Help Yourself

by Mike Faricy

Help Yourself is the 41st book in the Dev Haskell series. Dev gets a call from two different women needing his help. Jennifer Olson owns the Dream Puff Bakery. Dev knew her in high school and she has some security concerns regarding her bakery. Madeline Duval owns Sassy Secrets, a lingerie business, and she suspects items are being stolen by staff. Dev takes on both women as clients and at no surprise things get crazy. Of course meeting up with Billy Kramer, the high school class clown, who is dressed as a priest and basically stealing donations to 'Help the homeless' is the icing on the cake. But, Dev thinks Billy, or rather Father Worthless, just might be able to help him out. Things get crazier from there, better check it out. Help Yourself, may just lead to a million dollar 'event'...

304 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 18, 2026

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

[Christmas Angel · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite P.I., Dev Haskell had a winning few weeks with prospects looking up. And not one time was Dev told to not contact them by any woman. Might be a first for him. Delightful, entertaining, enjoyable, and just plain great. Highly Recommended.

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

Help Yourself by veteran mystery writer Mike Faricy is another entertaining, cinematic entry in his long-running Dev Haskell PI series. If you've followed this series, you will be glad to know the usual characters appear and provide much-needed comedic relief.

Dev finds himself in the middle of a planned bank robbery after reuniting with a friend from his old high school days who has asked him how to improve her business's security. She owns a bakery and explains that her basement is full of unopened boxes and trunks. Tubby Gustafson, the local Crime Boss, may have stored the boxes and trunks. Dev hears about this and finds out the contents of the trunks and boxes are benign, except for one trunk containing burglary tools. Neither he nor the bakery owner assigns much importance to their find.

As the tale unwinds, more details emerge. Help Yourself features Dev's officemate Louie, Dev's constant pork rind-eating animal companion Morton, and Dev's unceasing search for romance, or at least a date or two.

Help Yourself is a solid standalone, but new readers should familiarize themselves with Dev's extensive adventures. Faricy writes sure-fire winners. Help Yourself proves that he is as talented as any author in the mystery genre.

[Denise Zendel · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Help Yourself” is the 41st book in the Dev Haskell, PI, series. These can be read as standalones, so don’t let the 41 put you off.

Haskell gets calls from two different women who need his help. A high school friend, Jennifer Olson, owns a bakery and has some security concerns she wants Dev to help with. She also has a close personal connection to Dev’s nemesis, Tubby Gustafson. Madeline Duval, the owner of a high-class lingerie store, needs his help with some staff “shrinkage.” Add in another high school acquaintance masquerading as a priest, and a possible bank robbery, and Haskell has his hands full.

On the surface, Dev is a loveable ne’er-do-well, but he’s got a surprisingly strong work ethic and sense of right and wrong, and goes the extra mile for his clients. This entry kept me engaged and entertained all the way through. The writing is clean, the dialogue snappy, and the characters well-defined. I enjoy the back-and-forth between Dev and his office mate, a DWI attorney. And Dev’s Golden Retriever, Morton, and his cat, Princess, add to the fun.

If you like John D. MacDonald or Carl Hiassen, give Mike Faricy a go. You’ll be glad you did.

[Rosemary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Help Yourself - a review by Rosemary Kenny.

Mike Faricy's comic romp sees PI Dev Haskell involved in two cases from women he knew many years ago.  Both women ask Haskell's advice, leading to mayhem and occasional hilarity, interspersed with mundane things, like walking his dogs, seeing his on/off girlfriend, or verbal sparring and drinking sessions with his partner Louie, a lawyer. 
The comedy continues when a conman Haskell knows of old, is working a scam in the area - and is soon part of a bigger scheme...before the eponymous Help Yourself title proves very apt.

The great dialogue, timing and a melange of mischief set among interesting characters, makes this a must for fans of Carl Hiaasen, and puts this author among my  favourites, as I'm sure you will agree when you get it!

[Jeff Benham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maybe my favorite Dev Haskell. Part of it is pure Dev, and that's always good. The rest of it is mystery and intrigue. It involves a bakery, of all places. They are installing state of the art security and as far as Dev can tell, it's a well respected company doing it. It is also owned by Tubby Gustafson and they are leaving boxes containing some of his documents in the basement. Whether Tubby knows about it is the question. There are also metal containers. Most of them were empty, except for the concrete saw and other tools. Did I mention that on the other side of that basement wall is a bank vault? Action ensues and this is an easy one to recommend.

[Barbara G. Stoner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dev once again falls into some unusual jobs as a PI. He portrays himself as helpful when dealing with the ladies & therefore is usually short on funds.
He isn't as dumb as he seems, and his comments may or may not always be the truth.
I've read every one of these books & I still love this character.

[John King · Rating 2.5 out of 5]

I've read all of Faricy's prior Dev Haskel stories. "Help Yourself" does not reflect Faricy's writing style much at all - Was it composed using AI? An amateur ghost writer?
Interesting plot, although formulaic.

[Beth Helm · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. Dev just wanted some breakfast and ended up embroiled in his normal shenanigans.

[Caryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome!

I was so happy to read a Dev Haskell book again. As always totally great read! Hope this book has a part 2