"The event was most likely captured on the tape he had recorded. He... set it up, and began listening to the sounds of last night, perhaps the sounds of death."
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The Sounds of Death by A.A. Pecora Trafford Publishing
book review by Linda Murdock
Cody Thomas finds out that his wife Joanna was in the room with his client Samuel T. Hollowell, Esq. at about the time that he was killed. As this ex-cop turned private detective begins his investigation, his findings reveal more about her guilt than her innocence. Solving the crime becomes synonymous with saving this, his second marriage.
This is a rough, but good first attempt at a mystery by this new author, a retired physician. The plot was well thought out, and with some development, it could be compared to some of the works of better-known authors, such as Aaron Elkins or William Bernhardt. The tone walks a tightrope between a cozy and a thriller, while offering hints of drug and mob connections. Conversations among the main characters is somewhat stilted, especially the women. The writing style "tells" the reader about the character's every move, rather than subtly showing them through the character's actions and words. With mystery writing knowing less is often more appealing than knowing more.
Pecora gives his lead character the very believable motivation for finding the killer: saving his wife from being convicted of the crime. He also keeps the reader guessing about Cody's cop friend, Andy, and his hot and cold reactions to Cody's attempts at proving his wife's innocence. The story's pace is kept moving by Cody's determination and by showing Joanna's growing disintegration while being held in jail.