Adirondack Detective

by John H. Briant, John D. Mahaffy (Editor)

Book by Briant, John H.

Genres: Mystery

272 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2000

About the author

John Briant was born in Throopsville, NY, a small town about 20 miles north of Watertown, NY. John resided in Old Forge for the last 34 years of his life. Shortly after graduation from Port Byron High, he enlisted in the USAF, attaining the rate of staff sergeant. He was honorably discharged in 1953, and then joined the New York State Police where he served a distinguished 29-year career as a trooper and BCI investigator in Troops D and B. Trooper Briant was cited as a legend maker in the force and in 1970 received the Brummer Award, the Forces highest award, issued for Bravery. Upon retirement from the NYSP, he was employed in the security department in a Syracuse bank. In retirement, John attained a Bachelor of Science Degree and embarked on a new career as a writer and artist. He authored, One Cops Story, the beginning of his series of mystery novels featuring the Adirondack Detective, Jason Black, and all his works focused on his beloved Adirondacks. John also became an accomplished water color artist, specializing in landscapes, which View, The Arts Center of Old Forge, and Old Forge Library have displayed. He was a member of View, Old Forge Library, American Association of State Troopers, and the Adirondack Chapter of the New York State Retired Troopers.

Reviews

[Roberta · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book and immediately started looking for others in the series. I know that my star rating doesn't agree with many of the others so let me tell you where I'm coming from. The Adirondack setting plays a big role in this mystery story and I will read and like just about anything (with a few exceptions) that is set in my neck of the woods. The setting in this book is absolutely dead on. The author is writing about someplace he knows inside out and backwards.

Other reviews have criticized the writing style. A legit complaint. John H. Briant sounds like a cop. The majority of fiction books sound like they were written by fiction writers who have been heavily edited to fit some generic mold and readers are critical of any other style. We are tolerant when doctors sound like doctors or lawyers sound like lawyers only when they are writing non-fiction in their fields. But now that publishers are depending more on spell check and less on human editors and more books are being self-published, we are going to be seeing more authors of fiction who sound like doctors, lawyers, and cops. My plan is to be more tolerant of doctors, lawyers and cops who are trying to tell a good story with a reasonable plot and a likable character and less tolerant of career professional writers who don't.

[Jacob Darling · Rating 2 out of 5]

Now I love the Adirondacks, grew up in a logging family and would constantly do many of the things the author is referring to. That being said, I am happy I will not be reading another breakfast order of his for the rest of my life.

[Sally Lindsay-briggs · Rating 3 out of 5]

The location of this book was fascinating. I traveled the Adirondacks a great deal when I was young, because they were close to my Northern New York home. Later, when I married, we went canoe camping at Saranac and Tupper Lake. The main character, Jason, spent a great deal of time traveling in the beautiful mountains and many places were very familiar. I did feel that far too much verbiage was spent on Jason's showering, his feeding of the dog and did we need to know what he ate for almost every meal? Jason did seem like a very good detective.

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the Adirondacks and loved this book

I visit the Adirondacks a few times every year and this book took me right back there. This is a story about the developing relationship between Jack and Patty. I loved this book as it made me feel as though I am right back there in the Adirondacks. Have been to most of the places mentioned in the book so could relate to the story. After I got used to the style of writing it didn't bother me with the repitition of Jack's daily life as it did some of the reviewers.

[Mary Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

An easy read. I enjoyed it because I have been to all the places mentioned in the book and am married to a North Country guy. You can tell this is written by a former policeman since it gives every mundane detail of his actions, as he would in noting a forensic case. You can tell he's a man since he details every meal and describes all the food! Not a great work of literature, but a pleasant read about real life in the Adirondacks.

[Katie Jackson · Rating 2 out of 5]

This books has a solid outline. It’s setting in the Adirondacks provides an excellent environment for the story. Unfortunately that’s where the positive ends.

There is so much redundancy throughout the novel that it could have been half the length and a far more enjoyable read. It’s written like a detailed description of the protagonists daily activities rather than a flowing story. The dialog is stilted and the in depth description of each meal is exhausting.

[Betsy Forsland · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good- The author’s love of the Adirondacks is authentic and enthusiastic. Bad- The writing is simplistic and overly detailed about meals . Very odd style , bothersome to me .

[Doris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun read mostly because of the great vacations/camping I've done in the Adirondacks.

[Joyce · Rating 3 out of 5]

Borrow from FFL, interesting to read, following the life of the fictionally charatcter of Jason Black, PI.

[Mike Bason · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable story, characters, and setting. The writing is problematic though. The descriptions of events get repetitive, and the dialogue is very unrealistic.

[Lesley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well it a simple mystery story but the fun part for me was reading about all the parts of the Adirondacks I have been to-many not far from where I live-Rt 28, old Forge, Eighth Lake, etc--I knew the places so that made the story more fun to read. I would read more in this series! Fast mystery!

[Linda · Rating 1 out of 5]

Way too repetitive and an elementary writing style.

[Caitlin McAuliffe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book, lots of adventure, just like there is in the Adirondacks

[Wayne E. · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Adirondack Detective is a likeable all American hero type