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Fat Chance
Sean McDermott is a private detective in New York City, it says so right on his business card. It's an ok job, but it isn't as exciting as most people think, and that's fine by him. He makes it a rule not to get involved in active police cases or in any case where people are likely to get hurt—especially him. So why does the mob suddenly want him dead? Sure it’s all a mistake, but dead from a mistake is still dead.
Taking advice from his friend, The Juke, he starts on a cross country drive to LA (what can I tell you, he has a few phobias, and flying is just one of them), and makes it as far as Mystic Falls, New Mexico before the borrowed Mercedes conks out. Mystic Falls? Think Green Acres—without the sophistication.
All he had to do was lie low and wait for the car to be fixed. A good plan too. It might have worked if only the local "character" hadn’t turned up missing, with him as the prime suspect. Now if he ever wants to get out of this sleepy desert asylum, he’s going to have to find her. Fat chance.
Taking advice from his friend, The Juke, he starts on a cross country drive to LA (what can I tell you, he has a few phobias, and flying is just one of them), and makes it as far as Mystic Falls, New Mexico before the borrowed Mercedes conks out. Mystic Falls? Think Green Acres—without the sophistication.
All he had to do was lie low and wait for the car to be fixed. A good plan too. It might have worked if only the local "character" hadn’t turned up missing, with him as the prime suspect. Now if he ever wants to get out of this sleepy desert asylum, he’s going to have to find her. Fat chance.
181 pages, ebook
First published January 19, 2013
96 people are currently reading
208 people want to read
About the author
R.J. Leahy
6 books9 followersRJ Leahy is a multi-genre author. His first book, the science fiction novel Tigra, was followed by its sequel, Tigra II: for the Sins of Rothra Orr. He also authored Angel of the City, a gritty, dystopian novel about the last city on Earth.
On a lighter note, check out the Hilarious mystery novel, Fat Chance, about a wise-cracking PI forced to solve a missing persons case in small town New Mexico.
Finally, he has begun a middle-grade series about a young girl seeking her mother in an alternate reality. The book is written under the pen Name, E. Racine. Pirates and Vampires and Fairies, oh my! The first of the series is Neverworld, and is available in both paperback and Ebook.
On a lighter note, check out the Hilarious mystery novel, Fat Chance, about a wise-cracking PI forced to solve a missing persons case in small town New Mexico.
Finally, he has begun a middle-grade series about a young girl seeking her mother in an alternate reality. The book is written under the pen Name, E. Racine. Pirates and Vampires and Fairies, oh my! The first of the series is Neverworld, and is available in both paperback and Ebook.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
September 12, 2022
I got this FREE from Amazon and read it on my Paperwhite.
This takes place in Mystic Falls, NM.
Why did I give it 5 stars … it made me laugh!
Sean, the PI, running from NYC and the mob, his car breaks down in this small NM town. He ends up staying at the only Inn in town. Well, while waiting for his car to be fixed he works with the ither customer at the Inn to solve a missing person case.
I just found the humor to be a very FUN read … and guess what … no animals involved.
So sit back and enjoy this mystery with many chuckles along the way! Hey, it has to be good, it takes place in NM … Land of the Aliens!
This takes place in Mystic Falls, NM.
Why did I give it 5 stars … it made me laugh!
Sean, the PI, running from NYC and the mob, his car breaks down in this small NM town. He ends up staying at the only Inn in town. Well, while waiting for his car to be fixed he works with the ither customer at the Inn to solve a missing person case.
I just found the humor to be a very FUN read … and guess what … no animals involved.
So sit back and enjoy this mystery with many chuckles along the way! Hey, it has to be good, it takes place in NM … Land of the Aliens!
April 21, 2016
Fat Chance’ – Wonderful Humor by R.J. Leahy
Humor in literature has always been a precious rarity: just a handful of writers excelled in this field. Nowadays, when a massive commercial promotion of mediocrity is funded by big publishers, discovering a really good read in this category is less realistic than inheriting a big fortune from poor relatives. Fat chance, some would say. But I found one! Coincidentally, the novel’s title is Fat Chance, by R.J. Leahy.
A fabulous piece of literature, written by a true man of letters, it is saturated with laugh, wits, mystery, and weird personalities. Actually, upon some consideration, his characters may seem not that weird: we all meet them everyday, but fail to register their idiosyncrasy in our minds, not to mention that we miss to notice our own.
The story amuses you from the start. McDermott, a private investigator, sees a big woman running past the dinner window. "She laughed as she ran, trotting around the parking lot like some great flamingo with a glandular problem." That's how he introduces a female persona, who later becomes the object of his investigation. Her name is Patty Chance; she weighs about two-hundred and fifty pounds; everyone knows her as Fat Chance.
McDermott, having a few grey spots in his biography, took an offer to beat out of New York and drive a Mercedes to California. Quite unexpectedly his car stopped dead at a gas station in a tiny rural settlement in New Mexico.
A mechanic, with a tag "Jim" on his overall, examines the Mercedes. When McDermott calls him out "Jim", as the tag indicated, the mechanic says that he is not Jim: the overall that he wears is not his. As he does not introduce himself otherwise, McDermott calls him "Not-Jim", and mentions him later this way.
Not-Jim reciprocates. After he finds out that McDermott is a private investigator but has never solved a murder case, Not-Jim introduces him to everyone as a detective who has never solved a murder case.
Not-Jim found out that the fuel injector of the Mercedes must be replaced. To bring it from the nearest dealer should take about two-three days. That’s what holds McDermott up in this tiny town, where he got involved in investigation, local politics and personal intrigues of people around him.
For every personality that comes his way McDermott gives unforgettable description. In the hotel where he stayed, a fifteen year old local Indian maid appears in the story this way: "With the race to adulthood, her ass lapped her and was now waiting for the rest of her body to catch up."
Being a New Yorker, McDermott discovers that the rural people have their own wits and wisdom, worth to discover. For instance, Casual, who takes care of him in the hotel, responds to his remarks with her own: "Honey, only good girls keep a diary. Bad girls - they ain't got the time."
Local sheriff takes from McDermott the key from the Mercedes and orders him to remain in town until the case of Fatty Chance disappearance is solved. The legal reason is that McDermott is a witness of something related to the case. The true reason though is different: the sheriff has no experience in serious investigation, as in his town nothing serious happens. He wants McDermott to help him with the detective work. Sheriff, having lots of free time, is also a real estate agent: he is not very busy with this either, as in this small place it is hard to find buyers or sellers.
It turns out that people in a small town are no less sophisticated than those who live in megalopolis. However, in a small place it is hard to hide whatever we consider private and confidential. Greed and lust possess many souls; absurd belief in cosmic aliens is not a rarity either. When this is exposed in a small community, the whole ordeal becomes hilarious.
Surely McDermott cannot miss the local bar. There, he gets acquainted with the barman, who later somehow takes part in the story. Here is his first impression of the guy: "His head was narrow and long, with angles in all wrong places, like he'd entered this word not through the womb, but a keyhole."
The author's pondering of approaching the middle age is both philosophical and melancholic. Charming as it is, it ends up on a humorous note: "The only signal we have that middle age is approaching is an irresistible urge to buy a sports car. Women get menopause. Men get a mustang."
As a big-city guy, McDermott now finds its previous hectic life not as attractive as it had seemed before. His description of the sulky New York morning makes me laugh: "The transition from the gray haze of night to the gray haze of day is too subtle, even for the undead." Don't we all know this half-existence of the undead when we rush to 9 to 5 job?
Whenever McDermott encounters people who are not to his liking, he finds in them the most prominent and absurdly funny features. Here is what he says about the face of the local Indian chief: "I'd seen sun-damaged skin before but this one was ridiculous. I've thrown away better-looking shoes."
No need to say more about the author's sense of humor. It is up to the reader to discover and enjoy it – you can’t miss it, it is on almost every page, if not in every paragraph. Leahy is a master of slang, dialogs, and description of scenery. Add to this an intriguing mystery plot and suspense, and you'll get the idea what this novel is for those who understand and appreciate humor and good literature. I give it five stars, as there are no more in the system.
Humor in literature has always been a precious rarity: just a handful of writers excelled in this field. Nowadays, when a massive commercial promotion of mediocrity is funded by big publishers, discovering a really good read in this category is less realistic than inheriting a big fortune from poor relatives. Fat chance, some would say. But I found one! Coincidentally, the novel’s title is Fat Chance, by R.J. Leahy.
A fabulous piece of literature, written by a true man of letters, it is saturated with laugh, wits, mystery, and weird personalities. Actually, upon some consideration, his characters may seem not that weird: we all meet them everyday, but fail to register their idiosyncrasy in our minds, not to mention that we miss to notice our own.
The story amuses you from the start. McDermott, a private investigator, sees a big woman running past the dinner window. "She laughed as she ran, trotting around the parking lot like some great flamingo with a glandular problem." That's how he introduces a female persona, who later becomes the object of his investigation. Her name is Patty Chance; she weighs about two-hundred and fifty pounds; everyone knows her as Fat Chance.
McDermott, having a few grey spots in his biography, took an offer to beat out of New York and drive a Mercedes to California. Quite unexpectedly his car stopped dead at a gas station in a tiny rural settlement in New Mexico.
A mechanic, with a tag "Jim" on his overall, examines the Mercedes. When McDermott calls him out "Jim", as the tag indicated, the mechanic says that he is not Jim: the overall that he wears is not his. As he does not introduce himself otherwise, McDermott calls him "Not-Jim", and mentions him later this way.
Not-Jim reciprocates. After he finds out that McDermott is a private investigator but has never solved a murder case, Not-Jim introduces him to everyone as a detective who has never solved a murder case.
Not-Jim found out that the fuel injector of the Mercedes must be replaced. To bring it from the nearest dealer should take about two-three days. That’s what holds McDermott up in this tiny town, where he got involved in investigation, local politics and personal intrigues of people around him.
For every personality that comes his way McDermott gives unforgettable description. In the hotel where he stayed, a fifteen year old local Indian maid appears in the story this way: "With the race to adulthood, her ass lapped her and was now waiting for the rest of her body to catch up."
Being a New Yorker, McDermott discovers that the rural people have their own wits and wisdom, worth to discover. For instance, Casual, who takes care of him in the hotel, responds to his remarks with her own: "Honey, only good girls keep a diary. Bad girls - they ain't got the time."
Local sheriff takes from McDermott the key from the Mercedes and orders him to remain in town until the case of Fatty Chance disappearance is solved. The legal reason is that McDermott is a witness of something related to the case. The true reason though is different: the sheriff has no experience in serious investigation, as in his town nothing serious happens. He wants McDermott to help him with the detective work. Sheriff, having lots of free time, is also a real estate agent: he is not very busy with this either, as in this small place it is hard to find buyers or sellers.
It turns out that people in a small town are no less sophisticated than those who live in megalopolis. However, in a small place it is hard to hide whatever we consider private and confidential. Greed and lust possess many souls; absurd belief in cosmic aliens is not a rarity either. When this is exposed in a small community, the whole ordeal becomes hilarious.
Surely McDermott cannot miss the local bar. There, he gets acquainted with the barman, who later somehow takes part in the story. Here is his first impression of the guy: "His head was narrow and long, with angles in all wrong places, like he'd entered this word not through the womb, but a keyhole."
The author's pondering of approaching the middle age is both philosophical and melancholic. Charming as it is, it ends up on a humorous note: "The only signal we have that middle age is approaching is an irresistible urge to buy a sports car. Women get menopause. Men get a mustang."
As a big-city guy, McDermott now finds its previous hectic life not as attractive as it had seemed before. His description of the sulky New York morning makes me laugh: "The transition from the gray haze of night to the gray haze of day is too subtle, even for the undead." Don't we all know this half-existence of the undead when we rush to 9 to 5 job?
Whenever McDermott encounters people who are not to his liking, he finds in them the most prominent and absurdly funny features. Here is what he says about the face of the local Indian chief: "I'd seen sun-damaged skin before but this one was ridiculous. I've thrown away better-looking shoes."
No need to say more about the author's sense of humor. It is up to the reader to discover and enjoy it – you can’t miss it, it is on almost every page, if not in every paragraph. Leahy is a master of slang, dialogs, and description of scenery. Add to this an intriguing mystery plot and suspense, and you'll get the idea what this novel is for those who understand and appreciate humor and good literature. I give it five stars, as there are no more in the system.
August 16, 2020
Absolutely hilarious, a fun read, the detective's dialogue, inner thoughts, and sarcasm were laugh out loud!
August 16, 2019
This book is hilarious if you love smart ass humor. Fat Chance by R.J. Leahy is exactly that. A New York smart ass P.I. has to leave town for awhile to avoid being killed by an irate NY gangster who mistakenly believes he killed his son.
On the way to L.A., the borrowed Mercedes he's driving stops running and needs to wait in a very small New Mexico town, close to an Indian reservaion and casino as well as a copper mine, for a part to be ordered and installed. He leaves his car with a mechanic he calls Not-Jim because of the borrwed coveralls he's wearing. Immediatly he meets the next of the towns many zany characters nicknamed Fat Chance, actually Patty. He finds lodging at the only Inn in town run by a woman named by her father as Casual Laye.
Fat Chance turns up missing and this NY PI volunteers to help the local part-time sheriff investigate. Of course, everyone in town gets involved and the hilarity mounts.
This book is entertaining with laugh out loud humor.
On the way to L.A., the borrowed Mercedes he's driving stops running and needs to wait in a very small New Mexico town, close to an Indian reservaion and casino as well as a copper mine, for a part to be ordered and installed. He leaves his car with a mechanic he calls Not-Jim because of the borrwed coveralls he's wearing. Immediatly he meets the next of the towns many zany characters nicknamed Fat Chance, actually Patty. He finds lodging at the only Inn in town run by a woman named by her father as Casual Laye.
Fat Chance turns up missing and this NY PI volunteers to help the local part-time sheriff investigate. Of course, everyone in town gets involved and the hilarity mounts.
This book is entertaining with laugh out loud humor.
September 25, 2025
This book is about an average detective who is on the run from the NY mob and ends up in a little town in SW because his car breaks down. (He doesn’t like to fly) While waiting for the part to repair his car, he gets sucked into a case involving a lady named Fat Chance. She is missing, and the local sheriff/real estate agent asks for the detective’s help. The story involves native Americans, “dudes” looking for aliens, a mining company, an Asian woman, and other characters. It was not LOL funny, but the sarcasm and comments of McDermott, the detective, were comical. Sometimes it seemed a bit silly. Since I got it for free, it was good, not great.
December 11, 2017
Uproariously funny! I can't wait to read more by this author!
I would actually pay to go see this if it is made into a movie, and I haven't paid for a movie ticket in years! Not many books have me laughing out loud, but this one was beyond hilarious in a lot of ways. I am really lousy at reviewing, so I will just say read it. You won't regret it
I would actually pay to go see this if it is made into a movie, and I haven't paid for a movie ticket in years! Not many books have me laughing out loud, but this one was beyond hilarious in a lot of ways. I am really lousy at reviewing, so I will just say read it. You won't regret it
August 30, 2019
New Favorite!
The narrative actually sparkled, and the character development and dialogue kept me in stitches. There were interesting plot twists, some expected, but some complete surprises. This book is an excellent way to spend a day. I'm adding this author to my must read more list. See if you don't agree.
The narrative actually sparkled, and the character development and dialogue kept me in stitches. There were interesting plot twists, some expected, but some complete surprises. This book is an excellent way to spend a day. I'm adding this author to my must read more list. See if you don't agree.
March 13, 2019
Attention grabbing
I usually don't read novels about detectives and finding missing people, because I'm always worried about a bad ending. But this was great! Comedy and an ending I didn't expect.
I usually don't read novels about detectives and finding missing people, because I'm always worried about a bad ending. But this was great! Comedy and an ending I didn't expect.
August 11, 2019
Lots and lots of laughs. Enjoyed it thoroughly. The sarcasm is priceless. It would go over well in the south, as they really don't comprehend sarcasm (same with the midwest). Try the same thing up north and you would be picking yourself up off the street.
Look forward to more from this author.
Look forward to more from this author.
September 6, 2017
So glad I read this book. What a great cast of characters, and characters they are. I laughed so hard my mascara ran. If you are looking for a fun easy read this is the book.
January 13, 2018
A fun read.
I thought the humor was my kind of sarcasm and kept me laughing. The mystery was fun. A quirky cast of characters kept me turning the pages.
I thought the humor was my kind of sarcasm and kept me laughing. The mystery was fun. A quirky cast of characters kept me turning the pages.
April 6, 2018
Humour
What a sense of humour and good characters it made a really good read burst out laughing often during read
What a sense of humour and good characters it made a really good read burst out laughing often during read
April 16, 2019
Good mystery
This was a crazy mystery but not really gripping and kind of weird. One mystery turns into several solved at once.
This was a crazy mystery but not really gripping and kind of weird. One mystery turns into several solved at once.
August 14, 2019
Excellent fun read!
I haven't laughed out loud so much while reading a book! Absolutely loved the characters and can only hope that there will be more to follow.
I haven't laughed out loud so much while reading a book! Absolutely loved the characters and can only hope that there will be more to follow.
October 15, 2019
For ?
Entertaining befall
? I really enjoyed this novel. It was fun. It was strange. But I embraced the differences.
Beverly
aa
Entertaining befall
? I really enjoyed this novel. It was fun. It was strange. But I embraced the differences.
Beverly
aa
March 22, 2020
Fun read.
I actually laughed aloud a few times. Went too quickly, though. Good diversion reading, especially with all the “panic” going on.
I actually laughed aloud a few times. Went too quickly, though. Good diversion reading, especially with all the “panic” going on.
July 4, 2021
Good read, good humir
I enjoyed the humor, had me guessing. Great character building. I look forward to more of his books. Good job
I enjoyed the humor, had me guessing. Great character building. I look forward to more of his books. Good job
Read
March 21, 2025As I read along, I got less and less interested, because the story slips into sitcom situations. I haven't watched a sitcom in many years because they're boring. I'm bored at 31%, so DNF.
September 13, 2025
Great read
Reminded me to laugh more often. Fun book. Twists and turns like an anaconda after a goat. They should make a movie with this as the script.
Reminded me to laugh more often. Fun book. Twists and turns like an anaconda after a goat. They should make a movie with this as the script.
September 23, 2025
Great dialogue
New-to-me author, but the snarky dialogue kept me snickering and then laughing out loud. Can't wait to read more from Mr. Leahy.
New-to-me author, but the snarky dialogue kept me snickering and then laughing out loud. Can't wait to read more from Mr. Leahy.
December 21, 2025
Great Story
Loved the “Partner” line. What a great addition to a great book! The interaction of the characters worked well. Great detective novel.
Loved the “Partner” line. What a great addition to a great book! The interaction of the characters worked well. Great detective novel.
July 31, 2013
This is a fun, light read that is easy to get lost in. Sean McDermott is a private detective that bumbles his way through life with a quick, sarcastic wit. His character is entertaining, even if his sarcasm is at times irritating to those around him.
The cast of side characters is well crafted, unique, and kept me fully engaged. I particularly loved the side kick Sean picked up on the case in Mystic Falls. The interplay between them had some laugh out loud moments.
The story is held up more by the zany characters than an intricate plot. Hard-core mystery fans might find the ending a little too conveniently wrapped up. And there isn't a lot of emotional depth here for readers wanting a strong connection. Overall, I think this is the perfect book for those looking for a short escape and some comic relief.
The cast of side characters is well crafted, unique, and kept me fully engaged. I particularly loved the side kick Sean picked up on the case in Mystic Falls. The interplay between them had some laugh out loud moments.
The story is held up more by the zany characters than an intricate plot. Hard-core mystery fans might find the ending a little too conveniently wrapped up. And there isn't a lot of emotional depth here for readers wanting a strong connection. Overall, I think this is the perfect book for those looking for a short escape and some comic relief.
February 13, 2013
Fat Chance is a hilarious adventure from start to finish. Sean McDermott is a snarky New York detective who finds himself stuck in a small New Mexican town and forced to solve a missing person’s case, in which he becomes the prime suspect. He meets a host of interesting personalities from the waitress at the diner who tells him that of course he shouldn’t have ordered the eggs if he’s allergic to peppers to the older Asian woman whose Cadillac has been altered to drive only under 40 mph to the mechanic whose name is Not Jim. The novel kept me up at night wondering what the oddball characters would do next. McDermott’s dry wit is riotously funny, and the mystery keeps you guessing and has a satisfying conclusion. I highly recommend Fat Chance to anyone who enjoys humor or a good mystery.
October 3, 2018
Fat Chance by R.J. Leahy: laughs and light mystery. A likeable, smart aleck NY detective gets stranded in a small New Mexico town and partners, sort of, with a crotchety Japanese-American widow there to visit her husband’s grave. Together they search for a missing special-needs local nicknamed “Fat Chance.”
I often read in bed, and Fat Chance passed the toothbrush test: that is, while brushing my teeth, I found myself looking forward to getting into bed with Fat Chance (the book, not the character). Half the books I buy don’t do that for me–and I don’t keep reading them. I’m a little fussy. On that note I’ll add that, like a lot of books published today, Fat Chance could have used another proof-reading and a little more editing. But that didn’t stop me from having fun with it.
I often read in bed, and Fat Chance passed the toothbrush test: that is, while brushing my teeth, I found myself looking forward to getting into bed with Fat Chance (the book, not the character). Half the books I buy don’t do that for me–and I don’t keep reading them. I’m a little fussy. On that note I’ll add that, like a lot of books published today, Fat Chance could have used another proof-reading and a little more editing. But that didn’t stop me from having fun with it.
July 21, 2013
Good light reading, in more ways than one. Detective story and the detective is pretty witty. I enjoyed his turn of phrase almost more than the plot twists trying to figure out "who done it."
My favorite passage, I had to go back and look it up (he was talking about NM, but I think it applies to NV as well.)
Here the sun's rays aren't blocked by tall buildings or impeded by the blessed light diffusing effects of smog. Here once the sun has peeked above the last hilltop, there's nothing to stop it. It streaks across the landscape in searing waves, mercilessly penetrating everything and everyone, much like nuclear radiation, to which I understand it is sinisterly related.
My favorite passage, I had to go back and look it up (he was talking about NM, but I think it applies to NV as well.)
Here the sun's rays aren't blocked by tall buildings or impeded by the blessed light diffusing effects of smog. Here once the sun has peeked above the last hilltop, there's nothing to stop it. It streaks across the landscape in searing waves, mercilessly penetrating everything and everyone, much like nuclear radiation, to which I understand it is sinisterly related.
April 5, 2013
This was a book that I was able to get for free through Amazon on my Kindle. It was a light read. I really enjoyed it. I thought poor Sean would be in Mystic Falls (without any falls) for forever!!
February 1, 2016
A crazy 3 days in a crazy place,full of crazy people
ONE of the most enjoyable books I have read in a long time.
I was actually laughing out loud at parts.
I had no problem seeing this in "movie" form, in my head.
I highly recommend this book.
ONE of the most enjoyable books I have read in a long time.
I was actually laughing out loud at parts.
I had no problem seeing this in "movie" form, in my head.
I highly recommend this book.
February 27, 2016
I absolutely loved it
The characters were truly funny not silly funny- each one unique and interesting. The plot is good and not predictable. I am looking forward to more of his books.
The characters were truly funny not silly funny- each one unique and interesting. The plot is good and not predictable. I am looking forward to more of his books.
April 5, 2013
Silly story but some great snarky lines. Author probably wanted to be a standup comic. Some very interesting characters whom you would not want to meet. Five stars for the sarcasm.
July 30, 2013
Author does and can write interesting novels, (this IS one) the foul language is unnecessary but that's a reader's personal choice.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews