Book Review: LOOT THE MOON by Mark Arsenault

Loot the Moon is a gripping whodunit that reads like a roller coaster ride. Superior Court Judge Gilbert Harmony is shot dead in his home during a break-in and the killer/thief dies in a car wreck fleeing the scene of the crime. Although the police consider the case open and shut, the judge's friend and former law-partner, Martin Smothers, doesn't.

Why would the thief shoot the judge and dash away without stealing anything? And why did he kidnap the judge's son at gun-point during his exit and then promnptly carjack a passing vehicle?

Martin enlists the aid of Billy Povich, a former journalist with a gambling problem, to help him figure out who hired the two-bit shoplifter turned killer/carjacker to murder the judge. Billy, battling personal problems that include an ailing father and an eight-year old son recovering from his mother's death, uncovers a handful of suspects that include the judge's jealous brother, his widow, and his mistress' son.

Mark Arsenault's writing is crisp, fast-paced, and peppered with insights that will make you laugh--and seriously consider your own relationships. The plot, with its twists and turns, is clever and suspenseful and ends on an unexpected and satisfying conclusion. The characters are quirky, endearing, and all too realistic. I literally couldn't put this book down once I started reading.

My rating: (5 Star) Read it in one sitting, staying up ‘til the wee hours even though I had to work the next day. You’ve GOTTA read it!

Loot the Moon will be released in hardcover on October 13, 2009 by Minotaur Books - ISBN 978-0-312-55576-4. Visit the author's website at: http://www.markarsenault.net/ or contact Anne Gardner, St. Martin's/Minotaur at (646) 307-5553 or anne.gardner@stmartins.com.