Kelly’s Book Review of “The Grand” by Dennis D. Wilson
The Grand by Dennis D. Wilson is a mystery thriller that bounces between Chicago and the scenic area of Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Readers that are familiar with these areas will greatly enjoy this read, as well as anyone else looking for a good whodunit that involves murder, revenge, politics, and blackmail.
The main character, Dean Wister, is a cop with a hard edge and an anger management problem. He is also smart, dedicated, and an asset to Chicago’s special task force that works with other agencies in order to take down serious criminals. As a police investigator he works hard, but after the death of his wife, Dean’s anger and grief begin to hurt his work product. He is forced to take a temporary leave of absence in order to deal with losing his wife, Sara.
Dean decides to seek solitude in the mountains of The Grand Teton’s. It is where he and his late wife fell in love, and he has fond memories of riding the rivers of Wyoming. Dean finds himself evaluating his life and talking to his dead wife while wondering if he can go on without her.
A car wreck that leaves the driver dead ends up pulling Dean from his solitude. The local sheriff calls him in to consult, because the accident victim is a known hit-man from Chicago. Dean’s task force, back in Illinois, does not think this bad guy was in Wyoming for personal travel and is happy to put him on the case. While no foul play is suspected from the car crash, the presence of of an assassin with mobster connections cannot be overlooked and soon a mystery unfolds. Dean finds himself leading the charge in an investigation that at first only involves a dead property manager, but soon spirals off into multiple directions involving human trafficking, bank fraud, corrupt politicians, and angry locals.
A Senator with a shot at the White House appears to be at the center of the case, along with a mafia leader, and a few other shady characters that appear to have something to hide. It is Dean’s job to peel back all of the layers and try to make sense of some complicated crimes, that may involve multiple guilty parties.
This thriller is very well written and was a page turner until the end. Sex, lies, love, and betrayal occur throughout the chapters. All of the twists contributed to a great ending, and the plot was never dull. Dean finds himself in a lot of potentially fatal situations, but even when his life is in danger, he enjoys the chase. It is throughout the story that Dean discovers working a case and catching the bad guys may be what makes his live worth living.
This would be a good read for fans of C.J. Box or James Spiegel.
To learn more about this book, please click here or visit OnlineBookClub.org.