Trash Course

by Penny Drake

Terry Faye loves traveling the world while working as a private investigator. But this latest case is a doozy—and it's brought her back home to Ann Arbor.

Two elderly recluses, Howard and Lawrence Peale, have stopped communicating with the outside world, and Terry and her boss have been put on the case. The catch: the Peales are hoarders. A clean sweep isn't going to be easy, even with photographer Zack Archer lending a hand.

But the more digging Terry does in the Peale mansion, the more dirt she uncovers. And after finding two dead bodies, she knows it's going to take a lot more than just elbow grease and a nice-guy sidekick to solve this puzzle. Especially when there's a killer hot on their heels—a killer who will do whatever necessary to keep a long-buried secret!

Genres: Romantic Suspense

Paperback

First published January 1, 2010

About the author

Pseudonym for Steve Piziks

Reviews

[Janet · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was fun and certainly a different take on a mystery. The setting is mainly Terry and her boss, along with Zack who is a photographer, traipsing around a mansion filled with booby traps and a maze of junk because the two old guys living there were hoarders. Now, they must figure out what the killer is after and survive the chaos of the house before they get buried themselves.

[Sheri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Trash Course by Penny Drake

The story moves at a steady pace with an interesting plot and quirky characters. Terry is likable, her Boss (Ms. Hawk) had an air of mystique about her. A bit of humor added to the story, a few surprises and some unexpected reveals, kept my interest up.

Overall I found Trash Course enjoyable, not quite a cozy mystery, but a good who-done-it. An interesting theme (the hoarding Uncles) is a bit unique. I feel those who enjoy murder/mystery genres will like this book as well.

[Joan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was not what I was expecting, was thinking more intense mystery than light hearted humor mystery.
It was a good read, did get tired of the endless descriptions of the hoard house. The characters didn't fit together, you supposedly have a bad ass PI gal and her unsure sidekick who worships her.
Didn't really bond with the characters so wasn't that engaged in them.
Story was interesting and did have some twist and turns that keep you reading.

[Kathryn Cooke · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was the most 2010 book I’ve ever read. The outfits, the dialogue, the action sequences, etc. The main character even sang Bad Romance to herself. Was it good? Not really, but it was a fun enough read. (Even if I wanted to die every time Terry called herself mama bear).

[Shantana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Different than your usual mystery. Interesting

[NovelReaction]

Terry Faye loves her job as a private investigator but she may be in over her head on this case, literally. Trash Course by Penny Drake has Terry doing a welfare check on two older gentlemen, little does she realize that the two men are hoarders and that their house is a booby-trapped maze. When the welfare check turns up two dead bodies Terry is sure that her case is solved, then one of the bodies is determined to be too young to be one of the gentlemen. The case is further complicated by the determined efforts of reporter Zack Archer to assist, unasked, with the investigation.

Weaving through the mounds of newspapers and canyons of boxes, Terry is almost overwhelmed by the sheer number of items stored in the house. She is hired by the older gentlemen’s niece to find important family documents including the missing will and to try and figure out where the missing gentleman has gone. Terry finds herself attracted to the mysterious Zack and relying more and more on his presence in searching through the mound of garbage in the house. When the danger escalates Terry is forced to rely on Zack even though he may be involved in the missing gentleman.

I am a Hoarders fan and have to admit that I chose this book because of the hoarding aspect. Drake’s description of the garbage and treasures piled in the house is realistic and I found myself shuddering in one scene where Terry is walking across a large number of bugs that are living in the piles of stuff. Trash Course is told from the first person point of Terry and feels very informal but gives you a keen insight into the thought process of Terry. The first person point of view also does a great job of helping build the suspense as you (the reader) have no idea what the other characters are thinking. Zack was a great hero, at once both mysterious and open. I enjoyed the novel but be aware that there is quite a bit of swearing and the use of the “f” word.

[Melissa J. Katano · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this because I like Steven Harper, but I didn't really like this book. There were too many inconsistencies with Our Heroine: she's supposed to be near 30, but comes off more as near 20; she's a "badass," but then acts more as a student. There didn't seem to be any real chemistry with Our Romantic Lead (I refuse to call him Our Hero)...heck, I'm not sure there was any kissing at all....Our Heroine's Mentor/Boss is....well, I'm not sure I could describe her, because she didn't leave much of an impression.

Okay, brief plot summary: Our Heroine, Terry Faye works for Hawke Enterprises. It's an Agency--of an unspecified sort--that will only hire out to women for money and favors (invitations to exclusive parties, information, etc). The story starts off in Russia, taking down a Child Slavery Ring because a vacationing American child was snatched off the streets of St. Petersburg. After Terry and Ms. Hawke return to the States, they're hired by the niece of two reclusive uncles (who turn out to hoarders) who haven't been heard from in several months. While going through the house (which the brothers have booby trapped), they encounter Zackery Archer, a photographer who supposedly had been invited by one of the brothers to photograph his "collection".

The book wasn't so horrible that I couldn't finish it, which is why I gave it the two stars, but these are definitely hours I wish I had back.

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have to admit, I liked the idea of this one--in no small part because the house wherein the mystery is set, filled wall to wall with the hoarded items of many years, rang true for me. I've known houses like that. Fortunately none that ever had anything like the plot of this book happen in them, but nonetheless, houses that were definitely the home of hoarders.

And as for the mystery itself, I have to admit as well that I'm writing this review many months after having read the book. But that said? I'm remembering it kindly. Our heroine Terry is a private investigator, and I specifically liked the ethos of the agency she's working for, helping women that need it. This plot in particular, which wound up having international ramifications, struck me as a bit convoluted and oddly juxtaposed against the setting of a hoarder's house. But not overly so, and on the whole I did enjoy reading this one. It's good for a light mystery read. Three stars.

[Sherwood Smith]

I read this romantic mystery in draft form. I had so much fun reading it that I kept forgetting to comment, and would have to go back and find the last place I'd done my duty, and proceed more slowly.

My taste in mystery/romance or romantic suspense weighs heavily toward humor and interesting characters, and less toward grim forensic details and serial killers and the like, so gauge by this: I found a lot of humor, some thoroughly enjoyable characters, and the descriptions of a hoarder house were spot on. (I've been in a few. They are just like this.)

I liked the romance, and believed in this couple both as individuals and as a couple. The mystery was unpredictable, which I also enjoyed, though I am fine with knowing who the murderer is, as I seldom read for puzzles.

[Arthur · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book was finally good at the end which made it worth a reading. Or not…depends. I doubt I’d survived through another moment until the conclusion or its excitement, with the many grudges I was getting right from the beginning, what with Terry realizing a lot of things. First, that she as a detective owed a lot to Ms. Hawk. Secondly that Terry has flashbacks of a low caliber and that she mentions these events throughout this book when she can. Lol. As things go, Terry as the main character seemed silly but I managed to get through it.

[Tina · Rating 2 out of 5]

Started off a little rocky ... to much snark and silliness, in my opinion. But once the story got going it seemed to even out. The hoarding situation was very sad, and true to life, although I'm not sure Uncle Lawrence should've been able to handle all of those strenuous activities at his age. Slava's character was a bit overblown, Belinda was entirely too blasé about letting Zack and Slavs take part in the investigation, and the whole mystery surrounding Diana Hawk's past was a bit hinky, too.

[Kristina · Rating 3 out of 5]

this was an ok book. the author did a good job at placing the reader at the scene and in the house. but I felt it kinda drag out at times. I dunno maybe it was just me. I would try another book by this author though.

[Gerry Humes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was almost reluctant to read this, but I was pleasantly surprised. There is humor as well as suspense and a love story. Great read.

[Laura]

Note: Bought the EPUB version directly from Carina Press

[Darla Stokes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was so disappointed to discover that this wasn't the start of a series--it had all the earmarks of being the first in a mystery series that I'd enjoy. Our heroine works for an agency that clearly has an interesting backstory and that handles a wide variety of cases. In the opening scenes, they're overseas dealing with a kidnapping and child trafficking case; the bulk of the story concerns a more ordinary but increasingly complex missing-persons case in their hometown of Ann Arbor, Michigan. Having spent several years there (I went to U of M as an undergrad, and then conned my husband into letting the army send him there for his master's), it was a nice touch. The characters were interesting, and I was really looking forward to finding out more about Terry's mysterious boss, Ms. Hawk, and the various secondary characters in future books. Oh, well. It was still an entertaining mystery story, and time well spent.