Pierce is a school custodian. He keeps his head down and does his job. But, without much effort, he comes embroiled in the murder of a faculty member. Again, without much effort, he becomes the number one suspect. It probably has something to do with the fact that he found the victim. As Pierce tries to exonerate himself, he finds unlikely allies in the form of two college students. Things are about to become interesting.

Patrick B Simpson’s debut novel has lots of good bones – good plot and interesting characters. But, I would have liked more character development – especially for Pierce. His background is alluded to, but there’s no elaboration to speak of. Furthermore, the dialogue sometimes seems stilted and there could also be more transition as well as explanations between the various events that occur.

I consider these weaknesses part of the learning curve and I think Mr Simpson has great promise as a mystery writer (with more Pierce, please!). I’m bumping Pierce from 2.5 stars to 3 stars and I’m looking forward to his next book. NetGalley provided an advance copy.

A kind of bizarre story of a janitor turning detective investigating a murder of a friend. Some unrealistic scenes, and portrayals of characters. I continued to read it just to see who did it.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

Pierce by Patrick B. Simpson is a compelling crime thriller that delves into the life of Truman Pierce, a janitor whose mundane existence is shattered by a sudden and personal tragedy. The book opens with Pierce leading a quiet life, punctuated only by his love for classical jazz records. His world is turned upside down when Danielle Hutchins, a popular college instructor, is found murdered the day after their first date.

Simpson weaves a gripping narrative as Pierce, driven by a mix of grief and suspicion towards the detectives handling the case, embarks on a quest for truth. The story rapidly unfolds into a complex web of deceit involving drug dealers, thugs, and a vengeful brother, all set against the backdrop of a seemingly tranquil town.

The character of Truman Pierce is masterfully crafted, portraying a protagonist who is relatable and human, a stark contrast to the often indestructible heroes of the genre. Simpson’s portrayal of Pierce’s investigation is both realistic and thrilling, as he faces challenges that test his limits and force him to confront the harsh realities of his pursuit.

The supporting characters, including the two college students, David and Goliath, and another college instructor, add depth to the story, each bringing their own motivations and interactions with Pierce that enrich the narrative. The dynamic between the detectives and Pierce is particularly noteworthy, highlighting the tension and contrasting approaches to the investigation.

While the plot twist may not come as a surprise to seasoned readers of crime fiction, it is the journey to that revelation that holds the reader’s attention. Simpson’s pacing is brisk, ensuring that new information and developments keep the pages turning.

Pierce is a murder mystery and a story about an ordinary man thrust into extraordinary circumstances, seeking justice in a world where the lines between right and wrong are often blurred. Patrick B. Simpson’s debut novel is a testament to his storytelling prowess, promising a satisfying read for fans of the genre and establishing him as a writer to watch out for.

I went into this expecting something very different and that’s on me. It does what it set out to do but I’m not the audience for it.

Thank you NetGalley for this copy. Pierce is a unique character and unexpected "hero". A janitor who discovers a woman dead after going on just two dates with her is determined to solve her murder. He befriends some unique characters and gets thrown into a whole different world. This book and character was so unique and I wish we had a bit more background on how he ended up where he is today. They briefly touched on it as well as other characters. At some point there was too much dialogue that might not have been necessary. The twist at the end of who the killer was shocking. Overall a good book to read and I hope Pierce shows up again in future books.

A team of unlikely investigators join together to solve the murder of a college professor. Leading the team is Pierce, a janitor at the college who had been on a date with the victim the night before her death. Pierce's team will blunder through the few clues they find to bring the killers to justice. This was an easy read, no slow chapters and no superhero leaps, just a determined man who will get to the bottom of the story.

I am back and forth with this book!

I found it weird that this guy would go behind the police and start looking into this girl's murder that he has only known a day. And I know people keep asking him that same question but I feel like it is never actually answered and that bothered me. The other thing is David and Goliath stepping in with the investigation, and it seems like they don’t do anything at school. They are able to meet Pierce at any time of the day at the library or at meeting places. Do they actually go to any classes or do homework?

I liked the dynamic between the two detectives. I actually really liked the contrast between them and how they both treated Pierce completely different from one another.

I liked how fast-paced the book was and how it seemed like new information kept being added. The dynamics between all the characters was really my favorite. I enjoyed seeing Blond and Bold and Ramone. I liked seeing them interact with Pierce and how it changes throughout the book, even though it is still very clear throughout the whole book that they don’t lose their motives or what their job is.

The plot twist at the end didn’t really surprise me, it was something that throughout the book I kept coming back to as a possibility. I wish it had more of a shock factor to it, and that I hadn't guessed it before it was revealed.

Thank you, Net Galley, for the ARC. I had a hard time with this book. The main character was very relatable but there was not much of a background on him and some of his characteristics were not explained. The introduction of the detectives was a little strange and the one detective was not believable - said weird things, was judgy, etc. I couldn't get past the forced nature of the conversations that played out through the book.
I thought the mystery aspect was exciting however, and I felt that I couldn't guess the twists.
Overall, the book fell flat for me with underdeveloped characters and the writing was a little all over the place.

Instructor Danielle Hutchins asks university janitor twenty-eight-year-old Truman Pierce out for a drink. After an enjoyable evening, they agree to meet again. The next day when he arrives at her classroom, he finds her dead.

Pierce decides to find her killer, not only to clear himself, but also that justice may be served. He is assisted by some interesting characters, such as student brothers, David and Goliath.

This had the potential to be a satirical take on the contemporary murder mystery, but that doesn’t seem to be the author’s intent. He seems to take this seriously, as there is little to no humor. I can’t even recall where it took place. If the city was mentioned, I don’t remember. That is to say that the setting didn’t play a role in the novel.

Sorry, there isn't enough here for me to recommend this novel. It is too farfetched, and not engaging enough for a “straight” murder mystery.

.An unusual protagonist who makes some odd decisions but a good story like and plot overall. Enough twists to keep the reader engaged.

Pierce by Patrick B. Simpson opens with the discovery of a body. College professor Danielle Hutchins was found face down in her classroom late one day. She was found by the janitor, Truman Pierce, who had been out on a date with her the day before. The same janitor who turned the body over as well as lifted evidence from the crime scene. It is a small town and he neglects to tell Detective Longhorn and Detective Johns any of what he did upon finding her.

The 28-year-old Pierce was supposed to have a second date with Danielle that very evening. They were supposed to go out for dinner. Now that will never happen.

Pierce doesn’t trust the cops for reasons that are never fully articulated so he holds back possible relevant information, does not even tell them he touched the body, and does not disclose that he lifted possible evidence from the scene. He also decides to start investigating on his own beginning with where Danielee worked part time.

The visit to Danielle’s second job, a bar, brings unwanted attention in a variety of ways. It also starts him down the road of being a murder suspect, a useful pawn for bad folks, and on the trial of Danielle’s killer.

Pierce is an interesting story, that could have used the assistance of a continuity editor. Among other things, the community college setting comes across more through various descriptions as a public school though community college university and college are all also referenced. Pierce goes to fill a glass with water, does so, and the drinking object is then subsequently described as a “cup” or a “water cup.” These and other inconsistencies in continuity are distracting in the read.

It would also have helped the read if the backstory of Pierce and why he acts more like a cop than a janitor as well as why he had a negative attitude towards police was explained. Both aspects were not dealt with much at all in the read. Those details may not be an issue for readers not well familiar with crime and mystery fiction.

Overall, despite the aforementioned negatives, Pierce by Patrick B. Simpson is an entertaining mystery. Published by Apprentice House Press of Loyola University Maryland, the book is the author’s first novel. For those well familiar with crime fiction and mysteries, that fact shows throughout the read. The book also shows a lot of promise as the author creates and entertaining and interesting story.


Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/3SJHqwC

My digital reading copy came from the publisher, Apprentice House Press of Loyola University Maryland, through NetGalley with no expectation of a review.


Kevin R. Tipple ©2024

I enjoyed Pierce, and found it refreshing to come across a protagonist who seems fairly "human", as opposed to someone like the ever-indestructible Jack Reacher, for an example.

Pierce, a college janitor, goes on a date with a lecturer and the next day, she is found dead in her classroom. Quickly labelled suspect number one, Pierce must do what he can to clear his name and find Danielle's real killer, with some help from a few allies along the way.

Whilst I did enjoy the story, I did find it a little far-fetched, and did think Pierce's background needed a little more explaining, given he clearly knows how to fight even better than organised criminal heavies could. Why did he not have a phone as a man in his 20s? Why are the police so incompetent? These are some of the questions I had at the end of the novel.

Overall, this was an easy read and was still enjoyable, even if it wasn't my favourite book of the year so far. If you want a good story that you can read quickly and still has some good twists, then Pierce is the novel for you

This is a very fast and entertaining book, despite the plot being a little strange due to the main characters' strange decisions.

For my first dive into crime fiction it was quite enjoyable! It was an easy read and kept me wanting more!

Amazing book! I enjoyed it very much. It pulled me in with the first chapter. Pierce is a very believable character. The ending twist was not what I expected at all!! Great read!

This book was light and easy to read. It wasn't intense like what I'm accustomed to. Pierce was a custodian at a junior college. Danielle was a teacher there and she treated Pierce with respect unlike so many others. She liked him and invited him out for drinks. They had a really nice time and Pierce invited her out for dinner. The next day she was dead. Pierce was determined to find out who killed her. Two students, David and Goliath, approached him about wanting to help. Pierce decided that they would do the behind the scenes research and he would be the one to actually reach out.

When Pierce discovered Danielle's body, he saw sticking out of her handbag a blank white business card with just a cross on it. He learned that it was connected to a drug dealer by the name of Ramone. He later learned that the head of the drug cartel was a woman by the name of Victoria.

A teacher named Caroline was Danielle's friend and she found out that Pierce was investigating. So she told him she wanted to help. He told her everything he knew, and one night she went to the bar where Ramone hung out and she told the bartender that she wanted to talk to Victoria. One of Victoria's henchmen beat her up.

So this book is about Pierce's investigation into Danielle's murder. I wouldn't say the story was a nail biter because it wasn't. And I wouldn't say that it had me on the edge of my seat because it didn't. I will say that it was a nice, comfortable read. I gave it four stars.

This was a great read. Gripping from the start. It was so hard to put down which meant I read it within a couple of days!! I loved the story line, and Pierce’s character was so believable. The twist at the end was brilliant, I did not see that coming.

Good book! This book had a bit of everything! It had suspense, Action, intrigue, mystery, murder, a great who done it, great plot twist, and some crazy twists and turns! The storyline was very interesting and kept me glued to my Kindle!! I definitely recommend reading this book as it was well worth reading! Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!