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Inspector Samuel Tay #7
Who the Hell is Harry Black?
TWO PEOPLE ARE WORKING THE CASE.
ONE OF THEM HAS BEEN DEAD FOR A DECADE.
For over thirty years, a man named Harry Black lived quietly in a small town on the Gulf of Thailand. On his eighty-sixth birthday, while walking on the beach, he's shot and killed by a sniper firing from a half mile away.
Why would someone send a highly skilled sniper to kill an insignificant old man? Maybe he wasn't really as insignificant as everybody thought he was.
Inspector Samuel Tay was once Singapore's best-known homicide detective, but he's no longer a cop. He was too much of a maverick for straight-and-narrow little Singapore and his bosses forced him into an early retirement. When a guy who once did Tay a big favor asks him to look into Harry Black's murder, it's his chance to get back in the game.
Tay's mother wants to help. Tay has always had a somewhat fraught relationship with her, but he figures they get along pretty well now, considering she's been dead for a decade. Tay doesn't believe in ghosts, of course, and when his mother shows up in the dark of night to give him advice about his cases, he knows perfectly well that those appearances aren't real. But here's the thing. Some of her advice is so good he can't help but listen to it anyway.
This time Tay's mother warns him that he's fishing in dangerous waters. 'I'll help you, Samuel,' she tells him, 'but you are about to expose secrets that will fundamentally alter the way people see the world. No one is ever going to thank you for what you’re doing.'
That sounds pretty overwrought to Tay and, besides, his mother isn't really there, so why should he believe her? This was just one old man who had lived in complete obscurity for thirty years. What secrets could he possibly have that were so big somebody murdered him over them?
But then that brings up an awkward question Sam Tay really does need to think about.
If he discovers the secrets someone killed Harry Black to keep hidden, will they kill Tay to silence him, too?
"JAKE NEEDHAM DEFTLY MORPHS 1930s AMERICAN SAM SPADE INTO SAMUEL TAY, A WORLD-WEARY 21st CENTURY SINGAPOREAN HOMICIDE DETECTIVE" - Libris Reviews
ONE OF THEM HAS BEEN DEAD FOR A DECADE.
For over thirty years, a man named Harry Black lived quietly in a small town on the Gulf of Thailand. On his eighty-sixth birthday, while walking on the beach, he's shot and killed by a sniper firing from a half mile away.
Why would someone send a highly skilled sniper to kill an insignificant old man? Maybe he wasn't really as insignificant as everybody thought he was.
Inspector Samuel Tay was once Singapore's best-known homicide detective, but he's no longer a cop. He was too much of a maverick for straight-and-narrow little Singapore and his bosses forced him into an early retirement. When a guy who once did Tay a big favor asks him to look into Harry Black's murder, it's his chance to get back in the game.
Tay's mother wants to help. Tay has always had a somewhat fraught relationship with her, but he figures they get along pretty well now, considering she's been dead for a decade. Tay doesn't believe in ghosts, of course, and when his mother shows up in the dark of night to give him advice about his cases, he knows perfectly well that those appearances aren't real. But here's the thing. Some of her advice is so good he can't help but listen to it anyway.
This time Tay's mother warns him that he's fishing in dangerous waters. 'I'll help you, Samuel,' she tells him, 'but you are about to expose secrets that will fundamentally alter the way people see the world. No one is ever going to thank you for what you’re doing.'
That sounds pretty overwrought to Tay and, besides, his mother isn't really there, so why should he believe her? This was just one old man who had lived in complete obscurity for thirty years. What secrets could he possibly have that were so big somebody murdered him over them?
But then that brings up an awkward question Sam Tay really does need to think about.
If he discovers the secrets someone killed Harry Black to keep hidden, will they kill Tay to silence him, too?
"JAKE NEEDHAM DEFTLY MORPHS 1930s AMERICAN SAM SPADE INTO SAMUEL TAY, A WORLD-WEARY 21st CENTURY SINGAPOREAN HOMICIDE DETECTIVE" - Libris Reviews
- GenresMystery
366 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 14, 2023
127 people are currently reading
47 people want to read
About the author
Jake Needham
48 books395 followersJAKE NEEDHAM received the Barry Award at Bouchercon 2024, the world's largest convention of mystery readers, for BEST PAPERBACK MYSTERY OF 2024. He is a three-time Barry Award nominee, as well as a nominee for the International Thriller Writers' award for BEST PAPERBACK THRILLER OF THE YEAR.
Needham is an American screen and television writer who has lived in Thailand for over thirty years. He started writing crime novels when he realized he really didn't like movies and television all that much. Since then, he has published fifteen popular mysteries and thrillers in two different series — The Inspector Samuel Tay Novels, and the Jack Shepherd Novels — as well as the international bestseller, THE BIG MANGO.
"Jake Needham is Asia's most stylish and atmospheric writer of crime fiction," says the Singapore Straits Times. "Jake Needham is Michael Connelly with steamed rice," says the Bangkok Post.
Needham is an American screen and television writer who has lived in Thailand for over thirty years. He started writing crime novels when he realized he really didn't like movies and television all that much. Since then, he has published fifteen popular mysteries and thrillers in two different series — The Inspector Samuel Tay Novels, and the Jack Shepherd Novels — as well as the international bestseller, THE BIG MANGO.
"Jake Needham is Asia's most stylish and atmospheric writer of crime fiction," says the Singapore Straits Times. "Jake Needham is Michael Connelly with steamed rice," says the Bangkok Post.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
November 19, 2023
A decent read but Jake Needham is slipping a bit
I have really enjoyed most of Jake Needham’s previous books but after a long, consistent run of great books, he is losing his touch a bit. This book starts off slowly before Inspector Tay appears but then it gains steam. Most of the book is fairly enjoyable until the end, which is abrupt and disappointing.
I have really enjoyed most of Jake Needham’s previous books but after a long, consistent run of great books, he is losing his touch a bit. This book starts off slowly before Inspector Tay appears but then it gains steam. Most of the book is fairly enjoyable until the end, which is abrupt and disappointing.
November 20, 2023
Plot was too easy to figure out. Otherwise Ok. Samuel Tay is still a great character. The others, not so much.
November 17, 2023
3.5 stars. An old man is killed at long range on a Thai beach. He turns out to have been a hitman with a lot of secrets which he wants to tell. Fatal mistake. This starts with a bang but tails off because Tay, while a sympathetic character, is reflexively self-reflective and ironic so the tone is almost whimsical at times despite the importance of the secret being revealed; there’s not enough menace. And you, Dear Reader, will intuit almost immediately where this is going.
January 4, 2024
Who the Hell is Harry Black? Is the key question, well more who he was, as he is quickly killed by a sniper’s bullet on a beach in Thailand. We know a little about Harry in that he was eighty-six, had lived a secluded life for thirty years and had engaged Tilly Talbot, a respected British ‘true crime’ author, to write his life story. He promised to reveal some devastating secrets and had already met Tilly a couple of times before she saw his body on the beach and immediately flees. Clearly somebody doesn’t want the secrets revealed.
Our main protagonist is Samuel Tay, who was forced into early retirement from the Singapore police where he was an inspector due to being too maverick and unconventional for a place so proper and regimented. Now Sam is working as a private detective, a job where he is in control and can use his full range of talents. He is world-wearier and more disappointed than hard-boiled and is as unlikely to dish out a swift backhander than he is to call a lady a dame. Sam is not one for smart-ass wisecracks, his speciality is self-reflections on the modern world such as his acute observations on the ’experience’ that is Starbucks. He has recently given up smoking for health reasons and Marlboro Reds become a theme woven throughout as he becomes increasingly desperate for a smoke. Sam is a gumshoe we can relate to and get behind.
Sam is asked for help from Mr Jones, a mysterious Hong Kong ‘businessman’ to whom he feels indebted due to his swift help when Sam had his health scare. Jone wants Sam to assist Renny to find out what happened to the grandfather she never knew she had until a few years ago, Harry Black. She is under the impression it was just a beach mugging. Renny is beautiful and stylish, in her early thirties and about to drop Sam into a lot of hot water. Renny is not your conventional femme fatale though as the reader will discover.
The settings are a little unconventional, its not San Francisco or Los Angeles (or even Chinatown in LA) but remote Thailand and the cultural melting pot of Hong Kong. Different but they work just as well; we have the glamour and opulence set against the grim poverty ridden mean streets. There are no shortage of shady characters and off kilter experiences. The descriptions of walking the streets are Hong Kong are so vivid, perfectly capturing the sights and sounds of the vibrant streets teeming with a multitude of ethnicities that are so strange to Western senses (albeit becoming less so in recent years.) The highpoint for me being the interactions with one old stallholder.
Sam is a twentieth century man uncomfortably in the twenty first century. Technology is a bit of an anathema to him, but he doesn’t help himself by mentioning Peter Paul and Mary to the younger generation and expecting recognition.
Every gumshoe needs a partner, even if it is for him just to be killed in the first reel. Sam goes one better his is his mother and she has already been dead for a decade. She manifests herself to him at opportune moments (for her) imparting snippets of advice and oriental wisdom, much to Sam’s annoyance. Their interactions are a delight as the bicker their way along like any odd couple. Her dig at one of his habits and how she is immune certainly appealed to my sense of humour. She does manage to deliver the most prophetic of warnings that Sam should heed.
The plot starts dark and gets progressively darker as it goes in an unexpected direction. Conspiracy theory fans will love it (lets face it most of us have a least one favourite) and remember the best way of burying inconvenient truth is to label it as a conspiracy theory and wait for it to be ridiculed. There are dark forces in operation with systematic moral corruption and organisations outside government control. All of this is cogently plotted with a magnificently delivered bombshell moment. There is also a self-knowing edge to this as it is remarked that it could be a plot for a lousy novel.
I loved the witty observational humour, many of which are playful digs at American life, that runs throughout without looking like jokes obviously shoehorned into the prose.
The underlying message is seeking the truth truly a means to an end, is a desire for the truth enough. If seeking the truth uncovers something that you can’t handle, that changes people’s perspectives of the world, what then. Once revealed the cork cannot be put back in the bottle.
Who the Hell is Harry Black? Is a gem of a novel, that takes the familiar, gives it a little twist and produces a fresh perspective.
Our main protagonist is Samuel Tay, who was forced into early retirement from the Singapore police where he was an inspector due to being too maverick and unconventional for a place so proper and regimented. Now Sam is working as a private detective, a job where he is in control and can use his full range of talents. He is world-wearier and more disappointed than hard-boiled and is as unlikely to dish out a swift backhander than he is to call a lady a dame. Sam is not one for smart-ass wisecracks, his speciality is self-reflections on the modern world such as his acute observations on the ’experience’ that is Starbucks. He has recently given up smoking for health reasons and Marlboro Reds become a theme woven throughout as he becomes increasingly desperate for a smoke. Sam is a gumshoe we can relate to and get behind.
Sam is asked for help from Mr Jones, a mysterious Hong Kong ‘businessman’ to whom he feels indebted due to his swift help when Sam had his health scare. Jone wants Sam to assist Renny to find out what happened to the grandfather she never knew she had until a few years ago, Harry Black. She is under the impression it was just a beach mugging. Renny is beautiful and stylish, in her early thirties and about to drop Sam into a lot of hot water. Renny is not your conventional femme fatale though as the reader will discover.
The settings are a little unconventional, its not San Francisco or Los Angeles (or even Chinatown in LA) but remote Thailand and the cultural melting pot of Hong Kong. Different but they work just as well; we have the glamour and opulence set against the grim poverty ridden mean streets. There are no shortage of shady characters and off kilter experiences. The descriptions of walking the streets are Hong Kong are so vivid, perfectly capturing the sights and sounds of the vibrant streets teeming with a multitude of ethnicities that are so strange to Western senses (albeit becoming less so in recent years.) The highpoint for me being the interactions with one old stallholder.
Sam is a twentieth century man uncomfortably in the twenty first century. Technology is a bit of an anathema to him, but he doesn’t help himself by mentioning Peter Paul and Mary to the younger generation and expecting recognition.
Every gumshoe needs a partner, even if it is for him just to be killed in the first reel. Sam goes one better his is his mother and she has already been dead for a decade. She manifests herself to him at opportune moments (for her) imparting snippets of advice and oriental wisdom, much to Sam’s annoyance. Their interactions are a delight as the bicker their way along like any odd couple. Her dig at one of his habits and how she is immune certainly appealed to my sense of humour. She does manage to deliver the most prophetic of warnings that Sam should heed.
The plot starts dark and gets progressively darker as it goes in an unexpected direction. Conspiracy theory fans will love it (lets face it most of us have a least one favourite) and remember the best way of burying inconvenient truth is to label it as a conspiracy theory and wait for it to be ridiculed. There are dark forces in operation with systematic moral corruption and organisations outside government control. All of this is cogently plotted with a magnificently delivered bombshell moment. There is also a self-knowing edge to this as it is remarked that it could be a plot for a lousy novel.
I loved the witty observational humour, many of which are playful digs at American life, that runs throughout without looking like jokes obviously shoehorned into the prose.
The underlying message is seeking the truth truly a means to an end, is a desire for the truth enough. If seeking the truth uncovers something that you can’t handle, that changes people’s perspectives of the world, what then. Once revealed the cork cannot be put back in the bottle.
Who the Hell is Harry Black? Is a gem of a novel, that takes the familiar, gives it a little twist and produces a fresh perspective.
October 28, 2025
"Who the Hell is Harry Black?" is my first read of a Jake Needham novel. I've already started my second Jake Needham novel.
Harry Black is the seventh in a series of stories featuring Singapore detective Samuel Tay. In the first six stories, Tay apparently made some friends and some enemies. I'll eventually read the first six stories to fill in the gaps. Tay is retired now because the Singapore police no longer wanted him around. He must have really pissed somebody off, but he also made some important friends outside of officialdom.
Sitting around in retirement, getting bored, and regretting his decision to quit smoking, Tay gets a call for help from one of those acquaintances outside of officialdom. In fact, the call for help comes from outside of Singapore and outside of the law. The caller is a mysterious Chinese Triad leader known to Tay only as Mr. Jones, to whom Tay owes a favor. The favor is looking into the murder of an old man named Harry Black, who was killed on a beach in Thailand. Black was the grandfather of one of Jones' friends, and Jones and the granddaughter fear the Thai police won't care why Harry Black was killed or who killed him.
Before Tay can determine who killed Harry Black, he needs to learn who the hell Harry Black was and why he was killed. Black wasn't killed by a mugger. Tay discovers that Black was shot by a high-powered rifle from a very long range. That means it was a targeted murder by an accomplished marksman. You guessed it; the shooter was a highly trained and skilled sniper. Why was an old man taking his morning walk on the beach killed by a sniper? There must be a story behind Harry Black and his murder, and there is.
To get the answers, Tay travels from Singapore to Thailand and finally to Hong Kong, chasing clues. One clue is that Harry Black had been having recent conversations with a renowned author of true crime fiction. How does she factor into Harry Black's story? Maybe she learned who he was, which might tell Tay why he was killed. Knowing who Black was and why he was killed will most likely lead to who killed him.
Jake Needham is a skilled storyteller. He has created interesting and appealing characters, as well as an intriguing plot. I found myself pulled into the story and anxiously turning the pages to learn what happens next. Needham uses an excellent mix of background, motivation, and dialogue to define his characters advance the story. I really enjoyed Needham's story and think you will, too.
Harry Black is the seventh in a series of stories featuring Singapore detective Samuel Tay. In the first six stories, Tay apparently made some friends and some enemies. I'll eventually read the first six stories to fill in the gaps. Tay is retired now because the Singapore police no longer wanted him around. He must have really pissed somebody off, but he also made some important friends outside of officialdom.
Sitting around in retirement, getting bored, and regretting his decision to quit smoking, Tay gets a call for help from one of those acquaintances outside of officialdom. In fact, the call for help comes from outside of Singapore and outside of the law. The caller is a mysterious Chinese Triad leader known to Tay only as Mr. Jones, to whom Tay owes a favor. The favor is looking into the murder of an old man named Harry Black, who was killed on a beach in Thailand. Black was the grandfather of one of Jones' friends, and Jones and the granddaughter fear the Thai police won't care why Harry Black was killed or who killed him.
Before Tay can determine who killed Harry Black, he needs to learn who the hell Harry Black was and why he was killed. Black wasn't killed by a mugger. Tay discovers that Black was shot by a high-powered rifle from a very long range. That means it was a targeted murder by an accomplished marksman. You guessed it; the shooter was a highly trained and skilled sniper. Why was an old man taking his morning walk on the beach killed by a sniper? There must be a story behind Harry Black and his murder, and there is.
To get the answers, Tay travels from Singapore to Thailand and finally to Hong Kong, chasing clues. One clue is that Harry Black had been having recent conversations with a renowned author of true crime fiction. How does she factor into Harry Black's story? Maybe she learned who he was, which might tell Tay why he was killed. Knowing who Black was and why he was killed will most likely lead to who killed him.
Jake Needham is a skilled storyteller. He has created interesting and appealing characters, as well as an intriguing plot. I found myself pulled into the story and anxiously turning the pages to learn what happens next. Needham uses an excellent mix of background, motivation, and dialogue to define his characters advance the story. I really enjoyed Needham's story and think you will, too.
November 15, 2023
Eighty-six-year-old Harry Black dies while out walking on the beach. But his apparently quiet existence in a small town in the Gulf of Thailand isn’t quiet enough for whoever shoots him. What did Harry Black know that threatened his life, and who did he tell?
Former police inspector Samuel Tay is now retired and living an even quieter life than Harry Black. Struggling to find ways to fill his time, Sam is intrigued when someone sends him a parcel. The unexpected gift turns out to be a mobile phone—one connected to a Triad boss known only as ‘Jones’. Knowing he owes Jones a favour, Sam agrees to at least consider the proposal the gangster puts to him…
This is book seven in the Inspector Samuel Tay series, and as with all the others, it’s an absolute cracker. The story drew me in from the first page, painting an intriguing picture of an old man who knows he won’t be around for much longer. As Sam Tay begins to investigate, he finds that clues to Harry Black’s life are scarce, and those he does find, only lead to more unanswered questions. Meeting Harry Black’s attractive granddaughter, Sam wonders if a possible romance might be on the cards, but as with everything in Sam’s life, nothing ever runs smoothly, and as he digs deeper into Harry’s death, he manages to rake up information that pushes his new friend away.
I loved every bit of this book, not least for the way Mr Needham manages to squeeze in that familiar layer of gentle humour that sizzles along on every page. I also loved the visits from Sam’s dead mother, and how she throws up even more questions her son can’t answer. Along with Sam’s usual awkwardness around women, strangers, and conversation, his inability to deal with technology and his recent decision to give up smoking, only add to the fun.
Another excellent thriller from this highly talented author.
Former police inspector Samuel Tay is now retired and living an even quieter life than Harry Black. Struggling to find ways to fill his time, Sam is intrigued when someone sends him a parcel. The unexpected gift turns out to be a mobile phone—one connected to a Triad boss known only as ‘Jones’. Knowing he owes Jones a favour, Sam agrees to at least consider the proposal the gangster puts to him…
This is book seven in the Inspector Samuel Tay series, and as with all the others, it’s an absolute cracker. The story drew me in from the first page, painting an intriguing picture of an old man who knows he won’t be around for much longer. As Sam Tay begins to investigate, he finds that clues to Harry Black’s life are scarce, and those he does find, only lead to more unanswered questions. Meeting Harry Black’s attractive granddaughter, Sam wonders if a possible romance might be on the cards, but as with everything in Sam’s life, nothing ever runs smoothly, and as he digs deeper into Harry’s death, he manages to rake up information that pushes his new friend away.
I loved every bit of this book, not least for the way Mr Needham manages to squeeze in that familiar layer of gentle humour that sizzles along on every page. I also loved the visits from Sam’s dead mother, and how she throws up even more questions her son can’t answer. Along with Sam’s usual awkwardness around women, strangers, and conversation, his inability to deal with technology and his recent decision to give up smoking, only add to the fun.
Another excellent thriller from this highly talented author.
May 8, 2025
I found out about Jake Needham from a recent interview he did with Mark Atley (full disclosure: I did one too) and I was intrigued enough to pick up one of his books. Crime fiction that crosses borders and cultures is right up my alley. I’m glad that I did because his Samuel Tay is a fascinating detective. This story hits the right notes for the genre but still finds time to go deeper with the characters. Tay feels very real…his thought process, the slight insecurities, all of it. He also feels like a genuine Singaporean. You can tell that Needham knows his fictional stomping grounds for real.
Strangely this book doesn’t introduce its key character until Chapter 6! I’ve not read any of the other books so not sure if this is a regular thing. I’m sure that some writing teacher somewhere is blowing steam out their ears, but it actually works just fine. God knows the first 40 pages of this book builds suspense and intrigue without the main character.
If I have one quibble with the book, it is that it dragged a little in places where Tay is doing the actual detecting…when he was searching Harry Black’s house, or electronics shopping in Hong Kong. Every step of the process is laid out and examined. But this is at the same time a good insight into the mind of the character and how he thinks. A lot of people read detective fiction for exactly this type of stuff. YMMV, as da kidz say.
Smart writing with a touch of dry humour. Recommended.
Strangely this book doesn’t introduce its key character until Chapter 6! I’ve not read any of the other books so not sure if this is a regular thing. I’m sure that some writing teacher somewhere is blowing steam out their ears, but it actually works just fine. God knows the first 40 pages of this book builds suspense and intrigue without the main character.
If I have one quibble with the book, it is that it dragged a little in places where Tay is doing the actual detecting…when he was searching Harry Black’s house, or electronics shopping in Hong Kong. Every step of the process is laid out and examined. But this is at the same time a good insight into the mind of the character and how he thinks. A lot of people read detective fiction for exactly this type of stuff. YMMV, as da kidz say.
Smart writing with a touch of dry humour. Recommended.
Read
May 9, 2024Tay gets asked by Triad boss "Jones" to go to Thailand to investigate the shooting of the grandfather of his friend Renny. It's a return favour and Tay can use Jones' contacts. Renny is a young art gallery owner in Hong Kong. Her mother told her that her grandfather was dead but when her parents died in a plane crash, Harry Black got in touch and was very much alive. But he never invited her into his home, they always met somewhere far away and they drifted out of touch.
Harry Black isn't the harmless man in his 80s that he appears to be. He has made contact with an English true crime writer and has given her detailed notebooks about his role in killing mafia bosses many years ago. He's holding out to give her details of something much bigger than this when he is shot while walking on the beach by a sniper, a very well trained one. Tilly, the crime writer is on the scene just after the body is found and quickly goes on the run.
Tay thinks it doesn't make sense that Black has been shot for killing mafia bosses 50 plus years ago. Renny isn't sure she wants to find out the whole truth about her grandfather but Tay isn't sure he can stop.
And, of course, John August and Claire turn up wanting Tay to look at another job.
Harry Black isn't the harmless man in his 80s that he appears to be. He has made contact with an English true crime writer and has given her detailed notebooks about his role in killing mafia bosses many years ago. He's holding out to give her details of something much bigger than this when he is shot while walking on the beach by a sniper, a very well trained one. Tilly, the crime writer is on the scene just after the body is found and quickly goes on the run.
Tay thinks it doesn't make sense that Black has been shot for killing mafia bosses 50 plus years ago. Renny isn't sure she wants to find out the whole truth about her grandfather but Tay isn't sure he can stop.
And, of course, John August and Claire turn up wanting Tay to look at another job.
Read
December 26, 2023The Journey is the Fun
Samuel Tay is back, struggling with himself and figuring out mysteries before he figures out women. The strong characters are all female in this book. His dead mother (my favorite), a writer, an art gallery owner, a neighbor, etc. Sam thinks he doesn't understand women, but as you read watch how he intuitively knows what is going on with each one. He just isn't going to have a romantic relationship, poor guy. Lots of dry humor. Other than the initial murder no prurient violence. You are in Sam Tay's head but don't be distracted by his ruminating. Love the setting in Thailand and especially Hong Kong. I've been both places. This book is a stand alone. You don't have to read the other 6 because the characters are well explained. But if you want to know how Tay got to this confusing moral or amoral place in his life start from the beginning.
Samuel Tay is back, struggling with himself and figuring out mysteries before he figures out women. The strong characters are all female in this book. His dead mother (my favorite), a writer, an art gallery owner, a neighbor, etc. Sam thinks he doesn't understand women, but as you read watch how he intuitively knows what is going on with each one. He just isn't going to have a romantic relationship, poor guy. Lots of dry humor. Other than the initial murder no prurient violence. You are in Sam Tay's head but don't be distracted by his ruminating. Love the setting in Thailand and especially Hong Kong. I've been both places. This book is a stand alone. You don't have to read the other 6 because the characters are well explained. But if you want to know how Tay got to this confusing moral or amoral place in his life start from the beginning.
May 29, 2024
Very interesting detective novel with a bit of history and political intrigue thrown in. Sam Tay is a retired detective from Singapore. He is asked to investigate the shooting of a man named Harry Black…who the hell is Harry Black? Harry’s granddaughter didn’t know him well, but she still wants to know why he was assassinated. She wants to know, until she doesn’t. When she decides that he was a hit man for the Mafia, she is done.
Harry claims to have killed famous Mafia figures. These are all real people from history. He also claims to have killed Mary Meyer, who was also a real person who had an affair with JFK. She is a fascinating woman that most people have never heard of. Her murder is unsolved. The CIA also has a starring role here.
Harry claims to have killed famous Mafia figures. These are all real people from history. He also claims to have killed Mary Meyer, who was also a real person who had an affair with JFK. She is a fascinating woman that most people have never heard of. Her murder is unsolved. The CIA also has a starring role here.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 26, 2024
Not bad…….
A relatively interesting plot but a bit transparent also. I figured the shooter was Clair before she shot Harry. So it was a bit predictable.
However the author or the editor messed up quite a bit:
Sam got his interpol credential from the Band when he was helping to find out who tried to kill August and gang with a bomb in Hong Kong. The author said Sam got his fake credential when he was chasing down Emma Lau, wrong book.
The author also mentioned:
“The only other time he had flown on a private plane was when he went to Hong Kong to join the search for Emma Lau.”
No, Sam rode om a private plane with John, Clair and Woods from Hong Kong to Japan then to Washington DC.
Other then some of those typical errors the book is ok.
A relatively interesting plot but a bit transparent also. I figured the shooter was Clair before she shot Harry. So it was a bit predictable.
However the author or the editor messed up quite a bit:
Sam got his interpol credential from the Band when he was helping to find out who tried to kill August and gang with a bomb in Hong Kong. The author said Sam got his fake credential when he was chasing down Emma Lau, wrong book.
The author also mentioned:
“The only other time he had flown on a private plane was when he went to Hong Kong to join the search for Emma Lau.”
No, Sam rode om a private plane with John, Clair and Woods from Hong Kong to Japan then to Washington DC.
Other then some of those typical errors the book is ok.
November 22, 2023
Jake Needham does it again.
I have read every book Jake Needham has written, and yet he continues to amaze me. Every time I think one of his books is my favorite, I am proved wrong.
Like his book The Nineteen, he weaves a story in WHO THE HELL IS HARRY BLACK? that keeps you fully engrossed, and he just keeps throwing out little gems that continually bring back great memories.
His Jack Shephad and Samuel Tay series main characters are completely different, but they are so entertaining that you just keep going back to reread them.
I hope Sam Tay and Jack Shephard both keep coming back to entertain us!
I have read every book Jake Needham has written, and yet he continues to amaze me. Every time I think one of his books is my favorite, I am proved wrong.
Like his book The Nineteen, he weaves a story in WHO THE HELL IS HARRY BLACK? that keeps you fully engrossed, and he just keeps throwing out little gems that continually bring back great memories.
His Jack Shephad and Samuel Tay series main characters are completely different, but they are so entertaining that you just keep going back to reread them.
I hope Sam Tay and Jack Shephard both keep coming back to entertain us!
January 4, 2024
Each of these books is entirely unexpected
I love these books. You never have any idea where they are going not to mention how they get started. We have read about international politics, a serial killer, terrorists, the Hong Kong mafia and Sam Giancana. They are beautifully written and completely unpredictable. Our hero is an unpretentious, irascible middle aged major crimes detective in Singapore that finds his way in and out of the most unpredictable murder cases in South East Asia. Once you begin one, it is hard put down before you get to the end. I thought this last one might be Inspector Tay’s end, but no. I am so looking forward to the next one.
I love these books. You never have any idea where they are going not to mention how they get started. We have read about international politics, a serial killer, terrorists, the Hong Kong mafia and Sam Giancana. They are beautifully written and completely unpredictable. Our hero is an unpretentious, irascible middle aged major crimes detective in Singapore that finds his way in and out of the most unpredictable murder cases in South East Asia. Once you begin one, it is hard put down before you get to the end. I thought this last one might be Inspector Tay’s end, but no. I am so looking forward to the next one.
November 29, 2023
Another great read in the Samuel Tay Series.
Inspector Tay heads to Thailand at the request of an old associate, a Hong Kong Triad boss. Into this blend of South East Asian countries and cultures a tale of American Government and Mafia deceit is skilfully woven by the author. A story closely related to actual events that leaves the reader astonished when they discover who the hell was Harry Black!
Inspector Tay heads to Thailand at the request of an old associate, a Hong Kong Triad boss. Into this blend of South East Asian countries and cultures a tale of American Government and Mafia deceit is skilfully woven by the author. A story closely related to actual events that leaves the reader astonished when they discover who the hell was Harry Black!
November 29, 2023
Different—but very nice
By now, Sam Tay is an old friend. This chapter in his life is less hectic than past, with fewer thrills and chills. The story is much more an inner job, in which his deliberations are more the point of the book. The plotting is superb, as usual, with the reader again and again wondering “ok, how is the author going to get out of this mess?” Highly recommended for old friends or new.
By now, Sam Tay is an old friend. This chapter in his life is less hectic than past, with fewer thrills and chills. The story is much more an inner job, in which his deliberations are more the point of the book. The plotting is superb, as usual, with the reader again and again wondering “ok, how is the author going to get out of this mess?” Highly recommended for old friends or new.
December 8, 2023
I first encountered Inspector Tay in Mongkok Station (Tay #6) in March of 2022. Inspector Tay blew me away! I had never heard of Jake Needham, even though I have been an avid mystery/thriller reader since 2011. If it had not been for a very positive review in Deadly Pleasures online magazine (website is totally free), I would still be Tay less and that would be a pity. Do not hesitate, buy this book.
November 28, 2023
Twists and turns - couldn't put this down and read it in one sitting. I see a lot of myself in Sam Tay and can relate to so many of his traits. This is a rollicking good story and is Jake Needham at his finest. A wonderful storyline and, as usual, Needham manages to paint a picture of Asia with atmosphere and nuance as only he can. A wonderful read!
December 12, 2023
JFK?
What a ripper of a story. Our friends from other Inspector Tay stories are back, but in lesser roles, this one is very focused on the great man himself. Some nice history, city descriptions, reflections on relationships/non-relationships and a story nicely tied up with a Marlboro Red bow. Loved it, even though our hero missed out on the ladies, yet again.
What a ripper of a story. Our friends from other Inspector Tay stories are back, but in lesser roles, this one is very focused on the great man himself. Some nice history, city descriptions, reflections on relationships/non-relationships and a story nicely tied up with a Marlboro Red bow. Loved it, even though our hero missed out on the ladies, yet again.
December 29, 2023
Doesn't really matter what the story is about. Just being able to spend a few days with Sam Tay is worth five stars. This is a fine story though, as world weary Sam pays back a favour. We travel from Singapore to Thailand to Hong Kong with Inspector Tay, as he attempts to track down the killer of a seemingly harmless 86 year old man. A fun journey indeed.
March 14, 2024
Best Detective!
Inspector Sam Tay now retired is on the hunt to find a murderer. I've now read the full series of Sam and his love of women and Marlboros! He's quit one and the other vice is never fully fulfilled. Sam is a man of high morals that has come to realize that sometimes a solution to crime is best left to the ones that take matters into their own hands.
Inspector Sam Tay now retired is on the hunt to find a murderer. I've now read the full series of Sam and his love of women and Marlboros! He's quit one and the other vice is never fully fulfilled. Sam is a man of high morals that has come to realize that sometimes a solution to crime is best left to the ones that take matters into their own hands.
April 26, 2024
Who the Hell is Jake Needham?
One hell of a writer, that's who. If it were allowed, I would have given a rating of four and a half stars. Maybe even four and three quarters. The man has a great imagination and the talent to write fiction into reality. I have read, and loved, all of his books. You might too, if you give him a try.
One hell of a writer, that's who. If it were allowed, I would have given a rating of four and a half stars. Maybe even four and three quarters. The man has a great imagination and the talent to write fiction into reality. I have read, and loved, all of his books. You might too, if you give him a try.
March 16, 2025
Who the Hell is Harry Black takes the reader to Southeast Asia where Inspector Samuel Tay works his magic. Tay uses his skills of observation; his desire to solve a puzzle; and, his "friendships" with some shady characters to figure out the identify of Harry Black. But, does he really want to know who Harry Black was? Needham writes wonderful stories and I've enjoyed them all.
November 27, 2023
A new Jake Needham book is always cause for celebration. Sam Tay is his most endearing and intriguing character and in WHO THE HELL IS HARRY BLACK he is more complex, compelling and lovable than ever. A real treat for all fans of Jake Needham.
November 28, 2023
I have all of Jake Needham's books. I think this is his best one yet, Inspector Samuel Tay's personality is so enjoyable and personnel.
This book is amazing, I could not put it down, it keeps you thinking. I hope we see another one of his books soon, I can not wait.
This book is amazing, I could not put it down, it keeps you thinking. I hope we see another one of his books soon, I can not wait.
February 2, 2024
I love the character of Samuel Tay. I read the first book in the series and couldn't get enough of him so wound up reading all the books up to book 7. I hope there will be more of Inspector Tay because I really love his character. He is flawed but he is an awesome detective.
March 10, 2024
Harry Black?
Needham's Samuel Tay does get involved some scary investigations. And he combines them with very human anxiety, some it reasonable and some overthinking. It
is always intriguing.
Needham's Samuel Tay does get involved some scary investigations. And he combines them with very human anxiety, some it reasonable and some overthinking. It
is always intriguing.
March 18, 2024
I love the characters in your books -
I feel as Samual Tay is a friend I'd like to have. He is so many things that I strive toward - he makes them seem easy. Wish he lived in my neighborhood.
I feel as Samual Tay is a friend I'd like to have. He is so many things that I strive toward - he makes them seem easy. Wish he lived in my neighborhood.
March 5, 2025
This is my fourth Inspector Samuel Tay book, and I plan to read everything I can by Jake Needham. They are the best procedurals going right now,so atmospheric, with great characters and dialog, smart and snappy use of language. Even the asian settings have character.
March 13, 2025
All the Jake Needham books about Inpector Samuel Tay are wonderful. They're about an old fashioned Siangaporean detetcive, who solves mysteries methodically, by diggng deep. Tay also has some great adventures, especially. when John Augst and Claire are involved.
November 20, 2023
Jake Needham . Always a great read
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