Everyday People

A Best Read

I fall asleep reading most nights. It takes ten minutes. But each time I told myself to turn off the light and set "Everyday People" aside, Louis Barr would add a twist to the story line, or start another subplot that kept me reading to the final page.

Barr’s storytelling skills, interesting plot and subplots, and his colorful, fully-developed, attention-grabbing characters make this novel stand apart from others. Private eye Clint Steele, his begrudging buddy LAPD Captain Hal Flynn, and his "mad scientist tech nerd" best friend Mars Hauser are the primary characters. Mars applies his black ops cyber skills to assist Clint in finding the kidnapped son of a legendary film star. Of course, there's a nasty villain behind it all, seriel kidnapper-killer Jud Tucker, who loves to play real life-and-death games with his adversaries; in this instance, Clint. The novel's characters represent multicultural, straight and LGBT "everyday people" of varying ages and incomes.

The plot and subplots are told by several points of view, and I enjoyed getting into more than the main character's head. The climax deftly takes a twist, leading to a surprise ending. Yep, even I, a mystery-thriller devotee, didn't see this ending coming. And I love novels that catch me completely off guard.

When it comes to modern detective thrillers, "Everyday People" brings a fresh voice and storytelling talent to the genre. I recommend that you give this one a try.

Reviewed by Readsalot

Louis Barr is one of the more brilliant modern detective novelists of our time.

Everyday People” is a modern detective thriller I did not solve until the final chapter. And as a fan of the genre, that quality alone speaks volumes.

What makes this thriller stand apart from other novels is Louis Barr’s clear writing style, his complex plot and subplots, and his fully
fleshed-out characters, each entertaining in his/her own ways.

Readers will meet main character private investigator Clint Steele; kidnap victim Shane Danning, son of film star Diana Danning; Clint's former West Point barracks mate and best friend, metro hip tech nerd Mars Hauser; LAPD Captain Hal Flynn, begrudging buddy of Clint; Raoul Martinez, a carpenter/actor wannabe; septuagenarian Hope Whitman,

Clint’s detective agency business partner; Dr. Grant Stenton, psychiatrist with a disability; Ian Steele, Clint's six-year-old son;
and Jud Tucker, the most under-the-radar kidnapper-killer since Patrick Bateman.

There are people of color. There are members of the LGBTQ communities. These “everyday people” run from clever, to humorous, to greedy, to vicious, to self-absorbed, to exotic, to warm and caring. There are family secrets. There’s a hint of the paranormal. But most important, there’s a backdrop of the evolution of social customs, traditions and mores over the past forty years.

(“Everyday People” could become assigned reading for freshman
sociology students.)

The plot and subplots are presented by several points of view. The climax takes a turn, leading to a denouement you won’t see coming.

If you enjoy a fresh voice in fiction, I recommend “Everyday People.”
It will be one of my favorite novels of 2020.

Reviewed by Valerie Chappel

Everyday People is a mystery-thriller I did not solve until the final two chapters. This one stands apart from the other same ol’, same ol’ novels that seem to get dumped into the market by truckloads every
month.

What makes this thriller stand apart from other novels is Louis Barr’s complex plot, subplots, and most certainly, his imaginative, fully fleshed-out characters, all of whom represent “everyday people.” The
character list includes a private investigator, a missing pilot, a legendary film star, a tech nerd, a carpenter/actor wannabe, a retired female cop, a psychiatrist with paraplegia and, among others, the
protagonist's six-year-old son. There are people of color. There are members of the LGBTQ+ communities. There are elderly, middle-aged, and young characters. And I can’t forget the heavy, a sociopath who will
grab you and take you on a wild ride into darkness. these lifelike characters run from warm, to humorous, to greedy, to vicious, to self-absorbed, to exotic, to warm and caring.

The plot and subplots are presented by several points of view. The climax takes an unanticipated turn, leading to a conclusion you won’t see coming.

If you enjoy a story that significantly raises the excellence bar, you won’t want to miss Everyday People. I’m retired and read six to seven books/novels monthly. If this one isn’t my favorite novel of the year, it will be the first runner-up.

Reviewed by Readsalot

Louis Barr has created a hot modern detective thriller with Everyday People.

There is a definite sense of sunlight and glitz pervading the novel, but the author provides a realistic view of Los Angeles’ glamour and poverty. Readers are also taken inside the family home of MC private investigator Clint Steele, which gives the novel real depth, far more than just the superficial found in many mystery-thrillers. Though the story takes some surprising turns, it also gives us grounded relationships and characters that quickly feel real.

The twists and turns are great. Sometimes you’re traveling the bumper-to-bumper freeways in a classic sports car, other times you’re getting there in a beater pickup truck. It’s tough to revel in the surprises without spoiling plot points for prospective readers. So I’ll just say that as a long time mystery reader, I was pleasantly
surprised or startled by several of the novel’s twwists. You know you’re doing them right when after the reveal, the twist actually makes perfect sense in retrospect. That’s how to do it right.

Mind you, this is not a thriller in which ships are sinking to the bottom of the sea and aircraft are blowing up in flight. But there are more than a few hair-raising moments, and plenty of danger for Clint Steele.

Everyday People will give readers a very enjoyable ride. I call it one of the best novels of the year.

Reviewed by John S

The opening lines of the prologue hooked me. Then I stayed up all
night reading Everyday People because I could not put it down.

While the plot was cleverly crafted and executed, it’s the colorful,
three-dimensional characters that truly shine. Louis Barr’s word
choices, grammar, and a surprise ending also made this thriller
distinctive. Although a competent, intelligent private eye, main
character Clint Steele is so vulnerable you have no choice but to love
him. The novel’s blurb does not even begin to do the story justice.

There are multiple, clearly-marked points of view throughout,
including the killer’s, which is chilling. But Barr doesn’t make the
murder scenes blood and gore fests; you know what happened without
being told.

This is a complex thriller with plenty of intrigue, excitement, false
leads, and humor breaks. If you’re a fan of modern detective thrillers
that aren’t run of the mill, I definitely recommend Everyday People.

Reviewed by SunnysideMB