Review – The Stones Cry Out

When two men mysteriously plunge to their deaths from the rooftop of an abandoned building, FBI agent Raleigh Harmon, joins Special Agent John Breit, to investigate. Was the “Parade for the People” rally in the sweltering and humid streets below merely coincidental, or was it somehow connected to the deaths? Or were the deaths race related? When the autopsy revealed no illegal or intoxicating substances in either man’s system, that only left loss of balance as the cause of death. The outstanding question-who pushed whom, and why did one follow the other to their deaths?

With more questions than answers, the city divided into near-riotous civil rights issues. Petty thief Hamal Holmes was black, and Detective Michael Falcon; decorated Richmond City police officer was white. While city officials demanded a civil rights investigation, the FBI wanted to close the case quickly. Richmond city’s police department wasn’t particularly interested in either event. However, Harmon refused to shut down the case as commanded. Instead she relied on her faith in God, her hard-earned expertise in forensics, and her instincts to ferret out the truth. She couldn’t foresee the danger that would jeopardize her career and put her life at risk.

Two-time Pulitzer Prize nominee, from Washington state, and debut fiction author, Sibella Giorello, writes from her Southern background. She draws on prize winning journalism experience and forensic geology skills with the FBI to craft her story. Even with her background, she did extensive research with the FBI’s materials analysis lab, to ensure The Stones Cry Out read like a true-to-life whodunit.

Giorello writes like a seasoned, professional mystery writer, which makes this novel a pleasure to read. Her characters are realistic and gritty, yet genuine and human. The story line is compelling, the forensics fascinating and true-to-life. Disturbing crime scenes are only used to advance the plot. Written in first person, Giorello’s strong writing is memorable. Her wording and sense of description is better than I’ve read in years. Already known as a top-notch nonfiction journalist, Giorello is a novelist to watch.