Book Review: The Vinyl Detective-Written in Dead Wax

The Vinyl Detective-Written in Dead Wax, by Andrew Cartmel, is the first Book in the Vinyl Detective series. The unnamed lead character of the book is an avid record collector that specializes in being able to find any vinyl recording a client requests.

He deals in nothing but vinyl presses, and his business cards state that he is a The Vinyl Detective. His cards play a large part in landing him the job of a lifetime trying to find a rare record, Easy Come, Easy Go for a professional and beautiful woman named Nevada. Easy work for a vinyl aficionado, right?

Maybe not as easy as it looks when what you need may be in the dead wax of the vinyl, and people are willing to kill for the same pressing. 

Reading this book was like climbing onto a roller coaster that cascaded to its end in a dark mountain. You never knew where the next thrilling twist would take you. I devoured the pages in one day as if I was starving and the book was my only meal. Andrew’s characters are playfully multidimensional. I felt as if I had a true connection with them (including the cats) and was helping them hunt for the elusive vinyl. If I closed my eyes, I could feel the cats purring and hear the music playing. 

Andrew Cartmel is a master at blending all aspects of a story together, mixing in just the right amount of humor, horror, suspense, and love to offer the reader a frighteningly fun experience. 

From the moment I began reading, I was invested in the story. I grew up listening to vinyl, so the idea of hunting through boxes in charity shops and libraries to find the perfect recording was part of my life. There were so many twists and turns in this book that I had to read through various parts several times to make sure I didn’t miss anything.

I finished the book and immediately wanted to start the next book in the series. What adventures will unfold for the Vinyl Detective in book two of the series? What vinyl is he going to scour the globe to find? 

Andrew will be releasing his sixth Vinyl Detective book in May. I have a bit of catching up to do before then.
If you love mysteries, humor, brilliant characters, and vinyl, you need this book in your life. Grab it, fast so that you will be ready when book six releases. You will thank me for your new book series obsession. Book two, The Vinyl Detective-The Run-Out Groove: Vinyl Detective 2, here I come.

Sue Cook

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Sue Cook lives in Freeport, Illinois with her husband Randy and two dogs. Her passions include assistance dogs, rescue dogs, music, acting, theater, poetry, and Doctor Who. She’s been in both film and theater and is a regular cast member of the podcast Doctor Who’s Line is it….Anyway? Sue is an advocate for the use of Service Dogs to assist their disabled handlers to maintain their independence. Quigley’s Quest, her first children’s book, addresses how a dog becomes a Service Dog.

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