Kindle Edition Download to your Nook (eBook) Carl T. Smith Category:  Mystery/Suspense Publisher: River Oaks Publishing Pages: 444 Copyright: March 8, 2012 Two detectives unravel the mystery of a supposed hit-and-run on a highway just out of town. A little digging quickly yields a labyrinth of corporate greed and internal conflict. A Season for Killing is a character-driven suspense novel by Carl T. Smith set in the Lowcountry of South Carolina amidst a labyrinth of corporate greed, murders for hire and corruption that threatens the very fabric of the area. Cole Sturtevant has come into law enforcement the hard way. Raised in a blue-collar mill town in southwestern Virginia, from street cop to detective. He didn't consider college when he graduated from high school, instead, he gave birth to a checkered career that shifted his path from Virginia to South Carolina. He is, by any standards, as politically incorrect as anyone employed by a government institution. Sturtevant's partner, Carsyn Thoreau, had travelled a different course. A Brown University graduate with a Law Enforcement degree, she has considered Beaufort, SC, a stepping stone to her plan of going back to school and getting a law degree. Her theory was that seeing the law in action would make her a bettery attorney, and Beaufort had seemed a safe place to begin. She had not planned on Cole Sturtevant. When Sturtevant and Thoreau were dispatched to investigate what appeared to be a hit and run on a secondary highway between Beaufort and Savannah, Georgia, there had been no way to predict where that assignment would take them. Between their own observations and those of the local coroner, they quickly concluded that the "accident" had been staged. It was the beginning of a search that would lead them through a maze of corporate greed, which involves a well-respected, though corrupt, real estate mogul, gentlemen's clubs and a sociopathic killer. A dynamic cast of characters including a frightened attorney, a research genius, who maintains his own computer-generated informational network, an intelligent, young dancer and college student, who works at one of the "gentlemen's clubs" out of necessity, and a "tracker/bounty-hunter" who finds within himself a sense of humanity. Together they create a scenario that exposes murder-for-hire and the "money-men" who form a large part of the fabric of today's society. An unexpected and violent conclusion to the investigation threatens not only their lives and careers, but also leaves indelible marks on their personal relationship.

Good mystery and so much more!
This book was more than a mystery although that might have been enough especially with the light romance between the two detectives. Their repartee was highly amusing and yet you could feel the deep repect and concern they had for each other. The other characters were extremely intriguing especially Marcum because the author let us see his vulnerabilities so that he was not all bad. By the end of the book you are rooting for the bad guy which rarely happens.
The author has a running theme of right and wrong and where you draw the line about taking justice into your own hands. It was thought provoking to say the least and enhanced by the interesting and appropriate quotes that are scattered throughout.
I have read all of Carl T Smith's works and enjoyed each one. He makes the low country come alive and you can "see" the beauty of the marshes and smell the rich aroma of the area. His characters are strong and believable and there is a hominess to his story telling. If you don't know Sam Larkin yet, you are in for a treat because he is the whole package!

Interesting Read.
A Season for Killing is more than just the average suspense novel or thriller. The story addresses the conflicts of ethics, morality and the good and bad in today's society. It has all of the elements of a great story; tension, anticipation, some humor, the sociopathic tendencies of some people where money is a primary objective, romance and justified violence.

As a critical reader, I can recommend this book highly. It is one of my top 10 of the year. You won't be disappointed!

A Great Read!
A Season for Killing has it all. Greed, romance, humour, sex and the tentacles of big business. Cole Sturtevant and Carsyn Thoreau, law enforcement partners in Beautfort, SC have to deal not only with their professional responsibilities in bringing down a major crime enterprise, but also their personal relationship, which crosses the line of their daily work duties.

The only problem with the story is that it may interfere with the reader's daily tasks (and even sleep!) It's an edge-of-your-seat book; it's almost impossible to put down! If you like solid story-telling and characters with more depth than a parking lot puddle, this is a book for you.