Double Trouble

Dev Haskell Mystery #10

by Mike Faricy

Double Trouble is the Tenth mystery in the highly entertaining Dev Haskell Private Investigator series. Once again, Mike Faricy provides edge of the seat chills and laugh out loud situations. Work is slow for Private Investigator, Dev Haskell so he agrees to make collection calls to octogenarians past due on their coffin payments. He barely lasts the morning before he quits. On his way out the door Dev recommends “reformed” criminal Tommy Flaherty for the job. Since no good deed goes unpunished, that turns out to be a very big mistake and Dev finds himself taken for the ultimate ride. At the same time, Dev attempts to investigate online tampering with an “Escort” website. Unfortunately, there’s a lot more than pictures of gorgeous women being exchanged and the last people willing to help seems to be Dev’s client Ashley and her thug boyfriend, Tony. Double Trouble is a hilariously entertaining mystery, full of nonstop surprises and a delightfully zany ending. Faricy is the next Carl Hiaasen...Crime Scene Faricy is America’s hottest new mystery writer…and Dev Haskell is one of the looniest and most enjoyable characters inhabiting the world of fictional PI's out there today. Robert Carraher....The Dirty Lowdown

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Fiction

279 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 14, 2015

About the author

I was born in St. Paul, Minnesota, I still live there as well as in Dublin, Ireland. I've been a soldier, freelance journalist, tended bar, sold designer cakes, owned a painting and decorating company along with a number of other schemes and scams. If that doesn't offend you I also play bagpipes with the Brian Boru Irish Pipe Band. All my books stand alone, read them in whatever order you wish. They are filled with the sort of oddballs we are all curious about, but wisely, prefer to keep at a distance. None of my characters will be saving the world from terrorism, international banking conspiracies or coups to take over the government. Rather, they inhabit a world just below the surface of polite society, characters with one foot on either side of the law. The circumstances they find themselves in are usually due to bad decisions, but bad decisions lead to interesting stories. They serve not so much as an example but as a warning to us all. Thanks for taking the time, happy reading.

Reviews

[Carlton Phelps · Rating 5 out of 5]

As always, for me, Mr. Faricy delivers a fun read.
Dev Haskell finds himself involved with trying to find a person who was tracking an escort and posting photos on her website.
And ends up involved in a murder. And that's the big stuff. Dev always seems to start out with a mundane case that leads to more complications than expected.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Double Trouble' is another example of Dev Haskell getting himself into questionable circumstances. The storyline was great. I enjoy the fact that the books in this series can be read in any order. The way this story played out was quite entertaining. The only thing that I did not like was the ending. I'll try to explain without giving anything away. The end result left me wondering about how the ones that seemed to have had a hand in the big finish, so to speak, was not explained as to actual motive and it was left in the air. Other than that, I've always enjoyed Dev's antics and this book was just as enjoyable. I love the humor. The characters as always are quite a colorful cast. This book is a great add to your tbr list. Recommended read.

[Randy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again, Dev Haslett's interest in the ladies leads him into some hilarious situations, and he decides to recommend the brother of two sisters from his past to a friend who sells coffins and mortuary equipment. As a private investigator, he is also hired to find out how an escort's website is being hacked. A following job for Dev is to find out if the man who hired him for the hack is having an affair. Coffins start disappearing, ATM machines are robbed, and Dev has to figure out who is doing these thefts.

I am a reader who enjoys some humor in mysteries, and Mike Faricy's novels fill the bill for me. How Mr. Faricy concocts the situations for Dev is always amazing to me. If you like this type of mystery you'll probably enjoy his entire Dev Haslett series.

[Sheri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another winner from Mike Faricy! I love Dev Haskell, he seems to blunder through life and always end up landing on his feet. I'd love to see him in a movie, I think directors/producers would have a blast picking the right actor and there are so many great storylines they could make into a movie (s).

[Cindy B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable plot and characters. Recommend entire series for mystery fans who need a smile with their murder/mayhem and madness! 🤓🙃🤓

[Jeff Benham · Rating 5 out of 5]

This should possible be called Triple Trouble as PI Haskell juggles 3 cases at once and is able to weave them together. It is encouraging, or sad, to note that after all these years Dev doesn't know any more about women. It would be nice if he could get in a serious relationship. Or not. This is the latest in the series, with the next one, Yellow Ribbon, due April 15. Another entertaining read!

[Kathy LeJeune · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Dev Haskell! He makes me laugh and I enjoy all the crazy things he gets himself into!

[Marilyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think of Dev as a palate cleanser. I like to alternate between dark and heavy and, lighter novels. This series fits that need perfectly I look forward to reading the entire series.

[Robyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

A friend of Dev gives him a list of collections to try to collect on direct order coffins after a few calls he tells Andy he quits. Tells Andy he has a friend who might be good at collections and gives him Tommy’s name. Andy calls Dev again he has 3 missing coffins and one is a special order $5500.00. Dev, Andy & the police watch on line for the coffins to show up for sell. The police pulls Dev in his license plate was at the scene of an ATM theft. They stole the ATM a. Dev and through in the back of a car, Dev realizes it’s not a station wagon but a hearse like what he had seen in Andy’s warehouse.

[Helen Kaiser · Rating 4 out of 5]

Double Trouble

Dev has redeemed himself ! He didn't get too sloshed or beat up this time! He also made money!!! I'm so proud! My boy is growing up. I'm hoping he continues to improve in coming stories. Ready for book 11, this could go on awhile longer! Just kidding. Do enjoy easy, quirky stories.

[Farhan Saya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Carl Hiaasen 0.5

In similar vain to Carl Hiaasen minus the enviormental aspects. A fun little story, I picked up on the series after a long time and not really from where I left off earlier, so didn't know most of the characters but still it was fun to read.

[william clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Want mpre

Always enjoy the adventures of Dev Haskell always looking forward to his next case. Lots of twists and turns to enjoy

[Robbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very disappointing. I don't remember ever thinking before that Dev was lacking in intelligence, but I sure did this time. Hopefully, that won't be the case in the next book.

[Harlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read !!!

I really enjoy Dev, would like to hang out with him.. I enjoy all the books and so will you. Happy reading.

[Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh brother. Sam Spade in spades. :)

[Jackie Simons]

Read 2/25

[Beth Helm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!

I loved this book. Dev is actually working hard for real clients. He barely has to break a sweat for them.

[Pete Ffrench · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fun story with such an improbable plot. It's obvious what is going to happen when Dev recommends his hooky mate for a job chasing money from coffin defaulters but the robberies are an added bonus for Dev to solve. They ought to consider making this into a series a bit like the old Rockford Files.

[Madelon · Rating 5 out of 5]

When will he learn? Dev made the mistake of dating sisters, committed the worst of faux pas, and is now living to regret it. And, wouldn't you know it, the sisters, Lissa and Candy Flaherty, have a brother Tommy that is a pretty slick character.

After reading BULLDOG, I'm finding that DOUBLE TROUBLE is back on the humorous track. Sometimes the humor is a bit on the dark side since one of Dev's clients is Andy Lindbergh, president of C. Lindbergh Memorials… as in caskets and funeral home supplies. The other client, Royal Baker, President and CEO of Tri-Cort Services, Limited, an online escort service, is definitely a privileged shady character.

DOUBLE TROUBLE is filled with hairbrained schemes and enough con men to make your head spin. This one will surely make you laugh out loud as you follow the antics of this strange cast of characters as they interact in the underworld of St. Paul, Minnesota.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lightweight, fun read.

[Kat Lebo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Double Trouble, Dev Haskell Mystery #10
by Mike Faricy

It's hard not to love Dev Haskell, even though he has many unlikable traits. He drinks too much. He sees women pretty much as just sexual objects. For a man who makes his living by using investigative skills, he often seems amazingly dense. But, under it all, he has a heart of gold and it redeems him in the reader's estimation every time.

This episode was no exception to the above description. Dev's on again/off again friend with benefits, Heidi, asks him to accompany her to an event where she will be wooing a new client for her business. While there, the prospective client asks Dev to do some P.I. work for him. Turns out the client, Royal Baker, runs a high-tech escort service. One of his star escorts is being stalked by someone who is placing unflattering photos of her on her business website. Royal wants Dev to find out who and get the person to stop. Problem is, the escort, Ashley, and her pimp husband, Tony, are truly unpleasant people who simply will not cooperate with the simplest of Dev's request regarding the investigation. Around the same time, Dev runs into the brother of a set of twins he used to date -- unfortunately, neither twin knew he was dating the other until the wrong name gets uttered at an extremely intimate and inappropriate time. The brother has been in and out of trouble and is recently out of prison and without a job. Dev helps him find a job at a mortuary supply company and even allows the brother, Tommy, to stay at his house for a couple of nights. Soon Dev begins to notice that things are out of place at his house. Sometimes little things are missing, like a shirt or sports coat he’d planned to wear. Then his friend who gave Tommy a job has a major theft – of 3 coffins, one being a pricey special order casket. Dev suspects Tommy, but wants to give him the benefit of the doubt as his friend is happy with Tommy’s work. Dev receives a call from one of Tommy’s twin sisters, wanting to take him out to thank him for getting Tommy a job, a “date” that proves memorable in all the wrong ways. He parts ways with Royal Baker and his escort client, just to be called by Baker’s wife, Gemma, who wants Dev to get evidence of Royal having an affair so she can divorce him. When the cops show up on Dev’s doorstep asking about his license plate, which had been photographed at an ATM theft scene, but not on Dev’s vehicle, he begins to suspect that there are somethings he needs to work out.

So how do these disparate things all dovetail? In interesting, dangerous, and hilarious ways.

Faricy does a great job of keeping his main character the stereotypical clueless detective who seems to overlook the obvious and still find the answers. He puts his character into the most unlikely romantic situations, situations where the reader is sure from the get-go that Dev will end up on the short end of the stick, every time. He puts him in danger, or close enough to danger to be exciting, and all the while Dev is surprised, seeming to put 2 and 2 together only after the fact. The writing is fun, the pacing is great, the flow easy to follow. These adventures always leave the reader with a smile and wanting to read the next book in the series. Most of all, Faricy ends each book. No cliffhangers. Each can be read as a stand-alone. Even in a series I follow pretty faithfully, I appreciate that.

There were a few things I didn’t like. First, the novel seemed very short (and almost half the digital edition was taken up by excerpts from other works. I thought it was pretty unbelievable that Dev didn’t figure out that Tommy was getting into his house, eating his food, showering/cleaning up, taking his clothes, etc. earlier than he did – and unbelievable that once he did, he didn’t confront Tommy about it. I also found it incomprehensible why he didn’t go to the police earlier about Tony and Tommy being connected to the ATM thefts when he’d seen red dye (from the dye packs in the ATM) on Tony’s fingers and was pretty sure Tommy was involved by the vehicle that was used in the theft. Then there were a few editing/proofing errors. I noted 3. Two were nothing much. At 690 “…This shit is hitting me right wear it hurts, in my pocketbook…” Um, where it hurts, please. And at 2137, “He behaved like an absolute criminal, imagine.” I’m not sure if the “imagine” was an accidental add-on, or if a word was missing, but it seemed out of place. But at 2171 was this very unfortunate sentence: “Yes, but its one of those anonymous email addresses, you now a bunch of numbers plus a symbol and then, at Gmail dot com.” Okay – its should be it’s; now should be know, and know should have a comma after it, and I’m not sure the comma was needed after the word then.

Overall, it was a fun read and I will read more of Dev’s adventures.