[.ca] The Last King: A Maceo Redfield Novel (ISBN 0375758828)

Stayed up all night to read:
This is just a great story, tightly plotted and heartbreaking. I cried twice while reading this in one night. The hardboiled classification can be a little off-putting but beneath the toughness of this genre beats a soft heart. The lead character, Maceo Redfield, is a man plagued by guilt and he returns to Oakland, California to make amends for past deeds. The author gets so deep inside Maceo's head that I felt like I was making the decisions along with him, and, frankly, I don't know how a woman pulled this off so well. A nod to the writers skill. I learned about The Last King after reading an article in a northern California newspaper. Now I can't wait to go back to The Dying Ground. I hope the next book in the series is just as engaging. I am an avid mystery fan and I will make sure to follow this writer. Don't miss out.

How to tell a tale::
Nichelle Tramble once again takes hold of the reader's attention and never lets it go until the tale is fully told. She captures the feel of a city, Oakland, California and turns it into the conductor allowing you to travel in the mind and heart of Maceo, his family, his friends and foes. Maceo's search for redemption and forgiveness is challenged and tested by the chaos that overwhelms the lives of those he cannot forget. This writer not only knows how to tell a great story but does it with style and flair. I loved the writing as much the story it told. I strongly recommend both of Ms. Tramble's books, The Dying Ground and The Last King.

Great follow-up to The Dying Ground:
While I loved Tramble's first book, The Dying Ground, I was even more pleased with her follow-up. The characters, story and themes were outstanding, but what really affected me was the quality of Tramble's writing. In The Dying Ground, she recreated the world of Oakland in the late 1980s; in this book, there is the same attention to detail, but a compressed sparsity of language that fuels the tension, propelling the reader to make an all-nighter of The Last King. Well done!

Excellent!:
When I saw the cover and read the intro for the first book.(The Dying Ground) I was hooked. The way she describes characters personality , the descriptions of places, just a mesmerizing novel. I was very excited to hear that another one was in the works. She has not disappointed me .I had the honor to hear the Author Nichelle Tramble read the prologue at one of her readings. It brought tears to my eyes.

5 Stars For The Last King!!!!:
I, along with my previous reviewers, agree that Ms. Tramble has done a wonderful job with The Last King as a sequel to The Dying Ground. I came upon The Dying Groud by accident and discovered a treasure. In The Last King we are reunited with Maceo Redfield who has grown as a man. His exterior is tougher but you still feel his vulnerabilities that lie beneath the surface. I really enjoyed revisiting old characters as well as being introduced to new ones. I feel like I know these people and will readily admit that I missed Daddy Al, Gra'mere, and the aunts being more involved in this sequel but I understand their absence. This novel to me was more about Maceo coming to grips with past actions that deeply affected his friends and family. I'm sure his family will play a more prominent role in future novels. Ms. Tramble has not lost her "pitching arm" in continuing to describe the city of Oakland at the time period that this novel is placed. In reading the descriptions of the city and it's surroundings you feel like you're riding along in the truck with Maceo and Kiros. If you haven't already had the pleasure of experiencing this author's writing and enjoy books that make you feel for the characters, please start with The Dying Ground. After you have taken that book trip continue on your journey with The Last King. You will not be disappointed. Hats off to you Ms. Tramble. The Last King was worth the wait and I look forward to the next novel in this series. May you have continued success.