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Sharon McCone #31
Someone Always Knows
Missing bearer bonds, a family tragedy, arson, and murder: It's all in a day's work for Sharon McCone in the new series installment from bestselling author Marcia Muller.
Settled into their new home after they lost their house in a fire and fully established in their new shared offices, private investigator Sharon McCone and her business partner husband Hy are finally starting to feel comfortable. That calm is shattered when Hy's former colleague Gage Renshaw-a shady troublemaker who they presumed dead--reappears, and it's unclear what he wants from his prosperous former associate.
Meanwhile, Sharon has a new client with a desire to get rid of the derelict house that's disturbing the local homeowners' association. However, the abandoned house holds its share of secrets, and soon Sharon is contending with more than a simple eyesore as she searches for the individual who is obsessed with destroying her life...
Settled into their new home after they lost their house in a fire and fully established in their new shared offices, private investigator Sharon McCone and her business partner husband Hy are finally starting to feel comfortable. That calm is shattered when Hy's former colleague Gage Renshaw-a shady troublemaker who they presumed dead--reappears, and it's unclear what he wants from his prosperous former associate.
Meanwhile, Sharon has a new client with a desire to get rid of the derelict house that's disturbing the local homeowners' association. However, the abandoned house holds its share of secrets, and soon Sharon is contending with more than a simple eyesore as she searches for the individual who is obsessed with destroying her life...
305 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 5, 2016
216 people are currently reading
1524 people want to read
About the author
Marcia Muller
165 books723 followersMarcia Muller is an American author of mystery and thriller novels.
Muller has written many novels featuring her Sharon McCone female private detective character. Vanishing Point won the Shamus Award for Best P.I. Novel. Muller had been nominated for the Shamus Award four times previously.
In 2005, Muller was awarded the Mystery Writers of America's Grand Master award.
She was born in Detroit, Michigan, and grew up in Birmingham, Michigan, and graduated in English from the University of Michigan and worked as a journalist at Sunset magazine. She is married to detective fiction author Bill Pronzini with whom she has collaborated on several novels.
Muller has written many novels featuring her Sharon McCone female private detective character. Vanishing Point won the Shamus Award for Best P.I. Novel. Muller had been nominated for the Shamus Award four times previously.
In 2005, Muller was awarded the Mystery Writers of America's Grand Master award.
She was born in Detroit, Michigan, and grew up in Birmingham, Michigan, and graduated in English from the University of Michigan and worked as a journalist at Sunset magazine. She is married to detective fiction author Bill Pronzini with whom she has collaborated on several novels.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 152 reviews
March 7, 2017
A quick comfort read, but not providing the various challenges I have come to look for in my reading, no matter the genre. I enjoy learning new things about cultures, places, peoples, etc. This story provided a little insight on McCone's part re her life and relationships but otherwise, fairly formulaic. A decent formula mystery that Marcia Muller has produced for quite a while. But I believe I am looking for more, which I am still able to find from some other mystery writers.
July 11, 2016
It was nice to check in McCone & company (especially since a lot of time was spent describing their cushy office space and nice new home) but there was a bit of melancholy regarding growing old and things changing that made me wonder if Muller is considering retiring. That being said, the "mystery" wasn't very strong which made me wonder if Muller's heart is really in it anymore.
July 27, 2016
Vintage McCone, a series I have followed for years with characters who fit into each story like a favorite pair of jeans. Sharon may now carry a cell phone with a fancy high rise office, but at heart she's the same hands on investigator I love.
July 26, 2016
More a visit with old friends (I've been following Sharon McCone's adventures since Edwin of the Iron Shoes many years ago) than a mystery. Lots of reminiscing about old cases, family members, etc., and what mystery there is involves a figure from the past.
July 5, 2019
Enjoyable, very light reading.
August 4, 2016
I was on the library waiting list for over a year to get this book. I don't know why I bothered. It was mainly about Sharon's complaints about getting older and her lack of interest in much of anything. There's hardly any action. Hy, her husband and partner, is off somewhere most of the book. It's like Muller is phoning it in on this one.
It was readable, but I was as bored as Sharon was through most of it.
I know it's hard to maintain a certain level of tension and action in a series after 31 books, but at least put in the effort or don't bother.
It was readable, but I was as bored as Sharon was through most of it.
I know it's hard to maintain a certain level of tension and action in a series after 31 books, but at least put in the effort or don't bother.
December 29, 2016
McCone and Hy have become high muckety-mucks, but still find occasion to get on the streets. McCone and her associates are not fully realized in this installment; reading some of the previous books in the series is strongly recommended. On the other hand, most of the adversarial characters are well drawn and interesting. The plot turns on the reappearance of a former associate long thought to have died. This guy is psycho, and it is not clear what he wants. Tension mounts to a climax that should please Muller fans.
April 23, 2022
I've been reading these stories since the early 1990's when they were ridiculously difficult to get hold of in the UK.
Sharon McCone has always been one of my favourite American PI's and while there is a sameness to the stories after 30 books there is a comfort in the familiar characters and settings.
One more to go and I am caught up on this series... for now anyway
Sharon McCone has always been one of my favourite American PI's and while there is a sameness to the stories after 30 books there is a comfort in the familiar characters and settings.
One more to go and I am caught up on this series... for now anyway
July 9, 2017
Phew! I was afraid this was going to be the last but I don't think it was. Sharon and her gang pull off another great solve!
July 31, 2022
The weak spot in this series (at least since Hy has been on the scene...) has been Hy getting back into business with Gage Renshaw and RKI - especially as details of their time together in Southeast Asia have been sprinkled throughout the series. I mean, WHY (?!?!?!) willingly go back into business with this Shady AF character? It makes no sense. Anyway, we all knew Renshaw was going to be back after the events of The Ever-Running Man and this is the book where Muller closes that loop. Unfortunately more secrets come to light and it somehow makes EVEN LESS SENSE that Hy willingly went to work for RKI after everything that went down. It defies logic. And that's the crux of my problem with his book. While Muller has done an excellent job throughout this long-running series of allowing her characters to change and grow without morphing them into pod people, Hy's involvement with RKI has never, ever made any sense and this book makes that matter even more illogical.
There's also a lot of repetitive series rehash in this book, which makes me wonder if Muller had originally entertained the idea of making this the final book in the series. If she did, she obviously changed her mind.
There's also a lot of repetitive series rehash in this book, which makes me wonder if Muller had originally entertained the idea of making this the final book in the series. If she did, she obviously changed her mind.
December 29, 2017
I am a huge fan of Marcia M but I felt that while this book had a pretty enjoyable storyline, the end seemed to be a bit of a let down. To me it feels like 30 chapters are the build up and 31 is the conclusion. (Not actual chapter numbers). I think that I would enjoy a bit deeper thinking or more complex, or tied in ending. Having already read book 32 I am off to 33 in hopes that it will have a bit more zip in the end.
Oh! One other item I am not fond of is the references to “right wing” people or publications etc. I read to enjoy myself to have a mini mind vacations so to speak, so I DON’T want to deal with any specific political slant in my books I read for pleasure. Being a libertarian I often have different thinking on many issues in the political arena but I do NOT care to have a specific bias against guns, social issues or politics in my reading for enjoyment.
Oh! One other item I am not fond of is the references to “right wing” people or publications etc. I read to enjoy myself to have a mini mind vacations so to speak, so I DON’T want to deal with any specific political slant in my books I read for pleasure. Being a libertarian I often have different thinking on many issues in the political arena but I do NOT care to have a specific bias against guns, social issues or politics in my reading for enjoyment.
April 29, 2019
This book belongs at the top of the Ridiculist! Marcia Muller should be ashamed of herself for publishing such a lousy attempt at a mystery. What happened to the old Sharon I used to enjoy? Even the Bay Area location couldn’t save this one.
The entire book consists of retelling who all the characters are from previous stories and rehashing all her old cases. She has turned Sharon McCone into the woman you love to hate - just a snobby has-been. Please, just let her get shot and put us out of misery.
“What are the indications of a sociopathic personality?” “Failure to accept responsibility for his own actions, shoving the blame onto others, many short term relationships and extreme promiscuity, manipulativeness, denial, callousness and pathological lying.” She is describing the murderer, but it sounds like Trump to me!
The entire book consists of retelling who all the characters are from previous stories and rehashing all her old cases. She has turned Sharon McCone into the woman you love to hate - just a snobby has-been. Please, just let her get shot and put us out of misery.
“What are the indications of a sociopathic personality?” “Failure to accept responsibility for his own actions, shoving the blame onto others, many short term relationships and extreme promiscuity, manipulativeness, denial, callousness and pathological lying.” She is describing the murderer, but it sounds like Trump to me!
April 28, 2019
Someone Always Knows by Marcia Muller is a PI procedural, #31 in the series. It reminded me of the cliched family holiday where the same stories are repeatedly retold. For my taste, too much of the book flashed back to past incidents. With thirty prior books, there was plenty of material, maybe too much.
If you are a PI Sharon McCone fan, here is another of her adventures with plenty of references to her past adventures. If you’ve never heard of her, this might not be the best place to start.
For my expanded report: https://1book42day.blogspot.com/2019/...
Check out https://amazon.com/shop/influencer-20... for book recommendations.
If you are a PI Sharon McCone fan, here is another of her adventures with plenty of references to her past adventures. If you’ve never heard of her, this might not be the best place to start.
For my expanded report: https://1book42day.blogspot.com/2019/...
Check out https://amazon.com/shop/influencer-20... for book recommendations.
February 6, 2021
3.5 stars
March 31, 2025
An old business associate of Hy's shows up with revenge on his mind and creates havoc for Sharon and friends. Good, quick read.
June 12, 2017
This Sharon McCone Mystery is full of action from the first page to the last. Her analytical mind never stopped working to figure out the cases that dangled before her and the staffers at the McCone & Ripinsky Agency. Since merging with her husband Hy, an old nemesis thought to be dead resurfaced throwing kinks into everyday affairs. What did he want? And, where was her husband when things got testy? Read today, and watch as the cases unravel.
December 27, 2016
Years ago I read and enjoyed several of Marcia Muller's early Sharon McCone mysteries, so when I saw her latest was available through a Goodreads lottery I signed up.
When my prize arrived, I discovered that Sharon has come a long ways since the days when she was an investigator for the All Souls Legal Cooperative. Considerably older and better established, she is now married and the co-owner with her colorful husband Hy of a large and prosperous investigating firm with several branch offices and a large staff of investigators. They apparently have also acquired several homes and airplanes.
The MacGuffin in this, the 31st(!) novel in the series, is $3.5 million in purloined bearer bonds that may have been secreted in a squatter infested derelict building McCone's firm was just hired to depopulate. Probably not coincidentally, Renshaw, a menacing figure from Hy's checkered past shows up and starts stalking Sharon as her operatives start stalking him. Unfortunately for the story's suspense, Renshaw does not come across as all that fearsome, at least not at first. In any event, with Hy away consulting with the FBI and CIA on a hostage negotiation (another MacGuffin) it is up to Sharon to deal with the situation.
Readers who have kept up with all of McCone's recent adventures will no doubt be familiar with many of the agency employees Mullins introduces, but I had trouble keeping them all straight. In retrospect I should have kept a list of the cast from the start. Loyal readers will also no doubt be familiar with the various times Sharon has apparently been shot, hit, hospitalized in a coma, or had her car or dwelling burned down, all of which she reminisces about, annoying those of us new to the party and slowing down the story.
When my prize arrived, I discovered that Sharon has come a long ways since the days when she was an investigator for the All Souls Legal Cooperative. Considerably older and better established, she is now married and the co-owner with her colorful husband Hy of a large and prosperous investigating firm with several branch offices and a large staff of investigators. They apparently have also acquired several homes and airplanes.
The MacGuffin in this, the 31st(!) novel in the series, is $3.5 million in purloined bearer bonds that may have been secreted in a squatter infested derelict building McCone's firm was just hired to depopulate. Probably not coincidentally, Renshaw, a menacing figure from Hy's checkered past shows up and starts stalking Sharon as her operatives start stalking him. Unfortunately for the story's suspense, Renshaw does not come across as all that fearsome, at least not at first. In any event, with Hy away consulting with the FBI and CIA on a hostage negotiation (another MacGuffin) it is up to Sharon to deal with the situation.
Readers who have kept up with all of McCone's recent adventures will no doubt be familiar with many of the agency employees Mullins introduces, but I had trouble keeping them all straight. In retrospect I should have kept a list of the cast from the start. Loyal readers will also no doubt be familiar with the various times Sharon has apparently been shot, hit, hospitalized in a coma, or had her car or dwelling burned down, all of which she reminisces about, annoying those of us new to the party and slowing down the story.
July 12, 2016
The latest McCone story has the detective moaning about growing old, at the same time she fights against it with keeping herself active and involved. The story itself was interesting, with several plots which (naturally) came together into one problem by the time the story resolved.
There were several places where a head slap was due, several others where the author repeated the exact same description in multiple places, and several where you have to wonder if this was meant to be slapstick.
The first two will be obvious to any reader, but the last may not. The reason I wonder about the slapstick is all the times the detective refers to the purse she is carrying. Why would someone doing field investigations have a purse with her? That's like a guy running around carrying a briefcase. Yeah, dude, give me a sec to find a spot for my bag before we start the fisticuffs. Rigggghhhhht.
Overall this seemed like a visit with old friends more than a true mystery tale, which is why I labeled it as a cozy. Definitely not a reread but a comfortable read for most.
There were several places where a head slap was due, several others where the author repeated the exact same description in multiple places, and several where you have to wonder if this was meant to be slapstick.
The first two will be obvious to any reader, but the last may not. The reason I wonder about the slapstick is all the times the detective refers to the purse she is carrying. Why would someone doing field investigations have a purse with her? That's like a guy running around carrying a briefcase. Yeah, dude, give me a sec to find a spot for my bag before we start the fisticuffs. Rigggghhhhht.
Overall this seemed like a visit with old friends more than a true mystery tale, which is why I labeled it as a cozy. Definitely not a reread but a comfortable read for most.
November 18, 2017
Haven't read a mystery by Marcia Muller in years - and was pleased to find how much I remembered. There's some gaps in the story in my memory, but I did remember Sharon's husband in this one - so I wasn't totally lost in the plot.
Sharon McCone and her husband Hy have joined forces in their business, and have created a new business out of the wreakage of Hy's former business, now that one former partner is dead (murdered) and the other is gone - presumed dead. But then Gage Renshaw comes back from the dead, and wants something from them: but won't tell them what. And then Hy gets pulled out of town on an emergency, and before coming back gets pulled into a hostage negotiation for the FBI - and goes incommunicado for days. Is he really working for the FBI? Is he lost? And what is Gage up to? Where has he been? Does the old house on Webster Street have anything to do with it?
Loved the San Francisco setting, and the descriptions of her travel to Mexico and the southern part of the state. The plot wrapped up a bit quickly and neatly, but I still enjoyed it thoroughly.
Sharon McCone and her husband Hy have joined forces in their business, and have created a new business out of the wreakage of Hy's former business, now that one former partner is dead (murdered) and the other is gone - presumed dead. But then Gage Renshaw comes back from the dead, and wants something from them: but won't tell them what. And then Hy gets pulled out of town on an emergency, and before coming back gets pulled into a hostage negotiation for the FBI - and goes incommunicado for days. Is he really working for the FBI? Is he lost? And what is Gage up to? Where has he been? Does the old house on Webster Street have anything to do with it?
Loved the San Francisco setting, and the descriptions of her travel to Mexico and the southern part of the state. The plot wrapped up a bit quickly and neatly, but I still enjoyed it thoroughly.
July 30, 2016
3.5 stars
It's always good to check with with PI extraordinaire, Sharon McCone, but I get the feeling she is getting set to retire. Like the rest of us who are getting along in our years, she getting weary of the grind and no longer has the enthusiasm for her more challenging cases, and can't say as I blame her. It will be a sad day for me (along with Sue Grafton's last book in the Milhone series), that's life. BUT, other than that, I enjoyed the mystery and catching up on Sharon's personal and professional life; it was perfect for whiling away a hot day.
As usual, fans of Sue Grafton and JA Jance will enjoy this series, and I also recommend trying Betty Webb's Lena Jones PI series, set in Scottsdale, AZ.
It's always good to check with with PI extraordinaire, Sharon McCone, but I get the feeling she is getting set to retire. Like the rest of us who are getting along in our years, she getting weary of the grind and no longer has the enthusiasm for her more challenging cases, and can't say as I blame her. It will be a sad day for me (along with Sue Grafton's last book in the Milhone series), that's life. BUT, other than that, I enjoyed the mystery and catching up on Sharon's personal and professional life; it was perfect for whiling away a hot day.
As usual, fans of Sue Grafton and JA Jance will enjoy this series, and I also recommend trying Betty Webb's Lena Jones PI series, set in Scottsdale, AZ.
June 9, 2019
This Sharon McCone novel picks up a thread that's been long abandoned: Gage Renshaw. What's he been doing since his flight? What are his intentions toward Sharon and Hy? That's the strong basis of this novel.
There's also a case, of course, but it feels a little shallow. In fact a lot of the mystery feels perfunctory, because Muller divides attention between about three different issues (Renshaw, a house, and what Hy's off to) and that really blurs the focus of the book and keeps her from giving a lot of attention to any one.
Still, it comes in at 3.5 stars, and I round up thanks to its resolution of a long-term plot issue.
There's also a case, of course, but it feels a little shallow. In fact a lot of the mystery feels perfunctory, because Muller divides attention between about three different issues (Renshaw, a house, and what Hy's off to) and that really blurs the focus of the book and keeps her from giving a lot of attention to any one.
Still, it comes in at 3.5 stars, and I round up thanks to its resolution of a long-term plot issue.
November 1, 2016
Ish. First and last Marcia Muller book and same with the audio reader, Laura Hicks. Chick lit light in a whiney voice. Muller was described as "a dependable writer with a true skill for turning out a tight, shapely storyline" in an old New York Times review of one of her McCone PI books. Maybe not the highest praise. Chock full of fluff filler and inane details about McCone's domestic life and virtually no action at 50% through the book. Abandoned.
April 23, 2018
I've never read a Marcia Muller book I have not loved! Sharon Mc Cone is one of my favorite characters and it has been such a treat to see her grow and evolve into a successful person. Having lived in San Francisco I recognize the areas and neighborhoods being described in the the book. A bad character returned in this story and there were some good surprises along the way. Sharon Mc Cone always keeps things interesting!
February 15, 2019
It has been quite awhile since I read a McCone mystery and I was happy to become reacquainted with Shsron and all her employees, friends and family. I'm pretty sure when I started reading this series I was yojunger than Sharon; somehow I managed to get older faster. She is still getting into situations that involve stakeouts and picking locks and outsmarting the bad guy. And she is still coming out on top. This adventure involves a trip into Mexico, a building fire and much more!
October 22, 2016
I have enjoyed many books in the world and by this author. I find the writing and the characters comfortable. I don't think I would have liked it at all if I hadn't read the entire series. I would be missing the comfort and the plot / story was not all that compelling. It was predictable ins some aspects and not that much happened. It was more about the suspense of something going to happen.
July 13, 2017
I have read all the Sharon McCone mysteries and still find them a good read - you can see the characters grow with each book.
August 4, 2025
Laura Hicks' vibrant narration electrifies this audiobook, pulling listeners deep into the story with her clear, steady diction and smooth cadence that make listening effortless and fatigue-free. Her nuanced voicing of characters, from gritty ex-partners to reflective investigators, grounds the drama in authenticity. The gripping plot blends seamlessly for an unforgettable listen.
Sharon McCone and her husband, Hy, merge their security and private investigation firms into one powerhouse. To mark the milestone, they renovate an old building and hire a sculptor to craft a striking facade. The result? A ghastly sculpture that falls flat.
Trouble escalates when Hy's shady ex-employee-long thought dead-resurfaces. This former business partner threatens to unravel the merger, stirring up old tensions.
The story hums with atmosphere during McCone's stakeout of an abandoned house McCone’s friend, a former cat sitter, hopes to buy. Danger, as always, finds McCone, pushing the stakes higher.
Hy and Sharon grapple with the elusive ex-partner's motives, fueling plenty of tension. McCone chases some mysterious bearer bonds into Mexico, adding to the book’s intrigue.
The mystery holds tight, the denouement keeps you glued to your earbuds, and the final chapter delivers-unless you're the sculptor, whose ego takes a hit.
Sharon McCone and her husband, Hy, merge their security and private investigation firms into one powerhouse. To mark the milestone, they renovate an old building and hire a sculptor to craft a striking facade. The result? A ghastly sculpture that falls flat.
Trouble escalates when Hy's shady ex-employee-long thought dead-resurfaces. This former business partner threatens to unravel the merger, stirring up old tensions.
The story hums with atmosphere during McCone's stakeout of an abandoned house McCone’s friend, a former cat sitter, hopes to buy. Danger, as always, finds McCone, pushing the stakes higher.
Hy and Sharon grapple with the elusive ex-partner's motives, fueling plenty of tension. McCone chases some mysterious bearer bonds into Mexico, adding to the book’s intrigue.
The mystery holds tight, the denouement keeps you glued to your earbuds, and the final chapter delivers-unless you're the sculptor, whose ego takes a hit.
August 1, 2018
Marcia Muller's Sharon McCone detective series brought to light one of the first liberated female PI's, and was certainly an influence on Sue Grafton's Kinsey Millhone series. McCone is a full-blooded Shoshone Indian who was adopted at birth and raised by a family of whites in San Diego. Her mother, Saskia Blackhawk, was young and unmarried, couldn't cope with motherhood at the time, put herself through law school, and is now practicing on behalf of Indian rights; mother and daughter have since reconciled. Sharon eventually moved to San Francisco, where she put herself through UC Berkeley on a variety of scholarships and by working as a security guard at a local mall. Realizing she couldn't survive on a sociology degree, she worked for a legal cooperative before apprenticing under a local PI, getting her license, and then, much later, opening her own agency. In Someone Always Knows, a sociopathic former associate of her husband has come to San Francisco to damage both Sharon and her husband, and seemingly will not take no for an answer. At times this dwells too much on other characters and past events, but Muller always tells a good story.
November 12, 2019
+Sharon & Hy are confronted by a man presumed dead for many years and he is threatening to mess up the reputation & financial standing of McCone & Ripinsky. He is a former colleague of Hy involved with nefarious schemes in the far East. And to add to the aggravation they have had to stop payment to an renowned sculptor because his creation is a total eyesore on their beautiful office building. To everyone's surprise the Gage Renshaw situation is connected to an arson fire in a building the company had under surveillance. Trails lead everywhere, including into Mexico and too many people are at peril.+
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 28, 2020
Not my favorite McCone mystery. I have been a fan from way back (Edwin of the Iron Shoes anyone) but I felt let down. At first it was great seeing all the old characters again, like being with old friends, but I soon came to realize this novel wasn't meant for me. The rehashing of past adventures/books got a little too repetitive/obvious for me. And the dealings with Renshaw seemed better suited to junior high than the professional mature woman I've come to expect. I will give The Color of Fear a try but I am really hoping for an improvement.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 152 reviews