Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

“I don’t care if the storm raged until the sun came up. There was a job to do.”

Okay, my thriller break didn’t last that long but WHO CARES because I’ve discovered yet another author that I’m going to shout about from the rooftops. G. W. Allison’s second book in the Leroy Cutter series completely surprised me and I had an amazing time with it, even without reading the first! Think we’ve got another king of character development over here… So thrilled to be sharing my review of Into The Marrow ahead of its November release!

About the book

A killer forces Leroy Cutter to a last resort in Key West. In the aftermath of a high-profile case that brought the city to its knees, Leroy Cutter leaves Detroit, seeking refuge in Key West. He plans to unwind with an old Navy buddy and reset his life. Unfortunately, Key West PD pegs Cutter as their prime suspect in a brutal murder and the number of victims are starting to rise.

With his freedom on the line, Cutter attempts to clear his name and find the real killer as he delves into the dark underbelly of Key West, where sunken treasure, seedy real estate deals, and drugs collide.

The beginning

It was so clear upon starting this book that I’d get a hell of a lot more than I’d bargained for with Leroy Cutter! He’s left Detroit after working a high profile case and, after giving a brief but thorough account of his chaotic life and shenanigans in book one (do note this can be read as a standalone) Leroy is headed to the Florida Keys. His old Navy pal, Dan, has sent him a subtle SOS, and I knew straight away this trip wouldn’t be smooth sailing (excuse the pun.) I was very pleasantly surprised with the author’s tone and writing style, and I loved how effortlessly he seems to bring Leroy’s character to life. Leroy has a kind of attitude and wit that instantly makes him loveable and a joy to follow. The detail in each description was truly excellent and I found things really easy to visualise. The people were so quirky and memorable with realistic personalities. I was looking forward to meeting other characters along the way and seeing how Leroy gets on with them, as well as how much trouble (and danger) they’ll get into!

“So much for retirement. So much for living a life free of responsibility. So much for minding my own damn business. Some things can’t be helped. Sometimes you have to be the person you are and not the person you want to be, no matter how much you try.”

It doesn’t take long for us to start questioning things as police swarm Leroy’s boat. What on earth do they want when he knows he hasn’t committed a crime? After Dan’s name comes up in the interrogation room, I wondered just what sort of a person Dan was. Was there more to him than Leroy knew or remembered? When it’s revealed that Dan has actually been murdered, this raised even more questions. What happened in the time from him getting in touch with Leroy to the day of his death? Why, after not seeing him for fifteen years, was Leroy now a suspect in his murder? The direction of the story was slowly taking form now and I was desperate to find out what happened to Dan. Leroy’s first port of call was looking into real estate developer, Peter Jankowski, and he doesn’t mess around. I loved the trail leading to his whereabouts and it was really exciting as we follow Leroy’s thoughts and begin his journey for answers. An incredibly strong opening to the book and I knew the rest would be just as entertaining!

The middle

Leroy certainly finds himself in trouble more than the average human, and I felt sorry for him at times for his bad luck! Despite this, Leroy takes it in his stride and is very smart about how he communicates with the cops. He has a kind of cockiness about him, but I couldn’t help but love it. Detective Meadows seems to have it in for him and she’s definitely doing all the background research she can to try and dig up some dirt on him, but each time they meet, another piece of the puzzle is revealed, another clue that would hopefully lead us to Dan’s killer. It just all felt so satisfying and really well put together. Aside from this main storyline, we also explore Leroy’s relationship with barmaid, Stacy, which balanced out the book really nicely. She was such a unique character and was actually a really important character too. I had a feeling she’d be crucial in helping Leroy find the answers he needed, and to be honest, I felt like they were pretty similar people. Who knows, maybe she’d surprise him and they’d live happily ever after… or not.

“Truth is a funny thing. Sometimes, it sets you free, and other times, people use it against you.”

After a huge shock to the system for Leroy and another surprising brutal murder, things certainly began to heat up. I felt Leroy’s rage, his determination for justice. The author flawlessly gets this across to the reader and I really felt the danger here. It was only going to get more intense! I was beginning to really like Detective Meadows more and more as time went on – would she and Leroy ever see eye to eye? Would they be able to work together for the greater good? I loved the unexpected storyline exploring a fraudulent sunken ship claim and an emerald that’s causing an awful lot of trouble… it was so original with so much detail, and I loved gathering clues and information from a handful of shady characters. But why were the people who knew about it getting murdered? How exactly was Dan involved before his death? Was Leroy going to be next? I felt so absorbed in the story here; it was gripping and full of excitement. I couldn’t wait to see how things would end!

The end

After chasing their tails and hitting dead ends, Leroy and his new found team finally start to catch a break. With a little help, he finds a way in, gathering crucial information that will get him closer to the truth. The story gets complex with such intricate detail that felt really impressive and satisfying with each passing chapter. This would make excellent viewing as a film or TV series, I’m sure of it! Joining Leroy on his trip made me really understand the kind of guy he is, and when he reaches out to old flame, Aliyah, he finally lets his tough guy guard down and we see an emotional side to him that I didn’t expect. I loved how this little chapter made this character even more realistic, even more human, and I really felt for him. Friendships, relationships and his career certainly weren’t what they were before all this. The author’s words here felt really moving and thought-provoking, but I knew Leroy wouldn’t let it eat him up for to long. He had a job to do. And he was going to get it done right.

“The smell hangs in the air like a crisp sheet, anesthetic and stale. Forensic science mixed with decay. The death-smell that lingered took me back to places I didn’t want to go.”

From a nerve-wracking journey out at sea in the eye of a storm in the dead of night, to action-packed tussles and truths, the ending of the book had everything. I felt like I needed to catch my breath by the end! There were moments where I was sure Leroy would lose everything as things don’t go to plan, and I’m pretty sure I forgot to breathe at times. The suspense was written to perfection and I had a hard time getting those final scenes out my head for a while. I was expecting some twist in events and what I read was certainly satisfying enough to make me gasp and really think back to what Leroy set out to do in the first place. A really memorable end to a book that constantly had me excited to jump back in every day. (I just wished the ending scenes were longer!) If you’re a fan of a good action-packed thriller with excellent characters, a perfectly described setting and a storyline that grabs your interest and holds it until the end, then absolutely give this book a go!

Overall thoughts

Into The Marrow combines the excitement of an action book, the intrigue of a mystery and the suspense of a thriller to create something completely new. I found myself wanting to constantly solve problems and figure out what on earth was going on, and it was so easy to place myself at any location or in any scene thanks to the incredible descriptions. I loved joining Leroy as he searches for answers about his friend’s murder and meets colourful and charismatic characters along the way who you can’t help but love (and hate!) Leroy is also such a brilliantly developed character; you can’t not love him! The plot is original with plenty to think about from start to finish – it’s tense, exciting and vividly described. A great read!

You can pre-order your own copy of Into The Marrow over on Amazon right now, available on November 7th! Make sure you’re following the author for more updates leading up to release on Twitter/X and Instagram (inc. Threads!) Check out my author interview with author G. W. Allison here!

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