Five Decembers

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Though Kestrel’s novel takes a detour from the classic noir tropes, he is faithful to the narrative style, seeding the story with so many Philip Marlowe– and Sam Spade–worthy observations that Humphrey Bogart was the narrator in my head: “A dog started to bark in the house next door. Believing that the man responsible has fled the country, Joe sets out to Hong Kong in an attempt to track the killer down.

In Hong Kong, McGrady falls into the hands of the invading Japanese Army and is swept along by the tide of war. McGrady's and Sachi sudden romance feels anything but real (probably added just as a shock value), and even the night of the attack on Tokyo is minimized and is barely touched upon (for example, David Downing did a wonderful job in his "Station"s series by using his characters to describe perfectly and chillingly teh destruction of Berlin by the allied forces as they were closing in. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book that was so page-turning yet also filled with so much beautiful pathos. The wide ranging cast of characters in the story is what grabs the reader, from the likes of Molly, Emily Kam, to the Takahashis and Kate, they had me invested right from the beginning, up to the final pages of that poignant ending. Joe is an outsider not trusted by his fellow police officers, feeling alone, channeling his emotions and love towards Molly.Kestrel details man's inhumanity in war, as things becomes ever bleaker, amidst a devastating horror of mass deaths, heartbreak and losses, it is love that holds people together, a reason to live, and this is all too painfully true for Joe too. Spanning the entirety of World War II, FIVE DECEMBERS is a beautiful, masterful, powerful novel that will live in your memory forever. Hell, some of the most notable pioneers of the noir page and stage went through the crucible themselves.

A third of my way through this book I had no idea where it was all taking me, but I did know that I’d found a character, in Joe, who was imbued with enough grit and virtue to carry me with him, wherever that turned out to be. It’s an interesting perspective on WWII b/c the historical era is present and yet, it’s also such an original “take” on it and not the usual European arena either. It's an amazing story, filled with suspense, heartfelt romance, gut wrenching tragedy and an unrelenting tension throughout. I have tried hard not to spoil for anyone who wishes to read the novel (and you should, it’s wonderful), but my poor efforts did not encompass its sweep, its thematic depth, its brilliant characterization, its matter-of-fact prose that says so much with so little, or its perfectly paced, perfectly structured movements to a magnificent dénouement, which to any romance reader, may be one of the most heart-wrenching “grovels” you’ll ever read. Joe McGrady immediately finds himself fighting for his life and then is whisked across the Pacific to find a small clue in the Far East as the war in the Pacific erupts and there's no way home.

James Kestrel's ambitious debut Five Decembers definitely earns it though with a sweeping tale that takes you from pre-Pearl Harbor Dec.