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Jake Samson Mystery #1
Samson's Deal
MURDER, POLITICS, AND STRANGE BEDFELLOWS...
Ex-Chicago-cop Jake Samson is tired of the rat race. He's living in laid back Oakland, California with a couple of cats and just enough savings to eat canned oysters and accept collect calls from his bemused parents, when an old friend--a progressive political science processor--calls with an enticing offer. Seems the professor's wife was found dead in the backyard of their Berkeley home, and he wants to pay Jake ten thousand dollars (plus expenses) to figure out whodunit.
The police pick up the usual leads; jealousy, dirty politics, and an estate worth killing for. Naturally, since the professor is the dead woman's spouse, he's the primary suspect. Samson doesn't like the guy much, but the case heats up—quite literally—when the professor's office is set afire by a radical right wing activist group, of which, it turns out, the wife was a member.
With his good friend Rosie, and her justice-dispensing two-by-four, Samson follows a twisted trail leads through the Bay Area's bizarre cultural labyrinth; from pop meditation ashrams to neo-Nazi rallies, to the startling, but all too human truth.
Ex-Chicago-cop Jake Samson is tired of the rat race. He's living in laid back Oakland, California with a couple of cats and just enough savings to eat canned oysters and accept collect calls from his bemused parents, when an old friend--a progressive political science processor--calls with an enticing offer. Seems the professor's wife was found dead in the backyard of their Berkeley home, and he wants to pay Jake ten thousand dollars (plus expenses) to figure out whodunit.
The police pick up the usual leads; jealousy, dirty politics, and an estate worth killing for. Naturally, since the professor is the dead woman's spouse, he's the primary suspect. Samson doesn't like the guy much, but the case heats up—quite literally—when the professor's office is set afire by a radical right wing activist group, of which, it turns out, the wife was a member.
With his good friend Rosie, and her justice-dispensing two-by-four, Samson follows a twisted trail leads through the Bay Area's bizarre cultural labyrinth; from pop meditation ashrams to neo-Nazi rallies, to the startling, but all too human truth.
184 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1983
322 people are currently reading
883 people want to read
About the author
Shelley Singer
31 books18 followersAka Lee Singer.
Shelley Singer is the author of a dozen published novels and many short stories. One of her mysteries was nominated for the prestigious Shamus Award of the Private Eye Writers of America. She has written mysteries, science fiction, and mainstream fiction. Singer began her working life as a reporter with UPI in Chicago. During a checkered and mercifully brief journalism career, she met such luminaries as Nikita Khrushchev, Jimmy Hoffa, Xavier Cugat, Mrs. Billy Graham, Martin Luther King, Jr., and a condemned killer on death row. She never met Joseph Stalin. She teaches fiction writing classes and does manuscript consulting.
Shelley Singer is the author of a dozen published novels and many short stories. One of her mysteries was nominated for the prestigious Shamus Award of the Private Eye Writers of America. She has written mysteries, science fiction, and mainstream fiction. Singer began her working life as a reporter with UPI in Chicago. During a checkered and mercifully brief journalism career, she met such luminaries as Nikita Khrushchev, Jimmy Hoffa, Xavier Cugat, Mrs. Billy Graham, Martin Luther King, Jr., and a condemned killer on death row. She never met Joseph Stalin. She teaches fiction writing classes and does manuscript consulting.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews
July 28, 2014
This is the first book of a series but there's no cliffhanger - everything was resolved for this story and the murderer was a surprise to me. It's a good old fashioned mystery and I liked it.
in-collection-already
January 28, 201901/28/19 currently free in Badass Broads
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0723HRKMB
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0723HRKMB
Want to read
September 25, 2019DigitalBookSpot
September 28, 2015
When a mystery series identifies itself as “laid-back,” a reader has no right to complain when the investigator protagonist seems to lack a certain amount of conviction, professionalism, and motivation. Samson’s Deal as a title is an attempt to suggest that the protagonist needs to be more in control of his life than he usually is at the poker table, but I can’t see it. I know it’s incredibly ungracious of me to accept a complimentary eBook of this mystery and then say that I thought it was, at best, weak.
There are some nice “red herrings” in the novel, but one has an uneasy sense about the real murderer very early on. Yet, the “red herrings” give the author a chance to pontificate on political and social ills and fads. Unfortunately, with the novel set in what we affectionately (or cynically) call “Berzekley,” there aren’t any real surprises in where the author takes us (except that some of the student activists are peculiarly right-wing in their position. I can’t really imagine this fictional YAF-clone group (Young Americans for Freedom) getting much traction on the campus where the Free Speech Movement was born (along with Mario Savio’s admonition to never trust anyone over 30). I usually enjoy reading mysteries set in cities where I’ve spent a good amount of time, but this novel personally hit me the wrong way. It underscored some of the emptiness of the culture I knew (admittedly, I was helping the mentally disabled folks dumped on the street by then governor Ronnie Rayguns at the time and not dealing with the academic and culturally elite that Shelley Singer describes) and (again, this was my personal feeling with lots of emotional baggage) the inability of Singer to juxtapose the on-the-street tragedies of the Telegraph Avenue scene alongside the rich opulence and self-absorbed lifestyle of even the relatively ambitionless male protagonist and hardworking (but rather stereotypically presented) female protagonist (if you read this novel in spite of my biased screed, you’ll understand how a woman in an unusual occupation for a woman can be treated as “stereotypical”).
Maybe I’m a hypocrite? I castigate some procedural mysteries for being too formulaic and one of my big problems with Samson is that he isn’t procedural enough. I sometimes criticize authors for being too Agatha Christie in veiling the villain/antagonist, but this one was patently obvious—especially given the psychology of this loser protagonist. I almost choked when [mini-spoiler alert] the antagonistic police investigator compliments Samson on his “good investigative work” even though it is done slightly tongue-in-cheek. Surprise!
This is the beginning of a series of mysteries, the protagonist successfully cracks the case, and it’s the start of a Holmesian/Lestrade competition with subtle respect occasionally shown on both sides. Surprise, also! The female protagonist pulls the male protagonist’s bacon out of the skillet in the first novel of a mystery series where they have co-billing.
To be honest, I occasionally found a good moment or two in Samson’s Deal, but as far as future episodes, this reviewer folds.
There are some nice “red herrings” in the novel, but one has an uneasy sense about the real murderer very early on. Yet, the “red herrings” give the author a chance to pontificate on political and social ills and fads. Unfortunately, with the novel set in what we affectionately (or cynically) call “Berzekley,” there aren’t any real surprises in where the author takes us (except that some of the student activists are peculiarly right-wing in their position. I can’t really imagine this fictional YAF-clone group (Young Americans for Freedom) getting much traction on the campus where the Free Speech Movement was born (along with Mario Savio’s admonition to never trust anyone over 30). I usually enjoy reading mysteries set in cities where I’ve spent a good amount of time, but this novel personally hit me the wrong way. It underscored some of the emptiness of the culture I knew (admittedly, I was helping the mentally disabled folks dumped on the street by then governor Ronnie Rayguns at the time and not dealing with the academic and culturally elite that Shelley Singer describes) and (again, this was my personal feeling with lots of emotional baggage) the inability of Singer to juxtapose the on-the-street tragedies of the Telegraph Avenue scene alongside the rich opulence and self-absorbed lifestyle of even the relatively ambitionless male protagonist and hardworking (but rather stereotypically presented) female protagonist (if you read this novel in spite of my biased screed, you’ll understand how a woman in an unusual occupation for a woman can be treated as “stereotypical”).
Maybe I’m a hypocrite? I castigate some procedural mysteries for being too formulaic and one of my big problems with Samson is that he isn’t procedural enough. I sometimes criticize authors for being too Agatha Christie in veiling the villain/antagonist, but this one was patently obvious—especially given the psychology of this loser protagonist. I almost choked when [mini-spoiler alert] the antagonistic police investigator compliments Samson on his “good investigative work” even though it is done slightly tongue-in-cheek. Surprise!
This is the beginning of a series of mysteries, the protagonist successfully cracks the case, and it’s the start of a Holmesian/Lestrade competition with subtle respect occasionally shown on both sides. Surprise, also! The female protagonist pulls the male protagonist’s bacon out of the skillet in the first novel of a mystery series where they have co-billing.
To be honest, I occasionally found a good moment or two in Samson’s Deal, but as far as future episodes, this reviewer folds.
July 13, 2015
I found this in the LGBT section of Amazon and thought the main detective would be gay before I read it. He's not. His neighbour and part-time helper Rosie (15%) is a lesbian and that's the gay content. In fact the detective Jake sleeps with at least three different women in the week it takes to wrap up the case. He gets around.
I had a hard time getting a read on Jake. He's not a detective, he has no licence, so why was he given the case? Why was poker featured so heavily on the book cover and in the title and then was almost non-existent in the book? Why would his friend think he would prove to be a bumbling detective, when we had no evidence of that? Basically good plot but less well executed characterization.
I had a hard time getting a read on Jake. He's not a detective, he has no licence, so why was he given the case? Why was poker featured so heavily on the book cover and in the title and then was almost non-existent in the book? Why would his friend think he would prove to be a bumbling detective, when we had no evidence of that? Basically good plot but less well executed characterization.
June 1, 2015
Enjoyed reading.
Light reading, Berkeley bars, restaurants and campus. Samson works, gets injured but enjoys life. Remember those days of phone booths?
Light reading, Berkeley bars, restaurants and campus. Samson works, gets injured but enjoys life. Remember those days of phone booths?
October 2, 2020
I've gotten off on a tangent in murder mysteries; Jewish mysteries. That is where the protagonist, detective, is Jewish. This is a genre I didn't know about; and I'm Jewish. As we say: Who knew? (You need to hear the inflection to really appreciate the question. Feel free to call me and I'll do it in my best Yiddish accent. LOL.)
I bought a three ebook deal, and a paperback of short stories, to learn more. If you've ever read any Nora Ephron you'll know all about the sarcasm, snappy one-liners, and hyperbole regularly used by Jewish fiction writers. If you expect it in Samson's Deal you are going to be very disappointed. I sure was, as the character Jake Samson is about as far away from the stereotype as one can get. In fact I think the fact that he's Jewish is mentioned only once. Am I saying it's a bad thing? No. I'm saying that our "otherness" is always with us, even in this more enlightened time. I can't tell you how many times I've been asked, "What kind of name is Kontrovitz?", by people who are trying to suss out if I'm Jewish. Which doesn't mean the person is prejudiced, it just means they want to know. You can tell prejudice when you hear or see it.
I had to get the ground rules in first, so back to the book. No snappy comebacks, no sarcasm, and no superior brain power - the other stereotype. Jake is a guy with a little money, so he really doesn't have to work all that much to make ends meet, but he does have to at times. He's a former Chicago cop, though admittedly not much of one. He lives in Berkeley and rents the little house on his property to Rosie, a lesbian carpenter. The lesbian part is emphasized by the author, not me. Remember the book was written in 1983. Only one state at this time had outlawed discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, and it wasn't California. Rosie becomes his sidekick here and in the rest of the series.
Jake is hired by a professor at Berkeley, who is being targeted by a radical right wing group, to find out who killed his wife. She was found dead, at the bottom of the steep rocky hill off their deck. At first it was considered a suicide but later classified as homicide. Of course he's the prime suspect, mostly because he's been cheating on her for years, and also because she is involved with the group picketing him. She was an established artist on the East Coast before they moved and she gave up her art for him, but has now secretly begun again. Complicated? Yes. There are many layers to this book that slowly are uncovered, and Jake peals the layers off one by one.
The cast of characters are many, and slowly revealed, as Jake gets closer to the truth and closer to being killed for it. He's operating on his own, having no PI license and both the radicals and the police are after him. His only cover is that he's writing a piece for a crime magazine called Probe, which is run by one of his poker buddies. I really don't want to give anymore of the story away, but I will tell you regardless of the title, poker has nothing to do with it.
This is the first in a six book series by Shelly Singer, an award winning writer. She also wrote many other books, and is a screenwriter as well. She started her career as a reporter for UPI. She is also a manuscript consultant and a writing teacher. Awesome credentials. Samson as a character and the writing are very Marlowesque, in my opinion. She is both a very good writer and excellent in her plot development, leading you along just enough to keep you guessing. No big reveal either. You are along for the ride with all the information to bring you to the same conclusion Jake comes to, just a split second before he confronts the killer.
Were there things I didn't like? Yes. As macho as Jake is, and he kind of tells you that quite a lot, he drinks "girly" drinks or beer. No whiskey, straight up for him. Seems out of character. He also loves two hour, hot baths. In fact he frequently falls asleep in the tub only to wake up shivering and pruney. Seems out of character. He makes a lot of fuss about how he's dressed to go on a date, and yet no "manly man" I know of would be caught dead in his choices. Seems out of character. Lastly, in a time when AIDS was ravaging the nation, and it was well known that it's sexually transmitted both in the homosexual and the heterosexual community, Jake indiscriminately sleeps around with no protection mentioned. Again, remember the book was written in 1983 and protected sex was being widely discussed especially in the communities around San Francisco and Berkeley where the action takes place. Pun intended.
My overall rating is that the very good writing and plotting make it an excellent read. I would recommend it as a complex, but believable detective mystery. The Jewish factor is nonexistent, if that is what you are looking for. Would I read more of the series? Sure, but I've got other things in my queue first. The entire series is available in ebook form. I got it from Amazon and my Kindle app at a very reasonable price. Enjoy.
I bought a three ebook deal, and a paperback of short stories, to learn more. If you've ever read any Nora Ephron you'll know all about the sarcasm, snappy one-liners, and hyperbole regularly used by Jewish fiction writers. If you expect it in Samson's Deal you are going to be very disappointed. I sure was, as the character Jake Samson is about as far away from the stereotype as one can get. In fact I think the fact that he's Jewish is mentioned only once. Am I saying it's a bad thing? No. I'm saying that our "otherness" is always with us, even in this more enlightened time. I can't tell you how many times I've been asked, "What kind of name is Kontrovitz?", by people who are trying to suss out if I'm Jewish. Which doesn't mean the person is prejudiced, it just means they want to know. You can tell prejudice when you hear or see it.
I had to get the ground rules in first, so back to the book. No snappy comebacks, no sarcasm, and no superior brain power - the other stereotype. Jake is a guy with a little money, so he really doesn't have to work all that much to make ends meet, but he does have to at times. He's a former Chicago cop, though admittedly not much of one. He lives in Berkeley and rents the little house on his property to Rosie, a lesbian carpenter. The lesbian part is emphasized by the author, not me. Remember the book was written in 1983. Only one state at this time had outlawed discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, and it wasn't California. Rosie becomes his sidekick here and in the rest of the series.
Jake is hired by a professor at Berkeley, who is being targeted by a radical right wing group, to find out who killed his wife. She was found dead, at the bottom of the steep rocky hill off their deck. At first it was considered a suicide but later classified as homicide. Of course he's the prime suspect, mostly because he's been cheating on her for years, and also because she is involved with the group picketing him. She was an established artist on the East Coast before they moved and she gave up her art for him, but has now secretly begun again. Complicated? Yes. There are many layers to this book that slowly are uncovered, and Jake peals the layers off one by one.
The cast of characters are many, and slowly revealed, as Jake gets closer to the truth and closer to being killed for it. He's operating on his own, having no PI license and both the radicals and the police are after him. His only cover is that he's writing a piece for a crime magazine called Probe, which is run by one of his poker buddies. I really don't want to give anymore of the story away, but I will tell you regardless of the title, poker has nothing to do with it.
This is the first in a six book series by Shelly Singer, an award winning writer. She also wrote many other books, and is a screenwriter as well. She started her career as a reporter for UPI. She is also a manuscript consultant and a writing teacher. Awesome credentials. Samson as a character and the writing are very Marlowesque, in my opinion. She is both a very good writer and excellent in her plot development, leading you along just enough to keep you guessing. No big reveal either. You are along for the ride with all the information to bring you to the same conclusion Jake comes to, just a split second before he confronts the killer.
Were there things I didn't like? Yes. As macho as Jake is, and he kind of tells you that quite a lot, he drinks "girly" drinks or beer. No whiskey, straight up for him. Seems out of character. He also loves two hour, hot baths. In fact he frequently falls asleep in the tub only to wake up shivering and pruney. Seems out of character. He makes a lot of fuss about how he's dressed to go on a date, and yet no "manly man" I know of would be caught dead in his choices. Seems out of character. Lastly, in a time when AIDS was ravaging the nation, and it was well known that it's sexually transmitted both in the homosexual and the heterosexual community, Jake indiscriminately sleeps around with no protection mentioned. Again, remember the book was written in 1983 and protected sex was being widely discussed especially in the communities around San Francisco and Berkeley where the action takes place. Pun intended.
My overall rating is that the very good writing and plotting make it an excellent read. I would recommend it as a complex, but believable detective mystery. The Jewish factor is nonexistent, if that is what you are looking for. Would I read more of the series? Sure, but I've got other things in my queue first. The entire series is available in ebook form. I got it from Amazon and my Kindle app at a very reasonable price. Enjoy.
September 10, 2018
Book 1: Samson’s Deal — Shelley Singer 35 chapters (Aug 1-6, 2018)
First book in the series, with a set up of main characters, including Rosie. He is asked to look into a friend’s friend wife’s murder, and to clear his name. Not being an official PI, but having some experience in his past, he reluctantly agrees. Quite a few implied sex scenes.
Read as part of the omnibus of Jake Samson stories, this is a solid book. It sets up the characters, Jake and Rosie. We get an idea of Jake’s beliefs and family; where he started and where he is going. Jake is a ladies man as shown in this book. Rosie is a lesbian character who goes through a series of lovers. Although this is Jake’s story and he has several implied sexy scenes, with many different women, we don’t hear much about Rosie’s girlfriends.
In this story, Jake gets a phone call from a friend of a friend asking him to clear him of the murder of his wife. Jake is not a PI, but that does not stop him from investigating the woman’s death. This story feels like it might be a fast read, but it gets slow in the middle.
The plot is written wth enough clues, but not enough to allow the reader to figure it out. There are some twisty moments and times when the reader has no idea what is going on. But it is well paced and as the story goes along, starts to pick up. As mentioned, the ending feels very Agatha Christie. The reader isn’t given all the clues to solve it. Kind of a surprising ending.
Three stars.
First book in the series, with a set up of main characters, including Rosie. He is asked to look into a friend’s friend wife’s murder, and to clear his name. Not being an official PI, but having some experience in his past, he reluctantly agrees. Quite a few implied sex scenes.
Read as part of the omnibus of Jake Samson stories, this is a solid book. It sets up the characters, Jake and Rosie. We get an idea of Jake’s beliefs and family; where he started and where he is going. Jake is a ladies man as shown in this book. Rosie is a lesbian character who goes through a series of lovers. Although this is Jake’s story and he has several implied sexy scenes, with many different women, we don’t hear much about Rosie’s girlfriends.
In this story, Jake gets a phone call from a friend of a friend asking him to clear him of the murder of his wife. Jake is not a PI, but that does not stop him from investigating the woman’s death. This story feels like it might be a fast read, but it gets slow in the middle.
The plot is written wth enough clues, but not enough to allow the reader to figure it out. There are some twisty moments and times when the reader has no idea what is going on. But it is well paced and as the story goes along, starts to pick up. As mentioned, the ending feels very Agatha Christie. The reader isn’t given all the clues to solve it. Kind of a surprising ending.
Three stars.
November 17, 2019
First in a series with imvestigator Jake Samson, a Jewish ex-cop from Chicago who batted some hippie heads at the Democratic Convention in 1968 then gave up the job, resettling in northern California and ending up In the East Bay. His turf is Oakland and Berkeley, and the book is full of precise details of streets, types of homes, cafes, bars, nightclubs, and ethnic restaurants in the area, as he eats out constantly and seems to have some type of alcohol with every meal.
What actually entertained me was recognizing how dated the social attitudes and references were, even as the work presented itself as progressive for its time. He has two cats amd a lesvbian carpenter sidekick, an African American woman who lives with her dog in a cottage in front of his thereby secluded home. He is pulled into the P.I. business in this initial book by a former lover, whose current paramour, a Berkeley poli sci professor, has an estranged wife with a broken neck, toppled below the drop from the deck on her home on the hill.
A recurring theme is how the conformity of the 1950s gave way to the counterculture of the 60s, with vestiges still strong in the East Bay, though the conservative resurgence of the 80s, something Jake can appreciate as he comes from the generation born in the early 40s. Student activists, right wing extremists, a meditation groups, and a lesbian bar all get their moments in this book.
What actually entertained me was recognizing how dated the social attitudes and references were, even as the work presented itself as progressive for its time. He has two cats amd a lesvbian carpenter sidekick, an African American woman who lives with her dog in a cottage in front of his thereby secluded home. He is pulled into the P.I. business in this initial book by a former lover, whose current paramour, a Berkeley poli sci professor, has an estranged wife with a broken neck, toppled below the drop from the deck on her home on the hill.
A recurring theme is how the conformity of the 1950s gave way to the counterculture of the 60s, with vestiges still strong in the East Bay, though the conservative resurgence of the 80s, something Jake can appreciate as he comes from the generation born in the early 40s. Student activists, right wing extremists, a meditation groups, and a lesbian bar all get their moments in this book.
January 10, 2020
I read this mystery set in Oakland and Berkeley specifically to coincide with my trip to Oakland and Berkeley! This is definitely the first story I've ever read where some of it takes place in Montclair. Big bonus points for that. And the main character's name is Jake :)
This is your fairly typical murder mystery, so you should know if you like that kind of thing. What stands out here:
- It's set in the 70's (or thereabout). I can't decide whether I like that because it's close to the time period in which I grew up there, or whether it matches the time period of many Philip K. Dick stories (which are sometimes set in the same area), or something else.
- Unlike Murder At The Rocks, Jake Samson takes an active role in solving the case, risking himself and making things happen. He's no "gentlemen detective".
The characters feel real and make sense, the writing is quite readable, and the mystery is worthy of the reveal. The story is short but effective. Short and sweet is the way I like it!
The only flaw is that, towards the end, when Jake figures things out he hides it from us until the big reveal. It's done very deliberately, so at least the author isn't trying to hide it, but it's not necessary. He could have kept us in on it, and the tension would still have arisen from the final confrontation and wondering how the culprit would respond. The way it's done, wrapping the confrontation with the big reveal, it feels more typical and staged than it needed to be.
This is your fairly typical murder mystery, so you should know if you like that kind of thing. What stands out here:
- It's set in the 70's (or thereabout). I can't decide whether I like that because it's close to the time period in which I grew up there, or whether it matches the time period of many Philip K. Dick stories (which are sometimes set in the same area), or something else.
- Unlike Murder At The Rocks, Jake Samson takes an active role in solving the case, risking himself and making things happen. He's no "gentlemen detective".
The characters feel real and make sense, the writing is quite readable, and the mystery is worthy of the reveal. The story is short but effective. Short and sweet is the way I like it!
The only flaw is that, towards the end, when Jake figures things out he hides it from us until the big reveal. It's done very deliberately, so at least the author isn't trying to hide it, but it's not necessary. He could have kept us in on it, and the tension would still have arisen from the final confrontation and wondering how the culprit would respond. The way it's done, wrapping the confrontation with the big reveal, it feels more typical and staged than it needed to be.
March 3, 2022
Another abandoned book. It started well enough, even humorously, but by chapter five I felt the story was getting bogged down by irrelevant detail. I can't even remember what I've learned so far about the char or plot, except that this is the hiring of a rookie gumshoe by the principle suspect in the case of his wife's death. Throw into the mix that he had been having an affair and had lied to the police about his private life, hoping to keep his mistress out of the mess, and that he wanted to be cleared of possible murder. This hinged on his desire that accidental death would be disproved - or the alternative theory that his wife had committed suicide for some reason - while throwing the blame on to an unknown assailant. Too convoluted, especially that this was with a backdrop of student disaffection as was prevalent in the 1980s (in which the story was set, I think), and anyone could have murdered the woman - if indeed she was murdered, and not by her husband and/or his mistress. I really can't be bothered to find out more.
This was part of a freebie Kindle box set by this author. To be shelved..
This was part of a freebie Kindle box set by this author. To be shelved..
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 11, 2017
I don't know how I got through this book. The only reason it is not 1 star is because, as much as I didn't like it, I wanted to see if I was right about the murderer. I was. It was kind of obvious. The main character was not likeable at all. He basically bumbled through the case and then slept with every woman he came in contact with. At one point he was basically raped by a woman (he was not interested in sex, but had agreed to stay with her because she was scared to be alone. Next thing you know, she's jumping on top of him and telling him "you don't have to do anything"). According to this author every female just can't get enough and jumps every man she can get her hands on. There were also a lot of different characters, so I'd have to stop and think, "Who was this person again?" I did finish it. That's about the only positive thing I can say about it.
February 27, 2025
This was actually a pretty interesting murder mystery even if it was a bit tedious. But I guess that's what some authors do, weaving all sorts of stories together to make one big one. I was a little disappointed, however, since the book was labeled as a "police procedural", but the police were hardly involved. The main character who was hired to solve the mystery had been a policeman in a previous life, but didn't have true investigative experience. Nevertheless, he did a pretty good job gathering the facts and finally turning it over to the police. Sorry I don't have time to write a longer review, but suffice it to say that I gave it 4 stars.
June 20, 2023
3 and 1/2 rounded down to 3 because…you know. We can’t give 1/2 stars. This was a fun read and I enjoyed the characters. Jake was kind of silly. He didn’t come across like a total ladies man and yet he fell into bed with so many women in a short time that I am a bit speechless. A little like Dirk Pitt or Stone Barrington, but not as suave, which made him pretty likable. I am not quite sure how he ends up bumbling around like a private eye without any credentials but that is also entertaining. So overall a fun read but not completely sold just yet. I will read the next one for sure.
July 6, 2023
In this mystery from the 1980s, Berkeley political science professor John Harley hires Jake Samson to find the murderer of his wife Margaret, fearing that the police will focus their investigation on him. Harley is also being harassed by a group of campus protestors called CORPS (Campus Organization for the Return of Political Sanity), and Samson looks into both Margaret's activities and the protest group. It turns out that CORPS does not welcome his attention, leading him to suspect their involvement in the murder.
November 27, 2017
Jake a laid back type of guy, poker and laying out on his patio, makes his time go by. A friend refers him to investigate a murder, he was a cop, for awhile. He takes the case, and uncovers more of what really was going on. The group his wife belong to, was there affairs. Laid back plot, but interesting, of how he does solve, with the help of Rosie.
June 15, 2023
I think other reviews said it too...
It gets old reading about how much and what types of alcohol Samson consumes. And while I appreciate the author skipped details about all of his sexploits, Samson's a serious whore. The case was interesting enough, as was the location and period, but there are more appealing protagonists out there, so not continuing this series.
It gets old reading about how much and what types of alcohol Samson consumes. And while I appreciate the author skipped details about all of his sexploits, Samson's a serious whore. The case was interesting enough, as was the location and period, but there are more appealing protagonists out there, so not continuing this series.
April 3, 2019
A nice evening read. The plot was good but I wasn’t impressed with main character (sex-obsessed among other faults - lets be straight; if you want to read about sex then you want porn - soft or not— this is a mystery). Author pontificates on his liberal POV. Readers, you’re advised.
August 4, 2019
Great thriller
Singer's books never fail to entertain. There is great character development and even the pets are interesting. I've read all the books in this series and enjoyed them all.
Singer's books never fail to entertain. There is great character development and even the pets are interesting. I've read all the books in this series and enjoyed them all.
September 26, 2020
I enjoyed this book; Jake was like a dog with a bone when he got into the case. He shook it until he solved it. Plenty of mystery and humor to keep me interested.
I loved the phone calls from his father. lol
I loved the phone calls from his father. lol
December 10, 2017
Good mystery, well written. If you like the Spencer For Hire series, you'll like this one as well.
March 19, 2019
Samsons Dea!
This is a good read that you have a little bit of trouble following at times, but comes thru when needed.
This is a good read that you have a little bit of trouble following at times, but comes thru when needed.
March 30, 2019
Good book
You people should just read this novel yourselves and write your own review on this novel yourselves and I really enjoyed reading this novel very much so. Shelley Ma
You people should just read this novel yourselves and write your own review on this novel yourselves and I really enjoyed reading this novel very much so. Shelley Ma
August 25, 2019
I really liked this book. Very funny and smart.
Read
August 30, 2019Good police story
Good sorry with just enough mystery to keep you from wanting to put the book down. It had sort of a predictable ending. Loved the main character.
Good sorry with just enough mystery to keep you from wanting to put the book down. It had sort of a predictable ending. Loved the main character.
October 3, 2019
Enjoyed
This was not much of a detective story but it was okay the characters and story line were good I
This was not much of a detective story but it was okay the characters and story line were good I
own-under-diff-title-or-anthology
October 20, 2019Own in: Badass Broads
November 3, 2019
Not bad. I will probably read the rest in this series.
December 12, 2019
Lots of haracters
Well written murder mystery. Lots of characters are developed and incorporated into the story. Fun to read. Would look forward to seeing the characters again.
Well written murder mystery. Lots of characters are developed and incorporated into the story. Fun to read. Would look forward to seeing the characters again.
May 25, 2020
A little old, a little new
A constructive that has to detect. The police do not like what he is doing but he continues because he can use the money. Worth a read.
A constructive that has to detect. The police do not like what he is doing but he continues because he can use the money. Worth a read.
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