Blood and Bone

Hannibal Jones #2

by Austin S. Camacho

His only hope... An eighteen-year-old boy lies dying of leukemia. As the members of Kyle's wealthy Virginia family are eliminated, they come to realize that one man could hold the key. The father who disappeared before he was born. But what chance does anyone have following a trail eighteen years cold? His last chance… Hannibal Jones, a troubleshooter and self-styled knight errant in dark glasses, takes the challenge. With only two weeks to find the missing man, Hannibal follows a twisting path of deception, conspiracy, and greed. A woman who could be Kyle's illegitimate sister, the woman who could be her mother, and a man who may be the only one to know the truth about Kyle's father. From Washington to Mexico, Hannibal Jones pursues the truth. But as the danger grows, the chance for survival becomes less likely for everyone involved.

Genres: Mystery

280 pages, Paperback

First published May 18, 1998

About the author

Austin S. Camacho is the author of six novels about Washington Dc-based private eye Hannibal Jones, five in the Stark and O’Brien international adventure-thriller series, and the detective novel, Beyond Blue. His short stories have been featured in several anthologies including Dying in a Winter Wonderland – an Independent Mystery Booksellers Association Top Ten Bestseller for 2008 - and he is featured in the Edgar nominated African American Mystery Writers: A Historical and Thematic Study by Frankie Y. Bailey.

Camacho is deeply involved with the writing community. He is a past president of the Maryland Writers Association, past Vice President of the Virginia Writers Club, and is an active member of Mystery Writers of America, International Thriller Writers and Sisters in Crime.

Reviews

[Rei Smoak · Rating 1 out of 5]

If this wasn't the worst book I've ever read, it's certainly up there. The moment the author referred to breasts as "brassiere stuffing" I should have just put it down and never bothered trying to finish it. This is like reading a seventh-grader's edgy creative writing assignment, and between the slurs and the poor storytelling it was an immense effort to get through. If Goodreads allowed zero stars, that's what I'd have given it.

[Charlie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book. The protagonist, Hannibal Jones, is a former cop, former secret service agent who is now a private investigator, known as a troubleshooter. He is tall, physically fit, wears dark Oakley glasses and black gloves. His character reminds me of 1970’s Shaft. He is hired by a wealthy man to find the father of his dying grandson.There are lots of characters and plot twists in this story, at times I got confused. Overall, a good book to read.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fast paced and kept me guessing until the end.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

I met the author many years ago at a bookstore and bought a copy of his book, and promised I would review when I read his story. Dear Author, I apologize for the delay. The book sat on my shelf for years because detective stories aren't my preferred read. I was afraid I'd come across another Stephanie Plum. However, your story surprised me. It is true that I noticed one or two editing mistakes, certain formatting issues confused me briefly, and a little more showing could have taken place (ie the first introduction to Cindy, which took several paragraphs to be recognizable as a phone convo; or the first introduction to Malcolm). However, this is a clearly thought out plot with a delightful interlinking of all the characters' lives, and the twist at the end was marvelous. Dear author, thank you for including some flaws in your protagonist so he did not become a male counterpoint of Mary Sue, though sometimes his gumshoe shtick felt a little overdone. Your supporting characters could have used a little more development, as I feel like I didn't get to know them, but overall this was an entertaining, lightweight read, and I will look for more from you.

[Austin Camacho]

Eighteen-year-old Kyle needs a bone marrow transplant, and his only hope lies in finding his father, a man who disappeared before Kyle was born. Hannibal Jones has two weeks to find the missing man, but his search turns up much more: A woman who might be Kyle's illegitimate sister, the woman who could be her mother, and the man who may have killed Kyle's father. Hannibal follows a twisting, winding path of deception, conspiracy and greed, from Washington to Mexico, pursuing the truth. But with each step closer to it he gets, the danger grows.

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Blood and Bone, Austin Camacho has created a mystery worth puzzling over. Every time you think you've got it figured out, the story takes another unexpected twist. No one is who they appear to be. No one that is, except for Hannibal Jones, an old-school private detective, tough and effective, with a sensitive side, driven by his commitment to the truth and his promise to a dying boy. Camacho's writing is crisp, his pace quick and his characters fun. Quite simply, Blood and Bone is a damn good read.

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lot of action crammed into a midsized book! It's a race against time scheduled by the grim reaper and there's all sorts of twists, red herrings, and devious misdirection to find the vanished father of a young man dying of leukemia. Great characters and all that, but I was invested because I had read the first one courtesy of a giveaway! LOVED IT!

[B Swanginwebster · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book and was pleasantely surprised by the wit and fast paced that this author showed in this book...

[Jules · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written. Easy to read. I liked to plot twists.

[Byron Washington · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hannibal Jones is an intriguing character with plenty of style and panache. I will definitely read the rest of the series.

[Liz · Rating 2 out of 5]

ok
not my fav