What do you think?
Rate this book
"Hammerhead" Jed Mysteries #3
Five Moves of Doom
A GLOBE AND MAIL TOP 100 BEST BOOKS OF 2022
WINNER of the 2022 CRIME FICTION LOVER EDITOR'S CHOICE AWARD FOR BEST INDIE NOVEL
FINALIST FOR THE 2023 LEFT COAST CRIME "LEFTY" AWARD FOR BEST HUMOROUS MYSTERY
Hired by local mixed martial arts trainer Elijah Lennox to find a missing UFC Championship belt, pro-wrestler PI “Hammerhead� Jed must extract answers from the tight-knit MMA community. Still consuming his weight in banana milkshakes, Jed ventures into a world of jewel thieves, bodybuilders, eccentric yoga enthusiasts, and adorable baby goats. As he infiltrates an exclusive and unique no-holds-barred fight club, Jed might just find himself down for the count �
Five Moves of Doom is a high-altitude and high-attitude entry in A.J. Devlin’s award-winning mystery series, one that finds its hero pushed to his absolute limit, relying on his closest allies to survive, and making choices he never thought he’d have to make.
WINNER of the 2022 CRIME FICTION LOVER EDITOR'S CHOICE AWARD FOR BEST INDIE NOVEL
FINALIST FOR THE 2023 LEFT COAST CRIME "LEFTY" AWARD FOR BEST HUMOROUS MYSTERY
Hired by local mixed martial arts trainer Elijah Lennox to find a missing UFC Championship belt, pro-wrestler PI “Hammerhead� Jed must extract answers from the tight-knit MMA community. Still consuming his weight in banana milkshakes, Jed ventures into a world of jewel thieves, bodybuilders, eccentric yoga enthusiasts, and adorable baby goats. As he infiltrates an exclusive and unique no-holds-barred fight club, Jed might just find himself down for the count �
Five Moves of Doom is a high-altitude and high-attitude entry in A.J. Devlin’s award-winning mystery series, one that finds its hero pushed to his absolute limit, relying on his closest allies to survive, and making choices he never thought he’d have to make.
- GenresMystery
272 pages, Paperback
Published September 15, 2022
4 people are currently reading
36 people want to read
About the author
A.J. Devlin
6Ìýbooks45ÌýfollowersA.J. Devlin grew up in Greater Vancouver before moving to Southern California where he earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Screenwriting from Chapman University and a Master of Fine Arts in Screenwriting from The American Film Institute. After working as a screenwriter in Hollywood, he moved back home to Port Moody, BC, where he now lives with his children.
Cobra Clutch, the first book in the "Hammerhead" Jed professional wrestling mystery-comedy series, was released in spring 2018 and nominated for a Lefty Award for Best Debut Mystery and won the 2019 Crime Writers Of Canada Arthur Ellis Award for Best First Novel.
The highly acclaimed sequel, Rolling Thunder, was released in spring 2020 and featured in the Vancouver Sun, The Province, The Globe and Mail, Kirkus Reviews, Library Journal Reviews, Mystery Tribune Magazine, CrimeFictionLover.com, 49thShelf.com, and CBC Radio's The Next Chapter.
The third book in the series, Five Moves of Doom, was published in September 2022 by NeWest Press and featured on The House of Mystery Radio Show on NBC. It won the 2022 Crime Fiction Lover Editor's Choice Award for Best Indie Crime Novel, was selected by The Globe and Mail as one of the Best Books of 2022, was a finalist for the 2023 Lefty Award for Best Humorous Mystery, shortlisted for the 2023 Crime Writers of Canada Howard Engel Award of Excellence for Best Novel Set in Canada, and nominated for the 2023 Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Award for Best Comedic Mystery.
For more information on A.J. and his books, please visit ajdevlin.com.
Cobra Clutch, the first book in the "Hammerhead" Jed professional wrestling mystery-comedy series, was released in spring 2018 and nominated for a Lefty Award for Best Debut Mystery and won the 2019 Crime Writers Of Canada Arthur Ellis Award for Best First Novel.
The highly acclaimed sequel, Rolling Thunder, was released in spring 2020 and featured in the Vancouver Sun, The Province, The Globe and Mail, Kirkus Reviews, Library Journal Reviews, Mystery Tribune Magazine, CrimeFictionLover.com, 49thShelf.com, and CBC Radio's The Next Chapter.
The third book in the series, Five Moves of Doom, was published in September 2022 by NeWest Press and featured on The House of Mystery Radio Show on NBC. It won the 2022 Crime Fiction Lover Editor's Choice Award for Best Indie Crime Novel, was selected by The Globe and Mail as one of the Best Books of 2022, was a finalist for the 2023 Lefty Award for Best Humorous Mystery, shortlisted for the 2023 Crime Writers of Canada Howard Engel Award of Excellence for Best Novel Set in Canada, and nominated for the 2023 Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Award for Best Comedic Mystery.
For more information on A.J. and his books, please visit ajdevlin.com.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
October 6, 2022
Hammerhead Jed is in a pretty good spot in his life, with a hot roller derby girlfriend, and he's just discovered a special syrup that makes his favorite banana milk shakes even better.
Then he takes a case.
A local MMA legend hires him to find a stolen championship belt worth a lot of money. The culprit is easily found, but this leads to a larger case, as his client is murdered.
An underground fight ring is involved, and Hammerhead Jed is not a legitimate tough guy. He might go out as quick as CM Punk.
A lot of whining toward the end, but not a deal breaker.
Then he takes a case.
A local MMA legend hires him to find a stolen championship belt worth a lot of money. The culprit is easily found, but this leads to a larger case, as his client is murdered.
An underground fight ring is involved, and Hammerhead Jed is not a legitimate tough guy. He might go out as quick as CM Punk.
A lot of whining toward the end, but not a deal breaker.
March 15, 2023
Five Moves Of Doom hooks you from the opening prologue like a stiff lockup and the pace doesn't slow down. Every twist and turn is like a flurry to the solar plexus. The antagonist is built up as an unbeatable heel hoping to crush anyone in their way right up to the main event match up with our hero, but can 'Hammerhead' Jed do what is necessary? Well, I won't spoil that here. You'll have to read for yourself as the worlds of pro wrestling and MMA collide. I'm looking forward to further adventures from Jed Ounstead, even if this had a hint of open-ended finality to it, maybe it's just me. Sadly, after reading these 3 books back to back to back, I fear it will feel the wait will be as painful as a figure four leglock to get to a new book, even if, in actuality, it isn't that far.
January 9, 2023
It's a case of same place, different terrain as Vancouver’s pro-wrestler PI grapples with new threats that force him to confront dark truths about his city and himself. In Five Moves of Doom, Devlin showcases a more vulnerable 'Hammerhead' Jed than we've seen before. While this installment features the signature comedy and charm of the first two books, it's the shadows, lurking in corners and pooling at feet, that give this latest mystery its true shape. A worthy cap to this trilogy.
October 25, 2024
Most of the mysteries I've read recently have had woman protagonists. Maybe that's because so many mystery readers are also of the female persuasion. This book is a standout exception. It's full of muscles and fighting. "Hammerhead" Jed is a private detective who used to be a professional wrestler. He can solve any problem with his fighting skills and a banana milkshake. Jed is all the reasons I don't understand men. That didn't stop him from battering his way into my heart. Pass the bananas, please.
September 18, 2022
FIVE MOVES OF DOOM by A. J. Devlin
The Third "Hammerhead" Jed Mystery
PI and former wrestling champion "Hammerhead" Jed Ounstead is called in to the world of mixed martial arts to investigate the theft of a prized UFC Championship belt. His investigation leads him to a bad tempered bodybuilder, an old friend, baby goats, and a very dangerous man. Just when he thinks he has come to a satisfactory conclusion, things take an abrupt turn...and not for the better.
The third "Hammerhead" Jed Mystery has so many twists and turns you'd think you're in the midst of a wrestling match yourself! While there are plenty of laughs, the story soon becomes quite serious. Jed was overconfident, thinking he was all that. He wasn't ready to be taken down. He was. This is a tale of facing your own limitations and how you deal with losing. Will you fight your way out or give up? Ultimately you will change. And after the shocking ending, Jed will be forever changed.
FIVE MOVES OF DOOM is a series of mind games, with Jed facing his most dangerous opponent yet-his own mind. I loved the cerebral aspect of this book and how the person I thought was going to be the big baddie wasn't. Instead a new depraved character emerged. Lines are crossed. Fates are sealed.
Compelling, engrossing, thought provoking, yet still humorous, FIVE MOVES OF DOOM is a brilliant look at what happens when you reach rock bottom. Grab a banana milkshake and be prepared for the ride of a lifetime.
The Third "Hammerhead" Jed Mystery
PI and former wrestling champion "Hammerhead" Jed Ounstead is called in to the world of mixed martial arts to investigate the theft of a prized UFC Championship belt. His investigation leads him to a bad tempered bodybuilder, an old friend, baby goats, and a very dangerous man. Just when he thinks he has come to a satisfactory conclusion, things take an abrupt turn...and not for the better.
The third "Hammerhead" Jed Mystery has so many twists and turns you'd think you're in the midst of a wrestling match yourself! While there are plenty of laughs, the story soon becomes quite serious. Jed was overconfident, thinking he was all that. He wasn't ready to be taken down. He was. This is a tale of facing your own limitations and how you deal with losing. Will you fight your way out or give up? Ultimately you will change. And after the shocking ending, Jed will be forever changed.
FIVE MOVES OF DOOM is a series of mind games, with Jed facing his most dangerous opponent yet-his own mind. I loved the cerebral aspect of this book and how the person I thought was going to be the big baddie wasn't. Instead a new depraved character emerged. Lines are crossed. Fates are sealed.
Compelling, engrossing, thought provoking, yet still humorous, FIVE MOVES OF DOOM is a brilliant look at what happens when you reach rock bottom. Grab a banana milkshake and be prepared for the ride of a lifetime.
September 16, 2022
It was on its way to an amusing and diverting 3 stars...and then the intensity suddenly shot up to 11, transforming into a far more interesting and fascinating (and surprisingly grim) tale. Here's to banana milkshakes as a boon to the investigative process.
September 19, 2022
This series is so fun, and they always bring it at the end. The author has a way of keeping the writing not too serious, even during serious scenes. Hope there will be another!
December 3, 2022
Devlin prides himself on character development and his third book does not disappoint. Not only are the characters well developed, but they are also real and blend well together. Devlin brings the characters together in a way that they bring the story to life.
Hammerhead Jed is more vulnerable in this instalment, and I like it. Declan is more believeable, yet still encourageable, but in an adorable way. Jed's dad becomes more of a loving father.
Devlin has an intelligent writing style that flows from word to word, sentence to sentence, paragraph to paragraph and chapter to chapter. Never does the reader find themselves having to go back to check contexts, etc.
I really like the way this story is wrapped up and it leaves me wanting the next installment in Jed's life AND how some of the events in Five Moves are explained in book 4.
If you like crime writing, and you like MMA or the like, then the quality of the writing in this book make 'Five Moves' a must read for you.
Hammerhead Jed is more vulnerable in this instalment, and I like it. Declan is more believeable, yet still encourageable, but in an adorable way. Jed's dad becomes more of a loving father.
Devlin has an intelligent writing style that flows from word to word, sentence to sentence, paragraph to paragraph and chapter to chapter. Never does the reader find themselves having to go back to check contexts, etc.
I really like the way this story is wrapped up and it leaves me wanting the next installment in Jed's life AND how some of the events in Five Moves are explained in book 4.
If you like crime writing, and you like MMA or the like, then the quality of the writing in this book make 'Five Moves' a must read for you.
January 10, 2023
Pro wrestler and private investigator Jed ‘Hammerhead� Ounstead’s assignment to find a stolen UFC championship belt becomes complicated when an unexpected twist changes everything. New information leads him to a smart and dangerous man whose fondness for extreme violence forces Jed into a psychological and physical battle for survival.
I’m a fan of this series and this third installment is the best yet. It’s not just because of the great plot and unexpected twists. It’s the emotional upheaval that causes him to question his ability as a PI and a competent fighter. Jed’s faltering love life also adds to his problems. We also learn a little more about his relationship with his deceased mother, which sheds more light on Jed’s character.
The pacing and descriptions of Vancouver are well done, as is the blend of humor, gritty action, and poignant moments. Five Moves of Doom is full of surprises and I can’t wait to see what’s next for Jed.
I’m a fan of this series and this third installment is the best yet. It’s not just because of the great plot and unexpected twists. It’s the emotional upheaval that causes him to question his ability as a PI and a competent fighter. Jed’s faltering love life also adds to his problems. We also learn a little more about his relationship with his deceased mother, which sheds more light on Jed’s character.
The pacing and descriptions of Vancouver are well done, as is the blend of humor, gritty action, and poignant moments. Five Moves of Doom is full of surprises and I can’t wait to see what’s next for Jed.
October 30, 2022
Popcorn and a movie? How about popcorn and this book: I absolutely enjoyed Five Moves of Doom - it’s a terrific page turner!
A.J. Devlin has a great character with Hammerhead Jed and an equally engaging supporting cast. FMoD is a fun, almost effortless read, which is a testament to Devlin's skill as an Indie crime fiction story teller.
Lots of humour in this suspenseful tale, but it's also gritty and tense, which amps up the realism in Devlin's fast-paced whodunit and adds to the satisfaction of following Hammerhead Jed as he's hot on the tail of ne'er-do-wells (in the seamier parts of Vancouver that you won't see in a tourism brochure). I highly recommend this novel!
A.J. Devlin has a great character with Hammerhead Jed and an equally engaging supporting cast. FMoD is a fun, almost effortless read, which is a testament to Devlin's skill as an Indie crime fiction story teller.
Lots of humour in this suspenseful tale, but it's also gritty and tense, which amps up the realism in Devlin's fast-paced whodunit and adds to the satisfaction of following Hammerhead Jed as he's hot on the tail of ne'er-do-wells (in the seamier parts of Vancouver that you won't see in a tourism brochure). I highly recommend this novel!
September 11, 2024
The third in the series, and I have read all as they have become available. I found this somewhat lacking and maybe a little to humour focussed at times. The ending certainly wasnt about humour, that being said, I dont disagree wth the outcome.
April 12, 2024
When former wrestler Jed "Hammerhead" Ounstead is hired to find a stolen UFC championship belt, the case quickly escalates into something more than just a snatch and grab. Jed soon finds himself deep into the world of underground fight clubs and people who will stop at nothing to be victorious. Jed will need the help of a colorful cast, including his cousin Delcan with the shady past, his father, a respected former police officer, and Rya, a detective who may be more than a friend, to solve this case.
AJ Devlin hits just the right mix of humor and suspense to make this a fun and suspenseful ride. And it has one of my favorite opening lines. (No spoiler since this is the first thing you'll read.) "You have a couple of options when you answer the door wearing nothing but a skin-tight pair of Andre the Giant boxer briefs before being arrested for murder."
Hmm, I suddenly feel like a banana milkshake.
AJ Devlin hits just the right mix of humor and suspense to make this a fun and suspenseful ride. And it has one of my favorite opening lines. (No spoiler since this is the first thing you'll read.) "You have a couple of options when you answer the door wearing nothing but a skin-tight pair of Andre the Giant boxer briefs before being arrested for murder."
Hmm, I suddenly feel like a banana milkshake.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get help and learn more about the design.