Grit, Secrets, and a Murder at Midnight: Early Praise for Ways to Be Wicked

A gripping new mystery from Jim Christ—coming soon from Genius Books

When a teenage girl is found murdered after slipping away from her high school dance, school administrator Enrique Tavish is drawn into a dangerous investigation that exposes more than just a killer. Set against a backdrop of street gangs, racial tension, and community secrets, this fictional story, Ways to Be Wicked, is a fast-paced, socially charged mystery that readers are already calling “action-packed,” “thought-provoking,” and “on a different level than an ordinary whodunit.”

Suspense readers will relish Ways to Be Wicked's interconnected plots as Tavish pursues his own brand of justice, even as he strives to keep his dark personal secrets hidden from those around him. There's a fine mix of plot twists and intriguing characters in this story, which elevates it above and beyond mere mystery-solving.

Tavish suspects a gang called the Levantes as the perps in the García girl’s death, and in return, the Levantes target Tavish and his family for revenge in a fast-paced story that brings Southern Arizona's urban environment to life.

Tavish is not your ordinary hero. He's a flawed character whose relationships with teachers, students and detectives alike are not always in sync with their perspectives or objectives—not just about the murder, but about life itself.

Tavish's determination to solve the crime gets him in trouble every bit as deadly as that of the victim and the murderer. He investigates with a sometimes-amateurish directness, and at first he primarily succeeds in attracting only more trouble, raising issues that the school, the neighborhood, and the community would prefer remain hidden.

Just as his own objectives and secret motivations remain in flux, events affected by revenge and retribution keep pushing him towards an inevitable showdown. Or, is it an inevitable death?

One reason the plot, characters, and atmosphere feel so realistic is that author Jim Christ was himself a teacher and high school principal in the region that forms the setting of his story. His ability to capture realistic political, ethnic, and social atmosphere in the course of exploring Tavish's Hispanic heritage, conundrums, and uncertain relationships with authorities at various levels adds a dimension of reality and social commentary to events in the plot. This keeps the story both action-packed and thought-provoking.

Another reason for the powerful result in Ways to Be Wicked lies in Christ's ability to portray his protagonist as a man filled not just with motivation and confidence, but also deep uncertainties. This, too, adds an authentic aura to this murder mystery, giving it an extra edge over traditional genre approaches and reads.

Readers who like their mysteries informed by community and ethnic issues, and struggles that depict the fine line between heroes and heretics, will welcome the multifaceted complexity that places Ways to Be Wicked on a different level than an ordinary whodunit.

---