Review: The Survivors by Robert Palmer

A Mysterious Review of The Survivors by Robert Palmer. A Cal Henderson Mystery.

Review summary: There is a lot of exciting intrigue in this crime novel. The plot has the requisite number of twists and turns but it is readily followed and keeps the reader's attention. The supporting characters are an interesting and diverse group, some good, some not, and it's not always obvious which. A solid start to this new series. (Click here for text of full review.)

Our rating:

The Survivors
Robert Palmer
A Cal Henderson Mystery
Seventh Street Books (October 2015)

Publisher synopsis: Psychologist Cal Henderson has a successful practice in Washington, DC, and big plans for the future. But he can't escape a terrible secret. When he was a boy, his mother murdered his father and two brothers and severely wounded Cal's best friend, Scottie Glass. Desperate to keep the nightmare at bay, Cal has turned his back on everything that happened that night.

On the twenty-fifth anniversary of the killings, Scottie shows up at Cal's office — edgy, paranoid, but somehow still the loveable kid he once was. Though their lives have taken very different paths, they both believe Cal's mother couldn't have been a murderer. She loved them too much, no matter what dark place she found herself in. They set off to dig up the real story.

Cal uncovers one shocking secret after another about his family. The trail leads to a shady defense contractor, a scheming US Attorney, and, ultimately a billionaire with the kind of power and connections that can only be found in Washington. But Cal is paying a price. The memories he has avoided for so long have come flooding back, sending him into a tailspin from which he may never recover.