Santa Rosa author Frederick Weisel sets his story right here in Sonoma County, making our area seem like a crime-ridden and somewhat spooky place. In this second installment in his violent crime investigation series, The Day He Left, we meet again the migraine-stricken lead detective Eddie Mahler and his team, whom we met in the first thriller, Silenced Women. In this crime thriller, a body turns up at Spring Lake.
To set the scene, we are introduced to Paul Behrens. He could be described as a fairly contented and perhaps a little boring middle school English teacher – an everyman. He likes his job, he is respected by his colleagues and loved by his students. He has a wife who is a nurse and a son and daughter. It seems he leads a good life.
Ah, but what is brewing beneath the surface?
His wife is apparently having an affair with one of the doctors she works with, and she is also an alcoholic. His teenage son is a drug dealer and his daughter is bullied by her classmates at school. There are also certain allegations about Paul’s behavior towards his students. Then, one morning, Paul puts on his best clothes and disappears.
What happens next is a dogged search for Paul. Nothing is predictable. There are dead ends, twists, red herrings, family dramas and secrets. New characters are introduced. There are so many subplots about drug dealers, cyberbullies and irrelevant backstories that you wonder if these threads will ever be tied together. The author does sort things out in a way, some digressions are rather vague.
The story itself is complex and complicated, and there are a lot of people to keep track of. The book is not a quick read, even though the dialogue is crisp and realistic. The book has an elevated tone and contains many allusions to classic literature. The mention of certain well-known areas, streets, and businesses is skillful. The insertion of local landmarks does not detract from the intrigue, as it is done so organically. Weisel brought in former Santa Rosa police officer Tom Swearingen as a consultant. “The Day He Left” won the Nero Award for Best American Crime Novel of 2023. The author will continue the series – in fact, he has written a third novel, tentatively titled “Bitter Finish,” and deals with a plot that is very reflective of the local culture – a murder at the Sonoma County wine shop.
Diane McCurdy can be reached at [email protected]. Diane was born in Santa Rosa, has a BA from SF State and an MA from SSU in English Literature and several teaching credentials, two grown children, and three cats. Diane has always had an interest in film, hence her DVD reviews of a wide range of movies. This interest in creative imagination obviously extends to the printed page and book reviews for those who enjoy reading.
