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Bramble & Nolan #1
Origin & Cause
When the charred body of TV mogul Stanfield Standish is found inside the burnt-out remains of his classic 1930 Duesenberg sedan, Attorney Max Bramble and ace arson investigator Wylie Nolan dig into the ashes of corruption.
- GenresMystery
Audio Cassette
First published June 1, 1994
22 people want to read
About the author
Shelly Reuben
15 books18 followersShelly Reuben's first novel, Julian Solo, was nominated by the Mystery Writers of America for an Edgar Award and by the Libertarian Futurist Society for a Prometheus. Her crime novel, Origin and Cause, was nominated by the Maltese Falcon Society of Japan for a Falcon; and her adult fable, The Man with the Glass Heart, was a Freedom Book Club selection. Her fiction has been published by Scribner, Harper, Harcourt, and is also available through Blackstone Audio Books.
Her new book, Dabbling in Crime, November 2016, is a collection of short fiction originally published in The Forensic Examiner and The Evening Sun.
Shelly Reuben is a licensed private detective, and the years that she spend investigating fire and arson inspired many of her stories and books.
Her new book, Dabbling in Crime, November 2016, is a collection of short fiction originally published in The Forensic Examiner and The Evening Sun.
Shelly Reuben is a licensed private detective, and the years that she spend investigating fire and arson inspired many of her stories and books.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
May 16, 2018
Listened to it on books on cd. Quite interesting. Seems to go into side issues a lot, but overall good book.
Cable-TV mogul Stanfield Standish wrote the book and broke the rules in the new and entertainment industry. When his charred body is found inside the burnt-out remains of his classic 1930 Duesenberg sedan, his family files a $52 million damage suit against Courtland Manor, the firm that restored the antique. That's when Courtland's attorney, Max Bramble, takes over--with supicions sharp and asking questions.
Cable-TV mogul Stanfield Standish wrote the book and broke the rules in the new and entertainment industry. When his charred body is found inside the burnt-out remains of his classic 1930 Duesenberg sedan, his family files a $52 million damage suit against Courtland Manor, the firm that restored the antique. That's when Courtland's attorney, Max Bramble, takes over--with supicions sharp and asking questions.
January 17, 2022
That is a very generous 3 stars. And it only got 3 stars because the plot outline was good. But i felt that the writer had written a novella and her publisher sent her back to the drawing board and told her to flesh it out. Why did we need to know the whole plot of the movie Idelwild? I felt that the author was trying very, very, very, very hard to add more words, whether they were necessary or not. I may read book 2 because I like Bramble and Nolan, but if it is a continuation of book 1, I may not.
August 2, 2019
My all-time favorite mystery!
I read this book when it first came out, and never forgot it. I am in awe of the technical details and enthralled by high quality of all the characters. The author is a bona fide arson investigator and her writing shows an exemplary attention to detail, explained in ways that everyone can understand. This is an under-recognized work of literature, deserving of many enjoyable reads.
I read this book when it first came out, and never forgot it. I am in awe of the technical details and enthralled by high quality of all the characters. The author is a bona fide arson investigator and her writing shows an exemplary attention to detail, explained in ways that everyone can understand. This is an under-recognized work of literature, deserving of many enjoyable reads.
July 2, 2023
Beginning was dull but really got wrapped in the case as a crime junkie and stayed along with it
July 21, 2025
Excellent
July 26, 2011
I feel mixed on this one, but ultimately it irritated me too much to finish. On the good side, the author presented the legal and arson forensics clearly and well. Reuben obviously knows the subjects on which she builds her mystery, and I'll give her points for a knowledge of torts that appears textbook perfect. The details on classic cars and arson were truly intriguing. Like much hard-boiled detective fiction, this was written first person with an attitude, and the lawyer and narrator, Max Bramble, evinced a good sense of humor and turn of phrase. I quite liked Wylie Nolan, a retired Fire Marshall who assists him in the investigation and who evinces a deductive flair worthy of Sherlock Holmes.
The problem is more that the right-wing politics was way too much to the fore--and I say that as someone right of center. No author lacks a worldview, left or right, and often you can subtly (or not so subtly) detect it. Dean Koontz strikes me as right of center, Stephen King as on the left. It doesn't bother me in their books, though, but it does with Reuben. The plot deals with Bramble and Nolan investigating the conflagration of a classic car, a Duesenberg worth two million dollars, in which the wealthy and powerful media mogul Stanfield Standish is killed. His estate sues the company that restored the antique car for 23 million and Bramble is retained for the defense.
Standish is an obvious--and I mean obvious--stand-in for Ted Turner. And boy, Bramble sure makes it clear he detests him. We're led through the reasons why people had reasons to hate Standish. Such as a on air personality at "SNN" fired because he took a patriotic slant on a documentary rather than attacking America, offending Standish's "neo-internationalism." Or the ill-feeling when Standish buys the film archive of a major studio and begins to alter them by electronically inserting contemporary faces superimposed over those of classic actors. One of those modern actresses is described as one of those bizarre and iconoclastic left-wing performance artists.
In other words, this is right-wing pornography. And despite the fact I could describe myself as on the right side of the political divide, I found this too preachy and eye-rollingly heavy-handed for my tastes.
The problem is more that the right-wing politics was way too much to the fore--and I say that as someone right of center. No author lacks a worldview, left or right, and often you can subtly (or not so subtly) detect it. Dean Koontz strikes me as right of center, Stephen King as on the left. It doesn't bother me in their books, though, but it does with Reuben. The plot deals with Bramble and Nolan investigating the conflagration of a classic car, a Duesenberg worth two million dollars, in which the wealthy and powerful media mogul Stanfield Standish is killed. His estate sues the company that restored the antique car for 23 million and Bramble is retained for the defense.
Standish is an obvious--and I mean obvious--stand-in for Ted Turner. And boy, Bramble sure makes it clear he detests him. We're led through the reasons why people had reasons to hate Standish. Such as a on air personality at "SNN" fired because he took a patriotic slant on a documentary rather than attacking America, offending Standish's "neo-internationalism." Or the ill-feeling when Standish buys the film archive of a major studio and begins to alter them by electronically inserting contemporary faces superimposed over those of classic actors. One of those modern actresses is described as one of those bizarre and iconoclastic left-wing performance artists.
In other words, this is right-wing pornography. And despite the fact I could describe myself as on the right side of the political divide, I found this too preachy and eye-rollingly heavy-handed for my tastes.
December 3, 2012
When attorney Max Bramble hires retired New York City fire marshal Wylie Nolan to figure out the origin and cause (title…get it?) of a fire in a 1930 Duesenberg, an A-Team is born. Stanfield Standish is found dead in the classic car, and his family wants to sue Max’s client for product liability. Max believes that the car fire was accidental until Wylie proves that the obnoxious TV mogul was murdered. Attorney Max Bramble brings intelligent innocence to the case, while Wylie Nolan, with his cynicism, professionalism, and irreverent humor, teaches us how to investigate a fire. A millionaire car collector, his mistress, an honorable journalist, a local cop, an heiress, and other intriguing characters will leave you dazzled. This is a fantastic book.
December 3, 2012
When attorney Max Bramble hires retired New York City fire marshal Wylie Nolan to figure out the origin and cause (title…get it?) of a fire in a 1930 Duesenberg, an A-Team is born. Stanfield Standish is found dead in the classic car, and his family wants to sue Max’s client for product liability. Max believes that the car fire was accidental until Wylie proves that the obnoxious TV mogul was murdered. Attorney Max Bramble brings intelligent innocence to the case, while Wylie Nolan, with his cynicism, professionalism, and irreverent humor, teaches us how to investigate a fire. A millionaire car collector, his mistress, an honorable journalist, a local cop, an heiress, and other intriguing characters will leave you dazzled. This is a fantastic book
December 17, 2012
When attorney Max Bramble hires retired New York City fire marshal Wylie Nolan to figure out the origin and cause (title…get it?) of a fire in a 1930 Duesenberg, an A-Team is born. Stanfield Standish is found dead in the classic car, and his family wants to sue Max’s client for product liability. Max believes that the car fire was accidental until Wylie proves that the obnoxious TV mogul was murdered. Attorney Max Bramble brings intelligent innocence to the case, while Wylie Nolan, with his cynicism, professionalism, and irreverent humor, teaches us how to investigate a fire. A millionaire car collector, his mistress, an honorable journalist, a local cop, an heiress, and other intriguing characters will leave you dazzled. This is a fantastic book.
December 17, 2012
When attorney Max Bramble hires retired New York City fire marshal Wylie Nolan to figure out the origin and cause (title…get it?) of a fire in a 1930 Duesenberg, an A-Team is born. Stanfield Standish is found dead in the classic car, and his family wants to sue Max’s client for product liability. Max believes that the car fire was accidental until Wylie proves that the obnoxious TV mogul was murdered. Attorney Max Bramble brings intelligent innocence to the case, while Wylie Nolan, with his cynicism, professionalism, and irreverent humor, teaches us how to investigate a fire. A millionaire car collector, his mistress, an honorable journalist, a local cop, an heiress, and other intriguing characters will leave you dazzled. This is a fantastic book.
June 1, 2008
Lots of interesting detail about the process of investigating suspicious fires, along with some cool tidbits about classic cars. Not the most original storyline, but decent.
January 31, 2013
I enjoyed the detail about fire investigation. They book was compelling and a good listen.
May 10, 2013
Pretty good story, loved the cars, but the plot moved very slowly. I would try another by this author.
September 7, 2014
I like a good mystery, and I love learning. I got both in this book!
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews