The Booker

Sam Quinton #6

by Kevin R. Doyle

Sam Quinton hadn't thought much about the entertainment business for several years. His days as a minor celebrity were part of his past, which was fine with him. But when a Hollywood producer walks through the doors of his gym and offers to create a TV show around his life, Sam doesn't say no right away.



Then the producer's partner ends up dead in her hotel room, and Sam has to put on his private detective hat to straighten things out. It doesn't take long to realize the TV offer may not have been exactly what it was cracked up to be. Suddenly, a whole lot of seemingly bad folks are gunning for Sam. Forget his budding Hollywood career. He has to do everything possible to keep himself and his client alive.

254 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 12, 2025

About the author

A retired high-school teacher and former college instructor, Kevin R. Doyle is the author of numerous short horror stories. He’s also written four crime thrillers including The Group and The Anchor, and one horror novel, The Litter. In the last few years, he’s begun working on the Sam Quinton private eye series, published by Camel Press. The first Quinton book, Squatter’s Rights, was nominated for the 2021 Shamus award for Best First PI Novel. The fourth Sam Quinton book, Clean Win, was released in March of 2023.

Reviews

[Karen Siddall · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great new mystery adventure featuring the former pro-wrestler turned PI.

The Booker is the sixth novel in author Kevin R. Doyle’s fun and addictive Sam Quinton Mystery series, featuring the witty, straight-shooting former pro-wrestler turned gym owner and private investigator. If that description captures your imagination, then you’ll understand how it also appealed to a couple of Hollywood producer types who come knocking on Sam’s door wanting to make him a reality TV star. However, not long after delivering their pitch, one of the out-of-towners is murdered in their hotel room, and Sam sees his dubious chance at, honestly, reluctant stardom end up just as dead.

Sam Quinton is back and finds himself involved with the case of the flaky John Carson when the man’s business partner, Wendy Truell, is found dead in her hotel room, with John suspiciously nowhere to be found for a day or so. Sam hooks the man up with an excellent criminal defense attorney, but ends up along for the ride anyway as questions that need answering arise. I loved that several familiar characters from the previous books return, including Sam’s friends Detective Sergeant Josh Nichols and Lieutenant William Santiago representing law enforcement, Talia Sanderson as Sam’s cool love interest, and the dangerous Sean O’Flaherty, who gets the ball rolling with some initial insight into what may be the impetus for the murder.

The plot is well-paced and unfolds through Sam’s clever but self-deprecating narrative that keeps the story engaging and grounded. The story is not as straightforward as Sam’s delivery, and I was constantly questioning where it would end up. The author’s storytelling brought the action and settings to life, making it easy and satisfying to get lost in Sam’s adventures once again.

I recommend THE BOOKER to readers of mysteries, crime fiction, and thrillers, and even though this is the sixth Sam Quinton book, readers new to the series can easily read and enjoy it as a standalone.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from the author through Goddess Fish Promotions Book Tours.

[Judy & Marianne from Long and Short Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a former professional wrestler, the entertainment business isn’t completely new to Sam Quinton. However, is a reality show really his style? Deciding that there was only one way to know for sure, Sam agrees to meet with the producer and his partner. Of all the things that might have come out of this meeting, the murder of the female producer has not been on his list.

Sam Quinton intrigued me from the very beginning. How often do you hear of an ex-semi-pro wrestler becoming a private eye? For me, that answer would be zero. Quinton is a smart businessman who knows his limits, even if he does push past them at times. He has a wonderful relationship with his girlfriend, Talia, and it made me smile whenever they were together. She’s really good at putting him in his place gently. They are a nice pair.

Quinton also has an awkward but solid relationship with the police in his small town of Providence, MO. There’s a nice balance between sharing information and helping each other out while still maintaining professional boundaries. The side event with Lieutenant Santiago caught me a bit off guard, but I liked it. There were hints that Quinton and Santiago don’t get along and to see Sam go to bat for him showed character.

The mystery held my attention until the last page. I kept wavering back and forth on whether John Carson was involved in his partner’s death or not, and had no idea who had actually killed Wendy until it was revealed. While I’m rarely able to figure out who the guilty party is, I was definitely stumped with this one. Definitely makes me want to start at book one and dive into the world of Sam Quinton. I’d recommend this to anyone who loves a twisty mystery that’s also a quick and satisfying read.

[Brian Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Booker is the sixth entry in Kevin R. Doyle’s excellent Sam Quinton mystery series. Sam is a former professional wrestler and gym owner who also works as a private investigator—a unique resume that attracts a Hollywood producer who says he’d like to make Sam the next reality TV star. But before a hesitant Sam sees a contract, the flaky producer's partner is murdered, and armed gunmen take a run at him. Everyone seems to be looking for a reported three million dollars that the murdered woman supposedly skimmed from the mob, and the background of one of the town’s most admired police detectives (and a sometime nemesis of Sam's) is being questioned. Who is behind all this, and who can Sam trust? Will the Blond Bomber untangle this skein of interwoven mysteries?

The Booker falls in the tradition of the great American PI novel, and Sam Quinton takes his place with the best literary gumshoes.

[Sandra Lopez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sam Quinton, wrestler-turned-gym-owner-slash-PI, a reality TV star? Didn’t really seem to fit him and it certainly didn’t appeal to Sam, especially with all the lifestyle changes they wanted to make. And they called that reality?

Sam’s interest suddenly shoots up when the producer woman is found dead in her hotel room. Right away, the mystery grabs and intrigues you. I always enjoy a whodunnit.

“A somewhat client suspected of murder, the local mob interested in my comings and goings, and the chief detective wanted a private meet.”

This was a pretty nice read even though it can get a little complicated and a little long. About halfway through, the read becomes milder and longer. Even the shoot-out scenes weren’t that exciting. The only thing that interests you is the mystery case. All in all, this was a fairly nice read.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kevin Doyle has a character I love. Sam Quinton, a gym owner, and a former wrestler. The blond bomber turned PI is as tough as he might have been as a wrestler, but he’s understanding and a good guy when he needs to be.

This time someone approaches him for a reality tv show. And you know what…it’s tempting even if it sounds totally nuts. But reality becomes a lot different when the movie guy’s partner turns up dead and Sam is once again, off and running.

I’ve read a lot of Kevin Doyle’s books and liked them all. This Sam Quinton series is my favorite. And Doyle is good with creating characters. This time his John Carson (yep, that’s right John Carson) is so naïve and sometimes dumb I wanted to strangle him, but that…is good character painting.

An excellent read and as usual, I’m hoping for another in the series soon.

[Nancy (The Avid Reader) · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Hollywood TV producer, John Carson, arrives in town with plans to create a reality TV show about Sam Quinton’s life. Sam is unsure about participating but listens to Carson’s pitch while considering the idea.

Carson wants to produce a reality show, but his proposed ideas are quickly turning it into a scripted drama that he intends to pass off as reality. I don’t think his business partner, Wendy Truell, likes this idea very much, but she stays silent in front of Sam.

The following day, Wendy is found murdered in her motel room. John Carson becomes the main suspect, especially since he can’t be located. Later, Carson reaches out to Sam, asking for his help. Carson insists he did not kill Wendy.

I was immediately suspicious of Carson because some of his statements didn’t add up, making me question everything he was saying. I wondered if he could be the killer. He knew information that hadn’t been made public. If he didn’t commit the crime, then how did he know details about the crime scene that only the killer would have known?

The mystery and suspense were intense, leaving me with many questions—what was really going on, and if Carson might be telling the truth after all, then who killed Wendy and why?

I love reading about Sam Quinton and the numerous cases he solves. I can’t wait to read the next installment in the Sam Quinton series.

I highly recommend The Booker to all mystery fans! Grab a copy today! And while you’re at it, check out all of the Sam Quinton books!