Bad Boy Beat

by Clea Simon

A page-turning journalistic thriller starring a rookie female reporter for the Boston Standard who’s determined to chase down a big story . . . with potentially deadly consequences.







Boston Standard journalist Emily – Em – Kelton is desperate for a big story. As a new reporter Em covers the police beat, which has her responding to every crime that comes across the newsroom scanner. Despite the drudgery and the largely nocturnal hours, it’s a beat that suits her – especially with her affinity for the low-level criminals she regularly interacts with and what she considers a healthy scepticism for the rules.



But she’s sick of filing short news briefs about random street murders that barely merit a byline, and when she sets out to cover yet another shooting of a low-level dealer, she begins to wonder if these crimes are somehow connected.





With not much to go on but her instincts, Em sets out to uncover the truth behind these sordid crimes. But the more she investigates and uncovers a pattern, the more she digs herself into a hole from which she might not come out of alive . . .






Drawing on her career as a journalist, Clea Simon delivers a fast-paced, intricate plot and intriguing characters that bring the city of Boston to life. Mystery fans who love a strong female protagonist, unexpected twists and turns and a mind-blowing ending won’t want to miss Bad Boy Beat!

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Mystery Thriller

220 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 7, 2024

About the author

Boston Globe-bestselling author Clea Simon is the author of The Butterfly Trap, a sinister slow-build "he said/she said" that will definitely surprise you.

This follows Bad Boy Beat a fast-paced amateur sleuth mystery featuring a novice crime reporter with a nose for news who is convinced a series of street-level killings are connected.

In a different mood, Clea's most recent cozy is The Cat's Eye Charm, the fifth in her "Witch Cats of Cambridge" series.

She is also the author of the psychological suspense novels, Hold Me Down and World Enough, both named "Must Reads" by the Massachusetts Book Awards, as well as the dystopian Blackie and Care black cat series (The Ninth Life), the Dulcie Schwartz feline/academic mysteries (Shades of Grey), the Pru Marlowe pet noir mysteries (Dogs Don't Lie), and the Theda Krakow cats & crime & rock & roll mysteries (Mew is for Murder), as well as three nonfiction books: Mad House: Growing Up in the Shadow of Mentally Ill Siblings; Fatherless Women: How We Change After We Lose Our Dads; and The Feline Mystique: On the Mysterious Connection Between Women and Cats.

The recipient of multiple honors, including the Cat Writers Associations Presidents Award, she lives in Somerville, Massachusetts, with her husband, Jon Garelick, and their cat, Thisbe. Find her at Clea Simon.com

Reviews

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked Emily. She's a rookie reporter on the crime beat for a Boston paper. She has great instincts (though blinded by a handsome boy) and sees a connection to several shootings that no one thought had to do with one another. She is tough and there's not much that will scare her off.

I have to admit that while it might seem a bit slow to others, I felt this was a page turner! I just had to see how this all came together and admit that I was blown away by a part of the ending...I just didn't expect a certain plot point at all.

I would definitely read another book by this author!

[Susan Oleksiw · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review: Bad Boy Beat by Clea Simon

I have long loved Clea Simon's cat mysteries, for the way she creates believable furry creatures able to materialize through walls, read humans' minds, and more, all in aid of helping out their person. But rookie reporter Emily Kelton doesn't need anyone's help in Simon's new noir mystery, Bad Boy Beat.

Assigned to the police beat while on probation at the Boston Standard, Em Kelton dutifully does her best with late night fires and low-level street crime. But she wants a big story. The murder of a small-time dealer barely merits a notice in the paper, but something about this death after a similar one nags at the rookie. She knows some of these guys, dealers and low-lifes, and they hardly seem dangerous enough to anyone to warrant murder. Em shares her doubts with her friend, Roz, who works the City Hall bureau, and is investigating rumors of high-level corruption.

Simon fleshes out the office, with Saul, city editor and her boss; the old-timers who resent her; Ruggle, City Hall bureau chief who may have a crush on her and who is her friend Roz's boss; and Noah Borelli, another City Hall reporter. Not waiting politely in the wings are the co-op students, there to help out with the scut work. The bright light in all this jockeying for position and bare-knuckled ambition is handsome Inspector Jack Harcourt, who jokes and flirts and occasionally gives Em something extra for her stories.

The story takes off on page one, and the action never lets up. Em probes her contacts, a low-life dealer, stays on the heels of the police, and trades tips and story ideas with Roz while Inspector Harcourt stonewalls her. To make matters worse, as Em's own story heats up, the other newspaper in town steps up too, with a new hire who seems to know more than Em.

Keeping up with this rookie is a challenge as she careens around Boston on the T, in her car, on foot. Simon knows the city well and makes good use of her experience here. Bad Boy Beat is a non-stop dive into the unadorned world of crime, the unglamorous world of turning out a newspaper day after day, and the life of one indefatigable, intrepid reporter with a sharp tongue and shrewd eye.

This is one of Simon's best.

[Booksandcoffeemx · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fast-paced, intriguing and suspenseful.
I love strong female characters and Em was a fesity and complex heroine, I just loved her character. A great mystery that will keep you at the edge of your seat.

Thank you Suzy Approved Book Tours for this tour invite.

𝗕𝗮𝗱 𝗕𝗼𝘆 𝗕𝗲𝗮𝘁 by Clea Simon released May 7, 2024.

https://www.instagram.com/booksandcof...

[Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Emily Kelton is a new reporter for the Boston Standard. Em is smart, fun, and adventurous. She covers the police beat in Boston's underground. This keeps her jumping up for stories during the night every time one comes into the news room. Em is from the old school of journalism, that being getting the story first and searching for the truth. Em wants to make a name for herself. She is independent and fierce, with a chip on her shoulder which pushes her toward getting it right and getting it out. Unlike modern journalism she is not out to get clicks first. She wants the story first.

So far she has been filing news briefs and she's tired of these. She's on probation until she proves herself. She gets called in on the murder of a low-level drug dealer. She has connections with people of this ilk through her ex-boyfriend. She also knows some of the beat cops on the job. She has also developed a relationship with a tall, handsome detective, Jack Harcourt. Information she gets from him often comes at a price. They develop a certain rapport and she is all in on her association with him.

More murders occur. Em begins to make connections which convinces her that they are related. She does not get much support on her theory from the newsroom or from the police. She strikes out on her own. Her best friend in the newsroom is busy on a bigger story. Roz has already earned her place as the City Hall reporter. Em thinks there may be a connection there but does not want to alienate her friend so she picks other sources.

The gritty underbelly of Boston is a true character with its distinct culture and great history of crime. Em gets deeply involved in it when she recognizes some of the murder victims. Digging deeper could be dangerous for her. How entangled is she willing to get? Will she have to give up something important?

I have read many of Clea Simon's novels. This one leans toward the noir instead of the cozy cat tales that she has become know for. This is not her only stand alone novel. Her picante and sharp rhythm gives the story a dark flavor that emphasizes its gritty nature. The characters are fleshed out nicely. Each one lends to the atmosphere of danger that Em finds herself in.

There are lots of things left unexplored at the end of the book. I can only hope that there will be a sequel to Bad Boy Beat.

[Christy Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a real page turner for me. I loved the Boston setting and all the twists and turns. Emily was such a determined journalist and I admired her tenacity to connect dots and look for the bigger story. I also like that she showed some emotions and vulnerability along with her drive to succeed. This fantastic crime fiction/thriller kept me guessing and WOW on the ending!!!

[Debbie Rozier · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gritty. This book has such great atmosphere. It’s like a noir detective novel except instead of a detective it’s a hard boiled female newspaper writer.

Em is on the crime beat in Boston. She is covering what seems to be random low level criminal shootings, but things start adding up to more than meets the eye.

Em has a police detective in her pocket and an ex that knows his way around the streets of Boston crime. Are these two “bad boys” helping or keeping Em away from the truth?

There are nice twists in this one and Em is a character that is a keeper!

[Sarah W · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed how this investigation was out of the perspective of a journalist and not a detective on the case. Em was not afraid to “annoy” people and ask the hard questions and learn some lessons along the way. I loved that she was constantly on the go. Being a journalist seem like it’s a stressful job always looking for something to report and finding people willing to talk, I would not be cut out for it. The investigation went in all sorts of different directions and my “suspect” changed constantly. It was well written and kept my attention the entire time.

Thank you @cleasimon_author and @suzyapprovedbooktours for the gifted copy.

[David Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love a strong female protagonist and Emily Kelton fits the bill perfectly. She's a no nonsense beat journalist with lots of questions to ask to get to the bottom of this mystery. Not one to 'let it be', Em's dogged determination takes her straight into danger. A danger she doesn't even know is there.
I found this one to be an easy, fast paced read that kept me on my toes trying to figure out the mystery. It's always fun to revisit locations in books you're familiar with and I was taken back to Boston with this story. The writing is solid and the reveal and conclusion are surprising but make perfect sense.

Thank you to the author, Severn House Publishing and Suzy Approved Book Tours for the gifted copy and including me on this tour.

[Marilyn Goncalves · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rookie reporter Em is reporting on some random shootings but she thinks there’s more to it. As she digs into some investigating chasing this story that’ll bring her to danger.
Em is a great character, she’s determined, will take no for an answer, has great instincts and complex which I love these type of characters. This turned out to be a captivating page turner with some good twists. A very solid crime fiction thriller!

[Karen Schlosberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clea Simon has created a feisty, opinionated, quick- witted heroine in Em Kelton, a rookie reporter trying to stay ahead of the law in more ways than one while she solves a murder. I’m hoping this turns into a series because I definitely want to read more!

[Amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

I got this one as a Goodreads giveaway

Looks like I'm mostly on my own not liking this one very much, I couldn't get into the story, it felt like it dragged along so slowly with Em repeatedly talking about how she was just missing some connection, or something just wasn't clicking and nothing really happening. She really didn't see to care at all about her job or people who were supposed to be her friend. She talks about her "bestie" but they sure don't seem like that good of friends, at all. It seemed pretty clear who shouldn't be trusted from the jump, but Em, despite all of her investigating, couldn't see it.

[Jeanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Emily Kelton is a journalist, currently working for the Boston Standard on three months’ probation before becoming a full-fledged employee. She has the crime beat, working anything of interest that comes in over the scanner, desperate to get copy in—especially a story that would rate a byline. Em’s no rookie; she’s jaded enough to know that some crimes won’t rate space in the paper or police investigation time. She knows a lot of the small time operators in the city, and she is good at spotting patterns. When dead bodies start turning up in alleys, she thinks there may be a connection but handsome detective Jack Harcourt disagrees.

That isn’t going to stop Em. She’s a real reporter and and she knows a story when she sees one. One way or another, she’s going to uncover what is really going on in the streets and alleys of Boston.
I usually read more cozy mysteries, just because some of them are closer to the classic mysteries I prefer (think Agatha Christie, Rex Stout, Ngaio Marsh, Ellery Queen, Josephine Tey, etc.) but I’ve read and enjoyed other books by Simon so I thought I would give this one a try.

It’s a bit darker and grittier than some of her series offerings but just as well written. Em is no wide-eyed innocent, for all her rookie status. She comes off as more an old-time journalist, eschewing databases for pounding the streets and interviewing witnesses. She is cynical and a bit of a loner though she is loyal to friends like Roz, a reporter who is working on stories out of city hall. Em is tough; she’s cautious in the streets but not cowed. She’s well able to stand up for herself against editors, bouncers, or cops and can hold her own at a bar. As a reader, I enjoyed the peek behind the scenes at a newspaper, even as subscriptions dwindle and content goes online. Simon also does a good job of conveying the atmosphere of the seamier side of Boston. Good mystery, strong characterization, some fast-paced action and a few twists and turns make for a most enjoyable read.

As far as I know, this is a standalone novel, but I wouldn’t mind a return visit with Em and company. I found Roz especially intriguing and am curious as to where her investigations of city hall would take her.

[Kath · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am a bit of a fan of this author's Blackie and Care series of books so I was eager to see what she did with a more conventional mystery. And I wasn't disappointed at all...
The story features rookie Boston Standard reporter Emily "Em" Kelton who is currently working the crime beat, and we follow her as she actively responds to every crime she hears on the Police Scanner. After being "called" to a few "random" street murders, she starts to believe that they are connected. A belief that is NOT shared by the local police. Especially her homicide detective sort-of contact Inspector Jack Harcourt, who she also has a bit of a crush on! To complete our trio of main characters, we also have Roz who works the City Hall Bureau and who feeds her tidbits...
This is a messy book, and I mean that in a very positive way. Em flits around various crime scenes, various drinking dens, and various other places, in order to sniff out the truth of what she believes is going on. And that in itself is the messy part. The clarity coming later when she tries to sort the wheat from the chaff and put it all together. Which obviously she eventually does. It's action packed all the way through culminating in a wholly satisfying, albeit quite shocking ending.
There is quite a lot (but not too much) of scene setting, character introductions, and foundation laying which all lead me to wonder if this is the start of a new series of books. I for one would be up for that, definitely.
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

[Miss W Book Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first read Clea Simon's cozy mystery series, which I absolutely loved, so I was so excited to read this new book.

Bad Boy Cleat is a fantastic book that I couldn't put down.

Emily (Em) is a low-level journalist at the Boston Standard working the police beat just waiting for her big story. She shows up at every crime scene trying to get the scoop. I really loved Em's diligence and determination, such a well written, complex character.

Em sees several killings that she thinks are connected to a drug dealer.
She investigates and digs deeper and deeper, maybe too deep.

Bad Boy Beat is such a great crime fiction novel. The story is fantastic, and the characters are well written.

Highly recommend!

[Krista Hajjar-Nejad · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book I’ve read by Clea Simon and was hooked! Emily aka “Em” was a fascinating and complex character. I especially loved her determination and her realization of the connection between the shootings that no one else sees. I had to binge read this book to figure out what the heck was going to happen! If you enjoy crime fiction and well-developed characters—this book is a must read!!

[Annarella · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not sure I've ever read any Clea Simon's mystery I didn't like and this is one I liked.
A tense, fast paced and entertaining noir that kept me guessing and hooked.
Emily is a likeable, strong and clever character and the solid mystery is well done and surprising.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

[Traci Henriksen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good, but not great. I love the strong female characters! I had my suspicions about who the killer was very early on, and I was disappointed I was right all along.

[Lisa Albright · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clea Simon has written another fast-paced page turner of a story. This novel reads like a police procedural and I loved the view from a reporter trying to get the scoop. Em is curious, tough, ambitious, and determined to follow her instincts. She also has a little help from a handsome detective that she flirts with on occasion. The chapters are short, the misdirection is done well, and the characters are intriguing. I couldn't put this one down!

I received a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Andrea Brumen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished reading it. Another excellent book by Clea Simon, I like all of her books. Great plot development, great characters, great style of writing. I highly recommend it