Lawyer Calvin Claxton runs a one-man law office in Portland Oregon. He would be doing well financially, according to his accountant, if it weren't for his tendency to take on the cases of people who would otherwise not be able to afford good representation. As a result, he's determined to cut back on pro bono work and take on only paying customers, So when Danny Baxter aka Picasso, a scruffy street kid and accomplished muralist shows up and asks him to help solve the murder of his mom who had disappeared when he was a child, a case gone cold until her body was found recently, Cal refuses despite the fact the local police still don't seem too interested in the case. However, after a little time and research, he decides to at least talk to the kid and soon finds himself embroiled in a very complicated and, as the bodies begin to stack up, dangerous case.

Matters of Doubt, the first in the Cal Claxton Mysteries series by Warren C Easley was first published in 2013 but the series is being republished by Poisoned Pen Press and, after reading it, I can understand why. Told in the first person by Cal Claxton who is one of the most likeable protagonists you will find in the genre, this is a well-written and compelling story. Along with a very interesting mystery, Easley also brings in complicated issues like homelessness especially among youth, and the difficulties the homeless face including from the law and he does it with empathy and compassion but without pity.

Matters of Doubt gets a high recommendation from me. I will definitely be reading more of this series in the future.

Thanks to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review ( )

“Matters of Doubt” is part of the “Cal Claxton Oregon Mystery” series; within a few pages new readers know everything needed to follow along with the narrative. The story unfolds in Calvin Claxton’s first person narrative, a transplant from Los Angeles who runs a one-man law practice in the small town of Dundee, Oregon. He came to Oregon to find some kind of order, some peace in his life, and shares his tranquil existence with his Australian shepherd, Archie. Immediately he conveys his feel for people, his appreciation for geography, and his general philosophy of life – he would rather be fishing. The plot is driven by his conversations, observations, and self-examination. (“Who was I kidding?”)
Danny Baxter arrives on a bicycle offering to pay Cal to find the person who murdered his mother. (Cal is not sure how he will pay, but the boy offers.) Baxter lives on the streets, and everyone calls him “Picasso” because he is an accomplished muralist. His mother disappeared several years ago, and her remains turned up in a reservoir. Initially Cal turns down the case, but research and the boy, himself, cause Cal to look more deeply into the case. What he finds is intricate, puzzling, and very complicated. Nicole Baxter’s boyfriend was the initial suspect in the murder, but that went nowhere. Baxter was a reporter working on a “big” story. Was that related to her death? Another death complicates things, and then yet another. Is this just coincidence or something more sinister? Everyone makes mistakes, good people, bad people, innocent people, and guilty ones, but perhaps there are certain people whom one should not cross.
Easley weaves complicated issues into the story including underage homelessness, street art, and artists. The narrative is organized and structured; the investigation is methodical, but even Cal finds the unexpected along the way. I received a review copy of Matters of Doubt” from Warren C. Easley, Sourcebooks, and Poisoned Pen Press. It is quick to read with likeable characters, plenty of suspense, and lots of compassion. ( )

Warren C. Easley's Matters of Doubt is a solid, original mystery—no wonder Poisoned Pen Press has chosen to reissue this 2013 title. The novel, set in Portland Oregon, features Cal Caxton, a former LA prosecutor who has retired and moved north. He didn't retire rich, and his new, small law practice is hovers on the brink of bankruptcy. Given the genre, this, of course, means that an impoverished client shows up at Claxton's door, and Claxton takes on the case. Picasso, the young, quick-to-anger, homeless man (and exceptionally gifted artist) who becomes Claxton's client, wants to know who killed his mother when Picasso was just a child. Her body has been recently found, and Picasso wants the justice she didn't receive the first time around.

The novel abounds in suspects—a restaurateur, turned blackmailer; a wealthy lobbyist, and a right-wing radio personality—every one of whom is in a position to make Claxton's life very uncomfortable. Claxton's sidekicks—a Cuban refugee turned capitalist-private-investigator and a doctor running a clinic for homeless youth—add to the novel's twists and provide interesting alternative perspectives as events unfold. Given the characters and setting, Matters of Doubt resonates even more today than it probably did upon release, given last year's violent altercations between police, protestors, and counter-protestors in Portland.

Matters of Doubt provides a deeply satisfying read. If you read mysteries, check out this title, the look for further Cal Claxton titles released from Poisoned Pen Press in the future.

I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley; the opinions are my own. ( )

This is the first book in a new mystery series featuring small town Oregon lawyer Cal Claxton. In Matters of Doubt, a homeless street artist who calls himself Picasso bikes all the way out to Cal's office from Portland, hoping to get help solving the mystery behind his mom's death. Cal is dubious, but Picasso's story, and the developments that ensue, pull him in until he's completely embroiled in a situation that's deeper than either of them had expected.

I don't normally love mysteries because for me the characters often take a back seat to the plot, but Easley is a local author so I thought I'd give him a try. I'm so glad I did! Easley brings in characters so full and real, I felt like I ought to be looking for them--and in some cases, avoiding them--on the streets of Portland. For those who do love mysteries, there are enough twists and turns here to keep you guessing right through to the very last page.

Easley's next book is supposed to be out in a year and I for one will be among the first readers. ( )