Book Review (and a Giveaway!): Gillespie Field Groove by Corey Lynn Fayman

GILLESPIE FIELD GROOVE by Corey Lynn Fayman
SERIES: A Rolly Waters Mystery #5
GENRE: Private Detective Mystery (general market)
PUBLISHER: Konstellation Press
RELEASE DATE: March 15, 2023
PAGES: 294

An obscure rock’n’roll roadie dies under mysterious circumstances. A prized Jimi Hendrix guitar has gone missing. Can Rolly Waters save his new client from the ruthless collectors looking for it?

When nurse and fledgling pilot Lucinda Rhodes hires guitar-playing private detective Rolly Waters to track down a Stratocaster guitar owned by her deceased father, Rolly is thrilled to take on her case, especially when he learns the guitar’s original owner may have been Jimi Hendrix. But Gerry Rhodes’s reckless personal history leads to more questions than Rolly and Lucinda have bargained for, as an aging rock’n’roll impresario, his trophy wife, a Russian gangster and the FBI get involved. When a forty-year-old shooting accident reveals a surprising connection to a pop star’s hit record, Rolly sees darker forces at work. And his and Lucinda’s lives hang in the balance.

what others are saying about gillespie field groove

“Gillespie Field Groove hits all the right notes. Music fans and general mystery readers alike will enjoy this story’s irresistible beat.”
~ blueinkreview.com

“Exciting, compelling, suspenseful, and reflective of the realities of the music industry and San Diego culture, Gillespie Field Groove is a thrilling mystery novel in which a man seeks to right the wrongs committed by greedy executives.”
~ forewordreviews.com

“GILLESPIE FIELD GROOVE is a gripping mystery and a captivating ride through rock and roll history and San Diego’s music scene. It’s so authentic you can practically hear the fuzz and crunch of Jimi’s Stratocaster coming off the page.”
~ Matthew Quirk, New York Times bestselling author of RED WARNING and THE NIGHT AGENT (now a Netflix series)

“Rolly Waters is back with a ripped-from-the headlines thriller custom made for music-lovers. Hired to hunt down a missing Fender Strat that may have belonged to Jimi Hendrix, Waters uncovers a series of intertwined mysteries with more twists than a crate full of guitar cables. Gillespie Field Groove is an uptempo page turner that shines a spotlight on the music industry’s darkest corners.”
~ S.W. Lauden, author of BAD CITIZEN CORPORATION and THAT’LL BE THE DAY:A POWER POP HEIST

“Carefully crafted characters. Twists and revelations. Music and murder. A PI who plays guitar or a guitar player who dallies in detecting? Even Rolly Waters isn’t sure. Whichever it is, Corey Lynn Fayman’s latest gives you a real insight into what it means to be both. Like Don Quixote wielding a guitar instead of a sword. Awesome.”
~ Pamela Cowan, author of COLD KILL

“GILLESPIE FIELD GROOVE is like an easter egg hunt filled with suspense and intrigue that also gives readers a straightforward look into the life of a working musician. I love this series.”
~ Marc Intravaia, guitarist, RICHIE FURAY BAND; BACK TO THE GARDEN

A guitar player turned private detective. A nurse who flies a plane. A dead roadie with secrets. Jimi Hendrix. A tone deaf trophy bride. A Russian gangster. An Orthodox church. How in the world could all of these elements possibly be connected without feeling completely implausible? Well, Corey Lynn Fayman has skillfully done so in his intriguing new mystery, Gillespie Field Groove – a story that will keep you on your toes with its unpredictable twists and one that will have you cheering for justice served in unexpected ways.

Rolly is an intriguing character – this guitarist & recovering alcoholic who is now a private investigator. The case he’s given by nurse Lucinda, thanks to a serendipitous emergency room visit, seems like the perfect mystery for his connections and background. Lucinda’s recently deceased father has left her a guitar formerly owned by Jimi Hendrix, but it’s nowhere to be found. What Rolly uncovers in the search takes him deeper into the underbelly of the music industry than he anticipated, exposing a long list of sins and scars. I thought the glimpse backstage, so to speak, was well-written and gave the book an atmospheric vibe. I felt like I was in that alley… on that stage… hearing that song, etc. The writing voice fit the mood and immediately drew me in to the story, though I would have enjoyed it even more had it not been quite so moderately populated with vulgar and profane language that exceeded my own personal comfort levels.

Bottom Line: Gillespie Field Groove by Corey Lynn Fayman takes several seemingly-incompatible elements and gives us an intriguing mystery with layers that peel back one at a time until all is revealed. The style is easygoing and laid back but read quickly at the same time, and I found the overall concept of the mystery to be fresh & unique. I liked Rolly’s character and the fact that it never felt as though I was arriving late to the series, even though that is exactly what I have done. The way it ended bodes interesting for future books and will leave readers satisfied with the comeuppance that is delivered.

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.)

My Rating: 3.5 stars / liked it!

Reviewer’s Note: Readers of this blog (which typically features books with zero to mild amounts of foul language) may want to be aware that there is a moderate amount of stronger cursing, crude terms, and profanities in this novel.

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Corey Lynn Fayman has worked as a musician, sound technician, and interactive designer. He holds a B.A. in English, with a specialization in creative writing and poetry from UCLA, and an M.A. in Educational Technology from San Diego State University. Fayman spent five years as a sound technician and designer at the nationally lauded Old Globe Theatre, where he received several nominations and a Drama-Logue Award for his theatrical sound design. He’s worked as an interactive designer for organizations both corporate and sundry and has taught technology and design courses at various colleges and universities. He lives in San Diego, California, and is the author of four Rolly Waters mystery series, including Blacks Beach Shuffle, Border Field Blues, and Desert City Diva (2015 Indiefab Book of the Year bronze award). The fourth in the series, Ballast Point Breakdown, was honored with the best-in-show Geisel Award at the 2021 San Diego Book Awards.

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This is a giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours for Corey Fayman. See the widget for entry terms and conditions. Void where prohibited.

The giveaway is for:  (1) $20 Amazon.com Gift Card & (1) Physical copy of Gillespie Field Groove for US residents.

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This giveaway is hosted by Partners In Crime Tours, not RimSP
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