DECEMBER BOYS
Joe Clifford
June 2016
Ocean View
In the Jay Porter series, DECEMBER BOYS is the second book and LAMENTATION is the 
first. Jay now has a family, Jenny and Aiden, and a new job at NEI, investigating insurance claims.
There is no wasting time in DECEMBER BOYS. First chapter leads Jay to an insurance claim that has turned out to be a false claim. While Jay is questioning one young boy, he notices pictures of the boy’s brother. This causes Jay to have flashbacks of his own brother, Chris, and of all the times they had together.
Jay is having issues letting the Lombardi case to rest. It haunts him.
Now he has this new case that involves sending kids off to North River Institute. Kids that are not even doing anything criminal. After Jay initiates the help of his friend, Charlie, and a young, hot, courthouse employee, he starts to uncover why these parents do not seem to have issues with having their kids ripped from their homes. The parents are getting something in return. It is a dark and ugly story-line, but you are pulled in and cannot wait to see the criminals get their due.
Not only is Jay busy digging into this latest case, but he has demons of his own. He has family troubles. He is getting no sleep and is constantly on the run. After having a nervous breakdown, Jay realizes that he has to find some answers and get closure on the loss of his brother. You really get the claustrophobic feeling that Jay experiences as he goes through having a panic attack. That was some great writing, right there.
I found the book beautifully written. It was dark and moody and you felt as if you could never get away from that bitter cold that bit through the pages. I love how the weather feels like a main character in the book. The snow and ice, definitely, play a major role in both novels. I find that it pulls me into the setting.
My favorite thing about a Clifford book is you are never bored. There is always something coming at you from every direction. You never know which way the story is going to turn. There is no doubt about it, though. If you read a Clifford book, you are going to get noir. I highly recommend it.
Michelle Isler
(And a special BIG THANK YOU for the guest review from Michelle) – Editor
