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Shell Game: A Cadillac Holland Mystery (Book 7)
A change of venue from south of I-10 to Missouri has no effect on Detective 'Cadillac' Holland's ability to ruffle feathers, break rules, and bring a disturbing surfeit of firepower into play to right a wrong...several, in fact.
A phone call out of the blue from and old military school classmate - and a disconcerting visit from that classmate's sister - leads Detective Holland to inadvertently stumble upon yet another global antiquities theft. In his usual fashion, he manages to foist his unique approach upon every level of law enforcement from a small-town Missouri sheriff to the FBI and beyond, while skirting not only the law but the unexpected lurking danger of suffering the ultimate retribution from his Iraqi nemesis, the politically connected Habib family, while searching for an elusive shipping container of cultural artifacts stolen from the Iraqi National Museum.
Allies are hard to come by when no one is who - or where - they seem to be, and everyone is out for their personal gain at the detective's expense.
A phone call out of the blue from and old military school classmate - and a disconcerting visit from that classmate's sister - leads Detective Holland to inadvertently stumble upon yet another global antiquities theft. In his usual fashion, he manages to foist his unique approach upon every level of law enforcement from a small-town Missouri sheriff to the FBI and beyond, while skirting not only the law but the unexpected lurking danger of suffering the ultimate retribution from his Iraqi nemesis, the politically connected Habib family, while searching for an elusive shipping container of cultural artifacts stolen from the Iraqi National Museum.
Allies are hard to come by when no one is who - or where - they seem to be, and everyone is out for their personal gain at the detective's expense.
- GenresThriller
278 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 31, 2024
About the author
H. Max Hiller
10 books24 followers My relationship with New Orleans began with a job cooking in a cafe on Bourbon Street at the age of seventeen. My foodservice resume now includes many of New Orleans’ iconic music and dining destinations. I no longer reside in New Orleans full time but I keep to the expat creed of “Be a New Orleanian wherever you are.”
A devoted reader of detective and crime novels, I have worked as a chef on a boat traveling the inland waterways since Hurricane Katrina and began thinking up stories about a detective living in post-Katrina New Orleans, which I now write in my spare time.
My life is divided between working on the water and preserving a Victorian-era home in Hannibal, Missouri that I share with my wife and our rescue pets, which include a neurotic wolfhound/terrier mix and too many cats.
A devoted reader of detective and crime novels, I have worked as a chef on a boat traveling the inland waterways since Hurricane Katrina and began thinking up stories about a detective living in post-Katrina New Orleans, which I now write in my spare time.
My life is divided between working on the water and preserving a Victorian-era home in Hannibal, Missouri that I share with my wife and our rescue pets, which include a neurotic wolfhound/terrier mix and too many cats.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
August 1, 2024
This book has more twists and turns than a tilt a wheel at the fair. The author has created a storyline that will have you at the edge of your seat until the very last page. It is intensely convoluted as to who is doing what to who and why. The character development includes detectives, agents, Russian mobsters, Mafia, and friends who really are not the best. I love Detective Cadillac Holland because he can figure his way out of any hole he is put into. His mind is a steel trap and the puzzles he solves will drive the reader crazy. This author always includes history of the areas the book takes place in and does it in such a way that it becomes the background for the story not the characters. This is an immensely satisfying read. Well done.
June 23, 2024
Oh my goodness! The author has given us such a complex case for Holland to work through this time. It is now as I am trying to get my head around how to write this review that I realise just how complex the book was. Even though I was aware of the twists and double-crosses, I did not appreciate just how well the author kept everything flowing so well and didn't confuse me at all.
Detective Cooter "Cadillac" Holland is such a likeable character, a bit of a maverick and one to walk a thin line when it comes to following the rules. But that is all part of his charm. He has a past that makes for interesting reading over the previous books, but this latest book steps away from his home so would work well as a stand-alone. I am biased though as I have read and loved all the books.
So Holland gets a call from an old colleague wanting his help with something. While Holland is reluctant at the time, when his friend's sister arrives to visit him later he starts to get intrigued. Against the advice of his sister, and to be fair his better judgement, he decides to head out to see his friend Brian.
His arrival alerts so many different agencies, FBI, CIA as well as local police and some other rather unsavoury but very dangerous characters. There is more going on that Holland realises and his arrival is just the beginning of something so much larger, twisted, devious, dangerous and suspicious than he ever thought it would be.
The author knows the bones of his character so well. I did wonder how Holland would get on with a completely different city and area to his usual New Orleans, but the author has it down and provided such an intriguing story. As I mentioned it is complex, there is a lot of back and forth between other characters, and agencies and there is a certain amount of politics. Once again though Holland is trying to do the right thing. But that does not mean that he will be following the legal side of things. He doesn't like being played and there is something that is off.
With several characters all adding their opinions and their versions of things, it becomes hard to work out who is being truthful. Each of the characters seems to have their own motive, this is increased when other parties add their presence into the mix.
With each book, the author picks something that his main character can focus on. Previous books have included real estate developments, fugitives, gang crime and murder. This book delves into the world of cultural antiques and it works well with the background that Holland has. Again this is something that you learn in previous books and it is mentioned in this one.
This is a game of time, of getting pieces in the right place and trying to outwit others. Several things are going on in the background that work alongside the main storyline. This is another fast-paced, action-packed crime, mystery thriller. WHile it is a police procedural, Holland is working on his own time so it gives it an additional edginess. I really enjoyed this book a huge amount, it is always great catching up with the Holland and I would definitely recommend this book.
Detective Cooter "Cadillac" Holland is such a likeable character, a bit of a maverick and one to walk a thin line when it comes to following the rules. But that is all part of his charm. He has a past that makes for interesting reading over the previous books, but this latest book steps away from his home so would work well as a stand-alone. I am biased though as I have read and loved all the books.
So Holland gets a call from an old colleague wanting his help with something. While Holland is reluctant at the time, when his friend's sister arrives to visit him later he starts to get intrigued. Against the advice of his sister, and to be fair his better judgement, he decides to head out to see his friend Brian.
His arrival alerts so many different agencies, FBI, CIA as well as local police and some other rather unsavoury but very dangerous characters. There is more going on that Holland realises and his arrival is just the beginning of something so much larger, twisted, devious, dangerous and suspicious than he ever thought it would be.
The author knows the bones of his character so well. I did wonder how Holland would get on with a completely different city and area to his usual New Orleans, but the author has it down and provided such an intriguing story. As I mentioned it is complex, there is a lot of back and forth between other characters, and agencies and there is a certain amount of politics. Once again though Holland is trying to do the right thing. But that does not mean that he will be following the legal side of things. He doesn't like being played and there is something that is off.
With several characters all adding their opinions and their versions of things, it becomes hard to work out who is being truthful. Each of the characters seems to have their own motive, this is increased when other parties add their presence into the mix.
With each book, the author picks something that his main character can focus on. Previous books have included real estate developments, fugitives, gang crime and murder. This book delves into the world of cultural antiques and it works well with the background that Holland has. Again this is something that you learn in previous books and it is mentioned in this one.
This is a game of time, of getting pieces in the right place and trying to outwit others. Several things are going on in the background that work alongside the main storyline. This is another fast-paced, action-packed crime, mystery thriller. WHile it is a police procedural, Holland is working on his own time so it gives it an additional edginess. I really enjoyed this book a huge amount, it is always great catching up with the Holland and I would definitely recommend this book.
July 21, 2024
love this series!
Detective Holland is like a modern day Colombo! Love his ‘don’t tell me I can’t do it’ attitude. I’m thinking John Hamm playing him in a Netflix series?!
Detective Holland is like a modern day Colombo! Love his ‘don’t tell me I can’t do it’ attitude. I’m thinking John Hamm playing him in a Netflix series?!
February 25, 2026
Wow okay, this book is so action packed with great storytelling. I am new to the Cadillac Holland world, but after reading this I am addicted and gonna go start from the beginning as this is book number 7 in the series. I will say I jumped right in but finished the book with absolutely no regrets and it reads perfectly as a standalone.
Detective Holland goes back to his past when his old classmate calls him begging for help that he hasn’t spoke to in many years. Was he willing to blindly trust someone who was once a friend? Of course curiosity always got the better of him. Come join this series by H. Max Hiller and find out if he is gonna make it out of this of this deception game he blindly walked into in it will this shell game get him too?
Detective Holland goes back to his past when his old classmate calls him begging for help that he hasn’t spoke to in many years. Was he willing to blindly trust someone who was once a friend? Of course curiosity always got the better of him. Come join this series by H. Max Hiller and find out if he is gonna make it out of this of this deception game he blindly walked into in it will this shell game get him too?
August 12, 2024
Detective Holland is back and well doing what he does best ruffling feathers and breaking rules . When artifacts go missing from the Iraqi National Museum detective Holland is thrown into the middle of mystery. Doing things his way he gets in the middle of the mystery. not knowing who he can trust and some people aren't who they say they are . Everyone is out for themselves and no one can be trusted .
Detective Cadillac is back and well he is busier than ever . He is still walking the fine line between keeping the rules and breaking them. He is such a likeable guy people just trust him and tell him almost anything which is good but also a curse when it comes to keeping secrets . We get to meet a lot of interesting characters in this book and honestly there are moments where you can't trust any of the characters . The author crafts such interesting complex characters that you will like and dislike at the same time.
This is a complex book that I read in a day. The author writes so many twists and turns through out this book that had me second guessing myself through out cause at one moment I thought I had it figured out but bang nope I was totally wrong. The author really likes to entwine the cities into his story lines. You can read this book as a stand alone because he has taken Holland out of New Orleans . So if you want a series that will make you think and solve a mystery this is the series for you add it to your fall reading list.
Detective Cadillac is back and well he is busier than ever . He is still walking the fine line between keeping the rules and breaking them. He is such a likeable guy people just trust him and tell him almost anything which is good but also a curse when it comes to keeping secrets . We get to meet a lot of interesting characters in this book and honestly there are moments where you can't trust any of the characters . The author crafts such interesting complex characters that you will like and dislike at the same time.
This is a complex book that I read in a day. The author writes so many twists and turns through out this book that had me second guessing myself through out cause at one moment I thought I had it figured out but bang nope I was totally wrong. The author really likes to entwine the cities into his story lines. You can read this book as a stand alone because he has taken Holland out of New Orleans . So if you want a series that will make you think and solve a mystery this is the series for you add it to your fall reading list.
March 2, 2026
This story like the others in this series follows State Police Detective Cooter Cadillac Holland. Holland is that 'do whatever it takes to get it done' kind of protagonist. It starts with him receiving a call from an old military school classmate, who vanished after allegedly hijacking a container of artifacts from the Iraqi National Museum. As Holland tries to track down his friend, he finds himself caught in the middle of a Russian, the FBI and the Iraqi government. This book offers us one major change from the others and thats in the scenery from New Orleans to Missouri. Similarly to the last book this one is also fast paced with high stakes tension. Keeping this in mind, the plot doesn't lack complexity as a result. This mystery is multilayered from international conspiracies to shifting loyalties, which leaves you guessing who to trust. These books are great solid thrillers that successfully excecute the man on a mission story.
June 2, 2024
Shell Game again pulls you into the flare and sparkle of New Orleans as well as its Katrina-ravaged dark underbelly, which creates the perfect backdrop to the continuation of this riveting series. The almost nonstop, gritty action and peril pull you into a fascinating and layered plot, where Detective Holland's legacy and life depend on him pulling the threads together. I couldn't put this book down. Works as a standalone thriller but works even better when you see the evolution of the series. Highly recommended.
February 28, 2026
Cadillac Holland gets a call from an old classmate setting into motion his next big case. This case takes him to Missouri where we get a glimpse into his past. His ex-classmates are an interesting bunch creating a complex web of intrigue as Cadillac works out who is behind the theft of antiquities. This page turner is packed with suspense and would thrill any mystery lover. Although it can be read as a standalone I recommend reading the series to best understand Cadillac's personality. Looking forward to being back in NOLA (hopefully-I admit I did miss the town) in the next book.
August 13, 2024
Oh Gosh, this one is even more intense than book 6! Cadillac has his work cut out for him in this book filled with mobs, gangsters, mafia. Helping his friend solve this car might be even harder than he envisioned it and only his extremely organized mind can keep track of all the twists and turns this one had... And in a different city, to top it all. This is a series that will always keep you guessing and glued to the book until you finish it! Love it!
August 14, 2024
This time Detective Holland has to solve a crime in Missouri. His old classmate and his daughter have the info on it. Antiquities have been stolen from the Iraqi National Museum and his enemies want retribution against him. Can he solve the crime and survive?
August 13, 2024
An onion of a mystery
The layers of conniving involved nearly seem unending. Each one appears to be the final one. Until peeled back to expose the next.
The layers of conniving involved nearly seem unending. Each one appears to be the final one. Until peeled back to expose the next.
January 30, 2025
Complex!
If you like Tom Clancy, then you'll love this series. Lots of characters and moving parts to keep you guessing. This is a fun series. Definitely recommend!
If you like Tom Clancy, then you'll love this series. Lots of characters and moving parts to keep you guessing. This is a fun series. Definitely recommend!
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews