Another one I read because it’s an Edgar paperback nominee.
This is a very standard mystery, with a nice combination of family characters and background and the token affair thrown in to stir the pot.

I absolutely hate mystery books where the main character is a mystery writer ( Watson being the one exception) I feel like every time it’s mentioned I’m pulled out of the narrative and forced to sit next to the author staring at his keyboard.This book had that strike against it.
Otherwise , it was a fine, standard page turner
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Or Else is an excellent thriller with more than a few surprises. When David Barren is found murdered, and his wife, Rachael, and their two young sons disappear, the police are clueless. But Andy Drake, a best-selling author and Rachel's secret lover is determined to find them. Plowing ahead, the amateur sleuth finds that the Loop, as he calls his neighborhood, has more than a few deadly secrets. Told in the first person by Andy, the story unwinds in a frank and often humorous way to a twisty end. I thoroughly enjoyed this entertaining murder mystery. ( )

Or Else by Joe Hart is a mysterious story that begins with an illicit affair. Andy Drake had moved back to his hometown to look after his father who is suffering from the onset of dementia. The two men live across the street from each other and down the street lives Rachel, a married mother of two. Andy and Rachel had been childhood friends and soon the two find solace in an affair. Before long, Rachel’s husband is found shot to death and Rachel and her children have disappeared. There are numerous subplots in Or Else but the novel keeps the reader interested throughout. The pace is quick and the characters are varied and well-drawn. This is an old-fashioned whodunit and the body count grows. The novel unwinds in an unexpected fashion, making this a satisfying read. Joe Hart has written a solid mystery and I look forward to reading more of his books. Highly recommended. Thank you to Thomas & Mercer, NetGalley and the author for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. ( )

Andy is an author so when his dad is diagnosed with early dementia he is able to relocate back to his hometown. He's fortunate to get a house on the block where he was raised. He can help Dad without being too intrusive and he's no stranger in the town. Andy works on his new book during the day, and he and Dad have settled into a rhythm of shared meals and TV evenings. Kel, another of the three siblings, lives farther away and is caring for two youngsters, but she comes by when she can.

So much remains the same from the old days: Neighbors, friends from church. Rachel, Andy's old flame lives up the street with David, her husband who was a jerk even in high school. Somehow, madly, Andy and Rachel start an affair. Stupid, yes, but so wonderful.

Suddenly though, people start dying. David's business partner kills himself. Mary the church secretary is kicked by her horse. Then David is shot dead by a burglar. Andy's instincts say that something is going on and when he starts poking around he stirs up hornets. But there seems to be too much going on. The pieces of the mystery don't fit together at all. Andy keeps poking, of course, and is almost killed in the final showdown.

This is an exciting and readable book. Much of the writing is clever and fun. As a nitpicky reader I have some questions that I would ask the author, but these concerns didn't really interfere with my enjoyment. I think you will like it too.

I received a review copy of "Or Else" by Joe Hart from Thomas and Mercer through NetGalley.com. ( )

Novelist Andy Drake returns to his hometown to care for his ailing father and kindles an affair with a married childhood friend. Suddenly someone warns him off starting a chain of local deaths and the disappearance of his lover and her young children. Captures well the challenges of caring for someone with dementia and the minutiae of small town life. The plot isn't obvious and cleverly constructed around interlocking but otherwise unconnected events. ( )