5-STAR REVIEW: SEARCHING FOR TRUTH by Barry Findlay

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The Description

A Jake Scott Mystery: Book 1
Publication Date: September 1, 2021

Former journalist Jake Scott is bored and lonely, having lost his wife and retired from his job. His daughter has moved with a boyfriend to another city. All that keeps him going is a weekly breakfast gathering with friends and a temperamental, overweight cat named Oliver. Things change when one of the breakfast attendees, a beautiful police detective with a troubled teenage daughter, suggests Jake should write a book. When he takes her advice and researches a convicted murderer’s case, he finds out something is terribly wrong. Could a member of the breakfast group be hiding a secret deadly enough to commit murder? Jake follows leads that uncover a disturbing rollercoaster ride of clues, all while his attraction for the detective grows. An attempt to force the true murderer out of hiding results in a terrifying ordeal on the coldest night of the year.

Excerpt The Review

Former reporter Jake Scott needs something to drag him out of his retirement rut. When his coffee group suggests he write a book, he has no idea how to start until one of the members pulls him aside to offer an interesting story topic: a murder case where the accused may actually be innocent.

Author Barry Findlay uses that premise in Searching for Truth, the first book in the newly minted Jake Scott Mystery Series, which evolves into a fascinating “whodunit” mystery. Set in Ottawa, Canada, during the pandemic, there is a distinct atmosphere of loneliness that is well communicated. Not only is Jake retired, but he is a widower whose daughter recently moved away. To me, it felt like Jake was at a crossroads. He could give up and watch the days pass by, or he could embrace the opportunity to change. There’s a bit of a life lesson hidden within Jake’s decision as he not only learns how to navigate a new phone and computer but also begins working out with a personal trainer.

Central to the story is the budding friendship between Jake and Daniela, the person who initially introduced him to the murder case (and who happens to be one of the former investigators regarding the murder). The evolution of their relationship doesn’t overshadow the main storyline, which is Jake’s research into the case. As the story unfolds, the drama ramps up as it becomes clear that someone doesn’t like Jake asking questions.

With cameo appearances by Oliver the cat to add some levity, Searching for Truth showcases the meticulous skills used in researching a book. Did the husband shoot his wife and her lover as the court has determined, or is there more to the story? Just when I thought I had everything figured out, a plot twist had me spinning in a different direction. To me, that is a sign of a high-quality mystery! Buy Links

About The Author

Barry Finlay is the award-winning author of the inspirational travel adventure, Kilimanjaro and Beyond – A Life-Changing Journey (with his son Chris), the Amazon bestselling travel memoir, I Guess We Missed The Boat and five Amazon bestselling and award-winning thrillers comprising The Marcie Kane Thriller Collection: The Vanishing Wife, A Perilous Question, Remote Access, Never So Alone, andThe Burden of Darkness. His new novel, Searching for Truth, introduces the Jake Scott Mystery Series. Barry was featured in the 2012-13 Authors Show’s edition of “50 Great Writers You Should Be Reading.” He is a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee medal for his fundraising efforts to help kids in Tanzania, Africa. Barry lives with his wife Evelyn in Ottawa, Canada.