Book Review: Purgatory Chasm by Steve Ulfelder

Purgatory Chasm by Steve Ulfelder

·        Hardcover and Kindle: 304 pages

·        Publisher: Minotaur Books (May 10, 2011)

·        ISBN-10: 0312672926

·        ISBN-13: 978-0312672928

 You wouldn’t know it by looking at my 1995 station wagon, but I have a real fondness for racing. My dad used to take me to stock car races and drags and I was a teen before I learned that most girls didn't spend their birthday at the Auto-Rama.

Main character Conway Sax isn't just a mechanic; he's a former driver and race mechanic. That makes him part of a special breed and gives Purgatory Chasm its unique flavor and cadence.

When I read genre, I want the jargon, language, and mood to be authentic. Whether it's military, cop, or legal fiction, if it doesn't feel real, I'm not going to buy into the story. Steve Ulfelder uses his racing experience to put you into a driver’s mindset. Conway's actions and motivations are filtered through the concepts of target fixation, situational awareness, and the red mist of rage. His knowledge, reflexes, and attitudes are used to maximum effect in this sharp-edged hardcore murder mystery.

Even before racing, Conway Sax is loyal to the Barnburners. Part AA group, part Star Chamber, the Barnburners are serious people who abide by their own creed: loyalty and sobriety. When a Barnburner is hurt or in trouble, Conway Sax answers the call without question. Even when it hurts him and those he loves.

Enter Tander Phigg: long time Barnburner and even longer time jackass. The request is simple on its face. Phigg needs Sax to retrieve his special Mercedes, apparently in the clutches of an unscrupulous mechanic. However, when Sax finds himself sprawled on the garage floor with a lump on his skull and a headache to match, he discovers something he already knew, when Phigg is involved there is no such thing as simple.

Phigg can't even die easy. Suicide or murder staged to look like suicide? The evidence is split and Sax decides to follow the leads and play out the hand. After all, Phigg was a Barnburner. . . 

Enter a cast of characters where everyone has an angle, an agenda, and a secret. Ulfelder serves up a nicely woven web of potential suspects, setting them up and knocking them down with ease.  I had my suspicions, but wasn't 100% sure about the killer until the reveal. Then, in the manner of all good murder mysteries, you see the clues were there all along. 

In a nicely crafted subplot, Sax must also deal with the specter of his father. The rat-racing and rock-running illustrate the eternal conflict of a son who both wants to please and beat his father and a father who is simultaneously proud and threatened by his son. The resolution is elegant and bittersweet.

So, if you like your books fast moving, action-packed, and with a ring of truth in the characters and settings, then Purgatory Chasm is for you. Overall, I give it four snaps up and throw in the bag of chips for this line: "A street car is a tool. A racecar is a weapon." 

I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know Steve a bit and he’s a heck of a nice guy. Find him on Facebook and Twitter or visit his website. Next week is a sneak peek at his new book, “The Whole Lie” set to drop in May 2012.


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