John Rand

The Sower is a fast-action story with all of the twists and turns of a continually deepening mystery happening from small-town Minnesota to the bigger cities of the east and west – all within a short 113 days. Although the author ensures the reader that The Sower can be read as a stand-alone novel (true!), it is fascinating to see his characters continue to evolve from the first book in the Chimera Chronicles, The Reaper, especially Magnolia Kanaranzi and Hamilton and Toni Blethen. Together, the members of the Monet Detective Agency, Naomi (Ronni) Brilliant, Holly Bouquet and Carrie Waters, introduced at the end of the Reaper and hired by the Blethens to solve the murder of Hamilton (Ham) Blethen’s grandmother, Lorraine Blethen, adapt to the many challenges thrown at them, including overt and covert threats, and even kidnapping. As you continue reading, you feel more and more that you actually know Ronnie and the Blethens. As for Magnolia, you wonder if you’d actually like to know her. The introduction of Decker, a detective, as transgender Ronnie’s love interest and fellow sleuth, adds so much to the search for Hamilton’s grandmother’s killer and for his biological mother. The author’s descriptive writing style further enhances the reader’s enjoyment of experiencing locations that many of us have neither visited or imagined. Can’t wait for third book in the Chimera Chronicles to discover – is the Reaper painting real or is it a forgery? I must reveal that I was given an advance copy of this book by the author; however, it in no way affected my opinion of this book.