#307 | 'Five Decembers' — Noir, World War II, and Tragic Love

🎙 This week, we dive into "Five Decembers" by James Kestrel, an outstanding, Edgar Award-winning novel that blurs the lines between noir, historical fiction, thriller, and romance. Set against the backdrop of World War II from 1941 to 1945, the story follows Honolulu detective Joe McGrady as a gruesome double murder investigation is interrupted and transformed by the outbreak of war. I share why this book has been one of my favorite reads of the last five years, and the fascinating commercial reason why the author wrote it under a pseudonym. Inside the Episode: (00:09) Lost in the Shuffle: Why it took me so long to share one of my favorite novels of the last five years, and how a heavy reading volume can sometimes bury absolute gems. (01:33) The Commercial Machine: The pragmatic, business-driven story behind why practicing attorney Jonathan Moore adopted the pseudonym James Kestrel to get this book on store shelves. (04:26) A Five-Year Journey: Setting the stage across Hawaii, Japan, and China, and how detective Joe McGrady’s run-of-the-mill case explodes into an epic, international saga. (05:47) Old-School Hard-Boiled Noir: Breaking down the book's masterful blend of a gritty procedural, a sweeping war story, and a bittersweet romance that stops short of being sappy. (07:50) Inverting the Obstacle: How the author uses World War II as an active obstacle to a crime investigation, resulting in a deeply satisfying, lingering resolution and a closing quote on being lost. Links & Resources:  ✓ (Better) Books: Sign up at BooksforMen.org.  📚 Master Your Craft: AristotleforNovelists.com.  ⚡️ Connect: Instagram @douglasvigliotti | DouglasVigliotti.com. 💥 Book: Five Decembers by James Kestrel. Life is too short to read sh*tty books. 🫠