Vintage Connor: The Blonde in the Lotus Elite

by Robert Baty

When Connor wore a badge, he drove a Crown Vic down Oakland’s meanest streets. Now he pilots a vintage Alfa Romeo and finds rare classic cars. Inevitably, he also finds trouble. In “VINTAGE The Blonde in the Lotus Elite,” the trouble starts when Evie, an old flame who asks for his help. She wants Connor to learn the truth about her daughter Janey, who was found dead in a motel during Monterey’s annual classic car weekend. The inquest said it was suicide. But Evie thinks it was murder.

332 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2011

About the author

Robert Baty was born in Buffalo, NY, and grew up in L.A., where he worked in film and television as well as advertising. His love of vintage cars dates to his teenage years, and he has owned classic British and Italian sports cars. He lives on a dead-end street in the Oakland hills with his wife and two cats, drives a vintage Alfa Romeo coupe and is currently at work on the second book in the Vintage Connor series, The Girl in the MGA."

Reviews

[Patricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ray Connor is a former police officer living in Oakland, California and dealing in vintage cars. He drives an Alfa Romeo and is an expert in classic cars. He is the person to look to if you are a collector wanting to buy a classic car.

When a cab pulls up and Evie steps out, he is immediately drawn back into the past. Evie is a woman that Connor was in love with twenty years ago and he has never gotten over the fact that she walked out on him. Now she is back in his life and seeking his help. Evie’s daughter Janey is dead. Connor didn’t even know that Evie had a daughter and now he is to investigate her death. Janey’s death has been ruled a suicide but Evie refuses to believe that her daughter would kill herself.

Janey died in Monterey so that is where Connor begins. Connor calls on his ex-partner Vince Hendrix for assistance in tracking down some information. When Connor begins his investigation, he finds that Janey’s death is looking more like murder than suicide. It not only appears that there has been a big cover-up in the facts surrounding Janey’s death, Connor also begins to feel that Evie may be covering up some facts about the case – facts that he needs to know.

Connor’s investigation takes him into dangerous territory and there are some close calls before he actually uncovers the truth. Connor is never sure that Evie will even be around when he finally breaks the case.

Robert Baty has written an exciting mystery novel that I hope will just be the first one in a series of Connor stories.

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book says "When Connor wore a badge, he drove a Crown Vic down Oakland's meanest streets. Now he pilots a vintage Alfa Romeo and finds classic cars for rich collectors. Inevitably, he also finds trouble. It starts when Evie, an old flame, asks him to learn the truth about her daughter, who was found with her wrists slashed during Monterey's classic car weekend. The inquest said it was suicide, but Evie thinks it was murder.

This is Robert Baty's first novel and he hit the ball out of the park. I love Ray Connor, I love his ex-partner Vince Hendrix, I loved this book. Connor is flawed and when Evie, who walked out on him 20 years earlier, comes back asking for his help he can't refuse her. Trying to find out if her daughter killed herself or if she was murdered proves to be harder than he thought because no one is talking, not even the detective who was on the case. Connor wants to know why everybody just wants the case to remain closed and add to that he finds out that Evie is lying to him and keeping things from him. There are so many twists and turns and when you think you know who did it you find out you were wrong.

I would recommend this book to anyone who loves old detective novels, because thats what this reminded me of. I have just found another favorite author and cannot wait for the next Vintage Connor to come out.

[Aliya DalRae · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Vintage Connor: The Blonde in the Lotus Elite" is a fast-paced mystery with plenty of twists and turns to keep the pages flying by. I enjoyed the character of Ray Connor, a retired police detective and current procurer of vintage automobiles for rich collectors. When his former one and only, Evie, shows up at his place and asks for his help solving her daughter's murder, he finds himself pulled back into detective mode as he tries to help her, and resolve his feelings for her as she invades his simple life. I wasn't crazy about Evie (if she said, "Can a girl get a drink around here" one more time I was going to scream!), but then again that was probably the point. I did enjoy the other characters, though, and if you like vintage cars, you won't be disappointed with the references within this novel. I'm looking forward to the next installment in this series. Thanks Good Reads for another excellent giveaway!

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m about as familiar with vintage cars as I am Russian slang, but I still enjoyed this fun murder mystery/ ex-cop-crime-drama! This was a surprisingly fast read, easy, entertaining and fun. Mr. Baty portrayed the style and wealth (hello, yacht parties!) of Monterey, California as well as its gritty underworld full of murder, auto theft and prostitution. Plus, I learned a lot about cufflinks.
You may not be anything like the main character, Ray Connor, but you can still identify with him. His long lost love Evie, filled with secrets and torn with grief over the death of her daughter Janey, is an interesting gal. The search for whether or not it was suicide or murder is a journey worth the ride if you’re looking for a fun, quick read.
I won this from giveaways, so I would like to say thank-you for entertaining me!

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ray Conner was a cop and now he hunts down cars. That is until he has an unexpected visitor. Evie goes to Ray after twenty some years because her daughter is dead and no one is doing anything about it. In a matter of hours he is roped into a suicide that appears to be something else, a dead truck driver, cars that might be stolen, a lying ex, and a whole bunch of guys trying to hide everything. As Ray tries to find the truth we find out that each clue complicates the whole story until he gets so close you can taste the blood.

Robert Baty writes an intricate story of intrigue that is hard to put down. His detail of a retired cop, car lover, and budding private eye is exquisite. I am looking forward to more adventures from Ray Conner.

[Marilyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I devoured Robert Baty's debut novel and was elated with the read. The only thing that would have made the book better was to have had it signed by Robert Baty. Conner is a retired homicide detective and now sells fine vintage cars to the men that don't need to ask what the car will cost to obtain. Connor still has ties to the local Police through his old partner. In this book, Connor reluctantly accepts to help an old flame prove that her daughter was murdered.

Reading Baty is like reading one of the great detective mysteries of the past generation, only better, since it is based in the 21st century rather than the 20th century. I look forward to reading future Connor novels in this series. This is an exciting debut.

[Sandy Lu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unfolding like a modern film noir, VINTAGE CONNOR is a clever and original suspense novel with enough shady characters to keep you guessing whodunit. It transports you from the gritty streets of Oakland, through a heart-stopping chase, to the pebbled beach of deceptively breezy Monterey, ending with a shot in the gut. Robert Baty writes with lean, mean, in-your-face prose that sizzles with streetwise tough talk and snappy characters that jump off the page. His rough-and-tumble protagonist is as irresistible as the creation of suspense novelists such as Michael Harvey, Jason Starr, and Peter Spiegelman. This compelling sun-drenched noir, pulsing with the rhythm and wit of the pulp classics that inspired it, will excite anyone who loves a crackling good yarn.

[Sherrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Evie, a former girl friend from Connor's early days at Oakland PD, arrives at his hose one night. Evie begs Connor to look into the officially determined suicide of her daughter Janey. I would put this book as a classic Noir containing a tough sleuth, a dame, classic cars and a corpse. It will keep you turning pages into the wee hours of the night. Does Evie get her answers about her daughters death? Do Evie and Connor get back together? You'll have to read the book to find out.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. It was like watching a black and white detective movie when the detective's were called "dicks". A mysterious murder who done it, love story all in one. Vintage is the correct word. Fun is another one.

[Al Riske · Rating 4 out of 5]

With this rollicking debut, Robert Baty appears destined to become the Raymond Chandler of Northern California.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun, fun, fun book! Fast cars and murder! Read it :) See my entire review on my blog:

http://lauramhartman.wordpress.com/20...

[Karen Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I made the mistake of starting it late at night; then I couldn't put it down to go to sleep. Very fast-paced and unpredictable. I received this book free as a prize in a contest.

[Abc]

I won this book in a giveaway. Thank you.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this book as a giveaway and am so glad that I had! A fun, easy to read book with some curious characters. I would definitely read another book by the author!

[Lulu]

I won this book from the first reads giveaways and I am so excited to read it. Thanks.