I'm delighted to be taking part in the blog tour for The Comfort of Distance, the debut novel from Ryburn Dobbs. My thanks to Kelly Lacey at Love Books Tours for inviting me and to the author for my review copy.
The Blurb:
Sgt Hank LeGris stares down at the crushed and gaping skull in the dirt. It’s the second time in just a few weeks that human remains have been found in the Black Hills. Citizens are getting restless. Is it a rogue mountain lion, as many people suspect? Or something even more sinister?
Sebastien Grey is a brilliant forensic anthropologist with debilitating social phobia. When he is asked by his estranged brother to come to South Dakota and help identify who, or what is leaving body parts scattered across the county, he discovers much more than the cause of these strange deaths.
The Comfort of Distance was published by Dandiprat Press on 27th October 2020 and you can buy it here.
My Review:
I was really looking forward to this book - I have a soft spot for awkward guys with social anxiety! Seriously though, it's great to see a neuro diverse central character. Neuro diversity is something I have family experience of, in our case ASD, and I'm fascinated by how some brains work so differently from the majority.
Hank Le Gris is a sergeant in South Dakota and following the discovery of some human bones local people are beginning to worry that a mountain lion is attacking residents. Hank asks Sebastien Grey, his estranged, socially awkward but scientifically gifted brother to come and act as a consultant in the hope that he can shed light on the cause of death of the owners of these bones. Although reluctant, and full of anxiety, Sebastien accepts the invitation and finds he can perhaps play an active part in the investigation, and that maybe not everyone will make fun of him.
I liked Sebastien very much, and my heart just went out to him. He chooses his clothes based on the latest men's catalogues, can't do small talk and can talk passionately and at length (perhaps too long for many) on forensic anthropology, his chosen field. He also forgets that not everyone knows what he knows, which was a relief for me as it meant many of the scientific terms were explained. The author has experience in forensic anthropology himself and has also consulted for police departments and that expertise definitely shows through.
Sebastien's brother Hank is nothing like him. A happily married, sturdy, rugged man's man who takes no nonsense. It takes the two brothers a while to find their feet with each other and their dynamic is a really interesting one. All the other key players are well defined also, particularly Tiffany Reese and Kyle Corcoran.
As you may have gathered from the above this isn't an action packed book although it has its moments. The story is of a slow burning police inquiry/forensic investigation which I found really riveting - loads of interesting science stuff. It certainly kept me turning the pages - I read it in just a couple of days. But more than that, The Comfort of Distance is one man finding himself a little bit, and maybe also finding his tribe. I'm really glad this is the first in a planned series as I'm looking forward to more of Dr Grey!
The Author:
Ryburn Dobbs taught biological anthropology and forensic anthropology at several colleges throughout the San Francisco Bay Area and spent ten years as a forensic anthropologist, working dozens of death investigations. In addition to his anthropological pursuits, Ryburn also worked as an investigative analyst specializing in homicides and unsolved cases.
The Comfort of Distance is Ryburn’s first novel and the first in the Sebastien Grey series. For more information about Ryburn, his blog, and updates on new books please visit www.ryburndobbs.com.
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