Some might call this book a mystery. I'm inclined not to because whodunit, the key element in a typical mystery, is apparent early in the book. Yet there is still plenty of mystery. The questions of why the murders were committed, will the police catch the culprits, even whether the reader wants the murderers caught are unanswered questions - mysteries in a way. Then, near the end, some additional mysteries crop up.
The above is a part of what I liked about this book. It is also an example of what I was thinking of when I discuss indie authors in the "why Indies" page of this blog. Something that is different from the typical formula and takes risks is much more likely found among Indies. What this book does differently is take a couple different formulas and combines elements from each. In most books who you should root for is obvious. It might be the criminal trying to pull off the bank robbery or it might be the detective trying to catch him. In "The October Five," it isn't clear. The author doesn't try swaying the reader toward any of the choices, nor while reading, did I ever decide. The ending has no clear winner either although there are some definite losers. Yet, somehow, the ending was still satisfying. Maybe because real life is seldom clear cut and unambiguous either.
**Originally written for "Books and Pals" book blog.**