I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from the Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
The Unspoken
by Ian K. Smith
Series: Ashe Cayne #1
Series Rating:
Published by Thomas & Mercer on October 1, 2020
Genres: Private Investigator Mystery
Pages: 295
Format: Kindle
Goodreads
BookBub
Get Your Copy at: Amazon
Also in this series: Wolf Point
Former Chicago detective Ashe Cayne is desperate for redemption. After refusing to participate in a police department cover-up involving the death of a young black man, Cayne is pushed out of the force. But he won’t sit quietly on the sidelines: he’s compelled to fight for justice as a private investigator…even if it means putting himself in jeopardy.
When a young woman, Tinsley Gerrigan, goes missing, her wealthy parents from the North Shore hire Cayne to find her. As Cayne looks into her life and past, he uncovers secrets Tinsley’s been hiding from her family. Cayne fears he may never find Tinsley alive.
His worries spike when Tinsley’s boyfriend is found dead—another black man murdered on the tough Chicago streets. Cayne must navigate his complicated relationships within the Chicago PD, leveraging his contacts and police skills to find the missing young woman, see justice done, and earn his redemption.
The Unspoken by Ian K. Smith is a fast-paced mystery with lots of twists and turns.
Who killed Chopper, and what happened to Tinsley?
This book is the first in a wonderfully witty new mystery series set in Chicago. I enjoyed this fresh, unique voice, and I am looking forward to the next installment. I found the characters humourous, believable, and each with their own perfect flaws.
Ashe Cayne
Ashe is our private detective and former Chicago Police Detective. He still has his contacts within the force. Ashe is a different type of detective. He is highly educated, uses big words, and mixes within all of the cases. Dr. Wendell Cayne is Ashe’s father, and he is a psychiatrist, which gives Ashe lots of insight and a sounding board. Not that Ashe needs much help as he is a knowledgeable guy. He also uses big words all the time, which isn’t appreciated by some of the people that he is interviewing.
I like Ashe. He is one of those brooding hero types, kind of like Batman. Ashe has some money, he’s smart, and he requires justice. He has the vigilante part down, although only a few people know about that side of him. Ashe has been hurt in the past and isn’t sure if he is ready to move on. However, I believe that Carolina might be willing to assist with some of his damaged parts.
The Mystery
Ashe is hired to find a missing wealthy heiress, Tinsley. Although, shortly after Tinsley goes missing, her boyfriend, Chopper, from the “wrong side of the tracks” is murdered. Tinsley trail doesn’t add up, and things aren’t connecting as they should. In the middle of everything, Ashe is fired by Tinsley’s mother, and he is told to leave it alone. However, if not before, the case isn’t about finding Tinsley but about who killed Chopper and why. Oh, and Ashe isn’t going to back down; he can’t be bought off. I like this honorable side of Ashe.
Five Stars
I truly enjoyed seeing all sides of Chicago. Dr. Smith does an excellent job of bringing all the neighborhoods and ethnic groups to life. This book is a perfect start to a new series. My rating for The Unspoken by Ian K. Smith is five stars. I recommend this to all the mystery/thriller/police procedural fans out there.
Look for the next book in the series called Wolf Point, out in August 2021.
Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of The Unspoken by Ian K. Smith.
Check out an interview with Dr. Ian and enter the giveaway HERE.
Until the next time,
About Ian K. Smith
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.
Leave a Reply