As if you were sitting in a rocker on a porch with a good friend swapping stories February 16, 2017
Elliott LIght writes in a conversational style that enables the story to flow naturally, as if you were sitting in a rocker on a porch with a good friend swapping stories. His characters develop as much through dialogue as narrative description to create a sense of reality about them. The dialogue is easy and realistic. While Shep Harrington is an intriguing character in his own right, Light also writes women well. One of my favorite passages in Lonesome Song is Cali’s response to Shep’s asking her to kiss his pain away (p. 143): “I’m tired and you smell like barf and disinfectant. Not to mention I don’t know you as well as I know my mailman, and I’m not putting out for him either.” I laughed out loud at that one. It’s the kind of thing every woman wishes she could say in a moment and only a few have the presence of mind to do so. Good work! I look forward to the next installment in the Shep Harrington series.
Lonesome Song November 18, 2018
Really enjoyed reading this book.liked the characters.A very good mystery well written and a good ending. I would recommend this book very highly if you like a good mystery
Lonesome Song September 24, 2018
Really enjoyed this book. Interesting people, good mystery that kept me guessing. Our hero Shep was a good guy with a lot to deal with.
A GREAT STORY!!! June 24, 2004
Elliott Light is a great storyteller. He keeps your nose in this book from beginning to end and leaves you with a heartfelt concern for the main character, Shep and the members of the poor farm. Through this book, I feel as though Shep and I are now friends. I have genuine feelings for this fella. I want to know how he’s feeling and if he’s eating well! This Shep is one heck of a character and I hope he continues to do great things in small ways. He may be a small town guy, but he has a city boy’s wit and intuition. Shep also has a bit of a heart, always trouble there. Read this book!
Fine regional amateur sleuth
January 6, 2003The most famous person from the Lyle, Virginia area was Reilly Heartwood who sang under the moniker of C.C. Hollinger, a legendary country music great. Recently Reilly committed suicide though disbarred attorney Shep Harrington finds discrepancies on what he has learned about the death of his mentor. He cannot understand why there was no autopsy, a relatively tiny medical report, and no police investigation. He also struggles with the question “why now” when Reilly finally promised to reveal a secret to him about Shep’s father.
Though burned by the justice system when people perjured and accused him of criminal activity that led to three years of prison before he was exonerated, Shep seeks the truth about Reilly for his own peace of mind and that of the sister of the music superstar. Shockingly, Shep learns he is the prime heir to the multi-million dollar estate. Even stranger is how several locals loathe Reilly to the point of denying him a Christian burial. As Shep digs deeper he perilously places himself in the middle of a town divided and on the verge of exploding.
Fans of regional amateur sleuths will take pleasure from Elliot Light’s affable who-done-it. The story line combines sub-genre elements with recent historical tidbits such as Poor Farms that make for a powerful background, which in turn enhances the key cast members, especially the hero. The investigation is fun to follow because the evidence Shep finds conflicts between cover-up and suicide making a culprit difficult to identify if one even exists. LONESOME SONG is a delightful tale that will lead the audience to pursue Shep’s next mystery, CHAIN THINKING.
Great read September 13, 2020
Really great, fun characters and a wonderful mystery… I read it in one weekend, I was so hooked and couldn’t put it down.
Move over Spenser, Shep Harrington’s in town! April 6, 2003
Elliott Light has developed a terrific new detective and a great cast of characters in Lonesome Song. A quick, yet satisfying, read, Lonesome Song is the wonderful introduction to Shep Harrington, a disbarred lawyer who returns to his hometown for the funeral of his dear friend. Along the way, we meet the quirky inhabitants of the poor farm, a string of townsfolk who can’t forget the past, and of course, the beautiful reporter who forms a symbiotic relationship with Shep. In just over 200 pages, Mr. Light brings these characters to life, masterfully interweaving the elements of character, plot and lots of local color. I think Elliott Light and Shep Harrington are here to stay.
Well written, readable mystery. April 2, 2003
Excellent mystery, well worth reading. He treats his characters like real people, some likable, some not. He plays fair with the reader. I enjoyed it.
Elliott Light 