A modern mystery but spectacularly reminiscent of early crime and detective thrillers and film noir of the 40s and early 50s.

The Damned Lovely was a genuine page-turner of a book that kept me reading late to get to a good stopping point. The problem for me was the story was so good, with Sam's ongoing investigation and constant drama, there just wasn't one. I always wanted to see what was going to happen next.

Sam is a good guy, but he's worked himself into a hole. His literary agent is a harpy, his roommate is an inconvenient convenience rather than a friend, and his friends are a bunch of barflies with their own troubles. I loved the collection of personalities and stories the author has conceived for The Damned Lovely's regulars. Everyone has a story. The author has a knack for dialogue and a talent for putting the reader in the story.

The bar itself also has a personality, as does Goss's Glendale. The moody descriptions set a tone and paint a vivid backdrop for the book's action and events. I could clearly envision the bar, Goss's home away from home.

But the plot is what kept me in my seat, or rather on the edge of it. The police investigation goes in a different direction than Sam's, with twists and turns to follow and some entirely believable red herrings. The clues to uncovering the truth behind the murder are right there, one by one.

With the main character's alcohol-infused decision-making and struggles, gritty action, sudden violence, moody setting, and overall feeling of impending doom, this modern mystery is spectacularly reminiscent of early crime and detective thrillers and movies. I recommend THE DAMNED LOVELY to readers of mystery fiction, especially those that enjoy the film noir genre of the 40s and early 50s.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author through Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours. ( )

In The Damned Lovely, author Adam Frost transports the reader to Glendale, California, for an intriguing dark noir crime thriller that will keep the reader guessing and turning the pages.

Welcome to The Damned Lovely, a seedy dark dive bar in Glendale, California, that is the home of ex-cops, misfits, and loners. Sam Goss, is one of the misfits that frequents the bar, for the past nine years he's been a down-n-out struggling author and ride share driver living in Glendale, who gave up his promising life and career in marketing writing ad copies for seven years in West Hollywood. Sam fills his days drinking, and trying to write in a back room of the bar he calls "the box" that he rents from Jules, a retired cop and owner of The Damned Lovely.

The story centers around Sam's amateur sleuth adventure, as he is drawn into investigating the murder of an intriguing bar patron in a black fedora named Josie Pendleton, a twenty-two year old woman who sits at the bar and reads a novel, not talking to any of the other bar patrons. Josie was abducted in Glendale after spending time at the bar, and was found raped and strangled to death in a stolen car by a jogger. Police investigation thinks there is a connection to Josie's murder with two other recent murders of women in their early twenties, a similar MO that could possibly be the work of a serial killer they dub the Glendale Grabber. Sam's interest in Josie leads him to look into her life, and he falls down the rabbit hole into a dangerous investigation that challenges the police's theory of how she died. Sam's obsession in finding the truth into Josie's murder leads him to finding danger around every corner, even in the dark seedy dive bar that has become his second home. Learning that he can't trust anyone, follow along as Sam puts the pieces of the puzzle together and finds out the truth behind Josie's death.

In his debut novel, author Adam Frost weaves a slow-building and suspenseful dark gritty noir tale written in the first person narrative that follows Sam Goss as he investigates the recent murder of twenty-two year old bar patron Josie Pendleton, and is determined to find the truth and seek justice.

The reader is easily drawn into this riveting dark noir crime story with its richly descriptive plot. It is filled with enough drama, secrets, motives, possible suspects, and intriguing twists and turns that definitely keeps the reader guessing until the surprising conclusion.

This was a really intriguing story to read! Sam takes the readers along on his investigation with daily journal style chapters within a three month timeline from Monday, July 6th to Tuesday, October 20th. The story provides a fascinating cast of characters, a dive bar deep with history and character, enough clues to engage the reader, suprising twists and turns, and danger around every corner, especially when there are people who don't want the truth to come out. I found myself so caught up on following Sam's investigative pursuit of putting the pieces of the puzzle together and solving Josie's murder, while also learning the pasts of Sam and the other bar patrons, it's like a bar full of broken and down-n-out people that form a tight little bar family. Through Sam's obsessive investigation, he learns valuable life lessons as the truth is uncovered. I was absolutely stunned by the conclusion!

The Damned Lovely will definitely take the readers on one heck of a thrilling roller coaster ride.

Disclaimer: I received a paperback copy of the book from the author / publisher in exchange for honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Partners In Crime Virtual Book Tours.

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