JEFFREY J. MARIOTTE is the bestselling, multiple-award-winning author of more than fifty novels ranging across genres, including ‘dark thrillers,’ supernatural thrillers, horror and latterly westerns. He has also produced comic books, short stories, graphic novels, nonfiction and video games. As well as his own original work, he has written novels and comics based on licensed properties such as CSI, Star Trek, Spider-Man, Superman, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Conan the Barbarian and more.
Jeff is a
three-time winner of the Scribe Award for best novel, presented by the
International Association of Media Tie-In Writers, a co-winner of the Raven
Award from the Mystery Writers of America, and a recipient of the Inkpot Award
for his contributions to the fields of science fiction and fantasy from the San
Diego Comic-Con. He's been a finalist for the Bram Stoker Award from the Horror
Writers Association, the International Horror Guild Award, the Spur Award from
the Western Writers of America, the Peacemaker Award from the Western
Fictioneers, and, in the comics’ field, the Harvey and Glyph Awards.
Jeff tells me he has three particular favourites of his own novels, one of which is
EMPTY ROOMS.
Jeff tells me: ‘EMPTY ROOMS was my first crack at an original police procedural, after doing some CSI tie-in novels.’
With EMPTY ROOMS, Jeff introduces the duo of
crime savant Richie Krebbs and obsessive comic book fan Frank Robey, both
operating in Detroit.
Richie Krebbs is an ex-cop, now a security
guard. Frank Robey has quit the FBI and joined the Detroit PD. They unite to
solve the mystery of the disappearance of an 11-year old girl. The novel asks how
do people who dwell in the darkest places—by profession or
predilection—maintain their connection to the world of light and humanity.
Richie and Frank will need every coping mechanism at their disposal to survive
their descent into darkness and emerge unbroken on the other side.
THE CSI CONNECTION:
‘CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION’ is TV
series about a Las Vegas-based police-procedural-forensics team which ran from 2000
to 2015. It also spawned a number of spin-off series, set in Miami, New York etc.,
and also ‘CSI Cyber.’
A Crime Scene Investigator is in charge of collecting every possible piece of evidence from a crime scene, including scenes of murder, robbery and sexual assault. CSIs then analyse this evidence, which can include anything from weapons, clothing, and fingerprints to fibres, human hair and blood spatter. More often than not, CSIs are employed by state or federal law enforcement, but can also be civilians with a background in science.
On the TV show CSIs were shown taking
in part in a wide range of police activities including raids,
suspect pursuit and arrest and the interrogation of suspects. In reality, these
are the responsibilities of uniformed officers and detectives, not CSI
personnel. It is considered inappropriate to allow CSI personnel to be involved in
detective work, as it would compromise the impartiality of scientific evidence.
MARG HELGENBERGER and WILLIAM
PETERSEN in ‘CSI’
Police forensic investigators may
seem a fairly recent concept but a quick search around led me to the 1950 movie
MYSTERY STREET, where a police detective (RICARDO MONTALBAN) enlists the help
of a Harvard forensic specialist, (BRUCE
BENNETT.)
RICARDO MONTALBAN and BRUCE BENNETT interview a suspect in ‘Mystery Street’ (1950)
I
also remember a British TV series, THE EXPERT (1968-1976,) starring
MARIUS GORING (below) as a forensic pathologist working with the police.
REVIEWS of EMPTY ROOMS:
EMPTY ROOMS earned praise from two acclaimed
police procedural authors.
MICHAEL
CONNELLY: ‘Empty Rooms is a searing, no-holds barred journey into darkness.
Jeffrey J. Mariotte knows the key is character, character, character and has
delivered a story about men who relentlessly work the case at the same time the
case works them.”
T.
JEFFERSON PARKER: ‘Empty Rooms is as good and moving as a thriller can be.
Keenly observed and deftly written, it’s something you’ll want on your shelf as
long as you have one.’
OTHER
REVIEWERS:
‘A hell
of thrill ride.’
‘A taut,
fast paced thriller that delivers in spades, a work of solid suspense, white-knuckle
twists, breakneck action and believable characters who are… engagingly human.
The duo of Krebs and Robey are a refreshing addition to the mystery scene.’
‘Ultimately, the story is about Krebbs and Robey—two characters united not only by a thirst for justice, but for a desire to find meaning and purpose in their individual lives.’
‘I have become a big fan of this author. He is just simply a great storyteller!’
‘In Empty Rooms Mariotte gives us… two complex, often surprising men descending into hell to catch a dangerous and sick predator.’
‘A gritty, gripping read.’
‘Another strong release from an excellent author.’
‘Masterpiece.’
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