Last Night in Sturgis: 1 (A Mike Salas Novel) Paperback – Import, 31 January 2023

I, too, have been to the Sturgis rally many times and enjoyed revisiting the Chip, Dungeon, and main haunts. The hunt for the killer was full of suspense and surprises. I liked the clever way Spain told the tale through point of view of the characters as well as narrator. I plan to read all three Mike Salas novels and hope there are more coming!

A decent addition to the crime drama genre Last Night in Sturgis by JJ Spain follows the hard-headed, yet very talented, Detective Mike Salas as he stalks a serial killer. Salas has been a detective for nearly half his life who doesn’t necessarily get along with his Captain but knows how to get the job done. Right from the beginning there is action as Salas gets himself into trouble and then wrapped up in a case. A notorious murderer is looking for his next victim while attending the Annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. Would Salas catch him before he struck again? Or would the literal sea of people get in his way?Spain writes very well, and the story is engaging and easy to follow right from the beginning. There are twists and turns as any good thriller should have, and you can read them without getting lost or confused. His ability to pull a reader into the narrative is quite good and it was easy to get caught up in the book as it’s quite a compelling read. Each chapter is focused on one of the main characters so you can watch the events unfold from several perspectives. While reading through Salas’ chapters you get some insight into the actual world of detective work which is interesting, despite being a potentially dry subject.The only things that were a drawback for me were the cliché character descriptions. Nearly every biker is stereotypical in appearance and behaviour and Salas himself seems to scream washed-up, old white guy. The descriptions of women are a bit difficult to digest as the objectification and unrealistic portrayal of breasts ruin what can otherwise be good storytelling and character depictions. It’s a bit disappointing, but this isn’t an issue unique to Spain.These little bumps aside, Last Night in Sturgis by JJ Spain is actually a pretty good read. It’s got action, suspense, a main character who clearly knows what he is doing and just the right amount of twists and turns. It’s easy to get lost in Spain’s storytelling so it’s well worth the read. The exciting thing for those who enjoy it, is that this book is stated as the first in a series. If you enjoyed following Mike Salas on the job and watching how his mind works and his skills in action, you can rest assured that there will be more adventure to come!

There is a mystery around Sturgis, the people, the action, the stories that you have to wonder what is true and what is drunken dreams. For Albert, Sturgis is his hunting ground, where he goes to fight his own personal demons. For Kevin, Matt and Jerico it is a time to bond, let loose and take in the experience of Sturgis. Detective Salas likes to play by his own rules bending things to their limits while doing his job. He gets a murder dumped on him that on the surface looks like a crappy assignment but quickly turns into a serial killer case. Salas identifies the pattern and knows he needs to find the killer before the end of Sturgis and the killer strikes more victims.Last Night in Sturgis by JJ Spain is entertaining and engaging. I would not call it a thriller that has you on the edge of your seat, but it is well written, and you want to keep reading. The style of switching from the point of view of all the main characters keeps the novel interesting because you are seeing Sturgis through a different lens of each of them. Each is there for different reasons and has different ideas of fun. It is not a mystery of “who is the killer” the killer identifies himself right from the start. There is no mystery about Albert being the killer, or even why he kills. With each hunt and kill you learn more about what he endured at the hands of his father growing up. The psychological aspect of that alone is an interesting story line.You can’t have a story about Sturgis without a Bike Club, RJ and Deuce are part of Son’s of Silence. They fit some of the stereotypes, but JJ Spain gets deeper into the connection that bonds them together, and it is not just about sharing a club name. As with bike clubs, you have the women that provide entertainment as dancers, bartenders, and hostesses. A group of for women from a talent agency just looking to make a lot of cash for the week end up in the same campgrounds as everyone else in the storyline. All of their lives end up mixing. It is all woven together so masterfully. People from all over the country end up in the same bubble and their lives are changed from this one week in Sturgis.It takes a talented writer to put this all together in such an approachable way that anyone can pick it up and follow, as well and become engaged. While this is a series about deceive Salas I found the other characters just as entertaining and engaging. I am sure in future novels about Salas the characters will be just as strong and JJ Spain will continue to entertain and captivate his readers.

Enjoyed reading a novel by someone who knows about his subject matter. Salas and Ronnie are two characters that you will remember. Looking forward to more of their sleuthing, and hopefully reading some more on others from the Sturgis crew!!

Spain's storytelling is good. He does a fantastic job of keeping your interest in his storyline. His characters are well-developed and very believable. I highly recommend this book.