Bob Moore: Hostile Territory

Bob Moore #3

by Tom Andry

Bob Moore doesn’t have super powers and doesn’t want them. What he does have is a metal leg, a dead daughter, and a lot of people with powers to blame.

A former private investigator, Bob made a career of embarrassing supers. His ex-wife, a powerful super and leader of the Super State, has parked the Super City, a levitating metropolis, over Bob’s apartment. The location is no accident. Bob is “invited” by the Vice President to become the new US Ambassador after two previous dignitaries have disappeared. A pair of grisly killings with an evidence trail that leads to one of Bob’s only allies puts the City, and Bob, on alert.

Trapped in a city full of supers that would love to see him dead, and his ex-wife’s life in the balance, Bob must choose whether to save the City, his ex-wife, or let his anger at the supers cost him everything.

Genres: Detective, Mystery

293 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 21, 2013

About the author

Tom Andry is the Associate Editor of Audioholics.com and host of the AV Rant podcast. He’s been writing mostly reviews but has lately returned to his prose roots. He has written many unpublished short stories, poems, and a few screenplays that may still be produced. He’s the father of three boys affectionately nicknamed Punkalicious, Captain Evil, and Neo. He’s happily married and currently resides in Perth, Australia. His background is in drama, creative writing, and research psychology which basically means his kids are in for a pretty rough time. His wife, Tanel, doesn’t have it so easy either. His first work for public consumption is an eBook titled Bob Moore: No Hero.

Reviews

[David(LA,CA) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Doesn't improve on the previous book in the series. In fact, I think things are getting a little worse. Too many "too" problems. The problem is too big. We have what would be a problem of national security involving ambassadors to a nation of super powered individuals, so the leader of the nation decides to pull in... an overweight private investigator with issues regarding supers to deal with it. The story is too fast. From the time the main character gets involved, everything that happens until we reach the end happens in less than twenty-four hours. That may work to keep the main character off balance, but it can have that same effect on the reader. And a few too many characters carrying the idiot ball, including every character in the room during the final confrontation.

I'm not sure if the author still intends to come back to this series in the future. It seems like he worked to establish a new starting point for the next one in the final chapter. I think I'd give it one more shot, but the series as a whole is on shaky ground with me.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

I only have one big complaint: I want more!

Really, this book was just more of what I loved, a bitter PI who hates and works with superheroes. Can't wait for the next book!

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was an excellent read. I really like the world Andry has created, a mix of superhumans and normal humans with just the right dash of stereotypes and tropes.
I feel that the ending was a little rushed and there were quite a few loose ends, including the plot that drove the first third of the book, so it's a little unsatisfying to finish. Especially a shame since there doesn't seem to be any more of the series.
Overall, an excellent read for fans of the genre. Highly recommended.