From Publishers Weekly
Shamus-winner Ure's deeply compelling and original protagonist falls just short of keeping her intricate second mystery afloat. Cadence Moran, a blind auto mechanic in Tucson, Ariz., has an uncanny ability to pinpoint engine problems by sound. Her skill soon becomes a key element in solving a series of gruesome murders. The tale of how Cadence was blinded is delicately revealed in tiny pieces, satisfying curiosity without slowing development. A complex but credible plot supported by adroit pacing keeps readers guessing through the first two-thirds of the novel, but Ure reveals the killers' identities while police are still chasing dead ends, destroying the tension. The clichéd, Hollywood-style action scenes at the very end stretch believability to the breaking point. When Ure (
Forcing Amaryllis) can develop conclusions that do justice to her meticulously drawn characters and settings, she'll be a force to be reckoned with.
(Jan.) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Review
"Heart-stopping suspense that builds to a crescendo and well-defined characters make this a top-notch mystery. Readers looking for an author similar to the late Barbara Seranella will find this a sure bet. Highly recommended for all collections." Library Journal
"...alternates first-person and third-person narratives with unusual dexterity, is by turns an accomplished procedural, an acute study of a fiercely independent heroine and a nail-biting suspenser." - Kirkus, starred review
"Louise Ure is a tremendous new talent on the mystery scene. THE FAULT TREE showcases her skills at creating a riveting plot and characters you can really care about. I literally couldn’t put it down." --Marcia Muller, author of VANISHING POINT
"An original and gripping work, more proof--as if any was needed--that Louise Ure is an exciting new voice in the mystery field. And its nail-bitting suspense is balanced with a thoughtful, nuanced view of where blame truly begins. Cadence is an extraordinary character and Ure's ability to capture her world is nothing less than remarkable." --Laura Lippman, award-winning author of TO THE POWER OF THREE
"Louise Ure’s skillfully written second novel (after the Shamus Award-winning FORCING AMARYLLIS) is a suspenseful tour de force. It has everything a reader could want: Fascinating and brilliantly crafted characters, blistering pacing, and a story that keeps you in white-knuckle mode till the very end. THE FAULT TREE is another winner." --J.D. Rhoades, author of THE DEVIL’S RIGHT HAND, GOOD DAY IN HELL, and SAFE AND SOUND
"Ure is a writer of exquisite precision and incendiary talent. FAULT TREE is a knockout on all fronts: so rich in voice and suspense that I guarantee it will blow your doors off." --Cornelia Read, author of A FIELD OF DARKNESS
"Daring and powerful with a character so unique - you won't believe your eyes." --Elaine Flinn, Barry Award winning author of the Molly Doyle Mysteries
"A blind, female auto mechanic? Louise Ure pulls it off. THE FAULT TREE is a suspense-laden, page-turner that is also full of humanity. I recommend it to anyone looking for a fast and satisfying read." --Barbara Seranella, creator of the Munch Mancini Series
Book Description
Arizona auto mechanic Cadence Moran is no stranger to darkness. She was blinded in a horrific car accident eight years ago that also took the life of her three-year old niece. She knows she was only partially to blame, but that doesn't make the loss any easier to bear. She's learned to get by, but there are still painful memories. When she is almost run down by a speeding car on the way home from work, Cadence at first thinks that she is the victim of road rage or a bad driver. But that's not the case. In fact, she is the only witness to the murder of her elderly neighbor, and now the killer believes that she's seen the getaway car.Louise Ure paints the glare of a Southwestern summer with the brush of a blind woman's darkness in this novel of jeopardy and courage … and the fine line between them--as Cadence fights to stop a killer she can't see.
From the Inside Flap
Arizona auto mechanic Cadence Moran is no stranger to darkness. She was blinded in a horrific car accident eight years ago that also took the life of her three-year old niece. She knows she was only partially to blame, but that doesn`t make the loss any easier to bear. She`s learned to get by, but there are still painful memories. When she is almost run down by a speeding car on the way home from work, Cadence at first thinks that she is the victim of road rage or a bad driver. But that`s not the case. In fact, she is the only witness to the murder of her elderly neighbor, and now the killer believes that she`s seen the getaway car.Louise Ure paints the glare of a Southwestern summer with the brush of a blind woman`s darkness in this novel of jeopardy and courage … and the fine line between them--as Cadence fights to stop a killer she can`t see.
--This text refers to the
Paperback
edition.
About the Author
Louise currently lives in San Francisco with her husband and whichever senior golden retriever rescue dog has most recently captured her heart. She is the Shamus-Award winning author of Forcing Amaryllis. This is her second novel.
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Fault Tree
CHAPTER 1
At the end, there was so much blame to spread around that we could all have taken a few shovelfuls home and rolled around in it like pigs in stink. But that's not the way it goes with most of us. Most of us like to think that blame belongs on somebody else's doorstep. And I'm no different.
I can picture the way it was on the day everything went bad just as clearly as if I still had my sight. Of course, I probably made up most of it. You know how it goes: your mouth fills in the details your mind doesn't catch. And then later, when you're looking back over everything that happened, your memory just smoothes out some of the corners, takes away that metal taste of fear, makes you seem a little braver than you really were, and then paints in a rosy-toned sunset.
You're always the hero of your own story. Even if that's not the way it happened at all.
THE FAULT TREE. Copyright © 2007 by Louise Ure. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews. For information, address St. Martin's Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y 10010.
