Blake Eastwood Case 2 – Book Review

Spoilered sections are marked by subtitles! Short read.

Blake Eastwood Case 2: Death and Ice cream is the not-so-long-awaited sequel to Ashton’s debut novel, Blake Eastwood Case 1: Superordinary Detective. Indeed, Case 2 is releasing only a month after Case 1!

A Quick Release Schedule!

Don’t be fooled into thinking that Case 2 was written in a rush only because it’s releasing four weeks after Case 1! I have it on good authority (we workshop together) that Ashton has been working hard on drafting cases 1-3 for quite some time now, and that Case 2 was crafted with care equal to its predecessor.

Truly, Ashton has the reader’s feelings in mind for scheduling his releases in this tight manner. Fans of the series won’t have long to wait to receive their next instalment, which is heartening for readers who have been burned by hiatuses such as Game of Thrones. It’s certainly comforting to know that there is more Blake just around the corner!

In other related news, I am literally dying over how Suji Kim’s Under the Oak Tree Book 2 translation is releasing. A single book has been split into five parts, which is slowly dripping onto Kindle books over the span of one-two years. It’s pure torture, and the antithesis of Blake Eastwood’s cozy release schedule.

Death and Ice Cream Compared to Superordinary Detective

After the success of Case 1, Blake and the gang live an easy life for a few months, until one day, Phil appears with a magical problem he needs solving, and quickly.

In the same spirit as Superordinary Detective, it’s another race against the clock to find answers amidst wild shenanigans. We hear from some familiar characters whilst also adding a few more acquaintances to Blake’s contact list.

One of the most exciting things about Case 2 is the appearance of a new relic. In turns out that there’s more to Blake’s world than the Girdle of Aphrodite, and we get a taste of that in Death and Ice Cream.

My Favourite Parts of Death and Ice Cream – MINOR SPOILERS

I always love a good time loop narrative, and Blake Eastwood Case 2 delivers a complex yet considered cavort around the clock.

Sleuthing the means and rules of Case 2’s time loops is a fun challenge for Blake and company, and I was glad to see all the important good guys from book one return to provide their own small enlightenments.

We also see the development of a little romance in Case 2 which is great news for me as a fan of the romance genre, but I also want to stress that the romance theme in this book is very light. I can’t imagine it being off putting for those who are averse to love stories. Nonetheless, I am excited to see the future developments of all relationships—lovers, familial, and platonic—as the series progresses.

To Conclude

Blake’s second jaunt is a little longer than his first stint on the train, but remains a short, easy page-turner. Check back for more Blake Eastwood Case Reviews, and head to Ashton’s Amazon page if you’re interested in reading it for yourself!