What do you think?
Rate this book
Reed Ferguson Mystery #5
Out of the Past
Compelled by a dark secret from his past, private investigator Reed Ferguson takes on his most unique case yet: bodyguard for young, spoiled trust-fund baby Stephanie McMahon. As Reed tries to protect her from her father’s enemies, he gets more than he bargained for. Things are not what they seem, no one can be trusted, and the past has a way of coming back to haunt us. And when suspicious deaths begin piling up, Reed knows he might be next. With a twisting plot and film noir fun that readers have come to expect, Out of the Past is Reed Ferguson at his best.
216 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 11, 2014
854 people are currently reading
1501 people want to read
About the author
Renee Pawlish
113 books346 followersFrom the time she was ten and tried to write her own detective series in the fashion of the Hardy Boys, Renée Pawlish has been developing her craft. Along with creative writing classes, Renée studied great writers like Dashiell Hammett, Rex Stout, Stephen King, Sue Grafton and many more. Once Renée graduated from college, she began her first novel. Now, all these years later, she has penned numerous books in a variety of genres.
Renée was born in California, but has lived most of her life in Colorado. When she's not hiking, cycling, or chasing ballplayers for autographs, she is writing mysteries and thrillers. She also has some middle grade novels waiting to be published.
Renée loves to travel and has visited numerous countries around the world. She has also spent many summer days at her parents' cabin in the hills outside of Boulder, which was the inspiration for the setting of Taylor Crossing in her novel Nephilim: Genesis of Evil.
The Reed Ferguson Mystery Series
This Doesn't Happen In The Movies
Reel Estate Rip-off
The Nephilim Trilogy
Nephilim Genesis of Evil
Books Two and Three soon to be released
The Noah Winter YA Adventure Series
The Emerald Quest
Take Five
A short story collection that includes a Reed Ferguson tale.
The Sallie House: Exposing the Beast Within
A non-fiction book about one of the most haunted houses in America.
To learn more you can follow her on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/reneepawlish....
on her blog:
http://tobecomeawriter.wordpress.com/
on Twitter:
http://twitter.com/reneepawlish
Renée was born in California, but has lived most of her life in Colorado. When she's not hiking, cycling, or chasing ballplayers for autographs, she is writing mysteries and thrillers. She also has some middle grade novels waiting to be published.
Renée loves to travel and has visited numerous countries around the world. She has also spent many summer days at her parents' cabin in the hills outside of Boulder, which was the inspiration for the setting of Taylor Crossing in her novel Nephilim: Genesis of Evil.
The Reed Ferguson Mystery Series
This Doesn't Happen In The Movies
Reel Estate Rip-off
The Nephilim Trilogy
Nephilim Genesis of Evil
Books Two and Three soon to be released
The Noah Winter YA Adventure Series
The Emerald Quest
Take Five
A short story collection that includes a Reed Ferguson tale.
The Sallie House: Exposing the Beast Within
A non-fiction book about one of the most haunted houses in America.
To learn more you can follow her on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/reneepawlish....
on her blog:
http://tobecomeawriter.wordpress.com/
on Twitter:
http://twitter.com/reneepawlish
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 126 reviews
February 8, 2016
Great characters
Reed ferguson is a private detective. He is roughly introduced to the McMahon family and is hired to act as body guard to Stephanie McMahon. She is not thrilled to have a bodyguard following her around as she goes from club to club.
Reed has been left in the dark as to what is going on and do he tries to find out why Stephanie really needs a bodyguard.
Reed discovers a trail of recent deaths surrounding Stephanie. He invited the help of his tech savvy friend Cal to help him find out what was really going on.
The plot is interesting and suspenseful. There are questions that you want answers to. This book is well written and keeps you thirsting for more. I will be reading more books by this author and more of the Reed Ferguson series.
Reed ferguson is a private detective. He is roughly introduced to the McMahon family and is hired to act as body guard to Stephanie McMahon. She is not thrilled to have a bodyguard following her around as she goes from club to club.
Reed has been left in the dark as to what is going on and do he tries to find out why Stephanie really needs a bodyguard.
Reed discovers a trail of recent deaths surrounding Stephanie. He invited the help of his tech savvy friend Cal to help him find out what was really going on.
The plot is interesting and suspenseful. There are questions that you want answers to. This book is well written and keeps you thirsting for more. I will be reading more books by this author and more of the Reed Ferguson series.
November 11, 2017
Out of the Past is the latest in Renée Pawlish’s comic mystery series featuring Denver Private Eye, Reed Ferguson. In this tale, Reed is strong-armed – both physically and metaphorically – into baby-sitting the spoiled brattish daughter of local businessman, Forrest McMahon. Reed’s charge, Stephanie McMahon, spends her days shopping, socialising and spitting out smart remarks, and her nights partying and getting her chemical and physical kicks. Reed’s duty appears fairly routine, albeit frustrating, until he spots two shadowy figures on their tail and one of Stephanie’s friends is killed in what Reed is sure is not an accident. When he learns that another of her friends has died in tragic circumstances recently, Reed starts to suspect that Stephanie is also in danger from someone seeking to avenge the past.
This was my first Renée Pawlish book, but I doubt it will be my last. Out of the Past and Reed Ferguson are both good fun, and the tale develops into a thrilling mystery. The characters are believable – if not all exactly likable – and the writing and dialogue are both sharp. My only criticism would be that the story itself is quite short; perhaps it’s because I’ve not read the earlier books, but I would have been happy with 50 or so more pages about Reed, his girlfriend and his friends and about the solution to the mystery and Reed’s search for, and unmasking of, the perpetrator. I did really enjoy the story and the revelation of whodunit and why. I’d definitely recommend this book, and I plan to start reading the series from the beginning. Reviewed by Julia for Reads' Favorite.
This was my first Renée Pawlish book, but I doubt it will be my last. Out of the Past and Reed Ferguson are both good fun, and the tale develops into a thrilling mystery. The characters are believable – if not all exactly likable – and the writing and dialogue are both sharp. My only criticism would be that the story itself is quite short; perhaps it’s because I’ve not read the earlier books, but I would have been happy with 50 or so more pages about Reed, his girlfriend and his friends and about the solution to the mystery and Reed’s search for, and unmasking of, the perpetrator. I did really enjoy the story and the revelation of whodunit and why. I’d definitely recommend this book, and I plan to start reading the series from the beginning. Reviewed by Julia for Reads' Favorite.
April 19, 2015
A light read for a plane trip home. I like the main character because he is a throw back to film noir -- his favorite film and perhaps mine as well. The plot was not thin and the characters were sufficiently developed. Not thrilling or especially gripping but not bad either.
October 26, 2015
Ok
Not much depth of character. Plot was somewhat interesting but the bad guy came out of nowhere. I like things to build with clues and come to a logical ending.
The second secretive so convoluted and led nowhere
Not much depth of character. Plot was somewhat interesting but the bad guy came out of nowhere. I like things to build with clues and come to a logical ending.
The second secretive so convoluted and led nowhere
May 26, 2016
It is suggested that Reed Ferguson take on the case of bodyguard to trust fund female Stephanie McMahon. But he gets suspicious when he finds out about the 'accidental' deaths that have happened to her friends.
March 10, 2017
A short and quick read. It was interesting enough till the final quarter or so of the book. The main mystery and capturing the "bad guy" compelling, but the ending was a little confusing to me. I've read better books in this series, but I will prolly read more of them.
June 21, 2015
Just okay
This does not have a very good ending. Some of the dialogue is so unbelievable. I will not read the sequel.
This does not have a very good ending. Some of the dialogue is so unbelievable. I will not read the sequel.
April 6, 2016
Not the best mystery I have read and not the worst. Too many character flaws to empathize.
December 31, 2022
Out of the Past is the fifth installment in the Reed Ferguson Mysteries. In this adventure, Reed is abducted and taken to a wealthy business mogul who wants him to act as body guard to his spoiled, bratty daughter as the father believes her life is in danger. Reed reluctantly accepts the assignment after being threatened with disclosure of an unsavory event in his past. In true Reed Ferguson style, however, nothing ever goes smoothly and a simple body guard assignment becomes a complex, multi-generational mystery which includes a shady past.
I enjoyed this book quite a bit. There were many twists and turns and the ending was rather unexpected. The Gooofball Brother and Cal make appearances and bring the comic relief. The spoiled daughter was very unlikeable and, at times, I just wanted to smack her. This installment held a bit less of the film noir feel but still reflects Pawlish’s trademark style.
Johnny Peppers is always a treat to listen to. He has a smooth easy listening voice that fits so well with the tenor of the book.
***I received a free copy of this audiobook in exchange for my own, unbiased, review.***
I enjoyed this book quite a bit. There were many twists and turns and the ending was rather unexpected. The Gooofball Brother and Cal make appearances and bring the comic relief. The spoiled daughter was very unlikeable and, at times, I just wanted to smack her. This installment held a bit less of the film noir feel but still reflects Pawlish’s trademark style.
Johnny Peppers is always a treat to listen to. He has a smooth easy listening voice that fits so well with the tenor of the book.
***I received a free copy of this audiobook in exchange for my own, unbiased, review.***
August 20, 2018
Pawlish does it again...first-person, noir-style plotting and development.l
I read these two out of order. As a resu!t, I had to readjust my preconceptions. We're presented with Reed being hired by a wealthy local business tycoon to bodyguard his daughter. Daughter, a trust fund baby, doesn't want a bodyguard who might interfere with her social activities. Plot twists occur about often enough to confuse Reed and the daughter.
The dialog is realistic, similar to Dutch Leonard's style in "Get Shorty." Also the humor is similar to Leonard's style.
I am a retired English.teacher, and am usually perturbed.by errors in writing. I am very impressed by all of the Reed Ferguson novels by the use of language and complete absence of typos, misspellings, and awkward, unrealistic dialog.
I read these two out of order. As a resu!t, I had to readjust my preconceptions. We're presented with Reed being hired by a wealthy local business tycoon to bodyguard his daughter. Daughter, a trust fund baby, doesn't want a bodyguard who might interfere with her social activities. Plot twists occur about often enough to confuse Reed and the daughter.
The dialog is realistic, similar to Dutch Leonard's style in "Get Shorty." Also the humor is similar to Leonard's style.
I am a retired English.teacher, and am usually perturbed.by errors in writing. I am very impressed by all of the Reed Ferguson novels by the use of language and complete absence of typos, misspellings, and awkward, unrealistic dialog.
January 13, 2018
This book is for fans of film noir and old time detective stories. The hero, Reed Ferguson is (what else?) a private detective who is hired by a rich old geezer to protect his (what else?) attractive, wise mouthed daughter from someone who seems to be out to kill off her and her college friends. There are gun fights, people getting knocked over the head, murders, plot twists and all the other things you'd expect from a book dedicated to the Noir tradition.
I enjoyed the book, but it wasn't anything memorable. Just a good, easy, enjoyable read.
I enjoyed the book, but it wasn't anything memorable. Just a good, easy, enjoyable read.
September 15, 2023
Private investigator Reed Ferguson is hired as a body guard for young bratty socialite Stephanie McMahon. Stephanie likes to go clubbing and isn’t interested in having a bodyguard following her everywhere. Reed becomes suspicious when two suspicious people appear near Stephanie and her friend is killed. Reed finds out that another one of Stephanie’s friends was killed on a previous outing. Reed suspects that Stephanie is in danger and someone wants to kill her. Reed calls upon his tech-savy friend Cal to help him on the case. I really enjoyed this phenomenal crime mystery thriller novel.
October 5, 2018
Read this one Sweetheart
A really good, old fashion private eye story. Complete with mobsters, beautiful women and nefarious rich guys. This is a quick read, something to read in an afternoon. The only difference I could determine from tales of old was the inclusion of computers and cellphones. Told as a tale in Denver was unusual, all other stories seem to be set in New York or LA.
A really good, old fashion private eye story. Complete with mobsters, beautiful women and nefarious rich guys. This is a quick read, something to read in an afternoon. The only difference I could determine from tales of old was the inclusion of computers and cellphones. Told as a tale in Denver was unusual, all other stories seem to be set in New York or LA.
May 29, 2017
A light hearted amusing detective story. Reed, the detective, relates events as he experiences them to film noir movies. He has some goofy friends who are sort of dense, but the help him anyway. He is hired as a bodyguard for rich spoiled college age girl. But things are not as they seem - are they ever?
December 28, 2018
My second Pawlish book and I really enjoy this style of writing. This was a cool story that I could just immerse myself into and forget about other things. The beginning almost made me give up on the book and I don’t know why. It felt like it might be a bit slow or boring but I’m so glad I forced myself to keep reading more than 2-3 pages. It was interesting and I really liked it.
August 25, 2018
A good read .
Reed Ferguson is a very likable character. He is also blessed with a sense of humor. Love his neighbors Ace and Deuce story is a quick read. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and recommend it to anyone that enjoys a detective novel.
Reed Ferguson is a very likable character. He is also blessed with a sense of humor. Love his neighbors Ace and Deuce story is a quick read. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and recommend it to anyone that enjoys a detective novel.
December 10, 2018
Classic detective noir. I am a sucker for a detective story but not every writer can pull it off. Pawlish does a fine job with this. A slightly typical storyline but Reed is such a likable character, it's hard not to enjoy his twist on situations or how he handles them. Great series.
July 29, 2019
Murder Mystery
A face paced murder mystery with great characters. Larger than life descriptions add depth to the story. Plenty of action and a little bit of humor make for a well rounded story.
A face paced murder mystery with great characters. Larger than life descriptions add depth to the story. Plenty of action and a little bit of humor make for a well rounded story.
August 29, 2020
Light reading. Nice storyline
I enjoyed the book. Was easy to read. Some scenes were elaborate in their description which isn't my style. The story was interesting. The characters simple too. A nice light read book. The end a little too simplistic.
I enjoyed the book. Was easy to read. Some scenes were elaborate in their description which isn't my style. The story was interesting. The characters simple too. A nice light read book. The end a little too simplistic.
December 28, 2020
Stephanie McMahon is a spoiled trust fund kid. Her father forces Reed to bodyguard her. Seems he has something on Reed he has no business having. Both Stephanie and her father have information they are not willing to share that would help Reed. That isn't going to stop him, though
January 2, 2021
Pawlish's take on classic noir mysteries. Done very well. Good plot. Good dialog, light humor.
It was ok to start with #5 in the series. Don't need to read in order.
This was my first Pawlish book and I want to read more.
It was ok to start with #5 in the series. Don't need to read in order.
This was my first Pawlish book and I want to read more.
March 13, 2022
Again, Ms. Pawlish hit the nail on the head with "Out of the Past." Reed and Cal are quite the pair, funny and serious all at once. The characters in this book felt real. There is a unique resolution. Keeps the reader on their toes.
August 11, 2023
Fun easy read, and keeps your attention
I’m really enjoying the series. I wasn’t sure I would like it initially but I found it to be really entertaining and easy read and definitely not filled with a lot of graphic representation of situation’s. Which I appreciate.
I’m really enjoying the series. I wasn’t sure I would like it initially but I found it to be really entertaining and easy read and definitely not filled with a lot of graphic representation of situation’s. Which I appreciate.
October 20, 2017
Out of the past
Reed is summoned to protect a spoiled rich girl. He needs to figure out who wants to harm her and why. Fast moving story with a slight twist at the end.
Reed is summoned to protect a spoiled rich girl. He needs to figure out who wants to harm her and why. Fast moving story with a slight twist at the end.
November 29, 2017
Great read
I chose this book because I was bored and luckily it turned into a great read with a fascinating storyline. I must say I will be reading of these books
I chose this book because I was bored and luckily it turned into a great read with a fascinating storyline. I must say I will be reading of these books
January 14, 2018
Nice thriller
It is over all a 4 star rated novel.. it's ending could be more clearer.. but it is quite nice.
It is over all a 4 star rated novel.. it's ending could be more clearer.. but it is quite nice.
September 21, 2018
A great detective story with a twist in the tail.
February 18, 2019
Best book on the series so far.
August 7, 2019
Got my interest straight away.
Plenty of action and a few twist in the story. I don’t know if all that information can be found but it’s scary if it can
Plenty of action and a few twist in the story. I don’t know if all that information can be found but it’s scary if it can
February 18, 2020
Rattling good read
Well plotted and paced. Definitely influenced by the film noir genre of which Reed Ferguson is such an avid aficionado.
Well plotted and paced. Definitely influenced by the film noir genre of which Reed Ferguson is such an avid aficionado.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 126 reviews