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bethwodzinski's review
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
ogreart's review against another edition
4.0
Junior Bender learns some unsettling truths about his mentor and surrogate father, Herbie, after finding him tortured to death. This leads Junior on a quest to find Herbie's killers and make them pay. There are other, more light-hearted, parts to the book. It is not all doom and gloom. Hallinan continues to allow certain characters to grow and deepen. I am more than glad that Audible put these in their Plus catalog.
lisanussd's review
4.0
"Talking is old media. Talk is never precise, and when it is precise, it's usually untrue. Information gets reprioritized by the brain or muddled by qualifiers or misshapen by emotions when it's said out loud. Or it's misheard..." this is one of my favorite quotes in the book.
After reading so many mysteries, I am curious if this really counts as a mystery? It feels more like a whodunit...what's the difference? I actually bought this book in hardback because I knew that my husband and I would both enjoy it! The dialog and observations are witty and appealing. This is the fourth in the series, so I still enjoy every sentence but it has lost a little bit of it's thrill since I am used to his style.
After reading so many mysteries, I am curious if this really counts as a mystery? It feels more like a whodunit...what's the difference? I actually bought this book in hardback because I knew that my husband and I would both enjoy it! The dialog and observations are witty and appealing. This is the fourth in the series, so I still enjoy every sentence but it has lost a little bit of it's thrill since I am used to his style.
alisa4books's review
4.0
One of my favorite crime series ever. This one fell apart a bit near the climax but still engaging.
soulkissed2003's review
4.0
In modern day Los Angeles, the local criminals are all on edge. Something has gone terribly wrong, and they are being picked off, one by one. Junior Bender, professional burglar, decides to get involved when his mentor, Herbie, is murdered. Junior vows to track down the killer and exact revenge, for Herbie's sake. For lack of a better father figure, Herbie was the closest thing Junior ever had. He figures he owes him.
But things are more complicated than they seem. Who can you trust in a network of people who have been living under the radar of the law for years? As Junior digs deeper, trying to solve the murder before he becomes the next victim, he realizes that not even Herbie was all that he seemed to be. Junior has to decide if pursuing the killer is worth his life, or the lives of his ex-wife and daughter. On the other hand, if he does not figure it out, he may be looking over his shoulder for the rest of his life!
The author brings us a thrilling chase involving seedy characters from the city. It has a bit of an old time gangster feel to it. Junior is no hero, but you'll find yourself rooting for him to figure things out, just the same. Occasionally, a spot of well placed, wry humor breaks the tension of the suspenseful pace of the story.
This novel from Soho Crime was released on July 15, 2014, with a suggested retail price of $25.00. ISBN: 9781616954291. Look for other titles in the Junior Bender series, such as Crashed and The Fame Thief.
But things are more complicated than they seem. Who can you trust in a network of people who have been living under the radar of the law for years? As Junior digs deeper, trying to solve the murder before he becomes the next victim, he realizes that not even Herbie was all that he seemed to be. Junior has to decide if pursuing the killer is worth his life, or the lives of his ex-wife and daughter. On the other hand, if he does not figure it out, he may be looking over his shoulder for the rest of his life!
The author brings us a thrilling chase involving seedy characters from the city. It has a bit of an old time gangster feel to it. Junior is no hero, but you'll find yourself rooting for him to figure things out, just the same. Occasionally, a spot of well placed, wry humor breaks the tension of the suspenseful pace of the story.
This novel from Soho Crime was released on July 15, 2014, with a suggested retail price of $25.00. ISBN: 9781616954291. Look for other titles in the Junior Bender series, such as Crashed and The Fame Thief.
justasking27's review
4.0
I think this book took me so long to read mostly because I never wanted it to end. Junior Bender is my new favorite burglar detective. I will definitely be looking for other books in the series.
vkemp's review
4.0
Junior Bender is the guy crooks turn to when they need help. He is a burglar, trained by the great Herbie Mott, initiated into Herbie's Game. When Wattles loses a piece of paper, he hires Junior to find it and Junior immediately knows Herbie is the thief. But then Herbie is murdered and the bodies begin to pile up. Junior has to hire some hitters to look after his ex-wife and daughter. As Junior pursues the various people who might have had a hand in Herbie's death, he learns his mentor might have had feet of clay. Junior faces a philosophical dilemma, which he ponders in typical Junior manner. This is an extremely entertaining series and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys caper novels.
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