“Everyone should have something that is lovely forever.”

The Bird Boys by Lisa Sandlin is gripping, but not because the pace is overly fast, or the action is nonstop. This story will grab you because the characters, especially Delpha Wade and Tom Phelan, are complex, layered, and compelling. To get the full picture, you need to read the first in the series, The Do-Right (2015), which is fantastic. The Bird Boys picks up where the first book leaves off, so it would be unwise to read them out of sequence. You wouldn’t want to anyway because the characters are so wonderfully flawed and beautiful.

The first book establishes the characters and sets up the fledgling private investigation firm called Phelan Investigations as the backdrop for the series. In The Bird Boys, Tom and Delpha take on the case to find a long lost brother, but the ensuing investigation opens up a box of riddles, confusion, and lies that lead the two on a convoluted hunt for answers and the truth. The overall setting in both books is Beaumont, Texas, during the Watergate scandal in the early 1970s. This time frame means that the investigations are slow affairs and require the ingenuity, patience, and cunning that have become somewhat lost in our modern digital age of convenience and instant access to, well, everything.

While the investigative main plot and an investigative subplot are interesting and a huge focus of the overall story, it is the delectable characterization that pushes The Bird Boys (and The Do-Right) toward perfection. Tom is still relatively young, yet he often comes across as an old soul. Delpha is in her early thirties and is burdened by a troubled past filled with immense struggle and heartache (all presented in the first book). Watching both of these characters develop and blossom and stumble once or twice before righting themselves is pure entertainment.

Lisa Sandlin’s writing is controlled yet mesmerizing, and she imbues the overall plot with expertly crafted characterization, providing a work of moderate crime drama that is both intriguing and engaging in its complexities, understated humor, dark moments, and realistic narrative. Becoming completely engaged in the story is easy and immediate, so be prepared for the inevitable reluctance to stop reading occasionally so that you can eat, sleep, and live your life.

The main story of Tom and Delpha solving the case of the Bird Boys is steeped in bad blood between two brothers that spans decades, leaving nothing but sadness and loss in its wake. This part of the story will have you pondering the folly of grudges, hate, and greed and then comparing all that to the wonder of new freedom, budding affection, and a hopeful eye turned toward a promising future. While Tom is a fun and interesting character, Delpha will burrow into your heart and stay with you. She is truly flawed yet all the more likable for her mistakes, vulnerability, and stark determination to live a free life on her terms. She is resourceful out of necessity and completely wary of emotions and affection. The ending scene between Tom and Delpha is almost staggering in its gentle and subtle brilliance as these two drift ever closer. They are still delicately exploring the depth and boundaries of their relationship, and I personally can’t wait for the next book.

Enter the giveaway below on or before August 30, 2019, for a chance to win an eBook or a signed print copy of The Bird Boys by Lisa Sandlin.