Gangs, dirty cops, missing children, sex trafficking and murder explode across this noir crime thriller.
Childhood friends Jazz, Teo and Judas go down separate life paths that all involve crime. There is a significant flashback in chapter two explaining how the boys’ paths diverged.
While rescuing his sister from poor decisions, Jazz runs into some unexpected luck in New York City. After escorting his sister home to a small town in Catalonia Spain, his luck runs out and he must rely on Teo and Judas’ quick wits to rescue him from a bad situation. When approached by a local crime boss with a request that he can’t refuse, Jazz starts down a slippery slope. Of course, there is always a dame from the past to muddy the waters.
Jazz Maynard is a good crime drama. The artwork is excellent. The scene is set in dusky but highly saturated greens, blues, reds and oranges. While dark, it is easy to see details and tell the characters apart. The only complaint is there is an excess of words on each page. It feels a bit clunky while reading. Still, Jazz Maynard is a good choice for noir or crime syndicate thriller lovers, where no one is wholly innocent. It is reminiscent of Reservoir Dogs or Chinatown. 3 stars!
Thanks to the publisher, Lion Forge, and NetGalley for an advanced review copy. This book will be published on December 26, 2017 but can be ordered now on Amazon.
