The Last Meridian by Joe Hefferon

I recently had the great pleasure of editing a harboiled crime/noir mystery novel by Joe Hefferon, and this is one I really think you’re going to like. Any number of authors come to mind when considering whether this book might be for you: James Lee Burke, Ed McBain, Nelson DeMille, Michael Connelly, Raymond Chandler, Paul Levine, John Sandford, Blake Crounch, Sue Grafton, Robert Crais, (and many others)–fans of all these authors are sure to love THE LAST MERIDIAN.

So let me tell you a little about it….

At the center of it all is the protagonist, Nina Ferrer. She is quite a strong woman, with a sometimes harsh and brutally honest approach to life that is at once a little disturbing and fairly refreshing. If you love great female lead characters, whatever the genre, this book is for you. But she is not alone, of course, and Joe Hefferon does a great job building a supporting cast of characters around her, many of whom are sure to appeal to you. As I’ve written in the past (more than once), the best books for me are those that provide a rich cast of characters that I can love or hate. The Last Meridian delivers that in spades.

Second is the story itself, and here Joe makes what I think is a great choice,
taking us back to Hollywood (mostly, but also a bit of Chicago) back in the 1960s. This is really a fun blast to the past, and it provides for great ground to enjoy this story.

Third is the writing itself. As I edited this book, I was struck by how often Joe took the time to wax philosophical, often providing prose that reads practically like poetry. Man, I love that kind of writing! I so appreciate authors who take the time to elevate their prose, and to provide us with some eloquent passages that make you say, “Man, I wish I’d written that.” Joe does so on many, many occasions.

Thus, I’m so pleased to have played my part as editor in bringing this book to publication (available for pre-order now, releasing May 22nd). I can give it a hearty thumbs-up and my highest recommendation. Am I biased? Well… sure… but really, I’m also a reader of this genre, and AS A READER, I can honestly say, “Get this book!”