What do you think?
Rate this book
Maisie McGrane Mystery #2
Choked Up
She's working undercover--and she's in way over her head.
Scrappy Traffic Enforcement agent Maisie McGrane has finally landed her dream job as a Chicago police officer. There's just one catch. She must remain undercover as a meter maid to gather evidence against Stannislav Renko, a charismatic Serbian mobster running a brutal multi-million dollar mobile chop-shop operation.
When Maisie is targeted by a killer who leaves a body slumped against her car, Renko comes to her rescue and takes her under his wing. From her perch inside the crime boss's inner circle, Maisie sets up a daring sting operation to take down Renko once and for all. But can she pull it off before her family of overprotective Irish cops and her sexy ex-Army Ranger boyfriend blow her cover?
Scrappy Traffic Enforcement agent Maisie McGrane has finally landed her dream job as a Chicago police officer. There's just one catch. She must remain undercover as a meter maid to gather evidence against Stannislav Renko, a charismatic Serbian mobster running a brutal multi-million dollar mobile chop-shop operation.
When Maisie is targeted by a killer who leaves a body slumped against her car, Renko comes to her rescue and takes her under his wing. From her perch inside the crime boss's inner circle, Maisie sets up a daring sting operation to take down Renko once and for all. But can she pull it off before her family of overprotective Irish cops and her sexy ex-Army Ranger boyfriend blow her cover?
368 pages, Paperback
First published December 29, 2015
25 people are currently reading
592 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
December 28, 2017
This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life in Books.
This was an okay read for me. I decided to read this book because it seemed to be exactly what I was in the mood to read. I remembered seeing some comparisons to Evanovich and thought a mystery with a side of laughter would be just perfect. Unfortunately, I didn't find this book funny. At all. I didn't crack a smile even once so that is a pretty big disappointment. The mystery did hold my interest though. It wasn't a bad read but it wasn't quite what I thought it would be.
Maisie McGrane comes from family of police officers and defense attorneys. Maisie is a meter maid which isn't exactly the same thing. Maisie does want to join the police but her family has blocked her path so she jumps at the chance to work undercover with a special unit. She is eager to quit her job and start her new career until she learns that they want her to continue working as she gathers information.
Maisie jumps into her new role completely. She is soon an important part of the life a notorious mobster, Stannis. There are quite a few action scenes with Maisie finding herself in danger more often than can be healthy. She must keep the mobster happy while feeding information to her contacts. Hopefully she can remain safe and explain things to her boyfriend later.
Maisie seemed to be in way over her head. I can't say that I really liked her or disliked her character. I didn't have a lot of confidence in her abilities and thought some of her actions were pretty questionable. Her boyfriend, Hank, didn't seem real to me at all. His character did remind me a bit of Ranger from the Stephanie Plum series but even little more perfect and superheroish.
In the end, I think that this story was rather forgettable. This is the second book in the series but I didn't feel like I was missing anything by reading out of order. I was really curious about how everything would work out which kept the pages turning but I don't plan to read any additional books in the series.
I received an advanced reader edition of this book from Kensington Books via NetGalley.
Initial Thoughts
I thought this was okay. I saw this book being compared to the Stephanie Plum series so I expected it to be funny. I didn't find it funny which was a disappointment. I found that I was bored during sections of the book as well. I did wonder how Maisie would get herself out of the situation she was in and kept trying to figure out if anyone else was undercover.
This was an okay read for me. I decided to read this book because it seemed to be exactly what I was in the mood to read. I remembered seeing some comparisons to Evanovich and thought a mystery with a side of laughter would be just perfect. Unfortunately, I didn't find this book funny. At all. I didn't crack a smile even once so that is a pretty big disappointment. The mystery did hold my interest though. It wasn't a bad read but it wasn't quite what I thought it would be.
Maisie McGrane comes from family of police officers and defense attorneys. Maisie is a meter maid which isn't exactly the same thing. Maisie does want to join the police but her family has blocked her path so she jumps at the chance to work undercover with a special unit. She is eager to quit her job and start her new career until she learns that they want her to continue working as she gathers information.
Maisie jumps into her new role completely. She is soon an important part of the life a notorious mobster, Stannis. There are quite a few action scenes with Maisie finding herself in danger more often than can be healthy. She must keep the mobster happy while feeding information to her contacts. Hopefully she can remain safe and explain things to her boyfriend later.
Maisie seemed to be in way over her head. I can't say that I really liked her or disliked her character. I didn't have a lot of confidence in her abilities and thought some of her actions were pretty questionable. Her boyfriend, Hank, didn't seem real to me at all. His character did remind me a bit of Ranger from the Stephanie Plum series but even little more perfect and superheroish.
In the end, I think that this story was rather forgettable. This is the second book in the series but I didn't feel like I was missing anything by reading out of order. I was really curious about how everything would work out which kept the pages turning but I don't plan to read any additional books in the series.
I received an advanced reader edition of this book from Kensington Books via NetGalley.
Initial Thoughts
I thought this was okay. I saw this book being compared to the Stephanie Plum series so I expected it to be funny. I didn't find it funny which was a disappointment. I found that I was bored during sections of the book as well. I did wonder how Maisie would get herself out of the situation she was in and kept trying to figure out if anyone else was undercover.
December 12, 2015
I devoured Time's Up, the first book in Janey Mack's Maisie McGrane series in one sitting. I found the plot to be engaging, a real "page turner" if you will. The strength of Ms. Mack's writing is in her ability to make her characters multi-dimensional, larger than life, but still perfectly believable. Janey has enough trust in her readers to allow them to decide who to loathe and who to love. Mack also allows the reader into the thought world of Maisie before she makes a verbal utterance, a clever literary device which I found to be quite entertaining.
I had high hopes going into the reading of Choked Up. I was not disappointed in any way. As a matter of fact, I rather enjoyed the darker tone of Choked Up. It's gritty portrayal of corrupt Chicago politics, and the Chicago underworld is a perfect backdrop to some of the most intense characters this side of Higgins or Spillane. As I stated, Time's Up took only one night to read, and I have to confess, it took me longer to read Choked Up.
The extra reading time was not due to anything but the gut emotion that Choked Up evokes. Frankly, I had to put it down to catch my breath and question myself (did I just read that correctly?). If Time's Up is a campfire, Choked up is a conflagration. Both are exciting, both are difficult to take your eyes off of, but Choked Up burns a whole lot hotter.
If you are looking for Shakespeare, Mack is decidedly not your author. If you are looking for a stylized, exciting, tightly written thriller with intense characters, you can't go wrong with Janey Mack and her Maisie McGrane series. I would start with Time's Up and then progress to Choked Up. It's like diving into the deep end of the pool before jumping into the shark infested waters. Both will test your nerve, but one will impress your friends a lot more!
I had high hopes going into the reading of Choked Up. I was not disappointed in any way. As a matter of fact, I rather enjoyed the darker tone of Choked Up. It's gritty portrayal of corrupt Chicago politics, and the Chicago underworld is a perfect backdrop to some of the most intense characters this side of Higgins or Spillane. As I stated, Time's Up took only one night to read, and I have to confess, it took me longer to read Choked Up.
The extra reading time was not due to anything but the gut emotion that Choked Up evokes. Frankly, I had to put it down to catch my breath and question myself (did I just read that correctly?). If Time's Up is a campfire, Choked up is a conflagration. Both are exciting, both are difficult to take your eyes off of, but Choked Up burns a whole lot hotter.
If you are looking for Shakespeare, Mack is decidedly not your author. If you are looking for a stylized, exciting, tightly written thriller with intense characters, you can't go wrong with Janey Mack and her Maisie McGrane series. I would start with Time's Up and then progress to Choked Up. It's like diving into the deep end of the pool before jumping into the shark infested waters. Both will test your nerve, but one will impress your friends a lot more!
August 16, 2016
Choked Up
By Jamey Mack
Kensington Books
January, 2016
ISBN 978-1-61773-692-6
Paperback, 354 pp., $15.00/16.95 CA$)
Reviewed by Gloria Feit
From the publisher: Scrappy Traffic Enforcement agent Maisie McGrane has finally landed her dream job as a Chicago police officer. There’s just one catch. She must remain undercover as a meter maid to gather evidence against Stannislav Renko, a charismatic Serbian mobster running a brutal multi-million dollar mobile chop-shop operation. When Maisie is targeted by a killer who leaves a body slumped against her car, Renko comes to her rescue and takes her under his wing. From her perch inside the crime boss’s inner circle, Maisie sets up a daring sting operation to take down Renko once and for all. But can she pull it off before her family of overprotective Irish cops and her sexy ex-Army Ranger boyfriend blow her cover?
We learn a bit more about the makeup of the McGrane family in this, the second entry in the series, e.g., her birth mother was killed in an accident, and her adoptive mother, who is black, adopted all of his six small children when she married their father (“Da” throughout), the family now made up of four cops and three attorneys. The family members become more interesting with each book, as do Maisie’s lovers, a sexy bunch I must admit! The reader also learns a bit more about Chicago politics/corruption, three words inextricably intertwined throughout.
How can one not love a protagonist who quotes Virgil and Dashiel Hammett, watches episodes of Harry Bosch on tv and listens to Chet Baker on her I-Pod [or the equivalent]? Not me! This second book in the series is, as was the first, recommended, and I look forward to Maisie’s third appearance in “Shoot ‘Em Up,” due out from Kensington in October 2016.
By Jamey Mack
Kensington Books
January, 2016
ISBN 978-1-61773-692-6
Paperback, 354 pp., $15.00/16.95 CA$)
Reviewed by Gloria Feit
From the publisher: Scrappy Traffic Enforcement agent Maisie McGrane has finally landed her dream job as a Chicago police officer. There’s just one catch. She must remain undercover as a meter maid to gather evidence against Stannislav Renko, a charismatic Serbian mobster running a brutal multi-million dollar mobile chop-shop operation. When Maisie is targeted by a killer who leaves a body slumped against her car, Renko comes to her rescue and takes her under his wing. From her perch inside the crime boss’s inner circle, Maisie sets up a daring sting operation to take down Renko once and for all. But can she pull it off before her family of overprotective Irish cops and her sexy ex-Army Ranger boyfriend blow her cover?
We learn a bit more about the makeup of the McGrane family in this, the second entry in the series, e.g., her birth mother was killed in an accident, and her adoptive mother, who is black, adopted all of his six small children when she married their father (“Da” throughout), the family now made up of four cops and three attorneys. The family members become more interesting with each book, as do Maisie’s lovers, a sexy bunch I must admit! The reader also learns a bit more about Chicago politics/corruption, three words inextricably intertwined throughout.
How can one not love a protagonist who quotes Virgil and Dashiel Hammett, watches episodes of Harry Bosch on tv and listens to Chet Baker on her I-Pod [or the equivalent]? Not me! This second book in the series is, as was the first, recommended, and I look forward to Maisie’s third appearance in “Shoot ‘Em Up,” due out from Kensington in October 2016.
December 11, 2015
Maisie returns! This page-turner starts off at a break-neck pace and never lets up. Serbian mobsters, a creepy stalker, a brutal mercenary, the FBI and the police all pull Maisie every-which-way while she tries to hide her new undercover job from her boyfriend, her family, and her old boss all while trying to land enough evidence to crack a multi-billion dollar mobile car theft & chop shop operation.
Fill with twists and turns, brutal criminals, corrupt politicians, and the wittiest zingers this side of Dolly Madison, this second book by Janey Mack raises the stakes for an eagerly anticipated book #3!
Fill with twists and turns, brutal criminals, corrupt politicians, and the wittiest zingers this side of Dolly Madison, this second book by Janey Mack raises the stakes for an eagerly anticipated book #3!
December 11, 2015
This second book has even more action and more laughs than the first one. Maisie McGrane is as tough as Holly Holm and Ronda Rousey put together. Had to read it straight through. Janey Mack knows how to entertain the reader.
November 23, 2015
A few months ago I reviewed the debut novel by Janey Mack titled Times Up. Mack is back with her crime-stopping meter maid Maisie McGrane in the follow-up Choked Up. The premises is a bit more complex this time.
Check out my full review here ... http://www.rescuehumor.com/2015/11/22...
Check out my full review here ... http://www.rescuehumor.com/2015/11/22...
May 21, 2016
I think I'm going to start incorporating Jaysus and Feck into my daily conversations! Witty and fun, a great sequel.
March 14, 2016
Edge-of-your-seat, nail-biting fun. I love Maisie McGrane! I can't wait for the next installment!
April 3, 2016
Let me start by saying I did not realize that this was the second book for Maisie, so I'm a little upset that I missed the first one!
I thoroughly enjoyed 'Choked Up.' It was lively, fun and entertaining. I want some Hank in my life. Or maybe a McGrane boy.
If you enjoyed Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series, you'll notice several similarities between those novels and this.
First and foremost, Maisie is a meter maid with a propensity for getting into trouble, yet she handles herself with immense understanding, seeing as how her family is chock full of Law Enforcement types. She is definitely comparable to Stephanie Plum herself, even being called 'lucky' in this novel - something which helps Stephanie solve her cases.
Her boyfriend, Hank, is a smokin' hot ex-Army Ranger with a secretive job, presumably as a top dollar mercenary. He's mysterious, and highly likeable. Plus he trusts Maisie implicitly. We could compare him to Ranger.
Her boss is a... Let's just say 'curvy' black woman who tends to stuff herself into much too-tight clothing, and tries to beguile the men around her. She definitely reminds me of Lula, from the time she was no longer a 'ho.
Once I started, I didn't put the book down until I'd finished. And I only picked this book up on a whim after seeing the spine on a shelf at the library! I'll definitely be checking out the first Maisie McGrane novel, though, and I can't wait for the continuation of her story.
I thoroughly enjoyed 'Choked Up.' It was lively, fun and entertaining. I want some Hank in my life. Or maybe a McGrane boy.
If you enjoyed Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series, you'll notice several similarities between those novels and this.
First and foremost, Maisie is a meter maid with a propensity for getting into trouble, yet she handles herself with immense understanding, seeing as how her family is chock full of Law Enforcement types. She is definitely comparable to Stephanie Plum herself, even being called 'lucky' in this novel - something which helps Stephanie solve her cases.
Her boyfriend, Hank, is a smokin' hot ex-Army Ranger with a secretive job, presumably as a top dollar mercenary. He's mysterious, and highly likeable. Plus he trusts Maisie implicitly. We could compare him to Ranger.
Her boss is a... Let's just say 'curvy' black woman who tends to stuff herself into much too-tight clothing, and tries to beguile the men around her. She definitely reminds me of Lula, from the time she was no longer a 'ho.
Once I started, I didn't put the book down until I'd finished. And I only picked this book up on a whim after seeing the spine on a shelf at the library! I'll definitely be checking out the first Maisie McGrane novel, though, and I can't wait for the continuation of her story.
December 30, 2015
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Not my usual genre to read, but once again I found myself being sucked into the action and really enjoying the story. Maisie is back, a bit wiser, more sure of herself and her place in the world. Problem is she can't tell anyone about her new job and it's eating her up. Despite the tension of keeping secrets from her boyfriend, her family, her coworkers, and a Serbian gangster that takes a liking to Maisie, she is, for the most part, able to keep her wits and do her job. The jokes are still there, the family is still a looming presence, and her coworkers are as goofy/irritating as always, but the tension is ramped up, the stakes are higher, and Maisie has to use her considerable skills and wits to keep everything separate and not screw up again.
July 20, 2016
Having met actual police ladies & working with them. I wish I could of worked with an action packed doll like officer McGrane. I sorta figured this book was designed for adventurous females but found out it's perdy adventuress for us guys as well. Nothing like a saucy brave cutie taking on the mob. Now, I have to admit I have a severe crush on Maisie. If I ever found a ticket stuck on my windshield by officer McGrane, I'm afraid I'd have to stick around and pay my fine asap and maybe try to find a reason for her to make me assume the position & handcuff me. I love Columbo, but he's just not as fun & appealing as miss Maisie. Thanks Janey for such a fun book.. made me smile a lot.
January 5, 2016
Choked Up is another amazing suspenseful mystery with a hint of romance from Janey Mack. This time, Maisie confronts a villain that is so extremely likeable [in a "Dexter" sort-of-way], it's easy to see how Maisie becomes his friend while trying to put him behind bars at the same time. Talk about a tightrope! As with the first book, the characters are great. I know you're supposed to hate the villain, but he's so well crafted you hope it will all work out in the end! I couldn't put it down, and can't wait for book three!
October 11, 2016
Maisie finally gets the chance to be a cop, for the secret BOC, but ironically it requires her to stay on as a meter maid as her cover, while trying to get the goods on the Serbian Mafia's car theft racket. Being Maisie, she befriends the head of the Serbian Mafia, who decides that she reminds him of his long-murdered sister. As she desperately tries to get enough time away from his guards to keep in touch with her handlers, she's also caught up in problems with her boyfriend, a soldier of fortune, and Chicago's mayor, who hates her for refusing to take a job with him.
September 27, 2016
The Maisie McGrane series continues with a very well mixed balance of mystery, romance and hi-jinks. Maisie's lover Hank is starting to look like a bad bet, truly. This is either the greatest set up ever or it is going to be a bit of a personal bummer for me if she stays with him. I love the Chicago element- and with Miasie cruising around as a very overqualified meter maid, there are a lot of city scenes.
I am hooked but trepidatious about where her life is about to take her.
I am hooked but trepidatious about where her life is about to take her.
January 30, 2016
A welcome little distraction from ho-hum daily life, this fast paced entertaining confection might have you turning pages faster than you want just so you can find out what will happen next. Maisie is fun, funny, and a fast thinking, self-healing train wreck waiting to happen. Can hardly wait for the next one!
December 2, 2015
4.5 stars!! Choked Up! Janey Mack and Maisie McGrane return!!!!
January 13, 2016
Choked Up is a crazy ride of dark humor and crime. Stannislav Renko is one of the coolest villains ever. He deserves his own series.
May 30, 2016
Unfortunately I didn't read the first novel in the mcgrane series as I didn't know about it until half way through! Absolutely loved the story but was a bit lost with all the law enforcement jargon.
July 21, 2016
Fun, fierce, feisty, Massie McGrane, gotta love her!!!! Can't wait for the next installment!
October 19, 2020
Silly fun, for the most part. Maisie McGrane, meter maid yearning to be a Chicago cop like her brothers, becomes secret undercover cop (still working as meter maid) to infiltrate Serbian car theft ring; Through many coincidences, she meets the Serbian gangster Stannis and becomes almost glued to his side, which causes her problems with reporting to her handlers, hiding her status from family, and getting together with her lover Hank (black ops guy). I thought Stannis was an interesting (and unlikely) character, and of course hunky Hank is fun.
July 10, 2020
Writer is a bit right winged for me.
March 5, 2017
Oh Maisie, the mess you get yourself into! Another great adventure with twists and turns and laugh out loud moments.
May 1, 2017
From the get go there was simply too much swearing. Why is that necessary? I can tolerate the appropriate amount for the context but it can just get so tiresome. Can we not come up with anything more creative than using the F word 25 times on a page. Ok, so that might be hyperbole, but not by much. The plot line itself in this one was a bit of a trial and had perhaps one too many "on-the-scene" situations for my level of interest in the actual crimes being perpetrated. AND, Maisie's kind of taken a turn for the dark side. Where in book one her conscience was what got her in the most trouble, here there is no low too low for her to stoop it seems. SPOILER: Combine that with the oh-so-obvious-from-1000-yards big reveal (how could she not know that he knew???) and in some ways this one was a marathon read. But I kept reading nonetheless and I still liked it. I'm hoping for a bit of redemption for Maisie in the next installment. A bit more transparency with the people she loves, and maybe some lessons learned. Throw in a little PTSD, which she deserves, and I'll be OK. Until next time, Maisie...
January 17, 2016
well written entertaining but highly implausible comic thriller! I kept turning pages even as I told myself some of this just didn't make sense- because I liked the characters, even, against my better judgement (like Maisie) Stannis and his cohorts (I actually found him more interesting that Hank). THanks to NETGALLEY for the ARC_ I didn't read the first book in this series but I'll look for the next installment.
January 13, 2016
Choked Up is a crazy ride of dark humor and crime. Stannislav Renko is one of the coolest villains ever. He deserves his own series.
September 2, 2016
This is a great thriller with such interesting twists and turns.
October 22, 2016
Very good book! Addicting too.
May 16, 2017
Move over Stephanie Plum. Maisie McGrane may just be a younger, smarter, more competent replacement for your readers.
Maisie comes from a family of cops and defense attorneys. Her father pulled strings to get her booted from the police academy (where she was first in her class) because he didn't want her to face the dangers of police work.
So Maisie became a meter maid. But now she has a chance to go under cover to break up an auto theft ring. And the dangers she faces are far greater than anything her father envisioned.
I'm in. Bring on the rest of the series!
Maisie comes from a family of cops and defense attorneys. Her father pulled strings to get her booted from the police academy (where she was first in her class) because he didn't want her to face the dangers of police work.
So Maisie became a meter maid. But now she has a chance to go under cover to break up an auto theft ring. And the dangers she faces are far greater than anything her father envisioned.
I'm in. Bring on the rest of the series!
August 30, 2017
I think this series has jumped the shark, already.
I really enjoy the situational comedy/tragedy that is meter maidhood and the city of Chicago.
I am not so sure about spying and undercover amateurs with jealous handlers and wealthy beyond belief boyfriends. I still love her family though.
I was able to spot some of the twists very easily.
There is another in this series and I hope it embodies the spirit of book one.
I borrowed a copy from the public library.
I really enjoy the situational comedy/tragedy that is meter maidhood and the city of Chicago.
I am not so sure about spying and undercover amateurs with jealous handlers and wealthy beyond belief boyfriends. I still love her family though.
I was able to spot some of the twists very easily.
There is another in this series and I hope it embodies the spirit of book one.
I borrowed a copy from the public library.
March 31, 2024
A Juggler
Only in the imagination of a writer as creatively skilled as Janey Mack can a character like Maisie McGrane juggle all of her obfuscation at once. Well done Maise! Bravo Janey Mack!
Only in the imagination of a writer as creatively skilled as Janey Mack can a character like Maisie McGrane juggle all of her obfuscation at once. Well done Maise! Bravo Janey Mack!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews