Synopses & Reviews
A retired marine biologist turned amateur sleuth has an ax to grind — and a child to save — in this new standalone mystery from the author of the acclaimed Cecil Younger series.
Diagnosed with terminal cancer, retired marine biologist Delphine is on the brink of throwing in the towel. She has outlived her PI husband and worries she's become a burden to her son and his growing family. One night, while contemplating how to go on, Delphine witnesses a violent argument between a man and his girlfriend. When Delphine discovers the woman has gone missing along with her young child, Delphine embarks on a quest to find them.
What begins as a chance encounter balloons into a rescue mission across the Pacific Northwest. Along the way, Delphine encounters the dregs of humanity — grappling with schemers, kidnappers, and murderers — as well as its joys. With the help of a few friends, a retired PI, and a queer biker gang, Delphine is determined to see her mission through... knowing full well it may be her last.
While Big Breath In stands alone, longtime Straley fans will recognize the characteristic wit, heart, and contemplation of life that threads through every one of his books — and discover a new heroine to fall in love with.
Review
"Excellent....This thoughtful look at the politics and culture of a bygone era should win Straley new fans."
Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)
Review
"Terrific....Like the earlier novels in the series, this one is funny and quirky, a lighter change of pace from the Younger books and a delight for fans of small-town comic mysteries with a bit of bite."
Booklist (Starred Review)
Review
"What a warm, engaging, profoundly human book this is: its skin crackling, its heart enormous and open. It's a mystery with judicious blasts of violence and dread, but it opens also onto the bigger mysteries — of community, of family, of place. The several lives that intertwine throughout the story reach moments of quiet grace that resonate stealthily but deeply."
John Darnielle, author of Wolf in White Van
About the Author
John Straley is the author of thirteen previous crime novels. He has won a Shamus Award and a Spotted Owl. His books have been featured on CBS Sunday Morning and on Fresh Air with Terry Gross. He has worked professionally as a wilderness guide, a horseshoer, and for thirty years as a private investigator in Alaska.