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Dan Marlowe #1
The Boss of Hampton Beach
Cocaine. Dan Marlowe is doing his damnedest to stay away from the stuff. It’s already cost him his family and his business, The High Tide Restaurant & Saloon. Now a bartender at the Tide, Dan’s life is slowly stabilizing. That is until a boat with two dead bodies on board is found wrecked on the jetty at Hampton Beach. The hunt for its missing cargo, 200 pounds of cocaine, is on. Dan is forced into the search and realizes that the drug that stole everything short of his life might be the one thing that can give it all back.
He’s not the only one seeking the fortune in white powder. Others, on both sides of the law, are after it too, including a Boston mob boss and his right-hand man; a New Hampshire seacoast drug dealer/informer, his smokin’ hot girlfriend, and his dim-witted muscle; a crooked D.E.A. agent and his junkie sidekick; two New Hampshire State policemen; and an Irish handyman. It’s a violent, back-stabbing race to the end of the rainbow. May the best man win.
He’s not the only one seeking the fortune in white powder. Others, on both sides of the law, are after it too, including a Boston mob boss and his right-hand man; a New Hampshire seacoast drug dealer/informer, his smokin’ hot girlfriend, and his dim-witted muscle; a crooked D.E.A. agent and his junkie sidekick; two New Hampshire State policemen; and an Irish handyman. It’s a violent, back-stabbing race to the end of the rainbow. May the best man win.
314 pages, Paperback
First published July 15, 2012
23 people are currently reading
191 people want to read
About the author
Jed Power
18 books16 followers I am a Hampton Beach, NH based writer and an “Active” member of Mystery Writers of America. My three crime novels, “The Boss of Hampton Beach,” “Hampton Beach Homicide,” and “Blood On Hampton Beach” are all available in trade paper and e-versions. The fourth book in the series, “The Honeymoon Hotel” will be out Memorial Day 2015. The protagonist in all four novels is Hampton Beach, NH bartender, Dan Marlowe.
The real Dan Marlowe was my father’s best friend. Mr. Marlowe wrote his crime masterpiece, “The Name of the Game is Death,” while living with my family in Woburn, MA. He named a character in the novel after me. I’ve returned the honor by naming my protagonist Dan Marlowe.
I also have a completed crime novel, “The Combat Zone,” about a PI who hangs his hat in 1970’s Harvard Square and spends time in the Combat Zone, Boston’s red-light district. This novel made it into the final cut (5 novels) in the Minotaur/Private Eye Writers of America “Best First Private Eye Novel” competition. It will be published as an ebook and trade paper in April 2015. I am now working on the second book in this series.
I also collect vintage Noir/Hardboiled paperbacks which includes, among many other items, the largest collection of Dan Marlowe novels, short stories, inscribed items and memorabilia.
I am mentioned several times in the new Dan Marlowe biography, “Gunshots In Another Room,” by journalist Charles Kelly.
I have been published in “Spinetingler,” “Over My Dead Body,” “Boys’ Life,” “Hardboiled,” “Suspense Magazine,” “Stone Cold--Best New England Crime Stories,” “Shotgun Honey,” “Plan B,” “The Rap Sheet,” “Naked Kiss,” “Yellow Mama,” “Short Story Digest,” “Near to the Knuckle,” “All Due Respect,” “Short--Story.me,” “Bethlehem Writer’s Roundtable,” “KIngs River Life,” “Twist of Noir,” and others.
Contact: jedpower@verizon.net or P. O. Box 3906, Peabody, MA 01961
The real Dan Marlowe was my father’s best friend. Mr. Marlowe wrote his crime masterpiece, “The Name of the Game is Death,” while living with my family in Woburn, MA. He named a character in the novel after me. I’ve returned the honor by naming my protagonist Dan Marlowe.
I also have a completed crime novel, “The Combat Zone,” about a PI who hangs his hat in 1970’s Harvard Square and spends time in the Combat Zone, Boston’s red-light district. This novel made it into the final cut (5 novels) in the Minotaur/Private Eye Writers of America “Best First Private Eye Novel” competition. It will be published as an ebook and trade paper in April 2015. I am now working on the second book in this series.
I also collect vintage Noir/Hardboiled paperbacks which includes, among many other items, the largest collection of Dan Marlowe novels, short stories, inscribed items and memorabilia.
I am mentioned several times in the new Dan Marlowe biography, “Gunshots In Another Room,” by journalist Charles Kelly.
I have been published in “Spinetingler,” “Over My Dead Body,” “Boys’ Life,” “Hardboiled,” “Suspense Magazine,” “Stone Cold--Best New England Crime Stories,” “Shotgun Honey,” “Plan B,” “The Rap Sheet,” “Naked Kiss,” “Yellow Mama,” “Short Story Digest,” “Near to the Knuckle,” “All Due Respect,” “Short--Story.me,” “Bethlehem Writer’s Roundtable,” “KIngs River Life,” “Twist of Noir,” and others.
Contact: jedpower@verizon.net or P. O. Box 3906, Peabody, MA 01961
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
September 30, 2014
I enjoyed it as a summer read.... As a frequent Hampton Beach goer, it was fun to read about the local haunts.....
August 21, 2017
Even if you have never been around the Hampton Beach, NH area, Power gives a good taste of what goes on when the tourists go away. Some of the place names and setting are very real. I look forward to buying the next book in the series when I get back to his area.
August 22, 2018
Typical Spencer for Hire meets Hampton Beach, guy novel. It was fun to read about all the local spots. Many, many male characters that were pretty similar, so they got a little repetitive at times. Plot moved along just fine, an easy read, finished in a few days.
August 18, 2017
I just couldn't get into this story. Did not draw my interest.
August 21, 2013
I hate panning a book; someone labored over it and loved it. The only way I'd ever rate a book one star is if it was so bad I couldn't finish it. So two stars is my way of saying Yes, I read it, but I wouldn't recommend you doing the same. If Mr. Power was in high school, I'd applauded him and say Good job. But really, this book just wasn't good. I wanted very much to like it because Hampton Beach is one of my favorite places to visit and I've been going there my whole life. And I liked the idea of the story, especially the promise of lots of backstabbing. But the writing..... It's just not good. No description, hokey dialogue, movie cliches... And if the phrase "old man" wasn't in the book 100 times -in one chapter no less!-it wasn't in there at all! Sad face. :(
March 7, 2016
Crooked feds, dead bodies, drug smugglers, and a protagonist with problems and a bad past, who tries to sort things out. All set at Hampton Beach, a treat for those who know the area.
A fun summer read, with easily recognizable characters and locales. Crooks and capers with the summer sun and the ocean breeze adding spice to everything.
It's the start of a series, so if you like this one, move on to the rest.
A fun summer read, with easily recognizable characters and locales. Crooks and capers with the summer sun and the ocean breeze adding spice to everything.
It's the start of a series, so if you like this one, move on to the rest.
May 4, 2014
Dan Marlowe has many problems of his own and when two men are found dead, the last thing Dan needs is to get mixed up in their murders--but he gets pulled into it when he wants to help a friend. "The Boss of Hampton Beach" is a fast read with lots of action and local color. It's a promising start to the Dan Marlowe series.
January 22, 2014
Great local color and scenes, action based story. The writer did a creditable job of bringing to life the Hampton Beach area. He has created a believable and sympathetic character in Dan Marlowe. The second book in the series, "Hampton Beach Homicide," builds on this solid foundation.
June 27, 2014
I would have rated this story higher except for the repetitiousness of the characters and character combinations. It's a good summer read, especially if you are familiar with Hampton Beach.
September 29, 2016
Crime thriller
Quick, easy read. Enjoyed the book and will probably read more in the series. Kind of want to know what happens next in Dan's life.
Quick, easy read. Enjoyed the book and will probably read more in the series. Kind of want to know what happens next in Dan's life.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews