Review - Concrete Pearl

Ava “Spike” Harrison might be a beautiful, classically schooled woman, but the single, 38 year old construction business owner is also plenty ballsy. Her late father taught her long ago how to handle the rough boys in an industry that’s almost entirely filled with hard-boiled men on the make. But now, with “the business dad built” from the ground up failing due to an unusual series of job-site injuries and just plain bad luck, Spike has no choice but to take on one last project she believes can pull the fledgling commercial firm from the depths of almost certain bankruptcy and family shame: The Renovation of Albany PS 20.

Problem is, Spike had no choice but to take the job on the cheap or, what’s known in the industry as, “at cost.” To make matters worse, she’s not only hired an asbestos removal contractor who, unbeknownst to her, low-balled his price, but she’s advanced him $10Gs from her own dwindling cash account as a “good faith” incentive to beat the project deadline.
Now, when that same asbestos contractor goes missing and it’s discovered by OSHA officials that he’s cheated on the project exposing more than 300 students to deadly asbestos fibers for months, the ever responsible Spike takes matters into her own callused hands and goes in search of him. What she discovers along the way however, is a path paved with deception, greed, murder, and eventually, her own ultimate demise.

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My review:

This is another great mystery thriller from Zandri.  If that is the type of book you like than you will not be disappointed.

Spike is a great character.  She is interesting and complex and you can really picture her in the scenes.  You understand how she acts and why she does what she does and you want her to solve the mystery and save herself and her fathers company.

With her is a great cast of supporting characters.  Tommy, her right hand man.  Spain, the PI that finds her and offers his assistance, but has his own agenda as well.  Farrell the contracter she hired to remove the asbestos.  The supporting cast is just as imporant and well descibed and imaged as the main character of Spike.

This is a story that keeps moving and keeps you moving right along with it.  There are no breaks.  And you don't want one.  Its a fantastic story of greed and corruption in a construction setting that grabs you from page one and doesn't let you go until you reach the end.

If you are looking for a new book to read or even a new suspense author.  Pick this one up right away.