Unthinkable

Unthinkable: A Mason & Penfield Mystery is a story about murder set in the Atlanta suburbs. Read about the story and the characters. Also we have testimonials from readers.

The Story

Barbara Penfield was a normal suburban housewife with a normal suburban family and a normal suburban home. She even took normal suburban antidepressants. When she died in a car accident, even the tragedy seemed normal until the evidence made it clear that someone had tampered with her car and then lured her to drive while her medication made her drowsy.

To find Barbara's murderer, Detective John Mason will have to suspect everyone who knew her. But when none of the suspects pans out, he'll have to look for ideas wherever he can find them, even if the source is unthinkable.

The Characters

• Ron Penfield, a school counselor, wanted to help his students.
• Barbara Penfield needed antidepressants, but was otherwise happy.
• Ronnie, Lenna, and Bumper Penfield, Ron & Barbara's children, loved their mom and dad.
• Detective John Mason wanted to find Barbara's murderer. He and Ron Penfield knew each other in their former careers.
• Mason's wife, Ann Fleming, had a successful business in high-end real estate.
• Jack Robinson counseled Ron, the counselor. He and his wife Robin were close friends of Ron and Barb.
• Sean McCloskey had a new car, a dad who'd left, and a crush on the smartest girl at school.
• Roger Rolling supplied car parts and repairs, and other stuff too.
• Chuck Wesson had a habit.
• Josh Logan thought he knew everything.
• Vicky Winstead really did know everything, including how much she hurt.
• Paula Winstead probably loved her daughter.
• Carlton Donovan hit hard times, and he knew who to blame.
• 16 and pregnant, Brooks Donovan feared her father.

Testimonials

Most of these testimonials can be found on the Amazon page for the first edition of Unthinkable.

Review # 1: More than a Mystery

Unthinkable is a thoroughly enjoyable read. Not only does it have a fast moving pace, as seen by the quick shifts back and forth between characters, but it also gives the reader time to sit back and smell the coffee. But the greatest thing about this book is that it makes the death palpable. The mystery itself is not the most complex or difficult crime, but Unthinkable sets itself apart because it truly explores how a family must deal with grieving a loved one. Most murder mysteries kill someone off and have the entire story revolve around “who done it,” but here we see the haunting of a loved ones memory. The family must deal with the fact that not only is their wife, mother and daughter now dead, but that someone killed her on purpose. There are many layers and intriguing clues, but the main thing that sticks out to me was not how or why Mrs. Penfield died, but the effect it has on the living. Or as Mr. Crigler says so well, “Death is complex for those who remain alive.”

— Posted by BlutGeboren on Amazon.com

Review #2: EXCELLENT!

“Realistic characters intricately interwoven in a tale of murder and revenge. Honest dialogue and contemporary situations. Three viable murder suspects!”

— Posted anonymously at barnesandnoble.com

Review #3: Couldn't put it down, read it in a day

WOW! I'm not an “avid” book reader by any means. I picked up Unthinkable and couldn’t put it down. I was drawn to the many different characters and absorbed into their stories. I thought I had it all figured out and each time I was surprisingly wrong. There were many twists, turns, and surprises throughout that had me reading faster to get to the murderer. One of the best mysteries I’ve read and will read again. This book and its author, brilliant!

— Posted by KKWTKW on Amazon.com

Review #4: Suburban Mystery

A mysterious suburban murder, with a VAST number of characters to try keeping track of, yet all play an integral part in trying to figure out the killer. Mr. Crigler displays some technical prose with hints of self-correcting programming and mentions of Borne shells that add a little “geekiness” to the book. All in all, a good read with an interesting plot.

— Posted by MrH on Amazon.com

Review #5: WOW! Great Read!

I loved, loved, loved Unthinkable. I downloaded it to my Kindle the day it came out and stayed up all night reading it till done. I was intrigued by the mystery and just could not figure out who done it until the end. Jim Crigler is an excellent writer and I am looking forward to seeing his next effort in the very near future.

— Posted by Jules on Amazon.com

Review #6: Who done it?

If you are like me, you have read hundreds of mysteries. Crigler, kept me switching my guess of who done it. A great journey though a community with plenty to hide. I enjoyed getting to know each character from their strengths to their faults. None were perfect and one was a murderer.

— Posted by Alva Barrett on Amazon.com

Review #7: Unthinkable

What can I say … couldn't put this book down. Didn't see that coming!!! Very enjoyable read. Looking forward to more from this author.

— Posted by jskb on Amazon.com

Review #8: Very Highly Recommended — Great read!

Unthinkable is very aptly named “unthinkable”. In this whodunit, Mr. Crigler sets up a variety of plots with numerous characters — all of which could believably be the murderer. From the beginning I was captured by the wit and clean writing style. I didn't want to put the book down and when I did finish the book, I immediately began waiting for the next one to be published.

— Posted by GracieCat on barnesandnoble.com

Review #9: Whodunnit?

I picked up the book, expecting to be able to figure it out who did it in the first few chapters. I did, only to figure out a different “who did it” in the next few chapters, and again in the next. In other words, Mr. Crigler has written a mystery that keeps you traveling down many paths until he ties them together for the finale. But the book is more than a simple mystery, as the characters are fleshed out through their actions and personalities. They seem as normal as your neighbor yet you wonder what could be behind that façade. Nothing and no one are as simple as they seem, and you see how lives intersect and affect each other. A great read that keeps you guessing right up until the end!

— Posted by LuLewD on Amazon.com