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Dev Haskell Mystery #1
Russian Roulette
THE RUSSIAN MOB'S NEVER BEEN SO HILARIOUS. OR SO DANGEROUS...
PI Dev Haskell wakes up one morning in dire need of an asprin, a cup of coffee, and an hour in the sauna. It seems he's just spent a wild night with his beautiful bombshell of a client, Kerri, and she's left him a note. A smart and sly man who fancies himself just a little more savvy and debonair than reality confirms, Dev thinks he's got it made. But he has absolutely no idea what he's getting into when he agrees to track down Kerri's sister Nikki. Turns out both women are involved in an elaborate human trafficking ring with Braco the Whacko, a notorious Russian mobster, at the helm. Soon Dev finds himself at odds with local police, Homeland Security, and an FBI task force, as well as in and out of the hospital thanks to a gunshot wound and a bit of shrapnel in the rear, not to mention on the run from a neurotic underworld boss and a psychotic killer: it must be love...
In a bizarre but compelling mixture of crime and offbeat comedy, Dev proceeds to messily balance both sides of the law in a wacky tale that will keep you on your toes while laughing out loud.
PI Dev Haskell wakes up one morning in dire need of an asprin, a cup of coffee, and an hour in the sauna. It seems he's just spent a wild night with his beautiful bombshell of a client, Kerri, and she's left him a note. A smart and sly man who fancies himself just a little more savvy and debonair than reality confirms, Dev thinks he's got it made. But he has absolutely no idea what he's getting into when he agrees to track down Kerri's sister Nikki. Turns out both women are involved in an elaborate human trafficking ring with Braco the Whacko, a notorious Russian mobster, at the helm. Soon Dev finds himself at odds with local police, Homeland Security, and an FBI task force, as well as in and out of the hospital thanks to a gunshot wound and a bit of shrapnel in the rear, not to mention on the run from a neurotic underworld boss and a psychotic killer: it must be love...
In a bizarre but compelling mixture of crime and offbeat comedy, Dev proceeds to messily balance both sides of the law in a wacky tale that will keep you on your toes while laughing out loud.
336 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 20, 2011
1387 people are currently reading
1951 people want to read
About the author
Mike Faricy
131 books240 followersI was born in St. Paul, Minnesota, I still live there as well as in Dublin, Ireland. I've been a soldier, freelance journalist, tended bar, sold designer cakes, owned a painting and decorating company along with a number of other schemes and scams. If that doesn't offend you I also play bagpipes with the Brian Boru Irish Pipe Band. All my books stand alone, read them in whatever order you wish. They are filled with the sort of oddballs we are all curious about, but wisely, prefer to keep at a distance. None of my characters will be saving the world from terrorism, international banking conspiracies or coups to take over the government. Rather, they inhabit a world just below the surface of polite society, characters with one foot on either side of the law. The circumstances they find themselves in are usually due to bad decisions, but bad decisions lead to interesting stories. They serve not so much as an example but as a warning to us all. Thanks for taking the time, happy reading.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 212 reviews
June 1, 2018
E.T.A. - Oh, I forgot to mention that this book is free on amazon right now. You get the whole series in a pack, so go get it!
Just the other day I was saying I didn't like the noir-style of writing, and yet here I am, liking the crap out of this book, and especially the "hero", Dev Haskell. It's got that noir feel, but contemporary, and very sarcastic and funny. Dev has that dry humor that cracks me up.
I certainly wasn't going to get into anything with her over the phone. I like to watch people when they lie to me.....
"you know, I'm terribly sorry about (the blood on the pavement). Next time I have someone shoot me in the head I'll make sure they do it on the lawn."
So, not only is Dev a smartass, but he's a womanizing smartass with a terrible reputation.
"The list of people who know you and don't want to shoot you would probably be a lot shorter than the ones who do."
Never assume that something doesn't want to kill you. Australia teaches us that.
Yeah, his friends are awesome too. He has a female best friend, Heidi, who rushes to his hospital bedside after a shooting:
"I figured I should get over here so you can eliminate my name from the list of dozens of women who want to kill you," Heidi said.
And, his other best friend is Aaron, a cop, who occasionally helps Dev out in his private investigations. In this book, Dev is trying to find the missing sister of a woman, and things get pretty complicated. Aaron's case and Dev's case have a few suspects in common, so they do a little bit of working together. Regarding one person of interest:
Dev: "You said he's dead too?"
Aaron: "Yeah assisted suicide."
Dev: "Assisted suicide?"
Aaron: "He apparently blew his brains out with a colt .45, then put a second round in what was left of his skull just to be sure. The .45 was still in his hand, an unsigned, typewritten note stuffed in his pocket."
So, the guy was really good at killing himself. What's the problem?
This book is straight up mystery. Dev sees tons of action, and it's a lot of fun. It doesn't have any romance at all, although he had sex at one point - it was fade to black. There are some dark things in it, but nothing is touched on too strongly so that you get upset or depressed. Basically, it's just some loser P.I. who is running around after people that are way out of his league. Dev is kind of a pig, but he's a lovable pig, so you find yourself rooting for him to .... well, just survive because he IS a loser.
Go Dev, go!
Just the other day I was saying I didn't like the noir-style of writing, and yet here I am, liking the crap out of this book, and especially the "hero", Dev Haskell. It's got that noir feel, but contemporary, and very sarcastic and funny. Dev has that dry humor that cracks me up.
I certainly wasn't going to get into anything with her over the phone. I like to watch people when they lie to me.....
"you know, I'm terribly sorry about (the blood on the pavement). Next time I have someone shoot me in the head I'll make sure they do it on the lawn."
So, not only is Dev a smartass, but he's a womanizing smartass with a terrible reputation.
"The list of people who know you and don't want to shoot you would probably be a lot shorter than the ones who do."
Never assume that something doesn't want to kill you. Australia teaches us that.
Yeah, his friends are awesome too. He has a female best friend, Heidi, who rushes to his hospital bedside after a shooting:
"I figured I should get over here so you can eliminate my name from the list of dozens of women who want to kill you," Heidi said.
And, his other best friend is Aaron, a cop, who occasionally helps Dev out in his private investigations. In this book, Dev is trying to find the missing sister of a woman, and things get pretty complicated. Aaron's case and Dev's case have a few suspects in common, so they do a little bit of working together. Regarding one person of interest:
Dev: "You said he's dead too?"
Aaron: "Yeah assisted suicide."
Dev: "Assisted suicide?"
Aaron: "He apparently blew his brains out with a colt .45, then put a second round in what was left of his skull just to be sure. The .45 was still in his hand, an unsigned, typewritten note stuffed in his pocket."
So, the guy was really good at killing himself. What's the problem?
This book is straight up mystery. Dev sees tons of action, and it's a lot of fun. It doesn't have any romance at all, although he had sex at one point - it was fade to black. There are some dark things in it, but nothing is touched on too strongly so that you get upset or depressed. Basically, it's just some loser P.I. who is running around after people that are way out of his league. Dev is kind of a pig, but he's a lovable pig, so you find yourself rooting for him to .... well, just survive because he IS a loser.
Go Dev, go!
August 9, 2014
Amazon carries this blurb about Russian Roulette: WHO WILL LIKE IT: Fans of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series, Tony Dunbar's Tubby Dubonnet mysteries, the Chevy Chase Fletch movies, and Florida-zany authors like Carl Hiassen, Tim Dorsey, and Dave Barry—though not because this book is set in Florida—it’s just zany!
Sadly, it’s not. Not zany. Not funny. Not even mildly humorous. It’s just tedious.
There was no tension, no sense of danger looming.
Banter between the characters seems forced and often sounds juvenile
Dev Haskell, the main character, acts like a pubescent boy – leering and almost drooling over every pretty woman he sees – instead of like an adult. And every time he answers his cell, he tells us he can’t read the numbers.
Faricy offers no clues or anything that provides a vague sense of where book is set until the fourth or fifth chapter. It’s St. Paul, Minnesota for your information.
Early in the book, Haskell takes a grazing gunshot wound to his head but afterward, there is no mention of stitches, a shaved portion of his head, or a bandage. So either Haskell is an immediate healer or the people he interacts with are terminally blind. Blunders like that can destroy an author’s credibility. Consider your credibility destroyed, Mr. Faricy.
And by the way, it’s ‘make a beeline for’ not ‘make a B-line for’ and it’s throes not throws of passion. Doesn’t anyone use proofreaders anymore?
Several paragraphs and chapters in this download were double-spaced while the rest of the book was single-spaced.
The only good thing I can say about this book is that it was a free download.
That’s not enough to make me want to read more Dev Haskell stories.
I rated this book 2 stars only because I didn’t really hate it. 1½ stars would be a more honest rating – it did nothing for me.
Sadly, it’s not. Not zany. Not funny. Not even mildly humorous. It’s just tedious.
There was no tension, no sense of danger looming.
Banter between the characters seems forced and often sounds juvenile
Dev Haskell, the main character, acts like a pubescent boy – leering and almost drooling over every pretty woman he sees – instead of like an adult. And every time he answers his cell, he tells us he can’t read the numbers.
Faricy offers no clues or anything that provides a vague sense of where book is set until the fourth or fifth chapter. It’s St. Paul, Minnesota for your information.
Early in the book, Haskell takes a grazing gunshot wound to his head but afterward, there is no mention of stitches, a shaved portion of his head, or a bandage. So either Haskell is an immediate healer or the people he interacts with are terminally blind. Blunders like that can destroy an author’s credibility. Consider your credibility destroyed, Mr. Faricy.
And by the way, it’s ‘make a beeline for’ not ‘make a B-line for’ and it’s throes not throws of passion. Doesn’t anyone use proofreaders anymore?
Several paragraphs and chapters in this download were double-spaced while the rest of the book was single-spaced.
The only good thing I can say about this book is that it was a free download.
That’s not enough to make me want to read more Dev Haskell stories.
I rated this book 2 stars only because I didn’t really hate it. 1½ stars would be a more honest rating – it did nothing for me.
July 3, 2011
I gotta tell you right now, up front – one of my newest favorite antihero protagonists is hands-down, Devlin Haskell. Dev is an individual who reminds you of somebody you know - someone you wish you could ignore, but can’t. Dev thinks of himself as brave and debonair, but we all know he’s a big disheveled puddy cat who is more at ease dumpster diving in an alley for freebies. Then, inspired by the contentment of a full belly and basically generous nature, calls his friends to partake of the alley feast, as well.
Like a cat, he is seemingly blessed with a multitude of lives and a demeanor that dares you to contradict his “I am the King” attitude. Always in trouble, Dev’s unique code of honor keeps him trudging through his investigation. He doesn’t give up. When he falters, he gathers the tattered shreds of his dignity and keeps plodding on. He is a funny guy, always in trouble, rarely sensible. He makes me groan, and he causes me to laugh aloud.
As my finger rapidly clicked through the screens on my kindle, and the story sped by for me, I kept the faith that Dev would rescue the girl, and solve the case. This well-developed, quirky crime mystery by Mike Faricy is escapist entertainment at its very best. Well-intentioned, inept, lucky and, have I mentioned, always in trouble, Devlin Haskell leads a riotous cast of unconventional characters in a fast-paced who-dun-it that will appeal to readers of all ages.
Reviewed by Laurie-J
Like a cat, he is seemingly blessed with a multitude of lives and a demeanor that dares you to contradict his “I am the King” attitude. Always in trouble, Dev’s unique code of honor keeps him trudging through his investigation. He doesn’t give up. When he falters, he gathers the tattered shreds of his dignity and keeps plodding on. He is a funny guy, always in trouble, rarely sensible. He makes me groan, and he causes me to laugh aloud.
As my finger rapidly clicked through the screens on my kindle, and the story sped by for me, I kept the faith that Dev would rescue the girl, and solve the case. This well-developed, quirky crime mystery by Mike Faricy is escapist entertainment at its very best. Well-intentioned, inept, lucky and, have I mentioned, always in trouble, Devlin Haskell leads a riotous cast of unconventional characters in a fast-paced who-dun-it that will appeal to readers of all ages.
Reviewed by Laurie-J
January 18, 2023
😂😂🤭❤️
Reading this book felt like I was just reading a Brooklyn Nine-Nine script and I loved it. The author has a way with words that will just have you laughing even in serious situations and I get why the book is called Russian Roulette. This was an awesome and funny read
The mystery was easy to solve and I’m not complaining, I had so much fun 😄
Reading this book felt like I was just reading a Brooklyn Nine-Nine script and I loved it. The author has a way with words that will just have you laughing even in serious situations and I get why the book is called Russian Roulette. This was an awesome and funny read
The mystery was easy to solve and I’m not complaining, I had so much fun 😄
March 8, 2018
Remember Donny and Marie? "I'm a little bit country… I'm a little bit rock 'n' roll…?" Devlin Haskell, PI, is a little bit 30s noir detective and a little bit 21st century screwup. Modern noir sometimes uses throwback technology to set the scene. Mike Faricy gives Dev Haskell all the modern gadgets, but sets the mood with sharp language.
RUSSIAN ROULETTE is a well written mystery/thriller that includes the private eye and his cop buddy, interfering Feds, booze, and women. Yes, let us not forget the women.
I'm not one to give away the farm while reviewing. If you want that, read the blurb. Faricy sets the stage for the books to come without actually giving away too much about Devlin. It is suggested in the blurb that followers of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series will enjoy this book. Ms. Plum has several traits that follow her through the books. I am reserving judgement on this until I have read more books in this series because the one thing that stands out about Stephanie (in my mind anyway) does happen to Dev.
I confess to having put off reading this series (17 books and counting) for far too long. My excuse? So many books, so little time! I see this first book in the series as the start of an ongoing, beautiful relationship. I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series: MR SWIRLEE.
RUSSIAN ROULETTE is a well written mystery/thriller that includes the private eye and his cop buddy, interfering Feds, booze, and women. Yes, let us not forget the women.
I'm not one to give away the farm while reviewing. If you want that, read the blurb. Faricy sets the stage for the books to come without actually giving away too much about Devlin. It is suggested in the blurb that followers of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series will enjoy this book. Ms. Plum has several traits that follow her through the books. I am reserving judgement on this until I have read more books in this series because the one thing that stands out about Stephanie (in my mind anyway) does happen to Dev.
I confess to having put off reading this series (17 books and counting) for far too long. My excuse? So many books, so little time! I see this first book in the series as the start of an ongoing, beautiful relationship. I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series: MR SWIRLEE.
November 30, 2013
This is a very entertaining book. I liked the main character, the dark sense of humor and the fast paced action. The author is very good at setting the mood and giving the reader the sense of time and place with just a few phrases. The main plotline was interesting, although after Eastern Promises, it's kind of hard for a writer to go into that territory and come out ahead. Still, I would have given this book 4 stars just for the entertainment value (it did keep me reading non-stop for hours) IF not for the author's obvious ignorance of Russian names. For Goodness sake, how hard is it to Google some Russian names if you are going to build a story involving Russians? How did this get by beta readers and editors? This is supposed to be an established author with many books in print. I am willing to overlook the (many) punctuation errors, but the names just kept me shaking my head throughout and pulling me out of the story. What a shame for such an otherwise enjoyable book to be undermined by something so easily fixed.
August 15, 2015
Okay story.
Russian mafia, human trafficking and drugs. Dev Haskell over grown teenager, didn't like this character. Constantly looking at his cell and complaining about not seeing who is calling, drunken womanizer. Can't even manage his finances, but drinking in St. Paul bars all day.
Russian mafia, human trafficking and drugs. Dev Haskell over grown teenager, didn't like this character. Constantly looking at his cell and complaining about not seeing who is calling, drunken womanizer. Can't even manage his finances, but drinking in St. Paul bars all day.
April 27, 2012
PI Devlin Haskell has been hired to find his latest client's sister. After a one night stand with his client, Devlin finds himself unwittingly involved with the Russian mob. Whilst trying to get answers, Dev finds himself being shot, beaten, car bombed and used as a human shield. Will his luck hold out long enough to find his client's sister?
PI Devlin Haskell seems to have the devils own luck. When his client asks him to help locate her missing sister, he doesn't realise what he is getting into. His innocent investigation takes a decidedly dangerous turn when he is shot and ends up on the Russian mob's radar!
This is the first time I've read one of Mike Faricy's novels, and I was struck by how the PI managed to get himself into so many incidents without getting himself killed!
He is a charming womaniser who thinks women are great. However, there are a few of his ex-girlfriends who would not return the compliment! I tend to agree with them! Dev comes across as a player, and I'm surprised he hasn't caught anything with all the bed hopping going on!
However, I loved the story as it unfolded. I think that I'm in love with Dev's best friend, Lieutenant Aaron LaZelle! I love his witty and irreverent comments! They made me snigger! - Can I keep him please?
Mike Faricy has written a fantastic novel that kept me hooked from the first page. I actually have another one of his books downloaded on my Kindle, and I am now looking forward to reading it soon! I recommend this book if you love a detective story with a likeable (or is it un-likeable?) rogue as the hero.
PI Devlin Haskell seems to have the devils own luck. When his client asks him to help locate her missing sister, he doesn't realise what he is getting into. His innocent investigation takes a decidedly dangerous turn when he is shot and ends up on the Russian mob's radar!
This is the first time I've read one of Mike Faricy's novels, and I was struck by how the PI managed to get himself into so many incidents without getting himself killed!
He is a charming womaniser who thinks women are great. However, there are a few of his ex-girlfriends who would not return the compliment! I tend to agree with them! Dev comes across as a player, and I'm surprised he hasn't caught anything with all the bed hopping going on!
However, I loved the story as it unfolded. I think that I'm in love with Dev's best friend, Lieutenant Aaron LaZelle! I love his witty and irreverent comments! They made me snigger! - Can I keep him please?
Mike Faricy has written a fantastic novel that kept me hooked from the first page. I actually have another one of his books downloaded on my Kindle, and I am now looking forward to reading it soon! I recommend this book if you love a detective story with a likeable (or is it un-likeable?) rogue as the hero.
July 28, 2015
Looking for something light and quick to read, I thought maybe this book that I downloaded to my Kindle some time ago might fit the bill. And it did. It's the first in the Dev Haskell – Private Investigator series.
I didn't expect great literature and I didn't get it. I got a fun, entertaining, and nicely written novel with some darkness to it, including human trafficking, and a protagonist who isn't quite the cream of the crop, and who bumbles his way through investigations and personal relationships.
This is a good “interlude” book, for those times you want something light before you tackle the more serious stuff. I liked it enough so that I am going to continue reading the series.
I didn't expect great literature and I didn't get it. I got a fun, entertaining, and nicely written novel with some darkness to it, including human trafficking, and a protagonist who isn't quite the cream of the crop, and who bumbles his way through investigations and personal relationships.
This is a good “interlude” book, for those times you want something light before you tackle the more serious stuff. I liked it enough so that I am going to continue reading the series.
August 24, 2015
Very enjoyable and entertaining. Second book of Dev Haskell that I read and looking forward to reading more.
July 23, 2020
I like a good mystery now and then along with a PI who is interesting as well as flawed in some way. This guy is everything I look for in a good private dick. I have never read this author before and this first book has made me willing to read more books by him.
I was pulled in at the start of the book because Dev came across as a noir type of private detective, which immediately made me like him. The other characters were fairly interesting as part of the overall storyline and you know who will be coming back in future books. The story itself was a little thin to me as they set it up but never really fully got into it. As I said before the characters who will be a part of later stories were being developed well so that they did not come across as one dimensional.
Once the initial rush of the story wore off I was less enthusiastic but still willing to continue with the story though at a slower rate since it was harder for me to stay interested long term.
A woman contacts Dev about a job and when he meets her they seem to hit off, or so he thinks. Kerri wants to hire Dev to find her missing sister but gives him very little to go on. The with this job is that he does not find out until he gets in deep that both women are involved with a Russian mobster called Bracko the Whacko. Things take a downturn almost immediately once he gets on the job through no fault of his.
While I enjoyed this I was disappointed that the main story ended at the 68% mark and they filled up the rest with an excerpt from book 2 (4 chapters) and an excerpt from a book written under his pseudonym. Makes for a less than stellar end to the first novel.
I was pulled in at the start of the book because Dev came across as a noir type of private detective, which immediately made me like him. The other characters were fairly interesting as part of the overall storyline and you know who will be coming back in future books. The story itself was a little thin to me as they set it up but never really fully got into it. As I said before the characters who will be a part of later stories were being developed well so that they did not come across as one dimensional.
Once the initial rush of the story wore off I was less enthusiastic but still willing to continue with the story though at a slower rate since it was harder for me to stay interested long term.
A woman contacts Dev about a job and when he meets her they seem to hit off, or so he thinks. Kerri wants to hire Dev to find her missing sister but gives him very little to go on. The with this job is that he does not find out until he gets in deep that both women are involved with a Russian mobster called Bracko the Whacko. Things take a downturn almost immediately once he gets on the job through no fault of his.
While I enjoyed this I was disappointed that the main story ended at the 68% mark and they filled up the rest with an excerpt from book 2 (4 chapters) and an excerpt from a book written under his pseudonym. Makes for a less than stellar end to the first novel.
June 26, 2018
Kind of a strange book about a drunken detective that gets mixed up with the Russian Mob. A beautiful woman approaches him in the bar he mostly is at and asks him to find her sister. Then she drinks him under the table and sleeps with him. He begins to realize that something isn't quite right when she takes back $100 of the $500 she gave him for professional services. Turns out it is not her sister she is looking for but another whore run by the mob. He gets hit on the head a number of times and even shot but eventually figures things out.
August 17, 2019
Very good! Love the main character!
June 9, 2020
it was a good introduction the Dev.
Had it moments of laugh and suspense. It was a quick read
Had it moments of laugh and suspense. It was a quick read
February 11, 2017
When I started this book, the main character, Dev Haskell irritated me because of his loose-living life style and his series of one night stands. Does a private investigator have to be a slob and heavy drinker with an inflated ego? Perhaps they do, as otherwise they might not have any idea how the criminal element operates or where to find informers. I felt that the focus was more on his behaviour than the actual plot but eventually that gave way to more action. By this time I was quite interested in where the events would take him and wanted to see if he would be able to solve the various crimes happening around him. Although the story is told from Haskell's point of view, he wouldn't have been able to find the answers without the participation of his pal in the local police, help from a Homeland Security team and an FBI agent who can translate Russian for them from the otherwise obstructionist FBI task force. The Russian mobsters with Braco the Wacko who runs, among other things, an escort agency whose young girls are virtually slaves, seem to pop up everywhere. After having several attempts on his life and landing in hospital every few days, Haskell is eventually in on the arrest of all the key players in the underworld crew. I guess I will rethink my plan not to read any more of these Dev Haskell crime books as I own several now, but I will read a few from other genres before I get into another.
December 27, 2023
If Al Bundy were a detective...
I was excited to start this series by a very prolific writer - 30+ books at the time of this review featuring Dev Haskill, PI. I became less excited the more I read:
"My thought was to navigate around the computer and find out where Kerri was, where Nikki was hiding, who took a shot at me, and who ran over **spoiler removed** I learned I wasn’t going to get very far without passwords. There was a Rolodex on the desktop, and next to that a coffee mug with maybe an inch of coffee and an oily slick on the top. Nuclear red lipstick lined the edge of the coffee mug. Two semi-clean mugs sat in a desk drawer along with a box of Tampax, a pack of cigarettes and seventy-five cents. I pocketed the three quarters."
Devlin is a hapless horn dog with more luck than skill. It's clearly played for humor and to root for the underdog, but I was scanning my Kindle for time left to read more often than I'd like...
At least, until it ended at the 60-something percent read mark, with the remaining pages sneak peeks at other books - yeah, I skipped those.
People are played as caricatures, Dev's in it to see who he can get into (ahem), and the rest of the series can go on without me.
I was excited to start this series by a very prolific writer - 30+ books at the time of this review featuring Dev Haskill, PI. I became less excited the more I read:
"My thought was to navigate around the computer and find out where Kerri was, where Nikki was hiding, who took a shot at me, and who ran over **spoiler removed** I learned I wasn’t going to get very far without passwords. There was a Rolodex on the desktop, and next to that a coffee mug with maybe an inch of coffee and an oily slick on the top. Nuclear red lipstick lined the edge of the coffee mug. Two semi-clean mugs sat in a desk drawer along with a box of Tampax, a pack of cigarettes and seventy-five cents. I pocketed the three quarters."
Devlin is a hapless horn dog with more luck than skill. It's clearly played for humor and to root for the underdog, but I was scanning my Kindle for time left to read more often than I'd like...
At least, until it ended at the 60-something percent read mark, with the remaining pages sneak peeks at other books - yeah, I skipped those.
People are played as caricatures, Dev's in it to see who he can get into (ahem), and the rest of the series can go on without me.
January 9, 2015
As private eye books go, this was not exacly bad, but rather unremarkable. The most notable thing being the author's lack of research concerning Russian names. The bad guys in the book are supposed to be Russian mafia, but they have names like Braco and Sergie Alekseeva and Tibor Crvek, and they are basically stereotypes. The protagonist, Dev Haskell, is not exactly a memorable character. He does not seem to have much of a backstory or motivation.
This was a freebie I wanted to read now because a couple of later books in the series are Kindle countdown deals at the moment, and I wanted to see if they were worth 99 cents. I am not sure. If the series does not become more interesting later, I might pass on it.
This was a freebie I wanted to read now because a couple of later books in the series are Kindle countdown deals at the moment, and I wanted to see if they were worth 99 cents. I am not sure. If the series does not become more interesting later, I might pass on it.
February 11, 2016
Dev Haskell is as some reviewers did say is misogynistic in a way, he's full of himself, which the author refutes with the turnout of events. His curiosity is both a plague and an advantage.
The author's upbeat writing was the only thing that kept me reading. Enjoyable!
Will I be reading other Dev Haskell mysteries, I guess. That's something to think about.
But, I just have to post this question: would you still continue on a case if your client has gone incognito and has admitted to accidentally hurting (no spoilers here) you? Well, if yes, then go ahead read it.
The author's upbeat writing was the only thing that kept me reading. Enjoyable!
Will I be reading other Dev Haskell mysteries, I guess. That's something to think about.
But, I just have to post this question: would you still continue on a case if your client has gone incognito and has admitted to accidentally hurting (no spoilers here) you? Well, if yes, then go ahead read it.
May 16, 2017
Russian Roulette was a fun read. Much of it, especially the beginning, is evocative of 40s noir. A blonde bombshell with a French accent walks into a seedy bar and hires our hero, a PI who is so down on his
luck that he doesn't have an office, to find her sister. The only clue to her sister's whereabouts is a nude photo of the sister taken at a lake. The PI, Devlin, pounds the streets searching for the mysterious sister
and often searching for his missing client. In between, Devlin is shot, assaulted, and hunted by everyone from the Russian Mafia to the FBI. A worthwhile read.
April 13, 2014
This book was a great read. I loved how the story played out. The characters were all great. Poor Dev has some crappy luck. The humor had me laughing throughout. The action was fast paced and full of events. This is a must read to add to your tbr list. Great read. Recommended.
July 21, 2019
Pretty good story of a poor private dick pulled into a bigger pond then he was ready for. For a first book it was pretty engaging and entertaining. A normal guy in a crazy yet believable situation. Can’t wait to read the next one to see what happens to him next.
February 9, 2015
A fun read
Having just finished a heavy Afghan military story that although probably quite accurate and serious, it was a welcome change of Pace
Having just finished a heavy Afghan military story that although probably quite accurate and serious, it was a welcome change of Pace
March 14, 2015
I totally recommend this series!!
August 21, 2020
Intriguing mystery
I have read the number of the Dev Haskell Mysteries. This is the first one in the series. There are others that are good but this one was very enjoyable.
I have read the number of the Dev Haskell Mysteries. This is the first one in the series. There are others that are good but this one was very enjoyable.
July 31, 2019
Easy to read private eye detective story; PI Dev works out of a series of bars, gets embroiled with the Russian mafia and, with some help from his police officer friend Aaron, saves the day.
January 21, 2025
Human Sex Trafficking
I could have easily given this book 1 Star ⭐ for many reasons. The main Character in this Book Series is a Sexual Pervert, a Drunk, Incompetent it is NOT REALISTIC for Law Enforcement to work with him as it does in this Book.
Sex Trafficking is a Very Serious Issue. This Book is Ridiculous in so many ways like the Police Setting up a Task Force to Monitor and Track Russian Speaking Criminals without having Any Russian Speaking people on the team.
The Excuse for this "There are No Russian Speaking people available for the Task Force..."
That is Not Credible it is Unbelievable, False. No Task Force going After Russian Sex Trafficking would have been created without People who could speak Fluent Russian.
They could have the recordings translated in 24 hours but they could Not have anyone on their team who speaks Russian is Not Real. It is NOT how the Police works.
Dev Haskell would Not have been allowed anywhere near this Police Operation.
This Book is Full of holes and the Plot doesn't work at All Especially with the Incompetent Dev Haskell. Dev Haskell is Basically right out of the Police Squad Parody he is a Younger Frank Drummond the Character Leslie Nelson played. Sure Not to that exact extreme but nearly as Ridiculous of a Character.
You can get some enjoyment out of these books if you see them as a Parody of the PI Genre and are reading them for a way to get away from reality.
The only reason I bother with them at All is because I mistakenly bought more than 20 of them. I thought I was buying a different Book Series that was highly recommended.
I could have easily given this book 1 Star ⭐ for many reasons. The main Character in this Book Series is a Sexual Pervert, a Drunk, Incompetent it is NOT REALISTIC for Law Enforcement to work with him as it does in this Book.
Sex Trafficking is a Very Serious Issue. This Book is Ridiculous in so many ways like the Police Setting up a Task Force to Monitor and Track Russian Speaking Criminals without having Any Russian Speaking people on the team.
The Excuse for this "There are No Russian Speaking people available for the Task Force..."
That is Not Credible it is Unbelievable, False. No Task Force going After Russian Sex Trafficking would have been created without People who could speak Fluent Russian.
They could have the recordings translated in 24 hours but they could Not have anyone on their team who speaks Russian is Not Real. It is NOT how the Police works.
Dev Haskell would Not have been allowed anywhere near this Police Operation.
This Book is Full of holes and the Plot doesn't work at All Especially with the Incompetent Dev Haskell. Dev Haskell is Basically right out of the Police Squad Parody he is a Younger Frank Drummond the Character Leslie Nelson played. Sure Not to that exact extreme but nearly as Ridiculous of a Character.
You can get some enjoyment out of these books if you see them as a Parody of the PI Genre and are reading them for a way to get away from reality.
The only reason I bother with them at All is because I mistakenly bought more than 20 of them. I thought I was buying a different Book Series that was highly recommended.
June 13, 2021
PI Devlin Haskell is hired to find a woman's sister. Turns out the woman is involved with the Russian mob and while the sister exists, she's not the woman's sister. Devlin gets pulled into a joint FBI/ICE/local police investigation into the mob.
There are several things wrong with this story that just a bit of research would have cleared up. Here's a sampling
- Cordite was last used in the early 1960. It's smell would not exist inside a car in 2011.
- There is a reference to Nurse Ratched of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Except she's called Nurse Ratchet.
- The FBI shuts down a bank that is being used by the Russian mob to launder money for it's Mexican drug connection. The book calls the bank "a Casa de Cambio." The correct word is "Cambia.". There is no such Spanish word Cambio.
- Local police and ICE takee along not one, but two civilians as it raids several drug houses and the apartments of under-age prostitutes run by the mob. No way that would happen. If the civilian were injured or killed, it would spell the end of at least one LOE's career.
- The above raids (and the closing of the bank) take place over a period of several days. The Russian mob boss would stay around, just sitting in his penthouse apartment.
- When the penthouse is raided, SWAT doesn't clear the penthouse allowing the hero to be taken hostage. Worst SWAT team ever.
These are the glaring issues. There are others that are more subtle.
There are several things wrong with this story that just a bit of research would have cleared up. Here's a sampling
- Cordite was last used in the early 1960. It's smell would not exist inside a car in 2011.
- There is a reference to Nurse Ratched of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Except she's called Nurse Ratchet.
- The FBI shuts down a bank that is being used by the Russian mob to launder money for it's Mexican drug connection. The book calls the bank "a Casa de Cambio." The correct word is "Cambia.". There is no such Spanish word Cambio.
- Local police and ICE takee along not one, but two civilians as it raids several drug houses and the apartments of under-age prostitutes run by the mob. No way that would happen. If the civilian were injured or killed, it would spell the end of at least one LOE's career.
- The above raids (and the closing of the bank) take place over a period of several days. The Russian mob boss would stay around, just sitting in his penthouse apartment.
- When the penthouse is raided, SWAT doesn't clear the penthouse allowing the hero to be taken hostage. Worst SWAT team ever.
These are the glaring issues. There are others that are more subtle.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 9, 2017
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I have read the other books in the Dev Haskell series and I can say that not only did I enjoy them, but I didn't feel lost by reading out of order.
So this is the very first Dev Haskell book and let me say Dev still finds himself in with the wrong crowd....women and booze are his downfall. I love how being a P.I. he does things his own way, he doesn't listen to those with a badge.
He gets a case of a missing person though what he uncovers is something way more deeper than someone missing. It seems that bodies will start piling up and Dev will find himself in the crossfire. Is the Russian Mob actually involved? Well the FBI believes so and with the help of Dev they plan to put an end to their ways.
There are parts that will have you just shake your head and laugh, while other parts you ask yourself why did he put himself in that situation.
Overall Dev is a good P.I. and stops at nothing to get the answers to the cases he takes on. If you like humor in your P.I. stories check out this series.
I have read the other books in the Dev Haskell series and I can say that not only did I enjoy them, but I didn't feel lost by reading out of order.
So this is the very first Dev Haskell book and let me say Dev still finds himself in with the wrong crowd....women and booze are his downfall. I love how being a P.I. he does things his own way, he doesn't listen to those with a badge.
He gets a case of a missing person though what he uncovers is something way more deeper than someone missing. It seems that bodies will start piling up and Dev will find himself in the crossfire. Is the Russian Mob actually involved? Well the FBI believes so and with the help of Dev they plan to put an end to their ways.
There are parts that will have you just shake your head and laugh, while other parts you ask yourself why did he put himself in that situation.
Overall Dev is a good P.I. and stops at nothing to get the answers to the cases he takes on. If you like humor in your P.I. stories check out this series.
April 14, 2018
I recently bought a 7-book boxed set of detective novels featuring Sevlin (Dev) Haskell, written by Mike Faricy. I've read the classic detective authors (Chandler, Hammett, Spillane), and wondered what the current crop of detectives would be like. Dev is a hard-drinking, misogynistic loser of a detective who may have a loveable streak, but I couldn't find it. Dev's interactions with Aaron, his stereotypical friend on the local police force, were like a cross between Sam Spade and Abbott and Costello. This book was so over-the-top with ridiculous banter between these two, I almost quit reading. I'm glad I continued reading.
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Aside from Dev's encounters with Aaron and members of the opposite sex, the storyline was very interesting. Haskell is hired by a mysterious woman to find her sister. Besides the facts that 1) it wasn't her sister, 2) the Russian wants Dev to find her so they can kill her and 3) there's a federal Task Force after this same mob, the tale is nicely paced and the action is fun and plentiful. If you can get past the caricatures inhabiting this book, the story itself is a decent one.
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My Rating: 3.5/5 stars
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Aside from Dev's encounters with Aaron and members of the opposite sex, the storyline was very interesting. Haskell is hired by a mysterious woman to find her sister. Besides the facts that 1) it wasn't her sister, 2) the Russian wants Dev to find her so they can kill her and 3) there's a federal Task Force after this same mob, the tale is nicely paced and the action is fun and plentiful. If you can get past the caricatures inhabiting this book, the story itself is a decent one.
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My Rating: 3.5/5 stars
May 22, 2022
This was fun, and just what I needed. A protagonist P.I. who has dismal luck with women (though he does seem to charm many for a visit to the boudoir. . .), Dev Haskell is often broke, has no office, and can't figure out who is calling him when his phone rings. He seems to run into trouble constantly without asking for it, yet in the clinch, knows how to lose a tail, sweet talk an informant, or figure out a nemesis's planned strategy.
The opening won me over: A seedy bar, a flippant bartender, and a lollapalooza of a femme fatale, ranking with old school greatness, in my estimation. She pulls Dev into an intrigue, a web of crime masterminded by a Russian mafia overlord. Dev never loses his sense of humor, even as the local cops then the FBI get pulled in. Can he find the mysterious missing call girl for his client? It's a fun read. There were a few painful typos that editing should have caught (double word errors not so bad, but for some reason your/you're errors in printed final copy really set me off and then I'm pulled out of the story flow) but I would and will read more in this series. This is kick back, relaxing reading, a masculine equivalent of a female cozy.
The opening won me over: A seedy bar, a flippant bartender, and a lollapalooza of a femme fatale, ranking with old school greatness, in my estimation. She pulls Dev into an intrigue, a web of crime masterminded by a Russian mafia overlord. Dev never loses his sense of humor, even as the local cops then the FBI get pulled in. Can he find the mysterious missing call girl for his client? It's a fun read. There were a few painful typos that editing should have caught (double word errors not so bad, but for some reason your/you're errors in printed final copy really set me off and then I'm pulled out of the story flow) but I would and will read more in this series. This is kick back, relaxing reading, a masculine equivalent of a female cozy.
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