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Liam Quinn Mysteries #1
Quinn Checks In
An ex-con making amends. A missing Dutch master. A thrilling whodunit...
Liam Quinn has a second chance. Released after four years in prison for art forgery, a connection helps him get a job as an expert insurance investigator. But a gallery robbery is about to throw his new plans for a loop...
Quinn is a good man who has made mistakes. His large Irish American family are leery of his past, and having two police officers in the family doesn't help. The entire department mistrusts him, and half the town wants his head.
His chance for retribution rests on recovering a multi-million-dollar missing painting... if the local mob doesn't kill him first.
Wit, action and backstory... what more could you want?" -- J. Michael Orenduff, author of "The Pot Thief" mysteries.
More than 500,000 readers have already discovered the entire series of Liam Quinn mysteries!
Liam Quinn has a second chance. Released after four years in prison for art forgery, a connection helps him get a job as an expert insurance investigator. But a gallery robbery is about to throw his new plans for a loop...
Quinn is a good man who has made mistakes. His large Irish American family are leery of his past, and having two police officers in the family doesn't help. The entire department mistrusts him, and half the town wants his head.
His chance for retribution rests on recovering a multi-million-dollar missing painting... if the local mob doesn't kill him first.
Wit, action and backstory... what more could you want?" -- J. Michael Orenduff, author of "The Pot Thief" mysteries.
More than 500,000 readers have already discovered the entire series of Liam Quinn mysteries!
Kindle Edition
First published April 4, 2012
810 people are currently reading
1,691 people want to read
About the author
Ian Loome
32Ìýbooks134ÌýfollowersHave you reviewed one of my books?
I formerly wrote under the pennames "Sam Powers" and "LH Thomson". I was offline for most of the last five years! Send me an email at [email protected] if you're interested in a review copy of my latest.
Would you like to try my writing?
Grab a couple of free novels at
Ian Loome originally published novels as 'LH Thomson' and 'Sam Powers' before consolidating them under his own name in 2021.
He grew up in Africa, England and Canada. A former journalist, he was born in Libya and spent much of his youth in Africa in a communist dictatorship. A weekend tennis match was often against a member of the KGB or East German Stasi. He has lived around the world and covered stories ranging violent crime to features and celebrity interviews.
He served several stints as a legislature reporter, assignment editor and newsroom manager.
He writes the Liam Quinn Mysteries, the Joe Brennan spy novels and numerous stand-alone titles. In his spare time, he plays blues guitar and has toured with a radio charting blues band.
On the autism and ADHD spectrums, he lives with his partner Lori in Canada.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 171 reviews
January 16, 2015
Some of my fellow Goodreaders quake when they plan to post a one-star review. I'm a meanie, and tend to dish those out with ease, whereas the opposite end of the scale tends to make me more nervous.
I suppose that just shows what a mean old grouch I am, to be stingy with my stars. Today I'm going to break out of the meanie mold and award four stars to a piece of fiction that didn't make me ponder about the meaning of the universe, but which I did find pretty entertaining.
Right from the start, one realizes that Quinn is not the kind of guy you want to meet in a fist fight. Unless he is on your side. He knows how to pack his punches, that is for sure.
The typical hard-boiled PI style which Thompson adopts, with a half tongue in cheek nod to the hard-boiled classics set me off on a quest. A quest to figure out how apt if would be for me to put Quinn in the 'hard-boiled' genre.
Definition of 'hard-boiled fiction', per Wikipedia: Hardboiled (or hard-boiled) fiction is a literary style, most commonly associated with crime fiction (especially detective stories), and distinguished by the unsentimental portrayal of violence and sometimes sex. The style was pioneered by Carroll John Daly in the mid-1920s, popularized by Dashiell Hammett over the course of the decade, and refined by Raymond Chandler beginning in the late 1930s.
...but despite his tall dark handsomeness and tough street-smarts, compared to Perry Mason, Sam Spade and Philip Marlowe, and definitely compared to Mike Hammer, Quinn is a big ol' softie, a real person, not a cardboard cut-out. Quinn doesn't kill or maim, not even bad guys ...and to turn the shade even greyer, Quinn is an ex-con himself who stands with his feet planted on either side of the rails.
His father and brother are cops, and the other brother a preacher. ..and Quinn himself did some time for having been a naughty boy, and consequently has contacts in the underworld - which he uses to forward justice in an almost style twist. Quinn works on his own, but like many of the Leverage operators, he is now working FOR law and order.
Herein lies a lot of Quinn's charm. Unlike the PI heroes of the pulps, Quinn is a real person; a person with a grumpy set of parents whom he loves, a family that feels realistic, ..and well, where have you ever heard of a painter/artist before that is also a boxer and a street-smart PI? Truth is stranger than fiction, they say, but Thompson manages to make the Quinn character ring true. In fact, I loved the complex characterization and the shifting colors in this series debut.
I like that LH Thompson is saying that the bad guys aren't all bad, and the good guys aren't white beings with wings and shiny halo's. What I also like is that, mixed into all this greyness and de-construction of cliché 's, it is clear to the reader when Thompson is using a cliché as a cliché to good effect, - such as for instance "Vin The Shin," whom I thought was quite humorously drawn as a deliberate cliché, - and when he is actually throwing a cliché belly-up.
Here is a PI story that doesn't deal in death, that doesn't reflect just black-and-white, and that makes you wonder where the Quinn series is going to go. I for one, certainly plan to find out, and have booked a copy of the next Quinn already.
Oh, and not to mention: there's a little dash of romance as well, that keeps you wondering about how it will develop as the series continues.
Time will tell, but for now, I'm with Quinn.
{Oh, and in the name of full transparency, i want to mention that i befriended LH Thompson before i read any of his novels, after reading some of his blog posts and after reading some of his posts here on GR. I sent him the friend request, just because he seemed an interesting and intelligent person to chat with,- he did not solicit my friendship, neither did he solicit a review from me. Just so you know.}
I suppose that just shows what a mean old grouch I am, to be stingy with my stars. Today I'm going to break out of the meanie mold and award four stars to a piece of fiction that didn't make me ponder about the meaning of the universe, but which I did find pretty entertaining.
Right from the start, one realizes that Quinn is not the kind of guy you want to meet in a fist fight. Unless he is on your side. He knows how to pack his punches, that is for sure.
The typical hard-boiled PI style which Thompson adopts, with a half tongue in cheek nod to the hard-boiled classics set me off on a quest. A quest to figure out how apt if would be for me to put Quinn in the 'hard-boiled' genre.
Definition of 'hard-boiled fiction', per Wikipedia: Hardboiled (or hard-boiled) fiction is a literary style, most commonly associated with crime fiction (especially detective stories), and distinguished by the unsentimental portrayal of violence and sometimes sex. The style was pioneered by Carroll John Daly in the mid-1920s, popularized by Dashiell Hammett over the course of the decade, and refined by Raymond Chandler beginning in the late 1930s.
...but despite his tall dark handsomeness and tough street-smarts, compared to Perry Mason, Sam Spade and Philip Marlowe, and definitely compared to Mike Hammer, Quinn is a big ol' softie, a real person, not a cardboard cut-out. Quinn doesn't kill or maim, not even bad guys ...and to turn the shade even greyer, Quinn is an ex-con himself who stands with his feet planted on either side of the rails.
His father and brother are cops, and the other brother a preacher. ..and Quinn himself did some time for having been a naughty boy, and consequently has contacts in the underworld - which he uses to forward justice in an almost style twist. Quinn works on his own, but like many of the Leverage operators, he is now working FOR law and order.
Herein lies a lot of Quinn's charm. Unlike the PI heroes of the pulps, Quinn is a real person; a person with a grumpy set of parents whom he loves, a family that feels realistic, ..and well, where have you ever heard of a painter/artist before that is also a boxer and a street-smart PI? Truth is stranger than fiction, they say, but Thompson manages to make the Quinn character ring true. In fact, I loved the complex characterization and the shifting colors in this series debut.
I like that LH Thompson is saying that the bad guys aren't all bad, and the good guys aren't white beings with wings and shiny halo's. What I also like is that, mixed into all this greyness and de-construction of cliché 's, it is clear to the reader when Thompson is using a cliché as a cliché to good effect, - such as for instance "Vin The Shin," whom I thought was quite humorously drawn as a deliberate cliché, - and when he is actually throwing a cliché belly-up.
Here is a PI story that doesn't deal in death, that doesn't reflect just black-and-white, and that makes you wonder where the Quinn series is going to go. I for one, certainly plan to find out, and have booked a copy of the next Quinn already.
Oh, and not to mention: there's a little dash of romance as well, that keeps you wondering about how it will develop as the series continues.
Time will tell, but for now, I'm with Quinn.
{Oh, and in the name of full transparency, i want to mention that i befriended LH Thompson before i read any of his novels, after reading some of his blog posts and after reading some of his posts here on GR. I sent him the friend request, just because he seemed an interesting and intelligent person to chat with,- he did not solicit my friendship, neither did he solicit a review from me. Just so you know.}
April 16, 2015
There are equal amounts I like and dislike about this book.
Likes:
- The set-up of an art forger who has served his time and is trying to ‘go straight� and pay of his debts by working as an insurance investigator.
- The local colour and the detail surrounding the city of Philadelphia and its various neighbourhoods.
- The large family that surround the the wayward Quinn, who love him but struggle to forgive him for his misdeeds.
- Most of all, Quinn himself. He’s a well drawn character with a sense of humour and a degree of self deprecation that draws the reader in. I wanted him to succeed and cared what happened to him.
Dislikes:
- The story was a little confusing, with lots of players, and it seemed to mix too many elements. I’d have preferred a simpler structure with more of the characters fleshed out.
- Some of the players read like caricatures of the type of people you’d expect to find in a hardboiled crime novel � the local gangster who can’t quite string a proper sentence together, the supportive ex-cop dad who has his own stool at the bar, the matriarchal mum who demands attendance at dinner every Sunday�
- Loose ends are tied up far too neatly (almost obsessively) � a job is found for a good lad, a wrong’un boyfriend gets his comeuppance� and other examples dotted around.
- Worst of all, the terrible Agatha Christie style ‘group tell� at the end fails to elicit a proper solution to the main crime we’ve been following! Unforgivable.
So, I’m somewhere between a rating of 2 or 3. As I’m in a generous mood, 3 it is.
Likes:
- The set-up of an art forger who has served his time and is trying to ‘go straight� and pay of his debts by working as an insurance investigator.
- The local colour and the detail surrounding the city of Philadelphia and its various neighbourhoods.
- The large family that surround the the wayward Quinn, who love him but struggle to forgive him for his misdeeds.
- Most of all, Quinn himself. He’s a well drawn character with a sense of humour and a degree of self deprecation that draws the reader in. I wanted him to succeed and cared what happened to him.
Dislikes:
- The story was a little confusing, with lots of players, and it seemed to mix too many elements. I’d have preferred a simpler structure with more of the characters fleshed out.
- Some of the players read like caricatures of the type of people you’d expect to find in a hardboiled crime novel � the local gangster who can’t quite string a proper sentence together, the supportive ex-cop dad who has his own stool at the bar, the matriarchal mum who demands attendance at dinner every Sunday�
- Loose ends are tied up far too neatly (almost obsessively) � a job is found for a good lad, a wrong’un boyfriend gets his comeuppance� and other examples dotted around.
- Worst of all, the terrible Agatha Christie style ‘group tell� at the end fails to elicit a proper solution to the main crime we’ve been following! Unforgivable.
So, I’m somewhere between a rating of 2 or 3. As I’m in a generous mood, 3 it is.
March 28, 2016
After Liam Quinn was released from prison for art forgery, he was lucky enough to be offered a chance to redeem himself. His father was a cop; his father’s mate offered him the job of insurance investigator, freelance. Quinn worked hard and as an ex-boxer, could handle himself in tight situations. Which of course he found himself in when coming up against the criminals he was trying to catch.
When Quinn was given the latest investigation of an art gallery robbery, he knew the commission would pay some of his debts � IF he could find the valuable artwork in one piece. But he found himself in danger for his life � the bad guys obviously didn’t want him to continue asking his questions. Would Quinn find the answers and the artwork? Or would he end up like the latest bodies that had been found?
Quinn Checks In by L.H. Thomson in the first in the Liam Quinn Mystery series � filled with bad guys, mobsters and criminals, Quinn sorts them out one way or the other. He’s tough on the outside; soft on the inside and loves his mother � she’s the only one who can tell him what to do! A light mystery which is quick and easy to read.
When Quinn was given the latest investigation of an art gallery robbery, he knew the commission would pay some of his debts � IF he could find the valuable artwork in one piece. But he found himself in danger for his life � the bad guys obviously didn’t want him to continue asking his questions. Would Quinn find the answers and the artwork? Or would he end up like the latest bodies that had been found?
Quinn Checks In by L.H. Thomson in the first in the Liam Quinn Mystery series � filled with bad guys, mobsters and criminals, Quinn sorts them out one way or the other. He’s tough on the outside; soft on the inside and loves his mother � she’s the only one who can tell him what to do! A light mystery which is quick and easy to read.
October 8, 2012
Main character Liam is from the typical immigrant neighborhood. He's of Irish decent and his mother expects her boys home every Sunday for family dinner. His father is a retired police officer, one brother is a priest, one a businessman, and one of course following in the old man's footsteps. Liam was expected to be the boxer of the family. Much to his father's chagrin he graduates with an Art Degree. He gets caught up in the wrong crowd and ends up using his talents forging paintings. He gets busted and does some time in the pen. Being an ex-con doesn't leave a lot open to him. He's on probation and banned from picking up a paint brush.
A childhood friend, Nora's father, takes him under his wing and gives him a job as a PI for his insurance firm. Liam takes cases and makes sure everything is on the up and up or bust people trying to scam the insurance company. The opening is of him busting a biker that was supposedly dead and his "old lady" was waiting to cash in on his life insurance. He lays the biker and the biker's friend out cold in a pool hall when they try to use his head as a baseball with a pool cue.
He gets a case of a painting robbery that is just a bit hinkey. While going around to question witnesses to the crime he is jumped by tough guys, picked up for lunch with the local mob boss, and other exciting run ins. And he's fighting his love for long time "BF" Nora. He's always been in love for her, but never thought he was good enough for her. So, he settles for being best friends with her. But how does Nora really feel?
This was a really fun book for me. I can't quite put my finger on what exactly it is, but this book reminds me a bit of reading my fave Nero Wolfe novels. There is something about Liam that reminds me of Archie Baldwin from those novels. They just share that same "feel" for me. I LOVE those books. If you are a fan of Nero's I would definitely suggest reading this book to you. If you haven't had the privilege to read any of Rex Stout's Nero books and enjoy this one I would suggest you go to the local library and give those a go. Either way, I would definitely give this a go.
A childhood friend, Nora's father, takes him under his wing and gives him a job as a PI for his insurance firm. Liam takes cases and makes sure everything is on the up and up or bust people trying to scam the insurance company. The opening is of him busting a biker that was supposedly dead and his "old lady" was waiting to cash in on his life insurance. He lays the biker and the biker's friend out cold in a pool hall when they try to use his head as a baseball with a pool cue.
He gets a case of a painting robbery that is just a bit hinkey. While going around to question witnesses to the crime he is jumped by tough guys, picked up for lunch with the local mob boss, and other exciting run ins. And he's fighting his love for long time "BF" Nora. He's always been in love for her, but never thought he was good enough for her. So, he settles for being best friends with her. But how does Nora really feel?
This was a really fun book for me. I can't quite put my finger on what exactly it is, but this book reminds me a bit of reading my fave Nero Wolfe novels. There is something about Liam that reminds me of Archie Baldwin from those novels. They just share that same "feel" for me. I LOVE those books. If you are a fan of Nero's I would definitely suggest reading this book to you. If you haven't had the privilege to read any of Rex Stout's Nero books and enjoy this one I would suggest you go to the local library and give those a go. Either way, I would definitely give this a go.
September 28, 2012
It’s not often that I would use movies as a reference but this book reminded me of a more PG version of Boondock Saints, except that it was set in Philadelphia, PA, instead of the Boston Area. The reason to why it reminds me of this movie is because of the fact that you’ve got a tight knit community. Where a bar or pub, whichever you prefer to call it, where your treated like family. And the good guy goes out to catch the bad guy that is messing with someone in his community, differences are that, Quinn isn't a vigilante, his father wasn't harmed in anyway, and it's only one guy instead of two. I think it was the tight knit community, and the pub, and the fact Quinn goes out and kicks some major tail. This is basically set in neighborhoods that are filled with Blue collar workers, most of them being cops whether retired or active.
What surprised me most is that Quinn, who is obviously the main character was an ex-boxer, ex-con, who loves art and painting. It’s not very often that you see character such as this. Which in the whole made it more intriguing to read this book; it starts off with him finishing up one of his cases. Then goes into where he picks up a major case, and then picks up another case which is slightly minor to the bigger case, also pays out more. With Quinn being an ex-con his job resources were highly limited so his childhood best friend’s dad, had given him a chance as an Insurance Investigator that only works on commission.
So he starts working on both cases the major one being an art gallery robbery, the minor being a robbery at a stadium, with about a dozen kegs stolen. Throughout this story Quinn meets up with some interesting characters and some quite scary (like mob scary). He runs through putting puzzle pieces together about both cases, plus kicking some major ass in the meantime, and all done without guns, quite masterful if you ask me. It’s like Jason Statham without his guns, but still kicking major ass.
All in all its one hell of a book, it’s got some crime drama, some mystery, some action, and it also kind of reminds me of Scooby-Doo when Velma figures out the bad guy and goes to unmask him. And I LOVE Scooby-Doo! This is not my typical genre that I read, but I’m going to say I am quite excited about Quinn’s next book. Wonder what trouble he’ll get himself into this time, and maybe JUST maybe he’ll finally tell Nora what he feels. So we shall see.
What surprised me most is that Quinn, who is obviously the main character was an ex-boxer, ex-con, who loves art and painting. It’s not very often that you see character such as this. Which in the whole made it more intriguing to read this book; it starts off with him finishing up one of his cases. Then goes into where he picks up a major case, and then picks up another case which is slightly minor to the bigger case, also pays out more. With Quinn being an ex-con his job resources were highly limited so his childhood best friend’s dad, had given him a chance as an Insurance Investigator that only works on commission.
So he starts working on both cases the major one being an art gallery robbery, the minor being a robbery at a stadium, with about a dozen kegs stolen. Throughout this story Quinn meets up with some interesting characters and some quite scary (like mob scary). He runs through putting puzzle pieces together about both cases, plus kicking some major ass in the meantime, and all done without guns, quite masterful if you ask me. It’s like Jason Statham without his guns, but still kicking major ass.
All in all its one hell of a book, it’s got some crime drama, some mystery, some action, and it also kind of reminds me of Scooby-Doo when Velma figures out the bad guy and goes to unmask him. And I LOVE Scooby-Doo! This is not my typical genre that I read, but I’m going to say I am quite excited about Quinn’s next book. Wonder what trouble he’ll get himself into this time, and maybe JUST maybe he’ll finally tell Nora what he feels. So we shall see.
November 21, 2012
This was a really enjoyable, gritty mystery. Set in Philadelphia, Quinn has recently been released from prison where he was serving a term for art forgery. Now, working as an insurance investigator, he becomes involved in the mystery of a stolen painting.
I liked the main character, Quinn. He's a no-nonsense kind of guy who wants to stay on the straight and narrow but isn't afraid to get his hands a little dirty if he needs to. As an ex-boxer, he knows how to use his body to his advantage and gives as good as he gets. At the same time, he has a heart. When it comes to women he's got a blind spot but that only makes him more likeable. I also liked that he has a soft spot for Nora (his childhood love) and doesn't just jump into bed with anyone in a skirt.
The neighborhood and the supporting characters set the scenes nicely. In fact, the neighborhood could almost be considered a supporting character in itself. The author includes a lot of details that make you feel how close-knit the community is and does a great job giving you a glimpse into it. Irish mothers who expect you home for Sunday dinner, brothers who are cops and priests, a local bar where everyone hangs out - all of these things set the stage but also make you understand Quinn all the more.
I didn't really care for some of the dialogue and the accents the author used. He tries to use a local "Philly speak" while I see what he was going for in trying to submerge the reader into the world, I don't think it came off as totally authentic. There were a few moments that seemed cheesy to me. When Quinn himself speaks it drove me a little crazy that he went back and forth between using proper speech and falling into local accent. It didn't seem to me that he was consistent.
As for plot, I enjoyed it. I didn't know where the story was going which is nice. It's always a little frustrating and disappointing to me when I can predict the ending way ahead of time. Here, I had no idea where things were going until the final reveal. Everything was resolved nicely but also set up well for the next book in the series.
All in all, this was a very enjoyable first entry in the series and I would be interested in seeing where Quinn goes from here.
I liked the main character, Quinn. He's a no-nonsense kind of guy who wants to stay on the straight and narrow but isn't afraid to get his hands a little dirty if he needs to. As an ex-boxer, he knows how to use his body to his advantage and gives as good as he gets. At the same time, he has a heart. When it comes to women he's got a blind spot but that only makes him more likeable. I also liked that he has a soft spot for Nora (his childhood love) and doesn't just jump into bed with anyone in a skirt.
The neighborhood and the supporting characters set the scenes nicely. In fact, the neighborhood could almost be considered a supporting character in itself. The author includes a lot of details that make you feel how close-knit the community is and does a great job giving you a glimpse into it. Irish mothers who expect you home for Sunday dinner, brothers who are cops and priests, a local bar where everyone hangs out - all of these things set the stage but also make you understand Quinn all the more.
I didn't really care for some of the dialogue and the accents the author used. He tries to use a local "Philly speak" while I see what he was going for in trying to submerge the reader into the world, I don't think it came off as totally authentic. There were a few moments that seemed cheesy to me. When Quinn himself speaks it drove me a little crazy that he went back and forth between using proper speech and falling into local accent. It didn't seem to me that he was consistent.
As for plot, I enjoyed it. I didn't know where the story was going which is nice. It's always a little frustrating and disappointing to me when I can predict the ending way ahead of time. Here, I had no idea where things were going until the final reveal. Everything was resolved nicely but also set up well for the next book in the series.
All in all, this was a very enjoyable first entry in the series and I would be interested in seeing where Quinn goes from here.
February 25, 2014
Reminiscent of Dennis LeHane’s Kenzie and Gennaro novels, L.H. Thomson’s first Liam Quinn mystery is smoothly written, convincingly voiced, fast-paced, gritty and fun. Ex-forger, ex-boxer, Quinn has betrayed his family’s well-policed heritage, but now he’s trying to make amends with a job investigating insurance frauds.
The novel’s set in Philadelphia and moves smoothly between evocatively different zones, from Irish pubs, to rich mansions and everywhere in between. Italian mobsters, scheming lawyers, cheating boyfriends and down-at-heel teens all play their part as stolen booze, a stolen painting, and a wonderful girl, who’s surely way out of his league, vie for the protagonist’s attention. Meanwhile Mom cooks the perfect Sunday dinner, Quinn really should have gone to church, and his father’s friends can’t resist teasing him for his time behind bars.
It’s a fun story, well-plotted, quick-witted, good-humored, gritty, and with just the right level of humor and humanity. The dialog’s great. The action’s convincing—even when Quinn’s dodging bullets. And I can't imagine why I've not seen this series on the shelves of all the local bookstores.
Disclosure: The author asked if I’d be willing to review a free ecopy. I just might have to buy a paperback now so my husband can enjoy it too.
The novel’s set in Philadelphia and moves smoothly between evocatively different zones, from Irish pubs, to rich mansions and everywhere in between. Italian mobsters, scheming lawyers, cheating boyfriends and down-at-heel teens all play their part as stolen booze, a stolen painting, and a wonderful girl, who’s surely way out of his league, vie for the protagonist’s attention. Meanwhile Mom cooks the perfect Sunday dinner, Quinn really should have gone to church, and his father’s friends can’t resist teasing him for his time behind bars.
It’s a fun story, well-plotted, quick-witted, good-humored, gritty, and with just the right level of humor and humanity. The dialog’s great. The action’s convincing—even when Quinn’s dodging bullets. And I can't imagine why I've not seen this series on the shelves of all the local bookstores.
Disclosure: The author asked if I’d be willing to review a free ecopy. I just might have to buy a paperback now so my husband can enjoy it too.
June 12, 2012
This is the second book I have read by L.H.Thomson. They were totally different, but I loved both of them. The author has a great writing style that keeps you quickly turning the pages to see what will happen next. "Quinn Checks In" is about an insurance investigator, Liam Quinn, who solves two cases at the same time. Throw in some fist fights, murders, family problems and a mom who wants him home every Sunday for dinner and you have a really great book. Oh, and I forgot about the girl he has loved forever, but can't get up the nerve to tell her. Quinn's life is quite an action packed adventure. I will certainly read more books by this author and hope he has a long series with Liam Quinn as the main character.
January 4, 2020
Thomson's Quinn seems an unlikely hero.ÌýÌý Ex boxer, ex art forger, ex-con; thanks to some strings pulled by the father of his childhood best friend, he's now working insurance investigations.ÌýÌý But he's a hometown Irish son of Philly and his honesty and personality will have you rooting for him early on.ÌýÌý A few twists. Some unexpected turns.Ìý Thomson weaves an old school gumshoe tale that you can't put down till it's done.ÌýÌý And if you're like me, you'll hurry on out to see what the next adventure brings.
Not your usual cozy sleuth, Liam Quin will become part of your circle none-the-less.
A great read, I highly recommend!
Not your usual cozy sleuth, Liam Quin will become part of your circle none-the-less.
A great read, I highly recommend!
January 28, 2022
Between 3.5 and 4 stars. I enjoyed this book although it reminded me a little of the Spenser series. The only real complaint I had was that it needed better editing.
I will definitely look into more in this series.
I will definitely look into more in this series.
February 26, 2021
Read for PopSugar Reading Challenge 2021 - Prompt 32 - Book starting with Q, X, or Z.
January 4, 2016
Looking around for some new authors to read for 2016, I stumbled upon L.H. Thomson. He has written a series of nine "Quinn" books. Reading over the reviews for, "Quinn Checks In", the first book in his series I was intrigued. Most of the reviews made me do double takes while reading. ( Think famous actor- Edgar Kennedy). One review called it the Philadelphia "Boonstock Saint's". ( A movie I really hated). Taking place in Philadelphia, and written by a guy born in Africa, and now living many years in Canada, I had to check this one out. In less than ten minutes I was hooked. Liam Quinn the middle son of three boys belonging to Al and Maureen Quinn. Al spent 30 years as a Philly cop and now all but lives in a local cop bar called "Druid". With an older brother who became a priest, and younger brother who became a Philly cop, Liam is the family odd ball. As a teenager Quinn gave up on a possible boxing career to go to art school. Before long Quinn was an expert painting forger busted and doing three years in prison. After getting out, the wealthy and powerful Ramon Garcia de Soria hires Quinn to be an investigator for his company- Philadelphia Mutual Insurance Company. Quinn works strictly on commission. He has a $250K fine to pay back to the state in restitution hanging over his head too. When a Vermeer gets stolen in a brazen robbery at the gallery of John Degoey ,the PMI may be out millions in insurance coverage. It's the bosses daughter, and Liam's best friend from eighth grade- Nora Garcia de Soria, up and coming curator for the Philadelphia Museum of Art the reason Liam has a job with PMI. Ramon and his family have been very good to Liam over the years. Liam's family more or less still hold prison over his head. Luckily Nora is good friends with the manager of the robbed gallery. Alison Pace has known Nora since college and is relieved Nora has sent Liam to help investigate.. Before long Liam is drawn into a world of art forgery, and thefts. Also he must find out why an armored car heist and gallery robbery are related. Dealing with a whole host of witty, unique Philadelphia characters this yarn never has a dull moment. Just over 200 pages that fly at super sonic speed, this one packs a wollop to be sure. Car chases and evil mobsters pop up throughout providing plenty of action. The end with a few pretty goods twists was clever itself. I enjoyed this book so much, I've already downloaded the other eight "Quinn" books onto my Kindle. I like that the book has a very Philadelphia flavor and feel. The dialog is spot on, as is the descriptions of Fishtown and other neighborhoods. Philadelphia really is a city comprised of many neighborhoods. Five stars out of possible five stars for , "Quinn Checks In", a interesting mystery thriller that was really fun to check out. "Youse" really should give this one a read.
May 22, 2012
Quinn Checks in by L.H. Thomson
Mystery series featuring insurance investigator, Liam Quinn
Kindle $2.99
Link:
Liam Quinn is a product of Philadelphia's aptly named, Fishtown; a rough, elderly neighborhood out of which he develops a talent for boxing and a love for art. He has a dad and a brother on the police force, and an unfortunate three-year prison tern for art forgery.
Now he's on the right side of the law with a nifty license to investigate insurance claims, courtesy of a family connection, though his unrequited love for his boss's daughter keeps tripping him up. The author makes the most of Liam's adoration of Nora in the fewest of words: "She'd always had that effect on me; that voodoo that caught my gaze and held it suspended, elevated, like a kite in an updraft." (sigh)
In his latest case, Liam must investigate a robbery that at first glance seems to be a grab and run of an original Vermeer in a swank modern art gallery. The nice fat reward for its return would do a lot towards paying off his restitution to the state.
But there's more to the story than the one expensive painting. Like, why did the two robbers choose only the one painting in a gallery full of other expensive, if contemporary pieces? And why does one of the robbers linger next to another painting, but out of range of the security cameras? And why do the post robbery photos show that same painting to hang askew?
The author gives the reader a painterly introduction to Liam's life, his friends, most of whom are ex-cons, as well as his Irish relatives; his warm and welcoming Irish parents, his truculent cop brother who is incapable of accepting Liam the incarcerated as a respectable investigator.
Liam dodges bullets, punches� okay, some not so much, mob-types, and all sorts of lovely women in this bright, witty and wonderfully complex first in the Liam Quinn mystery series.
Highly recommended!
Mystery series featuring insurance investigator, Liam Quinn
Kindle $2.99
Link:
Liam Quinn is a product of Philadelphia's aptly named, Fishtown; a rough, elderly neighborhood out of which he develops a talent for boxing and a love for art. He has a dad and a brother on the police force, and an unfortunate three-year prison tern for art forgery.
Now he's on the right side of the law with a nifty license to investigate insurance claims, courtesy of a family connection, though his unrequited love for his boss's daughter keeps tripping him up. The author makes the most of Liam's adoration of Nora in the fewest of words: "She'd always had that effect on me; that voodoo that caught my gaze and held it suspended, elevated, like a kite in an updraft." (sigh)
In his latest case, Liam must investigate a robbery that at first glance seems to be a grab and run of an original Vermeer in a swank modern art gallery. The nice fat reward for its return would do a lot towards paying off his restitution to the state.
But there's more to the story than the one expensive painting. Like, why did the two robbers choose only the one painting in a gallery full of other expensive, if contemporary pieces? And why does one of the robbers linger next to another painting, but out of range of the security cameras? And why do the post robbery photos show that same painting to hang askew?
The author gives the reader a painterly introduction to Liam's life, his friends, most of whom are ex-cons, as well as his Irish relatives; his warm and welcoming Irish parents, his truculent cop brother who is incapable of accepting Liam the incarcerated as a respectable investigator.
Liam dodges bullets, punches� okay, some not so much, mob-types, and all sorts of lovely women in this bright, witty and wonderfully complex first in the Liam Quinn mystery series.
Highly recommended!
December 28, 2013
Had Me Hooked From The Start
From the opening lines of Quinn Checks In I was hooked. Literally, the opening sequence was so cleverly done that I knew I had see what else L.H. Thomson (new to me, but he has a good-sized list of titles) had to offer in this book.
Liam Quinn is an artist gone bad but then turned back to the good. He used to make money making copies of someone else's art and then selling it as the real thing. But, once he was caught and went to prison he straightened out and now works as an insurance investigator in his hometown of Philadelphia. He does a little bit of everything but he is really on the payroll as the art expert. He is also working off the court-ordered restitution for his criminal past.
But, things are not all wonderful for Liam Quinn. His father was a beat cop and one of his brothers still is. It is hard for a cop to have an ex-con brother. But, Quinn keeps on plugging along.
Quinn gets a big art case that comes with a big reward for him if the insurance company can find the art rather than pay for it. An art gallery was robbed during the middle of an art showing (there was a party, food, people standing around, etc.) and only one piece of art was stolen, which seems odd because you could make even more money if you stole more art.
So, Quinn gets the case and starts investigating and soon enough finds himself being questioned by the police, a local mafia figure and, even worse, he must answer to his mother about missing her Sunday dinner!
The mystery in this mystery story is just so-so. But...
Read more at:
From the opening lines of Quinn Checks In I was hooked. Literally, the opening sequence was so cleverly done that I knew I had see what else L.H. Thomson (new to me, but he has a good-sized list of titles) had to offer in this book.
Liam Quinn is an artist gone bad but then turned back to the good. He used to make money making copies of someone else's art and then selling it as the real thing. But, once he was caught and went to prison he straightened out and now works as an insurance investigator in his hometown of Philadelphia. He does a little bit of everything but he is really on the payroll as the art expert. He is also working off the court-ordered restitution for his criminal past.
But, things are not all wonderful for Liam Quinn. His father was a beat cop and one of his brothers still is. It is hard for a cop to have an ex-con brother. But, Quinn keeps on plugging along.
Quinn gets a big art case that comes with a big reward for him if the insurance company can find the art rather than pay for it. An art gallery was robbed during the middle of an art showing (there was a party, food, people standing around, etc.) and only one piece of art was stolen, which seems odd because you could make even more money if you stole more art.
So, Quinn gets the case and starts investigating and soon enough finds himself being questioned by the police, a local mafia figure and, even worse, he must answer to his mother about missing her Sunday dinner!
The mystery in this mystery story is just so-so. But...
Read more at:
August 10, 2016
I had a really good time reading Quinn Checks In. It reminded me a lot of the old black and white investigator tv shows, like Perry Mason and Sam Spade. I might even stretch it to Columbo, but that's a stretch for Quinn. His father wanted him to be a boxer but instead he became an artist. One who uses his talent to forge priceless pieces of art.
After doing some time in the pen, he gets a job with his best friends insurance company as an investigator. He's the guy the makes sure that everything is on the up and up because there are many people out there ready with a con to make a quick buck. But not everything is easy, and although Quinn isn't one to be pushed around, he gets into his fair share of hot water.
What else I really enjoyed was the family dynamics in Quinn Checks In. We don't just get to know about Quinn, but his whole family. It's one of those family's where you are expected for Sunday dinner and you better be there or else. He has a brother who's a cop, another a preacher and it's hard for Quinn to try and redeem his past with his family. Not to mention that his family isn't too proud that Quinn was a bad boy. On top of all of that, Quinn's been fighting his feelings for Nora, his long time best friend. He's afraid to act on his feelings because he isn't sure how she feels.
So toss in some great family dynamics, tentative romance (maybe in future installments), some mafia, police, art heists and investigating mixed with some spectacular writing and you have Quinn Checks In, a great whodunnit that will keep you thoroughly entertained!
After doing some time in the pen, he gets a job with his best friends insurance company as an investigator. He's the guy the makes sure that everything is on the up and up because there are many people out there ready with a con to make a quick buck. But not everything is easy, and although Quinn isn't one to be pushed around, he gets into his fair share of hot water.
What else I really enjoyed was the family dynamics in Quinn Checks In. We don't just get to know about Quinn, but his whole family. It's one of those family's where you are expected for Sunday dinner and you better be there or else. He has a brother who's a cop, another a preacher and it's hard for Quinn to try and redeem his past with his family. Not to mention that his family isn't too proud that Quinn was a bad boy. On top of all of that, Quinn's been fighting his feelings for Nora, his long time best friend. He's afraid to act on his feelings because he isn't sure how she feels.
So toss in some great family dynamics, tentative romance (maybe in future installments), some mafia, police, art heists and investigating mixed with some spectacular writing and you have Quinn Checks In, a great whodunnit that will keep you thoroughly entertained!
May 17, 2022
LH Thomson has hit the jackpot with his main character, Liam Quinn. A major aspect of this book which I greatly enjoyed was the feeling of energy which pulsated through the writing.
Liam Quinn is a likeable young man who has made a mistake and is intent on rehabilitating himself through his job as an investigator for an insurance company. In so doing, Liam has to run a fine line between the crooks in the town and doing his job, whether it upsets them or not.
What I particularly liked about this character is not only his humanity, but that he suffers shame. In this year 2012, this is very much a lost emotion in western society. In all the books I have read recently, I have not come across a transgressor who is ashamed and sorry that his past humiliates his family, particularly his cop brother, but who is still courgeaous enough to front up to his father and his father's friends and acknowledge that he is not perfect but trying to redeem himself.
I was also impressed by the lack of over-smarts and abrasiveness shown by Liam Quinn and admired how the author has set up the novel so that the reader is left eager for more.
Well-written and fast-paced, this novel is a triumph for LH Thomson and I highly recommend it.
Liam Quinn is a likeable young man who has made a mistake and is intent on rehabilitating himself through his job as an investigator for an insurance company. In so doing, Liam has to run a fine line between the crooks in the town and doing his job, whether it upsets them or not.
What I particularly liked about this character is not only his humanity, but that he suffers shame. In this year 2012, this is very much a lost emotion in western society. In all the books I have read recently, I have not come across a transgressor who is ashamed and sorry that his past humiliates his family, particularly his cop brother, but who is still courgeaous enough to front up to his father and his father's friends and acknowledge that he is not perfect but trying to redeem himself.
I was also impressed by the lack of over-smarts and abrasiveness shown by Liam Quinn and admired how the author has set up the novel so that the reader is left eager for more.
Well-written and fast-paced, this novel is a triumph for LH Thomson and I highly recommend it.
June 11, 2012
Quinn Checks In
By L.H. Thomson
Liam Quinn is a former boxer, and a former art forger. After her spent time in prison he begins a new life as an insurance investigator, little by little earning the money to pay his debt to society equal to a quarter of a million dollars. His most recent case is an art theft taking him back into the world he once left behind to recover the stolen piece and save his firm a hefty sum and in return receive one for his self. Along the way he comes into contact with a mob boss, a beautiful woman, and a sociopathic teenager.
L.H. Thomson did a great job with this novel. Quinn is not your ordinary Private Eye but his study of art has given him an unusual eye for details which only goes to improve his investigative process add in the fact that he was once a boxer you have the makings for a kick butt artist and an interesting investigator. If you are a fan of mysteries I would give this one a try, you may think you know who has committed the crime but in the end you know nothing.
For More Reviews be sure to visit my blogs at:
By L.H. Thomson
Liam Quinn is a former boxer, and a former art forger. After her spent time in prison he begins a new life as an insurance investigator, little by little earning the money to pay his debt to society equal to a quarter of a million dollars. His most recent case is an art theft taking him back into the world he once left behind to recover the stolen piece and save his firm a hefty sum and in return receive one for his self. Along the way he comes into contact with a mob boss, a beautiful woman, and a sociopathic teenager.
L.H. Thomson did a great job with this novel. Quinn is not your ordinary Private Eye but his study of art has given him an unusual eye for details which only goes to improve his investigative process add in the fact that he was once a boxer you have the makings for a kick butt artist and an interesting investigator. If you are a fan of mysteries I would give this one a try, you may think you know who has committed the crime but in the end you know nothing.
For More Reviews be sure to visit my blogs at:
November 18, 2014
While reading this book, I kept thinking 'poor man's Robert B. Parker.' Poor because the author obviously couldn't afford a proofreader (whomever when whoever is called for, extra words, wrong words, etc.). Liam, like Spenser, is a very likable guy with an intellectual bent who flirts with the wrong side of the law and, also like Spenser, boxes and loves a beautiful woman somewhat out of his league. Throw in some mob interaction and substitute Philly for Boston. I noticed another reviewer had the same problem I did with Liam mostly speaking correctly, but randomly throwing in a couple of phrases of 'Philly speak.' It was jarring because of the seeming lack of logic or motivation for it. Little devices like using "'cos" instead of "'cause" just jerked me right out of the story to wonder why.
March 12, 2013
You ever pick up a paperback at a library sale - one of those sales where you have a bag and you're just tossing in books so you get your $3 worth. And then when you begin reading them you realize why most of them were donated. But then there is one, with an unassuming cover, that turns out to be pretty good? That's "Quinn Checks In."
It doesn't do anything particularly new with the genre, and there is plenty that the book doesn't do that it could. But the plot moves along quickly, and the characters don't wear out their welcome. It would make a good airplane read, where you can zip through it in single sitting.
It doesn't do anything particularly new with the genre, and there is plenty that the book doesn't do that it could. But the plot moves along quickly, and the characters don't wear out their welcome. It would make a good airplane read, where you can zip through it in single sitting.
April 28, 2016
This is the first in the eponymic series about an ex-art forger who know works for an insurance company as an investigatory. His father and brother are cops (the father is actually retired). In this case a Vermeer is stolen along with a copy of a minor work. What’s unclear is why the copy was stolen in the first place as it had virtually no value.
That minor mystery soon becomes a much larger one linked to a bank heist and the Philadelphia mob enters the scene with its own agenda. It’s a reasonably good start to the series and I’ll move on to the second in spite of an overly convoluted plot.
That minor mystery soon becomes a much larger one linked to a bank heist and the Philadelphia mob enters the scene with its own agenda. It’s a reasonably good start to the series and I’ll move on to the second in spite of an overly convoluted plot.
June 22, 2014
Interesting story, but needs some serious editing
The plot was good and character development was well done. The use of local slang added a bit of spice to the story, however the typos and grammatical errors had me needing to re-read portions to be certain of what I had just read.
The plot was good and character development was well done. The use of local slang added a bit of spice to the story, however the typos and grammatical errors had me needing to re-read portions to be certain of what I had just read.
January 10, 2014
Who done it -art theft
this is a quick read. I actually did not know who did it until the author laid it out at the very end and I am pretty good at figuring these things out. I will read more by this author.
this is a quick read. I actually did not know who did it until the author laid it out at the very end and I am pretty good at figuring these things out. I will read more by this author.
January 22, 2014
A well done, light, fun mystery. I enjoyed this one. The author has created an interesting, believable cast of characters that I am looking forward to learning more about in the other books in the series.
August 19, 2015
Fast paced mystery.
Quinn paid his dues and working hard. Family is close and caring, Sunday dinners and even they don't miss going to church together. But wish Liam will start painting for himself. Many fights but he still does good deeds in between to help.
Quinn paid his dues and working hard. Family is close and caring, Sunday dinners and even they don't miss going to church together. But wish Liam will start painting for himself. Many fights but he still does good deeds in between to help.
February 25, 2016
Liam Quinn rescues Vermeer
A quirky Irish American convict/insurance investigator leads the way to the recovery of a valuable painting. Along the way he shows a young man another way. A first rate novel of crime, punishment and redemption.
A quirky Irish American convict/insurance investigator leads the way to the recovery of a valuable painting. Along the way he shows a young man another way. A first rate novel of crime, punishment and redemption.
May 30, 2012
Very Entertaining! Quinn is a fun character who gets the job done. This book keeps you reading right on through, you have to know what happens next. Added Bonus: NO STINKY SOCK PUPPET!!! ;0)
January 7, 2014
Ex con insurance investigator solves the missing Vermeer mystery. Looks to be a good series. Kindle book had a number of typos.
November 2, 2012
fact check. convenience stores in Pennsylvania do not sell beer
June 8, 2019
Needing a break from all the books I promised to review, I wanted something different to get lost in and the Liam Quinn Mystery Series was the ticket. This author is good enough to be one of the big boys. He is talented and can write multiple storylines that merge well the new storyline additions in each book. The timeframe is continuous, usually picking up where the last book ends. The characters are actually people you know, OK, maybe not all the mobsters, but the regular cast. They are realistic, no Hollywood garbage, and they get hurt without a fairy or angel to save them. There is humor, not just smartalec Quinn, but good humor, too. I recommend getting a bunch of these books and just chainreading them; they’re hard to stop as I discovered when I ran out of the books in my library. So if you like Wambaugh, Remington Steele, Moonlighting or Breaking Bad or Weeds, you will love Quinn, too.
Quinn Checks In #1 � My first read by this author and I am impressed and excited to have found this author. This author should be one of the big names since this book reminds me of the good authors in this genre from the 60s and 70s. The storylines are interesting and fast paced, and the intriguing investigations keeps me wanting to read more of this series and this author’s work. Quinn is a good character; he keeps you on his side with his faults and good heart. His family is well cast and the other supporting characters round out the “family�, which is common in this genre. There is humor and maybe a touch of romance from afar, and the cursing/vulgar language is kept to a minimum. If you like Wambaugh and company, you’ll like Thomson. There’s minor editing needed, like lowercase being used for names/proper nouns/titles, but most won’t notice. I will now start on the second book of this series, which is bad for me since I have other books to read with close deadlines. 5*
Quinn Gets His Kicks #2 � This book picks up about nine months after Checks ends. Another interesting story about Quinn with a few kinks in the fast paced storylines keeping the reader involved. Quinn and fellow characters are interesting and realistic, and easy to understand. I read this book before the update came out so I don’t know how the two versions differ, but I like what I read. The conversation style and continuing sequence is good, unless you read out of sequence causing you to miss a segment of Quinn’s life. There’s still that hint of romance. 4*
Quinn Goes West #3 � This book picks up four days after Kicks ends. Man, the stuff that happens to Quinn. Still entertaining and interesting storylines, along with the same cast of characters and the new additions per story. Still realistic, although the author doesn’t know what size ten acres is and tries to pass that amount off as vast, but no one’s perfect. Good kinks to ruin a person’s day. Still good with plenty of humor, and the romance �. 5*
Quinn & The Vanishing Bride #4 � This book picks up about six months after West ends. Quinn keeps kickin�. Entertaining and intriguing storylines that keep the reader involved with Quinn and crew. As always, there’s more happening than meets the eye and there’s plenty of humor, not all smartalec. The characters never disappoint and their dialog and actions are realistic. Quinn’s the hero of the series and keeps getting the tarnation beat out of him, but he gets his licks in, too. Good mysteries that the reader can’t help but get involved in solving, but remember, there’s always something thrown in the spokes. If you like series like Breaking Bad or Remington Steele or Moonlighting, you’ll have fun with this series, too. Oh, there is a romance and Mrs. Quinn thinks she’ll have two weddings soon; she wants the rugrats. 5*
Quinn Checks In #1 � My first read by this author and I am impressed and excited to have found this author. This author should be one of the big names since this book reminds me of the good authors in this genre from the 60s and 70s. The storylines are interesting and fast paced, and the intriguing investigations keeps me wanting to read more of this series and this author’s work. Quinn is a good character; he keeps you on his side with his faults and good heart. His family is well cast and the other supporting characters round out the “family�, which is common in this genre. There is humor and maybe a touch of romance from afar, and the cursing/vulgar language is kept to a minimum. If you like Wambaugh and company, you’ll like Thomson. There’s minor editing needed, like lowercase being used for names/proper nouns/titles, but most won’t notice. I will now start on the second book of this series, which is bad for me since I have other books to read with close deadlines. 5*
Quinn Gets His Kicks #2 � This book picks up about nine months after Checks ends. Another interesting story about Quinn with a few kinks in the fast paced storylines keeping the reader involved. Quinn and fellow characters are interesting and realistic, and easy to understand. I read this book before the update came out so I don’t know how the two versions differ, but I like what I read. The conversation style and continuing sequence is good, unless you read out of sequence causing you to miss a segment of Quinn’s life. There’s still that hint of romance. 4*
Quinn Goes West #3 � This book picks up four days after Kicks ends. Man, the stuff that happens to Quinn. Still entertaining and interesting storylines, along with the same cast of characters and the new additions per story. Still realistic, although the author doesn’t know what size ten acres is and tries to pass that amount off as vast, but no one’s perfect. Good kinks to ruin a person’s day. Still good with plenty of humor, and the romance �. 5*
Quinn & The Vanishing Bride #4 � This book picks up about six months after West ends. Quinn keeps kickin�. Entertaining and intriguing storylines that keep the reader involved with Quinn and crew. As always, there’s more happening than meets the eye and there’s plenty of humor, not all smartalec. The characters never disappoint and their dialog and actions are realistic. Quinn’s the hero of the series and keeps getting the tarnation beat out of him, but he gets his licks in, too. Good mysteries that the reader can’t help but get involved in solving, but remember, there’s always something thrown in the spokes. If you like series like Breaking Bad or Remington Steele or Moonlighting, you’ll have fun with this series, too. Oh, there is a romance and Mrs. Quinn thinks she’ll have two weddings soon; she wants the rugrats. 5*
May 27, 2023
Liam Quinn gave up a promising boxing career to become an artist, much to the displeasure of his cop father, cop brother, and the rest of the Quinns. He figured out as artist, he was a pretty good forger, and ooops, ended up going to prison. He served his time and landed a job with an employer sympathetic to ex-cons as an insurance investigator. He’s serious about going straight and just wants to pay his debt to society (literally and figuratively). In this first book in the series, he catches a case involving a stolen Dutch master with an eight-figure price tag. Who better to figure out the painting might be a forgery than Quinn?
This was a surprisingly entertaining, action-packed story with well-developed characters, sharp and witty dialogue, tight writing, and great scene-setting. “It was the kind of place where you could smell the urinals ten feet before the bathroom door and half the customers even sooner.� And, “I had tried to be polite about it. To an extent. Abel had said something nasty about my mother, which is a no go, because my mother is a freakin� saint. I’d reminded him that his mother wouldn’t find that very polite, and would most certainly tell him herself, if she ever got her face out of my crotch. From there, the discourse had progressed in a southerly direction.�
I had a great time reading this, and will read more in this series. If you like Janet Evanovich, Carl Hiassen, Mike Faricy, or Gregory Mcdonald, give this series a try.
This was a surprisingly entertaining, action-packed story with well-developed characters, sharp and witty dialogue, tight writing, and great scene-setting. “It was the kind of place where you could smell the urinals ten feet before the bathroom door and half the customers even sooner.� And, “I had tried to be polite about it. To an extent. Abel had said something nasty about my mother, which is a no go, because my mother is a freakin� saint. I’d reminded him that his mother wouldn’t find that very polite, and would most certainly tell him herself, if she ever got her face out of my crotch. From there, the discourse had progressed in a southerly direction.�
I had a great time reading this, and will read more in this series. If you like Janet Evanovich, Carl Hiassen, Mike Faricy, or Gregory Mcdonald, give this series a try.
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