Book reviews: Chasing romance, fleeing killers in ‘When She Left’; Murder on a train, revisited with humor

‘When She Left’ by E.A. Aymar. Thomas & Mercer, 317 pages, $16.99 

Lovers trying to thwart disapproving families and friends, perhaps even on the run to avoid circumstances aimed at keeping them apart, has been the theme of “Romeo and Juliet,” “West Side Story,” myriad romance novels and movies.

But when that theme is woven into crime fiction, the ante ramps up, as in E.A. Aymar’s exciting, action-packed “When She Left.” Aymar’s fourth novel channels vintage Elmore Leonard with its sharp dialogue and tight plot that veers into believable tendrils[. “When She Left” is an unconventional love story and the tale of a mother who has lost all sense of morals. As for a disapproving family and friends, one doesn’t get more combative than a ruthless crime family.

Melissa Cruz fell hard for photographer Jake Smith, making her realize that she is at the end of her relationship with Chris Winters, whom she has known since she was in high school. But Chris refused to believe that Melissa would dare leave him. Chris has become a rising star in the Winters’ organized crime enterprise, especially since his uncle, the family’s former leader, was assassinated.

Melissa and Jake learn how important they are to each other as they escape the Winters’ seemingly endless hired killers.

But “When She Left” has another love story – that of Lucky Wilson, a successful realtor who has a secret life as a hit man for the Winters. Lucky has few qualms about his second career. But he suffers from anxiety and frequent panic attacks over his fears that his wife, Renee, is having an affair and that his teenage daughter, Marybeth, is sneaking out to date “older” boys. Lucky is almost paralyzed over fears that he may lose his family, who know nothing about his connection to the Winters.

Adding to the mix is a mother, for whom unconditional love is a myth and whose life has been a series of regrets and secrets. “Sins carry more weight than wounds,” she believes.

Aymar keeps tight control of “When She Left,” especially when the plot veers in unexpected directions. Lucky’s realistic depression enhances the story while his attachment to the little buildings in his Christmas village adds an extra surprise. Melissa and Jake find that they must rely on each other, especially when faced with betrayal.

Readers may find their allegiance to characters shifting throughout “When She Left” as Aymar continues his affinity for depicting characters with acute empathy.

Behind the plot: E.A. Aymar wrote in an email that at first the idea of Lucky Wilson, the realtor/hitman, seemed too ludicrous for “When She Left.”  “The comically reluctant criminal is a bit of a trope, and I worried Lucky would become more caricature than character. He needed grounding and, when I realized that, I learned his emotional truth. Lucky is conflicted and, for that conflict to be real, his love for his family has to be unquestioned. Understanding that made him an absolute pleasure to write — the genuine warmth for his wife and daughter, his childish obsession with everything Christmas, the fears of losing the people he cares about. He became real to me, and from that authenticity, a genuine comedy emerged.”

All aboard an entertaining ride

‘Everyone on This Train Is a Suspect’ by Benjamin Stevenson. Mariner, 368 pages, $30

Benjamin Stevenson’s set-up for his entertaining second novel reads like a variation on a classic joke: Six mystery authors, each of whom writes a different category of the genre, get on a train, but only five live to tell about it.

“Everyone on This Train Is a Suspect” is a most apt title as everyone — authors, agents, fans, staff — ends up being a suspect when one author is murdered and another is almost killed as the Ghan luxury train chugs its way through the Australian desert from Darwin to Adelaide.

On board this Australian version of “Murder on the Orient Express” are authors whose individual specialties are psychological suspense, literary mysteries, legal thrillers, forensic science. One is a debut author and another writes a “blockbuster series,” as if that is a category in itself. Adding to the mix is narrator Ernest Cunningham, whose memoir veered into true crime as he exposed a serial killer in his book “Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone,” which happens to be the title of Stevenson’s own debut novel.

In both novels, Stevenson uses broad humor, often talks to the reader, especially telling when to expect a plot twist, and has fun skewering crime fiction. A comma, he says near the beginning, will be a major clue. His second novel also is a jaded look at publishing.

Everyone is on this train because it’s the site of the 50th Australian Mystery Writers’ Festival, and the passengers attend many panels, not all of which go well. When a murder occurs, this band of writers become sleuths — after all, how hard can it be to solve a murder when they make a living doing that. A lot harder than they expected, they learn.

“Everyone on This Train Is a Suspect” could have easily been called “Everyone on This Train Is a Gossip,” as each character wants to spill what they know about another. A few scandals rear up and at least one author per panel will make a controversial statement. Ernest also wants the reader to know that he is an unreliable narrator. Stevenson’s wry humor successfully guides the plot for the most part, but the middle tends to drag a bit.

Stevenson, a stand-up comedian who also has worked at several publishing houses and literary agencies, clearly loves the genre that he takes pleasure in skewering.