“Out From Under” by Mark Carignan (Independently Published, 405 pages, $14.99)
Veteran Brattleboro, Vermont, police officer Mark Carignan shows off his knowledge of both criminals and law enforcement personnel in his first novel “Out From Under,” which follows a group of city and state officials in and around Manchester, New Hampshire, as they pursue a sex offender.
The novel opens to find two state police troopers conducting what they think is a routine check on a criminal, Vincent Underwood, who has failed to register with local authorities as required.
Trooper Betsy Diaz pursues Underwood when he flees from his apartment. He injures her viciously and moves on to injure bystanders in a nearby bar. Soon, Underwood is sought by most of the city as he becomes increasingly violent.
The search for Underwood goes on to touch on two corrupt judges, an undercover policeman who wants to return to regular duty, a crime boss, and a group of male detectives who eventually widen their ranks to include and appreciate Trooper Diaz.
Despite her injuries, Diaz is determined to bring Underwood to justice. I found her character a tad unbelievable; her infirmities never seemed to slow her down. I still liked her, however.
Opening the book, I wasn’t sure whether I would enjoy reading it. I’m not a crime novel reader in general. Carignan drew me in, however, making me want to know more about his police protagonists and their search for justice.
Although the book’s action jumps around and involves many peripheral characters, Carignan is skillful enough to give just enough information about each new person he describes to render his dramatis personae memorable without slowing down the book’s momentum. The 400-page book reads quickly and easily. The pace never abates, and the police and criminals never let up.
Despite his clear identification with the police in the novel, the author exhibits compassion for the choices that people on both sides of the law have to make. He isn’t blind to the compromises that are occasionally negotiated in the name of justice. His police officers sometimes skirt lines they shouldn’t. Carignan’s narrative argues that despite this skirting the world can be a scary place and that in general the police are doing the best they can for the public.
Mark Carignan concludes his novel as his group of cops discuss their recent work and look forward to getting together in the future. A sequel may be in the works from this talented new author.
Tinky Weisblat is the award-winning author of “The Pudding Hollow Cookbook,” “Pulling Taffy,” and “Love, Laughter, and Rhubarb.” Visit her website, TinkyCooks.com.