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Henry Wood Detective #1-4
Henry Wood Detective Agency: Boxed Set Books 1 - 4
Henry Wood Detective Agency
Jan 1, 1955
Henry Wood is suffering greatly from a festive night of saying goodbye to 1954. His world is one of black and white, right and wrong, but his life is about to change and there will forever be shades of grey. An average detective, with a passion for the Brooklyn Dodgers, Henry is about to be hired by a beautiful woman, to find her father and his journal. It seems simple enough, but when a second woman appears, wanting his services, to find the same journal, he suspects he might be in over his head. He's right. They are the least of his problems. The local mafia boss, Tommy 'The Knife', wants the journal too. As long as it is missing, he is vulnerable, and the other bosses smell blood in the water.
Who can Henry trust? Henry has a mysterious benefactor that he has never met, but seems to have his best interest at heart. Will Henry take the help that is offered? Does he have a choice?
If you enjoy mystery crime novels, then Henry Wood Detective Agency is for you.
Henry Wood: Time and Again
The second book in the Henry Wood Detective Series.
Fans of Dashiell Hammett, who long for days of Bogart and Becall, will appreciate Henry Wood's sleuthing.
1955, Manhattan, and Henry has just gotten the call. Mickey is dead. His long time mentor and friend, run down outside their favorite bar, The Dublin Rogue. It looks like a simple hit and run, but keen eyes notice there is only one empty parking spot on the street, and the pile of cigarette butts in the gutter tells a different tale. Somebody was waiting, but who?
A novel in black and white, it harkens back to the days before Google, cell phones, and computer data bases. Henry must use cunning to uncover the truth, because everyone connected to the case has an agenda. There is much sleuthing and just the slightest hint of science fiction hiding in the closet of Henry's basement. All of it, though, is there to give him a chance to uncover the answers.
Take a journey back in time and see Manhattan as it was when the Yankees always seemed to win, and Brooklyn had Ebbets Field and the Dodgers. There is history, intrigue and hints at romance that will keep you turning page after page until it is time to flip off the light.
If you like a mystery, then Time & Again is for you.
Henry Wood: Perception
The third book in the Henry Wood Detective Series continues its genre busting mysteries with Perception. Fans of Sam Spade will enjoy Henry Wood, who is cut from the same cloth.
As spring winds down there is only one thing on Henry's mind...baseball. Opening day, 1955, is just around the corner and foremost in Henry's thoughts. He just wants to watch his beloved Brooklyn Dodgers and relax. Is that too much to ask?
The CIA, KGB, and a cabal of businessmen have their own agenda, and soon Henry stumbles into their world when he agrees to look into the open and shut case of suicide by Daniel Kupton.
If you like a mystery, then Perception is for you.
Henry Wood: Edge of Understanding
Book four in the Henry Wood Detective series
Edge of Understanding continues the Henry Wood series' genre-busting mysteries. Those who enjoy a shadowy criminal antagonist along the lines of Sherlock Holmes' nemesis Moriarty will like the Enclave.
1955 has been a good year for Henry, now, someone wants to ruin it for him. A recent series of murders all appear to have connections to Henry, and it’s more than just a coincidence.
Jan 1, 1955
Henry Wood is suffering greatly from a festive night of saying goodbye to 1954. His world is one of black and white, right and wrong, but his life is about to change and there will forever be shades of grey. An average detective, with a passion for the Brooklyn Dodgers, Henry is about to be hired by a beautiful woman, to find her father and his journal. It seems simple enough, but when a second woman appears, wanting his services, to find the same journal, he suspects he might be in over his head. He's right. They are the least of his problems. The local mafia boss, Tommy 'The Knife', wants the journal too. As long as it is missing, he is vulnerable, and the other bosses smell blood in the water.
Who can Henry trust? Henry has a mysterious benefactor that he has never met, but seems to have his best interest at heart. Will Henry take the help that is offered? Does he have a choice?
If you enjoy mystery crime novels, then Henry Wood Detective Agency is for you.
Henry Wood: Time and Again
The second book in the Henry Wood Detective Series.
Fans of Dashiell Hammett, who long for days of Bogart and Becall, will appreciate Henry Wood's sleuthing.
1955, Manhattan, and Henry has just gotten the call. Mickey is dead. His long time mentor and friend, run down outside their favorite bar, The Dublin Rogue. It looks like a simple hit and run, but keen eyes notice there is only one empty parking spot on the street, and the pile of cigarette butts in the gutter tells a different tale. Somebody was waiting, but who?
A novel in black and white, it harkens back to the days before Google, cell phones, and computer data bases. Henry must use cunning to uncover the truth, because everyone connected to the case has an agenda. There is much sleuthing and just the slightest hint of science fiction hiding in the closet of Henry's basement. All of it, though, is there to give him a chance to uncover the answers.
Take a journey back in time and see Manhattan as it was when the Yankees always seemed to win, and Brooklyn had Ebbets Field and the Dodgers. There is history, intrigue and hints at romance that will keep you turning page after page until it is time to flip off the light.
If you like a mystery, then Time & Again is for you.
Henry Wood: Perception
The third book in the Henry Wood Detective Series continues its genre busting mysteries with Perception. Fans of Sam Spade will enjoy Henry Wood, who is cut from the same cloth.
As spring winds down there is only one thing on Henry's mind...baseball. Opening day, 1955, is just around the corner and foremost in Henry's thoughts. He just wants to watch his beloved Brooklyn Dodgers and relax. Is that too much to ask?
The CIA, KGB, and a cabal of businessmen have their own agenda, and soon Henry stumbles into their world when he agrees to look into the open and shut case of suicide by Daniel Kupton.
If you like a mystery, then Perception is for you.
Henry Wood: Edge of Understanding
Book four in the Henry Wood Detective series
Edge of Understanding continues the Henry Wood series' genre-busting mysteries. Those who enjoy a shadowy criminal antagonist along the lines of Sherlock Holmes' nemesis Moriarty will like the Enclave.
1955 has been a good year for Henry, now, someone wants to ruin it for him. A recent series of murders all appear to have connections to Henry, and it’s more than just a coincidence.
1145 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 14, 2015
101 people are currently reading
18 people want to read
About the author
Brian D. Meeks
23 books100 followersBrian D. Meeks is a graduate of Iowa State University with a degree in Economics. He is the author of the Henry Wood Detective Series, a satire series, Underwood, Scotch, and Wry, and has some stand alone YA, a science fiction series, and in 2019 is working on a 10 book Epic Fantasy series.
He lives on the Las Vegas strip.
And really loves people who post pictures of guinea pigs on Facebook.
They are adorable!
He lives on the Las Vegas strip.
And really loves people who post pictures of guinea pigs on Facebook.
They are adorable!
Ratings & Reviews
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
February 9, 2017
This Henry Wood character is pretty good. He's a really good detective, even though he doesn't seem to think so. He's a likeable fella. He treats people well, he thinks things through and animals tend to like him. He's usually the smartest person in the room, but he's not arrogant about it.
This is also one of those whodunits where the cops are pretty smart, too. It makes for a nice change from the norm where 1) when the hero is a PI, the cops can't find it with either hand, or 2) they refuse to acknowledge that someone who doesn't wear a badge can actually think. I like the police force in these books almost as much as the hero.
There's a magic closet, which is kinda "out there", but by the end of book 4 our hero isn't relying on it nearly as much as he did at the beginning of book 1. And personally, I think that's a very good thing. Magic/supernatural feels to me like cheating in a murder mystery.
Of course, you can't have a murder mystery without a murder, which is violent in and of itself. And our hero does have a girlfriend. Mr. Meeks doesn't spend a lot of time describing gore in great detail, nor does he dwell on other violence. Or sex. He doesn't avoid mentioning it. But the puzzle is the focus of these books, not the shock value of sex and/or violence.
I don't know whether Mr. Meeks intends to write some more of these, but I, for one, would certainly read them. You should, too.
This is also one of those whodunits where the cops are pretty smart, too. It makes for a nice change from the norm where 1) when the hero is a PI, the cops can't find it with either hand, or 2) they refuse to acknowledge that someone who doesn't wear a badge can actually think. I like the police force in these books almost as much as the hero.
There's a magic closet, which is kinda "out there", but by the end of book 4 our hero isn't relying on it nearly as much as he did at the beginning of book 1. And personally, I think that's a very good thing. Magic/supernatural feels to me like cheating in a murder mystery.
Of course, you can't have a murder mystery without a murder, which is violent in and of itself. And our hero does have a girlfriend. Mr. Meeks doesn't spend a lot of time describing gore in great detail, nor does he dwell on other violence. Or sex. He doesn't avoid mentioning it. But the puzzle is the focus of these books, not the shock value of sex and/or violence.
I don't know whether Mr. Meeks intends to write some more of these, but I, for one, would certainly read them. You should, too.
July 30, 2017
I gave the series of 4 books three stars but I think that is kind. The editing is horrible. At the very least someone should teach the author how to properly use commas!
Spoilers follow!
Narrative jumps. In the 4th book several characters are missing for quite some time only to reappear with no mention of how. They just suddenly appear, talking as if they had never been away. I actually went back to find out when they returned. The only mention I could find was a line about 'excited voices'.
The lieutenant is a major character that just peters out, no real resolution in the context of the story.
This oh-so-smart detective continually puts himself and his friends into potential danger with seeming cluelessness. For instance, knowing a crazy person is after him he calmly lets his girl friend go off alone and then is amazed when she disappears.
The warehouse scene is ludicrous.
The "retirement" of the two assassins elicited a groan of disbelief.
And the closet. Ah, the closet. A ridiculous addition to the story. Cutting this out would have no impact on the story at all.
I decided to finish all 4 stories out of stubbornness, not enjoyment. The 4th in particular I kept talking to, asking, pleading for it to be done.
I gave it 3 stars initially but I think I'm going to downgrade.
Spoilers follow!
Narrative jumps. In the 4th book several characters are missing for quite some time only to reappear with no mention of how. They just suddenly appear, talking as if they had never been away. I actually went back to find out when they returned. The only mention I could find was a line about 'excited voices'.
The lieutenant is a major character that just peters out, no real resolution in the context of the story.
This oh-so-smart detective continually puts himself and his friends into potential danger with seeming cluelessness. For instance, knowing a crazy person is after him he calmly lets his girl friend go off alone and then is amazed when she disappears.
The warehouse scene is ludicrous.
The "retirement" of the two assassins elicited a groan of disbelief.
And the closet. Ah, the closet. A ridiculous addition to the story. Cutting this out would have no impact on the story at all.
I decided to finish all 4 stories out of stubbornness, not enjoyment. The 4th in particular I kept talking to, asking, pleading for it to be done.
I gave it 3 stars initially but I think I'm going to downgrade.
September 19, 2018
I'm not a regular reader of detective stories, which played into my enjoyment of the Henry Wood mysteries. Henry has a magic closet that gives him presents and clues, and this seems to turn off a lot of the fans of the genre. I enjoyed it. Meeks is a quirky writer, and I am a fan of quirkiness. The Henry Wood novels were his first fiction, and after these four books I don't know that he has ever returned to the genre.
People get killed here, but there are no graphic descriptions of the corpes. The cops are pretty much good guys, especially Henry's good friend Detective Big Mike. 1950s New York City is not described as a nasty place to live. There is no graphic sex. While not as bland as a Hallmark mystery it is clean reading. If you need these qualities in your mysteries you should move on.
But I enjoyed the character development and the way loner Henry collects a community of friends as the books progress. This was my second trip through all four books, and while I prefer Meeks' sci-fi I had a good time reading them again.
People get killed here, but there are no graphic descriptions of the corpes. The cops are pretty much good guys, especially Henry's good friend Detective Big Mike. 1950s New York City is not described as a nasty place to live. There is no graphic sex. While not as bland as a Hallmark mystery it is clean reading. If you need these qualities in your mysteries you should move on.
But I enjoyed the character development and the way loner Henry collects a community of friends as the books progress. This was my second trip through all four books, and while I prefer Meeks' sci-fi I had a good time reading them again.
November 16, 2017
Great Boxed Set
I found the four books to be very good detective stories each in their own right. They cover a year in the life of Henry Wood in the mid 1950's. The author, Brian Meeks, does an excellent job of recreating that era and putting the reader right in the action of New York City. The characters introduced in the books are well developed over the course of the series. Each book has its own uniqueness although they should be read in the order given to really appreciate the characters development.
This is not your typical action thriller with the main character, Henry Wood, having no special skills but being a very smart down to earth detective with a wry sense of humor. There are always unanticpated twist s and turns that kept it difficult to put down any one book in the series. I hope that Brian Meeks has more in store for detective Henry Wood and colleagues.
I found the four books to be very good detective stories each in their own right. They cover a year in the life of Henry Wood in the mid 1950's. The author, Brian Meeks, does an excellent job of recreating that era and putting the reader right in the action of New York City. The characters introduced in the books are well developed over the course of the series. Each book has its own uniqueness although they should be read in the order given to really appreciate the characters development.
This is not your typical action thriller with the main character, Henry Wood, having no special skills but being a very smart down to earth detective with a wry sense of humor. There are always unanticpated twist s and turns that kept it difficult to put down any one book in the series. I hope that Brian Meeks has more in store for detective Henry Wood and colleagues.
November 28, 2019
Silly premise-a man finds presents from the future in a closet in his basement, presents that help him solve crimes.
Poorly edited- way too many characters that it’s hard to keep the diabolical acts straight. The good guys behave the same way, always.
But I still find myself wondering what’s happening in their lives. Which turns this from a 2 star book to a 3 star.
Poorly edited- way too many characters that it’s hard to keep the diabolical acts straight. The good guys behave the same way, always.
But I still find myself wondering what’s happening in their lives. Which turns this from a 2 star book to a 3 star.
February 10, 2019
Hard-boiled detective fun.
Of you are a fan of the old fashioned detective stores than these are for you. Henry Wood, his secretary are great fun. The bad guys are old interesting. The clues from the future are an interesting twist.
Of you are a fan of the old fashioned detective stores than these are for you. Henry Wood, his secretary are great fun. The bad guys are old interesting. The clues from the future are an interesting twist.
October 3, 2020
Great read.
Great, barmy stories. They really catch you & have to keep reading. Good variety of unusual but likeable good guys. Baddies thoroughly bad
Great, barmy stories. They really catch you & have to keep reading. Good variety of unusual but likeable good guys. Baddies thoroughly bad
September 7, 2015
Kindle very nicely presented a quote from this crime noir set, and I read the first page and opted for the boxed set.
By the time I had read the first chapter, it became apparent that the writing was far more uneven than the quote and opening page would have one expect.
Disconcertingly, there is slippage in the story telling. One sentence you are focused on one set of events and circumstances, and the next on something else. Where is the segue? If no segue, where is the chapter break, or at least a visual of some sort so you do not have the impression you dozed off in the middle of a sentence.
Then, to make matters more weird, there is a strong and absolute departure from consensus reality without any warning at all.
This level of disconnection does not make for holding the reader's interest, at least not this reader. This sort of review is tough to write, first off because I know Brian Meeks can turn a handsome phrase, and presumably understands that a certain flow is a part of story telling. A good book cannot be a necklace of non sequiturs. As for the leave-taking of reality as we know it, for me this was jarring as I thought I was reading a hardboiled detective story and found myself down a rabbit hole. This may be my failing rather than the author's.
By the time I had read the first chapter, it became apparent that the writing was far more uneven than the quote and opening page would have one expect.
Disconcertingly, there is slippage in the story telling. One sentence you are focused on one set of events and circumstances, and the next on something else. Where is the segue? If no segue, where is the chapter break, or at least a visual of some sort so you do not have the impression you dozed off in the middle of a sentence.
Then, to make matters more weird, there is a strong and absolute departure from consensus reality without any warning at all.
This level of disconnection does not make for holding the reader's interest, at least not this reader. This sort of review is tough to write, first off because I know Brian Meeks can turn a handsome phrase, and presumably understands that a certain flow is a part of story telling. A good book cannot be a necklace of non sequiturs. As for the leave-taking of reality as we know it, for me this was jarring as I thought I was reading a hardboiled detective story and found myself down a rabbit hole. This may be my failing rather than the author's.
June 16, 2016
Great books. Love that it is set in 1950's NYC. Interesting characters and plot lines.
July 13, 2016
The stories are clever and an easy, enjoyable read. I have an issue with the editing, however. For the love of all that is good about reading, get a competent editor!
December 19, 2016
Holds your interest well
The book was well written and fast paced with just enough "sci-go" to mix it up. Would appeal to a wide variety of readers
The book was well written and fast paced with just enough "sci-go" to mix it up. Would appeal to a wide variety of readers
January 12, 2016
Not an easy read - very "choppy" and somewhat unconnected. Interesting though!
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews