Aric Davis Finds Some Tunnel Vision

Author Aric Davis returns to his roots in Tunnel Vision — writing the next chapter in the life of his preteen-now-teen protagonist who grows marijuana, blackmails pedophiles, and works as a back alley private investigator to make ends meet. Think of him, Nickel, as an anti-hero for young adults.

He is a kid who escaped horribly abusive foster parents after getting caught up in the cracks of the system. Nickel isn't his real name, which is a composite of Nick and Eleanor. He created it to remind himself of two foster kids he helped save, something to soften his hard edges as he is no saint, sort of.

Author Aric Davis created Nickel during a dark time in his own life, shortly after three members of his wife's family were killed by a drunk driver. Since he couldn't exact revenge on the driver himself, he created a character who, despite his age, would be willing to take them on instead.

Tunnel Vision is a tautly written teen crime fiction. 

While the book has been billed as a hard-boiled crime mystery, the descriptor is better left to Nickel Plated, which was his debut. Tunnel Vision is much more linear in its presentation and Nickel feels significantly softer — not harder — despite the terrible things he has done to some very, very bad people. He is surprisingly well adjusted and his home utterly unscathed since his recent detention.

He shares this story with two teenage girls, Betty and June, who are at the heart of what becomes a new case for Nickel. No, they don't hire him to solve the 15-year-old murder of Mandy Reasoner. The victim's sister, who also happens to be June's mother, Claire, hires him. But what she doesn't know is that Betty and June have taken on the same case after Betty accidentally discovers a connection.

That connection is Duke Barnes, the man who was convicted of the murder 15 years ago after he confessed to the crime. After the conviction he didn't think would stick, he retracted his statement as made under duress and other inconsistencies in the case came to light. The combination landed like a one-two punch, sparking a "Free Duke Barnes" campaign, which has since grown into a blaze among the Michigan punk rock crowd that he and Mandy used to be members of before becoming junkies.

While Betty and June take it upon themselves to discover why her family has kept the murder a secret all these years, Nickel is also digging around to discover whether or not Barnes is guilty or innocent. His reasons are a bit different than the two girls. Claire hired Nickel to protect June, who bears a striking resemblance to Mandy, in the event the real killer is still at large or Barnes is guilty but freed.

The story is so straightforward that it could almost be classified as an amateur private investigator procedural with a budding but almost unbelievable teen romance baked in for good measure. With the girls not all that likable as borderline ditzy punk girls (one of whom drones on and on about being in a two-mom household) and Nickel in mid-transition between bad boy and dark knight, it feels like a holdover for Nickel Plated fans but a pullback from the author's other work.

A quick recap on the career of author Aric Davis. 

Aric Davis is former tattoo artist and body piercer who began writing his second novel, Nickel Plated, in the back of a tattoo shop between customers. His second and arguably best work, A Good And Useful Hurt, helped him become a full-time writer who took readers on an adventurous revenge story in Rough Men and a haunting abduction story in The Fort.

Tunnel Vision brings Davis full circle with tighter, choppier prose but with seemingly less grit than his earlier work. While it would probably be worthwhile to read Nickel Plated before Tunnel Vision, the new installment is still an interesting outtake in the author's career. He lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Tunnel Vision by Aric Davis Closes In At 5.1 On The Liquid Hip Richter Scale. 

Tunnel Vision is entertaining, especially for those who already have an affinity for Nickel and want to see him develop into a bad boy private investigator series. It's both plausable and possible, provided Davis remembers to keep the cards closer to his vest as his stories play out, that his more laborious moments aren't as obvious, and that Nickel doesn't become too settled at the expense of conflict.

You can find Tunnel Vision by Aric Davis on Amazon or download it as a bargin audiobook from iTunes. The audio version is narrated by Mick Podehl, Kate Rudd, and Amy McFadden. The three voices help differentiate three distinct points of view: the first-person account from Nickel, third- person account from Betty, and the diary entries of Mandy. You can also find Tunnel Vision at Barnes & Noble.

Aric Davis Makes A Stake In The Fort

In his most tightly written thriller to date, author Aric Davis sets his newest story to work in the unsuspecting suburbs of Grand Rapids, Michigan. It's the summer of 1987 and sports have taken a back seat for three local boys. They have bigger plans with the inheritance of scrap wood from an old deck.

After building a fort almost 20 feet off the ground of a small unclaimed patch of forest, Tim, Scott and Luke intended to play Vietnam snipers with their air rifles all summer. It was a sign of the times. Oliver Stone's Platoon and Stanley Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket sparked a resurgence in Vietnam war movies.

This time around, Americans had finally come to terms with a conflict they had largely shunned for more than a decade. The soldiers were finally being cast as heroes until the movies made in the 1970s.

Naturally, the three boys don't make the connection. It lurks just under the surface, much like something else that was happening in the 1980s. Parents were becoming aware that their children were venerable.

A bottle cap defense system was meant to keep the boys safe. 

To keep the boys safe, each one carries a different bottle cap that they can place on the lowest ladder rung before climbing up. If any of them hear noises from the fort but don't see a bottle cap, they can cautiously retreat. Unfortunately, everyone's concern for safety in the forest turns out to be misplaced.

It is Molly Peterson who doesn't return home from a drive-in one night. The only explanation offered up by her friends, including Tim's sister, is that she was last seen making out with a boy that nobody knew. Molly disappeared shortly after, leaving them surprised but not worried. They aren't alone either.

The truth is no one would have given a second thought so soon if a teenager decided to break curfew under normal circumstances. But these circumstances weren't normal. There has been a series of murders downtown and the police would rather be safe than sorry.

The detective assigned to the case, Dick Van Endel, sees it differently. After speaking to Molly's friends, Van Endel becomes convinced she had run off. They might all have the same story, but they all sound too rehearsed. Besides, Molly doesn't fit the modus operandi. The killer targets prostitutes.

Van Endel is just about to write the case off as a waste of time when two things happen. From the safety of their fort, the boys catch a glimpse of a would-be kidnapper holding a gun on the missing girl. And then a few hours later, the police discover a days-old body behind the drive-in presumed to be the girl.

Since both accounts can't be accurate, the detective is forced to make a choice. Either he pursues the leads left near the dead body or he takes a leap of faith and follows up with the boys. The wrong choice has consequences. It's only a matter of time before the killer strikes again or, if the boys are right, kills the missing teenager.

Aric Davis continues to make strides in his craft as a novelist to watch.

Although there is a tightness to the writing that Aric Davis has been working to master, it comes with some sacrifice this time. By alternating between the boys, killer and detective, some of the suspense is stripped away as the story unfolds. The reader knows too much, but without getting to know the characters.

While there are hints of who the principal players are throughout the book, none of them are as fully developed as those who populated A Good And Useful Hurt or even Rough Men. The closest anyone comes to seeing his thoughtfulness shine through is Detective Van Endel, a character who plays a supporting role in other books too. He is not the protagonist, but we start to understand the decisions he will make later even if we don't understand what made him so coolly aloof in the first place.

With the much-loved grit gone and a sense of purpose missing in the plot, The Fort wants to be several things and never becomes any of them. What's left is a well-told and tightly crafted story that is entertaining by all accounts. It's not his best story, but it is Davis's best writing and certainly worth a read this summer.

The Fort By Aric Davis Climbs 6.1 On The Liquid Hip Richter Scale. 

With four books to his credit and a serial being written, Davis has come into his own as a writer. His storytelling is always interesting and fresh, even when he succumbs to rushing his endings. The Fort will certainly be a must-read for any fan, another opportunity to hang out with an authentic voice.

The Fort by Aric Davis can be found on Amazon. You can also order the book in its trade paperback form from Barnes & Noble. Although not available for iBooks, Nick Podehl narrates the audiobook available on iTunes. Podehl infuses something reminiscent of Stand By Me for a different generation's qualities when the story is grounded on the three kids. It might have gone in that direction, but the point of view splits keep it from being a coming-of-age story. Visit Davis at his site too.

Aric Davis Takes Rough Men On A Ride

The worst nightmare of any parent isn't to outlive a child. The worst nightmare of any parent is to lose their son or daughter to a senseless violent crime, and then not being able to count that child among the innocent. For author Will Daniels, the news was almost too much to bear. His son Alex was guilty.

There were three of them that went into the credit union, all of them armed. And by the time all three assailants left, more than a half-dozen people would be critically wounded or killed. The first victim, a loan officer who attempted to trip the silent alarm, was shot by Alex. The last victim, Alex, would be discovered days later in an abandoned barn, shot in the head and burned beyond recognition.

For Daniels, the news crews and public outcry were surreal compared to the unshakeable feeling that he had failed as a father. The same dark lure that he himself had barely escaped had come back to claim his son and, despite leaving that life so far behind, Daniels feels compelled to seek out answers.

Rough Men is an adventurous crime thriller by rising author Aric Davis.

Although devoid of the tenderness Davis has shown to a litany of broken characters in A Good And Useful Hurt, Rough Men is an action-driven crime adventure with a reluctant protagonist who brushes up against punks, thugs, and members of the vicious transnational criminal gang, MS-13. The book packs a punch despite some rough edges and delivers on the author's signature blend of intensity and empathy.

"Rough Men came out hard, fast, and mean, and that attitude was meant to rip off of the page. I was coming off a rejection on a novel that I’d worked on for months," says Davis. "More than anything else, it got me back in my wheelhouse. 'Writers write' is the oft repeated mantra in the book, and I was trying my damnedest to write. The sessions at the laptop saw my ears covered in headphones, while raucous punk rock played too loudly."

Struggling to produce a third novel that would be accepted is something author Davis shares with his fictional counterpart. Like Davis, before the horrific atrocity consumes his life, Daniels is an author who questions his own success and struggles with bouts of self-doubt and writer's block.

"There is definitely a little bit of myself in the Will Daniels character, although it does seem that my subconscious may have been a bit too forthcoming with some of the details. I do feel like an accidental writer, and I did struggle with a submission sent off to my publisher prior to Rough Men, so at least in those two things, we are similar," said Davis. "Like Will, I struggle with being an accidental writer, and it makes it very easy to second guess myself. To be perfectly frank, I often have nightmares of having the rug pulled out from under me, and of being told that this was all some bizarre mistake."

Rough Men is a reverse transformation with ample redemption.

There isn't any mistake. Although Rough Men doesn't necessarily ascend to the caliber of his previous novel, literary prowess and real life grit shine throughout most of it, with occasional flashes of brilliance. Davis continues to show real promise as a writer for his generation, unafraid to take a hard look at life but without sacrificing humanity.

Where it pays off in Rough Men is that the story does rip off the page, establishing the fictional Daniels as a conflicted author barely able to cope with past, present, and future circumstances. Daniels doesn't like the man he was and had worked hard to distance himself from it, but neither is it in his nature to surrender to the softer and insulated trappings of life that he has created. He has to take action, away from the prying eyes of media and police proceedings. His son Alex may have turned dark, but it doesn't lessen the responsibility of being a father or dull the hurt of hearing that his son was murdered.

"There is always another side to these stories, and as easy as it is to dislike those who were closest to one of these time-bomb individuals, it was a rock I wanted to overturn," said Davis. "I'm not sure it is a rock I want to look under again."

This rock takes Daniels, his brother, and a former associate who hasn't completely opted out of a hardened lifestyle. The three of them commit to following the trail wherever it might lead. In this case, it leads to a series of subcontracted criminals, including MS-13, which is known to let other gangs take all the risks while they extract the rent.

While the climatic action culminates into a furious confrontation on the eve of a brutal Michigan super storm, the clipped post-climax wrap-up might baffle some readers as Davis admittedly takes a literary leap to establish a trail end. This leap, along with another seemingly misplaced scene that offers a nod at the spiritual or supernatural (but one still appreciated by fans of A Good And Useful Hurt), disrupts the otherwise fast-paced and potent work. Fortunately, it's not enough to malign the merit as a must-read stopover for Davis.

Rough Men By Aric Davis Shoots Up 6.2 On The Liquid Hip Richter Scale.

There is plenty to look forward to from Aric Davis. On the heels of Rough Men, Davis will be releasing a Kindle serial called Breaking Point. The first chapter will be released in March, with subsequent chapters released every two weeks. The serial is a prequel, of sorts, to another book to be scheduled for publication by Thomas and Mercer in July.

He already has other projects in the works, having given up his occupation as a tattoo artist in order to turn his attention to being a full-time writer and novelist. You can also meet him in person at Schuler Books in Grand Rapids, Mich., on Feb. 26 and at Bouchercon 2013 in Albany, New York. His is open to other appearances within a reasonable drive from Grand Rapids.

Rough Men by Aric Davis is available at Amazon. You can also find Rough Men at Barnes & Noble. His first two novels, Nickel Plated and A Good And Useful Hurt, are available as audiobooks on iTunes. It is only a matter of time before Rough Men joins them there too.

Davis Dishes A Good And Useful Hurt

Aric Davis knew that he was going to be tattooed long before he thought about becoming a writer. And it was with this passion in mind that he started to write his third book and second novel, A Good And Useful Hurt.

What he delivers instead is something more than anyone expected. A Good And Useful Hurt is more than a second novel. It's a must read supernatural thriller and contemporary love story on the societal fringe.

A Good And Useful Hurt sends bittersweet shivers and permanent chills. 

The likable protagonist, Mike, is a tattoo artist who owns a studio. It's not his first attempt, but one of several after a series of failures due in part to his own lifestyle choices and attitude. Nowadays, things are different.

He has matured as a business owner with a passion for art, but tattoos happen to be his medium of choice despite the stigma associated with it. The shop is busy enough to staff a piercer; a receptionist, Becky; and a second tattoo artist, Lamar, a young black man who spent most of his youth in a juvenile detention center before coming to work at the shop about five years earlier.

Lamar proved his mettle as an apprentice quickly enough, once the two had worked past a subconscious color barrier and connected because of their mutual respect for each other's work. But the real test of their developing friendship came a few years later.

When Mike returned to his studio apartment above the shop after work one night, he discovered his soon-to-be ex-girlfriend Sid had shot herself in the head rather than move out. She did this in the bathroom, a final act of defiance meant to teach him a lesson that she would not leave so easily, not ever.

Although the relationship had come to an end because Sid could no longer manage her drug addiction and depression, Mike still loved her. At least, he loved her enough that he'd often question whether he was right to avoid marriage after his first ended so badly.

When his piercer quits over a salary dispute, Mike interviews Deb, an outspoken redheaded firecracker and piercer whose portfolio — piercings along with scarification, body implants, branding, and mutilation — far outweighs her abrasive attitude. Lamar sized her up differently. She's crazy, he said.

Two other primary threads that needle themselves into a rich tapestry. 

Mike, Lamar, Deb, and Becky aren't the only ones to be introduced early. The first is Wes, who never wanted a tattoo, but requests that the ashes of his dead son to be added to the ink. And while Wes plays only a bit but memorable part, he refers more people to the studio, all requesting the same thing after he experiences something that lifts his spirit.

The second person, Phil, doesn't have any interest in the studio. He is a serial killer, someone who developed an insatiable vengeance against women, picked up on as he stalks a young single mother and her infant. And while the introduction of Phil and ash-laced tattoos are alluded to as the conflict and the solution, it's everything else that happens to set a stage that becomes addictive, entertaining, and effortless.

There are other characters too, each with varying degrees of importance but all of them well fleshed out and complete. It's part of the life that Davis breathes into the novel. Life happens around the story rather than the primary plot becoming all encompassing until absolutely necessary.

A little bit of background that adds believability to the story. 

Although his background sometimes overshadows the merit of his work, Aric Davis is adept at creating a convincing environment because he lives it. He has worked for fifteen years as a body piercer and sports more than one tattoo. He also enjoys writing, enough to write columns from time to time too.

He has also seen ashes tattooed into skin. He dedicated the book to young women who were murdered near his home. And he is unafraid to make keen observations about society, ranging from the prejudice against people who look different to the emphasis placed on murderers while the victims are forgotten.

Davis currently lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He has a wife and daughter.

A Good And Useful Hurt By Aric Davis Inks 9.5 On The Liquid Hip Richter Scale.

A Good And Useful Hurt isn't perfect, but it comes close. The story feels a bit rushed to conclusion toward the end, with the likely intent to carry the story toward its crescendo. And while the interjection of the serial killer perspective now and again sometimes feels disruptive, the reasoning makes more sense by the end. But otherwise, there isn't much to improve upon but there is plenty to love.

Published by 47North, the latest imprint from Amazon Publishing, Davis represents a growing stable of writers who might never have otherwise pursued a literary career.  A Good and Useful Hurt can be found on Amazon. The novel can also be found at Barnes & Noble. Although the book could not be found on iBooks, the audio version is on iTunes. It is brilliantly read by Luke Daniels, who brings every character to life vividly.