A Matt Moulton Mystery: Book 1
Publication Date: February 20, 2024
As America races toward the supposedly bright new decade of the 1950s, disillusioned white private dick, Matt Moulton finds himself faltering in the dark. Should he serve an amnesiac client whose recovering memories of paid murder intensify his own wartime guilt as an assassin? Should he risk endangering the person he loves, a beautiful black woman, for information on that case and an apparently related one? Does he imagine he can save her and himself from the corruption, the intolerance, and the apathy that linger in that violent nation’s shadows?
Taking place in a misty, sulky San Francisco, “Past Tense” appeals to readers who love their thrillers hardboiled. It brings pulp fiction back from the past, but here, the genre seems more modern and yet more noir-like than ever before.
Past Tense by Michael Amedeo is a must-read for fans of mystery, thriller, and crime. Amedeo’s novel transports readers to San Francisco in the 1940s, where we see the world through the sultry view of the Private Detective “Dick,” Matt Moulton. Amedeo’s vivid writing will make you feel like you’re part of the team, ready to crack the case wide open.
Matt Moulton, the war veteran turned police officer, turned private detective, receives a case that will alter his career and life. When a client comes to him to help locate her missing sister, and several days later, he finds out both his client and her sister have been murdered, he knows there’s more to this case than he thought.
With the help of his ex-girlfriend, Gina, a black woman who, despite insurmountable racism, is employed by the SFPD, helps him track down the missing links to the murders. While searching for answers, Moulton realizes he may have bitten off more than he can chew after he suffers several brutal attacks ordered by people in high places. Despite the imminent threat to his life, Moulton continues to follow his clues.
As Moulton gets closer to the truth, he realizes that not only is his life in danger, but also those of whom he loves. Will Moulton solve the case before it’s too late? Will his unexpected ally prove to be loyal, or will he turn against him? Readers will be kept on the edge of their seats for the answers.
Past Tense by Michael Amedeo is the perfect Mystery novel. Amedeo is detailed, the characters stay true to their descriptions, and he doesn’t waste time with fluff.
While reading this novel, I felt like I stepped into a black-and-white movie scene. I could feel the foggy San Francisco air around me, smell the cigarette smoke, and anticipate the danger lurking around the corner.
Past Tense was so entertaining that I read it all in one sitting. It was too good to put down. It took me five pages to fully immerse myself and truly become part of the story, which told me this would be a 5-star read early on.
Amedeo vividly depicts life in the 1940s while also offering a more modern view from Matt Moulton, who is dating a black woman despite society’s open disapproval.
Past Tense is a page-turner full of crime, mystery, and thrilling adventure that will leave you wanting more.
With nothing to his name but a GED, Michael Amedeo had no choice but to begin writing. The active voice helped him earn a BA in Political Science from the University of Illinois at Chicago and an MA in International Relations from the intellectually demanding University of Chicago. He became an award-winning creative copywriter for corporations and agencies, a freelance film critic and journalist for several newspapers and magazines, and a PR and media relations writer for still more organizations. Looking for a new writer’s edge, Amedeo turned to fiction and created the stylishly embittered private dick, Matt Moulton.
