THE JAMES DEANS - Moe Prager Series No. 3

by Reed Farrel Coleman

Moe Prager is a former NYC cop, a sometimes PI and half owner of a small upscale chain of wine shops.  He had almost made detective with the NYPD when he was pensioned out because of a serious knee injury.  He and his wife are struggling with their grief following Katy's miscarriage.

Bored to distraction with the retail liquor business, Moe almost doesn't mind when he is bullied into investigating the disappearance of Moira Heaton, a young intern to up and coming State Senator Steven Brightman (a la Chandra Levy and Gary Condit).  Wealthy mover and shaker Thomas Geary has his mind set on backing Brightman for higher office and since Brightman is still under a cloud of suspicion because of Moira's disappearance, Geary strong arms Prager into taking the case to clear Sen. Brightman's name.

THE JAMES DEANS is a good mystery, with plenty of twists and turns.  But the best part is Moe Prager.  He's a likable protagonist, using his luck and hunches to get to the heart of Moira's disappearance as well as providing the reader with the color and flavor of Brooklyn, Coney island and surrounding boroughs.   You can't miss with this one!

Lynn's note:  My son and daughter-in-law bought me a bag of books for Christmas....thank you so much!  Knowing how much I love to read, they're hard pressed to find mystery and thriller authors who are new to me.  One of the books in the bag was THE JAMES DEANS by Mr. Coleman.  

I was in the middle of a bunch of other books and finally started this one on February 12th.  Since then, in the last fourteen days, I've literally plowed through the entire Moe Prager series -- all seven books --and I've loved them all!  One of the nice things about Mr. Coleman's series is that Moe Prager lives his life and ages as the books are written, unlike some other authors' recurring characters who seem to live in a time warp.  

I cannot believe Reed Farrel Coleman's books haven't been as well recognized as others in the mystery/thriller genre.  They are, in a word, TERRIFIC!  Try one, you won't be disappointed!

ISBN 978-0-9792709-8-7
Pub. Date:  varies - 2005 - 2008 - 2012 eBook edition
212 pages
Paperback and eBook

KILLER INSTINCT - Charlie Fox Series No. 1

by Zoe Sharp - available in bookstores

Charlie Fox teaches self defense to women in a small city in England.  When her friend drags her along to a new club for karaoke, Charlie finds herself using her skills to fend off another patron in the club, which doesn't go unnoticed by the club's owner, Marc Quinn.  He quickly offers her a security job at his club.

The same patron is found brutally murdered and Charlie is drawn into the investigation as more women she's been in contact with turn up dead.  Even as her relationship with Marc is heating up, she's convinced that the murderer is someone connected with his club but can't seem to communicate with the police because of her own background.

KILLER INSTINCT was only okay.  It's one of those stories where the main character keeps putting herself at risk; going to places alone that she shouldn't and confronting people who are dangerous without any backup.  The author has given Charlie Fox supernatural self-defense skills and a very stunted personality with too much anger that makes her more annoying than engaging.

You might want to skip this one.