Bill Tatum has settled into life in the idyllic little burg of Dumont, Colorado--an old silver-mining town tucked into the Rio Grande Valley. With a winter population of 600, summer tourism keeps the town going, and the four-person sheriff’s department can usually handle the day-to-day with ease. The lucrative July 4th celebrations are only days away when Deputy Bill finds the body of a visiting reporter near his home. During the body retrieval, a sniper shoots one of the investigating officers, signaling that all is definitely not well in their little town. Soon, the town morgue is hosting a Lying Room Only crowd. Deputy Bill doesn’t have a lot of experience in law enforcement investigation. In spite of this, as an ex-Army sniper, he recognizes talent when he sees it. When the sheriff assigns the case to him, he reaches back into his past for the training that will help him out-think his opponent.
SUPERIOR POSITION is a solid, well-crafted first novel. McNamara has a way with a story and his descriptive voice is vivid, but not too much—it gives the reader a sense of place and people without seeming to go on and on. This is a fast-paced read and a good addition to the list of authors who specialize in backwater police procedurals with bite, such as C. J. Box and Don Harstad.
Kathy Tromp
CRIMESPREE MAGAZINE
August/
September 2004The author of this fast moving suspense thriller is an ex-Army officer and commander of snipers. His unique background allowed him to write this story about a returned soldier/
sniper who becomes a deputy sheriff in a small Colorado mountain community. Protagonist Bill Tatum is out for an early morning run when he discovers a woman¹s body in a small river by his trail. He calls for backup, and the sheriff and another deputy respond. As they begin to examine the crime site, a sniper shoots the other deputy. This
kicks off the steady elimination of some of the community¹s most important people. Tatum is put in charge of finding and stopping the sniper. The story is filled with excellent sniper/counter-sniper tactics. The pace is blindingly quick, and the hide and seek maneuvers between protagonist and antagonist are spellbinding. The author makes his story come alive. We rated this book a very high four hearts.
-Bob Spear, Publisher and Chief Reviewer, Heartland Reviews
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I've only finished half Superior Position and i am already excited about Evans next book. I have vacationed in Creede (Dumont) CO. for 38 years and love the way Evan describes in detail the area. Bryan D. Green, Victorville CA.
"I've read a copy of Superior Position If you love mysteries and the outdoors, you need to read Evan's debut novel, Superior Position about a sniper that terrorizes a small Colorado community. Most first novels ramble and don't move me. Evan's work is outstanding. Superior Position is a quick read, intriguing, and challenging to solve. A great book for people who like the crime, mysteries, and military reading." --Jeff LeRoy, a deployed soldier., May 25, 2004
I just finished the book and it was great. Having vacationed the last three summers in Creede, I recognized many of the described places. I think it would have been just as good, though without the addition of the bad language.
My first bit of advice to anyone reading Evan's book-- don't read this book ... unless you have enough time to finish it!!
Honestly, I started reading it the night we brought it home but I found had several problems with it.
1. I found that I was holding my breath too long and I had to stop reading and take a deep breath.
2. I was having a "white knuckle" experience along with the breathing problem, holding the book so tight my fingers ached.
It's an EXCELLENT book. I found it interesting but nerve-wracking. I really dislike the term "a real page turner" when I read a review of a book and it's almost a turn-off when someone uses that term in a review, however, yours is definitely "a real page turner".
We've had many other things to do recently, and I found myself going over the plot (in my head) during our Mother's Day celebration and other times just traveling to and from somewhere.
I especially liked the plot twists. Good writing!--Carroll Smith, Editor and Mystery Fan
