Twice the Trouble

by Ash Clifton

A private investigator follows a trail of blood and bodies to find his latest target–or die trying–in this riveting thriller perfect for fans of Jeffery Deaver and Mick Herron.

Noland Twice, a star athlete turned private investigator, can find anyone, no matter how far they run or how well they hide. He works the Orlando-Tampa corridor, a bizarre land where theme parks and tourists coexist with drug deals and crooked businessmen. When a shady local executive, Valkenburg, goes missing, Noland is the only man for the job.

Within hours of taking the case, Noland realizes nothing about this case is going to be easy, and he recruits his friend Kiril to help him with the dirty work when he finds a dead body. But the corpse isn’t the missing man–it’s the body of one of the partners of his construction firm. There’s only one clue as to Valkenburg’s a set of strange numbers hastily scrawled on the dead man’s arm.

When Noland discovers that the numbers are a set of GPS coordinates, he follows the trail to a construction site. At the exact location inscribed on the body, there’s a box buried in the dirt. Inside, he finds a handwritten journal–and a woman’s severed head.

Propulsive and unpredictable, this gritty P.I. thrill ride races through a criminal world where nothing is ever as it seems.

Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Mystery Thriller, Fiction, Crime, Suspense, Detective

320 pages, Hardcover

First published March 5, 2024

About the author

Ash Clifton was raised in Gainesville, Florida, where he attended the university and got a B.A. in English. He then earned an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from the University of Arizona. His short fiction has appeared in The Missouri Review, The Massachusetts Review, Cutthroat: A Journal of the Arts, and StepAway Magazine. He is also the author of Twice the Trouble, a mystery novel forthcoming from Crooked Lane Books.

Reviews

[Darlene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good debut book for this author. Main character is Noland Twice who is a down on his luck PI, who definitely needs a case and make some money. Faith, his attorney friend, knows Nole can find anyone. She approachs with a missing person case, and a missing 14 million dollars. The missing person is Val and the partners of the company believe he stole the money. All of the partners are so deep into corruption it’s so hard to believe if any of them know how to tell the truth. Noles gut is telling him to walk away, but he desperately needs the money, so he takes on the case, which turns out to be harder and bloodier than he expected it do be. Lucky for Nole, he has a great friend, Kiril, who has Noles back. The ending was very tense and exciting as the case begins to wind up.
I was a bit disappointed in the very ending, but maybe it means there will a book 2??

[Katherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the eARC of this book. This is a strong start for what I hope is a series about the cases of Noland Twice, private investigator in Orlando, Florida. This book pulls from many of Florida's shady character types (and they are all shady, both the "good" guys and the bad): gangsters, cops, property developers, doctors. Noland more or less feels his way through a complex web of wrongdoing with the instincts of a prior cop and star football player, and with the help of two trusty Russian sidekicks. We are introduced to some bit players as well, a defense lawyer in crisp suits, a gas station owner with an encyclopedic knowledge of all residents of Orlando and Noland's dad, a former cop currently serving time. I kind of wish that some of the characters had been developed more fully. But the plot was good, and moved the action relentlessly forward.

[Cara Putman]

3.5 stars
This is a very gritty PI story that is for those who love Jack Reacher and other novels that twist and turn with an anti-hero as the protagonist. It was well plotted and written.

[Dan Banana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Descent and dumb, some good characters, more not so good ones. Lead is not interesting, smart, or tough therefore a challenge to get through. A 2.5 rating.

[Brian Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had no idea what to expect when I started this book, but I was very surprised by how much I enjoyed it. Noland Twice is the protagonist with a conscious but isn't afraid to color outside the lines. He is put on a case that comes with many hurdles but the payoff at the end is irresistible. A lot of action and colorful characters kept the pages turning. I had not heard of this author before but they are now on my list of authors to read when they put out anything. This book is a lot of fun.

[Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just finished the advanced readers' copy of this upcoming novel courtesy of #NetGalley. It's a crazy twisty good PI versus crooks novel. What an interesting read! The primary character keeps making iffy judgements but overcoming those results, over and over. Just when you think things can't get worse they do, but he wiggles loose again. You can't help but like him and his best friend! Definitely a wild ride and a likely possibility of real truth behind this plot.

[Adrian · Rating 2 out of 5]

I mean it was fine.
MC is a former football player that turned cop that turned detective.
Built out lots of side characters here for future books. My hardest thing was wondering why the football injury happened at 19, possibly during the MC's freshmen season? Like why not more game time?
Twists and turns abound. Some work better than others.

[Roxy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really enjoyed the writing. Twice is a sardonic genius as all great mystery novels require.

[Ivanka Fear · Rating 5 out of 5]

There’s no shortage of action in Ash Clifton’s Twice the Trouble. Much like the Orlando, Florida tourist setting of the novel, protagonist Nolan Twice takes the reader on a roller-coaster of a ride as he seeks to recover funds stolen from his clients. With each new development, you’ll be wondering who to trust and whether anyone operates within the law. Never a dull moment!

Private investigator Nolan uses his diverse skills as a former athlete, cop, and convict to locate Valkenburg, the missing partner of a construction company, who is suspected of absconding with millions of dollars. Expect plenty of fist fights, gunshots, and bodies during a regular day in Nolan’s P.I. business. Seemingly fearless, he will stop at nothing to get results. In spite of his tough as nails exterior, Nolan is a likeable character with integrity. His softer side comes through in his interactions with friends and romantic interests, leading the reader to root for him even when his actions are questionable.

If you love your crime fiction chock full of revenge, blurred lines between good and evil, secret codes, and creative body disposal, look no further. Ash Clifton delivers an authentic story about the gritty world of drug dealers and shady corporations, all rolled up into one enjoyable read. I hope to see more of Nolan’s adventures in future books.

[V · Rating 4 out of 5]

Noland is a private investigator, a former star football player, a convicted criminal, once a deputy in central Florida. He spends too much time day dreaming about how he’ll spend the money he hasn’t yet earned. He’s easily distracted by beautiful, smart women, mostly those in a higher social sector.
An attorney who sometimes hires him for cases requiring investigation has a new case she needs his services for. A partnership is missing one of their members along with lots of money. Noland’s job is simple – find him and earn a fee large enough to get him out of debt. Of course nothing is ever that easy or simple. None of the partners in this company are being forthright about everything that’s going on. It’s hard to distinguish between the lies and the truth or who’s honest and who’s a crook. Noland soon discovers there are people who’ll kill for this much money. He’s going to face serious obstacles in order to solve this puzzling maze of greed. It will keep you guessing.
The plot was interesting and it was an easy read by an author new to me. Thanks to NetGalley for the digital advance reader copy of “Twice the Trouble” by Ashley Clifton, published by Crooked Lane Books, available March 2024. These are all my own honest personal thoughts and opinions given voluntarily without any compensation.

[Anna St.John · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Twice the Trouble" is a heart-pounding PI mystery with plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing.

Author Ash Clifton has created the perfect protagonist in former football star Noland Twice, who outsmarts the criminals with a know-how that comes from his ex-cop/ex-con credentials. "Nole" -- as his friends call him -- is an unlikely hero. He follows his own code of conduct: a mixture of instincts, loyalty, and a deep sense of fair play, Except when the only way to win is to get his hands dirty.

In this action-packed story, Nole faces off against big corporations, law enforcement agencies, Brazilian gangsters, money launderers and murderers. He's smart, and funny, and a hopeless romantic...but somehow he stays one step ahead of disaster.

If you like PI thrillers, you're gonna love "Twice the Trouble."

I can't wait to see what Noland Twice gets into next.

[Joshua Donellan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Twice the Trouble is a thrilling PI novel with a captivating protagonist; Noland Twice, a former athlete turned PI. The story centres on a body with a set of GPS co-ordinates scrawled on its arm. From there...things get grisly.

The writing is sharp and propulsive, the characters are flawed and fascinating and the story will have you furiously flipping through pages.

I loved the way the story pulled in a host of antagonists including money launderers, gangsters, murderers and corporations.

Twice the Trouble is an action-packed page turner that will leave you eager for Noland's return.

[JJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid 4 ⭐ debut. I enjoyed this book and the main character even though I wasn't sure if I was supposed to like him but I did. The story was good and well laid out, if slightly less than plausible it still worked. I would read other works by this author.

The only thing I really disliked was the way one of the main adult females was described as having what is essentially pigtails as her main hairstyle. The whole pigtail lore (in American society) and men lusting after women with the hairstyles of children gives me the ick. It seems clear the author is aware of this lore by the way he tries to explain the hairstyle as not being childish.

[Holly Kent · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good read. There are a few editing items that should have been caught before publishing, like using “as” instead of “has” on page 251, and revealing the identity of the dead before seemingly finding a photo that gave away the identity of the dead in chapter 13, but all in all, a fun, diverting adventure. 4 stars

[Rich Watson]

Very good. Great, flawed lead character Nolan Twice; just the type I like 😊 Hoping this becomes a series

[Jan Wallert · Rating 4 out of 5]

A couple of editing errors, but an imaginative plot and a mostly likable protagonist made this book readable and enjoyable.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this debut novel though I reached my saturation of plot twists with the cryptogram. Ash Clifton is a good writer and and hope we see more of the likeable and intriguing Noland Twice.

[Justin Scully · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was awesome! The ending had me
Wanting this book to be a series

[Craig Pittman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this book up for two reasons: 1) It's set in Florida and 2) It's been nominated for an Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America. Overall I liked it -- first-time author Ash Clifton writes scenes I haven't read before -- but I wished it was more focused.

The quirky title is a reference to the quirky hero, Noland Twice, a onetime college football star turned sheriff's deputy turned jailbird turned private eye. He has the uncanny ability to find anyone, so that's his primary PI practice: tracking down fugitives. If the money's right, his ethics can be pretty flexible, too.

At the start of this book, Twice's friend Faith, a lawyer, persuades her clients, an Orlando engineering company, to hire Noland to track down a fugitive partner who's apparently absconded with $14 million. They make it clear they want the money back more than the partner.

When Noland burgles the guy's apartment, though, he finds a different guy inside -- another partner, shot dead. He can't call the cops and risk exposing the theft of the $14 million. That means his next phone call is to his buddy Kiril, to help him with the cover up.

Kiril is a Russian bruiser who also runs a very lucrative copy shop with his brother Freddy, who's smart but needs a wheelchair to get around. Kiril and Freddy are two of the more interesting characters in the book and when Clifton writes the next book in the Twice series, you can bet they will show up again. He and Twice have a very special connection, by the way.

Twice is not the sharpest knife in the drawer -- at one point he finds the fugitive, then lets him get away because he's too impatient to wait for backup. He also sleeps with two different women involved in the case, even though he knows it's wrong. The plot involves some pretty grisly stuff -- someone gets beheaded, for instance -- so if you have a delicate stomach you may want to skip this one. There's also a weird subplot involving the search for a book that takes up way more time and space an it should.

About halfway through, the pace of the story picks up and it's a fun ride from there to the end. Some suspension of disbelief is required. For instance, for a confrontation with a Brazilian gangster, Noland uses his dad's connections to get heavy firepower from a biker gang. Nevertheless, I will definitely read the next Twice when it appears. But I'll only read it Once.

[Joy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Such a stupid lead character is Twice. I quit 1/4 of the way in

1 all hes concerned about is having sex w everyone involved in the case .Never mind that one is supposed to be impartial and not have sex to try to seduce and moon all drama like a teenager about the subjects ex wife constantly .
"Noland was pierced by desire "
WTF?
Is he writing a mystery or something dumb harkequin hideousness?!

More hidrousness whrn he beds thst stupid female partner .

I quit pretty quick after that. horribly written.


2. Also " book cover reviewers " in general need to quit comparing bad scribblerw to Robert Parker. advertisement nee " mystery writer " thst has horrible attempts at " being witty " is compared. Just STOP IT !

This dude is no Robert Parker. I'm talking the REAL Parker. not a mile close even . NORmT the crappy writing buggers who are " continuing " the series churning out hideous trainwrecks . Maybe Those are like this train wreck .But QUIT insulting Parker.

.Also he really should not have those dogs .wrong person to have dogs period ..


And he babbles about useless stuff for paragraphs..line his van ..Zero adds to the story or character build .

Nothing charismatic or witty about twice..def. NOT original. Yet ANOTHER ex jock / ex law enforcement guy who now is a P I .oh and has a big " dangerous " tough guy to help him .Oh and obsessed w sex and of course every female he wants is gorgeous ..and he gets .ICK.

A straight rip off of SO many characters .

Difference is ? a few of those are actually witty and charismatic.

[Roger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ash Clifton's TWICE THE TROUBLE introduces Noland Twice to the world of troubled heroes in fiction. Twice was a college football star who suffered a devastating injury that took away the game on one play. He was in law enforcement, served two years in prison before having the charges expunged, and now makes a living as a P.I. willing to get physical. That's a lot for one man.

Noland Twice remains an attractive protagonist, however, because at his heart he is a good guy. It's just hard to see sometimes. Most readers should find Twice to be a compelling anti-hero, especially if you're willing to go along with his propensity to make bad decisions. If there are two paths, Twice will always take the one that brings more trouble, as long as it leaves him autonomous, unburdened by any conventional authority. Twice also has friends who will do the conventionally unthinkable to help him. Where do people find these friends? Finally, Twice appears to be irresistible to women, at least at first.

If Noland Twice seems more than a little reminiscent of an older generation of mystery writers, that seems apt. Noland Twice would have felt very comfortable hanging out with Travis McGee. It works here, perhaps because Twice is more introspective than past heroes would be. It doesn't stop him, but he knows his flaws. TWICE THE TROUBLE is a finalist for a 2025 Edgar Award for Best First Novel. Well deserved. I look forward to more entries in this series. Check out Ash Clifton's personal web site, too. Intriguing and eclectic.

The weather's steamy;
the buildings are sterile. Fine.
Don't steal a man's dogs.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Noland Twice - former football player, deputy sheriff, and convict. He's now a private investigator hired to find Arthur Valkenburg who embezzled $14 million from a construction firm. A little voice tells Nole not to take this job but he needs money badly. Besides, he doesn't always play within the rules so he's good with shady work such as picking locks. That's when he finds the first dead body.

Let's take a look at new character Nole -- has 2 pit bulls Quick and Silver and dog owners always score points with me. He's good to his mother even if he doesn't call as often as he should. Got a great sidekick in Kiril. Nole's smart but seems unsure and down on himself at times. Lonely since his ex left and he misses her. Still muscular from his balling days but he hides it so people will underestimate him. His record was expunged but he wasn't guilty anyway.

I really liked Kiril. Every great investigator should have a great sidekick and Kiril is one. The ending of the book was full of action. I'm wondering what the last page means for Nole's future. I smell a series here.

[Kelly Post · Rating 2 out of 5]

Did this book have a fact checker? So much of the information was incorrect, mainly about how close/far everything was in the Orlando area.
One that really stuck out to me was this line “The official address was in ColonialTown. He googled and deduced the next address was in St. Cloud, which was only a few minutes away” Saint Cloud is AT LEAST 45 minutes southeast of colonialtown. I also can assure you that multiple people would not recognize a football player from 13 years ago in a town where he didn’t play football. If he had played for UCF, sure! Possibly! If the story had been set in Gainesville, sure! Possibly! They act like the main character was Tim Tebow level famous and gets recognized all the time which is ridiculous. The overall plot was fine but c’mon. Once I realized some of the mistakes it was like I couldn’t enjoy the rest of the book and kept finding all of the mistakes! He talks about watching college football in a bar and it’s June. Maybe you can point out it’s a re-run or something. Get a fact checker and a better editor for book #2 that I’m sure is coming.

[Jodi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is on a couple of trusted best first novel lists for 2024 and is nominated for an Edgar Award for Best First Mystery Novel. Noland Twice is a former star college football athlete who suffered a career ending injury, a former Sheriff's deputy and a pardoned ex-con who now has a PI business. He is more of a hired muscle kind of a PI than a thinking man's PI. He is friends with a couple of Russian brothers who run a copy shop and are even more on the fringes than Twice. Twice is hired by an Orlando defense lawyer to look into the disappearance of one of her client's, and officer in a shady construction company. There are many twists and turns, interesting characters and well-told story. I can't say as I am enamored with Twice and he does some really stupid stuff, but there is a lot to like about him. He is definitely engaging, and I really like the Russians. I look forward to reading the next in the series.

[Ken · Rating 2 out of 5]

I appreciate how hard it must be to write a book in the first place and then to have it published is crazy, so kudos to the author for accomplishing both of those things. Then, to have your book nominated for the Edgar Award as best first novel. Well done sir. Having said that, this book/characters just did not work for me. I suppose Noland Twice is supposed to be some sort of tortured anti-hero who goes by a moral compass that only he knows or can understand, but he doesn't work for me. Are we supposed to root for the errant knight who seems driven only by money and sex, who lies, kills and breaks the law in virtually every chapter in pursuit of his 2 great desires? Not that a book needs good people to be good, but there was not a likeable character (ok maybe the cat?) in this book. I couldn't wait for the book to get over, couldn't care less about the out come, so I could move on to some hopefully more worthy nominees.

[Mike Sennett · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this off the shelf at the library on a whim looking for a quick read and it turned out to be an unexpectedly good mystery/thriller. The story follows P.I. and former college player Noland Twice as he attempts to locate and retrieve millions of dollars embezzled by one of the partners in a crooked construction company that happens to be funded by a ruthless Brazilian gangster. The writing is smart, and the plot is clever, at least for most of the book until it falls back on some shoot-em-up style cliches. For a while, it seemed like Twice would outsmart the bad guys rather than outfight them and that would have been more intriguing, perhaps. Nevertheless, it was a fun, quick read and I'm sure this will be the first in a series that I'll look forward to reading.

[Laura Fitzpatrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Twice the Trouble moves at a gallop. This is a taut thriller with a strong central Florida vibe- if you are intrigued by the unmanicured underbelly of the "Land of Mouse", check this out. Nolan Twice is a good-hearted, complicated tough guy with a very strong stomach and a driving will. He's macho and cool, without coming off as obnoxious. You'll find yourself thinking "Nah, he won't go there..." but he will, and with a twist. The stakes are high from the outset and only get higher.

The intricacies of private investigation- the technologies and techniques- are well researched and engrossing.

I look forward to seeing what's next from author Ash Clifton.

[Colin Clifton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phenomenal crime thriller set in Orlando. The tempo and pace of the action kept me glued to the page. Clifton's attention to detail and descriptive writing reminded me of James Lee Burke's Robicheux series. Clifton does a remarkable job of character development in his first novel. Orlando serving as a perfect backdrop for this thriller illustrating the duality of Florida's white collar crime a stones throw from the airbrushed happiness of the House of Mouse. Absolutely loved Twice The Trouble, and look forward to spending more time with Noland Twice.

[Rhonda Riley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't usually read thrillers. And when I did I found most of them predictable and the writing flat. But I am from the same town as the author. And we have a common friend connection, so... I breezed through it. Good plot and not at all predictable. A great debut for Clifton! A perfect summer read. Nole is a compelling lead character. Clifton would do well to bring him back. And the the supporting characters are strong. Clifton's a good writer, clear clean prose, and natural story-teller.

[Richard Silberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a debut novel for Ash Clifton and I was not expecting enjoying it as much as I did. In fact, for this genre, I almost never award 5 stars. The writing and pace were excellent and I am looking forward to the next adventure. It has that Jack Reacher feel but in the best possible way. Noland Twice is our hero and doesnt disappoint. Smart, tough, but tender at times, so much so, it nearly gets him killed. Highly recommend.