Austin S. Camacho was kind enough to forward a PDF version of his recent mystery, Russian Roulette, to me. I'd never read a Hannibal Jones mystery before, and wasn't sure what to expect. Whenever I read a book, I need to connect on some level with the main character or I won't want to finish it. Could a white, 5'4" female who steers clear of caffeine and on sunny days pulls a cap over her forehead relate to a 6' tall African American male, who seems addicted to coffee and Oakley sunglasses? That was the challenge. Somehow Austin had to convince me that superficialities didn't matter. As I got into the story, I came to admire Hannibal. I saw him as a likeable, unselfish guy possessing not only a proficiency at martial arts, but also a knack for adapting to pressure situations. I also liked his sense of loyalty not only to his beloved Cindy, but also his neighborhood. I can't imagine how I'd react if I a Russian assassin camped out in my home and th...
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