Hidden Chamber of Death by Hawk MacKinney : A Review

BOOK TITLE: Hidden Chamber of Death

AUTHOR: Hawk MacKinney

ISBN/ASIN: B01APHN1YE

GENRE: Adult Fiction

NUMBER OF PAGES: 258

FORMAT: Digital

SERIES / STANDALONE: Book 1 in the Moccasin Hollow Mystery Series

HOW I GOT THIS BOOK: I thank iRead Book Tours for this review copy

SUMMARY:

Hidden Chamber of Death is a compelling tale of intrigue, murder, deception and suspense that leads retired Navy SEAL/part-time private investigator Craige Ingram in search of the connection between seemingly random murders and a banking conspiracy.

​Working with the local homicide investigator, who just happens to be a former Navy buddy, Craige Ingram's attempts to protect a lonely widow and solve the case before another person dies are only thwarted by a psychotic killer whose motivation is based on pure depraved pleasure. In this first book of the MOCCASIN HOLLOW MYSTERY SERIES, the instincts and skills Ingram and his buddy acquired as Navy SEALS are tested to their limits.

FIRST IMPRESSION:

Hidden Chamber of Death has one of the most unique covers I have ever seen. While I assumed the cover was simple because the copy I had received was an ARC, I learnt to my surprise that the original cover was a plain simple one, too. The image looked like a Safe, with the title superimposed in simple red font. The summary was generic enough but the word banking conspiracy caught my attention.

REVIEW:

The book's prologue made me read it twice, being caught in the horrific description of a human corpse. I have read gory murder thrillers before, being a fan of this genre. But the way the carcass was described made me read it more than once. If nothing, the prologue set the mood for the story and I prepared myself to expect the upcoming murders.

PI Craig Ingram, an ex Navy Seal is the protagonist of this story. He chases a psychotic murderer, trying to make sense of random deaths that would surely have a common connection. The murders are described gorily, the murderer ruthless. Ingram finds himself attracted to a widow, trying hard to find the killer using the skills his Navy days taught him. The description seems like any other murder mystery novel but where this book differs is in the execution and pace.

Craig Ingram is a likeable, reliable PI, giving off old fashioned vibes in his thinking and approach. The story follows everything given in the summary, things are not as simple as they seem and the image on the surface. The story scores much in the twists it executes, some unexpected, some you seem to be mentally preparing yourself for. The author maintains the suspense where characters are concerned, with the readers guessing about the credibility of most characters until about halfway through the book.

This is a ordinary plot executed in an extraordinary way, a good start to a series.

WHAT I LIKED:

• The cover was so simple - dragging more attention than it would if it were like the usual covers of this genre
• The pace of the story
• The prologue

WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER:

• The summary could have been a bit more intriguing. The story deserves it.
• The plot element one liner seems so simple, leaving all the work to be done by the story

VERDICT:

Ordinary plot developed into a great story

RATING: 4/5

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Internationally acclaimed author and public speaker, Hawk MacKinney began writing mysteries for his school newspapers. Following graduation, he served in the US Navy for over 20 years. While serving as a Navy Commander, he also had a career as a full-time faculty member at several major state medical facilities. He earned two postgraduate degrees with studies in languages and history. He has taught postgraduate courses in both the United States and Jerusalem, Israel.

In addition to professional articles and texts on fetal and adult anatomy, Hawk has authored several novels that have received national and international recognition. Moccasin Trace, a historical novel, was nominated for the prestigious Michael Shaara Award for Excellence in Civil War Fiction and the Writers Notes Book Award. This was followed by the Craige Ingram Mystery Series. In a change of direction, October of 2012 saw the release of Hawk’s first science fiction novel, The Bleikovat Event, in The Cairns of Sainctuarie series. Volume II, The Missing Planets, was released in 2014 with Volume III in the works.

​Hawk’s latest project focuses on The Moccasin Hollow Mystery Series. Hidden Chamber of Death is Book 1 in the series.

EDITIONS AVAILABLE: Kindle Paperback

PRICE $3.83 for Kindle, $11.95 for Paperback

BOOK LINKS: Amazon