Member Reviews
Really enjoyable storyline that keeps your interest. I would highly recommend this to my friends and family.
it took me a while to 'get' the principal Rick Cahill - but as the story progressed, i could see that he was a good operator and the gathering interested parties - real estate agents, their lobbyists, and spreading corruption - circle in around his ex's new husband - so he's firmly involved despite the sexual orientation of another woman at the center who clearly loves other women. the PI who helps Cahill on jobs when he's short handed is a terrific character - with sharp dialogue - i hope the author works her up in a series that may ensue. thinking they are small time, the parameters are weighing them all down ... it's really an ambitious terrific novel.
Pretty good read and I liked the writer's style. xxxxxxxxx
Matt Coyle has developed an interesting protagonist, Rick Cahill. He is a PI, formerly with the LAPD. The reader senses his disgrace and depression, although we don't know the cause. The reader is privy to something lurking in his background and his relationships that leave him damaged and desolate. This is the first Cahill book I have read; I am quite sure that these characters traits/flaws were fleshed out in the beginning of the series ( this is the 4th book in the series). The plot is interesting, dealing with bribes, kickbacks and corruption in land development. The characters are likeable. I will go back to the beginning of the series!
Book 4 of the Rick Cahill series finds the hard-boiled PI coming to turn with his father’s truth. While this story is a deep look into his protagonist’s emotional depth, Coyle does not disappoint those readers wanting a tough, intriguing plot. In fact, Cahill’s father’s history comes back to bite Cahill—so he thinks, only to find that we are never far from those who brought us into the world. Not sure what that means? Read Blood Truth is driven to find out Rick Cahill’s “blood truth” no matter where it might take him.
This story is about the past as much as the present and how secrets can hurt us and haunt us. The characters are people we can relate to and at the same time want to yell at them to stop being so stupid!
This was my first Matt Coyle book but won't be my last. Private investigator Rick seems to have a sad life and is down in his luck.
He ends up investigating the contents of his father's old abandoned safe, was his father really a dirty cop? Then his other case is instigated by his ex girlfriend, is her husband cheating on her?
Rick goes above and beyond the call of duty to help his ex. The characters are believable and you care about them.
The book is hard to put down and enjoyable.
What I really like in the Rick Cahill Series , is a perfect pace of the plot.
The author knows EXACTLY how to keep your attention: melancholic quite parts alternate with pure actions at a dizzying speed. It is why I recommend you not to start this book late in the evening if you have a list to do on the next early morning – there is a high risk that you'll stay awake and read the whole night through.
And what I REALLY love is of course – the main character, a PI Rick Cahill. He is A-MA-ZING, an exemplary model of a lone warrior who has been hit by blows of every kind in his life and yet stays true to himself and his principles, a loyal fighter for justice who is difficult not to fall for.
In Blood Truth Rick works on two cases, that represent two parallel story-lines that on the first sight have nothing in common. The first one is Rick’s private matter related to his long dead father that sheds light on the mystery of his destruction. VERY EMOTIONAL. The other one is a delicate case that he agrees to take only because his ex-girlfriend, a woman that he still loves, begged for it. Rick has to find out if her husband is cheating on her. Is it a possibility to get her back? Is it THE case that will prove his loyalty?
I ENORMOUSLY enjoyed this book. The previous one, Dark Fissures, my first of Matt Coyle, was already good enough, but this one exceed all my expectations.
Matt Coyle’s series has everything you need to savor: dynamics, great characters, an exciting and emotional plot and very enjoyable writing. It was the book#4 in the series, and my second in it. I normally don’t read series in reverse, but I like this so much, that I’m seriously considering to go back to the very beginning and read the first two books that I've missed.
Note: You can read Blood Truth as a stand alone.
And if you like a good mystery with a likable character, you really should.
Although “Blood Truth” by Matt Coyle is part of the Rick Cahill series, it is not necessary to have read the previous books to be able to understand & follow this story. This is my first in the Rick Cahill series, but I can guarantee it won't be my last!! This was an exceptional read.
PI Rick Cahill has struggled with his father's career & life choices. Although Rick has always feared the truth about his father, he wants to find out why his father was kicked off the police force twenty-seven years ago & turned to drinking his life away.
In the meantime, an ex-girlfriend looks Rick up & asks him to check if her husband may be having an affair. This simple request turns into lies, deceit, bribery & much more that you won't be expecting. Follow Rick's wild journey to the truth, both of his father & his ex-girlfriend's husband.
Thank you NetGalley for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion!
The author, in his usual style, charged forward, full speed ahead in this fourth installment of the Rick Cahill series. The narrative of this unfortunate, sad sack's self-destructive life continued to spiral downward with non-stop action. The protagonist continued to insert himself into seemingly unlikely if not impossible scenarios of life and limb that anyone else with a right mind would avoid at all costs. Well written, this novel took me through a chaotic journey where I found myself being constantly reminded, "I'm glad I'm not him!" Overall, it made for a fascinating read.
Rick's PI business and ramshackle life had allowed him to survive. Not prosper. Actually, an improvement. One day, he had received an unforeseen call from the former love of his life, Kim. Secretly, he still carried a torch for her since their separation. His undoing. Sad. This had not been a social call. Besides, she was now married, therefore, off limits. Another reminder of his runaway life.
They met at Rick's rent-free makeshift office. A booth inside a Steakhouse. It was all business. She feared her husband had been acting suspiciously lately and wanted to learn of his whereabouts. Thoughts of him having an affair had lingered in her mind. This was where Rick shined best. His specialty - cheating husbands. He agreed to follow him and report back with his findings.
During his investigation, Rick's life took an unexpected turn. He acquired his deceased father's wall safe from his childhood home. Upon opening it, he discovered a 25 caliber pistol with four bullets in it, $15,000 in cash and a safe-deposit box key. Dumbfounded. His father had left the police force a disgraced cop. It had been rumored never proven, he had been working for the mob. A Bagman. It was enough to get him kicked off the force and out of Rick's life. Might the contents of this safe hold the key to his father's innocence? Guilt? Only one way to find out.
The haphazard path to uncovering the truth at any and all cost forced Rick into a whirlwind of murder and corruption as he followed where the leads of the safe had taken him. In his heart he knew it was too late for closure. All he ever wanted was justice. One way or another. Let the chips fall where they may. The truth be known. It was now or never.
A great read,kept me wanting to read more,a very good book,didn't know what to expect,a must read.
La Jolla PI Rick Cahill gets a call from workers at his former home where they have found a hidden safe that belonged to his deceased father. Cahill gets the safe opened and is shocked to find a gun $15,000 in cash and a safety deposit key. A visit to the bank further heightens the mystery with an envelope containing two spent gunshell casings. Cahill’s father Charlie had been kicked off the La Jolla police force 27 years ago and then spiralled into a premature drunken death. Rick is determined to find the truth behind his father's past. Clues lead him to link the gun and casings with the unsolved murder of laundry business owner Trent Phelps.
Meanwhile, Rick also gets a plea for help from former girlfriend Kim Parker who wants him to find out if her husband Jeffrey is having an affair. The trail leads to a rendezvous with a woman named Sophia who then ends being found brutally murdered in the garage adjoining the Parkers' real estate office. Jeffrey is arrested for the murder but Kim asks for Cahill's help to prove his innocence. Rick follows a trail of treachery involving the California Coastal Commission, Russian mafia and slimy businessman Peter Stone. Violence and threats against both Rick and Kim forces Cahill to find a missing USB drive.
Blood Truth by Matt Coyle is another winning entry in the Rick Cahill mystery series.
I received this book for free from Netgalley and Oceanview Publishing in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Blood Truth Matt Coyle
This is the first Matt Coyle book I have read, and to be honest I felt like a stranger at a family party. Which is a shame because I really liked the story and the characters.
Coyle’s main character is Rick Cahill who served a short time as a cop before becoming a Private Investigator.
This story starts with a run of the mill is-my-husband-cheating-on-me case with a difference. The woman asking for Ricks help is his ex, and probably the biggest love of his life.
During the investigation, Cahill is helped by a fellow investigator Moira, who although acid tongued and quick to mock, is obviously holding some type of feelings for him.
When the other woman, turns up dead Cahill, and his ex, come under suspicion.
Another strand sees Cahill come into possession of evidence in a historic murder case. The case his father was involved in just before being kicked out of the Police for being in cohorts with the local mob; but does the evidence prove his innocence or guilt. This sees Cahill struggling with memories of his father and trying to piece together the facts of the old case
Set in La Jolla California the back drop to this story is reminiscent of Michael Connelly’s Harry Bosch books. Hot mean and moody. The writing is more in the vain of Raymond Chandler’s Marlowe books.
It may be that I need to read the other stories in the series that left me a bit lost in places in this book.
It may be the fact that Matt Coyle isn’t hugely available in the UK which has kept me from reading his books in the past.
But what is a definite fact is that I will be downloading the back series of the Cahill books and reading them through the summer, because as much as I felt like a stranger at a party, I enjoyed the party
Rick Cahill is trying to find out the truth about his dad. He wants to know if his dad was a dirty cop. This is an easy to read fast paced thriller with plenty of action. There is a lot packed into this book and not everything is as it seems. This is the first book I have read in this series. It was easy to follow and could be read as a standalone.
How have I missed Matt Coyle??? Blood Truth was a fantastic read, full of crime and investigative twists and turns and for a newbie to the Rick Cahill saga, fully followable. Looks like I have a new author to get well and truly stuck into, I could not be happier!
I enjoyed this book even though the main character was kind of a downer. His personal relationships were sad and his whole life seemed tragic. I think the author should have developed some of the sub characters a little bit more. All the characters were rather antagonistic towards Rick and there were hints as to why but the reasons were not spelled out. Having said that, the dual mysteries were interesting and well laid out. I was glad that the main character was able to clear up a lifelong mystery but his entire life seemed so sad it was a little depressing. Still, I liked the story.
An excellent book that keeps you involved right through until the end.
“Blood Truth” by Matt Coyle is part of the Rick Cahill series, but it is not necessary to have read the previous books to absolutely love this one. Any background information a new reader might need is included as part of the narrative without spending pages and pages unnecessarily rehashing the previous books.
Rick Cahill is a former police officer, turned PI who is haunted by his past. Coyle takes us inside Cahill’s head as he tries to do penance for everyone’s misdeeds and bad decisions, including his own. He attempts to correct those previous mistakes, and that just is not always possible.
The upside is that we readers get to follow him around beautiful La Jolla California.
“The sun danced off the ocean far below,
and a gentle breeze slowly pushed scattered clouds around the blue sky.
Idyllic. Paradise. “
Unfortunately, this poetic paradise is just out of Rick’s reach. Bad childhood memories come screaming into the present when the owner of Rick’s childhood home finds a long-forgotten wall safe owned by his dad. The contents compel him to resolve his father’s involvement in a long-ago homicide cold case. To further complicate his life, his former girlfriend hires him to investigate her cheating spouse.” Just a typical day for a PI.”
This “typical” day leads Rick into a web of conspiracy, double dealing, and treachery that encompasses everyone from the local police to the Russian mob and the California Coastal Commission. The action bounces back and forth between the “cheating spouse” case and the cold case murder as Rick searches to find answers and to resolve his feelings about himself and about everyone else.
Rumors, accusations, and lies swirl around like papers in the wind as Rick struggles to solve “murder, the one crime with no expiration date.” How far will he go to reconcile past with the present? Will he make a pact with the devil? The good and the bad are hiding in plain sight and Rick cannot tell them apart. Who made just one bad decision and who has always had a hidden dark soul? In the end, the puzzle pieces finally fall into place, and in a most unexpected and upsetting way.
I was able to read “Blood Truth” in advance thanks to Oceanview Publishing, Matt Coyle, and NetGalley. This great book will have every reader speculating about what comes next, and sympathizing with Rick as he flounders through his own life and the lives and deaths of others. Plan your reading time wisely, because this book will take over your schedule.
Rick Cahill's on-going struggles with the La Jolla Police Department, his ex-wife, his former girlfriend and a PI colleague add sparkles of interest to a case that begins with a simple request to check up on his former girlfriend's husband and grows to a conflagration of murders, bribes, treachery, and elements of Rick's father's past problems. The style of writing is clear and follows a distinct timeline. The characters are unique and developed in depth. The suspense is palpable as danger threatens at every turn. I guarantee you will not guess the ending.
Great read about an adult son's quest to clear his deceased father's name, despite evidence to the contrary. The story reveals that there is a childlike place deep within each of us that desperately wants our parent to be our hero.