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Detective Sergeant Mulheisen #9
Badger Games
The book opens with the disappearance of a man named Franko Bradovich in Kosovo. Franko, a native Montanan posing as a local, was a spy of sorts, an operative who was helping the Lucani (a loose affiliation of DEA, FBI, CIA, etc. agents operating outside the law) bust a drug trafficking scheme from Bulgaria through Kosovo and Serbia to Europe. Franko was living with the family of a farmer named Daliljaj (and was in love with the farmer’s daughter Fedima) and an apparently helpful American-raised Slav (Bozi Bazok), who’s become part of the Serb army’s shock troops, has warned Franko that the army was headed toward them with bloodshed in mind. Later, though, Franko, who’s been posing as a drug trafficker, is brought in by local police for questioning and is beaten—making Bazok’s helpfulness questionable at best. Either way, Franko can’t really afford to stick around. Bazok agrees to help him and, reluctantly, Daliljaj, Fedima, and their relatives, escape the sweep, in exchange for the massive quantities of drugs he believes Franko is hiding. But Bazok betrays him and slaughters Daliljaj and all of Fedima’s other family while they wait for Franko to return with transport. When Franko returns, Bazok has disappeared, taking Fedima with him.
At this point the Lucani contact Joe Service. They ask him to go to Butte and see what he can see among the Serb population there. He and Helen Sedlacek travel from Detroit to Montana and start asking around for Franko Bradoviches (and permutations of the name). They find a Frank Oberavich and while he’s not their man, he does provide them with excellent food, wine, and home-grown pot. And, it turns out, “Franko” from Kosovo is really Frank Oberavich’s cousin Paulie and has been living on his property in a tent.
Helen, Joe, and the Lucani aren’t the only ones who are curious about “Franko’s” whereabouts. A woman named Jamala King, a new Lucani, comes out to help them, and they’re going to need all the help they can get because the alcoholic, bloodthirsty Bazok is headed toward Butte, convinced Franko was holding out on a major drug stash, and anxious to prevent him testifying to a war crimes tribunal about his slaughter of the Daliljaj family. Paulie, of course, blames himself for the deaths of Fedima and her family. What follows is a deadly cat-and-mouse game on a Montana mountain, as each side attempts to find the other first. It culminates in a terrifying night in abandoned mine tunnels and a bloody ambush in which one of the group protecting Paulie is revealed to be an impostor.
At this point the Lucani contact Joe Service. They ask him to go to Butte and see what he can see among the Serb population there. He and Helen Sedlacek travel from Detroit to Montana and start asking around for Franko Bradoviches (and permutations of the name). They find a Frank Oberavich and while he’s not their man, he does provide them with excellent food, wine, and home-grown pot. And, it turns out, “Franko” from Kosovo is really Frank Oberavich’s cousin Paulie and has been living on his property in a tent.
Helen, Joe, and the Lucani aren’t the only ones who are curious about “Franko’s” whereabouts. A woman named Jamala King, a new Lucani, comes out to help them, and they’re going to need all the help they can get because the alcoholic, bloodthirsty Bazok is headed toward Butte, convinced Franko was holding out on a major drug stash, and anxious to prevent him testifying to a war crimes tribunal about his slaughter of the Daliljaj family. Paulie, of course, blames himself for the deaths of Fedima and her family. What follows is a deadly cat-and-mouse game on a Montana mountain, as each side attempts to find the other first. It culminates in a terrifying night in abandoned mine tunnels and a bloody ambush in which one of the group protecting Paulie is revealed to be an impostor.
336 pages, Paperback
First published June 9, 2001
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About the author
Jon A. Jackson
22 books18 followersJon A. Jackson grew up in northern Michigan and Detroit and currently lives in Missoula, Montana.
His middle initial A is for Anthony.
His middle initial A is for Anthony.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
July 23, 2017
This is the ninth and penultimate book in Jon A. Jackson's excellent series featuring Detroit homicide detective "Fang" Mulheisen. Oddly, Mulheisen does not appear at all in this book, save for being mentioned by name a couple of times. Rather, the main protagonist in this entry is Mulheisen's long-time nemesis, Joe Service.
Service first appeared in the series as a troubleshooter/consultant who was employed by the mob to deal with problems that the mobsters couldn't deal with in-house. In the course of his activities in Detroit, Service and "Mul" crossed paths on a number of occasions.
At one point, Mulheisen finally caught up with Service and arrested him. At the time, though, Service had been badly injured and so was being held in custody in a hospital. For reasons far too complicated to explain here, Joe attracted the attention of a group of rogue government figures who were employed by the CIA and other such agencies. Upset by the way the bureaucracy often frustrated their efforts to achieve justice, these agents formed a group called the Lucani, and began administering "justice" to various miscreants as they saw fit. The Lucani determined that Joe might be useful to them for a specific mission and so helped him escape custody with the provision that he would "consult" with them on a case.
Now the Lucani have lost track of one of their members, a shadowy figure known only as Franko. When last seen, Franko was undercover in Serbia, investigating a group of drug smugglers. But then the conflict in that part of the world heated up and Frank disappeared. The Lucani have intelligence suggesting that Franko managed to escape and make his way to Butte, Montana, which has a small Serbian population. They very much want to talk to him and so commission Service and his lover, Helen Sedlacek, who also has ties to the Serbian community, to go to Montana and track Franko down.
Joe and Helen had lived briefly in the Butte area, and, like any sensible person, Joe is anxious to get back to Montana. The hunt for Franko seems a good excuse, even though it will be like looking for the proverbial needle in a haystack.
What follows is a very entertaining adventure populated by a lot of colorful characters. There are a number of twists and turns, and Joe and Helen have no idea who they can really trust outside of each other. It turns out that several other people are also desperately seeking Franko, including a nasty Serbian war criminal nicknamed The Badger. When all of these people wind up in Montana at the same time, the result is a great climax with lots of action, wry humor and playful sex. This is a book will surely appeal to a wide variety of readers, even if it is a "Fang" Mulheisen book sans Mulheisen.
Service first appeared in the series as a troubleshooter/consultant who was employed by the mob to deal with problems that the mobsters couldn't deal with in-house. In the course of his activities in Detroit, Service and "Mul" crossed paths on a number of occasions.
At one point, Mulheisen finally caught up with Service and arrested him. At the time, though, Service had been badly injured and so was being held in custody in a hospital. For reasons far too complicated to explain here, Joe attracted the attention of a group of rogue government figures who were employed by the CIA and other such agencies. Upset by the way the bureaucracy often frustrated their efforts to achieve justice, these agents formed a group called the Lucani, and began administering "justice" to various miscreants as they saw fit. The Lucani determined that Joe might be useful to them for a specific mission and so helped him escape custody with the provision that he would "consult" with them on a case.
Now the Lucani have lost track of one of their members, a shadowy figure known only as Franko. When last seen, Franko was undercover in Serbia, investigating a group of drug smugglers. But then the conflict in that part of the world heated up and Frank disappeared. The Lucani have intelligence suggesting that Franko managed to escape and make his way to Butte, Montana, which has a small Serbian population. They very much want to talk to him and so commission Service and his lover, Helen Sedlacek, who also has ties to the Serbian community, to go to Montana and track Franko down.
Joe and Helen had lived briefly in the Butte area, and, like any sensible person, Joe is anxious to get back to Montana. The hunt for Franko seems a good excuse, even though it will be like looking for the proverbial needle in a haystack.
What follows is a very entertaining adventure populated by a lot of colorful characters. There are a number of twists and turns, and Joe and Helen have no idea who they can really trust outside of each other. It turns out that several other people are also desperately seeking Franko, including a nasty Serbian war criminal nicknamed The Badger. When all of these people wind up in Montana at the same time, the result is a great climax with lots of action, wry humor and playful sex. This is a book will surely appeal to a wide variety of readers, even if it is a "Fang" Mulheisen book sans Mulheisen.
October 27, 2009
Just OK. Was irritated by the author choosing to describe the scenery right in the middle of a dramatic situation, thus losing the momentum & excitement.
January 20, 2022
Intense.
Probably closer to the thruth than anyone wants to believe.
I had a night mare after the ending so couldn't give it a five for that reason. Ha -- for others it might be just the thriller they are looking for.
Probably closer to the thruth than anyone wants to believe.
I had a night mare after the ending so couldn't give it a five for that reason. Ha -- for others it might be just the thriller they are looking for.
January 21, 2020
Worst one of the series by far.
May 9, 2016
An entertaining series, which starts by focusing on the detective, who, by the end of the series, shows up only briefly, as he tries to catch up with the main players in the Detroit crime scene, including an efficient, if ridiculous, hitman.
August 25, 2012
Fantastic book. All of Jon's books are winner. And a Great Missoula, Montana, Author - for a Detroit guy.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews