Mind Trap

I received a book through “Booksirens” and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review. This story begins with Clay getting a new client Doug. Doug wants Clay to locate his soon to be ex-wife Martha who he believes is missing. He states that his primary concern is in regard to his daughter Jenna. Clay reluctantly takes the case. Soon Baylee, Clay’s partner, is driving to Millinocket to see Martha’s sister while Clay went to Martha’s neighborhood to canvas the neighbors, then had lunch with the local newspaper editor, followed by a visit to the realtor who sold Martha’s house and finally to a bar to visit with Murphy who knew what was going on around town. That evening, they were several groups of individuals that were attacked by an unknown group of people. Two were injured, while one managed to escape, Zahi. The next day, Zahi, hired Clay to find out who his attackers were. Soon both cases took on a serious tune. There were more attacks and Clay was a recipient of an assult. Doug also wound up dead as well. Clay then started hunting the people responsible. Read along and discover the steps that Clay and Baylee took to discover who was behind the assaults and to stop future events from happening. The end will answer all questions you may have. This is a definite read and I can’t wait to read what’s next in Port Essex.

Clay Wolf is hired by a recently divorced man to find his missing daughter. The said man’s ex-wife has received an awakening of sorts and is lost deep in a cult-like life. Wolf has mere days to find the girl, save the mom, and figure out the plans of the cultists. Relying on his friends, his colleague Baylee Baker and others, Wolf makes some disturbing and shocking discoveries that could end a small town if he is wrong. Matt Cost weaves a complex story providing the listener with an understated plot and character actions. Carefully weaving the intense and exciting story using vivid imagery and reflective dialogue, Cost allows the listener to become immersed in the story. He is slow and deliberate in character development, throwing in some unexpected plot twists to capture and hold the attention of listeners. The narrator, Jason Arnold, delivers a strong performance using subtle yet rich voices for each character. His pacing is deliberate, and he speaks clearly. He is versatile and articulate. He vividly brings the character of Wolf to life. This is an interesting and thrilling mystery to read and enjoy! There were no issues with the quality or production of this audiobook.

Clay and company are having a hard time with their new case. They need to find a man’s missing daughter. (And, by extension, her mother.) There are also vigilantes going after minorities which they are targeting for ethnicity, religion, and sexual preference. It will take all kinds of help (some from unexpected sources) to find the truth. This book is timely and thought-provoking. Maybe we should think about what the author has to say. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Mind Trap is the second installment in veteran author Matt Cost’s ClayWolfe/Port Essex Mystery series (though each can be read as a standalone). You might also know Cost’s other works, the Goff Langdon Mainely Mystery series. The author clearly has found a niche in the light mystery/thriller genre, and after reading two of his books I can say the writing reflects that fact. (I reviewed the first book in the series, Wolfe Trap, earlier this year). This book is extremely character-driven. Starting with Clay Wolfe, the MC, who owns a private investigation company and has a bit of a hero complex; his partner in crime, Baylee, who has deep personal issues of her own and is now part-owner of the company; Crystal, their foul-mouthed assistant with an attitude; Marie, Clay’s close friend and local journalist; and Clay’s best friend and ex-special forces soldier, Westy. Cost clearly put a lot of deliberate work into giving each character a very distinct personality and history. A crew like this feels very standard for this type of story: the wannabe hero running at the danger when everyone else is running away, the person who is hiding from their past, the assistant who does not care what you think, the reporter always digging for information, and the ex-military officer who has all the guns and is hankering for a fight. The characters were all interesting and brought a different view to the story, which is something I really enjoyed about the book. The plot is pretty typical mystery/thriller. A man hires Clay to investigate his missing daughter, and, of course, nothing is as it seems. There are lots of moving parts, and a cult culture is discovered. There are a few twists (nothing over the top), but I do have to say certain parts of the narrative did keep me guessing most of the book. I definitely enjoyed Cost’s writing style, which I found to be both similar and different to the first book. With Wolfe Trap I got big noir vibes: back-alley encounters, smokey bar meetings, after hours action. Mind Trap, however, feels much more cozy, East Coast mystery. I would not go so far to say that it is a straight up cozy mystery, but the charms of the sub-genre really come through. Also, I always have to compliment an author when I can tell they know how to write. Cost sets the scene really well in the first few chapters of the book – describing the setting, detailing the characters, lining up plot lines – with the ease of a professional. It never feels like an info dump, but it gives the reader all the information needed to continue in the story and is intriguing enough to draw their interest. Mind Trap a nice book to read. It is a thriller mystery that is full of genre tropes. I do not say that with a negative connotation, because I have learned that with these types of books I find a lot of comfort in that. There is something satisfactory in knowing exactly what I am getting into in reading a book, especially after reading so much epic fantasy during the course of my reading year. Mind Trap is what they are not: a light, fun, interesting read. If you are looking for a book like that to supplement your colossal TBR, a break from the grandiose, I definitely recommend checking out Mind Trap.

The gang is back – the second in the series featuring Clay Wolfe, Professional Investigator (because that happens to be what they call it in Maine); his partner, the beautiful and extremely capable Baylee; retired octogenarian and solicitor Gene, who also happens to be Clay’s Grandpops; and a posse of hard-drinking, colorful, and willingly-endangered friends and collaborators. The case this time centers on the most evil of institutions – a white supremacist group so tightly wound with nonsensical quasi-religious dogma, blind devotion and enforced mind-control that it can only be described as a cult. As Clay and his team search for a missing woman and her daughter, bodies begin to pile up and the insidious horror of the truly close-minded – now organized, manic, and heavily armed – suddenly looms against the backdrop of the once peaceful coastal town of Port Essex. As in his previous work, the author manages to interweave chilling and escalating plot details, unexpected twists, violent deaths and near-deaths, constant suspense and taut action scenes with the wonderful camaraderie and further development of the characters comprising the Wolfe team (Wolfe pack?). Thoroughly recommended for anyone who enjoys great detective fiction, I devoured this book in one sitting, and am looking forward to the next installment. A great big thank you to the author for an ARC of this book. All thoughts presented are my own.

Mind Trap is the second book in this series about Clay Wolfe and Baylee Baker, partners in a PI firm in Port Essex, Maine. Although interesting, this plot was a bit unbelievable in this age of 24 hours news and social media. However, I really enjoyed the characters and look forward to the next book – Mouse Trap. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.