One Good Eye

Jeep Mullane #2

by Kevin Wade

After Johnny Careless, the “fast-moving classic crime novel” (John Sandford), comes the lively next installment in the Jeep Mullane series from veteran screenwriter and Blue Bloods showrunner Kevin Wade.

As a hurricane makes landfall on Long Island’s Gold Coast, local Police Chief Jeep Mullane responds to a plea for help at the estate of his longtime friend Jenny Racine, where she has been violently assaulted in a home invasion. Jenny was the girl next door growing up, now a rich and famous entrepreneur and, always, a compelling, infuriating, and magnetic presence in his life.

Though Jenny is adamant she wants no investigation of the incident, Jeep sets off on a lonely and dangerous path to find out who attacked her. As he makes alarming discoveries, he must pry open the secrets of Jenny's ex-military ex-husband, a fugitive police captain, officious federal agents, steely blue-blooded women, and two local biker gangs, casting aside his protocol as a police chief to challenge the criminals himself.

Unfolding across five action-packed days and twenty-five years of shared past, Jeep must grapple with his complicated history with Jenny, the thorny customs and secrets of his homeland, and a long-buried truth that leads him to the painful solution.

Genres: Fiction, Crime, Mystery, New York

240 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication August 11, 2026

Reviews

[Barry · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you Celadon Books for the early copy of this book, I thought the story was okay but didn’t enjoy the going back and forth with the plot I felt the author could of gave us the time line in the order of how things transpired and I felt he could have made the mystery more interesting but it was a short read so I felt it wasn’t too bad, could have been better.

[Bob · Rating 3 out of 5]

***Just An Average Read, At Best!

One Good Eye, Kevin Wade’s followup to his very likable Johnny Careless, has a solid novel somewhere inside its covers, but it never fully comes into focus.

The author’s strengths are clear—authentic dialogue, a believable setting, and flashes of sharp, engaging writing. Early on, it feels like the book is building toward something gritty and compelling. Unfortunately, however, the pacing drifts, and the story never quite develops the urgency it needs.

The protagonist, Long Island, NY police chief Jeep Mullane, has potential but feels uneven in this book, and most of the supporting cast doesn’t leave much of an impression. The plot itself is serviceable, but it lacks the tension and payoff that would have made Onr Good Eye memorable.

It’s not a bad book—just a frustratingly average one that hints at being better than it is.

Thanks to its publisher, Celadon Books, and Net Galley for giving me access to reading an advance copy of One Good Eye.

[Heather Gothie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wanted to enjoy this second book of the series. I think however, this author just isn’t my style. The plot started out interesting enough, but the characters are just not memorable. Towards the middle of the book I was so uninterested I couldn’t remember who was who in the extended cast of characters. Also, as with the first book, the “mystery” is just not great. When you get to the climax of the plot it really just doesn’t deliver. I’m sorry I really wanted to like it more, but I can’t.

It’s a little unclear why Jeep and his girlfriend are so distant. And the flashback of the wedding.. was it her wedding? Did I miss something in the first book about Niven? Either way, the ending really lost me. I won’t spoil it, but the “cliffhanger” just doesn’t peak my interest for another installment of Jeep.

Thanks to Netgalley do the early read!!!

[Stewart Tame · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full disclosure: I received an unsolicited ARC of this book in the mail from Celadon. They had previously sent me an ARC of Wade's previous book in this series, Johnny Careless. Apparently they liked my review of it enough to send me the follow-up? Anyway, shout out to the fine folks @celadonbooks ! Sending me free books does not guarantee a good review, but it does bring me joy.

So Jeep Mullane is still the Centre Brookville Chief of Police. An old friend, Jenny Racine, is assaulted in a home invasion, but refuses to file a complaint, and says she wants no investigation. Jeep can't resist asking a question or two, as events from their shared past prove to have deadly present-day consequences …

One Good Eye is a well-constructed Mystery novel in the classic tradition. The characters feel like real people, the setting feels authentic. Jeep makes a fine protagonist, and I'm always delighted to spend time with him. Events move at a brisk pace, with chapters mostly alternating between past and present as we learn Jeep and Jenny's history together.

So, for the second book in a row, we have a mystery involving characters with whom Jeep grew up. I'm skeptical that this formula can sustain a series for very long. On the other hand, here we are at book two, and I'm not bored yet. I guess I'll assume that Kevin Wade knows what he's doing, and see what happens next. I do note the revelation in this book of … something that I'll stay vague about to avoid spoilers, but that could easily provide a launching pad for a number of future books. Probably best to use it sparingly, but clearly Wade is keeping an eye out for ways to sustain his series.

All in all, One Good Eye is a worthy successor to Johnny Careless. Jeep is bound to run out of childhood friends eventually, but I'm on board for however long Kevin Wade wants to keep spinning this series out. He definitely has a few tricks up his sleeve. Recommended!

[Joan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review of Uncorrected Digital Galley

Centre Brookville Chief of Police Jeep Mullane is conducting a “good neighbor” tour of Long Island’s North Shore, checking on folks before the promised hurricane strikes.

When he receives a message from Jenny Racine’s driver, Nicole, he heads toward Jenny’s house. There he discovers that the woman had been violently assaulted. But she does not want any investigation into the attack.

This does not sit well with Jeep, who sets out to find out who attacked Jenny . . . and why.

What will he discover?

=========

Second in the author’s Jeep Malone series, this story builds on the first book, but there is sufficient backstory for those who have not read the first one. The book works well as a standalone. Well-drawn characters and a strong sense of place pull readers into the telling of the tale and keep those pages turning.

The story alternates between the present, when Jeep is investigating Jenny’s attack, and the past where readers learn about the past that Jeep and Jenny share. The story is character-driven, the action swift, the mystery intriguing.

Readers who enjoyed the first book in the series as well as those who enjoy mysteries and character-driven stories will find much to appreciate in this difficult-to-set-aside book.

Highly recommended.

I received a free copy of this eBook from Celadon Books and NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving this review.
#OnedGoodEye #NetGalley

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

One Good Eye
By Kevin Wade

I'm not quite sure how to categorize this book. It's kind of a police procedural, kind of a romance, kind of a murder mystery – but whatever you call it, it works.

The main character is Jeep Mullane, the police chief out on Long Island's North Shore. Jeep became a cop almost by default, following in his father's footsteps. He feels that he has a calling to help people.

The other main character is "Pirate Jenny" Racine. Jeep has known – and probably been in love with – Jenny since they were kids. But he never made his move, so he remains her best friend as she goes on to marry Aaron Stubblefield, the high school hunk. The three are lifelong friends.

The book is told through a series of flashbacks showing how this threesome evolved over the years. In the present day, Jenny has been attacked in her home, but refuses to let Jeep investigate. Her rationale has to do with secrets from the past which could hurt both her and her husband's reputations. As the story progresses, more plot lines are added including why Aaron's brother Carl is being investigated by the Feds; who murders Carl and why; and bizarrely, what Jenny and Aaron want Jeep to do as the ultimate gift for them.

This book is quirky but it will hold your interest. And the ending will leave you wondering if the author is planning another book around Jeep Mullane!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you @celdonbooks for an early copy of this book that comes out in August.

This is my first book from Kevin Wade. This is the second book in the Jeep Mullane series. I didn’t read the first book and after finishing this one I didn’t feel like I missed out on any information. I really enjoyed this thriller. It took place on Long Island, where I’m from. It adds a fun factor when you recognize the towns and places that are mentioned. There were so many LI references and quotes that I loved. (BEC-if you know you know). Even though Police Chief Jeep is investigating a crime, we get to hear about his friendship with Jenny from the very beginning. The crime involved someone blackmailing Jenny. Jeep did everything he could to solve it. I really enjoyed hearing about Jeep and Jenny’s friendship. It’s so special so have a friendship from childhood up to your adult years. I truly think they were in love with each other, but they were too afraid to ruin their friendship. The investigation didn’t only involve Jenny, it tuned bigger than that. I was very invested in this story the entire time. I have a feeling there will be a book three with the way the book ended. I’m dying to know what Jeep was going to say to Jenny.

[Sandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my second Jeep Malone book and I found it just an engaging as the first. Jeep is pulled into a crime and mystery by his friend Jenny Racine. Only Jenny doesn't want to report the crime nor let Jeep know what is going on. However, Jeep being a cop and the guy who Jenny can count in can't help himself and starts investigating. His investigation has him stepping on other investigations with other jurisdictions, other government agencies and even old friends and people in his hometown area. What mysteries will he uncover? Will Jeep be able to help Jenny or unintendedly hurt her?

I like several things about this book, the fast pace of the book, the storytelling of the crime/mystery, the characters the reader can sense their history and friendship as genuine and the character of Jeep - he is part John Wayne and part Deadpool or maybe more like Sam Spade - a good man with an undercurrent of bad boy. Pick this up if you enjoy a good mystery and good writing. Thanks to Net Galley and Celadon Books.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fast becoming one of my favorite series, Jeep Mullane is a police chief on Long Island, living in Bayville. In this entry, Jeep's teenaged crush, Jennie, has had her house broken into and been assaulted. She refuses to have the police involved. Jeep soon discovers she is being blackmailed for something that happened 20 years ago. Meanwhile, Jennie's estranged husband, Aaron, has his own problems as it looks like his brother, Carl, is being investigated by the Feds.

The story is told in alternating chapters, the current day, and the past, with every flashback moving forward in time. What, if anything, did Jennie do to result in blackmail?

This title is the second in the series. While it is not necessary to read Johnny Careless first as Wade fills in enough backstory for this to work as a standalone, I would strongly recommend doing so, if for no other reason than you don't want to miss out on another great read.

[Eric Boss · Rating 4 out of 5]

One Good Eye - Kevin Wade – Celadon HC $28.99 – 9781250409744 - 8/11/2026
This, the second “Jeep Mullane Novel” carries on with the exploits of the everyman’s detective living on the socially divided enclave of Long Island, New York. Jeep is a second-generation cop and a town chief of police with a keen sense of justice which includes sometimes looking the other way in the interests of moral fairness. He is, as are many local law enforcement officials, often at odds with the federal authorities who inject themselves into town affairs to the detriment of both Jeep’s investigations and the efficient solution of pending crimes. He finds ways around that and the officious directives mandated by a pompous public servant who is part of a truly bizarre tri-borough arrangement that puts Jeep under the thumbs of three separate small-town mayors.
This time he is contacted by an old flame who has been attacked in her home and beaten badly. She doesn’t wish to involve the police formally, so she calls her old lover and asks him to find a path to safety. She’s been blackmailed by an entity threatening to reveal the truth behind a teenage auto accident which resulted in her losing one eye and in which she may have been at fault, a fact covered up by her eventual husband and a cooperative police department. A twisted plot emerges involving a small-time biker gang, drug smuggling and high school romantic entanglements.
A thoroughly enjoyable ride through present day crime illuminated by looks back into happenings in the previous decades reads easily and quickly due to the smooth narrative style and appealing characters. One of the features of novels that engages readers is a sympathetic relationship with the principal players that Wade manages with skill and aplomb. Readers of the author’s first book “Johnny Careless” will be pleased with the consistent quality and tone of this new entry in what it is to be hoped will be a series.

Shelf Talker: The culturally and socially divided community of Long Island is the setting for this breezy and engaging crime tale sure to please readers of mystery and crime fiction.

[Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, when I got to the end, I was half annoyed at the ending, and half thrilled that there will be a 3rd book in the series. I loved the first book, Johnny Careless, and this second book, One Good Eye, did not disappoint!!!! Wade's ability to develop great characters is a gift. It's not just a crime novel, it is a story with character depth that holds your interest. I love how he introduces new characters and they do not seem out of the blue, he ties them back to Jeep's past and you hope to see them again in a future book. It is well written, I saw absolutely no editing errors (kudos to the editing team), and the story just flows. I definitely recommend reading, and you do not necessarily have to have read Johnny Careless, but you would not want to miss it either.

[Jon Nakapalau · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jeep Mullane just can’t catch a break! Just as a hurricane is hitting he gets a call for help from a friend who was assaulted during a violent home invasion. But she (Jenny) is reluctant to have the situation investigated. Jeep must delineate the line between police chief and friend as he tries to find out what is going on. The fact that Jenny was ‘the girl next door’ only complicates matters. The difference between Jeep and other fictional law enforcement officers (LEOs) is the way Kevin Wade shows us his struggles; a man very much trying to balance law enforcement in both personal and professional situations.

[SusanH · Rating 3 out of 5]

One Good Eye is the second installment about police chief Jeep Malone, a lifelong Long Island native. He goes to the mansion of Jenny Racine, a long time dear friend, who has been severely assaulted. His investigation leads him to other mysteries and assaults, conflicting with other jurisdictions and generally increasing the danger and intrigue. I wish it had the tension it seems to need. As I felt about the first book, the author writes witty dialogue and Jeep is is a well developed character, among a large cast of characters. The past and present weave and propel the plot along. With thanks to Netgalley and Celadon Books for this ARC. My opinions are my own.

[Joanie Hinton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Police Chief Jeep Mullane is checking on storm damage when he receives a call about a long time friend being assaulted in her home. When he arrives, Jenny implores him to not make it a case. Just leave it. While Jeep agrees to her request, he does not not investigate. While this story lasts thru one week in real time, it covers the last twenty-five years of history between Jeep and Jenny and their close family and friends and the events and secrets that have ruled their lives, good and bad for all these years. And makes them all re-evaluate what they have done and why. Great series with believable characters.
(Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy)

[Nancy Sturm · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book at a Goodreads Giveaway. Since it was the second in a series I read the first book, Johnny Careless, first which I enjoyed and reviewed. This book was equally good with some of the original characters and some new. It could be read as a stand-a-lone but I think it helped to have read the first book. I loved the lead character and am hoping for more. This author is an experienced screen writer but new to writing crime novels instead of writing screenplays including for the the TV series Blue Bloods. It was obviously a seamless transition. Highly recommend this author and this series.

[Daryl J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was introduced to Kevin Wade in 2025 when I read JOHNNY CARELESS. Recently, I received an ARC of Wade’s newest thriller, ONE GOOD EYE. Both feature Police Chief G.P. (Jeep) Mullane, although he is more prominent in ONE GOOD EYE. Great characters, very solid writing, and good plots (and subplots) make this a great read. If you like thrillers and characters that capture your interest, ONE GOOD EYE is well worth the read. Highly recommend. And I look forward to the next installment of Jeep Maullane’s adventures.

[Don Gorman · Rating 3 out of 5]

(3). This is an interesting little book. Jeep Mullane is a real solid protagonist, and he certainly carries this complicated, dual twisting plot on his shoulders. Several fun supporting characters help, and if you have any knowledge of Long Island (like I do) it really makes for a nice setting. Twists and turns flow nicely along with the basic unraveling of things and the relationships that Jeep has with about everyone really drive the story. Easy to read, easy to keep turning pages as well. Pretty good stuff.

[Scott Letteer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Kevin Wade and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

One Good Eye is a story filled with memorable characters, sharp dialogue, and a strong sense of atmosphere. The plot unfolds at a satisfying pace, balancing suspense and character development.

What stood out most was Wade’s ability to create authentic, complex characters whose motivations felt genuine and relatable. The mystery itself was intriguing, with enough twists and surprises.

One Good Eye is an entertaining and satisfying read that showcases Kevin Wade’s storytelling talent.

[Wendi Flint Rank (WendiReviews) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great second installment with Chief "Jeep" Malone,
a well put together small town Police Chief, and the people
he tries to keep safe,(alive) and the friends he's often called
to help. The story is absolutely solid, the characters are well
put together and quirky, spicy,& interesting. Over all a very
entertaining short book that packs a long book punch.
My thanks to Celadon Books via NetGalley for the download
copy of the book for review purposes.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kevin Wade and his protagonist, Jeep, have done it again. An engrossing story that also has a bit of mystery to it. Our man Jeep is able to straddle both worlds of Long Island - the working class where he came from, and the very rich. Jeep's friend since childhood, Jenny, is in trouble and as he works out the best way to help her, many subplots unfold. It was hard for me to put this book down and go to bed.

[Casey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel is the second in the series on the career of Jeep Mullane. In this one assists a long time friend from high school who is being blackmailed. It also leads to another crime independent of the first. It takes place on Long Island in the Oyster Bay area. Fast paced and a quick read.

I received a free Kindle copy of this book courtesy of publisher with the understanding that I would post a review on Goodreads, Net Galley, Amazon, and my fiction book review blog.

[Sheila · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a free copy of, One Good Eye, by Kevin Wade, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This is book two in the Jeep Mullane series. Jeep is the Chief of Police, with a lot going on. I thought this was ok read, I did not like that the book bounced around a bit. I like straight forward stories.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free DRC of this book through Netgalley and the publisher. I have read the first book in the series, but I think this one would work as a standalone book if you haven't read the first one. I enjoyed the story and thought Jeep is a good, upstanding man as he travels life's difficulties for himself and his friends.

[Debbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

One Good Eye by Kevin Wade tells the story of Long Island Police Chief Jeep Mullane who is preparing for a hurricane when Jenny, a close friend is assaulted during a break in of her house.

This was a very tepid mystery. It was very slow moving and predictable. The characters were one dimensional. This was the second novel in this series but did okay as a stand alone.

Thank you NetGalley and Celadon Books for this ARC.

[Annette Geiss · Rating 3 out of 5]

I slogged through this one….. painful to keep looking at how many more pages did I have to read to finish it! Three stars because the author is a local.
Thank you Celadon Books for granting me this read prior to publishing date. #Celadon Books,#goodreads.

[Cathy-lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am thankful for the Advanced Reader Copy i received from a GoodReads giveaway.

I enjoyed this book.