Detective P T Marsh and his partner, Remy, are investigating what they feel is a hate crime. A young black teenager has been tortured, beaten, hanged, and set on fire. What Detective Marsh did was something no cop should ever do ... he tampered with the evidence. He removed the rope around the young man's neck in the hope that they can keep this part of his death secret.

Amid rising racial tension and media scrutiny, P.T. uncovers something sinister at the heart of the young boy's murder--a conspiracy leading all the way back to the time of the Civil War.

This is the first in a series featuring P T Marsh. He's always been respected as a good cop, but the death of his pregnant wife and son has him reeling. He's drinking way too much, but it's the only way he can put his memories to rest. If he continues the drinking, it won't be only his health affected .. it may cost him his job.

There's lots of action with frequent changes of direction and multiple varied suspects that bear watching. Marsh is an interesting character, not the pillar of the framework around which law enforcement is build. Characters are deftly drawn amid an intricate plot. I look forward to reading the books following.

Many thanks to the author / Putnam Books / Netgalley for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

This book took me longer than normal to read one of its length. I think it was more a lack of focus on my part rather than the book. I like the book, but I didn't feel much of a connection to any of the characters. The victims were names, and I felt sad at their outcome, but I didn't feel outrage like I should have. I do like how race is explored, and I wish the book had been a little bit braver in that area.

The main character was a flawed police detective, which just seemed so unoriginal. I never really connected with Marsh as he was just really unlikable. The story was fast-paced though.

3 stars
The beginning of this book was pretty slow. It took, until around, page 50 for things to start moving. Once everything was moving along I found this boom hard to put down. I will say I was disappointed in the ending. I’m not sure if I will continue with this series.

I loved this debut police detective mystery set in rural Georgia. McMahon falls back on typic detective clichés (lonely guy, alcoholic, grief-stricken) but what he creates is an interesting, compelling and enjoyable read. McMahon's sense of place and the people who inhabit it contribute to the overall effectiveness of the book. I can't wait to see in what direction this series takes place. Fans of James Lee Burke and CJ Box will be interested.

A version of this review previously appeared in Shelf Awareness and is republished here with permission.

The Good Detective, John McMahon's debut spin on the detective-tortured-by-grief theme, is the first in a planned series featuring P.T. Marsh. He is an up-and-comer in the Mason Falls, Ga., police department, until he loses his wife and son and turns to alcohol. Uncertainty over his father-in-law's potential role in their fatal accident continually gnaws at him.

Off the clock, P.T. visits the abusive boyfriend of a local stripper to give him a warning. The house becomes a crime scene when the man is found dead in his chair, leaving P.T. flummoxed, almost certain he left the jerk beaten but alive. Things go downhill fast when a black teenager is lynched and burned and evidence ties the two killings together.

P.T., partner Remy and former partner Abe dig into both crimes, and the clues fly at a furious clip while P.T. secretly tries to avoid being suspected of the first murder. A few of the numerous plot arcs are extraneous, some leaps in logic are made and police procedure often goes by the wayside, but McMahon is a fine storyteller and his characters are intriguing.

McMahon's fluid writing highlights the dark and emotive themes, with P.T.'s bulldog Sweet Purvis, all he has left, used as a tender emotional touchstone via P.T.'s subconscious. The beautiful small touches McMahon "shows" (e.g., the overgrown shoe ruts in the dirt under P.T.'s son's swing) are more powerful than the "telling," but The Good Detective is fast-paced, compelling and a good start to a promising series.

STREET SENSE: McMahon has the start of what might be a good series here. The character work is great, and the core mysteries kept me engaged. I hope the second entry takes that foundation and relies on it.

A FAVORITE PASSAGE: "Wade moved like a chicken thief." "I was five counties from fine." McMahon has some gems like these that sometimes get lost in the shuffle. Yes, I'm a fan of short prose, but if you can write it well, write it.

COVER NERD SAYS: I dig this one, despite the seeming run on "person from behind in a dark forest" covers that are becoming so tiresome. I like how the image feels like a tunnel (with some light at the end) and also like an eye (with the figure as the pupil - just go with me here). In a sea of covers like this, it stands out as a good one with more depth to it.

I really liked The Good Detective, however, there were times where I found it slow and hard to finish. While it was well written, I honestly wouldn't re-read it. If you're interested in reading the novel, I suggest you give it a try.

This was an ok police procedural about detective P. T. Marsh and his partner Remy in Macon Falls, Georgia. It employs the tired trope of the troubled detective who’s drinking too much, in this instance because his pregnant wife and young son were killed in an accident. The case the detectives are investigating involves the lynching of the teenaged son of a Baptist preacher. This leads them to much earlier cases of the deaths of other black children. The writing was serviceable but I found the plot improbable. I didn’t find Marsh particularly interesting or anything outstanding about this book, so if this is the start of a series I doubt that I would continue with it. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.

Thanks to NetGalley for sending me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I love police procedurals, especially with flawed protagonists, and this book hit all the marks. Great multilayer mystery, fighting your own demons to get to the truth, and a bit of southern lore and history mixed in as well. It doesnt break new ground in the genre, but its a solid entry in the genre done much better than most, especially from a first time author.

I really enjoyed the book and stayed up late to binge read it, always a good sign. I definitely want to read more adventures with PT Marsh and look forward to future books in the series.

Sometimes, no matter how many problems a person has caused, you still know there is good in them. Such is the case with former Detective P.T. Marsh. He’s kind of a smart mouth too. I just love cheeky smart ass detectives. I spent a lot of time trying to decide if he was the “Good Detective”. I think so, but I bet every person has a different opinion.

This was well-written and a fast read. John McMahon created characters you will care about and those you will hate; just like in a real mystery. Excellent character definition. Both kinds are necessary in a story like this.

I think this may be John McMahon’s first book and it’s good. There was no time this story slowed down for me nor did my mind ever stray. While it is a great crime fiction story, what carries it and will keep you reading to the end is the most important aspect of reading to me…this Marsh character. He’s the kind you want to know better. Dear Mr. McMahon, write some more about P.T. Marsh for us, ok?

Great new detective novel and hopefully soon to be series. John McMahon's writing is first class. His plot is multifaceted, weaving many storylines together throughout the pages. Definitely keeps you guessing. Love the southern setting and the characters are well written. The main character, Detective PT Marsh, is shown with flaws and guilt that all humans have and I like him because of that. He has just lost his wife and son, dealing with depression and alcoholism, he struggles with making the right choices. He finds himself deeply involved in a murder case that is dripping with local racism and deeply entwined in the history of the area - all the way back to the civil war. The case also takes on a mystical voodoo vibe. All of this is expertly woven together to keep the reader glued to the pages - hard to put down - it is an entertaining read and I can't wait for more from Detective PT Marsh!

Lou Jacobs's Reviews > The Good Detective

The Good Detective by John McMahon
The Good Detective
by John McMahon
M 50x66
Lou Jacobs's review Feb 27, 2019 · edit
it was amazing

Depression and Alcoholism ... unfortunately goes hand in hand with grief. Detective P.T. Marsh has fallen from grace after the death of his beloved wife and son. He is no longer Mason Falls, Georgia Police Department's "best" detective. In his usual drunken stupor he crosses paths with Crimson, a strip club performer ... who is being beaten and abused by live-in boyfriend, Virgil Rowe. He comes to her aid and pays Virgil a visit one night, and punches him in the nose and threatens to come back and do worse if he continues the abuse. He retreats home and falls into his usual troubled alcoholic dream world ... haunted by memories of his lost family. He awakens only to find out that Virgil was murdered last night ... and unsure if he is the perpetrator. The police consider Virgil as a prime suspect in the heinous murder of a black teenage boy earlier in the night. The young man was highly regarded by the community and the son of a preacher ... and yet, was tortured, lynched and burned alive.
To seek redemption P.T. cleans up his act and conducts an investigation that reveals extensive circumstances linking this murder to many in the past. While initially suspecting a white supremacy group the clues lead further back into history ... revealing a pattern of similar senseless murders of both black boy and girl teenagers. A link to the past "old south" arises. .... apparently involving a cabal of prominent and powerful Georgia families.
McMahon proves to be great storyteller ... and unravels a compelling and convoluted tale that establishes Marsh's redemption to once again being "The Good Detective". Marsh perseveres in the face of apparently insurmountable obstacles to confront and deal with the undercurrent of deep seated racism.
Thanks to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons Publishing for providing an electronic ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review. I certainly hope that McMahon will provide further tales in the life of P.T. Marsh!!

Hands down one of the best debut novels I've had the pleasure of reading! This is one you don't want to miss. I can't wait for more in this series and by this author.

Thank you #netgalley and #penguingroupputnam for the eARC.

A very good detective book. I enjoyed the plot that has many twists and turns to keep the reader guessing.. the author is new to me and I will be reading more of his books. Mystery fans will enjoy this book. I received an arc from Netgalley and this is my unbiased review.

This was a very good series debut. I'm always on the lookout for crime fiction that has deep characterization, a labyrinthine plot, and colorful, poetic writing. John McMahon succeeds on all points with THE GOOD DETECTIVE. The story begins with P.T. Marsh, a detective haunted by the recent deaths of his wife and son, who steps in to deliver "justice" to a man who regularly beats up his stripper girlfriend. The next day, unfortunately, P.T. has little recollection of how that "conversation" ended. He remembers punching the man in the mouth, pulling out his gun and threatening to rid the woman beater of a kneecap. Little else is in his mind. So imagine his distress when he is called to the scene of a murder, to discover the victim is none other than the man he confronted the previous evening. Did he kill him? This and a number of questions drives the narrative in this thrilling novel.. The story really jumps off, though, when a young black boy is murdered and left to burn in a farmer's field. The tentacles from that murder reach to the woman beater P.T. confronted and all the way back to crimes in 1968. McMahon's debut is written with the assured hand of a veteran, which bodes well for future entries in this series. Thanks to Netgalley for providing a copy to write an unbiased review.

In the last line of his Acknowledgements, John McMahon says "P.T. Marsh will be back. Stay tuned." I'm glad. This was a fun, fast, read with wonderfully developed characters, believable dialogue and a (hopefully), not so believable, yet non-the-less enjoyable plot. I look forward to the next book in the series! #TheGoodDetective #NetGalley

Detective P.T. Marsh was a rising star on the Mason Falls, Ga. Police force until his wife and young son were killed in a tragic accident the previous year.Since then he has barely functioned in his job because of his heavy drinking. When a man who is the main suspect in the horrific death of a young black boy is found murdered in his home, P.T. Is finally snapped out of his drunken daze and is determined to find out who is behind Kendrick’s death. He is forced to get his act together and do it quickly while he still has his job because not only was he at the man’s house the night he died, but he beat him up and can’t remember anything else other than he was pretty sure he was alive when he left. Racial strife, dirty cops and evil perpetrated by a mysterious secret order for over 150 years all go together to make this one of the best stories with a southern setting that I have read since I read the last Greg Isles.

After his wife and child dies in an accident, P.T. Marsh has gone from one bad decision to another. The once promising detective has lot all ability to make sensible choices, or maybe that’s the pint and he just deosn’t care anymore. Now, after confronting a man who liked using his girlfriend as a punching bag, he arrives at his newest homicide case to find the victim is the man he confronted the night before. The man who was alive when P.T. left, wasn’t he? When the victim is linked to the murder of a black teenager who appears to have been lynched, P.T. realizes he better pull himself together if he’s going to find out who killed who. Marsh is the ultimate anti hero and his story travels at a blistering pace