31 Reads of Terror: 'Presumed Dead' by Mason Cross

In a world overflowing with detective stories, it often feels like the genre has been dipped in a monotonous gray, devoid of the vibrant flair that once set the greats apart. Let's face it—most modern-day detective novels are little more than factory-produced fluff, relying on formulas as tired as a well-worn trench coat. If you stripped the authors' names from the covers, you’d be hard-pressed to distinguish one from another. Enter Mason Cross’s Presumed Dead, the fifth installment in the Carter Blake series—an intriguing thriller in a genre that could use a little resuscitating. My copy, a well-loved relic from an Arizona library, found its way into my hands at a thrift store in the heart of Missouri, leaving behind traces of the countless readers who came before me.

The narrative unfolds like a slow burn, lit by tragedy: Adeline Connor, once a bright flame of life, meets her gruesome end at the hands of the notorious Devil Mountain Killer. With her murder, a dark chapter seemingly closed—until the brother's desperate belief in her survival ignites a fresh quest. Enter Carter Blake, a man adept at hunting down the living, but now entrusted with the grim task of searching for a ghost. However, this small town harbors secrets, clutching its past like a favorite weapon, and it becomes increasingly evident that the shadows of history are more alive than anyone expected.

Cross’s writing echoes Lee Child’s style—streamlined and straightforward, reading more like an action-packed film than a work of literary artistry. It’s almost like someone took great literature, threw it in a blender, and poured out a cocktail meant to keep you turning pages quicker than you can say “plot twist.” There’s a comforting simplicity to it; it’s designed not to invoke the profound but to keep you engaged, driving you to the final, climactic page.

Is it flawless? Certainly not. But there’s a magnetic quality to Blake as a protagonist; he draws you in with his rough charm, a mixture of determination and vulnerability. The premise—a girl presumed dead and a killer possibly resurfacing—teases the imagination, even if the execution feels all too familiar. Having devoured countless books and binged on numerous films, I found myself predicting each twist and turn like a seasoned palm reader peering into the murky future.

Yet, amidst the predictability, there’s an element of enjoyment that I couldn’t shake. Presumed Dead isn’t going to win any awards for depth or innovation, but it serves up enough intrigue to hold my attention. It may not linger long in the memory after the last page is turned, but it's a solid enough read that I’d pass it along to others who aren’t inclined to dissect every little flaw. So, would I recommend it? Sure! If you’re looking for something to entertain without demanding too much of your intellect, you could do worse than joining Carter Blake in this shadowy dance with the past. ╌★★★½✰

〜B.J. Burgess