Living in the Pacific Northwest, I was thrilled to read a mystery set in my own backyard. So many books with local flair are poorly written, but Warren C Easley has done a lovely job of blending local charm with a compelling mystery. Cal Claxton is an attorney who sets to work trying to right a wrongful sentence for a local boy accused of murder. He must find evidence to overturn the conviction while also dealing with a new murder that he and his daughter Claire discovered.
Strong plot development, compelling characters, and great local charm make for a great read!

“No Way to Die” by Warren Easley is book seven in the Cal Claxton series. New readers quickly learn any needed backstory, and regular readers find out what Cal, his daughter, and his Australian shepherd are up to on their vacation on the Oregon coast. It is set in a small resort town where everyone knows everyone else; everyone has secrets, and unexpected things keep popping up. So, when a dead man is found in the water; the immediate thought is that probably someone he knew did it.
Warren structures Claxton’s narrative to give readers a global look at the events in a casual conversational style, as if talking to close friends. He speaks directly to readers, “if memory serves;” reflects on actions, “Didn’t see that coming; and hints at things to come “I had questions. Lots of questions.”
Vivid descriptions and bring the setting to life for readers “As the sun descended that evening the wind died, and the ocean glassed off to a pane of deepest blue. The fog bank that loitered offshore for the past couple of nights had finally burned off, and we were treated to a sunset whose colors morphed from shimmering gold, to rose, to violet, before dying in a shroud of deep purple.”
The plot is well structured and moves at an appropriate pace with ample action, suspense, a gun fight or two, and unsolved deaths. In the end, when all the pieces fall into place, the conclusion surprises everyone, even Cal; “I misread her completely…Why the hell didn’t I see that?”
I was given a review copy of “No Way to Die” by Warren Easley and Poisoned Pen Press. It is easy to read, and has not only suspense but also friendship and family devotion. The plot is innovative with new complications rather than a rehash of previous books. Regular readers will love this fresh look at Claxton, and new readers will be intrigued by the original plot and picturesque setting. Moreover, it features an indie bookstore, always a plus in any plot.

Well written and captivating detective story. Well developed, good pace.
Interesting storyline and plot with good characters.
Good from the start.

Hoping to read more by this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book. This is my honest review. All opinions are my own.

The seventh entry in the Cal Claxton Oregon mysteries, although easily read as a stand-alone. A well deserved holiday on the coast turns sour when a body turns up in a nearby river and Cal, along with daughter Claire, become drawn into a complex murder mystery. Well written, pacey with good character development and sense of place this is an engaging whodunit and an enjoyable read.

This is the seventh book in Warren Easley’s Cal Claxton Oregon mysteries and my first read in the series. It works well as a stand-alone book, with a story that is complete within the book. There are a couple of active secondary characters; ‘Nando, an investigator and Claire, Cal’s daughter, who have probably appeared in earlier books. Easley does a good job of establishing Cal’s relationship with them and Easley does a good job of bringing them into this story without any indication the reader is missing any information in their place in Cal’s life.
In this book, Cal and Claire are on a two-week vacation near Coos Bay, Oregon, having been offered a cabin by one of Cal’s grateful clients. As they were on the river fishing, Claire discovers the body of a man who has been tied and thrown into the water. As Cal and Claire quickly learn, the dead man provided false testimony that helped convict 16 year old Kenny of a murder he didn’t commit. Rori, Kenny’s grandmother, owner of a local book and coffee shop and local activist convinces Cal to meet Kenny and judge for himself if Kenny is telling the truth when he tells his story of innocence.
Cal and Claire meet Kenny and, upon meeting him Cal is convinced of his innocence. Cal agrees to take on the case to try and overturn the conviction and Claire insists on helping. As Cal and Claire are on the road back to their cabin they are forced off the road into the river by someone driving the cab of an old 18-wheeler. Archie, Cal’s Australian shepard is also forced into the water, almost a worse tragedy than for Cal and Claire since he hates water and Cal isn’t sure if he knows how to swim.
The relationship between Cal and Archie is fully developed and provides some entertaining depth to the personalities in the book. Also, Claire and Cal’s dedication to each other helps round out their personalities and is central to establishing them as thoughtful caring stewards of both the earth and their fellow man. In addition, the attempt on Cal and Claire allows Easley to introduce ‘Nando, an investigator and family friend, into the story.
As Cal, Claire and ‘Nando begin to investigate there are some lovely descriptions of the Oregon Coast they travel in tracking down witnesses. There are several potential suspects including Kenny’s slippery step-father, the owner of a trucking company where the drivers haul logs as well as participating in the transport of illegal drugs, the widow of the man Kenny is accused of murdering and a couple of not-quite-bright thugs who are determined to be the ones who forced Cal, Claire, and Archie off the road.
There are plenty of clues to help the reader try to determine the murderer as Cal investigates. There is some action as ‘Nando, Claire, and Cal try to identify the thugs who tried to kill them, and there are lots of descriptions of Oregon and the surrounding area. The book is not particularly fast and intense as originally expected as Cal and company search for a killer, which makes it more of an investigative story than an action adventure.
This book will probably be enjoyed by anyone who loves the Oregon coast and enjoys seeing the innocent vindicated through continued effort by individuals who value the truth. The relationship between Cal and his dog Archie provides some lightness to the story and helps establish Cal’s personality. It does not have heart-pounding suspense and, as such, will probably not appeal to readers who are looking for a tension-filled read. Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for providing me with an Advanced Digital Read copy in exchange for an honest review.

Excellent detective story, with great descriptions of the setting and the characters. The plot is very good, and there is also a little action thrown in. Better than Nesbø.

No Way to Die is the seventh in a likable series featuring Oregon lawyer Cal Claxton. In this installment, Cal and his daughter Claire are trout fishing outside Coos Bay, enjoying a father-daughter vacation on the Oregon Coast. Then Claire discovers a dead body, a man who was hog-tied and tossed in the river to drown which is no way to die.

That would be it, but then Cal overhears a local bookstore owner discussing the murder. After talking to her the next day, she hires him to try to prove her grandson’s innocence. He has been convicted of murdering a man he worked for and she is certain he is innocent. Soon Cal and Claire are investigating together. They are certain they must be on the right track because someone tries to kill them.



As an Oregonian, there is a special pleasure in reading Warren C. Easley’s series. This is around Coos Bay, a beautiful town on the coast. I’ve been there a few times, but Easley knows it better and brings it to life. Cal and Claire are politically aware and the current environment is completely present in the story, including the spread of meth trafficking in rural communities.

I like the characters who are believably complicated. The mystery is fair and Cal is never far ahead of us, which is as it should be. It’s a good mystery and I am sure it will be especially loved by Oregonians.

No Way to Die will be released on October 1st. I received an e-galley from the publisher through NetGalley.

I admit to being a fan of this series (don't worry- it's fine as a standalone) as much for the wonderful use of place as for the characters. Oh, and the mystery too! Cal closed up his law practice in Los Angeles and moved to Oregon; his wife died and he wanted a fresh start. He's also working on his relationship with his daughter Claire, who is a post grad student at Harvard so they opt for a fly fishing vacation. Regrettably (and somehow typically for Cal), they find a body and are drawn into a much more complicated situation than they planned. For sure. Regular readers of the genre know that there's going on in the area than it first appears and that the person arrested for the crime is not the villain. How Cal and Claire keep safe themselves and crack the case, well, no spoilers but this one does have some good twists. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. An excellent read.

Attorney Cal Claxton and his daughter Claire head to Coos Bay for a two-week fishing vacation. The calm is shattered by a protest against a proposed liquid natural gas terminal and pipeline in the area. Although not illegal, several members of the community have helped ensure that the land is available for the pipeline thereby making a profit. As Cal is discussing the protest with one of the women, she tells Cal about her grandson who is in prison for a murder that he did not commit. Cal is urged, by his daughter, to get involved and see if there is anything that he can do to help her grandson. While fishing, Cal’s daughter discovers the body of a man in the river. Their lives are now in danger as Cal and Claire investigate the murder that took place five years ago. This is an intricate mystery and as clues surface, Mr. Easley keeps everything explained as the story reaches it surprise conclusion. I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (by paytonpuppy)

Great story. Really good plot, really interesting mystery. Good characters and I would recommend it to others.

I enjoy both cal and Claire as they go about their 'vacation '. Humor, sarcasm and mutual respect with complementary skills they find the murderer together

lawyers, law-enforcement, private-investigators, family-dynamics, vacation, murder-investigation, small-town *****

Loved it! A nice thing is that even though it is part of a series, that has no effect on enjoyment of the story. Basically, a widowed Portland, Oregon lawyer with an odd practice and his daughter who is in a postdoctoral program back at Harvard are in a semi rural are of Oregon for a fly fishing vacation. While enjoying themselves they happen upon the body of a brutally murdered man. This is their entry into a very complicated situation, an environmental impact protest, a wrongfully imprisoned young man, an attempt on their lives, and a shootout at their rental resulting in damage to a good friend who came to help. And that's just skimming the highlights! A good mystery writer demonstrates his craft for our enjoyment.
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Poisoned Pen Press via NetGalley. Thank you!

I loved this one. It has lovely setting and is well drawn with wonderfully flawed characters and fast paced plot
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review this book

The book has kept me up all night. Interesting, fast, unexpected plot. Exactly what I look for in the books