Kiss Her Good-Bye by Mickey Spillane

I forgot how violent Mickey Spillane Books are.  Mike Hammer has retired due to battle wounds.  The damage to his spirit is far worse than that to his body. 


There is something timeless about Mickey Spillane's work.  Morality is based on personal philosophy rather than legal precedent.   The settings may be dated but the emotions are truly timeless.  Loyalty to friends and just retribution characterized Mike Hammer stories.  A manly sublimation of a personal desire for commitment also characterizes Mike Hammer.   
You can depend to find colorful figures, moderate sex, gratuitous violence and thoughtless action in Mickey Spillane novels.   They are consistently entertaining and a genre which is generally underrated.   If you are looking for education or illumination Spillane won’t be your choice but if you just want relaxing entertainment, run out and introduce yourself to Mickey Spillane and Mike Hammer just make sure you bring a body bag.

I recommend the book.

Body of work of Mickey Spillane </a>

Web Site:  http://www.thrillingdetective.com/trivia/spillane.html

Drop Shot By Harlan Coben

Again Coben’s Mryon Bolitar reminds me a bit of Parker’s Spencer in this novel. Although Win, Myron’s border line psychopath best friend only resembles Hawk in his ferocity and lethalness not his unsurpassed cool. A classic whodunit focused on the tennis world even though it is a tad dated still holds your interest. There is plenty of action, violence and wise assery to satisfy the most demanding hard boiled detective fan, in spite of the fact that Myron is an attorney and a sports agent not a detective. The who and the why are very satisfactorily saved for the last few pages. All in all, a very good mystery and I recommend it.

Body of work of Harlan Coben

Web Site: http://www.harlancoben.com/static/novels/nsc.htm

Review: http://www.revish.com/reviews/0440220459/abvr/

The Postcard Killers by James Patterson and Liza Marklund

A emotionally drained, despair ridden NY Homicide detective teams up with a small time newspaper reporter to combat a pair of insidious serial killers.

I don’t care one whit about the criticism leveled at Patterson and his formula written books. I enjoyed this book. It was an astoundingly quick read and held my attention. The characters were understandable and the protagonists were likeable. Jacob’s tenacity was to be expected from a grieving father. Dessie was a delightful combination of newly formed goody two shoes and a genetically predisposed small time hoodlum.

The story was beyond fast paced. It was impossible to put down. The killers were despicable and their fate was kept unpredictable.

I highly recommend the book.

Body of work of James Patterson
Body of work of Liza Marklund

Web Site: http://www.jamespatterson.com/

School Days by Robert B. Parker

A Columbine shooting at a private school provides the setting for this story. Spenser is hired to prove the innocence of one of the shooters.

I enjoyed the book but it seemed like it was Robert Parker Light, less taste and less filling. It had a good story line and the plot was good but it just didn’t seem to have enough meat on the bones. I’ve noticed that when I’m hungry my analogies all seem food related. One of my favorite aspects of Parker’s Spenser novels is the verbal repartee between Hawk and Spenser. Since Hawk was not a participant in this story that was missing. This is not a beach book, this more like finish it in one sitting while waiting in the dentist’s office. This was a very short, very quick read, too light and too quick to be satisfying.

Body of work of Robert B. Parker

Website: http://www.robertbparker.net/

Review: http://www.bookreporter.com/reviews2/0399153233.asp

Robert B. Parker R.I.P.

Robert B. Parker, the much-beloved author of the Spenser series, died of a heart attack on Monday while working at his desk at his home in Cambridge, Mass., at the age of 77. Besides his detective fiction, he wrote westerns and YA books, more than 60 in total.

There are very few authors that make me laugh out loud. The dialogue between Spenser and Hawk often caused a spontaneous guffaw. Robert B. Parker you will be missed!

The Brutal Telling by Louise Penny

I have not read any of Penny’s previous books so the fact that this was a Chief Inspector Gamache novel didn’t mean a great deal to me. Chief Inspector Gamache is not a knock them down and then shoot them protagonist. He is thoughtful and ponders the meaning of the often contradictory clues in this entertaining mystery. Your are really not sure who did what until Penny wraps things up. A murdered stranger strains the bonds of a small, rural community in Quebec. Chief Inspector Gamache and his team descend on the community that apparently has figured prominently in past books.

Penny portrays the Chief Inspector as very introspective. He is a more cerebral hero than found in most detective mysteries. The setting was clearly described to the point that you could almost see the views. I enjoyed the characterizations, the duck and the horses. Penny inserted pathos and humor in this mystery.

I recommend the book.

Body of work of of Louise Penny

Review: http://rhapsodyinbooks.wordpress.com/2009/08/21/review-of-the-brutal-telling-by-louise-penny/

Web Site: http://www.louisepenny.com/

Promise Me By Harlan Coben

I like the hard nose private eye genre. Myron Bolitar isn’t the typical gumshoe. He is too open with his feelings and too insecure in his motivation to be the typical hard nose PI. I like that, it makes him much more believable. In this story Myron sticks his neck out for a couple of teenagers and discovers that is a perilous choice. Having worked with teens, I found a great deal of accuracy in the portrayal of teen behavior. Living in a small town, I also saw distinctly accurate portrayal of small town politics. A good story about risking a great deal in trying to do what you feel is right regardless of what others think you should be doing. Once again the ancillary cast of the story is highly entertaining. I really enjoy this series from Coben and recommend it.

Body of work of Harlan Coben

Web Site: http://www.harlancoben.com/static/novels/nsc.htm

Review: http://www.bookreporter.com/reviews2/0525949496.asp

The Killing Man by Mickey Spillane

Ever since I stumbled on to a John P. McDonald story that was serialized in a newspaper, I have been a fan of the hard boiled detective. Glen Cook’s Garret combines two of my favorite genres, fantasy and hard boiled detective. Spillane is known as a mainstay of this type of story. The book was dated, the technology was obsolete and the vernacular was outmoded. Nevertheless the story was very entertaining. Mike Hammer has a clear picture of how justice should be served and he does his best to give the bad guys their just deserts. A brutal murder in his own office with his faithful Velda injured sets the tone of the book, retribution. A very quick, yet entertaining read.

Body of work of Mickey Spillane

Review: http://www.bookgasm.com/reviews/thrillers/bullets-broads-blackmail-bombs-a-hammer-and-tongs/


Web Site: http://www.bookgasm.com/reviews/thrillers/bullets-broads-blackmail-bombs-a-hammer-and-tongs/

Not really his web site, but a good bibliography. I use this site a great deal to make sure I buy and read series in order. (I know, anality runs amuck.)

Born In Death by J. D. Robb

Mysteries are good, I always enjoy a good mystery. I have read J.D. Robb once before and discovered that Norah Roberts and J. D. Robb share the same body. Hmm, who knew? There is a tiny touch of scifi in the book. The setting is sometime in the near future since the glitzy, tech stuff is not overwhelming. The mystery surrounds murder, adoption, kidnapping and general mayhem. The protagonist and many of the characters are women who appear to be the butt kicking variety. The interaction between the protagonist and her hubby has a couple of steamy pages for those of you who enjoy a tiny little bit of titillation. I had forgotten how much I enjoyed the last book of hers that I had read. I recommend it.


Body of work of J. D. Robb

Review: http://thebestreviews.com/review35778

Web site: http://www.noraroberts.com/jdrobb/

Plum Lovin’ by Janet Evanovich

Knowing full well I am going to be stepping on some toes here, I am mystified as to the fascination with her books. It was a very, quick read, 164 pages and large print, two cups of coffee and you are done. It was light, breezy and in no way intellectually stimulating. Cotton candy comes to mind. It was a mystery and it is a mystery to me why this author is so popular. I guess I will have to track down another of her books to see if this was just a lonely aberration. I don’t recommend it.

Body of work of Janet Evanovich

Review: http://blogcritics.org/archives/2007/01/16/195351.php


Web site: http://www.evanovich.com/

Deal Breaker By Harlan Coben

Coben reminds me of Parker a bit in this novel. His protagonist is physically adept as Spencer and as self depreciatingly ego centric. Myron Bolitar is an ongoing Coben character. This novel introduces him, his associates and his style. Bolitar is an ex-athlete, sports agent, lawyer, former law enforcement agent and investigator. His side kick is a preppy, butt kicking main line elitist. The combination works, the story was a tad confusing but compelling. A very good mystery and I recommend it.

Body of work of Harlan Coben

Web Site: http://www.harlancoben.com/static/novels/nsc.htm

Review: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Deal-Breaker/Harlan-Coben/e/9780440220442

Wizard for Hire by Jim Butcher

This is an omnibus which includes Storm Front, Fool Moon and Grave Peril.
Harry Dresden is a wizard for hire, thus the title. As the only wizard listed in Chicago’s yellow pages, Harry gets a lot of crank calls. The stories evolve around a somewhat inept wizard with a good heart and a Don Quito complex. Harry never seems to accurately calculate the odds and therefore ends up in deep doodoo with great frequency. His relationships with authorities, both mundane in the Police Department and arcane in the White Council are consistently strained. I am fond of the entire genre of the hard boiled detective with a heart of gold and I delight in the exploits of wizardry. I enjoyed all three books and will be seeking out more from the same author.

Body of work of Jim Butcher

Review: http://www.sfsignal.com/archives/004275.html

Web Site: http://www.jim-butcher.com/

The Stone Monkey by Jeffery Deaver

This is a Lincoln Rhyme mystery. Lincoln is a quadriplegic forensic investigator. The plot is focused on illegal Chinese immigration. There is lots of action and many twists and turns. Deaver does a really good job on keeping you guessing at what is coming next. I really like a mystery that keeps me questioning what is going to happen next. Deaver also does a nice job at expressing the frustrations and concerns of someone who is confined and determined not to be “special”. I recommend the book.

Body of work of Jeffery Deaver

Review of the book: http://www.mostlyfiction.com/sleuths/deaver.htm
Page down, it is the third one down.

His site: http://www.jefferydeaver.com/

Blood On the Water by P.N. Elrod

This is the 6th in a series of depression era detective stories. As sequels go, this was better than average. I enjoyed it more than my last Elrod, Fire in the Blood. I find detective stories enjoyable but add the vampire aspect and it becomes positively entertaining. The Vampire aspect is decidedly underplayed. No screaming damsels or gushing blood, more of a how did I get into this fix type of Vampire. I recommend it. It is a very quick read.


Body of work of P.N. Elrod

Site of P.N. Elrod: http://www.vampwriter.com/

Fire in the Blood by P.N. Elrod

This is the 5th in a series of depression era detective stories. I mentioned in the last Elrod review that when I ran across a detective series set shortly after prohibition with a hard nose by soft hearted P.I. as the main character I tried it out. Jack Fleming the main character is a vampire. In this book he confronts areas of his condition and personality that cause him great emotional stress. The story lines are simplistic and even the style seems dated but that doesn’t seem to detract from the enjoyment. If you plan on reading it on a plane, take another book along unless it is a very short flight. It is a very quick read.


Body of work of P.N. Elrod
Site of P.N. Elrod: http://www.vampwriter.com/