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O’Hara & Krekorian #2
Buried on Avenue B
Hailed by the Chicago Tribune as an “utterly irresistible heroine,” Darlene O’Hara—the brilliant, hard-living, obsessive, and somewhat self-destructive detective introduced in Peter de Jonge’s acclaimed crime fiction masterwork Shadows Still Remain—returns in Buried on Avenue B.
An edgy and suspenseful noir thriller, Buried on Avenue B traverses the gritty landscape of New York’s Lower East Side and the more sordid corners of Sarasota, Florida, as a gruesome and unexpected discovery in a makeshift Alphabet City grave heats up a 17-year-old cold case.
James Patterson calls Darlene O’Hara “one of the freshest, hippest detective creations in many a year,” and the New York Times has described Peter de Jonge’s writing as “in the noirish, character-driven vein of Dennis Lehane or Michael Connelly.” For fans of serious crime fiction, Peter de Jonge is a must-read, and Detective Darlene O’Hara is cop to be reckoned with.
An edgy and suspenseful noir thriller, Buried on Avenue B traverses the gritty landscape of New York’s Lower East Side and the more sordid corners of Sarasota, Florida, as a gruesome and unexpected discovery in a makeshift Alphabet City grave heats up a 17-year-old cold case.
James Patterson calls Darlene O’Hara “one of the freshest, hippest detective creations in many a year,” and the New York Times has described Peter de Jonge’s writing as “in the noirish, character-driven vein of Dennis Lehane or Michael Connelly.” For fans of serious crime fiction, Peter de Jonge is a must-read, and Detective Darlene O’Hara is cop to be reckoned with.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published January 24, 2012
62 people are currently reading
387 people want to read
About the author
Peter de Jonge
15 books33 followersPeter de Jonge is an American author and journalist known for both his solo crime novels and his bestselling collaborations with James Patterson. His debut novel Shadows Still Remain (2009) was named a Washington Post Best Book of the Year and introduced NYPD Detective Darlene O’Hara, a character inspired in part by a real-life homicide detective. He followed it with Buried on Avenue B in 2012, further establishing his voice in crime fiction.
De Jonge co-authored several #1 New York Times bestsellers with Patterson, including Miracle on the 17th Green, The Beach House, and Beach Road. His later collaborations include Miracle at Augusta, Miracle at St. Andrews, and Tiger, Tiger.
Beyond fiction, de Jonge has been a longtime contributor to The New York Times Magazine since 1986, and his nonfiction has appeared in National Geographic, DETAILS, New York, Harper’s Bazaar, and Manhattan, inc. His journalism has been recognized in anthologies such as Best American Sports Writing (1996, 2004).
Born in Stamford, Connecticut, de Jonge spent part of his childhood in Switzerland. He was a nationally ranked junior tennis player and later earned a degree from Princeton University. He began his writing career at local newspapers and the Associated Press before transitioning to copywriting and magazine journalism in New York. He lives in New York City, where his novels are set.
De Jonge co-authored several #1 New York Times bestsellers with Patterson, including Miracle on the 17th Green, The Beach House, and Beach Road. His later collaborations include Miracle at Augusta, Miracle at St. Andrews, and Tiger, Tiger.
Beyond fiction, de Jonge has been a longtime contributor to The New York Times Magazine since 1986, and his nonfiction has appeared in National Geographic, DETAILS, New York, Harper’s Bazaar, and Manhattan, inc. His journalism has been recognized in anthologies such as Best American Sports Writing (1996, 2004).
Born in Stamford, Connecticut, de Jonge spent part of his childhood in Switzerland. He was a nationally ranked junior tennis player and later earned a degree from Princeton University. He began his writing career at local newspapers and the Associated Press before transitioning to copywriting and magazine journalism in New York. He lives in New York City, where his novels are set.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews
August 13, 2012
Ooo, really mixed feelings about this one. It has one of those irresistible setups where you can't begin to imagine the explanation. Why's there a wooden spoon in the dead man's bedroom? And a guy with dementia claims to have killed and buried someone under the tree in the community garden... but when they dig it up the body's someone entirely different.
But the intricate resolution of the mystery depends on the unsavory characteristics of a particular subculture that turns out to be involved, and I am a bit uncomfortable with what seems like the stereotyping of this group if not outright racism. It might have worked if the author had brought something new to the characterizations, told me something new about this culture so it was clear he'd done his research. But aside from stuff he could have found from a dictionary, there didn't seem to be anything here that wasn't based on the common preconceptions about the culture involved.
A couple of coincidences strain credulity as well, like how the main character finds out the identity of the dead body. Still, the plot drew me in, and the main character hangs together despite being kind of annoying. I'm curious to read another book by this author and see if it lacks these rather specific problems.
But the intricate resolution of the mystery depends on the unsavory characteristics of a particular subculture that turns out to be involved, and I am a bit uncomfortable with what seems like the stereotyping of this group if not outright racism. It might have worked if the author had brought something new to the characterizations, told me something new about this culture so it was clear he'd done his research. But aside from stuff he could have found from a dictionary, there didn't seem to be anything here that wasn't based on the common preconceptions about the culture involved.
A couple of coincidences strain credulity as well, like how the main character finds out the identity of the dead body. Still, the plot drew me in, and the main character hangs together despite being kind of annoying. I'm curious to read another book by this author and see if it lacks these rather specific problems.
July 20, 2018
I must admit I really enjoyed this. The reason I'm saying this is that I picked this up without realising de Jonge writes with James Patterson, and I like James Patterson novels (too short chapters, short sentences and just bad lazy writing). However, Buried on Avenue B has none of the above, well maybe the chapters are slightly shorter but not every one. The writing is good and the plot was interesting. The characters are interesting, Darlene is a great central character.
August 6, 2019
Ever since I ran across it, I've been reading aloud the first paragraph of a major structural division in this book to anyone who will listen. It goes like this:
Good writing, rich characterization, crisp dialogue and a perplexing mystery are all strong points of a nevertheless imperfect novel – what novel isn't imperfect, though? It starts when a home health care aide tips O'Hara that her client, a career criminal with a touch of dementia, hints that he buried the body of his sometime partner in a public garden off Avenue B. O'Hara manipulates her captain into letting her dig up the body, expecting it to be an easy case to close for a division known throughout the department as Homicide Soft. But the bones that turn up are those of a 9-year-old boy, buried only a couple months ago. Finding out what happened to Johnny Doe becomes an unhealthy obsession for Darlene, leading her to explore the subculture of skateboard punks, high culture kiddie porn, and a network of Gypsy grifters reaching to the Gulf shore of Florida and back. Each twist along the way proves darker, grimmer and grislier.
If I have anything against this book, it is a sense of closure denied by the fact that each time O'Hara seems to be about to catch up to a person of interest in the case, somebody else gets them first. The true face of evil seems always just around the corner but never meets her eye to eye. One nursed on a steady diet of genre thrillers might notice a certain nutrient missing – that direct, violent confrontation between the protagonist and her quarry. But that doesn't make the last twist any less chilling or soften the case's effect on O'Hara's professional and personal wellbeing. The subplots, including O'Hara's enthusiasm for her college-age son's music career, the sex appeal of an elderly man who used to be a boxing champion, and an alliance with a lesbian cop from Sarasota, all flesh out the speaking image of a remarkable and memorable character who could, if she keeps working at it, become a great detective.
This is the second book of the O'Hara & Kerkorian series, featuring a pair of New York Police Department homicide detectives who, by the time this story takes place, are only former partners. Darlene O'Hara - a middle-aged, single mother who drinks too much - is really the central character. I haven't read their first adventure yet; its title is Shadows Still Remain, and it's currently De Jonge's only other novel on which he doesn't share author credit with James Patterson. Their joint titles include the inspirational golf trilogy Miracle on the 17th Green, Miracle at Augusta and Miracle at St. Andrews and the mystery-thrillers The Beach House and Beach Road.
Instead of a shot from a starter's pistol, there's the bing made by a microwave when the soup is warm. O'Hara pushes from her seat in the second-to-last row and with two hundred compressed, vaguely nauseated travelers plods toward the exit. She presses through the malodorous air of coach and the still-warm party debris of business and does that little perp walk past the chipper smiles of the flight crew. When she steps into the rubber hose that connects the plane to the terminal, the crappy seal offers the first inkling of Florida heat.Isn't that just delicious? I thought so the moment I clapped eyes on it, and I still think so. That's top quality writing, there. It's observant, sensuous, funny, and sizzling with personality. It also cleverly achieves the effect of a picture gradually coming into focus, leading you to understand what the scene is about without hitting you right in the face with it.
Good writing, rich characterization, crisp dialogue and a perplexing mystery are all strong points of a nevertheless imperfect novel – what novel isn't imperfect, though? It starts when a home health care aide tips O'Hara that her client, a career criminal with a touch of dementia, hints that he buried the body of his sometime partner in a public garden off Avenue B. O'Hara manipulates her captain into letting her dig up the body, expecting it to be an easy case to close for a division known throughout the department as Homicide Soft. But the bones that turn up are those of a 9-year-old boy, buried only a couple months ago. Finding out what happened to Johnny Doe becomes an unhealthy obsession for Darlene, leading her to explore the subculture of skateboard punks, high culture kiddie porn, and a network of Gypsy grifters reaching to the Gulf shore of Florida and back. Each twist along the way proves darker, grimmer and grislier.
If I have anything against this book, it is a sense of closure denied by the fact that each time O'Hara seems to be about to catch up to a person of interest in the case, somebody else gets them first. The true face of evil seems always just around the corner but never meets her eye to eye. One nursed on a steady diet of genre thrillers might notice a certain nutrient missing – that direct, violent confrontation between the protagonist and her quarry. But that doesn't make the last twist any less chilling or soften the case's effect on O'Hara's professional and personal wellbeing. The subplots, including O'Hara's enthusiasm for her college-age son's music career, the sex appeal of an elderly man who used to be a boxing champion, and an alliance with a lesbian cop from Sarasota, all flesh out the speaking image of a remarkable and memorable character who could, if she keeps working at it, become a great detective.
This is the second book of the O'Hara & Kerkorian series, featuring a pair of New York Police Department homicide detectives who, by the time this story takes place, are only former partners. Darlene O'Hara - a middle-aged, single mother who drinks too much - is really the central character. I haven't read their first adventure yet; its title is Shadows Still Remain, and it's currently De Jonge's only other novel on which he doesn't share author credit with James Patterson. Their joint titles include the inspirational golf trilogy Miracle on the 17th Green, Miracle at Augusta and Miracle at St. Andrews and the mystery-thrillers The Beach House and Beach Road.
October 23, 2012
Back in action is Detective Darlene O’Hara of Manhattan South, who is an interesting character. A dedicated drinker, she has a shot every day before she starts work at 8 a.m., carries a chip on her shoulder, and likes to do all things her way.
One day a home healthcare aide comes into the station to report that her client, who is a veteran jailbird, has told her he murdered someone seventeen years ago and buried the victim under a tree in the community garden on ‘Avenue B.’
Darlene goes to see the old man and realizes that due to all the drugs he took in the past, he really can’t remember his own name much less the fact he might be a murderer. However, Darlene persuades her boss to let her dig up the plot and, sure enough, the coroner finds a corpse. But this victim is certainly not what they were counting on; instead of an ‘old junkie,’ they unearth a nine-year-old boy who was recently buried after sustaining a gunshot wound.
Darlene posts all the information on the internet since this will be handled as a cold case and no one yet knows the boy’s identity. But much to everyone’s surprise, the Sarasota Police Department comes up with a partial match. Benjamin Levin, an elderly boxer, seems to have shot himself with the same gun that was used to kill the boy. This news sends Darlene to talk to a detective in Florida and then on to South Carolina to try and find the connection between these two shooting victims.
As Darlene tries valiantly to solve this mess she encounters many interesting characters, including a band of gypsies. With these ‘oddities’ and a heroine that is most assuredly a different breed, this book is a definite keeper. Having co-written a mystery or two with James Patterson, readers should know that De Jonge is a terrific writer who does extremely well in the suspense realm all by himself.
Until Next Time, Everybody,
Amy
August 19, 2012
Darlene O’Hara is a homicide detective with the Homicide South. This division does not see much action, however when there is a crime or murder then it is a big deal and the media is all over it.
A woman comes to the police station. She says she wants to report a possible homicide. The woman is a home health aide. She works for a man named Gus Henderson. Gus tells the aide that he buried a guy under a tree on the corner of Sixth Street and Avenue B. There is a park there with a big tree. Dar does not believe the story but decides to check it out anyways. She and Augustus Jandorek get more then they bargained for. There is a body but it is of a small child. Now, Dar and Jandorek have a real murder case on their hands. They are joined by Connie Wawrinka.
I have never read any of Mr. De Jonge’s work before. I am not too much of a fan of Mr. Patterson’s so this is the first time for me to see what Mr. De Jonge brings to the table with his writing style.
While, I was not fully invested in all the secondary characters, I did enjoy Dar, Jandorek, and Wawrinka who are the main characters which is important. The pace of the story moved at a quick pace. Also the chapters were only a few pages long so that made a difference as well. There were a bunch of characters thrown in the mix. Dar would investigate one and then bounce to the next and the next.
Some readers had a problem with the racism in this book but it did not affect me or take away from the story. Not to say that I am in favor of racism but just that I knew where all the rage was coming form. It was part of the story to show the reason for the murder. Buried on Avenue B is a gritty murder mystery that will have you along for the ride!
A woman comes to the police station. She says she wants to report a possible homicide. The woman is a home health aide. She works for a man named Gus Henderson. Gus tells the aide that he buried a guy under a tree on the corner of Sixth Street and Avenue B. There is a park there with a big tree. Dar does not believe the story but decides to check it out anyways. She and Augustus Jandorek get more then they bargained for. There is a body but it is of a small child. Now, Dar and Jandorek have a real murder case on their hands. They are joined by Connie Wawrinka.
I have never read any of Mr. De Jonge’s work before. I am not too much of a fan of Mr. Patterson’s so this is the first time for me to see what Mr. De Jonge brings to the table with his writing style.
While, I was not fully invested in all the secondary characters, I did enjoy Dar, Jandorek, and Wawrinka who are the main characters which is important. The pace of the story moved at a quick pace. Also the chapters were only a few pages long so that made a difference as well. There were a bunch of characters thrown in the mix. Dar would investigate one and then bounce to the next and the next.
Some readers had a problem with the racism in this book but it did not affect me or take away from the story. Not to say that I am in favor of racism but just that I knew where all the rage was coming form. It was part of the story to show the reason for the murder. Buried on Avenue B is a gritty murder mystery that will have you along for the ride!
May 2, 2013
Short. Started out like gangbusters with all kinds of mysteries. Interesting information on the Roma (gypsies). But the book kind of whimpered to an ending. At least 4 stars until the last 50 pages.
April 16, 2018
This book is as sharp as an arrow with chapters that are quick and to the point. I enjoyed the writing style and the way each chapter set the scene, gave you a bit of insight about the characters, followed by a bit of action which advanced the storyline and then ended with a sharp point for contemplation. It was satisfying keeping apace with the author and using my detective skills to ferret out the facts that would lead to the correct conclusion. I must admit, that at many points of the story, I was surprised. This is not a "happy" book with a "nice" ending. However, it is thought provoking about the meaning of success and what actions individuals will take to achieve it. It is also insightful in regards to a difference in attitudes and mores of alternative cultures. I wouod most certainly reqad another book by this author.
July 15, 2017
A good mystery. Well written and fast paced. The mystery is an odd event and the resolution is difficult.
De Jong touches on many things, the elderly being preyed upon, police not believing the elderly and the value of their abilities, the world of the Romany the n America, the Romany culture, and the role of youth in our culture. These topics keep the story tight and interesting.
Really enjoyed the character of .Connie Warnicke, a fellow detective in Florida.
I was concerned though about some of the portrayals of the Romany as fitting the stereotypical con artists.
Some of Darlene's actions seem as if she is always going rogue and how she ends up back with he r old partner seems that police procedures would fit the book.
Overall, the story was good and worth reading.
De Jong touches on many things, the elderly being preyed upon, police not believing the elderly and the value of their abilities, the world of the Romany the n America, the Romany culture, and the role of youth in our culture. These topics keep the story tight and interesting.
Really enjoyed the character of .Connie Warnicke, a fellow detective in Florida.
I was concerned though about some of the portrayals of the Romany as fitting the stereotypical con artists.
Some of Darlene's actions seem as if she is always going rogue and how she ends up back with he r old partner seems that police procedures would fit the book.
Overall, the story was good and worth reading.
February 25, 2017
Buried on Avenue B began with a bang and an intriguing mystery that hooked me in the first few pages. Unfortunately after the first few chapters the book began to drag and the book became tedious to read. The mystery became repetitive and the ending seemed thrown together without much thought. I had high hopes for this book but it just didn't keep me interested.
January 24, 2019
This book was an easy, enjoyable read. The author had many small stories going on while the big stories fit perfectly with the plot. Got a little confusing when characters names were changed, Popsicle, Fudgsicle... but that might have been just me.
February 6, 2019
Brought me home
My old neighborhood being the setting for this book is what got my attention, Darlene kept it. She's so flawed, but so interesting. I usually figure out the plot of mysteries and crime dramas by chapter three. I didn't solve this mystery until the end. I loved revisiting my favorite Bodega and my garden on 6th and B and reminiscing about my old bars and daily trips to Tompkins Park. I loved that the main character was a strong woman who doesn't play by the rules.
My old neighborhood being the setting for this book is what got my attention, Darlene kept it. She's so flawed, but so interesting. I usually figure out the plot of mysteries and crime dramas by chapter three. I didn't solve this mystery until the end. I loved revisiting my favorite Bodega and my garden on 6th and B and reminiscing about my old bars and daily trips to Tompkins Park. I loved that the main character was a strong woman who doesn't play by the rules.
August 24, 2017
Bloody brilliant! Darlene O'Hara needs to keep going, Mr de Jonge!
January 25, 2018
Excellent book, only two books in the series was the worst part!
May 20, 2024
Fast paced and great story. Loved the characters!
September 10, 2024
O'Hara grows on you
Good dialogue and there were enough layers in the mystery to keep it interesting. I felt the agony and despair in the van.
Good dialogue and there were enough layers in the mystery to keep it interesting. I felt the agony and despair in the van.
March 10, 2022
2.75 This book was really good in the beginning but started to fade and get boring & random. I hated how they incorporated the circus and gypsies into the plot. I feel like it didn't fit and just made the book go south. Also, what was the point of her son even being in the book? His character had no point except to show that she was a young mother but they mentioned him several times saying he was in a band.
October 25, 2012
I won this book in a contest a while back; however, I've been going through some things and had to continuously start and stop reading.
When I first started reading the book it started off kinda slow (while telling about the detectives daily rituals) but then it picked up. The book takes place in Manhattan, NY (most of the time) and keeps you on a mental journey all the way through. When you think you know who did what, you get thrown for a loop, and find out something new that happened that makes the case go into a new direction. When Detective Darlene O'Hara first got the case (from the home attendant of an old man, going through the beginning stages of Alzheimer's)she is led to believe that she is investigating the homicide of a criminal that had disappeared 20 years prior; however, she stumbles upon the fresh homicide of a little boy, with no evidence of who he is or what happened. Darlene then becomes deeply invested in the case, because she has to find out who killed this little boy and left him in a make shift grave. Her investigation starts with her talking to some kids to try to find out who the little boy is, only to take her on a wild goose chase from strange underworld activities to the hunt for two gypsies; who in the end both wind up dead. When she thinks her investigation has hit a dead end she starts talking to a few gypsies who lead her to the answers she's been after; she also finds out the "old man" isn't who he says he is, and he winds up telling her everything from beginning to end.
I don't want to give away to much of the book, so you have to read it to fill in the blanks; but trust me its worth it. Unlike some murder/mysteries where less than half way through the book you figure out what happened and who did it (and most of the time you end up being right); this book has soo many twist and turns it'll keep you guessing all the way till the end.
When I first started reading the book it started off kinda slow (while telling about the detectives daily rituals) but then it picked up. The book takes place in Manhattan, NY (most of the time) and keeps you on a mental journey all the way through. When you think you know who did what, you get thrown for a loop, and find out something new that happened that makes the case go into a new direction. When Detective Darlene O'Hara first got the case (from the home attendant of an old man, going through the beginning stages of Alzheimer's)she is led to believe that she is investigating the homicide of a criminal that had disappeared 20 years prior; however, she stumbles upon the fresh homicide of a little boy, with no evidence of who he is or what happened. Darlene then becomes deeply invested in the case, because she has to find out who killed this little boy and left him in a make shift grave. Her investigation starts with her talking to some kids to try to find out who the little boy is, only to take her on a wild goose chase from strange underworld activities to the hunt for two gypsies; who in the end both wind up dead. When she thinks her investigation has hit a dead end she starts talking to a few gypsies who lead her to the answers she's been after; she also finds out the "old man" isn't who he says he is, and he winds up telling her everything from beginning to end.
I don't want to give away to much of the book, so you have to read it to fill in the blanks; but trust me its worth it. Unlike some murder/mysteries where less than half way through the book you figure out what happened and who did it (and most of the time you end up being right); this book has soo many twist and turns it'll keep you guessing all the way till the end.
July 23, 2012
Author Peter de Jonge's Buried on Avenue B, book 2 of the O’Hara & Krekorian series, is a fast-paced thriller that will capture most readers. Peter de Jonge has created an amazing thriller containing a wide array of interesting and well created characters with his writing of Buried on Avenue B. Although not the typical character Hercules is one I grew to care for. Hercules is introduced through other characters and their stories/memories of him. Buried on Avenue B centers around NYPD Homicide Division Detective Darlene O'Hara who works out of what is known as "Homicide Soft" because little comes their way. One morning everything changes when a woman named Paulette Williamson comes in to report a murder told to her by Gus Henderson, an elderly, ex-drug addict patient she is caring for. According to Gus he kill an African-American adult male then buried him under a Willow Tree in the community gardens 17 years ago. Skeptical at first, but deciding to take a quick look anyway Detective O'Hara soon realizes this could be the real deal, now all she has to do is convince her Lieutenant with minimal evidence to allow her to try and find a body. Once given the go ahead Detective O'Hara is surprised when she hears the victim is not the intended, but that of a Caucasian, male child with an odd array of items found buried around him. Follow Detective O'Hara as this case takes her on a cross country hunt for answers. I was completely caught up in the hunt and cheered Detective O'Hara the whole way. Buried on Avenue B has twists and turns throughout and will leave readers stunned when all the pieces fall into place. I hope Peter de Jonge has intentions to further capture readers with future books in the O’Hara & Krekorian series.
September 12, 2012
Buried On Avenue B
by
Peter De Jonge
My "in a nutshell" summary...
An old crime is reinvestigated with new outcomes.
My thoughts after reading this book...
Yummy, marvy, engrossing...lol...I loved my intro to Detective Darlene! She is matter of fact, curious, sort of enchanting and probably likes to drink a little too much. But she is one heck of a detective! I loved her sticktoitiveness...but of course that is what gives her these mad detective skills. And...this is a murder gone viral...it is not what it is supposed to be and it takes over Detective O'Hara's life. As with any review of a mystery it's completely impossible to share the main events. But know that it sort of begins with a rumor and just unravels into this amazing series of events...with twists and turns, the involvement of skateboarders, the elderly and gypsies! It was very difficult to stop reading...I wanted to savor the events but it was just too exciting!
What I loved about this book...
I must say I loved Detective Darlene O'Hara...her son Axel Rose...lol...her dog...and her police personality.
I loved the short chapters. I loved the satire. I loved the action.
What I didn't love...
Drawing a blank here...I loved this yummy book!
Final thoughts...
I wish I would have read the first book but it's on my wish list and I will get to it soon. If you love a fabulous mystery with a great main character with an edgy attitude...this is the series for you!
And me...lol!
by
Peter De Jonge
My "in a nutshell" summary...
An old crime is reinvestigated with new outcomes.
My thoughts after reading this book...
Yummy, marvy, engrossing...lol...I loved my intro to Detective Darlene! She is matter of fact, curious, sort of enchanting and probably likes to drink a little too much. But she is one heck of a detective! I loved her sticktoitiveness...but of course that is what gives her these mad detective skills. And...this is a murder gone viral...it is not what it is supposed to be and it takes over Detective O'Hara's life. As with any review of a mystery it's completely impossible to share the main events. But know that it sort of begins with a rumor and just unravels into this amazing series of events...with twists and turns, the involvement of skateboarders, the elderly and gypsies! It was very difficult to stop reading...I wanted to savor the events but it was just too exciting!
What I loved about this book...
I must say I loved Detective Darlene O'Hara...her son Axel Rose...lol...her dog...and her police personality.
I loved the short chapters. I loved the satire. I loved the action.
What I didn't love...
Drawing a blank here...I loved this yummy book!
Final thoughts...
I wish I would have read the first book but it's on my wish list and I will get to it soon. If you love a fabulous mystery with a great main character with an edgy attitude...this is the series for you!
And me...lol!
January 16, 2017
A new voice and one that I recognized from his co-authoring with James Patterson. I haven't figured out yet how Patterson does this duet with so many - but deJonge can stand alone. The detective, Darlene O'Hara, is damn good and she brings her own fascinating and engaging tale with her to Avenue B. I love really good police procedurals. This is a good one. I don't do spoilers, so I can only say it is a very well written story with subplots and lots of NYC" laffs" that set a layered backdrop. She drinks (thank God) and that fact allows her an experienced insight on the substrata she encounters in her job.. I like her.
I latched onto this book in a freebie box at the library and was very pleasantly surprised - which serves to reaffirm the benefits of my scavenging tendencies. I have reached a conclusion that the really well defined and beautifully plotted mysteries - from any part of this world are like small travel guides and I now look for them set in every part of the world. So far the search has taken me far and wide and I pass along this idea to my friends. I find there are skells, mopes, mooks and badmashes and the writers who know their turf and bring you in with them. As an aside I also found NYPD Blue in re-runs and now have my all time favorite police show daily. The crimes are the lure, but the characters and the actors who have created them in full are the prize. Peter deJonge has writte a few more stand along mysteries - suggest you have a look at them too. He has outgrown James Patterson.
I latched onto this book in a freebie box at the library and was very pleasantly surprised - which serves to reaffirm the benefits of my scavenging tendencies. I have reached a conclusion that the really well defined and beautifully plotted mysteries - from any part of this world are like small travel guides and I now look for them set in every part of the world. So far the search has taken me far and wide and I pass along this idea to my friends. I find there are skells, mopes, mooks and badmashes and the writers who know their turf and bring you in with them. As an aside I also found NYPD Blue in re-runs and now have my all time favorite police show daily. The crimes are the lure, but the characters and the actors who have created them in full are the prize. Peter deJonge has writte a few more stand along mysteries - suggest you have a look at them too. He has outgrown James Patterson.
July 9, 2012
I won this book (free) on Goodreads Giveaways :)
The story focuses on Manhattan South police detective Darlene O'Hara, a single mom with a grown son, Axl, who has given up college in favor of starting a band. Darlene, who starts her day with a liquid sort of breakfast, is used to a slow pace in the precinct, as murder is not common for them. A woman comes in one fateful day to report a murder, as told to her by a patient she is caring for. Though skeptical, Darlene convinces her commander to allow her to look into the case. While excavating the supposed burial spot in a community garden, a corpse is discovered: not the African-American man who was the alleged victim, but a young boy, buried with mementos surrounding him.
Solving the case leads O'Hara to the sultry Southeastern United States, meeting with several unsavory characters who like to fleece the elderly on the way. This is a fast-paced thriller.
One caveat: this book is written in contemporary urban English, with the F word and similar vulgarities mixed liberally in the text. If you don't care for that sort of lingo, then it probably is not the book for you. For those who aren't disturbed by it, this is a fantastic book.
The story focuses on Manhattan South police detective Darlene O'Hara, a single mom with a grown son, Axl, who has given up college in favor of starting a band. Darlene, who starts her day with a liquid sort of breakfast, is used to a slow pace in the precinct, as murder is not common for them. A woman comes in one fateful day to report a murder, as told to her by a patient she is caring for. Though skeptical, Darlene convinces her commander to allow her to look into the case. While excavating the supposed burial spot in a community garden, a corpse is discovered: not the African-American man who was the alleged victim, but a young boy, buried with mementos surrounding him.
Solving the case leads O'Hara to the sultry Southeastern United States, meeting with several unsavory characters who like to fleece the elderly on the way. This is a fast-paced thriller.
One caveat: this book is written in contemporary urban English, with the F word and similar vulgarities mixed liberally in the text. If you don't care for that sort of lingo, then it probably is not the book for you. For those who aren't disturbed by it, this is a fantastic book.
November 17, 2012
A Harper read (free in exchange for an honest review) and another venture into detective/mystery lit. I do enjoy them from time t time, but will admit to being a bit of a harder sell than some since it isn't my go-to genre. This is apparently the second in a series, although (as I find common and a benefit to the genre) it isn't at all a drawback to have missed the first installment. The main character is a flawed female detective with a focus on murder investigations. A rumor leads her to dig up part of a community garden, to the chagrin of leadership in her squad, and the unexpected result sends her hunting not only a killer but an unidentified victim.
This sits between a 2 and a 2.5 star read (of 5). I found myself intrigued about the victim but the story just dragged and got a bit too confused at times. There were also too many coincidences, a definite personal pet peeve. At times I found the detective character interesting but then she'd lose my interest and I felt like there were elements that got dropped. I picked in up with interest in the early-going but was more than ready for it to end.
This sits between a 2 and a 2.5 star read (of 5). I found myself intrigued about the victim but the story just dragged and got a bit too confused at times. There were also too many coincidences, a definite personal pet peeve. At times I found the detective character interesting but then she'd lose my interest and I felt like there were elements that got dropped. I picked in up with interest in the early-going but was more than ready for it to end.
February 10, 2013
A home health attendant appears at Homicide South in Manhattan and skeptically reports the confession of a senior citizen struggling with Alzheimer's to the NYPD's Detective Darlene O'Hara. The senior, a former junkie and petty criminal, claims he murdered and buried his former partner-in-crime in a park off Avenue B more than a decade ago, a lowlife who fell off the grid and hasn't been seen since. The city agrees to excavate the alleged scene of the crime, and the police find a body--just not the one they were looking for. They unearth the skeleton of a ten-year-old boy, neatly dressed and buried ceremoniously with a comic book, a CD, some pot, and booze. Instead of an easy open-and-shut case, O'Hara is faced with finding the murderer of a child, and the pressure is on the newly promoted detective to prove herself.
This was pretty good. Darlene is an interesting character and she uncovers leads in a dogged, clever way. The story moves at good pace with no predictable turns of events. I'd read another.
This was pretty good. Darlene is an interesting character and she uncovers leads in a dogged, clever way. The story moves at good pace with no predictable turns of events. I'd read another.
August 13, 2012
This book was not bad. I haven't read from this author before and was impressed by his writing skill. Although I was thrown off by the fact it was written in present tense, it soon read smooth.
The main character Darlene O'Hara is interesting: the fact she drinks in the morning, is hard working, and tries hard to find common ground with her son who decided to join a band. The sections of the book that featured the son's exploits were humorous.
The case started out interesting, a body of a young boy is found buried on Avenue B and that leads to interesting cases of home invasion and wooden spoons. The story moves from NYC to Florida and back and we see some really interesting setting.
At some points, I was confused (it could have been the fact I was reading an ARC and not the real book) but in the end, I had a satisfying conclusion to the mystery before me.
The main character Darlene O'Hara is interesting: the fact she drinks in the morning, is hard working, and tries hard to find common ground with her son who decided to join a band. The sections of the book that featured the son's exploits were humorous.
The case started out interesting, a body of a young boy is found buried on Avenue B and that leads to interesting cases of home invasion and wooden spoons. The story moves from NYC to Florida and back and we see some really interesting setting.
At some points, I was confused (it could have been the fact I was reading an ARC and not the real book) but in the end, I had a satisfying conclusion to the mystery before me.
July 8, 2012
I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads. The cover actually related to the story and so does the title, which already had me feeling better about this book than the last one I read. A very good mystery with a lot of interesting characters. Most intriguing of all the characters is Hercules, a character we only meet through other people's experiences of him. It feels very authentic throughout. Having lived in NYC, the descriptions there were accurate. Please, hire a good editor to go through before the final publication. Every three pages or so there would be a typo or grammar error so bad it would distract me from the story as I tried to figure out what was suppose to be written.
October 31, 2015
Darlene O'Hara, who makes her second appearance here, is a marvelous creation. An NYPD homicide detective, she doesn't have a cool car and doesn't punch out bad guys on a routine basis or live in the back of a cool bar. She works and tries to take care of her almost grown son and becomes passionate about homicide victims.
Here we have an ingenious plot offset by even more ingenious detective work. There are flaws, without doubt, but they are small or easily overlooked. While not exactly a mystery, and a bit more than a procedural, the writing takes us above the pedestrian without impinging on the territory of the academic pedant. The humor is usually subtle but sometimes erupts into outright knee slapping funny.
Recommended.
Here we have an ingenious plot offset by even more ingenious detective work. There are flaws, without doubt, but they are small or easily overlooked. While not exactly a mystery, and a bit more than a procedural, the writing takes us above the pedestrian without impinging on the territory of the academic pedant. The humor is usually subtle but sometimes erupts into outright knee slapping funny.
Recommended.
July 30, 2012
A GoodReads First Reads win! So far, I'm half way through and I'm trying really hard to like it. I enjoyed his past books and I'm waiting for a twist, a smoking gun, or something exciting to hold my interest... the chapters are short which makes it go a bit faster, but I need a better connection to the characters and story I think. I want to know what happens next but I'm questioning if I care. ...so now I've finished and I'm glad I stuck with it. Once the story gets moving, it's a good one and original. I don't want to give away anything but I was pleased at the end.
December 7, 2012
Set in a neighborhood I visit regularly, this book made me want to create a walking tour based on the story. Detective Darlene O'Hara gets a tip about a body buried in a community garden, but it's not the body she expects, and the 9-year-old boy she does find is shrouded in mystery. Dar is an alcoholic and was an unwed teen mother, and both circumstances drive her reactions to what she discovers about the boy. Tapping into a criminal subculture was pretty fascinating, and De Jonge kept a surprise or two up his sleeve. Fast, fun read.
December 8, 2012
This is a very good mystery. The places mentioned are geograpyically accuratate and most places are real or very close to it and I did';t google every detail of every location. Hurricane Sandy brought down the Willogh Tree mentioned in the Garden on Avenue B. I loved the story. It had a good ending and was well written book with very short chapter that helps keeps the reader engaged without making the story dull or borring with far to many details. It kkeps you reading and to finish the book in a short period of time.
January 8, 2014
If you have any important projects to attend to, don't start this mystery. It's a page turner with no flash backs so the events are continuous. The action takes place in Manhattan's Alphabet City and Greenwich Village. An aging junkie wafting in and out of dimentia confesses to the murder of a black man. Homicide Detective Darlene O'Hara of the NYPD investigates only to find the remains of a young boy.
The dialogue and the characters, in my opinion, are believable. A very entertaining read.
The dialogue and the characters, in my opinion, are believable. A very entertaining read.
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