Speak Ill of the Living    by Mark Arsenault Order:  USA  Can Poisoned Pen, 2005 (2005) Hardcover     Reviewed by Mary Ann Smyth In Mark Arsenault's second mystery featuring Eddie Bourque, the journalist comes face to face with his older brother for the first time – behind the glass barrier in a prison visitor's room! When a banker disappears in Eddie's hometown of Lowell, Massachusetts and later turns up dead in his burned out car, the free lance journalist is intrigued. Then his convict brother gets a message to him that he knows who did the dastardly deed, and Eddie is pulled into his past, which is not where he wanted to go. The plot twists around itself time and again – all the while furthering Eddie's investigation. His brother's crime looms in the background. Action ignites almost every page. Suspense lurks in the background, and a downright scary scene (involving a well) keeps the reader turning pages – with breath held. The characterization is well done, showing people with flaws as well as positive attributes. I do hope that Mark Arenault is busy on his next book, and look forward to reading it. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Mystery books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews