Coastside Detectives: Armando’s Gold

by Matthew F. O'Malley

Continuing the saga of detective Mike Mason, Armando’s Gold is the second in the Coastside Detectives series. After Mason’s partner finds a mysterious gold coin on a Pacifica beach, a local reporter does a little sleuthing of his own and ignites a modern day gold rush. Inadvertently stepping into the middle of the frenzy, Mike Mason is once more susceptible to the wiles of a beautiful but treacherous woman. Without hesitation, he joins her in the quest as they scour the town in search of a map that, rumors have it, was left by the legendary Ohlone Indian, Armando. Does the map even exist? Will it lead to a treasure trove of gold? If it does, who will find it first? The search turns deadly as those who help in the search for the map and gold start turning up dead. Once more realizing his mistake in the judgment of the character of a beautiful woman, their paths separate as the quest for the mysterious gold coins leads into the rugged Montara Mountain that surrounds the town. This time, Mike Mason is fighting for his own life.

190 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 28, 2012

Reviews

[Norma · Rating 5 out of 5]

( Format : Audiobook )
"It's all about solving mysteries."
Joe Ballard runs a private detective agency, started by his father, with Mike Mason, his long time employee and now friend and business partner. The Pacific branch of the office was renamed Coastside. There was a second office in the less prosperous Tenderloin area and new interns were being trained. When Joe finds an old gold coin on the beach, the local reporter's article starts a mini gold rush in Pacifica and one particular Crocodile Dundee type woman catches Mike's attention.

A modernesque noir detective adventure, with diverse characters and an unusual plot, this book is an easy and immersive read. The characters, even the main ones, are not especially pleasant people but they seem mostly real as they try to unravel the truth behind a legend. The reader really feels aware of the neighbourhood scenery and the people within it. Narrator David Angelo, gives a good performance as the cynical detective, unsure whether it is the quiet beauty of his relatively new home that he prefers or the noise and danger of the city. His world weary delivery perfectly fits the character of Mike, from whose first person perspective the tale is told. Every protagonist is given their own distinctive voice and the intensity of the story line is reflected in the reading.

My thanks to the rights holder of Coastside Detectives: Armando's Gold, who, at my request via Audiobook Boom, freely gifted me with a complimentary copy. It was a most enjoyable, sometimes humerous, listen, the second I have heard in this series: I hope there will be many more to come. Recommended.

[Clare Wood · Rating 3 out of 5]

An easy read.