The Bomb Shelter (David Mapstone Mysteries Book 9) Kindle Edition

All books are set in a place, far fewer books are of a place. Phoenix is as much a part of Jon Talton's David Mapstone series as NYC is a part of Lawrence Block's Matt Scudder series or Detroit was a part of Elmore Leonard's early mysteries. What makes Talton stand out is Mapstone's historical sweep. His depiction of Phoenix encompasses the city as it was, as it is, and how it got this way. His depictions and musings of the city are to the book what bass and drums are to a band.The Bomb Shelter is as good as any of Talton's books, perhaps his best. He has a firm controlling grip on a complex plot that in lessor hands could easily spiral out of control and become a convoluted mess. The characters are well drown, distinct, and the presentation of events from forty years ago is done coherently and without muddle. The book reads smoothly and is largely free from contrivance. I did feel that toward the end there was over reliance on information dumps from a couple guilty parties but I don't know how Talton could have resolved things otherwise without increasing the length of the book. Not that I would have objected. The reading experience was good, I was caught up in his world, and would have happily spent a couple more hours there.Couple of asides . . . I've often wondered if Talton purposefully chose Mike Peralta's last name as a shout out of sorts to the Peralta family of Superstition Mountain and Lost Dutchman lore. And I continue to be amused by Mapstone's lack of acclimation to Phoenix heat. I read the early chapters while sitting outside in 105 degrees (above normal for early May) and not feeling uncomfortable . . . couldn't help but laugh when Mapstone began his thing about the heat. That said, his issue with it has become more a feature than a glitch and one of the ways I feel like I know the man. Same goes for his unapologetic love for Phoenix's past and uneasy truce with the city's present. Mapstone has a depth and complexity that a lot of series characters lack and this book may be the most fleshed out presentation of him thus far. How many David Mapstone's does it take to change a light bulb? Five. One to change the bulb and four to talk about how good the old bulb used to be.

As close to a perfect mystery novel as I have ever read. There is enough foreshadowing that the reader knows what is going on and is motivated to try and figure out where it will end up, but not so much that the reader knows the end game any sooner than the author has planned. The big reveals are both surprising and follow from the plot so far. My primary complaint with most mystery novels or shows is that the outcome is obvious immediately or that the plot is so byzantine that it is inaccessible. This book strikes the perfect balance between those two extremes. It is the latest in the series, but the author is careful to give enough background to make it enjoyable to read as a first experience of the Mapstone universe, but not so much that those who have read the series would become bored or put off by the backtracking. My fiction litmus test is whether I stay up all night reading the book on a work night, so that I have to struggle into work the next day on a couple of hours of sleep and coffee. This book passed that test with flying colors.

This is a fictionalization of a real story of Arizona Republic reporter Don Bolles who was killed in a bombing here in phoenix. I knew the reporter, donated blood to him after the bombing to try and keep him alive. I covered the trials of the people accused of the bombing and even the retrials. The author has woven the facts of the bombing with the fictional storyline skillfully. He changed many of the names, but as I was reading it my brain translated it to the real names. It’s a perfect vehicle for David Mapstone to solve the case that has a interesting twist in the end. I highly recommend this book as a great read, as I will recommend all of Jon’s other books in the series. Read them in order as he continues the same story throughout the series.

Every time a new Mapstone comes out I am happy/sad. Happy because I love Jon Talton's writing, and his stories are always first rate. Sad because his descriptions of the loss of the old west resonates. I don't live in Arizona, but all of the West is changing. In most places some Faustian bargain has been made, trading off our patrimony for 'progress'. This latest book revisits a tumultuous time in Arizona, when a reporter is killed. In real life as in the book there were a multitude of questions surrounding the crime and its solving. There were a lot of other issues related to the crime, and it seemed then that a lot was swept under the rug. This book is Mr.Talton's take on addressing some of those unanswered questions. I would highly recommend this book.I'm already looking forward to the next book in this series. I hope it won't be too many years before the next one!

I've always liked the David Mapstone series, both for the plot lines and for the memories of old Phoenix. This novel, closely based on the bomb asassination of newspaper reporter Don Bolles in the 70s, is both a history lesson and a "what if" novel, imagining a new ending to the murder and mob investigation. Talton is a good writer with the ability to write both fiction and non-fiction. It all comes together in this book.

You don't have to be a long-time resident of Phoenix to savor this tale - as Talton points out, the shocking murder of Buzz Paige, er, Don Bolles created a national sensation - but it sure helps. As I write, the project at the site of "The Bomb Shelter" is to be completed next year, and a major supermarket will reside therein, and I will find it most convenient. But I digress. This is a fascinating mix of historical fact, creative speculation, and informed credibility.

I have read all of the Mapstone mysteries now and they are such great reads! Jon Talton has a great way of weaving mystery and history together in a way that makes me homesick for Arizona - and I have never been there........The Bomb Shelter is a great story from start to the amazing ending. Highly recommended!