I know. I promise one day I'll get back to blogging about romance, but the problem right now seems to be having no spoons for eyeball-reading. This means my continued Clean Out Old Suspense ARCs via Library Audiobook Loans is what's keeping this blog afloat in new content. Latest on the hit parade is One Day You'll Burn by Joseph Schneider, a debut back in 2020 and the first in a series featuring former history doctoral candidate turned LAPD homicide detective, Tully Jarsdel.
Tully made detective in record time thanks to his book smarts, something that rankles some of his fellow officers in the small, elite Hollywood Homicide division. He's still finding his way when he and his seasoned partner, Morales, catch a weird one. A burned corpse found at the base of a sacred statue in Thai Town. Turns out though the corpse wasn't burned - he was baked. And their only witness is an Oxy addict who isn't eager to share what paltry details he does know. With politicians and departmental brass breathing down their necks, the case soon takes them to the seedy tourist trap that is Hollywood Boulevard.

I'm glad I decided to listen to this one because had I tried to eyeball read the buried ARC I had I either would have 1) skimmed large chunks or 2) given up. You've got Tully's Pretentious AF parents who had their child's life mapped out for him before he was even born, so when he breaks off his basically arranged engagement and leaves behind academia to become a cop, they're both kind of assholes about it. And because his two dads (yes, they're gay) are academics and Tully is a recovering academic, the author takes the reader down more than a few lecturing, pontificating rabbit holes that bog down the pacing and frankly are only there to beef up the word count. I know this because the author beefs up the word count further by having not just one, but two cases for our hero to work on. The second one is a serial cold case of someone poisoning couples' dogs on their wedding days.

The poisoned dogs case gives Tully a love interest, who is just as pretentious as he is (she's some sort of professional organizer because this is Los Angeles and of course she is) and hand to God readers get regaled with a "it's OK I'm on the pill and clean" first sex scene. At least we're spared a surprise pregnancy - although I can't speak to Book 2. Further proof that this nonsense can happen anywhere, not just in the romance genre.

What does work about this book is the world-building. It's quintessential LA right down to all the pretentiousness and seedy edges you'd expect. I also liked Tully's partner, Morales - a fairly stereotypical cop character who at first resents (that might be too strong a word though?) his new partner for jumping ahead so quickly up the promotional ladder, but who eventually warms up to him.

For all the pontificating and pseudo-intellectualism (have I mentioned I found most of the characters pretentious?), the ending careens into straight-up schlocky horror movie territory. Honestly it's a little jarring and doesn't entirely fit the story that preceded it, but in a strange way it kind of works and kept me glued to my earbuds. I'm not entirely sure if I'll read the next two books in the series but I'm a little tempted since Book 3 takes place on Catalina Island. Maybe once I wrap up this current listening project.

Oh, and they catch the dog murderer.

Final Grade = C

The book was archived before our group could download it. We are sure that we would have enjoyed the book judging from the reviews it has received.

One Day You'll Burn
by Joseph Schneider
Pub Date 04 Feb 2020 |
Poisoned Pen Press
Mystery & Thrillers


I am reviewing a copy of One Day You’ll Burn through Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley:


Detective Tully Jarsdel is not your typical LAPD cop, but he’s the only one who is able to solve the case.



The body was so badly burned it could be mistaken for a movie prop, except for the smell. That's not something the LAPD finds lying on the street every day. And when Detective Tully Jarsdel is called to the scene, it's clear to him that something about the placement of the corpse is intentional, even ritualistic. Jarsdel’s previous career in academia seems to finally be coming in handy rather than serving merely as material for jokes from his partner, Morales.




But nothing in his education can prepare Jarsdel for the horrific evil behind this case, which appears to be as hopeless as it is violent. As Jarsdel and Morales attempt to settle their differences and uncover the motive behind the horrendous crime, they find themselves dragged into the underbelly of a city notorious for chewing up and spitting out anyone dumb enough to turn their back on survival.







I give One Day You’ll Burn four out of five stars!

Detective Tully Jarsdel is summoned to a crime scene, complete with a burned corpse that seems to be intentionally placed. Jarsdel is uniquely qualified to handle the case, as his former career in academia seems to be coming in handy. Together with his partner, Morales, will the pair be able to solve the crime before it is too late?

The Mystery/Thriller genre is my favorite, so I had high hopes for One Day You'll Burn. Although the novel does have all of the elements of a good police procedural/crime thriller, I found my attention waning as I made my way deep into the novel. I did like the inclusion of certain historical elements, but I just could not forge a connection with the main character. Usually, crime thrillers are fast paced and exciting, but I did not find this to be the case with One Day You'll Burn. As this is the first book in a new series, I might be willing to give a second try to like the characters.

Disclaimer: I was given an Advanced Reader's Copy of One Day You'll Burn by NetGalley and the publisher, Poisoned Pen Press. The decision to read and review this book was entirely my own.

This is a good police procedural. All the best to the author.

Thanks to the publisher for the ARC.

The first novel in a new LA-based crime series. ONE DAY YOU'LL BURN introduces readers to LAPD Detectives Tully Jarsdel and Oscar Morales. They're called in to solve a particularly grisly and tricky murder. A well-written, interesting start to a series - it does everything you need from a first book, giving us a solid idea of who the protagonists are, how they fit into their work and environment. I enjoyed it, and look forward to reading the next book in the series.

A gripping mystery that captivates you from the very beginning. Fast-paced and entertaining. I couldn't put the book down, I needed to know who did it. Looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

This book pulled me in from the very first chapter! Gritty and original, this is not your typical police procedural or murder mystery. It felt like the kind of story that would also make a great movie, and I was blown away by the level of detail and strange crime that was committed. Looking forward to more by this author!

I'm not a fan of detective stories so this was hard to get into it. I heard great things about how gruesome and dark this story is but I was not able to get that far into it to find out. The writing didn't interest me, was bland, and rambled a lot. I think this was a case of me and not the book or author. DNF at about 20%.

Tully Jarsdel left academia without finishing his Ph.D. and became an LAPD cop. Now, he is the youngest detective on the force, placing on a new team, created to solve crimes in a different way. So, when he and his partner, Morales, are called out to a body burned in a alley, something about the body makes Tully recall some of his classical historical studies. The coroner reveals that the body was baked inside some type of oven, but nothing about this body makes sense. Los Angeles is part of the story, the author drops insights into the city and its history throughout. This was an interesting debut and I will be interested to read more.

First mystery novel by Joseph Schneider. An unusual murder weapon is used to kill. It takes Detective Tully Jarsdel whose former occupation was a college history instructor which he found unsatisfying. As he works this case with his partner Morales, they also are involved in trying to solve the 'dog catcher' killer. A lot of missteps in the Hollywood branch of the LAPD. Take time to read this intellectual mystery. Who did it and where?

LAPD crime drama. Detectives Jarsdel and Morales are new partners assigned to solve a gruesome murder. Aside from the suspense of tracking down the killer, there was also intriguing personal conflicts that kept the story moving.

There were also lots of traffic updates. I feel like if I ever visit LA, I’ll know how to get around and plan extra time to get there. The descriptions of the city and its traffic felt like another character.

I liked the story and characters. I can handle what happened to the people, tho there was some really, really messed up stuff that happened to them. I just didn't like the part about the dogs.

Thank you NetGalley and publishers for an ARC. All opinions are my own.

Schneider does a great job hooking the reader for this journey on solving this brutal murder case. I really enjoyed the character development and storyline. I kept wanting to read to see how it all ended. I was not disappointed and looking for more from Schneider, hopefully, with these same characters.

This one started slow for me, but once it got going, the story kept me enthralled. I liked the characters and the plot and the random knowledge from the main character. If this is going to be a series, I will definitely read more!

This book is an amazing flashback to the golden years of Hollywood. From the location of the investigation to the grand movie houses, there is definitely something for everyone. Tully Jarsdel begins his life as a history professor and discovers that this is not his calling. He proceeds to enroll in the police academy and gets a couple of years under his belt before being assigned to a detective core deep in the Hollywood hills. This book highlights his first case as lead detective and his acclimation to a relationship with his new partner. When a corpse is found burned on an alter in the Thai part of Hollywood it is up to him to figure out who did this. I thought the imagery of this book was magnificent and am hoping to hear more about this character with future books. This is a very talented author and I was glad to get a chance to read this one. Thanks for the ARC, Bookish First.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.

This book features a detective who is quite a bit different from the typical detective. He is an academic who dropped out of a history PhD program to become a cop. His parents are devastated with his decision because they feel that he is wasting his true talents. They want him to become a college professor.

In this novel, his talents of observation, analysis, and deduction play an important role in his success in solving two cases that have baffled the other officers.

I enjoyed the byplay between this relatively new detective and his more experienced partner and mentor.

I look forward to other books in this series.

Really enjoyed the full characterization of Jarsdel, and the two crimes that were ongoing.
The start of something good.

I started this book back in January. Got bored almost immediately. Thought maybe it was my mood, so I put it aside.

Tried again this week. Got to the 25% mark and just couldn't force myself to read any further.

The writing is fine, but the story meanders to the point where more than half of what's going on has no relevance to the plot. We have a gruesome murder, with details designed to shock, and then endless passages of nothingness.

One detective is an academic who talks down to people and is socially inept. The other detective is rude grumpy and rude. Neither is likable.

I started skimming. And then I realized I didn't even care about the whodunit to continue reading.

Netgalley has been hitting them out of the park lately on advanced reader copies and this book is no exception. Tully leaves the world of academia to become a detective with the Los Angeles Police Department, a decision that lends him no end of grief from his dads. The book starts off with a bang and a perfectly evenly cooked dead body that the author takes great care and detail in describing. From historical perspectives, sleazy Hollywood tours, truly gruesome case details, and a top notch bad guy, this book screams series and I hope I get to read more of Tully and his partner, Morales.