First Review!

The first professional review of Cold Lessons is in, and it's a doozy. In "Lessons Learned," Joe Campana of the Missoula Independent, my hometown weekly, has a lot of nice things to say. A few highlights:

But being local and knowing the genre don’t mean you automatically join the ranks of the city’s crime novelists. For that, you need talent, which McCullough seems to have in abundance.

In a genre where imitation comes cheap and easy, McCulloch has written his very own book, which is no small accomplishment for a first novel, or any novel for that matter.

McCulloch also tempers the gloom with an uncanny sense of humor. The jokes are sparse, but they come off with an absurdity and intelligence reminiscent of “The Simpsons.”

And the summation, which I quote at length:

Though he’s just a rookie, McCulloch is a surprisingly restrained and un-intrusive writer. He doesn’t hit the gas pedal too hard, the plot never lurches forward but gradually eases into gear and picks up speed in all the right places. What you get in addition to a first-rate thriller is a character sketch of a nearly hopeless man stuck in a lonely town during its dreariest season. Having Missoula reflected back to us this way may not be cause for good cheer. But this town has given rise to another talented writer. And that’s worth celebrating.

Campana offers positive comparisons to James Crumley, James Welch, George Saunders, and The Simpsons. That would make for a pretty weird cocktail party, but it's awfully good company.