Mike Martin's Blog, page 40

Review of The Walker on the Cape: Anthony Lund Allbooks

The Walker on the Cape

 Review by: Anthony Lund, Allbooks Reviewers International

 

Police procedural novels come from two stables; plodding or pacey. Mike Martin’s debut fiction novel The Walker on The Cape falls mostly into the latter category.

The Walker on The Cape introduces yet another policeman into the world in the form of Winston Windflower, a sergeant of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, along with his sidekick Constable Eddie Tizzard, and we have to ask do we really need one?

While not breaking any moulds, Windflower is a decent enough addition to the ever growing list of policemen out there in the world of crime fiction. His character develops quickly enough to grab the reader’s attention, giving a little insight into the man behind the officer and Martin doesn’t fall into the trap of many others in bogging readers down with a host of slow-moving introductions. All in all, after the first few dozen pages, the story already had me hooked and I was not feeling an urge to just skim read a few pages to get beyond weighty descriptions.

Possibly the one gripe with the characters – who are well-crafted and, while not entirely unique, are ordinary people, which is what ordinary readers can connect with in this genre – is the choice of names. The mouthful of Winston Windflower, combined with something far too close to Eddie Izzard is something that will either help ingrain the characters on minds, or simply make people laugh at the wrong moment.

The Newfoundland setting of the novel is described just enough to, along with the glum coastline image of the book’s cover, create a sense of setting, and the small community with its secrets is one similar to those that work to such great effect in the work of Stephen King in the likes of Needful Things and Storm of The Century.

As with any crime novel that doesn’t rely on gimmicks or spectacular set-pieces, the story is key to the success of the book, and it doesn’t disappoint. Again, police procedurals fall into two types; one giving an entire law seminar and boring readers to tears, the other supplying just the right amount of detail to keep story-lovers entertained and nit-pickers from accusing the author of blagging their way through. Again, Martin manages to keep to the latter of these throughout, and doesn’t stray from his focus on the evolving storyline.

The Walker on the Cape is a promising debut for Windflower and co, and with a constantly moving plot, some clever twists and a pleasant writing style it will not be the last we see of them either. For anyone who enjoys the R D Wingfield’s Frost novels will find plenty to get their teeth into here.

 

Title – The Walker on the Cape

Author – Mike Martin

Publisher – Baico Publishing

 

History and Mystery

Article by Paul Herridge on The Walker on the Cape in the Southern Gazette, covering Grand Bank, Marystown and the Burin Peninsula of Newfoundland

http://www.southerngazette.ca/Community/2012-07-10/article-3026227/History-and-mystery-/1

Marystown, Grand Bank, Ottawa, Toronto: All Around the Circle

In the News…..

Toronto

Toronto Star

Jack Batten of the Toronto Star will be reviewing The Walker on the Cape in his column on July 29, 2012. For Toronto readers the book will soon be available at Sleuth of Baker Street bookstore.

Ottawa

EMC Ottawa

Michelle Nash from the EMC family of Ottawa weekly papers has written an article about The Walker on the Cape. It will appear in the July 12th edition. Watch your mailboxes for your local EMC.  I will post it when it is available

Marystown/Grand Bank, Newfoundland

Southern Gazette

Paul Herridge of the Southern Gazette is doing an article on The Walker on the Cape in an up-coming issue of this paper which covers all of the Burin Peninsula. I will post here once available

In Bookstores Now

The Walker on the Cape is now available in selected bookstores in Ottawa. More announcements coming soon…. Stay Tuned

Ottawa

Baico Bookstore: 294 Albert at Kent, Ottawa

Collected Works: 1242 Wellington at Holland, Ottawa

Books on Beechwood: 35 Beechwood at McKay, Ottawa

 

Toronto

Coming very soon…. to Canada’s Best Mystery Book Store

Sleuth of Baker Street  907 Millwood at Sutherland, Toronto

Who Would Have Believed It?

 
Who would have believed that the picturesque village of Grand Bank, NL, could harbour a murderer?  RCMP Sergeant Winston Windflower’ could, because it’s his job to investigate suspicious deaths like that of Elias Martin.
 
The Alberta native has learned that the small Newfoundland community “guards its secrets and its own very closely.”  Windflower’s conscientious investigation of the old man’s death uncovers not only a large scale illegal enterprise but also a domestic tragedy. 
 
A strong, well-paced plot, characters with distinctive personalities, and the unique Newfoundland setting combine to make The Walker on the Cape a good Canadian read.
 
Ruth Latta
author of The Old Love and the New Love
http://ruthlattabooks.blogspot.com

“A very compelling police procedural”

Mike Martin has produced a very compelling police procedural set in Grand Bank on the coast of Newfoundland. From main character Winston Windflower on down, he has created a group of people that you want to get to know better; hopefully in future stories and other circumstances.

The Walker on the Cape contains a well executed plot and an ending you are not expecting; vital elements in this genre of fiction. The visual of the lighthouse on the front cover does a lot to establish the setting and Martin’s description of the locale makes it integral to the feel of the story.

I look forward to the next adventure of Windflower and company.

Mike Martin has produced a very compelling police procedural set in Grand Bank on the coast of Newfoundland. From main character Winston Windflower on down, he has created a group of people that you want to get to know better; hopefully in future stories and other circumstances.

The Walker on the Cape contains a well executed plot and an ending you are not expecting; vital elements in this genre of fiction. The visual of the lighthouse on the front cover does a lot to establish the setting and Martin’s description of the locale makes it integral to the feel of the story.

I look forward to the next adventure of Windflower and company.

Michael Mac Donald

Ottawa

New From Mike Martin: The Walker on the Cape

June 29, 2012

Baico Publishing and Mike Martin are pleased to announce the release of “The Walker on theCape”. This is the first in a series of stories featuring RCMP Sgt. Winston Windflower, a Cree from Northern Alberta who finds himself stationed in Grand Bank, Newfoundland.

Except from the back cover of “The Walker on theCape”

A man’s body is found on the Cape overlooking Grand Bank,Newfoundland. At first everyone thinks it’s a heart attack or stroke. But then it is discovered that he was poisoned. Who would do this and why? Finding that out falls to Sergeant Winston Windflower of the RCMP along with his trusted side-kick Eddie Tizzard.  Along the way they discover that there are many more secrets hidden in this small community and powerful people who want to keep it that way.

Windflower also discovers two more things; a love of living in a smallNewfoundlandcommunity that is completely different from his up-bringing in a Northern Alberta reserve and maybe the love of his life. He gets a taste of Newfoundland food and hospitality as well as a sense of how crime and corruption can linger beneath the surface or hide in the thick blanket of fog that sometimes creeps in from the nearbyAtlantic Ocean.

Mike Martin was born in St. John’s,Newfoundland and now lives and writes in Ottawa. This is his first fiction book. He is a long time freelance writer and the author of “Change the Things You Can: Dealing with Difficult People.”

For more information or to obtain a review copy please contact Mike Martin at mike54martin@sympatico.ca or visit www.walkeronthecape.com

Coming Soon