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Sam Casey Mystery #7
The Tunnel
Six-year-old Nemo is a member of the Concrete Community, the homeless who scrape out a life on the streets and in the shelters. Street-savvy beyond his years, he relies on instincts to stay safe and cunning to find food and clothes. But curiosity gets the best of him when he finds a tunnel in the sub-basement of an abandoned building. His mother warns him to stay away. It could be dangerous and he might get lost. The tunnel runs for blocks and is a great place to explore. Then one day he ventures too far and finds where it leads. Nemo wishes he had listened to his mother.
Sam Casey is an investigative consultant for the Chasen Heights Police Department. Part Native American, she has the unique ability to hear the dead speak, touch something the killer touched and pick up clues about a case. But her life is currently in a tailspin, and her talents have escaped her. If ever there was a time that she needed those skills, it’s when a homeless woman is found dead, a needle in her arm. But it wasn’t the drugs that killed her; it was the bullet. The case turns personal for Sam when ballistics shows the bullet came from her husband’s gun.
Nemo has attracted the attention of Alex Red Cloud, a family friend of Sam’s, after Alex witnesses the street urchin stealing fruit. Why is Alex so secretive about the boy? How did her husband, Jake, know the drug addict? And what does Nemo find on the other side of the tunnel’s door? The answers lead to a shocking conclusion in the seventh installment of the award-winning Sam Casey series.
Sam Casey is an investigative consultant for the Chasen Heights Police Department. Part Native American, she has the unique ability to hear the dead speak, touch something the killer touched and pick up clues about a case. But her life is currently in a tailspin, and her talents have escaped her. If ever there was a time that she needed those skills, it’s when a homeless woman is found dead, a needle in her arm. But it wasn’t the drugs that killed her; it was the bullet. The case turns personal for Sam when ballistics shows the bullet came from her husband’s gun.
Nemo has attracted the attention of Alex Red Cloud, a family friend of Sam’s, after Alex witnesses the street urchin stealing fruit. Why is Alex so secretive about the boy? How did her husband, Jake, know the drug addict? And what does Nemo find on the other side of the tunnel’s door? The answers lead to a shocking conclusion in the seventh installment of the award-winning Sam Casey series.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published November 24, 2013
10 people are currently reading
465 people want to read
About the author
S.D. Tooley
11 books66 followersAKA -- LEE DRIVER -- Whenever my husband is asked to describe me in one word, he usually says "strange." I used to subscribe to Dr. J. Allen Hyneks's UFO reporter. And although I was a fan of Nancy Drew in my teens, I quickly segued to Stephen King and Dean Koontz. My interests are all over the place so it's no wonder I have been a car salesman, sales assistant, administrative assistant, seminar coordinator, and a casino dealer.
I write the Sam Casey series (think "Medium" with a Native American twist) which combines mystery with paranormal; the Chase Dagger series (under the pseudonym of Lee Driver) combines mystery with fantasy, horror, and sometimes sci-fi; and the Remy and Roadkill series (The Skull is for ages 11+), a traditional mystery. As a fan of all the CSI programs, I instilled each of the teens with a talent in forensics.
My books are available in the US, UK, and EU, as well as in audiobook, large print, and eBook formats. And for the month of July, Smashwords is running a special on eBooks for your summer beach reads. You can find my Sam Casey eBooks at www.smashwords.com/profile/view/Tooley and my Chase Dagger eBooks at www.smashwords.com/profile/view/leedr...
I write the Sam Casey series (think "Medium" with a Native American twist) which combines mystery with paranormal; the Chase Dagger series (under the pseudonym of Lee Driver) combines mystery with fantasy, horror, and sometimes sci-fi; and the Remy and Roadkill series (The Skull is for ages 11+), a traditional mystery. As a fan of all the CSI programs, I instilled each of the teens with a talent in forensics.
My books are available in the US, UK, and EU, as well as in audiobook, large print, and eBook formats. And for the month of July, Smashwords is running a special on eBooks for your summer beach reads. You can find my Sam Casey eBooks at www.smashwords.com/profile/view/Tooley and my Chase Dagger eBooks at www.smashwords.com/profile/view/leedr...
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
January 14, 2014
I received this book in exchange for an honest review through the Early Reviewers community on Librarything. “The Tunnel” is the seventh book in the Sam Casey Mystery collection, but the first of the series that I have read personally. The story follows Sam Casey, a consultant for the police department, who is able to hear the dead speak. She has recently gone through the traumatic and mysterious death of her husband, as well as the miscarriage of her twins, and is now searching for answers. In addition to Sam, the story also follows six year old Nemo, a homeless boy who is incredibly resourceful considering the life he has lived so far. Though their stories are seemingly unrelated, they are tied together in the end after a shocking discovery.
This book is filled with suspenseful twists and turns and heartbreaking circumstances that are sometimes hard to read. If you are into mysteries or crime novels or just overall suspense, “The Tunnel” won’t disappoint. Despite being part of a series, I was able to jump right in without being lost. Tooley did an amazing job with this book, and I can’t wait to go back and start at the beginning of the series. I give this book 4 out of 5 stars, definitely recommended!
This book is filled with suspenseful twists and turns and heartbreaking circumstances that are sometimes hard to read. If you are into mysteries or crime novels or just overall suspense, “The Tunnel” won’t disappoint. Despite being part of a series, I was able to jump right in without being lost. Tooley did an amazing job with this book, and I can’t wait to go back and start at the beginning of the series. I give this book 4 out of 5 stars, definitely recommended!
June 8, 2022
So I dropped my nook while reading this and cracked a couple small places at the bottom - oh well. #7 but I loved it! It is such a quick read - all nail-biting! Sad about the babies. Hopefully, there will be more. But Jake could have told Sam his plans. There are some really MEAN, MEAN people out there, Sal. And there are some really STUPID women out there that believe the MEAN, MEAN men!
December 14, 2013
The Tunnel is more of a why done it than a who done it.
The books starts with two seemingly separate threads in play, namely a street dwelling child named Nemo who has to live on his wits since the death of his junkie young mother, and Sam the grieving widow of a police officer who also happens to be a serving detective herself on bereavement leave having also lost unborn twins since the death of her husband.
The book's blurb tells you most of what you need to know of the scenario and the author cleverly converges the two lives of Nemo and Sam and each reveal is brought about sensitively and so that you can work out what's coming, which allows the mystery element to focus on why things have happened rather than who.
The Tunnel is undoubtedly in the police procedural genre and the writing is high quality with solid character development let down only by one character I found to be largely superfluous, unrealistic, and taking up too much space, a sidekick slob going by the nickname of Kojak. I suspect the character of Kojak was intended to provide a light relief outlet but it didn't work for me and the book would be none the worse for his absence.
From what I can ascertain the Native Indian aspect of Sam's family and her innate intuition is a major feature of this book series and it sits well in this particular book complimenting rather than dominating the detective work.
The story rolls along nicely and there is a flurry of adrenaline fuelled activity towards the end with a neat twist or two.
I received The Tunnel as a LibraryThing Giveaway and as the author also kindly sent me another of her books, Nothing Else Matters, I am more than happy to make that my next read, which hopefully reflects my satisfaction with and endorsement of The Tunnel.
The books starts with two seemingly separate threads in play, namely a street dwelling child named Nemo who has to live on his wits since the death of his junkie young mother, and Sam the grieving widow of a police officer who also happens to be a serving detective herself on bereavement leave having also lost unborn twins since the death of her husband.
The book's blurb tells you most of what you need to know of the scenario and the author cleverly converges the two lives of Nemo and Sam and each reveal is brought about sensitively and so that you can work out what's coming, which allows the mystery element to focus on why things have happened rather than who.
The Tunnel is undoubtedly in the police procedural genre and the writing is high quality with solid character development let down only by one character I found to be largely superfluous, unrealistic, and taking up too much space, a sidekick slob going by the nickname of Kojak. I suspect the character of Kojak was intended to provide a light relief outlet but it didn't work for me and the book would be none the worse for his absence.
From what I can ascertain the Native Indian aspect of Sam's family and her innate intuition is a major feature of this book series and it sits well in this particular book complimenting rather than dominating the detective work.
The story rolls along nicely and there is a flurry of adrenaline fuelled activity towards the end with a neat twist or two.
I received The Tunnel as a LibraryThing Giveaway and as the author also kindly sent me another of her books, Nothing Else Matters, I am more than happy to make that my next read, which hopefully reflects my satisfaction with and endorsement of The Tunnel.
December 4, 2013
This series has captured me from the beginning. The Tunnel was a wild ride.
What I liked: The mystery and the surprising protagonist. I never saw it coming which is a major requirement for me and a mystery/thriller. The development of The Tunnel with outstanding writing keep me up until the book was finished. I just had to know. The true caring between the characters was just an added dimension. Ms Tooley keeps the series fresh. The Tunnel is number 7 in the Sam Casey mystery series and I've not been disappointed in any of her novels.
I felt like this novel was more character driven but there is action. Nemo practically steals the novel. I hope he's included in future books.
What I didn't like: I've always liked the mystical involvement in this series. Sam is part Indian and has an affinity for the dead. Her mother, Abby, also has some "intuition". It was mostly missing in The Tunnel. I can understand this somewhat as Sam and Abby were both emotionally involved and couldn't "see" what they needed to get some answers.
This could be read as a stand alone but as I've said before, why would you want to do that when the series is just so darn good.
The Kindle price is reasonable at $4.99 but the paperback is a hefty $15.26
Highly recommend!
What I liked: The mystery and the surprising protagonist. I never saw it coming which is a major requirement for me and a mystery/thriller. The development of The Tunnel with outstanding writing keep me up until the book was finished. I just had to know. The true caring between the characters was just an added dimension. Ms Tooley keeps the series fresh. The Tunnel is number 7 in the Sam Casey mystery series and I've not been disappointed in any of her novels.
I felt like this novel was more character driven but there is action. Nemo practically steals the novel. I hope he's included in future books.
What I didn't like: I've always liked the mystical involvement in this series. Sam is part Indian and has an affinity for the dead. Her mother, Abby, also has some "intuition". It was mostly missing in The Tunnel. I can understand this somewhat as Sam and Abby were both emotionally involved and couldn't "see" what they needed to get some answers.
This could be read as a stand alone but as I've said before, why would you want to do that when the series is just so darn good.
The Kindle price is reasonable at $4.99 but the paperback is a hefty $15.26
Highly recommend!
December 20, 2013
Having been given the opportunity to read both The Tunnel as a first read and Nothing Else Matters as well, I've been considering my review.
I enjoyed reading both books by S.D. Tooley and based on my reading experience, Sam Casey seems to be a cross between Kevin Byrne from Richard Montanari's, Philidelphia based crime series and Will Graham from Thomas Harris's, Red Dragon.
Samantha Casey, A Detective Sergeant based in Chicago, who has the ability to speak with the dead and has Native American ancestry.
In this book is an Investigative Consultant with the Chasen Heights Police Department.
The author compares Sam Casey to Allison Dubois, who I have only seen portrayed in the Tv series Medium.
There are also a group of supporting characters who I enjoyed, from both books Frank, Jackie, Alex Red Cloud., to name a few.
I thought the stories were both good and were quick reads for me, as they were about 260 pages in length. I normally read books that range from 350 to 450 on average.
I rated these books 3/4, because I enjoyed reading them.
(I find that there a too many positives in the 5 star system, so I use 4)
1 Not Good
2 Okay
3 Liked It
4 Really Liked It
I enjoyed reading both books by S.D. Tooley and based on my reading experience, Sam Casey seems to be a cross between Kevin Byrne from Richard Montanari's, Philidelphia based crime series and Will Graham from Thomas Harris's, Red Dragon.
Samantha Casey, A Detective Sergeant based in Chicago, who has the ability to speak with the dead and has Native American ancestry.
In this book is an Investigative Consultant with the Chasen Heights Police Department.
The author compares Sam Casey to Allison Dubois, who I have only seen portrayed in the Tv series Medium.
There are also a group of supporting characters who I enjoyed, from both books Frank, Jackie, Alex Red Cloud., to name a few.
I thought the stories were both good and were quick reads for me, as they were about 260 pages in length. I normally read books that range from 350 to 450 on average.
I rated these books 3/4, because I enjoyed reading them.
(I find that there a too many positives in the 5 star system, so I use 4)
1 Not Good
2 Okay
3 Liked It
4 Really Liked It
December 3, 2013
This is an emotionally charged mystery that will have readers of the series feeling a greater interest in the outcome than normal. Sam’s challenges this time are more difficult and her abilities to get answers from the dead seem to have escaped her.
We once again follow more than one police case from different points of view, each with its own twists and turns. One involves how Jake’s gun was used to kill a homeless woman. And we meet a new character that I hope we’ll see again in the future. Nemo is a homeless, orphaned six-year old, street savvy and compassionate kid who discovers the tunnel that leads to a number of answers. We even get a character that you will enjoy disliking.
The author, as always, does a really good job with interesting characters as well as the slow reveal of details through a number of twists. Even though this is the 7th book in the series, I don’t believe it’s necessary to have read the prior books to get into this one. Other than Sam & Jake’s family life and some past history that’s explained, there isn’t an ongoing back story moving toward some conclusion that would make it difficult to jump in at this point.
Keep some tissues handy; your emotions will run the gamut.
We once again follow more than one police case from different points of view, each with its own twists and turns. One involves how Jake’s gun was used to kill a homeless woman. And we meet a new character that I hope we’ll see again in the future. Nemo is a homeless, orphaned six-year old, street savvy and compassionate kid who discovers the tunnel that leads to a number of answers. We even get a character that you will enjoy disliking.
The author, as always, does a really good job with interesting characters as well as the slow reveal of details through a number of twists. Even though this is the 7th book in the series, I don’t believe it’s necessary to have read the prior books to get into this one. Other than Sam & Jake’s family life and some past history that’s explained, there isn’t an ongoing back story moving toward some conclusion that would make it difficult to jump in at this point.
Keep some tissues handy; your emotions will run the gamut.
December 2, 2013
TUNNEL is a the seventh in the Sam Casey mystery series. When this mystery opens, Sam has lost her husband and is now attempting to deal with the aftermath. Even though this is the only one in the series I've read, references to the past made me curious as to what the other contained.
The characters are well written and we're given descriptions, so I had no problems following the storyline, nor did I become bored with it. You feel for what they are going through from little Nemo who lives on the streets with a sense of fairness ingrained in him by his mother. You'll especially enjoy the characters names he gives the different people he meets and how they relate to each other. In addition, we see some of the “gifts” characters possess presented in such a way as they are not seen as a joke. It is something real and without a derogatory stigma.
As for the mystery itself, I was unable to determine the killer with 100% certainty until the end of the story. It has well developed characters and you can see the killer, but you can't. Even some of the characters, such as Alex, have mysteries of their own, which could lead you off center if you're not paying attention.
December 5, 2013
Sam Casey Mystery books are like potato chips - once you have one... you're going to want another!
This was a fast paced, smooth flowing, seamless and enjoyable read.
Although this is one of several in the line of Sam Casey Mystery books... I had no problem diving in and understanding the characters and their relationships to one another.
My two favorite characters?
Nemo - a 6 year old homeless boy who lives for several months in an abandoned building with his mother's dead body
and
Alex - a gray haired, jewelry making trial man, who acts as a protector and confidante to Sam (the main character) and her mother Abby.
I would award this book a 4.5 out of 5 stars!
This was a fast paced, smooth flowing, seamless and enjoyable read.
Although this is one of several in the line of Sam Casey Mystery books... I had no problem diving in and understanding the characters and their relationships to one another.
My two favorite characters?
Nemo - a 6 year old homeless boy who lives for several months in an abandoned building with his mother's dead body
and
Alex - a gray haired, jewelry making trial man, who acts as a protector and confidante to Sam (the main character) and her mother Abby.
I would award this book a 4.5 out of 5 stars!
February 16, 2014
revenge and heart break is Sal Marino's way of getting even. So much hate he enlist his girlfriend,Penny to help him settle the score with Sam and Jake. What Sal doesn't realize is a six year old homeless boy discovering his secrets and finding help for the man held prisoner in the tunnel. This story is difficult to read, Jake and Sam's world torn apart. Frank needing to accept the truth about Jake and move on with his new partner. When a homeless child brings them back what they all thought they lost forever.
December 4, 2013
This book has been a pleasant surprise again. It's not the book flavour I normally go for, but after reading the second book in the series I still had this one to read through. And it was worth every minute of my time. Lovely, smooth writing, an abundance of tasty details, sympathetically written characters and an interesting plot. What more can a reader want for?! Looks like i will need to go book shopping for the other one's it this series.
May 4, 2014
I immensely enjoyed reading this book, easy read. Although it is a series, I would call it a stand alone also, as I was not lost as to what was happening and could follow the story easily. Lots of twists and turns to keep you interested. I really enjoyed little Nemo and his resourcefulness!
I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads along with the added bonus of Nothing Else Matters!
I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads along with the added bonus of Nothing Else Matters!
December 9, 2013
WOW! I can't believe how cruel to her characters and her readers this author was with this book! Just kidding, but really, a lot of shocking, heart-wrenching things happen in this one, making it an amazing read, totally unexpected considering where a reader of the other books in this series might be thinking things were going.
July 6, 2015
This is the 7th book in the Sam Casey series.
December 6, 2013
I haven't finished it yet but I've quite enjoyed it thus far! Thank you!I received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
Want to read
November 16, 2013Thank you First Reads for winning this free book. I will read and review soon.
Want to read
November 30, 2013I won this book for free through Goodreads First Reads. Hope to read it soon. Thanks.
December 9, 2013
7th in the Sam Casey mystery series. Good series.
January 18, 2014
Good but not great. Quite boring in the beginning but as Nemo became a more active character in the story, it became much more interesting. Very predictable story.
January 28, 2014
I love all her books, but this one hits close to home for Sam Casey. I thought it was very suspenseful and was well thought out. I'd recommend her books to anyone.
June 6, 2014
;good book, suspenseful and masterly written, with a touch of magic. My kind of book.
February 22, 2016
Excellent series.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews