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Maisie McGrane Mystery #1
Time's Up
All her life, Maisie McGrane dreamed of following in her father and older brothers’ footsteps and joining the force. But when she’s expelled from the police academy, she’s reduced to taking a job as a meter maid. Now, instead of chasing down perps, she’s booting people’s cars and taking abuse from every lowlife who can’t scrape together enough change to feed the meter.
McGranes weren’t put on this earth to quit, however. When Maisie stumbles across the body of a City Hall staffer with two bullets in his chest, her badge-wielding brothers try to warn her off the case. But with the help of her secret crush, shadowy ex-Army Ranger Hank Bannon, Maisie’s determined to follow the trail of conspiracy no matter where it leads. And that could put her in the crosshairs of a killer—and all she’s packing is a ticket gun.
“Mack’s outstanding debut conjures up equal parts Janet Evanovich (zany characters) and Michael Harvey (the Chicago political machine)… Riotous characters, including the members of the large McGrane clan, enhance a fast and furious plot that expertly balances menace and laugh-out-loud hijinks.” – Publishers Weekly, STARRED Review
“Mystery buffs will not only be swept up in the ingenious and well-crafted plot buy will love the irrepressible Maisie, who knows what she wants. Recommend for readers who miss the works of Eleanor Taylor Bland and enjoy those of Tim Dorsey.”-- Library Journal, STARRED Review
McGranes weren’t put on this earth to quit, however. When Maisie stumbles across the body of a City Hall staffer with two bullets in his chest, her badge-wielding brothers try to warn her off the case. But with the help of her secret crush, shadowy ex-Army Ranger Hank Bannon, Maisie’s determined to follow the trail of conspiracy no matter where it leads. And that could put her in the crosshairs of a killer—and all she’s packing is a ticket gun.
“Mack’s outstanding debut conjures up equal parts Janet Evanovich (zany characters) and Michael Harvey (the Chicago political machine)… Riotous characters, including the members of the large McGrane clan, enhance a fast and furious plot that expertly balances menace and laugh-out-loud hijinks.” – Publishers Weekly, STARRED Review
“Mystery buffs will not only be swept up in the ingenious and well-crafted plot buy will love the irrepressible Maisie, who knows what she wants. Recommend for readers who miss the works of Eleanor Taylor Bland and enjoy those of Tim Dorsey.”-- Library Journal, STARRED Review
352 pages, Paperback
First published June 30, 2015
32 people are currently reading
494 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 102 reviews
June 5, 2015
Two guys in her life--a cop and a dangerous one with a mysterious past? Wisecracking ethnic sidekicks? A job on the periphery of law enforcement? Family drama? A car blown up? Sound like Evanovich? No, it is this novel about Maisie, the Chicago meter maid. I really was hoping for a fun mystery but this blatant copycat with so many really unlikable characters wasn't it. (And the line comparing someone to a "frigid librarian" didn't help.)
January 18, 2016
Time's Up is a real page turner. An underdog protagonist takes on crooks and corrupt city officials with grit and determination - only a bullet will slow her down. A fast-moving clever story line - when the real action hits it reminded me a little of the old Ludlum thrillers that made you sweat until they were resolved. A really good mystery that had me rooting for the good guys, and also had enough humor to make me laugh out loud several times. I read it in one sitting, far into the night. Looking forward to book no. 2!
June 25, 2015
While this book is described as a murder mystery, I would describe it more accurately as a coming of age story with a well-developed character driven tale set in a Chicago filled with heroes, villains, charlatans and thieves. Our heroine, Maisie, is the youngest and only daughter in an Irish family filled with cops, lawyers and more sons than can be easily remembered. Wanting only to be another cop in the family, she ends up as a meter maid and the story unfolds from there. While there are several murders, truthfully, Maisie and her growth and development are far more interesting than solving the crimes. Luckily the author delivers on both fronts and readers are rewarded with ample amounts of comedy and justice, often intertwined. The book is a joy to read and the characters are winning, most especially Maisie, as she seeks redemption and success in all her endeavors. I received this book from NetGalley and the publishers.
August 23, 2022
Obviously looking at other reviews, I'm the odd one out here. It's just not my kind of book, and I gave up about 40% of the way through.
I just got bored with not a lot happening, and I found the constant internal conversations profoundly irritating. I was disappointed- I was expecting to find a good new series, incorporating crime and humour. Something similar to early Evanovitch maybe. I gave up on Evanovitch as they became lacking in new ideas and repetitive, and I found this book even less entertaining.
Sorry. The book obviously does appeal to a wide audience, just doesn't include me.
I just got bored with not a lot happening, and I found the constant internal conversations profoundly irritating. I was disappointed- I was expecting to find a good new series, incorporating crime and humour. Something similar to early Evanovitch maybe. I gave up on Evanovitch as they became lacking in new ideas and repetitive, and I found this book even less entertaining.
Sorry. The book obviously does appeal to a wide audience, just doesn't include me.
August 28, 2016
TIME’S UP ©2015 by Janey Mack stars a fabulous, feisty heroine. Maisie McGrane and her four brothers are Black Irish, first-generation Chicagoans. Her family are all cops and lawyers (including her parents). Maisie has had a life-long dream of being a cop, which is now thwarted, so, with characteristic deviousness, she becomes a meter maid, prone to mishap and misadventure.
The romance/sex appeal is just right: ever-present, not a slam dunk, not graphic, doesn’t take over the story. TIME’S UP is not a mystery in the usual sense, though there is a body. And, it could be that Maisie discovers the culprit. It’s a roller coaster, a "caper" story full of antics.
Maisie’s adventures can be very funny, but I found some confusing. A Cast of Characters didn’t help. Events occur and then people say things but I was often unclear of the meaning of an event or how subsequent conversation made any kind of resolution, though it was clear that various other characters in the story understood.
Now that I’ve said this, I *DO* intend to read the next in the series because Maisie really is delightful. And I hope the next time, Janey Mack is able to deliver more clues about what’s going on.
The romance/sex appeal is just right: ever-present, not a slam dunk, not graphic, doesn’t take over the story. TIME’S UP is not a mystery in the usual sense, though there is a body. And, it could be that Maisie discovers the culprit. It’s a roller coaster, a "caper" story full of antics.
Maisie’s adventures can be very funny, but I found some confusing. A Cast of Characters didn’t help. Events occur and then people say things but I was often unclear of the meaning of an event or how subsequent conversation made any kind of resolution, though it was clear that various other characters in the story understood.
Now that I’ve said this, I *DO* intend to read the next in the series because Maisie really is delightful. And I hope the next time, Janey Mack is able to deliver more clues about what’s going on.
June 4, 2015
Maisie has an uncanny ability to take a reverse roller coaster ride as a way of life. She can end the day in the lowest of lows only to discover that her tragedy has catapulted her to an even higher crest the next day. Could it be just luck? I don’t think so. It’s destiny.
Don’t underestimate her. Well trained in crisis management and self-defense by a hulk of a mentor, she can think and react quickly.
Maisie is clever, tough and tenacious. Her unspoken remarks will have you laughing out loud. This delightful mystery is highly recommended.
Don’t underestimate her. Well trained in crisis management and self-defense by a hulk of a mentor, she can think and react quickly.
Maisie is clever, tough and tenacious. Her unspoken remarks will have you laughing out loud. This delightful mystery is highly recommended.
May 17, 2015
Janey Mack's childhood dream of becoming a cop is lived out in her writing. The main character in this compelling novel, Maisie McGrane joins the Police Academy but is then kicked out. She becomes a meter maid. Really not the most glamorous job, but she discovers a body, and attempts to find the killer with a parking meter as her help. A real entertaining read, and I would like to see more of Maisie's exploits.
July 30, 2015
Love, love this book. So much fun and suspense, with a hefty dash of sexy, wrapped up in this mystery. Maisie is determined and dives in headlong into trouble. Doesn't matter that her life, and maybe her heart, could be in danger. But a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do to get what she wants and prove to everyone she has what it takes to be one of Chicago's finest.
As a side note: The author's style reminded me of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series. For me, that's a huge plus.
As a side note: The author's style reminded me of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series. For me, that's a huge plus.
June 4, 2015
Caution! This is not a book to read before bed - you won't be able to put it down. Maisie is a relatable character and you can't help but root for her. This book is such a page turner, you can't wait to see what happens next. I haven't read a book this good in a long time. Loved it!
September 26, 2015
It's time you read Time's Up by Janey Mack. I did. Enjoyable read with a great balance of plot, mystery, character, and a dash of surprise at the end. Maisie McGrane (main character) not only holds her own in hand-to-hand combat but also endears the reader with her self-doubts and relatable vulnerabilities.
Oh yes, I HAVE to mention the hunk-a-lushes leading good-guy-with-a-heavy-dose-bad-boy love interest. Mackey's portrayal of all the small things that make most women tingle -- is subtle, and very effective.
Mackey carries off the first person presentation by expertly keeping the reader in the action; all the while peppering you with the funny and snarky sarcasm of Maisie.
Time’s Up is a light, fun, and memorable read. Not for those looking for complex theme, multiple plot lines, or numerous characters with deep back stories, but more for those wanting an enjoyable read, with memorable characters that will leave you beckoning for more.
The biggest compliment a reader can give an author: Can't wait to read what Maisie does in the next book! Thank you Janey Mack.
Oh yes, I HAVE to mention the hunk-a-lushes leading good-guy-with-a-heavy-dose-bad-boy love interest. Mackey's portrayal of all the small things that make most women tingle -- is subtle, and very effective.
Mackey carries off the first person presentation by expertly keeping the reader in the action; all the while peppering you with the funny and snarky sarcasm of Maisie.
Time’s Up is a light, fun, and memorable read. Not for those looking for complex theme, multiple plot lines, or numerous characters with deep back stories, but more for those wanting an enjoyable read, with memorable characters that will leave you beckoning for more.
The biggest compliment a reader can give an author: Can't wait to read what Maisie does in the next book! Thank you Janey Mack.
July 15, 2015
I think I have found another favorite series. Maisie is the youngest of 6 siblings and the only girl. Her dad and some of her brothers are cops and her (step) mum is a lawyer, same as 2 of her brothers.
Maisie wants to be a cop and has trained for it. She is devastated when she is thrown out of the police academy because of a failed psych evaluation, instead of being top cadet as she expected.
Next step: being a meter maid for a year so she can prove she is cop material after all and get back into the police academy.
I liked the whole family dynamics and the situations Maisie gets into as a meter maid. She is also trying to solve the murder of a victim she found during her job and gets into danger herself.
Her love interest is the sexy and mysterious Hank, who has been training her. But then there is also SWAT leader Lee who is determined to win her over.
Looking forward to the next!
Maisie wants to be a cop and has trained for it. She is devastated when she is thrown out of the police academy because of a failed psych evaluation, instead of being top cadet as she expected.
Next step: being a meter maid for a year so she can prove she is cop material after all and get back into the police academy.
I liked the whole family dynamics and the situations Maisie gets into as a meter maid. She is also trying to solve the murder of a victim she found during her job and gets into danger herself.
Her love interest is the sexy and mysterious Hank, who has been training her. But then there is also SWAT leader Lee who is determined to win her over.
Looking forward to the next!
June 3, 2015
I have been struggling the last several months to find a book that I enjoyed and didn't want to put down. This was the book that fixed that streak! The plot was absolutely gripping and the characters spoke to me. From page 2 Maize and her sassiness captured my attention. I love the fact that she's a bad ass girl who still has her girly moments. I didn't just read this book, I devoured it in one sitting, way into the night. I will be recommending this book to all of my friends and family. I'm positive that I will be re-reading it in the next couple of weeks. I can't wait to read the second installment of Maize from Janey!!
June 3, 2015
This book is literary genius! Page by page, you never get bored with the story and its very hard to put down and come back to real life. I come from a big family and the characters in the book are very relatable to family instances. Even though the main character is female, as a male I was transformed into her on every page; I shared her struggles and her happiness almost as if it were my own. TIMES UP really puts the reader in the driver's seat and is a suburb literary work!
October 22, 2015
This was a fun, exciting story that hit the ground running. Maisie McGrane is the youngest in a large, Chicago-Irish cop/lawyer family. She wants to be a cop as well, but when she's kicked out of school on a technicality, she becomes a meter maid instead. This book reminds me of the Stephanie Plum books, but with its own Chicago toughness. Lots of fun; I look forward to the next book in the series.
July 23, 2015
Oh man, this was hysterical. If Stephanie Plum were Irish and lived in Chicago, she might be a tad like Maisie McGrane. I haven't laughed this hard in awhile. This book is funny, politically incorrect and features zany, believable characters. Awesome to read an author with an actual sense of humor. I can't wait for the next book!
January 31, 2016
It’s about damn time someone wrote a book like this: a book about a meter maid who solves crimes. Times Up is the first in what promises to be a series of novels about Maisie McGrane, a Police Academy washout who takes to the streets with a ticket gun in her new job with Chicago Parking Enforcement.
Maisie McGrane comes from a family of cops, all alpha males who are both extremely protective yet merciless in that way that only a sibling can be. So when she flunks out of the Academy because of an issue with being “too thin-skinned to deal with the daily barrage of public hostility and unfriendly situations that a police officer encounters” well, the next logical step is to join Parking Enforcement and try to work her way back to where she wants to be. Her self-image takes a huge hit as she is forced to deal with the daily abuses and indignities that being a meter maid has to offer. But Maisie is no quitter, for all she has ever wanted to be was to be a cop, and she will find a way somehow.
With the help of the mercenary ex-Army Ranger Hank Bannon, Maisie finds herself embroiled in controversy and a murder investigation that reaches to the highest levels of city government. And along the way, she becomes a master of the AutoCite, the parking boot, and she learns the ins and outs of parking violations. While I don’t often find myself rooting for the meter maids, here I made an exception.
Time’s Up is a hoot, a book that moves along well, while making you laugh and maybe making you care just a little about the poor sap who is ticketing your car. If this book is anywhere close to reality, their lives are probably much worse than yours.
Maisie McGrane comes from a family of cops, all alpha males who are both extremely protective yet merciless in that way that only a sibling can be. So when she flunks out of the Academy because of an issue with being “too thin-skinned to deal with the daily barrage of public hostility and unfriendly situations that a police officer encounters” well, the next logical step is to join Parking Enforcement and try to work her way back to where she wants to be. Her self-image takes a huge hit as she is forced to deal with the daily abuses and indignities that being a meter maid has to offer. But Maisie is no quitter, for all she has ever wanted to be was to be a cop, and she will find a way somehow.
With the help of the mercenary ex-Army Ranger Hank Bannon, Maisie finds herself embroiled in controversy and a murder investigation that reaches to the highest levels of city government. And along the way, she becomes a master of the AutoCite, the parking boot, and she learns the ins and outs of parking violations. While I don’t often find myself rooting for the meter maids, here I made an exception.
Time’s Up is a hoot, a book that moves along well, while making you laugh and maybe making you care just a little about the poor sap who is ticketing your car. If this book is anywhere close to reality, their lives are probably much worse than yours.
April 6, 2017
I needed a new series to fill the Stephanie Plum-shaped hole in my heart, and this pretty much is it. There's a large, zany family (Irish-Americans, here); a demeaning job; a hilarious overweight black co-worker; a bunch of sexist men who, depending on whether they are good guys or bad guys, either have frustratingly insulting overprotective instincts or deep-rooted misogynist contempt for the female lead; an interesting but thin mystery that isn't as important as the characters; a pending love triangle between a cop and an ex-Army Ranger turned mercenary; and a snarky heroine who wavers between being kind of a bad ass and kind of a dumb ass. (At least in this case, she is more objectively a bad ass.)
This series opener isn't as funny as that other series, but it is witty, and it's solid, at least as solid as the early Plum novels when the 300+ pages had actual content. Also, it's interesting to see how these similar elements can be combined without becoming cookie-cutter. And finally, the cover design is awesome (and the second and third novels have equally good covers as well). I will be reading the second one just to see what happens to Maisie McGrane. I hope she gets to punch her Da in the face.
This series opener isn't as funny as that other series, but it is witty, and it's solid, at least as solid as the early Plum novels when the 300+ pages had actual content. Also, it's interesting to see how these similar elements can be combined without becoming cookie-cutter. And finally, the cover design is awesome (and the second and third novels have equally good covers as well). I will be reading the second one just to see what happens to Maisie McGrane. I hope she gets to punch her Da in the face.
November 11, 2015
Maisie McGrane. This book reminds me of a younger Stephanie Plum except Maisie wants To be a cop, the only girl in an Irish cop-lawyer family. Although the top cadet at the academy, she is dismissed due to failing the psych eval and ends up taking a job as a meter maid in Chicago as a way to try and get reinstated as a cop. Along the way, she ends up meeting a colorful street smart supervisor, owing one cop brother a huge favor, getting paired with an almost retired elder meter maid, and tangling with unions, a creepy politico mayor and one hunk named Hank! Whew! Lots of fun and great use of italics as Maisie tackles her emotions, her life, and her rites of passage to her potential life and her learning just how far her protective cop dad would go to protect his daughter.
Very pleasing page turner that had me imaging casting the novel as a movie. I look forward to the next story in what looks to be a promising series. Another female defeats into the ranks of mystery detectives!
Very pleasing page turner that had me imaging casting the novel as a movie. I look forward to the next story in what looks to be a promising series. Another female defeats into the ranks of mystery detectives!
September 29, 2015
A good kick-off to the Maisie McGrane mystery series.
Maisie McGrane is the youngest of six children, and the only girl. She has been raised in a family of cops (and lawyers), so it should come as little surprise that she is gung-ho, ready to graduate the police academy, and become the next police officer in the family. There's just one problem ...
The problem (you'll have to read the book to see what that is) triggers an avalanche of adventure that is sometimes laugh out loud hilarious and otherwise, a little depressing. The story is set in the political hotbed of Chicago, and just as in real-life, this story holds its own political nightmares.
Looking forward to the next in this series ...
Maisie McGrane is the youngest of six children, and the only girl. She has been raised in a family of cops (and lawyers), so it should come as little surprise that she is gung-ho, ready to graduate the police academy, and become the next police officer in the family. There's just one problem ...
The problem (you'll have to read the book to see what that is) triggers an avalanche of adventure that is sometimes laugh out loud hilarious and otherwise, a little depressing. The story is set in the political hotbed of Chicago, and just as in real-life, this story holds its own political nightmares.
Looking forward to the next in this series ...
August 16, 2015
Really great book!
Loved this book, especially the dialogue, very funny at times. Well written plot and good character development. Would recommend to anyone who enjoys romantic suspense.
Loved this book, especially the dialogue, very funny at times. Well written plot and good character development. Would recommend to anyone who enjoys romantic suspense.
December 24, 2015
DPL. Stupidly stereotyped characters in a paint by numbers rip-off of Stephanie plum with less believable romance and fewer cars blowing up.
February 15, 2022
I think the best way I can sum up my opinion is that the author REALLY needs a good editor. The author has talent, is able to create a story, and seems to have good ideas. It just felt like there was way too much and it was all over the place - kind of like if there were a horders' version of funny mystery novel ideas. (As other reviewers have pointed out, many of the character and plot devices seem like copies from Evanovich. The heavy details around fashion brands felt or food details felt like some of the other mystery series that focus on fashion or recipes. And the Irish family background was just stereotypical police mystery.)
I didn't dislike the story or the characters. I just found it all cluttered. I am hoping that the author got some good advice after the first book and edited future books significantly... choosing a more narrow lane, tightening the story line to focus more on the main plot, and taking out most of the extraneous detail. Have to wait and see.
I didn't dislike the story or the characters. I just found it all cluttered. I am hoping that the author got some good advice after the first book and edited future books significantly... choosing a more narrow lane, tightening the story line to focus more on the main plot, and taking out most of the extraneous detail. Have to wait and see.
August 23, 2015
4.5 stars! Debut author Janey Mack! What do you do when you are the youngest (only) girl in a family of 4 hot Irish brothers that is split half way down the middle between cops and lawyers? Don't even guess what profession Maisie (yes that’s her name!) McGrane's parents have! You guessed it one of each! Wanting to be a cop just came naturally to Maisie and up until now was apparently (only) just tolerated by her family! How Maisie ends up being a meter maid with an ulterior motive sets off more than the public's disdain. Not to mention a very hunky Army Ranger as her “personal” trainer just makes for the best entertainment ever. But will Maisie survive long enough to meet her goal remains the question.
May 6, 2016
A fun mystery. Maisie is from a hardcore law enforcement family with 5 brothers and she's bucking for Top Cadet at the police academy when she discovers she's flunked her psych test. The shrinks say she's too nice and too vulnerable to be a decent cop. To prove them wrong, she gets the job that will best prove she can deal with an abusive public...meter maid. And somehow her observations on the street just keep pulling her into important criminal cases that involve her family's investigations. The book won't set the world on fire or cause anyone to question the meaning of criminal justice or the conventions of the genre, but it's a good light read, well plotted, and will keep you turning pages happily past your bedtime.
July 23, 2015
The McGranes are a family of cops and lawyers, so when only daughter Maisie gets kicked out of the police academy, all she can think about is getting back in. But they said that she's too thin-skinned to deal with the public. Since one of her brothers is dating (temporarily) a woman who works for traffic enforcement, Maisie gets a job as a meter maid, figuring if she can do that, the academy will have to realize that she's tough enough to take any level of abuse. There's also a sexy, mysterious man on the fringes of her life (not startlingly original), and a lot of trouble with corrupt Chicago politicians and cops.
December 8, 2016
This first half was pretty interesting, but after awhile, all of the "July's Rules of Such & Such" and "Hank's Law of Blah Blah" gets kind of irritating. Can Maisie not think for herself? And the unwed adult children still live at home in Chicago. Yeah, their parents are rich, so maybe I would too for the amenities, but come on. I wish the author would have made it a little more clear-cut how Maisie figured out who the criminals were. Seemed like one second she'd be talking to someone, and the next second, she'd be thinking, "Now I know who did it!" I'd reread the previous conversations and I honestly don't know how she got from Point A to Point B.
January 3, 2016
This was a sweet little New Year's confection, but very much reminded me of Evanovich's Stephanie Plum and that very successful formula. I will definitely read more of Maisie McGrane's adventures, I am sure I will enjoy them as much as I did this first one. The spoiler here is the comparison to Plum. The only reason this read got four stars from instead of five is the use of abbreviations and acronyms... I am a bit old school and do not easily remember these things unless I use them daily and I had to go back and check them a couple of times!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 1, 2015
I loved this little mystery. Reminded me of the earliest Janet Evanovich books when Stephanie Plum was fresh and funny. The set up of a large family with three cops and three lawyers, and a mysterious boyfriend, Rangerish, seems like rich for many additional stories. Looking forward to the next one.
September 7, 2015
Picked this book up on a whim and really enjoyed it. Maise is fun.
October 7, 2015
Funny and a wild ride. Can't wait for the next one. Maisie finds herself in some strange situations. Janey Mack puts a fun face on meter maids.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 102 reviews