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The Red Fox Series #1
Dirty Work
Bloody basement poker games. Midnight street races. A small Mexican crime family. Stuck in the two men who have no clue how to drive fast or shoot first.Sal and his buddy didn't mean to piss off the mob, and they didn't have any intention of stealing from an illegal gambling kingpin. Stumbling face first into a world of organized crime, they realize that staying alive means learning who to trust and how to kill. A handshake deal with the Mexicans who want them dead takes more than guts, and to survive they'll need all the booze-fueled courage they can swallow, quick and dirty lessons in semi-automatics, and a rust-bucket Buick with a leaky trunk full of luck.DIRTY WORK is a fast and funny crime thriller set in San Diego's grimy underbelly where the hustlers, hit men, and crooks have no patience for a couple of guys who find themselves in a wrong place that never had a right time. Full of slick wit and gritty action, it will appeal to anyone with an appreciation for fast talking, cynical underdogs who fight like hell to beat the odds.
- GenresFiction
257 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 3, 2011
10 people are currently reading
98 people want to read
About the author
Michael Lamendola
5 books6 followersMICHAEL LAMENDOLA, when not moonlighting as a writer, is a cruise ship singer... really. He currently resides in San Diego, although many sea go into creating his novels. To get on the mailing list for Michael's next book, or to learn about life on the high seas, visit his website at: www.MichaelLamendola.net. You can also follow him on Twitter @MichaelDola.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
November 1, 2012
Wow, I had a hard time with this book. The synopsis intrigued me, so when I saw it was free, I downloaded it. After finishing the book and reading some of the other reviews that glowed and raved about this book, I seriously wonder if I read the same one. I didn't find it terribly funny or fast paced and there wasn't really much Private Eye/detective stuff in it. It was essentially one guy gets mugged randomly, friend saves him by shooting one mugger and fighting off the other, muggers want revenge so they threaten narrator and friend with death unless they can get $25,000 from an underground gambler who owes them money. Hilarity ensues! [Or not].
My first, and biggest problem, is that I just really didn't like any of the characters. I didn't hate them, but I certainly didn't like them...They were just kind of there for me.
Our main character, Buddy boy/Pissy, whose real name is never said (even when visiting a doctor in the emergency room...What? The doctor I've been going to for over 10 years still says my name when they come into the room) is a bit of a smart ass, which I like in a character. Aside from that, I felt like he didn't have anything really going for him. Plus, he apparently has zero bladder control, urinating on himself at least twice that I can recall, and for some reason he urinates in two different directions when using the toilet, so he pees all over the floor then doesn't bother cleaning it up. Nasty. He really isn't someone I want to root for.
Sal is a newly graduated P.I. who's tall and kinda lanky and not very attractive. Occasionally he grows a set and is able to seem tougher than he really is, but it's only mildly convincing to me. (Of the two main characters, Sal was my "favorite", you know, if I had to pick one).
Janet, the narrator's hot doctor girlfriend, seems to decide that going out with a patient is acceptable and that there isn't any kind of conflict of interest there or anything. She is also perfectly ok with all the illegal activities what's-his-name and Sal are involved in and even offers her doctor services on the side, should they need it...And finally, I honestly don't understand what she sees in him. I didn't find him terribly charming or witty when he was with her, but I guess she's into that kind of guy?
My second major problem is that I felt like a lot of the time Sal and what's-his-name lucked out. Somehow all the stars aligned just right and things fell into place for them despite all their bumbling around. Sure, there were injuries and fights along the way, but they must be the luckiest people on the planet considering they took on the "mob" (really it's a transplant from Mexico and his two sons who no longer have any connections to the rest of their mob family back home because they left), a hardcore gambler and his bodyguard(?), and some arms dealer (or something) named Vinny and came out on top with all of it. It just seemed so implausible to me.
I trudged through this book thinking I might like it eventually, but considering it took me nearly a month to read and I wasn't even that worried about what would happen next, I'd have to say that I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone. I've read other detective themed books that I like FAR better and would recommend before even thinking about this one again.
My first, and biggest problem, is that I just really didn't like any of the characters. I didn't hate them, but I certainly didn't like them...They were just kind of there for me.
Our main character, Buddy boy/Pissy, whose real name is never said (even when visiting a doctor in the emergency room...What? The doctor I've been going to for over 10 years still says my name when they come into the room) is a bit of a smart ass, which I like in a character. Aside from that, I felt like he didn't have anything really going for him. Plus, he apparently has zero bladder control, urinating on himself at least twice that I can recall, and for some reason he urinates in two different directions when using the toilet, so he pees all over the floor then doesn't bother cleaning it up. Nasty. He really isn't someone I want to root for.
Sal is a newly graduated P.I. who's tall and kinda lanky and not very attractive. Occasionally he grows a set and is able to seem tougher than he really is, but it's only mildly convincing to me. (Of the two main characters, Sal was my "favorite", you know, if I had to pick one).
Janet, the narrator's hot doctor girlfriend, seems to decide that going out with a patient is acceptable and that there isn't any kind of conflict of interest there or anything. She is also perfectly ok with all the illegal activities what's-his-name and Sal are involved in and even offers her doctor services on the side, should they need it...And finally, I honestly don't understand what she sees in him. I didn't find him terribly charming or witty when he was with her, but I guess she's into that kind of guy?
My second major problem is that I felt like a lot of the time Sal and what's-his-name lucked out. Somehow all the stars aligned just right and things fell into place for them despite all their bumbling around. Sure, there were injuries and fights along the way, but they must be the luckiest people on the planet considering they took on the "mob" (really it's a transplant from Mexico and his two sons who no longer have any connections to the rest of their mob family back home because they left), a hardcore gambler and his bodyguard(?), and some arms dealer (or something) named Vinny and came out on top with all of it. It just seemed so implausible to me.
I trudged through this book thinking I might like it eventually, but considering it took me nearly a month to read and I wasn't even that worried about what would happen next, I'd have to say that I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone. I've read other detective themed books that I like FAR better and would recommend before even thinking about this one again.
July 30, 2012
I discovered Michael Lamendola through Twitter. He said he wrote kick ass, funnier than hell crime thrillers, so I thought "we'll see about that".
Well, he wasn't lying.
I'll be honest, I really don't read these kind of books. Horror, post-apocalyptic, and sci-fi thrillers are more my home turf, but as I read through the sample for this book I quickly found myself hooked. I picked up a copy immediately.
What can I tell you about this book? For starters, it's well-written and the editing is very good. I found no major errors to distract me from the story. Lamendola is a talented writer and a great storyteller.
The character development in this book is fantastic. The two main characters are rough around the edges, but likable. I wanted to see them succeed as they bumbled their way through one messed up situation after another. The plot moved along very quickly and I found myself really enjoying the book, wanting to get back to it and see where the story took me.
There's a fair amount of humor along the way and I found myself laughing out loud during more than one scene. The book contains some adult language, as I would expect from a book of this nature. This is how real human beings talk, after all, especially the type involved in not-so-legal activities.
This is one of those books you stumble upon thinking it's not your cup of tea, only to find out it really is. I was pleasantly surprised by how much fun the story was. I actually bought the sequel before I finished this book and I'll also be buying the third book in the series.
Dirty Work is a well-written, fast-paced, hilarious thrill ride that I think you'll be glad you took. Pick this book up today and find out for yourself.
Well, he wasn't lying.
I'll be honest, I really don't read these kind of books. Horror, post-apocalyptic, and sci-fi thrillers are more my home turf, but as I read through the sample for this book I quickly found myself hooked. I picked up a copy immediately.
What can I tell you about this book? For starters, it's well-written and the editing is very good. I found no major errors to distract me from the story. Lamendola is a talented writer and a great storyteller.
The character development in this book is fantastic. The two main characters are rough around the edges, but likable. I wanted to see them succeed as they bumbled their way through one messed up situation after another. The plot moved along very quickly and I found myself really enjoying the book, wanting to get back to it and see where the story took me.
There's a fair amount of humor along the way and I found myself laughing out loud during more than one scene. The book contains some adult language, as I would expect from a book of this nature. This is how real human beings talk, after all, especially the type involved in not-so-legal activities.
This is one of those books you stumble upon thinking it's not your cup of tea, only to find out it really is. I was pleasantly surprised by how much fun the story was. I actually bought the sequel before I finished this book and I'll also be buying the third book in the series.
Dirty Work is a well-written, fast-paced, hilarious thrill ride that I think you'll be glad you took. Pick this book up today and find out for yourself.
July 29, 2012
(On my review site, I give this book a 3.5 which translates to a goodreads 3.)
It's happened again. I'm one of, like, the only people to not rave about a given book. I should be getting used to this. I also almost didn't read it, cause I dislike books with too much hyperbole in the descriptions.
The truth was that Dirty Work is not a bad book. It was fast-paced, very funny and action-packed. It had that gritty feel. I read it in a couple of days and didn't at any point wonder why the hell I was reading it. Believe me, that reaction happens to me more often than I care to admit. I'm hard to please apparently.
Anyways, my only real issue with this story was the characters. I... didn't really like any of them. Even the narrator. I suppose I can't say that I disliked him, but I didn't like him either. Aside from being a smart-ass -- which is a trait I can appreciate -- I didn't find all that much redeeming about him. He was just carried by events of the story.
Then there was Janet, whose motivations just made no sense at all to me. I don't know why she was drawn to the main character, and I kept hoping for something that never came and that left me a little disappointed.
I didn't really find this book "full of twists and turns" like one reviewer said. It had a couple, but not one that was all that surprising, and the twists I had hoped were coming, didn't. So... eh.
Still, it was a fun and quick read. I can't say I really liked it, but it was better than average. I don't know if I'll read any more books in the series, but I may. So this gets a 3.5.
It's happened again. I'm one of, like, the only people to not rave about a given book. I should be getting used to this. I also almost didn't read it, cause I dislike books with too much hyperbole in the descriptions.
The truth was that Dirty Work is not a bad book. It was fast-paced, very funny and action-packed. It had that gritty feel. I read it in a couple of days and didn't at any point wonder why the hell I was reading it. Believe me, that reaction happens to me more often than I care to admit. I'm hard to please apparently.
Anyways, my only real issue with this story was the characters. I... didn't really like any of them. Even the narrator. I suppose I can't say that I disliked him, but I didn't like him either. Aside from being a smart-ass -- which is a trait I can appreciate -- I didn't find all that much redeeming about him. He was just carried by events of the story.
Then there was Janet, whose motivations just made no sense at all to me. I don't know why she was drawn to the main character, and I kept hoping for something that never came and that left me a little disappointed.
I didn't really find this book "full of twists and turns" like one reviewer said. It had a couple, but not one that was all that surprising, and the twists I had hoped were coming, didn't. So... eh.
Still, it was a fun and quick read. I can't say I really liked it, but it was better than average. I don't know if I'll read any more books in the series, but I may. So this gets a 3.5.
August 3, 2015
Michael Lamendola manages the feat of creating a page-turning crime caper that is also full of crisp humor and sly jokes. Buddy and Sal are lovable anti-heroes who get in way over their heads, but they always have each other's back, and we root for them because of it. We wonder just how Buddy and Sal are going to get out of their latest mess, pausing only long enough to laugh at Lamendola's quick wit. A great start to the trilogy.
August 28, 2011
I loved this book. If it's a serious read you're looking for this isn't it. However, if it's pure entertainment you will love this book. A very fast read that kept me laughing on almost every page. Sometimes we all need a little comic relief mixed in with what could be serious situations and this is it. Highly recommend.
August 24, 2011
This isn't exactly in my reading genre. I'm more of a straight up mystery fan, so I adjusted my review accordingly. If you like tongue-in-cheek crime thrillers with fish-out-of-water heroes, then this may be for you. It is a fast and fun read.
September 24, 2011
Michael Lamendola is one of those authors that you look for on Kindle. Dirty Work is very funny and irreverent, the kind of book you'd pay $20 in the store and know is a steal for less. A very enjoyable read and series you can really get into.
September 14, 2012
this book had the makings of a great noir PI story. Except for the premise. Once you get past that though., the banter and thoughts of the main character are hilarious! there's a sequel I will get to eventually
March 8, 2013
3.5 stars for this one! Quick suspenseful read if you don't mind a little violence. Helps if you are slightly gullible because I have a hard time believing two guys who barely have any criminal "training"'could last as long as they did in a world where gunshots are the norm.
February 6, 2013
I enjoyed the humor in this book a lot.. kind of a simple story but will probably read the next book.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews