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Curt Savage Mysteries #1
Savage Summer
"When life gives you lemons ... be sure to spit the pits out of that lemonade you're making. Otherwise you'll choke." - Curt Savage
The past year has not been a good one for Curt Savage. Depressed over the death of a loved one, he's gone into hiding, becoming entirely too comfortable with saying that he's in the Witness Protection Program. But the urge to find that elusive killer puts his MIA status on hold. With the help of his new buddy Mike, he delves into the murky world of tracking down a killer -- and uncovering who poisoned a neighbor's dog.
SAVAGE SUMMER is the first in the Curt Savage mystery series. Going from former cop to private dick, he represents a new kind of detective--the reluctant kind. As his best bud Mike puts it, "Private investigation just got Savage."
When completed, the Curt Savage Mystery Series will be comprised of four parts:
Part I. SAVAGE SUMMER (Published)
Part II. SAVAGE FALL (Published)
Part III. SAVAGE WINTER (Est. Publication Date: January 2016)
Part IV. SAVAGE SPRING (Est. Publication Date: August 2016)
The past year has not been a good one for Curt Savage. Depressed over the death of a loved one, he's gone into hiding, becoming entirely too comfortable with saying that he's in the Witness Protection Program. But the urge to find that elusive killer puts his MIA status on hold. With the help of his new buddy Mike, he delves into the murky world of tracking down a killer -- and uncovering who poisoned a neighbor's dog.
SAVAGE SUMMER is the first in the Curt Savage mystery series. Going from former cop to private dick, he represents a new kind of detective--the reluctant kind. As his best bud Mike puts it, "Private investigation just got Savage."
When completed, the Curt Savage Mystery Series will be comprised of four parts:
Part I. SAVAGE SUMMER (Published)
Part II. SAVAGE FALL (Published)
Part III. SAVAGE WINTER (Est. Publication Date: January 2016)
Part IV. SAVAGE SPRING (Est. Publication Date: August 2016)
- GenresMysteryMystery Thriller
248 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 29, 2013
36 people are currently reading
329 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
January 3, 2023
I love this book.
I can't wait for more.
I will be leaving reviews on AMAZON & GOODREADS!
And letting everyone know about it.
So I gave it FIVE STARS!
I can't wait for more.
I will be leaving reviews on AMAZON & GOODREADS!
And letting everyone know about it.
So I gave it FIVE STARS!
Read
June 3, 2014I was given a copy of “Savage Summer” by Ruth Bainbridge in exchange for an honest review. I was introduced to the author through Reading Addiction Blog Tours. I have done a couple of blog tours since I created my own website, and have found that it’s an excellent way to meet new authors. It’s been a great way for me to find my footing in the thousands of other book review blogs out on the ARPANET.
“Savage Summer” is falls into the category of mystery, murder and suspense. With most mystery and suspense novels, you have a heavy dark story that takes you deep into the mind of the murderer and the person chasing that murderer. With “Savage Summer” you still have that deep emotional and dark side to the story, but the author spiced the story up with satire.
*****
We are introduced to Curtis Owen Savage while he is deep into his world of depression, seclusion, and despair. The horrific murder of his fiancée Ruth Warwick while she was away studying for her master’s degree. It’s not only the murder that has gotten to him but several events that led into the murder and after.
With Ruth being such an independent person, she seldom asked for his assistance in much. However, he had such an urgent request for her to visit. Being 120 miles away he was consumed in his own little world of a police officer, he was always pushing things off to the side. Taking her and their relationship for granted, he just knew that there would be time to get up and visit her another day. However, to his demise, that opportunity never did come.
What really shook Curt was the manner of the investigation. Knowing that so many murders are committed by someone who knows the victim, he was turned into suspect #1. With being a police officer, this investigation didn’t help him much with his fellow officers. Granted he was eventually cleared and no longer a suspect, it took a toll on him.
Doing what we all want to do when a break up or something as horrible as the murder of the woman he loved, he became a recluse. He holed himself up in his condo and for 18 month became a hermit. I’m sure that we’ve all just wanted to crawl into a hole and never come out…well this is what he did. Once a fit man, he let himself go. He relies on the internet to connect him to the world. Delivery boys bring him his necessities of life. His mother is demanding for him to get back out into the world and live again.
It’s through a 24 hour gym that starts to bring Curt out. Knowing that he needs to get out of this depressed routine, he starts working out late at night when nobody else is around. It’s through fate that he meets, Michelle O’Brien, AKA Mike.
Mike is an outgoing, rough around the edges, calling it as she sees it, lesbian. Realizing that this man is a lost soul, she takes him under her wing and starts to drag him out into society again. A friendship starts to develop and his world is starting to take on what is best to say, some normalcy. That is until he gets a whiff of something that reminds him of his past.
The perfume of his Ruth starts to linger on his nose. He smells it from time to time and he realizes that if he is ever going to get over this horrific loss, he will have to step up and do something about it. Curt uses his experience has a police officer and starts to follow his instincts. He is bound and determined that he will find the person or persons that were responsible for the murder of his Ruth.
It’s through the digging out of his hole that he starts to learn that much was looked over in the original investigation. He starts to follow the clues that should have been seen by others, but missed. The only question he needs to ask himself is…will he be prepared for what he is likely to discover?
*****
I honestly enjoyed this book. I would have liked for a better ending, but then this is what a series is all about. I do understand why it ended the way that it did, but still as a reader, sometimes you don’t look at the author’s perspective. I will want to read the second installment just hoping that Curt is able to figure this out.
With this being only 177 pages, it was a fast read for me. In all, it was a great read. I enjoyed the breath of fresh air the author spun with the satire written into the story. With a dark subject of murder, it’s nice to sometimes be able to laugh when you are trying to figure out who done it.
“Savage Summer” is falls into the category of mystery, murder and suspense. With most mystery and suspense novels, you have a heavy dark story that takes you deep into the mind of the murderer and the person chasing that murderer. With “Savage Summer” you still have that deep emotional and dark side to the story, but the author spiced the story up with satire.
*****
We are introduced to Curtis Owen Savage while he is deep into his world of depression, seclusion, and despair. The horrific murder of his fiancée Ruth Warwick while she was away studying for her master’s degree. It’s not only the murder that has gotten to him but several events that led into the murder and after.
With Ruth being such an independent person, she seldom asked for his assistance in much. However, he had such an urgent request for her to visit. Being 120 miles away he was consumed in his own little world of a police officer, he was always pushing things off to the side. Taking her and their relationship for granted, he just knew that there would be time to get up and visit her another day. However, to his demise, that opportunity never did come.
What really shook Curt was the manner of the investigation. Knowing that so many murders are committed by someone who knows the victim, he was turned into suspect #1. With being a police officer, this investigation didn’t help him much with his fellow officers. Granted he was eventually cleared and no longer a suspect, it took a toll on him.
Doing what we all want to do when a break up or something as horrible as the murder of the woman he loved, he became a recluse. He holed himself up in his condo and for 18 month became a hermit. I’m sure that we’ve all just wanted to crawl into a hole and never come out…well this is what he did. Once a fit man, he let himself go. He relies on the internet to connect him to the world. Delivery boys bring him his necessities of life. His mother is demanding for him to get back out into the world and live again.
It’s through a 24 hour gym that starts to bring Curt out. Knowing that he needs to get out of this depressed routine, he starts working out late at night when nobody else is around. It’s through fate that he meets, Michelle O’Brien, AKA Mike.
Mike is an outgoing, rough around the edges, calling it as she sees it, lesbian. Realizing that this man is a lost soul, she takes him under her wing and starts to drag him out into society again. A friendship starts to develop and his world is starting to take on what is best to say, some normalcy. That is until he gets a whiff of something that reminds him of his past.
The perfume of his Ruth starts to linger on his nose. He smells it from time to time and he realizes that if he is ever going to get over this horrific loss, he will have to step up and do something about it. Curt uses his experience has a police officer and starts to follow his instincts. He is bound and determined that he will find the person or persons that were responsible for the murder of his Ruth.
It’s through the digging out of his hole that he starts to learn that much was looked over in the original investigation. He starts to follow the clues that should have been seen by others, but missed. The only question he needs to ask himself is…will he be prepared for what he is likely to discover?
*****
I honestly enjoyed this book. I would have liked for a better ending, but then this is what a series is all about. I do understand why it ended the way that it did, but still as a reader, sometimes you don’t look at the author’s perspective. I will want to read the second installment just hoping that Curt is able to figure this out.
With this being only 177 pages, it was a fast read for me. In all, it was a great read. I enjoyed the breath of fresh air the author spun with the satire written into the story. With a dark subject of murder, it’s nice to sometimes be able to laugh when you are trying to figure out who done it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 11, 2015
Curt Savage is in a bad place. The murder of his fiancée has left him wanting to crawl in a dark hole and hide—and he’s done exactly that for the past year. But now it’s time to come out of hiding … all so he can track down that killer and make him pay for taking the love of his life away.
That’s the premise of this exciting thriller. Curt Savage makes the perfect reluctant hero who’s drawn into quite the cabal by being thrown in the deep end of the pool … make that ocean! First his neighbor, Marge Danvers, barges into his life and offers him his first case. Her adorable Pommie named Mooch has been poisoned and she wants to know why. Next, an anonymous caller begins bombarding him with unwelcomed information. Unwelcomed information such as his fiancée was having an affair. Did he really need to know that? And is it even true? To top it off, his dead girlfriend reaches out from beyond the grave. She invades his sleep and tries to communicate, but it’s not that easy to decipher the enigmatic clues.
This story is a winner and rings all my bells of what a great mystery should be. The pacing is fast, the writing taut, and the characters are all quirky and believable. I felt I was sitting at the kitchen table with Savage, Marge, and Curt’s new friend Mike O’Brien, hashing out the dirt in trying to make sense of all that’s happening. And what’s happening is a lot, but Ms. Bainbridge does a superb job of juggling multiple story lines and keeping them very clear.
On the strength of SAVAGE SUMMER, I picked up the other books in the Curt Savage Mystery series. I think any true mystery lover should do the same! I look forward to reading more of Ms. Bainbridge’s work and am more than intrigued about where she’s headed. Five stars for this outstanding mystery!
That’s the premise of this exciting thriller. Curt Savage makes the perfect reluctant hero who’s drawn into quite the cabal by being thrown in the deep end of the pool … make that ocean! First his neighbor, Marge Danvers, barges into his life and offers him his first case. Her adorable Pommie named Mooch has been poisoned and she wants to know why. Next, an anonymous caller begins bombarding him with unwelcomed information. Unwelcomed information such as his fiancée was having an affair. Did he really need to know that? And is it even true? To top it off, his dead girlfriend reaches out from beyond the grave. She invades his sleep and tries to communicate, but it’s not that easy to decipher the enigmatic clues.
This story is a winner and rings all my bells of what a great mystery should be. The pacing is fast, the writing taut, and the characters are all quirky and believable. I felt I was sitting at the kitchen table with Savage, Marge, and Curt’s new friend Mike O’Brien, hashing out the dirt in trying to make sense of all that’s happening. And what’s happening is a lot, but Ms. Bainbridge does a superb job of juggling multiple story lines and keeping them very clear.
On the strength of SAVAGE SUMMER, I picked up the other books in the Curt Savage Mystery series. I think any true mystery lover should do the same! I look forward to reading more of Ms. Bainbridge’s work and am more than intrigued about where she’s headed. Five stars for this outstanding mystery!
April 23, 2015
I can honestly say I haven't read such a great cast of characters in quite a while.
Former police officer Curt Savage is still reeling over the death of his fiancee when anonymous phone calls help him down the path to discovering her killer. Along the way he finds out information about "his Ruthie" that have him questioning who she really was and who to believe.
All of this takes places while he has gotten a side job for his odd neighbor, Marge and her dog Mooch. Between Mike (Curt's workout buddy and a PI in her own right), Marge, Mooch and a Wolfie (Curt's friend from when he was on the force) you have a recipe for one of the most interesting investigative teams that I have read in a LONG time. And who knows, between all of that they may just be able to rid their neighborhood of a nefarious peeping Tom...I seriously just wanted to walk into Curt's house, raid his cupboards, then sit down and help all of them stop that creeper!
The characters were all so well-written and detailed that I fell in love with ALL of them. The dual lines that Curt is investigating (his finacee's murder and the mysterious peeping Tom) don't get twisted or convoluted in the story.
The only con I found was Curt's visit to the California resort and the enigmatic "Sophia." I didn't like her and her "relationship" with Curt left me with a bad taste in my mouth. That part could have been left out and it would have received 5 stars for me.
Former police officer Curt Savage is still reeling over the death of his fiancee when anonymous phone calls help him down the path to discovering her killer. Along the way he finds out information about "his Ruthie" that have him questioning who she really was and who to believe.
All of this takes places while he has gotten a side job for his odd neighbor, Marge and her dog Mooch. Between Mike (Curt's workout buddy and a PI in her own right), Marge, Mooch and a Wolfie (Curt's friend from when he was on the force) you have a recipe for one of the most interesting investigative teams that I have read in a LONG time. And who knows, between all of that they may just be able to rid their neighborhood of a nefarious peeping Tom...I seriously just wanted to walk into Curt's house, raid his cupboards, then sit down and help all of them stop that creeper!
The characters were all so well-written and detailed that I fell in love with ALL of them. The dual lines that Curt is investigating (his finacee's murder and the mysterious peeping Tom) don't get twisted or convoluted in the story.
The only con I found was Curt's visit to the California resort and the enigmatic "Sophia." I didn't like her and her "relationship" with Curt left me with a bad taste in my mouth. That part could have been left out and it would have received 5 stars for me.
March 20, 2016
First, I don't think the description of this book adequately captures what makes this a novel worth reading. For me, the horrific murder of Curt's fiancee, Ruthie, and his search for the truth surrounding her death and maybe a secret life, is what kept me reading. There were other interesting cases Curt investigated, but the emotional bang was who killed Ruthie and the mysterious person calling Curt about Ruthie's murder. I wanted to know more about that plot, which was left unresolved by book's end. So yeah, a cliffhanger. I like Curt Savage, who has some interesting inner thoughts and ways of putting things. Honestly, more often than not, Curt said and thought phrases that would've made more sense if done by a fifty-something woman. I kept thinking a young male would not say or think such things. The author used the term metrosexual a few times to explain, I think, some of Curt's thoughts that readers would likely think more common for a female. Beyond that, this book was pretty good, with a nice overarching mystery combined with likable and interesting supporting characters. I definitely what to know what happened to poor Ruthie. No one deserves to die the way that she did. And Curt really did love her, although there was one interesting quote about his thoughts on Ruthie, which cast her in a somewhat different light. I won't spoil that bit by explaining or posting the quote. I am looking forward to learning the truth of Ruthie's life and death in subsequent books.
May 16, 2014
Savage Summer is a quick and fun read. I loved the merry band of characters in this novel. Curt Savage, although sarcastic at most times, is witty and great fun. Knowing the male voice had been written by a female author, I didn’t always believe his thought process was truly ‘male’. But then again, men write female characters and get away with it all the time – why not the other way around? The best friend Mike and the crazy neighbor (and her dog) were great fun as well.
The ending of this book nearly ruined the story for me. Of course I understand that in a series the ‘big’ mystery of who killed Curt’s fiancée is not going to be solved in the first book of the series. In my humble opinion, however, each individual book in the series should contain at least one major mystery that is solved. Unfortunately, that doesn’t happen in this novel. The book ends with hardly anything resolved at all. This can have the disadvantage in – instead of hooking readers for the next novel of the series – upsetting readers enough that they give up on the series.
I recommend this book to mystery lovers that enjoy a good laugh.
The ending of this book nearly ruined the story for me. Of course I understand that in a series the ‘big’ mystery of who killed Curt’s fiancée is not going to be solved in the first book of the series. In my humble opinion, however, each individual book in the series should contain at least one major mystery that is solved. Unfortunately, that doesn’t happen in this novel. The book ends with hardly anything resolved at all. This can have the disadvantage in – instead of hooking readers for the next novel of the series – upsetting readers enough that they give up on the series.
I recommend this book to mystery lovers that enjoy a good laugh.
June 27, 2014
avage Summer is a fast paced mystery/thriller, so interesting that I finished it in a single sitting.
The author has created great characters. I liked that there are only a few characters in this book and that each one has been developed really well. There isn’t a single character that I didn’t identify with at some point or other.
All good thrillers guarantee fast-paced, nerve-racking moments and this is no exception. Add to it Curt Savages satiric sense of humor and you have a perfect summer read.
The only disappointment (and it’s a huge one) I had from the book is the absence of a sense of closure. Now I understand that this is just the first novel in a series and the BIG reveal about who killed Savage’s girl would be solved only at the end. However, I’d have liked to see some resolution to the night-prowler case. Three mysteries have been touched upon in this novel and not a single one of them have been solved. If I’d known this previously, I’d have picked this up to read only after all books were released!
The author has created great characters. I liked that there are only a few characters in this book and that each one has been developed really well. There isn’t a single character that I didn’t identify with at some point or other.
All good thrillers guarantee fast-paced, nerve-racking moments and this is no exception. Add to it Curt Savages satiric sense of humor and you have a perfect summer read.
The only disappointment (and it’s a huge one) I had from the book is the absence of a sense of closure. Now I understand that this is just the first novel in a series and the BIG reveal about who killed Savage’s girl would be solved only at the end. However, I’d have liked to see some resolution to the night-prowler case. Three mysteries have been touched upon in this novel and not a single one of them have been solved. If I’d known this previously, I’d have picked this up to read only after all books were released!
September 1, 2014
I received a free ecopy of this book for an honest review.
When this story begins, Curt Savage is in a bad place. The love of his life was murdered over a year ago and he’s stopped living since then. Not only did he lose Ruth, his fiancee, but his fellow officers investigated him for the murder, so it was a double whammy and too much for him to handle. He finally comes out of hiding, and with the help of his best friend Mike, tries to find the person who killed Ruth.
The characters in Savage Summer are colorful and well described. Besides Curt and his friend Mike, who is a lesbian private investigator, there’s his neighbor Mrs. Danvers. She and her dog, Mooch, were my favorite characters.
Savage Summer is a good murder mystery with a lot of humor. The ending was a big disappointment, however, because the murder wasn’t solved. I’m sure there are more Curt Savage books to follow, but I wouldn’t have read this one until the entire series was out rather than being left hanging.
When this story begins, Curt Savage is in a bad place. The love of his life was murdered over a year ago and he’s stopped living since then. Not only did he lose Ruth, his fiancee, but his fellow officers investigated him for the murder, so it was a double whammy and too much for him to handle. He finally comes out of hiding, and with the help of his best friend Mike, tries to find the person who killed Ruth.
The characters in Savage Summer are colorful and well described. Besides Curt and his friend Mike, who is a lesbian private investigator, there’s his neighbor Mrs. Danvers. She and her dog, Mooch, were my favorite characters.
Savage Summer is a good murder mystery with a lot of humor. The ending was a big disappointment, however, because the murder wasn’t solved. I’m sure there are more Curt Savage books to follow, but I wouldn’t have read this one until the entire series was out rather than being left hanging.
November 26, 2015
This book was not the normal type of books I normally read, but the description caught my eye. I knew I had to read it. There was mysteries that I had to know.
How do you go on after losing the one you are to marry? Everything Curt does reminds him of Ruth. Curt was investigated for Ruth's murder by his fellow police co-workers. His best friend, Mike, is a lesbian private investigator. She is a woot!! She is definitely colorful.
Cliffhanger at the end of book was something else. I can not wait to read book #2, Savage Fall, to find out all of my answers to my questions. This was one of those books that I could not put down.
☆☆☆☆☆
I give this book 5 out of 5 stars.
Would I recommend this book? Yes! Author? Yes!
Would I read more from this author? Yes!
Happy Reading!
Melissa
How do you go on after losing the one you are to marry? Everything Curt does reminds him of Ruth. Curt was investigated for Ruth's murder by his fellow police co-workers. His best friend, Mike, is a lesbian private investigator. She is a woot!! She is definitely colorful.
Cliffhanger at the end of book was something else. I can not wait to read book #2, Savage Fall, to find out all of my answers to my questions. This was one of those books that I could not put down.
☆☆☆☆☆
I give this book 5 out of 5 stars.
Would I recommend this book? Yes! Author? Yes!
Would I read more from this author? Yes!
Happy Reading!
Melissa
April 17, 2015
I was very confused by this story. I thought it was a story of Curt looking for who killed his fiance. I guess that will be the continuing theme, but the story was an introduction to his cast of characters. These include all the PCness you can imagine. From lesbian friend to old lady neighbor, and even a dog. The story centers around an apparent peeping tom in Curt's neighborhood. For some reason, no one just calls the cops and has the guy arrested for hanging out in the bushes, they all stalk him instead. Actually pretty boring, no matter how many PC people you drag into it with you. I got nothing out of this book, including a desire to find the next one in the series. Save your time and clean your closet out or something.
September 8, 2014
If I hadn't been reading this because it was brought to my attention I would have missed a very good book, written by a very good up and coming author Ruth Bainbridge whose style of writing I really did enjoy reading.
I loved the quirkiness in this book the retorts, thoughts and funny inuendoes at times. I was wondering if I was reading a thriller sometimes as I did get to giggle in places due to the thoughts of Curt. He was an amusing character, but dedicated in what he needed and wanted to do.
Brilliant read.
I loved the quirkiness in this book the retorts, thoughts and funny inuendoes at times. I was wondering if I was reading a thriller sometimes as I did get to giggle in places due to the thoughts of Curt. He was an amusing character, but dedicated in what he needed and wanted to do.
Brilliant read.
October 19, 2015
Savage Summer is a murder mystery that is well written, fun characters and full of humour. However there is no proper conclusion to this book. It is fact half a book, none of the three stories reaches any sort of conclusion. I understand that a thread need to run through to the remaining books in the series but the ending is totally non-existent, at least one conclusion would allow this to exist as a stand alone novel. As it is I have now read half a story.
January 31, 2017
I loved this book! The easy camaraderie between the cast of very likable characters is great. I especially like the friendship between Curt and Mike. This is #1 in a series of 4, and I read through this one so fast and enjoyed it so much that Im already halfway through #2. Soooo happy I have recently discovered this author.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews