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Marian Larch Mysteries #6
Fare Play
Fare Play by Barbara Paul released on Jun 24, 1996 is available now for purchase.
- GenresMystery
252 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1995
2 people are currently reading
37 people want to read
About the author
Barbara Paul
99 books19 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.
Barbara Paul is an American writer of detective stories and science fiction. She was born in Maysville, Kentucky, in 1931 and was educated, inter alia, at Bowling Green State University and the University of Pittsburgh.
A number of her novels feature in-jokes: for example Full Frontal Murder borrows various names from the British TV series Blake's 7.
Barbara Paul is an American writer of detective stories and science fiction. She was born in Maysville, Kentucky, in 1931 and was educated, inter alia, at Bowling Green State University and the University of Pittsburgh.
A number of her novels feature in-jokes: for example Full Frontal Murder borrows various names from the British TV series Blake's 7.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
September 25, 2008
FARE PLAY - G
Paul, Barbara - 1st in series
Newly promoted to lieutenant in the NYPD, Marian Larch must take everything that comes with the job: prestige, pay, problems...and diabolical murder.
The first victim is an elderly gentleman shot on a crowded bus, silently and skillfully. But why did no one—including a detective who was tailing him—see anything? The next victim is a young woman on a subway. Same MO—a sneak attack, no chance for the victim. Marian suspects a hired killer is involved.
As she wages private love and war with former FBI hacker Curt Holland and tackles an overzealous fan of her actress friend, Marian uncovers a murder ring that leads her to a killer—and to those willing to pay for his services.
The writing is a bit inconsistent but I'm interested enough I shall probably read more by her.
Paul, Barbara - 1st in series
Newly promoted to lieutenant in the NYPD, Marian Larch must take everything that comes with the job: prestige, pay, problems...and diabolical murder.
The first victim is an elderly gentleman shot on a crowded bus, silently and skillfully. But why did no one—including a detective who was tailing him—see anything? The next victim is a young woman on a subway. Same MO—a sneak attack, no chance for the victim. Marian suspects a hired killer is involved.
As she wages private love and war with former FBI hacker Curt Holland and tackles an overzealous fan of her actress friend, Marian uncovers a murder ring that leads her to a killer—and to those willing to pay for his services.
The writing is a bit inconsistent but I'm interested enough I shall probably read more by her.
May 27, 2020
I am reading from my home library these days and know without a doubt that oldies can be goodies. This old police procedural had me racing through it. It is the 6th in the Marian Larch series. Marian is a NYC police detective newly promoted to Lieutenant and the book features the men in her squad, some that do not accept her as their boss. There is one interesting confrontation between her and Det. Buchanan that Lt. Larch handles well. I enjoyed reading about Marian standing up for herself, getting recognition and figuring out this twisty mystery.
I will search for others in this series when the library re-opens. I recommend this series for readers
who enjoy police procedurals with a strong female in charge.
I will search for others in this series when the library re-opens. I recommend this series for readers
who enjoy police procedurals with a strong female in charge.
July 21, 2015
I'm re-reading the Marian Larch series. This is another fine mystery from Barbara Paul. Interesting plot, plus we get more of Larch's relationship with Holland. And Marian gets to serve as her former partner's best man at his wedding! Very enjoyable.
May 17, 2022
And this is where the series of "Marian Larch Mysteries" officially ends for me. I love how Paul ended this book, with an intricate crime full of red herrings solved, And then came book seven...
But let's get back to the beginning. Barbara Paul's crime novels featuring Marian Larch where first published in the 1980s and '90s and as a series they are a bit odd. As in, Marian Larch is only the main character in five of the seven books.
Marian first appears in book #1, "The Renewable Virgin". This is the case where we also meet recurring character Kelly Ingram.
In the next two books, "He Huffed and He Puffed" and "Good King Sauerkraut", Marian is a minor character with the focus completely on other people.
Then we get three solid mysteries with Marian as the lead character in a row, "You Have the Right to Remain Silent", "The Apostrophe Thief" and "Fare Play". The books have great stories that still hold up today, even with the outdated technology (everyone is forever searching for a pay phone etc.). Paul also surrounds Marian with well fleshed out secondary characters that stay with us from book to book and give her a believable environment. And book six closes out the story in a satisfying way.
And then Paul decided to write another one that belongs in the frustrating and regrettable category of now-it's-time-to-torture-my-protagonist-and-those-closest-to-them. "Full Frontal Murder" has a badly constructed crime-plot, almost no Kelly Ingram, Marian and others acting out of character and even a touch of homophobia that really hasn't aged well. Perhaps it works better if you haven't read the other books to compare it with...
I recently re-read the series and I'd highly recommend books #1, 4,5 and 6. You get well written murder mysteries with interesting characters and a down to earth female cop protagonist. Oh, and computers are the new, slightly scary thing. ;)
But let's get back to the beginning. Barbara Paul's crime novels featuring Marian Larch where first published in the 1980s and '90s and as a series they are a bit odd. As in, Marian Larch is only the main character in five of the seven books.
Marian first appears in book #1, "The Renewable Virgin". This is the case where we also meet recurring character Kelly Ingram.
In the next two books, "He Huffed and He Puffed" and "Good King Sauerkraut", Marian is a minor character with the focus completely on other people.
Then we get three solid mysteries with Marian as the lead character in a row, "You Have the Right to Remain Silent", "The Apostrophe Thief" and "Fare Play". The books have great stories that still hold up today, even with the outdated technology (everyone is forever searching for a pay phone etc.). Paul also surrounds Marian with well fleshed out secondary characters that stay with us from book to book and give her a believable environment. And book six closes out the story in a satisfying way.
And then Paul decided to write another one that belongs in the frustrating and regrettable category of now-it's-time-to-torture-my-protagonist-and-those-closest-to-them. "Full Frontal Murder" has a badly constructed crime-plot, almost no Kelly Ingram, Marian and others acting out of character and even a touch of homophobia that really hasn't aged well. Perhaps it works better if you haven't read the other books to compare it with...
I recently re-read the series and I'd highly recommend books #1, 4,5 and 6. You get well written murder mysteries with interesting characters and a down to earth female cop protagonist. Oh, and computers are the new, slightly scary thing. ;)
November 18, 2012
3.5 stars.
This series was self-published and needed an editor. That said, I love Curt Holland -- who, in another incarnation, is Blakes 7's Kerr Avon. [And don't I just wish the stories featuring this character had been made into movies with a young Paul Darrow!] Although the stories become more dated as time passes, I have a special fondness for books #4 You Have The Right To Remain Silent
, #5 The Apostrophe Thief
and #6 (this book).
Could have been better, but enjoyed it for what it was.
This series was self-published and needed an editor. That said, I love Curt Holland -- who, in another incarnation, is Blakes 7's Kerr Avon. [And don't I just wish the stories featuring this character had been made into movies with a young Paul Darrow!] Although the stories become more dated as time passes, I have a special fondness for books #4 You Have The Right To Remain Silent
, #5 The Apostrophe Thief
and #6 (this book). Could have been better, but enjoyed it for what it was.
January 18, 2010
Yes, another advance readers' copy that I'm reading years after its publication date. Apparently Paul has written many Marian Larch mysteries both before and since, so there must be other readers who are more impressed by her than I am. I didn't dislike the book but then again it's definitely not even close to the best I've ever read; the same is true of Larch as a character. Eh.
September 3, 2011
This is an entertaining page turner with decent sub-plots. The romance part didn't "ring true" for me but that could be a factor of reading #6 in a series without reading 1 through 5.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews