Book Review: Boston Cream (Jonah Geller Mysteries 3-Book Bundle: High Chicago, Buffalo Jump, Boston Cream
) by Howard Shrier
Boston Cream by Howard Shrier is the third book in the Jonah Geller Mystery series. At the tail end of the Around the World in 120 Days for the Virtual Literary World Tour, I included the first book, Buffalo Jump and the second book, High Chicago. I have been exploring books by local talent. From what I have seen so far in the three books in the Jonah Geller series, the author explores a topic that’s in the news.
In Boston Cream by Howard Shrier, the author looks as illegal harvesting of organs. David Fine, a transplant surgeon, who is doing his residency in Boston, has been missing for two weeks. His behaviour is uncharacteristic so his father calls on Jonah Geller, who is a PI in Toronto. Jonah is suffering from his own demons, having been forced to kill a couple of killers. He is also trying to recover from head injuries, which is accompanied by dizziness, nausea and headaches.
In the Jonah Geller series, the main character always travels from Toronto to another place, in this case he goes to Boston. Jonah’s business partner, Jenn Raudsepp travels with him to Boston to find David. Initially, the investigation is not going well and it appears that David has vanished without a trace. Detective Mike Gianelli is not making any progress with the missing person’s investigation. While Jonah is searching David’s room he finds $5,000 and a poster of another missing person, Harinder Patel, a south Asian, who lives and operates a shop in another section of Boston. Jonah visits Harinder Patel’s shop, Madras Grocery and speaks to his son, Sanjay. Sanjay tells Jonah that David showed up one day and gave him $5,000 without any explanation. The young man has used the money already because his father’s business is close to bankruptcy – it is in a low traffic area.
After thorough investigating, Jonah uncovers an organ harvesting ring led by Irish mobster, Sean Daggett. Daggett approaches people who are financially vulnerable and offers to pay them if they donate a kidney. He sells the kidney for an obscene amount to the wealthy who are in need of the organ, and who are willing to jump the queue for people who are waiting for organ donations. In Boston Cream, Lesley McConnell, a Boston socialite, and the wife of the politician, Marc McConnell is quite ill and needs a kidney. They are willing to pay whatever Daggett demands for a new kidney
Jonah Geller gets in over his head, and has to call on his friend, Dante Ryan, who is retired hit man from Toronto. Boston Cream by Howard Shrier is an excellent book, and as the story unfolds, you see the lengths that people will go to acquire wealth and health. David fine is forced into conducting illegal transplants by his boss. His conscience bothers him, and he refuses to do anymore, so Daggett hires men to kidnap him. In the end, Jonah unknowingly leads Daggett’s men to David and the promising surgeon is killed. The reader may think that Jonah Geller is an incompetent private investigator, but we all make mistakes – we are perfectly imperfect. The story makes Jonah human.
If you read the book closely you will find a problem solving technique which David Fine uses:
- Study the problem closely.
- Know everything about it and how it works.
- Let it simmer for a while.
- Move decisively.
I recommend Boston Cream (Jonah Geller Mysteries 3-Book Bundle: High Chicago, Buffalo Jump, Boston Cream) by Howard Shrier because it’s interesting and makes a great summer read. Have you read Boston Cream by Howard Shrier? Did you like it? What comments would you like to share in the box below? Book links are affiliate links.