Corktown by Ty Hutchinson

Corktown by Ty Hutchinson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars



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I was given an ARC of Corktown by Ty Hutchinson at Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

Corktown is the first in a new series by Ty Hutchinson featuring FBI Agent Abby Kane. She and her partner are called in to investigate what appears to be a serial killer who is operating in Detroit, Michigan. The murders are replicating those done by a bank robber some years earlier; the bank robber was caught, and he is in jail while the current killings are being done. In working with local police, Agent Kane gets the feeling that something is not quite right about the arrest and prosecution of the bank robber; she feels she is being stonewalled by local law enforcement which is seriously interfering with her investigation of the current murders. The reader is told early on who is behind the serial murders, but that doesn't mean that the surprises and twists in the case aren't forthcoming. Abby Kane has her hands full trying to stay one step ahead of the killer while dealing with some personal issues of her own.

I really liked the Abby Kane character. She may be short and compact, but she is strong and feisty. She's very good at her job, which is why she was put on this case in the first place. She has a backstory that's both interesting and tragic, but she takes both her job and her personal issues in stride. When she gives in to her feelings, she does it privately without self-pity.

I liked the way this story was told. I think Ty Hutchinson has a good feel for what it must be like to balance a dangerous job as a female FBI agent against being a woman with major home responsibilities as well as trying to have the kind of life she wants for herself. I admit I wasn't too sure a man could pull off writing a woman like that plus make her a sympathetic character. Occasionally Abby Kane did come across as a bit macho, but in her line of work, that's probably necessary just to get the respect she deserves.

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes murder mysteries and interesting villains. I look forward to reading more about Abby Kane.