What is Brad Parks reading?

Today's featured contributor at Writers Read: Brad Parks, author of the Nero and Shamus Award-winning Faces of the Gone and the recently released Eyes of the Innocent.

His entry begins:

On the face of it, I can think of few things – this side of Ulysses – that I would be less likely to read than a mystery series involving an Episcopal priestess.

I mean, I’m a guy! I like Jack Reacher! Harry Bosch! I’m not just going to read some precious little cozy with a…

Oh, wait, the Episcopal priestess is a former Army helicopter pilot? And she’s having a not-so-secret love affair with the town police chief? And the chief’s wife has just been brutally murdered, making the chief the lead suspect? And… well, hang on, this is getting interesting.

That’s the set-up for Julia Spencer-Fleming’s All Mortal Flesh. It’s...[read on]

Among the early praise for Eyes of the Innocent:

"Eyes of the Innocent is the complete package. With wonderful prose, witty observations and a relentless drive, this book held me hostage until the last page. Well done, Brad Parks!"
—Michael Connelly

"While some authors are known to fall into a bit of a sophomore slump on their second books, Parks has gained momentum. Eyes of the Innocent ignites the suspense on page one that grips the reader to the last page, to the final brilliant sentence... And when you think you have the mystery figured out, you discover that wasn't the actual mystery after all. Where the heck is Parks going with this? I predict he's going straight to another award-winning novel."
—Jen Forbus, Jen's Book Thoughts

"An enjoyable second mystery featuring a street-smart investigative reporter (after 2009's Faces of the Gone)... Once again, Parks, a former Washington Post reporter, deftly brings the personalities and dynamics of a modern-day city newsroom to life."
—Publishers Weekly

"Who says white men can't jump? ... Street-smart Carter, appearances notwithstanding, has all the moves he needs to stay one step ahead. Or one jump. A breezy, entertaining sequel to Parks' well-received debut."
—Kirkus Reviews

Learn more about the book and author at the official Brad Parks website and Facebook presence.

Read "The Story Behind the Story: Eyes of the Innocent, by Brad Parks" at The Rap Sheet.

The Page 69 Test: Faces of the Gone.

The Page 69 Test: Eyes of the Innocent.

Writers Read: Brad Parks.

--Marshal Zeringue