Book Review: Powers of Arrest by Jon Talton

Cincinnati homicide detective Will Borders is a wounded hero living out every day as though it might be his last. He leaves no stone unturned in his pursuit of a bald-headed villain who has a penchant for sharp knives that are used to slice women from the inside out. The author paints us a craggy picture of Will Borders—as a man in recovery from a spinal tumor that has left him partially crippled. His shuffling gait and reliance on a cane is a sharp reminder that the deadly tumor would have killed a less resilient man. Sacked from being a detective and relegated to a desk job as the P.R. spokesperson for the police force, Borders is intent on nabbing the bald-headed villain.

Every good detective mystery has a romance. Nurse Cheryl Beth Wilson is the right blend of good looks and savvy, with a heart of gold. She also has a secret of her own. By getting the bald-headed villain, Will Borders is bound to reclaim his former glory as a street-smart detective, and also in the process, he’ll get the girl. Will Borders’ sidekick, Hank Brooks of the Oxford police department, is annoying and over the top. The plot hangs together well, but like many mysteries there are twists and turns too improbable to be feasible. The true murderer of the Cellist Jeremy Snowden seems corny and there is no reason why the bald-headed, knife-wielding serial killer allows one of his victims to escape his blade.

If you’ve ever wondered what life is like in the Rust Belt, Powers of Arrest is a guided tour that offers glimpses both of the old city and what it is like today. Cincinnati’s Carew Tower and the last remnants of the grand old era of department stores is a nice touch about what this city has lost. Fountain Square is so well depicted, you can feel its spray of water. You’ll want to go to Joe’s Diner on Sycamore in Cincinnati, but for the time being, it has closed. Teens frolicking in a boat on the Licking River is all fun and games until they encounter a grisly murder scene. In some ways, the murders that take place in this story are only incidental to its well crafted sense of time and place. The cruise through Ohio’s Cincinnati and Covington is a worthwhile scenic excursion, one that you will want to explore further.