The Silo by Greg Heist Book Review

About the Book:

When Jacob Weaver is arrested, he is placed in a damp jail cell waiting for the other shoe to drop. Frank Braun, a retiring detective, is ordered to interview Jacob. A deep-rooted, yet painful, connection between the two men is exposed, creating a palpable tension. Jacob soon learns he may face life in prison under a law he never knew existed. The three strikes law.

Detective Braun's questioning awakens long buried memories from his days in Vietnam. What follows is a gradual unraveling of the Weaver family's dark and deadly secrets. When the evidence leads Braun to the Weaver family farm, he finds Aunt Rose sitting high atop the silo. She reluctantly speaks to Braun from the refuge of her familiar perch. What unspeakable crimes will she reveal? The Silo is a psychological autopsy of every character.

My Review:

This is an unusually crafted mystery. The entire book takes place in one day. There is really no action as most of the narrative covers the interrogation of an individual. Through continuing questions, Detective Braun uncovers secrets from decades ago. Emotions come to the surface as long ago decisions are revealed and we come to see the ramifications of choices. All of the talking leads to the final scenes of high drama.

Reading of an interrogation may seem boring but the way Heist created the plot made it really quite interesting. There is something almost compelling in getting to know the young man's story as Braun pulls the truth from him. This is a different police procedural. Rather than chasing down leads, Braun discovers the truth in one agonizing day. This is a good book for readers who would like insight into the methods a detective would use to draw out truth from a reluctant individual.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

About the Author:

Greg Heist spent over thirty years in law enforcement. He was a detective for several years and retired Captain in charge of the Criminal Investigation Division. He developed expertise in several areas of investigation. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy. He began writing fiction after retiring, using his imagination derived from years of investigating real crimes. He and his wife currently live outside Chicago. The SILO, a psychological thriller, is his first published novel.

Independently published, 168 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book through Swell Media. My comments are an independent and honest review.

(My star ratings: 5-I love it, 4-I like it, 3-It's OK, 2-I don't like it, 1-I hate it.)