Customer Reviews
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:
 Very enjoyable., Apr 9, 2023
Pepper is intelligent and fully dimensional, a man still on the search for who he is. There are wonderful relationships between him and his family and friends, and well as some good humor. I even learned something about fractal geometry and philosophy along with way without it miring the plot. There's not a lot of suspense, but it's the characters that drive the story and the killer is a complete surprise. I also enjoyed the inclusion of small towns and cities settings; Nederland and Boulder, Colorado; Lincoln, Nebraska and Walla Walla, Washington. I really enjoyed this book and will be interested to see where the series goes from here.
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:
 Fractal Prof reviews Fractal Murders, Jan 19, 2023
He gets the fractal math stuff right and captures the university atmosphere well too. It is the most fun read I've had in years.
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:
One of the most charming mysteries of the last few years., Jan 11, 2023
I loved "The Fractal Murders", one of the most charming mysteries of the last few years. This book has everything: a likable hero and likable supporting cast, a different and difficult subject made palatable and interesting, and a nice mystery plot. A math professor hires the hero, Pepper Keane, to investigate the recent deaths of 3 noted authorities on fractal geometry and their possible (probable) linkage. The investigation proceeds nicely, with a few red herrings on the way. And a great, masterly twist in the end! Highly recommended! I already pre-ordered the next book in the series.
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:
Geometry can be dangerous, Aug 4, 2023
Pepper is intelligent and fully dimensional, a man still on the search for who he is. There are wonderful relationships between him and his family and friends, and well as some good humor. I even learned something about fractal geometry and philosophy along with way without it miring the plot. There's not a lot of suspense, but it's the characters that drive the story and the killer is a complete surprise. I also enjoyed the inclusion of small towns and cities settings; Nederland and Boulder, Colorado; Lincoln, Nebraska and Walla Walla, Washington. I really enjoyed this book and will be interested to see where the series goes from here.
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
A Thinking Person's P.I. Procedural, Jun 27, 2023
The Fractal Murders is a fine first novel that promises good things to come from Mr. Mark Cohen. The mystery is intriguing and hard to track down. The characters are interesting and are unveiled slowly to make them more realistic. The context is full of Baby Boomer trivia, intellectual references and cultural memorabilia. The writing is well done, taking complex subjects like fractals and turning them into something almost anyone can understand. For those who love math, this book will have special appeal.I was drawn to the book by its title. A book called "The Fractal Murders" had to offer something new. I was pleased to find that it did. Pepper Keane is a man seeking himself . . . in a single existence filled mostly with the companion of men and his energetic dogs, Buck and Wheat. He's done with pretension, making impressions and seeking the big bucks. But a man does have to stay occupied and he does occasional P.I. jobs while still moonlighting as a brief writer (he's a lawyer by original profession). Keane hasn't had a job in quite some time when math professor Jayne Smyers hires him to find out if something connects the deaths of three top math experts on fractals. Knowing her statistics, she's sure that this can be no coincidence, and found the investigation by the FBI to be less than satisfying. Taking her retainer, Keane promises to find out what he can . . . but offers no guarantees. Soon, his fine intellect is taking him deep into papers on mathematics and he begins to discern a pattern. Then, using traditional investigative techniques, he begins to sketch in the details. From there, help from not-so-legal friends adds more context. The case builds slowly and unpredictably from these foundations in an extremely pleasing way. Stick around to the end, it's worth your effort. This is one of the best-developed plots I have ever seen in a first novel. If I liked the book so much, why did I grant four stars instead of five? Well, Mr. Cohen needed a little stronger editing. He puts his descriptions in many places many pages after where they belong and unnecessarily delays revealing other relevant facts. As a result, I found myself rereading pages to figure out what I had missed . . . only to find the material I was looking for 40 pages further on. It was annoying. But I'm sure experience will iron out this problem.
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Based on 27 reviews.