A TRULY GRITTY DETECTIVE READ
Fool’s Errand, by Joe Kilgore, is an entertaining and engrossing read. Well-written and chock full with colorful language that paints a lucid picture from start to finish. In this, a Brig Ellis novel, we find Brig Ellis, an ex-military man and now a private investigator based in San Diego, hired to find and bring back an American woman who has become tangled with Zapatista rebels in Mexico. On the surface, this story would appear to be pretty simple, but in truth, it has many twists and turns built into the plot, enough to keep one turning the next page in the hopes of finding a safe place to land before going to sleep. Kilgore does a great job of animating Brig Ellis, making him both a likeable and unique character. So many times in novels of this kind, the writer forgets to give enough color and life to the main character, making it difficult to identify with him/her. In this case, it is so easy to warm up to this hardened and roughshod man, obviously a survivor, and someone who respects two things, actually three: his word, the truth, and his dog. It goes without saying that Brig’s maverick character is a magnet for the feminine ilk, but he never lets his personal relationships get in the way of accomplishing the task at hand. This story will not disappoint, and you will not be able to see the punches and curve balls the author throws your way. You’ll just have to push through and enjoy the ride.
About Joe Kilgore
Joe Kilgore has won awards for novels, novellas, screenplays, and short stories. His tales have appeared in magazines, creative journals, anthologies, and online literary publications. Prior to writing fiction, Joe had a long and successful career creating, writing, and producing television and radio commercials, plus newspaper, magazine, and Internet content for an international advertising agency. He is the author of INSOMNIAC: Short Stories for Long Nights (Encircle Publications, October, 2021). Joe also writes novel reviews professionally for national and international firms. He lives in Austin, Texas, with his wife, Claudia, an accomplished artist.
