Book Review: Late Checkout

Reviewed by S.A. Evans

How much does family loyalty mean to you?

Late Checkout introduces us to Benjamin “Mess” Hopkins, a motel owner whose monotonous life takes a turn when his long lost (and thought to be dead) cousin Finn returns to town.

You would think this is amazing news. And it would be, if he weren’t on the run from people who want him dead. Now Mess must team up with his girlfriend reporter, Lia Katsaros, and his best friend, D’ Marvellus “Vell” Jackson, to help Finn get out of the situation alive. 

“They said you could pick your friends, but you can’t pick your family. I don’t know who they were, but—sadly—they had a point.” 

Mess is the type of person who is more interested in helping people in rough situations by providing them a place to stay than turning a profit for the motel, so he often forgoes business tactics and helps people instead. This makes Mess loyal to a fault when it comes to Finn who went missing six years prior and claims to be back to get his life on the right track. But this is hard to do when two men want Finn dead. 

The story picks up when Lia tells Mess and Vell of the murder of local politician Webster Claypool. Putting two and two together, the gang learns that the two men who are after Finn killed Claypool. After much dodging from Finn, both verbally and physically, the team become detectives to keep Finn safe while also trying to solve the crime of who the two men are, why they killed Claypool, and how Finn is related to the crime.

This novel comes with some excellent cliffhangers—important for any mystery novel. It’s easy to get invested in what will happen next thanks to its short, punchy chapters. The writing itself, like its use of metaphor and simile, are fresh and fun.

“I tried to piece everything together logically, but it was like putting together a jigsaw puzzle using a very fuzzy picture as a guide.”

And about an informant discussing a potential suspect: “…it looked like a canary was about to come bursting out of his mouth” 

And how can I forget, “slick as a real estate brochure.” 

One thing that is highlighted over and over is the importance of loyalty—particularly to family—whether they deserve it or not. Character motivations can feel odd at times, but it’s always clear why the people do what they do.

For example, Mess tries repeatedly to get information out of Finn, but every time Mess tries to probe Finn for useful information that would keep Finn alive, he’s evasive and skittish. Under normal circumstances, a person would give up trying to help someone who doesn’t want to help themself, but Mess keeps coming back trying to help Finn. He forgoes running the motel much of the time and plays detective with Lia and Vell to solve the crime. It’s even mentioned that Mess would loan his car out to invited motel guests if they needed it. Incredibly trusting or incredibly foolish and naïve? The big thing this book does well is illustrating the lengths Mess will go to help people. 

While the character motivation is clear and consistent, it doesn’t make it much easier to connect with his dedication to that which doesn’t directly involve him. There are also some instances of stiff narration and dialogue, but overall I enjoyed the Late Checkout reading experience. I won’t be the only one invested in figuring out how this mystery will be solved and who’s involved in it. And lucky for us, the ending provides plenty of satisfaction. Late Checkout is a lighthearted mystery with plenty to enjoy.

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