A genre mash-up mystery that is worth the read

Nick Cameron is a consulting geologist usually found working the gem shows in Quartzrock, Arizona. When he is approached by a mysterious woman asking him to sell agates of a rare quality he agrees, but after both of his prospective buyers turn up murdered in the most gruesome ways, Cameron begins to wonder if the agates may be the reason. Then after learning Theo’s identity as the heir to the Metaxas fortune, Nick suspects foul dealings with the handling of the family trust. After all, why would the heir to one of the biggest agate fortunes be sneaking around incognito selling off her inheritance? With the guidance of Nick’s good friend Frankie, the duo set out to various locales to gain the clues needed to piece together not only the murders but also the sordid series of events that led up to them. But with a murderous hobo stalking their every move, Cameron and Theo need to work quickly to unravel the pieces before Theo is framed or they both end up dead.

Agates are Forever is the debut mystery by author Logan Terret. Set primarily in Arizona, the book is described as a contemporary Western murder mystery, so I went into this expecting cowboys and other tropes synonymous with the western genre. What I got was a wisecracking snarky gumshoe type that is as interesting as he is cringey. The Nick Cameron character clearly was raised on a steady diet of old Bogey movies. At times it felt like I was reading a Noir mystery but then turned the page and I was reminded that we were indeed in modern times. For me, Nick’s quirkiness was endearing and made him a very likeable character. Terret does a fabulous job of bringing all the locales to life with his vivid descriptions and memorable characters. Overall, this was a strong debut mystery that was not quite like anything I have read previously. Hopefully there will be more Nick Cameron mysteries as I would love to read more adventures with Nick and Frankie as well as getting to know the town of Quartzrock better.

If you are fan of Westerns, Noir, or well thought out mysteries that will keep you guessing Agates are Forever will not disappoint.

Full disclosure - I was provided an advanced reader’s copy of this book by the author or their representative but have voluntarily provided a review. All opinions are my own. Agates are Forever is set for a January 21, 2025 release

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book in return for an honest review.

My primary reason for choosing this Western mystery was the comparison made to the Longmire mystery series. While I didn’t read the books, the TV series was excellent. Longmire is an engaging mix of character and plot. My secondary reason was the book is set in Arizona.

Agates are Forever is narrated by the protagonist, Nick Cameron. Nick is an independently wealthy geologist who gets caught up in an outlandish plot involving murder, missing fortunes, theft and, well, just a whole lot of shenanigans. The plot is intricate and branches out in so many directions, I got lost at times.

The book is written with a dry humor and is amusing at times and goes overboard at other times. Nick is shallow and a bit full of himself, but I thought he was interesting only based on his friendships with the other characters.

Loved the Arizona backdrop!

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This was such a great Western mystery novel and had that element that I was looking for. It uses the concept as a great way of telling the story and introducing us to the world of Nick Cameron. It was a great start to the series and left me wanting to read more in this world. Logan Terret wrote this perfectly and can’t wait for more.

Review: That is some of the worst cover art I have ever seen. I mean, make their faces distinct for friks sake. Is the woman a giant or the guy short? Even with forced perspective, there is something off about the distance between them, relative to their size. Our femmes all have black hair except for the viking, and she was never in the desert and had no gun. The lady on the cover is blonde with a single stack. Who is this?

Why am I getting rankled over shitty cover art? Because the novel was so damn good. The geologic metaphors, dry wit and social commentary had me laughing on every page. Add to that a deep and confounding mystery made for hours of fun. I haven't laughed with a novel in years. Thanks LT.

I reveived this novel for an honest review.

4.7/5