The Devil May Care

Mac McKenzie #11

by David Housewright

Riley Brodin is the granddaughter of Walter Muehlenhaus -- a man as rich, powerful, and connected as anyone since the days of J. P. Morgan. Despite her family's connections, it's McKenzie she reaches out to when her relatively new boyfriend goes missing. Despite his reservations about getting involved with the Muehlenhaus family -- again -- Mac McKenzie agrees to look for one Juan Carlos Navarre. What he finds, though, is a man who appears to be a ghost.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Thriller, Mystery Thriller, Audiobook, Crime

383 pages, Library Binding

First published June 3, 2014

About the author

A past president of the Private Eye Writers of America, David Housewright has published 28 crimes novels including In A Hard Wind (June 2023 St. Martin’s Minotaur) and has contributed short stories to 15 anthologies and other publications. He has earned an Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America, a Shamus nomination from the PWA, and three Minnesota Books Awards. A reformed newspaper reporter and ad man, he has also taught writing courses at the University of Minnesota and Loft Literary Center in Minneapolis. His name and face were recently added to “Minnesota Writers on the Map” by the Minnesota Historical Society and Friends of the St. Paul Public Library.

Reviews

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am on a series binge of David Housewright’s Mac McKenzie collection, of which this is the eleventh book. Housewright explores the life of Mac ‘Rushmore’ McKenzie, an amateur private investigator from St. Paul, Minnesota who is always eager to help those close to him. A missing man and a rich family who has crossed paths with Mac in the past create a great story. As Mac tries to make sense of it all, he cannot help but wonder if he’s agreed to help before knowing how dangerous things will get. Housewright is on point once more!

Mac ‘Rushmore’ McKenzie came into a significant amount of money years ago, which led to his abrupt retirement from the St. Paul PD. Now, he’s working an an unlicensed PI and helping those he deems worth his while. While Riley Brodin comes from a powerful and extremely wealthy family, she turns to Mac to help locate her missing boyfriend. Mac is not sure how he can help, though finds a little glee in knowing he will be helping the granddaughter of a man he dislikes.

Mac promises to locate Juan Carlos Navarre, who apparently comes from money across the Atlantic. When Mac presses, he discovers that Juan Carlos is both a ghost and deceptive. The boat he says he owns, the property that is supposed to be luxurious… it’s all rented and sparsely furnished. Mac cannot help but wonder if there is something more than a missing man.

Mac can only surmise that Juan Carlos Navarre is in serious trouble. His missing status could actually be a man who has gone into hiding. A group of some power in Spain is rumored to be after Juan Carlos, though Mac cannot connect any of the dots. When a fire destroys a restaurant and a string of dead bodies emerge, Mac is sure he is on the trail and could get to the truth, if he can stay ahead of the killer. Housewright provides the reader an entertaining story for all to enjoy!

While I have the latest novel in the series as an ARC, I wanted some context and so am binge reading the entire collection. Housewright creates a story I could easily see turned into a television show or movie, with its exciting antics and fiery storytelling. Things gain momentum and the reader cannot help but get stuck in the middle of the action. Characters are in point and colorful, as many of the great novels in the series have used to keep things fresh. The plot proves enticing and full of surprises, though flows with ease and keeps the reader engaged. This was a great addition to the series and I cannot wait to keep reading.

Kudos, Mr. Housewright, for a great tale of deception and greed.

Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/

[Susan Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoy this series! In this book #11, David Housewright pays tribute to Jim Butcher with a short quote, "But just because you're paranoid doesn't mean there isn't an invisible demon about to eat your face." I am also a big Dresden Files fan and with Mr. Housewright including this quote in his book, he went up a notch in my already great admiration!

[Marca · Rating 4 out of 5]

I accidentally picked up this book at the library. Wasn’t wearing my glasses and saw “David” on the cover – thought it was David Baldacci. The cover art kinda looked like a Baldacci book. I decided to read the book anyway since it was a mystery and was glad I did. Rushmore McKenzie, a retired police officer who is now wealthy, is approached by a young woman from the town’s richest family to find her missing boyfriend. Adventure ensues. I liked McKenzie; he was a sensible guy who played well with the law enforcement he encountered. I’ve read similar characters who are blustery and obnoxious, and think they know better than all the law enforcement. Plus, they are usually chick-magnets who attract every horny drooling Marilyn Monroe-like bimbo within miles. McKenzie has a smart girlfriend who is age-appropriate; women like him, but most do not slavor over him. McKenzie is an easy-going, gentle, likable guy, who is also very smart and tenacious. I am always happy to find a new continuing character that I like. The other characters were likable, too; not the usual good/evil demarcation line between all the characters. Oh, there was an evil character, but most, even the bad guys and gals, had some redeeming qualities. Will certainly look for more books by Housewright, and this time, not by accident.

[Jon · Rating 4 out of 5]

A strong offering in this series, set with much local color in Minneapolis, where I live. There is a lot of very accurate description of Lake Minnetonka, an area for the rich and famous, where a small house, if such a thing existed, would go for several million dollars. The Spanish boyfriend of a rich heiress has disappeared and the heiress begs our hero to look for him. He seems to be a will-o-the-wisp: he never reappears, but everything that the heiress thought she knew about him turns out to be (to put it gently) inaccurate. He is clearly (?) still in the area, and many other people, less savory than our hero are also looking for him, but with extreme prejudice. A complicated and interesting thriller which kept me guessing, with a number of well-drawn and appealing characters, some of whom do not make it to the end.

[Adia⭐️(losing my mind)]

actually no rating for this one because i feel nothing. congratulations to the author on this one, because it's not often i have essentially nothing to say about a book! maybe i'm missing something contextually since there are novels in this universe predating this one, so i'll give it that, but this entire thing just fell flat for me.

there was no point during this story that i cared about the outcome. i was so neutral it would've shocked me if i cared enough to have any sort of reaction. i don't think there was anything inherently wrong with the writing, or even the characters necessarily, but the mystery element wasn't all there for me. i don't mean to be rude with this, because i'm not at all giving a fair review, but... yeah...

[Katherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

"I had no doubt, though, that the cops were thinking I should be cited for DWHUA-driving with head up ass" (138).
"Flying used to be fun, at least for me. Now it was one long exercise in personal humiliation and tedium…" (203)
"I felt like a kite baffled by the changing winds" (223).

[Lauri · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am making my way through the Rushmore McKenzie series having mistakenly read the latest one first without realizing it was a series. I have been generally enjoying it and giving Housewright four stars. This book is probably worthy of four stars as well, but I have a beef with the entire series that made me find this one a little more difficult to get through. It’s Housewright’s descriptions of women. Every woman is extremely beautiful, well endowed, wears a low cut blouse, and wears a skirt with a slit up to here. After that description, we are treated to Mackenzie‘s adolescent response, which often is described as an electric shock going through his body. The men (from repeat character characters to minor characters to the villains) are all given complete descriptions of their height, weight, facial expressions, color of their hair or lack thereof. But not the women. The only thing that might change is the color of their hair. Even characters who are elderly are described, as having once been beautiful and are still sexy. It would be very nice if both McKenzie and Housewright would just grow up and stop this nonsense.

[Kimberly Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

The granddaughter of an obscenely rich grand political manipulator, who happens to be not a fan of "That Fuckin' McKenzie", asks McKenzie to find her boyfriend who has taken his boat & disappeared.

As it turns out there are some very ugly & dangerous people looking for him as well and as McKenzie discovers the boyfriend is not who his girlfriend, her family, & new friends know him as.

The book definitely held my interest, but the violence towards the women in the book made me take off a star.

[Sherri · Rating 5 out of 5]

well this is a delightful book for many reasons. Great author with great characters but since it is set around Lake Minnetonka it was just a TRIP to see all the references. Loved it !!!

[T.G. Wolff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Devil May Care is a PI Mystery. McKenzie is approached by the granddaughter of a locally powerful man to find her missing boyfriend. She is certain he didn’t ghost her. McKenzie starts to believe he is a ghost…or at least not the man he sold himself to be.

Bottom line: Devil May Care is for you if you like hard punching PIs who do what’s right, even if it’s gonna hurt a little.

Strengths of the story. As the star of the show, McKenzie is a strong leading man. His morals and ethics repeatedly lead him into the heart of trouble. His quick wits and fast actions get him out. He is a hero that is fun to cheer for.

The series contains a cast of characters that makes reading the next McKenzie book feel like visiting old friends. From McKenzie’s girlfriend Nina, to his best friend Bobby and his family, they round McKenzie out as well as fill in the gaps and smooth out the rough edges.

Housewright’s development of a plot that has more switchbacks than a mountain pass means that the reader is never bored and rarely goes where we think we are. The pacing matches my preferred style of fast and driving, moving forward with every chapter.

Where the story fell short of ideal: McKenzie always drives his own story and the logic of the arc holds up, so nothing to pick on here. The boyfriend McKenzie is looking for, Juan Carlos Navarre, is a character some readers will hate and others respect. That’s the sign of good writing when, even buttoned up, things aren’t black and white.

[Dick Aichinger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mckenzie normally only does his 'favors' for his established friends. He makes an exception this time when helping a young woman who is worried about her boyfriend has the added benefit of antagonizing one of the most wealthy and powerful men in Minnesota, a man who has been used McKenzie in the past and been irritated immensely by him.

Kylie Muehlenhaus cannot locate her boyfriend. The granddaughter of Walter Muehlenhaus has the resources from many agencies and investigators. She want McKenzie for the same reason he may accept. Her grandfather doesn't like McKenzie so she feels more comfortable he may hold her interests about her grandfathers. What starts out as a case of attempting to track down someone who may not want to be found turns not only mysterious but deadly. McKenzie must follow a trail leading through Mexican gang members, international mystery, and fraud on a massive scale involving the US Government.

Another wild ride.

[Nolan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rushmore (Mac) McKenzie is a former St. Paul cop turned unlicensed private investigator. In this installment in the series, McKenzie snags a job whose goal is to reunite a spoiled rich girl with her boyfriend who has gone missing. The boyfriend claims to be a wealthy Spaniard, and you can read this to see whether that claim holds up.

This is a good, action-packed series that won’t disappoint you. McKenzie is a sympathetic character, but the bizarre arms-length relationship he maintains with a local bar owner gets a bit tiresome from book to book.

[Maryanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mckenzie agreed to do a favor for the Riley, whose boyfriend has gone missing and fears for the worst. The search finds the boyfriend with multiple aliases and numerous revengeful people looking for him. The mystery has multiple angles from massive fraud, deceptions and international theft involving the US government and gang members. The sexual violence against 2 women was disturbing, otherwise, it was fast paced and an entertaining read.

[Darcy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another interesting romp for McKenzie. This time around he ends up helping his arch nemesis's granddaughter, who is just as crafty as her grandfather, but in a sly way. I don't think McKenzie even realized it until the end, so it was fun to see their interactions, along with those of her family's. More fun was Nina was along for the ride on some of the action and as much as she harps on McKenzie about his "job" she really loves the action too. She just got a bit too close to it this time.

[Jan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another wonderful twisty plot! Loved it! He visited one of my favorite escape places--Galena, Illinois. But he didn't make it to another of my favorite places--Betty's Pies. I also love his sly, humorous sarcasm. Secondary characters are also developed to move the plot forward. Simply, I love each entry in this series!

[Larry · Rating 4 out of 5]

McKenzie agrees to help a young woman, who is the granddaughter of one of Minnesota's riches families, find her missing boyfriend. Suffice to say the boyfriend has a questionable background and McKenzie soon finds out he's not the only one looking for him. Lots of interesting characters with good action, mystery and thrills. David Housewright is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors.

[Crystal Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The thing I love about David Housewright is that I never can predict where his book is going. Reading this book, I had to go back a few pages sometimes to gather the events that had just happened. I love a good crime story with a very unsuspecting ending. Looking forward to reading more by this author!!

[Joan Skinner · Rating 4 out of 5]

McKenzie is asked by a young woman to find her boyfriend. But is he really just hiding out or dead? A convoluted, but interesting plot, takes McKenzie to possibly finding someone wanted by the feds. And finally the young woman disappears, probably with her boyfriend, who may or may not be who he says he is.

[Debra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fun romp, although some seriously evil characters in this book. It never fails to amaze me how McKenzie, who is not a police officer nor a license PI does so much investigating, solving things no one else can and shooting a lot of people with mostly no consequences.
That is what makes it fun.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mostly I enjoyed learning some geographic information about Lake Minnetonka -- had no idea it had such an interesting and challenging shoreline with all those bays and inlets. Had to refer to a map
a number of times -- also enjoyed a revisit to Galena, Illinois. The plot was a little confusing because of all the name changes of the two 'villains' but it was an enjoyable Minnesota mystery.

[Raymond Parish · Rating 4 out of 5]

McKenzie continues in his quest to be a principled thorn in the side of those who like, love, and loath him. As with most great series, this book deepens the key relationships in his life. Much of the story careens an toward expected conclusion, but there are suspenseful twists as we ride.

[Libby · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars. MacKenzie looks for a missing boyfriend who isn’t who he claims to be. People are searching for him because of crimes he committed. They want revenge and it doesn’t matter who gets in the way.

[Molly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was good. He's appearing at rum river library in October and I wanted to have read something recent. I have read one or two of his earlier titles. Love the minnesota connection.

[Wendy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I always enjoy a mystery set in Minnesota.

[Dave · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is my second "McKenzie" novel.
While I will read more of the series, I didn't enjoy this one as much as the other one I read.

[Edward · Rating 4 out of 5]

Decent read, but if I were going to nitpick I feel like the ending was a little weak. I think it was supposed to have some ambiguity....

[Sharon Reed · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good. I enjoyed it.

[Steve Payne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was another typical McKenzie read, fast-paced with plenty of action and clever dialogue.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another good thriller from David Housewright. If you haven't read one of his books you should. He's an unknown treasure from MN!

[Judy Crudele · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 1/2 stars