Madison Square Murders

Detective Everett Larkin, thirty-five, with ten years of service, works the NYPD’S Cold Case Squad. He seems stern, straight to the point, and his mind is like a rolodex. He has what some people think of as a “gift” but not to him. August 2, 2002 will always be a thorn in his memory. He was not only a victim but a victim of highly superior autobiographical memory (HSAM). He is right, people don’t want to know or do they understand, even those who are very closed to him. He’s even treated disrespectful on the job but he doesn’t seem to care what others think of him. What he feels on the inside and what he projects on the outside is so different. He takes all his cold cases to heart.

When Everett finds himself caught up in a twenty year old murder, with a death mask as the focus, he meets the likes of Ira Doyle. Detective Ira Doyle is thirty-nine, smart, flirty and talented. He’s a forensic artist with the 1PP headquarters of the NYPD.

Ira is surprising as he really seems to like working with Everett, which is very opposite of how Everett is treated by other detectives. As they work together on this cold case, there’s a connection that they make and it turns Everetts world around. As Everett believes “no one want’s to know”, Ira does, and he want’s to chase Everetts demons away.

As Everett and Ira keep digging deeper in this one single cold case it leads too, holes in the prior investigations and so much more!

CS Poe, creates an expertly composed, complex, cold case murder and educates the readers. She shared her research along the way as she created this novel and brought some new aspects to the world of murder mysteries. Readers will learn about: HSAM (highly superior autobiographical memory), hybristophilia, hoarding as it relates to killers, death mask, and momento morie. She also brings out in-depth details of the precise work and time spent by forensic artists.

Poe, as usual, gives us two amazing characters in Everett Larkin and Ira Doyle. Everett will break the hearts of readers as he continually struggles with HSAM. But Ira Doyle has that magical personality that can give peace and calm to Everett something that he’s been needing for a very long time.

“Madison Square Murders” is a tension filled, page-turner, with danger and much to absorb. I will definitely read it again! I’m excited about the new “Memento Mori” series! CS Poe already has a second book lined-up, to watch for in the future “Subway Slayings”.

I enjoyed Detective Larkin's neurodiverse perspective, including his frank explanation of the downsides, and found Detective Doyle just as charming as everyone in the book did. Looking forward to book 2!

In the first of the Momento Mori series, C.S. Poe hits the ground running with Cold Case Detective Everett Larkin, whose flaws, wounds, and abilities are revealed in a wonderful “Show, then Tell” fashion which piques the reader’s curiosity. Enter Dectective Ira Doyle, police sketch artist, who is his opposite, his foil, his new partner, and could be Larkin’s salvation.
Poe’s natural talent as a writer has blossomed in a marvelous way since her first published work, and it’s great to see all her potential come into fruition. Remember her name, keep an eye out for her work, and I promise, you won’t be disappointed.