The Barkeep

by William Lashner, Luke Daniels (Reading)

Justin Chase is the perfect barkeep, tending bar as he lives his life, in a state of Zen serenity, until Birdie Grackle, a foul-mouthed alcoholic, walks into his bar and makes a startling confession. Six years ago Justin's life was ripped apart when he discovered his mother's bludgeoned corpse. Now Justin's father is serving a life sentence and Justin drowns his emotions in a pool of inner peace. But when Birdie claims he murdered Justin's mother for cash, Justin is hurled back to the emotions, back to the past, and, most frightening of all, back to the father he tried to leave behind.

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

12 pages, Audiobook

First published February 1, 2014

About the author

William Lashner is a former criminal prosecutor with the Department of Justice in Washington D.C. and a graduate of the Iowa Writers’ Workshop. His novels have been published world-wide and have been nominated for two Shamus Awards, a Gumshoe Award, an Edgar Award, and been selected as an Editor’s Choice in the New York Times Book Review. When he was a kid his favorite books were The Count of Monte Cristo and any comic with the Batman on the cover.

Under the pseudonym Tyler Knox he wrote the noir novel, Kockroach.

Series:
* Victor Carl Mystery

Reviews

[Doug Hoffman · Rating 2 out of 5]

I downloaded The Barkeep with great anticipation but having plowed through 40% of the book I find I can no longer continue reading it. Perhaps it was my own expectations that led to this disappointment; I am a fan of old style thrillers/murder mysteries by the likes of Robert Parker, John McDonald, and Nelsen DeMille. I expect a novel to have an identifiable protagonist and a plot that has overall direction—this novel has neither. The characters are all distinctly unlikable, the barkeep himself is a cypher and I found myself not caring if any of the supporting characters lived or died. The plot just sort of mills around, revealing little of importance beyond the general despicablity of the entire cast of characters. The most inventive thing about this book was naming the chapters after drinks. If new age nihilism is your thing this might be OK, I found it a tremendous waste of time.

[Zoeytron · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although the plot of this mystery is decent, it is the characterizations that will keep you reading. Justin Chase is the name of the barkeep in the title - the man behind the wood, a mixologist, a pour man. He graduated from law school, but never took the (ahem) bar exam - to become a lawyer, that is. Justin eschews television, furniture, and commitments. He is a Zen guy, trying to recover from psychic wounds sustained when he discovered his murdered mother's body.

Derek is dim (A Clockwork Orange, anyone?), a mentally deficient man who is content with his limitations. All he needs is someone to point him in the right or wrong direction, and with simple instructions he will shine at what he CAN do. He is a gifted lock-picker. When he was a little boy, his Grammy taught him to keep things tidy. As a grown man, he still follows this principle - sometimes to an alarming degree. You do not want him tidying up after you.

Eddie Nicosia, aka The Snake, is another standout. Sleezy, slimy, leering, he is a total creeper, yet curiously soft-hearted at times.

The book is a little too lengthy for the story that it tells, and the love story seems misplaced and unnecessary to the plot, but it was a fairly enjoyable read nevertheless. I did like the chapters entitled as various drinks. This was a Kindle First selection.

[R. · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Barkeep is an exercise in "what could have been" in that it had an interesting premise and a diverse cast of characters; all of which collapsed like a drunkard at the end of a bad night. About a third of the way through the narrative, the story seemed to spiral out of Lashner's control and became something of a caricature of itself. By the time of the final confrontation between the main character and his father, the eye rolling was offset only by the self-questioning of why, oh why, had I stayed with the book so long. Lashner apparently has a good track record and sales to go with it, but this is not the book for a first time Lashner reader.

[Fred Forbes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yeah, I know. I tend to run when I encounter a book written by an author who attended the Iowa Writer's Workshop since the prose is often pretentious, the work a bit too "precious" and often features the avant-garde dismissal of various rules of grammar such as punctuation and quote marks. But, my sister, who happens to live in Philadelphia where this story occurs dropped it on me as a gift and I must admit I was pleasantly surprised. Clever use of chapter headings named after drinks which are then worked into the chapter as main character Justin Chase works his trade. The plot is twisty, the characters well developed and interesting insights into zen and meditation as well as complex family relationships held my interest. The book was a great lunch time companion for the last few weeks. Think I'll have to try some more of his work.

[Karen Utes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too much much detail on how to mix drinks.

The overall plot was fine but I really didn't care for most of the characters. There was too much detail on how to mix drinks given and I wasn't fond of all the "Zen" philosophy the author included. By the end of the by I was just ready for it to be over. I would read this author again - another set of characters might be more likeable.

[Max Everhart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Justin Chase is an ex-law student turned traveling bartender who follows the teachings of The Tibetan Book of the Dead to numb the pain of his mother's murder, the murder that Justin's father is now rotting away in prison for. One night while tending bar, Chase makes the acquaintance of Birdie Grackle, an alcoholic hit man who claims to have killed Chase's mother. For a price, Birdie is willing to tell Chase who hired Birdie to kill Chase's mother. Instead of paying the hit man for the information, Chase begins investigating his mother's murder, and aside from crossing paths with some well-drawn characters--a beautiful but self-loathing mistress, an aging detective obsessed with doing jumbles, and a borderline-retarded yet effective killer--Chase makes some shocking discoveries about the case, and his father.

This is a page-turner, but what I really enjoyed was the characterization and the shifting narration. Every character has a clear voice and is uniquely flawed, which made them all compelling. Too, the dialogue, particularly the scenes at the bar with Justin and his regulars is fantastic. There is something very cinematic about Lashner's writing, but it is also literary as well. I really enjoyed this one, and I will definitely pick up another of his novels.

[Tanya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Started out slow and a little boring, but was able to keep me reading. By about halfway, I couldn't put it down. Good story.

[Debbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I received this as a free bonus in the Kindle First program.

It is not a book I would have normally purchased but since it was free and I was ready for some lighter fiction work, I tackled it.

There were lots of twists and turns to the plot but I didn't find the novel "spell binding." It was okay, but I can't honestly give it a rave review.

[Mike Walter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Guy walks into a bar and calls the barkeeper by his first name. Barkeep asks "you know me?" and the guy says, "I knew your mom. I'm the one who killed her."

How's that for an opening chapter. The Barkeep kept me interested throughout. I don't read a lot of "thrillers" because they are often very predictable and not well written. I found this story kept me guessing and Lashner's writing was perfect. The characters all have their own voice and I thought they were fleshed out and seemed real to me. I'd've liked a little more closure but I guess you can pretty much predict how each character moves on.

Anyway, I recommend this book to anyone looking for a little escapism and a thrilling read with a coupla dead bodies along the way.

[Dinah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Justin's mother was murdered 6 years ago. He thought he had put it behind him until an old man walks into his bar and takes credit for the deed.
The book is a murder mystery with a cast of interesting characters.

[Jim Heskett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cons: too many characters, too often they all sound the same when they speak. Too much dialogue without attribution

Pros: a page-turner. An exciting, hard to predict mystery. At times very clever. Some great characterization.

[Jami Sikkink · Rating 1 out of 5]

Interesting enough to finish, but not enough to recommend!

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good, suspenseful thriller with a couple of nice twists. The title character, Justin, was a little inaccessible, but I understand the reasons for his being written that way.

3.5 stars

[kyle smitheram · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Zentertaining Thriller

Lashner seems to have a great grasp on making drinks, but I'm not sure if he has all of the dynamics of being a Barkeep down. Granted there are likely not too many bartenders like the main character of The Barkeep (Justin Chase) in the world, but he still seems to be a little too much of a caricature of what we expect a bartender to be, rather than who bartenders really are.

Don't let this observation about the main character dissuade you too much though. He is an interesting character to follow through this plot that has as many twists as a Horse's Neck. This book is as entertaining and surprising as most thrillers out there. And it seems that Lashner is able to poke fun at his main character's eccentric take on one of the oldest professions, and life in general, so everything you find yourself questioning about him seems to be questioned by the character as well at some point.

Lashner also accomplishes making this novel idea of a bartender being the hero work with generous amounts of quick wit, and fast prose. The characters are just unbelievable enough to be believable, and the plot just crazy enough to keep you turning pages to find out what happens next. He also keeps the gory bits to a minimum (not that I'd complain if he stepped it up a bit) and the sexy bits clean enough to let your 16 year old cousin borrow the book without turning your face red.

The author also does a great job of making alcohol sound delicious, while also showing the negative side effects of alcoholism, again making this a friendly read for the younger crowd just getting into the genre. An avid drinker might make a game of trying to drink each of the drinks mentioned in the chapters and titles, but a teetotaler could point out the negative effects of alcohol on most of the characters in the book.

A moral isn't necessarily what I look for in a thriller. In fact I would say that preachy sentiment is exactly the opposite of what I'd look for in a book like this besides the antagonist getting his karmatic demise in the end. Surprisingly Lashner is able to pull off this occasional morality play about alcoholism, and a story about a bartender seeking Zen and his mother's killer not feel as heavy as you'd expect.

Though the premise is a little goofy, and the main character's ideas on bartending and life seem a little too eccentric at times, this story is still worth a read if you're a fan of the thriller genre, and if you're a fan of a frosty beverage while you read, I think that The Barkeep could mix well with that too.

[Kaitlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Barkeep
by William Lashner
Available 2/1/14
Downloaded free from Kindle First program

Rating:4 bones

Finish Time: 6 nights. I wasn’t super excited about this book at first, but I’m trying to branch out from just NetGalley books, so I’ll try and pick one of the 4 books I’m offered each month through Kindle First. Last month it went well (The Widow File), and I’m happy to report, this one didn’t disappoint either. And I’m always honored to review a book before it’s release!

One thing that stood out from this book that I don’t usually notice or at least comment on, was the chapter titles. Each one was cleverly named after a drink, which kept the bar theme going throughout the book. I’m not a regular at a bar these days, but it was fun getting insight from a bartender’s point of view, things they do, see, how they treat certain customers, a kind of psychological bonus within the story!

The main character, Justin Chase, is a Penn grad (points for this because my husband is too!), with a law degree, that has decided to take the path of barkeep instead of using his training. He seems to be quite a good one. With mental issues himself, he uses that knowledge to read his customers and try and give them what they need, not always just a drink, but sometimes an ear to hear, or a sound board as they work through their own issues. His current bar, Zenzibar, is full of characters, who we learn, follow Justin around from bar to bar. They are all unique and have their own side/back stories which are fun.

The meat of the story is when an old man, Birdie, walks into his bar one day and claims he killed Justin’s mother. Justin’s father is currently in jail for the murder of his mother and Justin never had any doubt in his mind, until now. So the rest of the story follows Justin as he uncovers details about his parent’s marriage, and maybe things weren’t as perfect as he remembered. Their are some crazy twists and turns. You never know who you/Justin can trust and until the very end, new details are being revealed, and I was surprised at the ending. Throw in a bizarre romance, even a bro-mance (not how you are thinking – but a kind of twistedly sweet relationship), and this book really has it all.

A good read, worth your time, check it out when it comes out on Saturday February 1st!

http://mydogearedpurpose.com/2014/01/...

[Sally Sparrow · Rating 5 out of 5]

William Lashner’s The Barkeep is an interesting tale. It is told from many points of view, which allows Mr. Lashner to expose his characters’ introspections without getting bogged down in telling dialog. The pace of the story is slow, yet quick. The time covered is maybe two weeks, but all of the self-analysis masks the passing of time.

Mackenzie Chase was put away for the murder of his wife six years before the book begins. His younger son, Justin, a law student at the time, is the one to discover his mother’s body in the foyer of their home. He is, of course, forever changed. Justin finishes law school by pure autonomy, and becomes overwhelmed by his despair. His brother puts him in a mental hospital for Justin’s own safety, but after being gifted with a tome from Buddhism, he finds his inner calm and rejoins society. Justin eschews his former career path and takes up bartending instead.

We meet Justin on a most auspicious day. His father’s old buddy, whose original testimony was damning, has changed his story and a new trial for the elder Chase is on the horizon. That same day an old drunk shows up at the trendy, upscale bar where Justin works, and tells Justin that he, the drunk, was the hit man who offed Justin’s mother. For the first time in years Justin’s state of Zen is ruptured. Is this old drunk just scamming him or is there truth to his confession?

Justin had always been so certain of his father’s guilt, but now he has doubts. Could it be true? Could someone else be responsible for murdering his mother? But who, and why? What follows is a roller coaster of emotions, exposés, and relationships, as Justin re-enters the messy world that is family life, and tracks down the real killer.

William Lashner writes a great Whodunit. You hear the inner dialog of the different characters, and thus are right there in the story with everyone else. You can see the spiral spinning ever tighter as Justin gets closer to the truth, and are tensely gripping your reading tablet (which is less satisfying than gripping a real paper book, btw) as you wonder how it will all play out. Even when you know, when you realize what happened back then, you still don’t know how the story is going to end. Will it work out? Will justice be served? Will there be some level of Happily Ever After for Justin and his dad?

You’ll have to read it for yourself, because I am not telling.

[D · Rating 2 out of 5]

A bit hallow

All the characters are flawed, unlikable and shallow including the leading man Justin Chase who read the Tibetan Book of the Dead and mistook meditation to be a study of sealing your heart and soul into a tiny box and throwing it in a very cold ocean. For the first 1/2 of the book I kept asking myself is he serious? How can one be spiritual and completely detached? How can a lesson in being present and accepting of what is be turned into an excuse for walking through life like a zombie and not living up to your potential. Midway through Justin finally realizes the error of his ways but hasn't a clue how to mend it. Although the ending tries to offer a tiny glimpse of hope for the redemption for some of the characters but it falls very short. The last two chapters could have repaired some of the damage...but didn't. The forced plot will keep your interest despite the clueless misguided disdainful characters, and severely lacking dialogue, but you may wonder why you bothered.

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was mindless fiction I picked up on my Kindle and read while I was procrastinating. It was an interesting enough story. Categorized as a thriller, it tells the story of Justin a lawschool graduate turned teetotaler bar tender at a trendy bar in Philly. Justin's mother was murdered six years earlier and he discovered her mutilated body. Justin's testimony helped put his father in jail for her death. However when a man walks into Justin's bar six years later and confesses to killing his mother it sets Justin on a path to learn the truth...

The protagonist in this story is a meditating vegan who drinks lots of tea. He also quotes Zen tales and the Tibetan book of the dead. For Justin this is more about self preservation than spiritual seeking. It is a plot device, which I'm okay with, but it made for some contrived dialogue.

But I generally liked the characters, even if there were elements of the story that didn't sit right with me. Okay if you are looking for a fun read.

[Jess Cason · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Barkeep

At first the story was slow,too slow. I'm an avid reader.of crime novels and really like a book that explodes.from.the gate like a hopped up race horse. Since the book was free I was compelled to complete the book which turned out to be a good thing, it was so full of twists and turns I wasn't sure from one page to the next if I was sure of anything. At times I had to go back a page or two and reread them looking to pick up the thread I had missed. Mr. Slasher kept me pinned to my seat from page 150 or so on. Great twists and turns, great plot and the characters were brilliant. I must say, there were times I felt like I was reading an old gritty crime novel from the 50's.
I'd recommend this to any crime novel junkyard and remind them to keep going, The Barkeep is a Damon fine read!

[Wolf (Alpha) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was really good. I picked it because it fit a challenge I was in and ended up loving it. I love the story of a son trying to figure out how was behind his mother's murder. I hated Birdie and how he randomly came into the bar Justin worked at and told him he killed his mother. I love how it all starts from there and Justin begins looking into the murder once again. I love that Annie becomes close with Justin and how they both figure out who Birdie is and how they finally solve that mystery. I don't like Justin's dad at all and its probably for the best that he's behind bars. I was glad that Dereck finally decided to just take his horse and leave instead of going back to a life of crime. I hate that Cody used Justin and that he ended up going down a really bad path. Overall this book was amazing! 5 stars!

[Colt Leasure · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE BARKEEP by William Lashner. "You get into a habit of low expectations, which gives you a sort of contentment. You go through life as if through a mist, seeing little farther than your nose and scorning all that only appears wispy and faint. Then a bolt of lightning splits the mist and gives you a glimpse of all you might be missing. And doesn't that just ruin the hell out of your day?"

The Barkeep by William Lashner was a very impressive crime novel, with a unique cast of characters and a gripping, addictive plot. Reading some other reviews, I'm amazed how many readers were fed up with the obsessive Zen detail (which is parodied in the book to a large extent, and the idea of it being applied to the craft of mixing drinks was indicative of originality and precision, in my opinion) and all of the drink recipe/mixing scenes, which I don't understand why anybody would have issues with that when the book is titled 'The Barkeep.' I'm not going to pick up a book called 'Bouncing' and be disappointed when there's a description of a drunk guy getting thrown out of a drinking establishment every chapter, now, am I?

Needless to say, I enjoyed the narrative, the character development, and plenty of the tense scenes. Some of the earlier chapters did not make sense to me, but were explained with great plot twists towards the end. It was a well thought out story, and Lashner is a writer I will be following in the future.

Other quotes:

"She wanted to be a poet, like she was another Sylvia Plath, waiting to shock the world. As if the world isn't shocked enough."

"Inertia keeps more marriages whole than love ever did."

"Derek is less frightened of the coming of police than the coming of no one."

http://www.amazon.com/Aries-Colt-Leas...

[Beauregard Bottomley · Rating 5 out of 5]

The mystery is given to the listener in the first few minutes of the story. A crazy sounding old man approaches the barkeep and tells him he killed his mother and his father is falsely imprisoned. The charm for the story lies elsewhere. The barkeep uses one book as his guide book, "The Tibetan Book of the Dead" and embraces the Tao of that book giving him a Zen like detachment from the rest of the world. The barkeep also keeps the code of the bartender and knows how to separate himself from patrons of the bar.

There's a lot to like with this story: the dialog between characters was full of witty repartee, the code that any barkeep (or for that matter, any person) needs to keep ones distance from others, the process of discovery one learns about oneself while focusing outside of oneself , finding the actual murderer of the barkeeps mother, and the problem with detachment all add to a very fun story to listen to in spite of the serious nature of the crimes under investigation.

I enjoyed the narrator. He gave voices to most of the characters, exaggerated voices and emotions, and really let the theater of my mind go to town. The author and the narrator made for a good diversion and helped me detach further from the world much in the same way that the barkeep was in the beginning of the story.

[Caroline Mathews · Rating 3 out of 5]

Barkeep is so refreshing that I ought to give it a fourth star - but you know that I save that designation for the more literary work. The outstanding stuff.

I like Lashner's character development strategy. Lately, I've been reading authors who go on and on; too much information about what the protagonists ate, what they thought, how they looked, who their friends were, things they did last year. Yet in the end the characters were not likable, obviously contrived to be the heroes in mystery stories or historic novels or adventures or crime dramas.

Yes, Lashner does name his chapters after famous cocktails and other alcoholic beverages. It isn't all that unappealing. Isn't done in a silly way as in some of the comic enterprises written to incorporate recipes, the letters of the alphabet, or other lists into one's life works. I enjoyed the way he also wove information about the drinks and mixing instructions into the fabric of the chapters. Maybe bar-tending simply appeals to me?

Aside from the Barkeep cocktail theme, the book goes along nicely. I finished it in the wee hours of this morning. You know I don't stay up reading unless the plot holds my interest. Put this on your Beach Book list for summer. Not deep, not frightening, not unrealistic, just enjoyable.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Keeping things topped off

That's what a great barkeep does right? Not just the skill in mixing your drink although without that skill shining through in the taste and presentation there's no "great". And it's not just the unique detachment that is so necessary - as is repeatedly and so skillfully woven into this story. No the signature of a great barker like the protagonist of The Barkeep, Justin Chase, demonstrates over and over when he is "behind the wood" is knowing when (and when not to) keep the customer's drink "topped off". In other words, the ability to anticipate their needs. And that's exactly what William Lashner does in this nifty, nicely paced mystery. As a reader that enjoys a good story and enjoys one with sharp dialogue and a plot that does not insult my intelligence I recommend this one. Just when I had the next plot development figured out (and would, of habit and necessity, tuned out and maybe moved on to another book) Lashner seemed to anticipate that and pulled me along with a very fresh and solid writing style that, by the middle of the book, had me turning the page and wanting more. Nice job keeping my refreshment (and interest) "topped off". Lashner serves up a cool one for sure. Enjoy!

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not exactly your standard-issue thriller. Justin Chase tends bar in one of the city's more trendy nightspots. It's more trendy because Justin is behind the bar. He has a following. He also has a father in prison for the murder of his mother; and an older brother who resents him because his testimony was instrumental in the conviction of their father. Justin practices a peculiar sort of Zen philosophy by remaining detached: from possessions, from relationships, from work, from life. He's cultivated this almost pathological sense of solitude as a buffer against the overwhelming grief and shock he still (denies he) feels over discovering his mother's body six years ago.

Then one night a man with the unlikely name of Birdie Grackle walks into the bar and tells Justin he was the one who murdered Justin's mother. He had been hired to do so. And would Justin like to know who hired him?

Thus, Justin sets off on a search for the real killer, while at the same time another killer is on Justin's trail, trying to keep that particular secret a secret.

Enjoyable noir-ish fluff. Bartender psycho-analysis dispensed with pseudo-Zen philosophy and a dry vodka martini, blended with beautiful women, fisticuffs, and mayhem. I liked it.

[Tasha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kindle First January Book Review:

I really wanted to give this book 4 stars but I just couldn’t…

It was a little slow but by chapter 5 or 6 I was hooked. I couldn’t put it down and found the murder mystery very riveting and intriguing. I really liked the development of the main characters they really pulled me in. I felt a connection to Justin, he was flawed no doubt but his struggles with finding himself were relatable (if if the reason he was a “lost soul” were not). Same can be said for Annie and Mac.

Every time I thought I had the plot figured out I was thrown for a loop. I was surprised by the outcome & ends reveal (in a good way) but it’s the final chapter that threw me. There were so many ways to end the book but the last chapter was not one of them. In fact, I would have liked to have ended the book with the previous chapter. I don’t want to give away any spoilers so I won’t spell it out here but the reason why I’m only giving this book 3 stars is because of the final chapter. I found it unnecessary to the plot, in the end the characters in the final chapter had nothing to do with the outcome of the main plot so why mention it or write it?

[Antoinette Perez]

This is a tasty little morsel of a mystery novel. Not my genre at all, and a bit grittier than I'm used to. I like that it takes a long time for us to get to know the characters, and to build confidence that we understand how they are all connected. The main character, Justin, adopts a life of faux spirituality to get some distance from disturbing emotional stuff in his past, and through the course of the book he grows up (as many of us do) to understand that the same philosophy he used to justify a safe detachment from everyone around him was intended to weave him back into the fabric of human experience. I think the book would have been rock solid if the author had built the mystery around Justin's transformation, but as it is, his journey seems more incidental to the mystery unfolding.

Ah, it's all good. BTW this was an early read from Amazon Prime's Kindle First program, where each month you can select a book to read a month before its release.

[Yvonne · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was all right. The main character is this new agey, meditating and philosophical kind of guy who's a bartender, hence the title. But it turns out that he's not really all that Zen as he's hiding from a lot of unpleasantness in his life like the fact that his mother was murdered and his dad is in prison. The fragile peace he's feeling is shattered when an old man comes into his bar claiming to have been the one who killed his mother.

This is supposed to be a thriller but it didn't quite live up to that billing. It's kind of hard to marry a thriller with zen, tea and the making of different bar drinks. All that stuff just slows the pace down. I can see bartenders finding this stuff interesting though. I made a guess on where this story was heading early on and it twisted and turned in exactly the way I expected. It wasn't that thrilling but not an unpleasant read at all.

[Bill H. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well-plotted with adequately prepared twists and turns that will keep you turning the pages. A man walks into a bar and tells the bartender that he was hired to kill the bartender's mother some years before. No joke! He seems to have a memento and inside information on how it was done. This launches the bartender into an investigation, and things get complicated. Lashner tightens the suspense by also going into the mind and actions of a mentally challenged, but very efficient killer who follows the orders of his handlers--who may or may not have had anything to do with the mother's death. Mix into this the psychological numbness of the bartender, occurring after he found his mother's body and testified against his father, helping convict him of the murder. (And, yes, the mixes and flavors of various drinks are described for those who are interested.)

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book to be very enjoyable. It moved slowly, but not in an unpleasant way. The story slowly unraveled, adding to the the mystery.

I have to say, I was very glad when Justin finally realized that the zen stuff was a bunch of bull. I have to say, that toward the middle of the book, I was confused by the whole "I'm totally well adjusted and zen, but actually I'm an insecure little boy who just wants Daddy's approval. Barf. I was glad when that part was over and Justin was just a normal human.

One other small complaint was that there were a few too many characters to keep track of. Did we really need Mia? She didn't really add to the plot. There were also 1 or 2 others we simply could have done without.

I loved the ending. Everyone had their nice tidy ending, and then Derek is simply on the loose...chilling!