The Oasis Project by Art Adkins is a substantive and substantial environmental detective murder mystery that entertains and delivers the goods every chapter.
The Oasis Project is Art Adkins’ first novel but you would not know it after reading this book. Mr. Adkins has been in law enforcement for the last twenty-eight years and has worked as a police officer on the Ft. Lauderdale Police Department and as a sergeant on the LAPD. His knowledge of police procedure is in The Oasis Project like a seasoned author of 10 or more novels. My first thoughts when reading The Oasis Project is the author is as good as John Grisham except Art Adkins has a badge.
The Oasis Project is very good on many levels. Literary speaking the story/plot is solid. The characters are believable and you will be wanting more of them when you finish reading The Oasis Project. Adkins has his own writing style which I’m sure will reward him with years as a successful published author.
The Oasis Project is about the murder of a family, specifically a high school boy named Billy Waterbury, who is gifted in environmental science. Billy has an invention called the “Desalting Machine” – An invention that could possibly end world hunger by bringing water to parts of the world that has none. This machine could solve problems with pollution. Companies all over the world are greedily trying to get their hands on Billy’s machine and the outcome is Billy is murdered. Who did it and why? Read the book!
Enter Slade Lockwood a decorated detective who has moved to Cedar Key Florida to retire. Slade is not looking for anything except to find himself. He doesn’t need or want work but the Waterbury murder has Slade doing what he does best – Detective work. Finding criminals and putting them where they belong.
In a recent interview the author said, “Slade is different in a lot of ways. Slade is not out trying to hustle money or worry about obtaining a case to pay the rent. Slade is trying to find himself, has become disgruntled with law enforcement and is going through a process to re-discover the youthful ambition and ideals that led him into law enforcement to begin with. It is this journey that perplexes Slade, this self-discovery that he has run from for so long, refusing to acknowledge, but now must confront. Discovering who the murderer is in the story is a parallel course for Slade, but equally important. I like Slade because he is not afraid to venture into the unknown. At times he moves forward, not because he understands the direction he is taking, but he accepts that he must take it and the conclusion will be enlightening. How many times in our own lives do we get thrown into situations where we must battle through to the end and hope the solution is worth the price we pay? That is Slade – he moves forward because he has to and wants to, not afraid to confront those aspects of his personality and environment that may be painful, but at the same time beneficial. I think everyone can appreciate Slade.”
Anyone who reads The Oasis Project will instantly feel and see that Art Adkins is a natural born first rate story-teller and writer. The Oasis Project marks a special time in this authors writing career in that this is his first novel but the great thing is I’d bet my house his second will be even better. The Oasis Project is the perfect book for summer reading so hurry up and get a copy before the summer is over. The sequel is in the works. Excellent! Superb! Read The Oasis Project today.
Reviewed by Books-And-Authors.net
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