Indian idea of Stick-showers - `mysterious, huge, nocturnal people who are devious and rarely seen' - who figure well into the atmosphere of this novel.

And, it is this type of admixture of lore and legend, and science and superstition that keeps this fast story churning. Yes, there are love essentials play an important role as Calla falls for Phil, while Greg considers his relationship with girlfriend Olga, and there is a tremendous sense of family unity that accurately leads us to the brink as pressures of danger flourish.

That the author knows his small towns and the Cascade Mountains becomes obvious. Scenery is reminiscent of the area, the mystery is truly absorbing. Characters are portrayed with a pleasant empathy and trustworthiness, from the young officer pondering whether he wants to commit to an affiliation, to the woman even now overcommitted to caring for her brother and her clients, to the assertive mayor and a inexplicably reticent computer geek.

The abundance of characters may, at times, seem somewhat overwhelming as they come together from diverse circumstances and philosophies, with each in the hunt for their specific deliverances in this place. But liberation comes under many semblances as the unknown unfolds -- affection, narrative, spirituality, responsibility, expectation, significant exertion and authentic friendship being but a few. By the tale's conclusion the reader is rewarded by seeing all the various threads pulled together after the animation of the pursuit, even though the incorrect reckoning of drug habit, misapplication in addition to reprisal and calls for revenge, all tumble downward.

Watch those Red Herrings!!

Flowing with fully investigated detail by an author who definetly understands what he's writing about, invigorated by pleasing discussion and agreeably flawed human characters, and is gratifyingly candid in its treatment of those flaws.

At times Dire Salvation is a tad slow, albeit always entertaining read. The narrative seems a little over-populated until the bad guys begin to fall; despite small flaws Dire Salavation is frankly captivating, absorbing and stimulating.

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

Charles B. Neff comes to his stories with substantial experiences in the realm of intercontinental growth and university level teaching – the combination provides a dandy baseline of cross cultural studies, growing awareness of traits found in a diverse strata of peoples, in addition providing a keyhole glance into the workings of legislative constructions, law application being at the top of the list.

Writer Neff displays as well noticeable skill in planning the layout of his novels so that the reader, once engaged, is dedicated to chapter subject schedule of hours and days that impede setting the book aside to be read in bits and spurts. Each chapter is labeled Day One and on through to the final chapter of Day Thirteen.

Within the individual chapters; the reader finds on nearly every page, the time of day listed for the events that are occurring. It is a fine technique that works for reader retention.

Neff adds spits and spatters of small town attitude both the good and the bad, features the middle of nowhere policing techniques as well as the middle of nowhere business and bars while tossing in some modern outside world devices such as computers to his narrative of Indian heritage of the Cascades and the persistence of the `white folk' in a method that keeps the reader captivated and learning in addition to being completely entertained.

Neff knows his business in writing of this style. Enjoyed the read, happy to recommend. I do not keep all the books I review; this one is going on my personal library shelf.

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Reviewed by Molly’s Reviews

molly martin

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Product Details and Shipping Information from Amazon

Dire Salvation

AUTHOR Charles B Neff

GENRE suspense mystery fiction

Product Details

Paperback: 214 pages

Publisher: Bennett & Hastings Publishing (May 14, 2012)C

Language: English

ISBN-10: 193473375X

ISBN-13: 978-1934733752

Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.5 x 9 inches

For more product details, facts, and shipping information please check Amazon or other book store Available as Paperback kindle