What do you think?
Rate this book
The Blackbird Papers
A rainy night . . . A stranded motorist . . . A Good Samaritan passerby … a Nobel Prize–winning professor . . . The setup for a shocking murder designed to cover up an even more sinister crime . . . The Blackbird Papers marks the debut of Ian Smith, a major new talent in crime fiction, and of Sterling Bledsoe, his smart and occasionally combative sleuth. World-renowned Dartmouth professor Wilson Bledsoe is returning from a party celebrating his latest honor when he encounters a broken-down pickup on the secluded country road to his home. The next day, the discovery of his body with a vicious racist epithet carved into his chest leads to the quick arrest of two loathsome white supremacists. The local authorities seem ready to accept the case at face value as a racial hate crime. But the murdered professor’s brother, FBI agent Sterling Bledsoe, has inserted himself into the investigation and isn’t ready to buy into this pat solution. A look around his brother’s lab and brief interviews with his students and colleagues pique Sterling’s curiosity about Wilson’s pet a nearly completed paper on the mysterious deaths of hundreds of local blackbirds. Fast-paced and cleverly constructed, The Blackbird Papers introduces a major new talent in mystery and crime fiction.
336 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 15, 2004
145 people are currently reading
505 people want to read
About the author
Ian K. Smith
48 books369 followersIan K. Smith, M.D.,Ian K. Smith, M.D. is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of SUPER SHRED, SHRED, THE 4 DAY DIET, THE FAT SMASH DIET and EXTREME FAT SMASH DIET among 7 other books including, SHRED Diet Cookbook , EAT, Happy , and The Blackbird Papers. His newest book, THE SHRED POWER CLEANSE, is available 12/29/15.
He is a former co-host of Emmy-winning “The Doctors” TV show, and a medical contributor to “The Rachael Ray Show."
He is the former medical correspondent for NBC News network and for NewsChannel 4 where he filed reports for NBC’s “Nightly News” and the “Today” show as well as WNBC’s various news broadcasts. He has appeared extensively on various broadcasts including “The Oprah Show,” “Good Morning America” “CBS This Morning” “The View,” “The Talk,” “Dr. Oz,” ‘Dr. Phil,” “Anderson Cooper 360″ and “Showbiz Tonight.”
He has written for various publications including Time, Newsweek, Men’s Health, and the New York Daily News, and has been featured in several other publications including, Publisher’s Weekly, Red Book, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, People, Essence, Ebony, University of Chicago Medicine on the Midway, Cosmopolitan, Women’s World, and Black Enterprise.
Dr. Smith is the founder of two major national health initiatives—the 50 Million Pound Challenge and the Makeover Mile—that have helped millions of people lose weight and improve their health.
A graduate of Harvard, Columbia, and the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, Dr. Smith was appointed to the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition in 2010 and is serving a second term.
http://shredlife.com/about-shred/abou...
http://us.macmillan.com/author/ianksmith
He is a former co-host of Emmy-winning “The Doctors” TV show, and a medical contributor to “The Rachael Ray Show."
He is the former medical correspondent for NBC News network and for NewsChannel 4 where he filed reports for NBC’s “Nightly News” and the “Today” show as well as WNBC’s various news broadcasts. He has appeared extensively on various broadcasts including “The Oprah Show,” “Good Morning America” “CBS This Morning” “The View,” “The Talk,” “Dr. Oz,” ‘Dr. Phil,” “Anderson Cooper 360″ and “Showbiz Tonight.”
He has written for various publications including Time, Newsweek, Men’s Health, and the New York Daily News, and has been featured in several other publications including, Publisher’s Weekly, Red Book, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, People, Essence, Ebony, University of Chicago Medicine on the Midway, Cosmopolitan, Women’s World, and Black Enterprise.
Dr. Smith is the founder of two major national health initiatives—the 50 Million Pound Challenge and the Makeover Mile—that have helped millions of people lose weight and improve their health.
A graduate of Harvard, Columbia, and the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, Dr. Smith was appointed to the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition in 2010 and is serving a second term.
http://shredlife.com/about-shred/abou...
http://us.macmillan.com/author/ianksmith
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews
March 21, 2016
Great debut novel!!!
July 2, 2019
This was a pretty good first novel; a good made-for-tv-thriller. Ian Smith used my favorite setting for American detective fiction (moody New England with its Ivy League schools, patrician background, clipper Yankee culture, leafy hills and valleys, and stark weather). I also liked the story. Plot: Prominent African-American scientist Wilson Bledsoe is brutally murdered. To head this case that involves possible race hate, corporate misdeeds, and wildlife abuse (blackbirds), Wilson's estranged FBI agent brother Sterling is summoned to Dartmouth College and its scenic Upper Valley world.
The author is a doctor, so the science was well-researched and readable. I became engrossed with blackbirds,the Upper Valley, Brooklyn, and the USDA (thank you, Google). The Blackbird Papers was casual and entertaining, with just enough history and mystery and to keep the reader alert. I will certainly read Smith's 2008 novel The Ancient Nine as well as his upcoming books (thrillers set in Chicago).
Hit: The ending. The twist at the end of this "whodunit" tale was truly shocking.
Miss: The women. Most of the women characters were not well-developed. They were not given full humanity; instead, they were "types." His other mysteries, hopefully, are better. I will give them a chance.
3 stars
The author is a doctor, so the science was well-researched and readable. I became engrossed with blackbirds,the Upper Valley, Brooklyn, and the USDA (thank you, Google). The Blackbird Papers was casual and entertaining, with just enough history and mystery and to keep the reader alert. I will certainly read Smith's 2008 novel The Ancient Nine as well as his upcoming books (thrillers set in Chicago).
Hit: The ending. The twist at the end of this "whodunit" tale was truly shocking.
Miss: The women. Most of the women characters were not well-developed. They were not given full humanity; instead, they were "types." His other mysteries, hopefully, are better. I will give them a chance.
3 stars
September 11, 2023
My wife gave me this book after picking it up at a yard sale. I hadn't heard of Ian Smith, but the book was entertaining. I identified some of the antagonists early on, but didn't see the motivation at the time. An interesting idea, but I have to wonder if this would've been published if Smith hadn't written several diet/fitness books and had established a television/media career. The book starts off well enough, but by the end turns into an implausible mess. Some intriguing plot twists that I didn't see coming.
March 22, 2015
A novel which will leave you in suspense: introducing Sterling Bledsoe a FBI agent with finesse, ingénues, cleverness, and a way at getting to the truth. He is investigating the untimely and mysterious death of his brother Wilson Bledsoe, a world-renowned professor at Dartmouth.
The murder takes him through twist, turns, and valley leading him finally to dead blackbirds.
Greed, money, and revenge can always produce a good mystery novel.
•spoiler:
The murder takes him through twist, turns, and valley leading him finally to dead blackbirds.
Greed, money, and revenge can always produce a good mystery novel.
•spoiler:
May 16, 2012
This is a debut book by written Dr.Ian Smith. Dr. Wilson Bledsoe, a scientist and professor at Dartmouth college has been working on the untimely deaths of blackbirds. One night on his way home from a party celebrating another award, Wilson Bledsoe is murdered, the question is why, his brother Sterling Bledsoe is a FBI agent and is called in to find out what has happened to his brother. This is a good first novel by Ian Smith.
July 1, 2021
Don't pass this thriller by..guaranteed to satisfy the detective in you. Ian Smith should be writing more books...he is really good.
April 2, 2025
This is a quick read. I liked this story. This is about two brothers who grow up with abig age difference. The younger one must live up to his older brother's intellect. Rather than trying to outdo his older brother's brainiac achievements he goes a different path and goes into law enforcement and eventually FBI. The older brother becomes a brilliant Nobel prize winning professor at Dartmouth College and wins another prestigious award. But he is found dead and now his brother must find out how he died. But soon the brother finds himself accused of killing his brother. He must find the real killer and why they are setting all these things up to look like someone else did it.
October 14, 2009
prominent, award-winning African American Dartmouth etiologist is murdered in rural Vermont and his brother, FBI Special Agent, Sterling Bledsoe, spearheads the investigation. When circumstantial evidence points to white supremacists, Sterling senses a cover-up and digs deeper to find the truth. The story then follows his methodical steps as he conducts interviews, observes autopsies, and delves into his famous brother's clandestine research project involving thousands of dead blackbirds found in the local woodlands.
Sterling's adventure turns sour when mid-way through the case he becomes the prime suspect and goes on the lam from the law. Thus, we are thrust from the bucolic comfort of Hanover to the familiar, crowded streets of New York City for safe haven until our hero could gather his thoughts and plot his next moves. He uses his resources wisely calling on old and new acquaintances to piece together the clues all the while avoiding FBI, local, and intra-state police.
The backdrop of the story is the strained relationship of Sterling and his older brother, Wilson. Serious sibling rivalry, parental neglect, and unresolved bitterness has plagued Sterling all his life. Wilson's untimely murder only adds to his already burdened psyche breaking his concentration at inopportune moments, not to mention a love interest that causes distractions as well.
Although the resolution of the mystery was somewhat predictable, I was pleasantly shocked by one of the co-conspirators. So obviously there are some unexpected twists and turns in the plot that yield surprising results. This is a great "whodunit" for a first time author; I loved the ecological, suspenseful flavor of the novel. I'm looking forward to his next release.
Sterling's adventure turns sour when mid-way through the case he becomes the prime suspect and goes on the lam from the law. Thus, we are thrust from the bucolic comfort of Hanover to the familiar, crowded streets of New York City for safe haven until our hero could gather his thoughts and plot his next moves. He uses his resources wisely calling on old and new acquaintances to piece together the clues all the while avoiding FBI, local, and intra-state police.
The backdrop of the story is the strained relationship of Sterling and his older brother, Wilson. Serious sibling rivalry, parental neglect, and unresolved bitterness has plagued Sterling all his life. Wilson's untimely murder only adds to his already burdened psyche breaking his concentration at inopportune moments, not to mention a love interest that causes distractions as well.
Although the resolution of the mystery was somewhat predictable, I was pleasantly shocked by one of the co-conspirators. So obviously there are some unexpected twists and turns in the plot that yield surprising results. This is a great "whodunit" for a first time author; I loved the ecological, suspenseful flavor of the novel. I'm looking forward to his next release.
January 6, 2012
The Blackbird Papers is a mystery novel by Ian Smith. It is his debut novel. On his way home after receiving a prestigious award, Professor Wilson Bledsoe, who teaches at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire, is murdered. His brother, FBI agent Sterling Bledsoe persuades his boss to allow him to lead the investigation into the murder. Carved into his brother’s chest is the word “nigger.” At first the trail leads to a group of white supremacist. Sterling, however, is skeptical. The men have alibis and are soon released. Sterling digs deeper. When another headless body is discovered, Sterling searches for a connection between his brother and a student at the College. A friend of his, an FBI agent who is helping him on the case, turns up murdered as well. Sterling finds himself accused of the murders and sets out on his own to find the killer or killers and discover the reason behind them. At the same time, he has to deal with his long-held resentment of his older brother who, before his death, was admired by all.
Being chased by relentless FBI agents who will stop at nothing to find and arrest him, Sterling uses all the tricks he can to keep one step ahead of them. Smith takes us from New Hampshire to Vermont to New York City on the hunt for clues. This is a thrilling read filled with plenty of complications along with a riveting plot and a surprise ending. I look forward to Smith’s next novel.
Being chased by relentless FBI agents who will stop at nothing to find and arrest him, Sterling uses all the tricks he can to keep one step ahead of them. Smith takes us from New Hampshire to Vermont to New York City on the hunt for clues. This is a thrilling read filled with plenty of complications along with a riveting plot and a surprise ending. I look forward to Smith’s next novel.
February 26, 2013
The plot was good but not executed in a way that excited me as a reader. Quite obviously there was a lot of research put into this book. The ecological thriller bored me. I was lost with all of the scientific terminology, etc. Ian Smith did ok breaking down concepts. The mystery became so deep that the plot was hard to keep up with. Many of the clues throughout the story were too easy for Sterling to find. If he needed certain information, he found it. The number of supporting characters clouded my ability to remember who is who and who did what. For the most part this is a so/so detective story with some racial overtones, which disappear after the first few chapters. He never explained the reason for "Nigger" carved into Wilson's chest. Also, what I found weird was that his brother was murdered but there wasn't a scene with Sterling telling his girlfriend and though he was out of town dealing with this tragedy, she never called to check on him. Smith needed more character development. I do wish there were more detail given regarding the relationship between Agent Sterling Bledsoe and his brother. It also would have been helpful to know how (or why) Sterling decided to leave the Agency to teach part-time.
December 3, 2014
When the going gets tough, some of the tough read cheesy murder mysteries. I grabbed this one at random (ok, the cover was red and shiny). Blackbird turned out to be one of the best and most imaginative mysteries I have read in ages. While most mysteries fit into a category of one or another (cozy, medical, true crime), Smith doesn’t pigeonhole himself. The plot is good and fast moving, lots of action without getting really squishy, bits of interesting science and medical fact thrown in and realistic, filled-out characters. The only complaint I have is that this is Smith’s first book and it is recent. Nuts.
April 23, 2016
2.5 stars
The plot is imaginative, clever, and potentially believable, but the dialog is stilted ('the chance is between none and none') and the pages are full of clutter that gets in the way, such as the price of a motel room to the penny, descriptions and technical information far beyond what is necessary - almost as if the author were getting paid by the word. Throughout there are extra words that aren't needed: 'he released the safety catch on his gun' that impede a smooth and enjoyable read.
As a first novel it isn't outstanding, but with the author's creative flair, one hopes for smoother and tauter (and perhaps shorter) adventures to come.
The plot is imaginative, clever, and potentially believable, but the dialog is stilted ('the chance is between none and none') and the pages are full of clutter that gets in the way, such as the price of a motel room to the penny, descriptions and technical information far beyond what is necessary - almost as if the author were getting paid by the word. Throughout there are extra words that aren't needed: 'he released the safety catch on his gun' that impede a smooth and enjoyable read.
As a first novel it isn't outstanding, but with the author's creative flair, one hopes for smoother and tauter (and perhaps shorter) adventures to come.
January 22, 2015
Murder in a small college town..a distinguished scholar stops to help a fellow pedestrian and it ends up being his last night--but why? As his estranged brother tries to piece the puzzle together more questions are raised and the surprise at the end will definitely catch you off guard..Good but not great read.
April 16, 2018
To view on Rainy Day's Books, Video Games and Other Writings: https://rainyday.blog/2018/04/16/book...
I found this book to be an immensely interesting read. It was fast paced and mostly kept me interested to find out what happened to Sterling’s brother. But near the end of The Blackbird Papers, I slowly found myself losing interest. Especially near the end when you find out who kills Sterling’s brother and why.
What made this murder mystery book so interesting to me was going through the process of uncovering the mystery. You have Sterling’s brother who is missing at first until they discover his body. Then when they find Wilson you see the whole process of them examining his body to find out how he was killed and try to find out why. From there, you see Sterling going through his brother’s research, trying to uncover more clues.
I found this part of the story especially to be interesting whenever he uncovered that his brother was trying to discover why an alarming amount of blackbirds were being killed. It made the story that much more interesting because it showed that Ian Smith did a little bit of research to add detail into this book. It also made me want to continue reading The Blackbird Papers to find out who killed Wilson.
I also found Sterling as the main character interesting. Especially since this whole case involved the murder of his brother. I thought the story would be a little different since Sterling was trying to uncover the murder of his brother. But if anything, he seemed more determined to find out who killed Wilson than anything else. I know a lot of that had to do with some emotional problems of his own when it came to his brother, and I appreciated that this book included those details within its pages. While you wish Sterling could’ve gotten some reconciliation with his older brother, you also see his character grow as a result of this case.
I also like that Smith ended the story by Sterling respecting his brother’s last wishes. I found that to be a very touching scene because he goes through a lot in order to solve his brother’s murder and he is finally able to feel peace that his brother is no longer there.
While I enjoyed these aspects of The Blackbird Papers, there was a lot missing from it for me to enjoy the story as much as I wanted to. For starters, while the pacing of the plot started off really wonderful for me, it soon was at a point where it slowed down completely and became predictable. The plot reached this point near the end of the novel when those who didn’t want Wilson’s research to get out tried to frame Sterling for his brother’s murder. Each time Sterling found himself unraveling another piece of the puzzle, he’d have to run away from law enforcement. For me, that started slowing down the storyline because I knew he was close to getting the information he needed. It also felt like Smith added those moments into the story so there’d be action and conflict for Sterling while he’s trying to get to the bottom of the case.
I also found the person responsible for the death of Wilson to be predictable. I don’t know if it’s because I already had a feeling whenever his character was introduced that he was responsible or if the plot in the story was just that predictable for me. The only thing surprising about that part of the story was that more people were in on it than I was expecting. But that overall doesn’t really change the way I feel about the suspect because I still had those feelings from the beginning that this person was responsible.
The Blackbird Papers is an interesting murder mystery novel. I enjoyed it because the overall story kept me wanting to find out what happened next, but I was also disappointed that the killer was too easy for me to predict. I also found the pacing of the novel close to the conclusion to be lacking, but also really enjoyed the ending because Sterling finally found some peace when it came to his own conflict with his brother. It was overall an enjoyable read that I would’ve liked more if the killer wasn’t so predictable to me and if the ending of the story didn’t move so slow.
I found this book to be an immensely interesting read. It was fast paced and mostly kept me interested to find out what happened to Sterling’s brother. But near the end of The Blackbird Papers, I slowly found myself losing interest. Especially near the end when you find out who kills Sterling’s brother and why.
What made this murder mystery book so interesting to me was going through the process of uncovering the mystery. You have Sterling’s brother who is missing at first until they discover his body. Then when they find Wilson you see the whole process of them examining his body to find out how he was killed and try to find out why. From there, you see Sterling going through his brother’s research, trying to uncover more clues.
I found this part of the story especially to be interesting whenever he uncovered that his brother was trying to discover why an alarming amount of blackbirds were being killed. It made the story that much more interesting because it showed that Ian Smith did a little bit of research to add detail into this book. It also made me want to continue reading The Blackbird Papers to find out who killed Wilson.
I also found Sterling as the main character interesting. Especially since this whole case involved the murder of his brother. I thought the story would be a little different since Sterling was trying to uncover the murder of his brother. But if anything, he seemed more determined to find out who killed Wilson than anything else. I know a lot of that had to do with some emotional problems of his own when it came to his brother, and I appreciated that this book included those details within its pages. While you wish Sterling could’ve gotten some reconciliation with his older brother, you also see his character grow as a result of this case.
I also like that Smith ended the story by Sterling respecting his brother’s last wishes. I found that to be a very touching scene because he goes through a lot in order to solve his brother’s murder and he is finally able to feel peace that his brother is no longer there.
While I enjoyed these aspects of The Blackbird Papers, there was a lot missing from it for me to enjoy the story as much as I wanted to. For starters, while the pacing of the plot started off really wonderful for me, it soon was at a point where it slowed down completely and became predictable. The plot reached this point near the end of the novel when those who didn’t want Wilson’s research to get out tried to frame Sterling for his brother’s murder. Each time Sterling found himself unraveling another piece of the puzzle, he’d have to run away from law enforcement. For me, that started slowing down the storyline because I knew he was close to getting the information he needed. It also felt like Smith added those moments into the story so there’d be action and conflict for Sterling while he’s trying to get to the bottom of the case.
I also found the person responsible for the death of Wilson to be predictable. I don’t know if it’s because I already had a feeling whenever his character was introduced that he was responsible or if the plot in the story was just that predictable for me. The only thing surprising about that part of the story was that more people were in on it than I was expecting. But that overall doesn’t really change the way I feel about the suspect because I still had those feelings from the beginning that this person was responsible.
The Blackbird Papers is an interesting murder mystery novel. I enjoyed it because the overall story kept me wanting to find out what happened next, but I was also disappointed that the killer was too easy for me to predict. I also found the pacing of the novel close to the conclusion to be lacking, but also really enjoyed the ending because Sterling finally found some peace when it came to his own conflict with his brother. It was overall an enjoyable read that I would’ve liked more if the killer wasn’t so predictable to me and if the ending of the story didn’t move so slow.
June 4, 2025
Not bad for a first timer, it read more like a screenplay than a book but it had some meat on its bones. The plot is pretty straightforward for this type of genre. Star scientists brother goes missing then is found murdered and his Federal agents brother Sterling is on the case and looking for revenge. But before we just boil it down to your regular run of the mill whodunnit thriller there are some literary twist and turns that the sprinkles in. Nothing mind blowing but enough to keep you guessing and in a genre that is filled with reprinted recycled and reused plots, that’s enough to make you stand out.
Is the book phenomenal or groundbreaking? No. Does it explore any heavy themes or commentate on any social issues and offer a literary exploration into topics that might be controversial or highly debated? No. It’s just a murder mystery with enough characters to play a game of clue with and In my humble opinion when you’re writing a murder mystery you don’t want a huge cast, because then all the back and forth between so many different characters and there involvement in the story becomes a convoluted mess that is a pain in the ass to untangle. But In this case the author pulls it off, each character adds a contribution to the story even tho The characters are pretty bland other than there profession being there only personality trait. It got to a point where people became archetypes rather than characters For example you could tell who the bad guy was pretty early on just based off there traits, the one with the highest status and money is of course the culprit. Yea the author might throw you a curveball here and there but in the end it all amounts to jack shit when the outcome is still the same. The why might change but the who never did.
The book set out what it meant to do, authors first space of his talents. The verdict: with some polishing this guy has potential, let’s just hope his imagination and misdirection improve.
Is the book phenomenal or groundbreaking? No. Does it explore any heavy themes or commentate on any social issues and offer a literary exploration into topics that might be controversial or highly debated? No. It’s just a murder mystery with enough characters to play a game of clue with and In my humble opinion when you’re writing a murder mystery you don’t want a huge cast, because then all the back and forth between so many different characters and there involvement in the story becomes a convoluted mess that is a pain in the ass to untangle. But In this case the author pulls it off, each character adds a contribution to the story even tho The characters are pretty bland other than there profession being there only personality trait. It got to a point where people became archetypes rather than characters For example you could tell who the bad guy was pretty early on just based off there traits, the one with the highest status and money is of course the culprit. Yea the author might throw you a curveball here and there but in the end it all amounts to jack shit when the outcome is still the same. The why might change but the who never did.
The book set out what it meant to do, authors first space of his talents. The verdict: with some polishing this guy has potential, let’s just hope his imagination and misdirection improve.
May 19, 2021
I got it based on a positive review from a critic I usually trust, and had to go back and reread the review afterwards- I still wonder if we were reading the same book. One brother is a famous Ivy League professor/scientist who has received both a Nobel Prize and the even richer Devonshire. The other is a professor/scientist/FBI agent who heads up the investigation when Bro 1 disappears (like that's allowed.) Brother 1 is soon found dead.
The FBI brother spends a lot of time regretting how much he resented big bro's success and his parents' celebration of that success. He pauses mid shootout to reminisce about the last time he was shot at, ("It had been a long time since someone had taken a shot at him-actually several years,") and what happened to the others who got shot back then.
The FBI brother spends a lot of time regretting how much he resented big bro's success and his parents' celebration of that success. He pauses mid shootout to reminisce about the last time he was shot at, ("It had been a long time since someone had taken a shot at him-actually several years,") and what happened to the others who got shot back then.
September 11, 2019
I'll admit I'd never heard of the author before picking this book up from a library clearance event. I now see he's a "name" in the television and book medical field.
Going by the dust jacket (because I read the hard copy, even though this review says "paperback," there was no other review choice) I thought one man couldn't be so good at so much! Not only a doctor, but award winning correspondent and commentator, young (younger than me, and the book is from 2004!), handsome, AND a wonderful writer of suspense!
This book was too good to put down. I had to finish it tonight, and let the dishes sit dirty! The mystery of the murder was such a surprise, and a really good one, relevant, and believable. Sadly, believable. And what a surprise we come to find at the end! I was NOT expecting that!
A likeable protagonist, strong, yet capable of tears. One of the best read this year!
Going by the dust jacket (because I read the hard copy, even though this review says "paperback," there was no other review choice) I thought one man couldn't be so good at so much! Not only a doctor, but award winning correspondent and commentator, young (younger than me, and the book is from 2004!), handsome, AND a wonderful writer of suspense!
This book was too good to put down. I had to finish it tonight, and let the dishes sit dirty! The mystery of the murder was such a surprise, and a really good one, relevant, and believable. Sadly, believable. And what a surprise we come to find at the end! I was NOT expecting that!
A likeable protagonist, strong, yet capable of tears. One of the best read this year!
March 26, 2021
This was a good read, but I read an advanced copy with so many typos and several inconsistencies that it took away from giving this 4 stars. For example, on page 308 it states, '"We couldn't have done it without her help," Brusco said, pointing to Ahote."' How could Agent Lonnie Brusco point to Ahote if he is speaking on the phone with Sterling Bledsloe. That's just one of several inconsistencies. I hope the typos and inconsistencies were cleared up when the book was finally published. Otherwise, Ian Smith's debut novel is well researched and an interesting mystery/thriller. What I like about the novel is that it reminds me of Stephen L Carter's novel The Emperor of Ocean Park; the privileged worlds (Wilson & his wife Kay) of the upper crust African American society of the Eastern seaboard. My kind of fiction.
Although I knew on page 5 who the killer would be it was interesting to see how he would tie things together in the end. The surprise additional culprits were a good twist.
Although I knew on page 5 who the killer would be it was interesting to see how he would tie things together in the end. The surprise additional culprits were a good twist.
January 29, 2026
326 pages of continued suspense
Ian Smith is known for his Shred Eating Diet Books entered into thrilling crime fiction stories. I believe this to be his first novel. It was very difficult to find this book.
I had previously read all five of his criminal fiction novels based on Ashe Cayne, private eye. All his stories are centered into the Chicago area, so it made reading these very interesting because you felt you were always familiar with the sites and sounds of the city.
The Black Papers gives us the death of renowned Dartmouth Professor Wilson Bledsoe. When his body is discovered it draws in his estranged brother FBI agent Sterling Bledso for investigation.
Twist …, false leads ….. false accusations…
It definitely keeps you engaged from beginning to end, found it hard to put the book down, it definitely is a must read.
Ian Smith is known for his Shred Eating Diet Books entered into thrilling crime fiction stories. I believe this to be his first novel. It was very difficult to find this book.
I had previously read all five of his criminal fiction novels based on Ashe Cayne, private eye. All his stories are centered into the Chicago area, so it made reading these very interesting because you felt you were always familiar with the sites and sounds of the city.
The Black Papers gives us the death of renowned Dartmouth Professor Wilson Bledsoe. When his body is discovered it draws in his estranged brother FBI agent Sterling Bledso for investigation.
Twist …, false leads ….. false accusations…
It definitely keeps you engaged from beginning to end, found it hard to put the book down, it definitely is a must read.
March 16, 2023
An intriguing premise. A missing scientist seemingly loved by all. *Spoiler Alert* : Blackbird bodies with odd symptoms. An ideal life plunged into mystery and violence in the space of a few hours on a rainy night. What is an envious younger brother to do with all these inexplicable signs?
FBI Agent Sterling Bledsoe has more than one puzzle to solve...
This story was better than I expected and kept on with the credible action right to the end. A sideways step into crime fiction for an author with diverse TV journalist credits to his name.
Much better than I expected an older 2004 hand me down book to be. A pleasant surprise.
FBI Agent Sterling Bledsoe has more than one puzzle to solve...
This story was better than I expected and kept on with the credible action right to the end. A sideways step into crime fiction for an author with diverse TV journalist credits to his name.
Much better than I expected an older 2004 hand me down book to be. A pleasant surprise.
November 19, 2018
This was not bad, but not great. There were some good moments, but I found myself bogged down sometimes with what seemed like an attempt to not use "bland" verbs and descriptions - Sterling and other characters "raced" to places or "jumped" in or out of cars too many times, or "groaned," "shrieked," "gasped" too often. The story was interesting, although I was left a bit disappointed with the ending because it felt a little cliched. Not sure if Smith ever tried his hand at another thriller; there was potential here.
July 10, 2018
Suspenseful. And characters who are interesting. I liked the many settings and their t
range, from university departments to cheap hotels, from uninitiated exits and alleyways to a dumbwaiter. However, I couldn't believe the FBI would be dumb enough to chase his cellphone through the east coast when it was so obviously connected to a recorded number on a loop.
range, from university departments to cheap hotels, from uninitiated exits and alleyways to a dumbwaiter. However, I couldn't believe the FBI would be dumb enough to chase his cellphone through the east coast when it was so obviously connected to a recorded number on a loop.
August 2, 2018
Chosen for the title and finished because of the familiar setting (Hanover, NH and the upper Connecticut River Valley), but overall a disappointment in detection and characterization. Still, it's a first novel and if the next could move a bit further from stereotypes, I'd like to try it. The rather tangential element of the plot about blackbirds is based on science. 3.5 stars I think.
January 6, 2024
1st time author for me.. Little slow in the beginning but plot picked up pace towards the end. I am praying that this poison isn't really being used by sunflower growers. YIKES This book also referred to the same Indian tribe that William Kent Krueger uses in his Cork O'Connor series. That was cool ..
July 23, 2018
I enjoyed most of this read. I did find the ending a bit incredulous. It's not the unveiling of the villains, but more how he was able to elude apprehension. I don't want to spoil it, but suffice it to say, it was the only distraction. Otherwise, a very fun summer read from a new author.
May 9, 2021
This book kept me intersted through out. I love that it wasn't your run of the mill, white FBI agent story. Some cheesy parts, the end especially, but it was a good story. Some really well written action chapters get it the 4 star writing. Bonus...I'm a bird nerd and loved the blackbird backstory.
October 4, 2021
The book was OK but it read like a first outing by the author, the book could have used some proofreading or better proofreading because there are some contradictions but overall the book was alright.
March 4, 2024
This is an excellent book. Engaging from the beginning to the end. The one mystery related to it is, why has Ian K. Smith not written more with the Sterling Bledsoe character. There are many layers ripe for future mysteries.
Well done.
Well done.
Read
November 2, 2024Riveting
Riveting and kept my attention so much so that I pulled an all nighter to finish it because I couldn't put it down, I had to read just one more chapter, then another, until the end!
Riveting and kept my attention so much so that I pulled an all nighter to finish it because I couldn't put it down, I had to read just one more chapter, then another, until the end!
February 4, 2018
If it's going to continue as a series I'll read another
Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews