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Leo Waterman #7
Thicker Than Water
For years Leo Waterman eked out a meager living as a PI in Seattle. He survived run-ins with murderers, drug dealers, and jealous wives, but when Rebecca, the love of his life, dumped him to marry someone else... that was a different story.
After Leo's trust fund finally kicks in, he takes his broken heart and slips gratefully into retirement - until the day he learns that Rebecca has vanished and no one, not even her overbearing mother, can locate her.
Together with his motley crew of homeless drunks and reprobates, Leo sets out to find Rebecca, following her twisted trail from the rain-swept streets of Seattle to the murky depths of the great North Woods. The stink of it all emanates from none other than Rebecca's new husband, whose lies cast Leo into the path of a ruthless gang that will stop at nothing - not even murder - to protect what's theirs.
After Leo's trust fund finally kicks in, he takes his broken heart and slips gratefully into retirement - until the day he learns that Rebecca has vanished and no one, not even her overbearing mother, can locate her.
Together with his motley crew of homeless drunks and reprobates, Leo sets out to find Rebecca, following her twisted trail from the rain-swept streets of Seattle to the murky depths of the great North Woods. The stink of it all emanates from none other than Rebecca's new husband, whose lies cast Leo into the path of a ruthless gang that will stop at nothing - not even murder - to protect what's theirs.
264 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 17, 2012
264 people are currently reading
493 people want to read
About the author
G.M. Ford
34 books219 followersGerald M. Ford was the author of the widely praised Frank Corso novels, Fury, Black River, A Blind Eye, Red Tide, No Man's Land, and Blown Away; six highly acclaimed mysteries, featuring Seattle private investigator Leo Waterman; and the stand-alone thriller Nameless Night. A former creative writing teacher in western Washington, Ford lived in San Diego.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 93 reviews
September 26, 2012
I bought this book because it was on sale super cheap on Kindle, and it sounded like it wouldn't be too bad. Also the author's name (pen name?) is G.M. Ford, which I found amusing. I expected it would be okay. It was more than okay. This was a fast-paced mystery, set in Seattle, starring snarky, sarcastic, and punny (as in puns; that's not a typo) Detective Leo Waterman and the bizarre characters of his acquaintance. Will this book win any awards for being a literary masterpiece? Probably not. Was it incredibly entertaining and hard to put down? Yes. If you like fast-paced, escapist mystery novels, give it a read. I'm definitely going to be checking out Ford's other books now!
January 18, 2013
Even though this is the seventh in the series, it is the first Leo Waterman mystery I'd read. That I hadn't read numbers 1-6 didn't seem to matter in the least. This was a fast-paced mystery that I read in just a couple of sittings. It focused on the characters and the action, and it didn't use any expository filler to make it longer. I think most mysteries, especially the more hard-boiled varieties, benefit from brevity, and I was very pleased with this book.
Leo was a very enjoyable character to get to know, and I look forward to reading more of this series.
Leo was a very enjoyable character to get to know, and I look forward to reading more of this series.
September 3, 2020
Many changes have accompanied the long-awaited 45th birthday of laidback Seattle PI Leo Waterman. In THICKER THAN WATER, Leo finally has full access to his trust fund, comprising the various lucrative proceeds of sharp political maneuvering and outright rapine by Wild Bill Waterman. As anticipated by his late dad, Leo immediately retires. Now he’s driving a Chevy Tahoe, kicking back in a chaise lounge, working out to pass the time and paying his band of outcasts and street people to do yard work, not surveillance. Then he learns of the disappearance of his lifelong girlfriend, Dr. Rebecca Duvall, who has dumped him and married a worthless cad. Leo’s subsequent quest to find and/or rescue Rebecca produces a bloody body count (very unusual for this easygoing series). Nevertheless, our main man still hates the conversational use of “whom,” cracks wise to everyone, and still recognizes that “the line between the middle class and out of your ass was thinner than a piece of Denny’s bacon” (p6).
November 22, 2020
Something like ten years passed between the last entry in this series and this one. I vaguely remember wondering if the author had simply quit and moved on to other things. But this is a long overdue and welcome entry. A lot has happened since the last book ended: Leo's girlfriend of 19 years has left him, gotten married, and now suddenly disappeared. Leo is still more than a little in love with her, and he will stop at nothing to find her, even as the days pass and there is almost no chance that she is still alive. Much mayhem, and a mystery that seemed clear to me long before Leo figured it out. But the big finish was riveting, and even after that there were still a few more surprises I didn't see coming. Memorable line from this one: "Hey, I made up a new word. Kariaki." "OK, I'll bite, what does it mean?" "Singing with a mouth full of chicken."
August 8, 2025
I love GM Ford's humor and am sometimes laughing out loud while reading his very entertaining novels and characters. The way he describes the characters thoughts and actions are extremely insightful. I do wonder though, how many beatings Leo can withstand before he's completely dis-abilitated! I find myself wincing at some of the brutality and wonder if this can possibly be probable what some of the characters do....anyway, fun stuff from Mr. Ford. Thank you for your talent, imagination and work. I am just one of your beneficiaries.
July 31, 2017
Lord, Mister Ford, what have you done? And more to the point, where the hell have you been?
There are a number of masters of the mystery genre that I read faithfully. There are about a dozen, if we count those no longer among us (such as Ed McBain, Donald Westlake, and Tony Hillerman) whose novels I would read simply on the basis of their authorship.
GM Ford is among my dozen. In fact, he's toward the top of the heap. I can't objectively say whether the latter is because he sets his mysteries here in my own stomping grounds--so that while James Lee Burke can give me a really great travelogue, when Ford hooks a left on Madison and heads to Madison Park, I am looking out the front of the car windshield with him, since we're less than twenty minutes from my home.
But the one thing I can say with objective certainty is that he is one fine writer. He can take a premise that is as old as the hills and in the hands of a lesser writer would cause me to moan, "Oh, come ON, not THIS again!" and give it a twist to turn it into something else, so NOT really 'this again', and then write it with such amazing deftness, word-smithery, pacing, and wry humor that I almost can't put it down.
But I do. I put it down at bedtime, because I'm going to read SOMETHING after I take my sleeping aid for the night, and whatever it is, I may not remember it very well. My very favorite reading material only gets read while my brain is in fully active mode. I doled this out to myself in bits and pieces, like Mary Ingalls hoarding her Christmas candy. Ohhh, don't let it be over yet!
But I don't delay gratification all that well, and as the weekend hazes to a close, the last page of the book terminated, and now I must wait for the one that will be out in a few months.
I had half a dozen sticky-noted quotes to toss your way, poignant moments with "the boys", as the first-person protagonist fondly refers to his late father's crowd, some of whom are truly as down-and-out as people can be, living beneath freeways, in doorways, and under trees in city parks. His trenchant observation that "the line between middle class and out on your ass is thinner than a piece of Denny's bacon" is most painfully clear in pricey metropolises such as Seattle, where the annual take-home pay of a waitress or clerical worker would not even pay the rent for an studio apartment in the city, let alone allow for other costs of daily living like food, transportation, medical premiums, and clothing.
And for me, this recognition is one of the key grooves that turns my mental tumblers into place and permits me to feel empathy toward an author. It's a hard world out there, and even in a glorious place like Seattle, poverty's knife edge is closer to most of us than we care to even acknowledge.
Leo Waterman, our intrepid detective, has inherited enough to live off of, having come of age at a middling forty-five, but life has already taught him what down-and-out looks like. He feels the bumps on the head and the shock that strikes his skeleton when he climbs a fence and jumps to the concrete on the other side, but if there's a good enough reason, he does it anyway. He doesn't have a death wish, but he has the character and integrity to go out and butt heads with bad people when the city's cops settle in more comfortably behind their desks and wait for retirement to edge ever closer. Leo's an easy hero to bond with.
As for the rest of the little bookmarks and sticky notes I have reluctantly pulled from my still-new book's pages...why ruin it for you? It doesn't get much better than this. Find the quotes for yourself. You can order that book and it will be at your gates inside the week. But you can't have my copy. It's been claimed by another family member, even as I typed this review.
There are a number of masters of the mystery genre that I read faithfully. There are about a dozen, if we count those no longer among us (such as Ed McBain, Donald Westlake, and Tony Hillerman) whose novels I would read simply on the basis of their authorship.
GM Ford is among my dozen. In fact, he's toward the top of the heap. I can't objectively say whether the latter is because he sets his mysteries here in my own stomping grounds--so that while James Lee Burke can give me a really great travelogue, when Ford hooks a left on Madison and heads to Madison Park, I am looking out the front of the car windshield with him, since we're less than twenty minutes from my home.
But the one thing I can say with objective certainty is that he is one fine writer. He can take a premise that is as old as the hills and in the hands of a lesser writer would cause me to moan, "Oh, come ON, not THIS again!" and give it a twist to turn it into something else, so NOT really 'this again', and then write it with such amazing deftness, word-smithery, pacing, and wry humor that I almost can't put it down.
But I do. I put it down at bedtime, because I'm going to read SOMETHING after I take my sleeping aid for the night, and whatever it is, I may not remember it very well. My very favorite reading material only gets read while my brain is in fully active mode. I doled this out to myself in bits and pieces, like Mary Ingalls hoarding her Christmas candy. Ohhh, don't let it be over yet!
But I don't delay gratification all that well, and as the weekend hazes to a close, the last page of the book terminated, and now I must wait for the one that will be out in a few months.
I had half a dozen sticky-noted quotes to toss your way, poignant moments with "the boys", as the first-person protagonist fondly refers to his late father's crowd, some of whom are truly as down-and-out as people can be, living beneath freeways, in doorways, and under trees in city parks. His trenchant observation that "the line between middle class and out on your ass is thinner than a piece of Denny's bacon" is most painfully clear in pricey metropolises such as Seattle, where the annual take-home pay of a waitress or clerical worker would not even pay the rent for an studio apartment in the city, let alone allow for other costs of daily living like food, transportation, medical premiums, and clothing.
And for me, this recognition is one of the key grooves that turns my mental tumblers into place and permits me to feel empathy toward an author. It's a hard world out there, and even in a glorious place like Seattle, poverty's knife edge is closer to most of us than we care to even acknowledge.
Leo Waterman, our intrepid detective, has inherited enough to live off of, having come of age at a middling forty-five, but life has already taught him what down-and-out looks like. He feels the bumps on the head and the shock that strikes his skeleton when he climbs a fence and jumps to the concrete on the other side, but if there's a good enough reason, he does it anyway. He doesn't have a death wish, but he has the character and integrity to go out and butt heads with bad people when the city's cops settle in more comfortably behind their desks and wait for retirement to edge ever closer. Leo's an easy hero to bond with.
As for the rest of the little bookmarks and sticky notes I have reluctantly pulled from my still-new book's pages...why ruin it for you? It doesn't get much better than this. Find the quotes for yourself. You can order that book and it will be at your gates inside the week. But you can't have my copy. It's been claimed by another family member, even as I typed this review.
July 20, 2012
I actually read this book, it wasn't an audible edition. I love G.M. Ford's writing style and while Leo Waterman isn't my favorite character of his, Leo's stories are still great whodunnits! I'm partial to any novels set in Seattle and G.M. Ford does a fantastic job of describing the area and making it come alive around his characters.
September 24, 2012
At first I thought the author was trying for a Robert B Parker tone - wisecracking detective, 40'ish, big and strong. As the book progressed, I began to enjoy Leo Waterman. The story wasn't bad at all, and I did have to give it three stars. Maybe author Ford is not Parker - yet - but there is promise,
December 30, 2013
Sometimes you want to read Dostoevsky and sometimes you want to read a 2-star detective novel. I wanted to read a 2-star detective novel. And it was a 5-star 2-star detective novel if that makes any sense. :)
February 22, 2015
Humorous, good dialogue.
Love was wasting his life away, just sitting around. The Boy's are not in this story much. Visualizing the scenes Leo describes, and the way he talks to himself makes me laugh. Rebecca is gone and nobody knows where, this gets Leo going again.
Love was wasting his life away, just sitting around. The Boy's are not in this story much. Visualizing the scenes Leo describes, and the way he talks to himself makes me laugh. Rebecca is gone and nobody knows where, this gets Leo going again.
November 21, 2012
This was ok. Decent plot I guess. but It reminds me of o e that would have been turned into an early 90's action flick.
September 5, 2012
Ford is a new author to me. I thoroughly enjoyed his vocabulary and clever turn of phrase.
March 16, 2025
NEATO! (This review was written in 2012)
Well, knock me over with a well placed sucker punch. What a remarkable discovery this was. Part Sam Spade, part Jack Reacher, and as far as I can tell, ALL Leo Waterman.
In "Thicker Than Water," I can't help thinking the author's pen name is a private little joke he's having with us, but G.M. Ford doesn't joke around with his writing--except in the clever literary sense. This is a well constructed, engaging, and satisfying take on the old, kidnapped girlfriend yarn that is packaged up in a colorful and appealing wrapper that makes it go down like a birthday present.
I didn't start the Leo Waterman series at its beginning as I often urge readers to do with sequential novels. And it is a tribute to Ford that he filled in the hero's background much to my satisfaction as the story unfolded. This series of books and its main character are a recent find for me. And I would never have picked them up at all but for my Kindle. The browsing and sample-reading attributes are just about the BEST of the rewards the device brings to the life of an avid reader. My Kindle has given me easy access to fiction I would not have had the curiosity or patience to find in my public library. And on the Amazon Book pages I have reviewed some of those excellent (and not so great) books.
I'm not shopping for another series of books right now, so it might be a while before I read another Leo Waterman, but it is comforting to know I have another backlog of delightful resources for the coming winter.
Well, knock me over with a well placed sucker punch. What a remarkable discovery this was. Part Sam Spade, part Jack Reacher, and as far as I can tell, ALL Leo Waterman.
In "Thicker Than Water," I can't help thinking the author's pen name is a private little joke he's having with us, but G.M. Ford doesn't joke around with his writing--except in the clever literary sense. This is a well constructed, engaging, and satisfying take on the old, kidnapped girlfriend yarn that is packaged up in a colorful and appealing wrapper that makes it go down like a birthday present.
I didn't start the Leo Waterman series at its beginning as I often urge readers to do with sequential novels. And it is a tribute to Ford that he filled in the hero's background much to my satisfaction as the story unfolded. This series of books and its main character are a recent find for me. And I would never have picked them up at all but for my Kindle. The browsing and sample-reading attributes are just about the BEST of the rewards the device brings to the life of an avid reader. My Kindle has given me easy access to fiction I would not have had the curiosity or patience to find in my public library. And on the Amazon Book pages I have reviewed some of those excellent (and not so great) books.
I'm not shopping for another series of books right now, so it might be a while before I read another Leo Waterman, but it is comforting to know I have another backlog of delightful resources for the coming winter.
March 24, 2019
As soon as I started reading the latest in the Leo Waterman series, I knew the tone had changed. Three years had gone by in the story line. It’s been three years since Rebecca left Leo. It was a little darker, but still filled with Leo’s humor. When I checked the publication date, I noticed Ford had gone about 12 years before writing this installment which explained the changes, somewhat.
What didn’t hang together for me was Leo was no longer a PI. In the previous book, the fact that he couldn’t give up his career is one thing that put a wedge in his relationship with Rebecca. Yet, here we are three years later and he’s not working and collecting on his trust fund.
Also, in this book Leo claims to never use a gun. Well, I’ve read every book so far and he sure knows his way around a weapon. That said, it was a very good read with new characters joining the fray.
What didn’t hang together for me was Leo was no longer a PI. In the previous book, the fact that he couldn’t give up his career is one thing that put a wedge in his relationship with Rebecca. Yet, here we are three years later and he’s not working and collecting on his trust fund.
Also, in this book Leo claims to never use a gun. Well, I’ve read every book so far and he sure knows his way around a weapon. That said, it was a very good read with new characters joining the fray.
August 14, 2025
Book is about a PI in Seattle investigating the disappearance of a woman. It’s narrated from first person perspective, so the odds of me enjoying it were slim. The main character tries to be sassy, witty, call it what you like, but for me it was just deeply irritating.
It really didn’t hold my interest. The story brings in drug dealers, gun fights, domestic violence, something about boats here and there, arrests and nonsense at the police station… and that’s about as much as I remember.
I should have liked it. I usually enjoy when a bit of geography is discussed (open a map and follow the route), but the style just didn’t work. Very nearly DNF at several points, but persevered.
It really didn’t hold my interest. The story brings in drug dealers, gun fights, domestic violence, something about boats here and there, arrests and nonsense at the police station… and that’s about as much as I remember.
I should have liked it. I usually enjoy when a bit of geography is discussed (open a map and follow the route), but the style just didn’t work. Very nearly DNF at several points, but persevered.
November 15, 2019
Leo & The Gang
I really enjoyed this Leo Waterman adventure. It has Leo looking for his ex-girlfriend who has disappeared without a trace. He’s also looking for her deadbeat husband who can’t be found either. Leo’s search leads him all around Seattle and up to Vancouver as well. He encounters nasty characters who want him to stop searching ASAP. Aided by his crew of down on their luck friends, he finds he has much more trouble than he thought. The action packed finale is well worth waiting for. Another very good offering from Mr Ford.
I really enjoyed this Leo Waterman adventure. It has Leo looking for his ex-girlfriend who has disappeared without a trace. He’s also looking for her deadbeat husband who can’t be found either. Leo’s search leads him all around Seattle and up to Vancouver as well. He encounters nasty characters who want him to stop searching ASAP. Aided by his crew of down on their luck friends, he finds he has much more trouble than he thought. The action packed finale is well worth waiting for. Another very good offering from Mr Ford.
May 5, 2018
Was very interesting, took things in a different direction. But there is definitely a different voice behind the writing. Things were pretty still there; but there were missing elements, or changed elements all together. If you can look past some of the inaccuracies or change in certain scenes, its a good read. You might notice it right off the bat, especially since the chapters are extremely long.
August 6, 2019
Packed with action!
If you enjoy an action packed adventure and fast paced shootouts, this is the book for you. Before one tussle has finished, another has started. The main character, a former private investigator, leads a very strange life. While he is at odds with some family members and with some authorities, he manages to remain very close to others. He seems to get into trouble very easily, yet he is a very likeable fellow. Trouble seems to find this guy very easily.
If you enjoy an action packed adventure and fast paced shootouts, this is the book for you. Before one tussle has finished, another has started. The main character, a former private investigator, leads a very strange life. While he is at odds with some family members and with some authorities, he manages to remain very close to others. He seems to get into trouble very easily, yet he is a very likeable fellow. Trouble seems to find this guy very easily.
August 15, 2018
Not the best one
Like other reviewers, I was puzzled by the changes in Leo's character. Never carried a pocket knife, let alone a gun? He carried two guns and a sap in book four. I did skip books five and six because I didn't want to buy them, so perhaps I missed something big, like selective amnesia.
Like other reviewers, I was puzzled by the changes in Leo's character. Never carried a pocket knife, let alone a gun? He carried two guns and a sap in book four. I did skip books five and six because I didn't want to buy them, so perhaps I missed something big, like selective amnesia.
August 22, 2018
Very glad Mr. Ford decided to continue this series after a large gap. This one was hard to find via library so I finally broke down and bought a used paperback.
Reconnecting with a (slightly) more mature Leo was fun and the gang is still there. Leo puts them in some tough spots but the good guys prevail.
Will definitely look for the next one.
Reconnecting with a (slightly) more mature Leo was fun and the gang is still there. Leo puts them in some tough spots but the good guys prevail.
Will definitely look for the next one.
October 27, 2020
What I like most about the writing is the author has a talent for describing something, a place or a person in such a way that isn’t overdone, but gives you enough to imagine a place or a person you know to compare to. In my minds eye I summon up images from things I know, rather than from intricate descriptions.
February 27, 2017
It was nice to be re-introduced to Leo Waterman after all these years (12 years since the last book!), but I missed the humor of the earlier books. I'm definitely going to read the rest of this series, but I hope the next ones find that goofiness again. Leave the darkness to Frank Corso, please!
June 22, 2017
Rebecca moved on and married another man, but now she's missing and her mother wants Leo to find her. A good plot, moves at a good pace, but not as much character interaction as some of his other books.
April 2, 2018
Every one of these Leo Waterman episodes has been terrific. Ford’s writing is phenomenal in descriptions and dialogue. I am right there in Seattle riding down familiar streets, passing much-acquainted territory, and smiling, laughing out loud, or cringing as Leo takes everything to the limit.
November 27, 2018
Thicker Than Water
Leo's adventures never disappoint. Fantastic nail biting action that kept me reading. Great story--love Leo and his mottely crew. Thank you G M Ford for another wildly entertaing, heart stopping action adventure.!
Leo's adventures never disappoint. Fantastic nail biting action that kept me reading. Great story--love Leo and his mottely crew. Thank you G M Ford for another wildly entertaing, heart stopping action adventure.!
June 23, 2019
Once again, Leo Waterman has captured my heart. A great comfort in a troubled time. Nothing
compares. Makes it almost tempting to go to Seattle. Praise G. M. Ford. And the Eastlake Zoo. George survived once again!
compares. Makes it almost tempting to go to Seattle. Praise G. M. Ford. And the Eastlake Zoo. George survived once again!
September 17, 2019
Good Read
Well another great "Leo Waterman" saga. I love him and his gang of drunk
misfits. I've seen some beautiful pics of the Seattle area but goodness I'd hate all that rain & gloom
Well another great "Leo Waterman" saga. I love him and his gang of drunk
misfits. I've seen some beautiful pics of the Seattle area but goodness I'd hate all that rain & gloom
September 24, 2019
Love this series
Another fun filled adventurous mystery! Leo gets the best of the them it seems! His humble yet steadfast personality and his loyalty to those he has befriended is commendable. A great read!
Another fun filled adventurous mystery! Leo gets the best of the them it seems! His humble yet steadfast personality and his loyalty to those he has befriended is commendable. A great read!
May 19, 2020
Always A Good Read
I lived in Seattle and love the references to the area. Ford keeps the action going, never a dull moment. Leo Waterman is well defined along with his interesting surveillance crew who he turns to for eyes on the street.
I lived in Seattle and love the references to the area. Ford keeps the action going, never a dull moment. Leo Waterman is well defined along with his interesting surveillance crew who he turns to for eyes on the street.
June 12, 2020
Leo Waterman, ex PI, now living on his inheritance from his father's ill-gotten gains. When his ex Rebecca goes missing, he is dragged into a mystery, as he attempts to find her. Leo is a good likeable character, which keeps the book flowing nicely.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 93 reviews