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
Jennly Reads 