Hard Play

by Kurt Douglas

"Frank was no stranger to bending the rules. He knew they'd have it in for him if he started stepping on the wrong toes, and when Frank started stepping on toes, bones were bound to break. In the past, it was usually his own so this was his compromise; stealing evidence, snapping photographs and keeping quiet about the whole thing." Ex-cop and part-time strip club owner, Frank Black, has agreed to investigate a missing local judge for a free month's rent. It seems like an easy job. A good deal. That is until the bodies start to mount. Set in the sprawling city of Los Angeles, Hard Play is sexy, fast, fun, and Frank black is tough as nails. But is that enough? With the help of Amy Van, the leggy medical examiner who's slowly stealing Frank's heart, can he put it all together before anyone else has to die?

272 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 2014

Reviews

[Devi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hard play is a murder mystery with a bit of romance as the undertone. Although the romance is minimal, it cannot be overlooked as it plays a crucial role in the story. Frank is approached by his house owner to investigate a missing local judge. But when the judge is found murdered, Frank takes it up on himself to solve the mystery. Along with the unintentional help of the medical examiner, Frank goes on a ride with more bodies falling dead in the same manner.

The mystery is nice but takes time to find pace. After the pace is set, the story goes smooth and nice. Frank is shown as an unorthodox detective. He has his own methods of finding out the truth. Amy is an unwilling helper in the situation. But together they manage a good team.

[J.D. Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now, let me preface with the fact that I assisted in the formatting and E-book creation of this title and that I am not typically a fan of the genre. However, this was quite an entertaining read.
I enjoyed the gritty nature of the lead character (Frank Black) and found him fun to follow around LA while he stumbles through clues. There's a bit of action sprinkled throughout, a little bit of romance and, overall, the plot is pretty good--entertaining. It's not just handed to you. It does have a little bit of mystery; almost a whodunit, but not quite.
The cynical narration about L.A. was my definitely favorite part.
I'll read the next one just to see what Kurt Douglas does with Frank Black and his cohorts.