Private Heat

Art Hardin Mystery #1

by Robert E. Bailey

Private detective and retired counterintelligence officer Art Hardin stays away from the flashy kind of PI work, preferring to pay his bills by checking up on false disability claims, routine surveillance, and the like. So when the senior partner of one of the premier legal firms in Grand Rapids approaches Hardin about a job protecting his niece from her soon-to-be ex-husband for a couple of days, Hardin isn't exactly eager to take on the job. However, Hardin finds that the fee offered to too great to pass up. After a hatchet attack, a house burnt down, and a few violent encounters with some crooked cops, Hardin can hardly wait for the case to be over. But when the husband is found murdered, the niece attempts suicide, and Hardin is brought in on a trumped-up warrant for the crime, it is no longer a case that he is willing to walk away from -- even if he could.

302 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 25, 2002

About the author

Robert Bailey spent five years as a corporate security director in the city of Detroit and twenty years as a licensed private investigator. His first novel, PRIVATE HEAT, an action-packed private-eye thriller, won the Josiah W. Bancroft Award at the Florida First Coast Writer's Festival in 1998 and was nominated for the 2003 Shamus Award, given by the Private Eye Writers of America.

A Vietnam-era draftee, he retired from the military as a reservist and a field-grade officer. An award-winning combat pistol shot, he returned to his first love, writing, when he was injured on the job and no longer able to work the street.

Reviews

[Jeffrey Philips · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is Robert Bailey's first book. If you like PI books, this is a must read.

[Molly Price · Rating 4 out of 5]

Almost...

I almost loved this book, but it fell short for me. One problem was just that there were just too many characters, good guys and bad guys, for me to keep up with. I was not familiar with the term "slider" in reference to a door or a gun, but boy am I now! (It was grossly overused.) Snappy, quick witted repertoire from Art was fun. I was almost in love, but overall I settled for liking it a lot!

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pure hard-boiled PI fiction with tough cops and crooks, nonstop action, smart-ass dialogue and a surprising amount of detail on the innards and workings of various firearms. The plot was a little hard to follow, much of it conveyed through dialogue laced with innuendo and also hard to follow. But it kept me occupied during an unexpected trip out of state.

[nicholas m. lacetera · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another winner from robert e. Bailey

Great read. Lots of twists and turns. Art Hardin is not the typical private eye. Married with children and real bills to pay. He brings the reader along with him and his sidekick Ron Craig threw his investigations. Nick

[Candorman · Rating 3 out of 5]

More like 2.75. Literate, well-written prose with believable somewhat engaging characters but a story line way over the top for my taste.

[Marsha Valance · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of my 10 best first mysteries read in 2002.

[James Hegenauer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read

Non stop action, only one mention of Amway, that’s pretty good for a story that takes place in Grand Rapids.

[Tasula · Rating 3 out of 5]

Complicated mystery- missing millions, cops and feds, battered cheating wife, Russian gangsters, burnt up cars, lots of bodies. A little too much cop jargon made it a bit opaque for me.

[Shell · Rating 2 out of 5]

Art Hardin is far too perfect to be of interest and the book is over long. Too many fight scenes that lack any excitement after a while. Just nothing to hook the reader in at all.

[Margaret Hoernemann · Rating 3 out of 5]

insanely complex

Get a pen and paper to keep track of all the players and red herrings. Too many subplots. Usually I love this genre. Not this one.

[Chris Forman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like a good old-fashioned detective story? You know, the kind with a likable Private Eye who reluctantly takes a case, then gets himself into a jam? Do you like the old masters, like Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler? Then PRIVATE HEAT is for you.

PRIVATE HEAT is fast paced, and well written. Robert Bailey writes with a realism that shows he has walked the walk as a Private Eye himself. He writes with authority to create a credible story with enough red herrings and plot twists to keep even the most seasoned mystery/thriller reader at the edge of his/her seat. It is also a good example of a book that takes the reader to a new place, in this case Grand Rapids, and shows him around. He also presents us with Art Hardin, a wise cracking PI who seems as real as if he and his wife Wendy could be neighbors of the reader. Hardin is also as hard-boiled as he needs to be, when the occasion arises.

Overall, a good book by a good author. I'll be sure to read the rest in the series.

[Joe · Rating 4 out of 5]

A PI story written by a PI. Wall to wall action. He gets the PI details right.

[Al Stoess · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good start. Too complicated. Too many characters.

[Jackie Simons]

Read 9/02

[Jean Mckey]

Very good

I really enjoyed this book , lots of sub plots and twists . I will read !ote by Robert Bailey