A very good read

I don't read as many books as I should. I read a ton of comics, magazines and websites, but full on books... not so much. With my monthly (most times bi-weekly) trips to the library with my daughter I've started to check out and read more books. When my wife was on her way to the library last week to pick up a non-fiction story book ("with a beginning a middle and an end, which also had a cause and effect" as Scrappy would explain) she asked "should I get you anything" as she walked out the door. I replied "Sure, take a look and see if they have The Book of Lies by Brad Meltzer."

Now, I must admit that the only reason  know of Brad Meltzer is because of his comic writing. He had multiple New York Times best-selling books before jumping into the fray at DC Comics. He had a great story arc in Green Arrow (Archer's Quest), followed by what I consider to be the most important in-continuity comic of the last 20 years Identity Crisis. After that he took some time away from comics to write another novel followed by his relaunching of the Justice League of America (two great arcs in The Tornado's Path and The Lighting Saga). 

While reading about his latest novel (in Wizard) I was heavily intrigued. Meltzer had made his name as a mystery/thriller novelist. For his latest work he was going to marry his love of mysteries with his love of comics. Specifically his love of Superman and the man who created him Jerry Siegel.  

The story centers on Cal Harper and his tragic life who quickly gets embroiled in a deep mystery that starts to unravel when his ex-con father suddenly reappears in his life. What ensues is a mystery so deep and far-reaching that we learn about why a young Jerry Siegel created a Superman (a bullet-proof man because he missed his father who was shot to death) and how this all ties into Cain (who killed his brother Abel) from the bible. 

In essence, this is a story about redemption, the bond between fathers and sons, and the magic of story-telling. A very well crafted thriller.