OFF THE BOOKS
Dana King
GENRE: Hard-boiled Private Investigator
BLURB:
Nick Forte has lost his detective agency and makes ends meet doing background checks and other paperwork. He pays for everything else through jobs he takes for cash and without any written contract. What starts out as a simple investigation into a traffic accident exposes Forte to people who have truly lost everything and have no viable hope of reclaiming their lives. That doesn’t sit well with Forte, leading him and his friend Goose Satterwhite to take action that ends more violently than anyone expected.
“The return of Chicago private detective Nick Forte, the tough protagonist of two Shamus Award nominated novels, is well worth the wait. Nick’s latest escapade Off The Books—the first in nearly six years—will surely earn additional praise for the acclaimed series.”
-J.L .Abramo, Shamus Award-winning author of Chasing Charlie Chan.
"Nick Forte reminds me of Robert B. Parker's Spenser: a PI with a finely tuned sense of justice who doesn't take anyone's s***. Any fan of hardboiled detective fiction is in for a helluva ride."
--Chris Rhatigan, former publisher of All Due Respect Books
Purchase OFF THE BOOKS on Amazon
Excerpt:
I first saw him standing under the “employees only” sign near the exit to the truck service bays. Early twenties, a little under average height, short blond hair. Caroline was unaware of him, focused as she was on a three-way text conversation with her friends Maria and Arielle.
The next time the kid caught my attention he was half as far away, standing where the food court opened into the convenience store. I only noticed him this time because I recognized him, and he was the only Love’s employee on the floor. His name was Jimmy, and he was definitely looking our direction.
I’m an old-school father with an only child. A daughter, no less. My primary purpose in life was to make sure no one messed with her. Everything else—work, food, clothing, mortgage payments, staying out of prison—comes after. Jimmy hadn’t done anything wrong, but the Dadar had activated.
All fathers think their daughters are beautiful; I had empirical evidence. If the steady stream of boys circling the periphery of her life looking for an in wasn’t enough, I once overheard another kid in the band describe her to a friend as the “archetype of virginal beauty.” (What can I say? Magnet school.)
The next time I caught sight of Jimmy he stood three feet behind Caroline, checking her out with rapt attention. I sidled over, using my best stealth technique. He never saw me coming until I leaned in close and spoke in my most quietly menacing voice. “She’s thirteen years old.”
Jimmy evaporated faster than a snowflake in a microwave..
I still got it.
My Review:
Off the Books is the first book in the Nick Forte Detective Novels by Dana King that I have read. It is also the first book by Dana King that I’ve read. But hopefully, it won’t be the last.
Off the Books kept me on the edge of my seat from beginning to end. I really enjoyed reading about Nick Forte. When Nick takes on a case he puts everything he has into it to try and find the truth. I felt as if Nick thought that everyone deserved justice and to pay for what they did.
I enjoy reading detective novels and I must say that Off the Books did not disappoint in any way. I do believe that Off the Books is one of the best detective books I have read in a while.
Dana King knows how to write a story that will keep you wanting more. Once you are pulled into his world you will be hooked for life. I can’t wait to check out other books in the Nick Forte Detective Novels to learn more about Nick and his world.
The mystery and suspense in Off the Books is what kept the pages turning. Once I was pulled in I couldn’t stop reading until I had read the last page and even now I want to read more about Nick and his work. I want to know what came before Off the Books.
If you like hard-boiled mystery thrillers then let me suggest that you grab a copy of Off the Books today!
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Off the Books is Dana King’s sixth Nick Forte private investigator novel. Two of the earlier books (A Small Sacrifice and The Man in the Window) received Shamus Award nominations from the Private Eye Writers of America. Dana also writes the Penns River series of police procedurals set in a small Western Pennsylvania town, as well as one standalone novel, Wild Bill, which is not a Western. His short fiction appears in numerous anthologies and web sites. He is a frequent panelist at conferences and reads at Noirs at Bars from New York to North Carolina.
Connect with Dana King
BLOG – One Bite at a Time
3 comments:
Thank you so much for hosting and reviewing OFF THE BOOKS.
Thanks for hosting, and for the review. I know your space and time are limited and i appreciate the effort.
Sounds like a good read.
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