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Tom Bethany #3
Bear Hug: A Tom Bethany Mystery
"Tom Bethany is some guy Mr. Doolittle is a slick stylist. His characters have heft they talk like the people they're supposed to be."New York times."Riveting. As full of tension as Christmas Eve shopping at Toys'R'Us"Maureen Corrigan, Washington Post."Ranks with Robert Parker, Elmore Leonard, Ed McBain and Ross Thomas as a high-voltage storyteller:"Charles Champlin, Los Angeles Times.
- GenresMystery
244 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 1992
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
May 26, 2026
Bear Hug was a rather fascinating mystery story to me. There is a murder involved, but that is not the mystery. The mystery is what happened to the millions that a con man worthy of Ponzi, Madoff, Keating, and Trump had stolen from a bunch of retirees. At one point, it seems like Tom Bethany has given up on the case but it is clear that this is not the case since there wouldn’t have been a full novel. The results may seem somewhat improbable, but the bread crumbs are there to lead one to the conclusion and readers certainly can’t say that Jerome Doolittle catches us unfairly off-guard. The revelation is very well-done: not too much and not too little.
The novel is all the more surprising to me because the language in the early part of the book seemed excessively profane, leading me to mentally lower my expectations for literacy and sophistication.
So, imagine my surprise when the economic theory of Adam Smith is obliquely referenced as “the invisible hand of the real estate market” (p. 36) and “the invisible hand of the market” (p. 37). Later, I was surprised by a biblical reference to take no gift (aka “bribe”) and a Wordsworthian paraphrase on getting and spending which lays waste our powers (p. 88). There is reference to the French “artist” called a petomane who performed tunes with his flatulence (pp. 142, 147, and 149). And appropriately enough since a cover blurb calls protagonist Tom Bethany a modern Travis McGee, Bethany picks up a John D. McDonald book on p. 173. There is even a humorous reference to Sylvia Plath on p. 230.
Sprinkle in 1970s references to the Thomas Keating S&L scandal (p. 63), G. Gordon Liddy of Watergate and JFK conspiracy fame (p. 183), lots of angry references to Reagan and Bush, and a clever motel registration as Elliott Abrams and one has the historical references covered, too.
And although nearly everyone knows about Pontius Pilate’s gambit to free Jesus in the NT, there is a clever note about how confronted with a choice between Jesus and Barabbas, the average citizen will choose Barabbas (p. 35). Not only that, but there is a marvelous biblical principle on seduction: “It starts with rationalization, like all sin.” (p. 77) I also liked the line that read “Nostalgia is generally the sign of poor memory.” (p. 150)
One of the disappointing factors in the book was poor editing where Earl and Rodney’s names are mixed up on p. 160 and a couple of other places where it like names had switched in the course of dialogue. But this is a fast read and surprisingly satisfying. It didn’t grab me emotionally and cause me to care deeply about the characters, but it was as satisfying as a good action movie, nonetheless. I generally like more characterization, but I would still pick up other books in the series.
The novel is all the more surprising to me because the language in the early part of the book seemed excessively profane, leading me to mentally lower my expectations for literacy and sophistication.
So, imagine my surprise when the economic theory of Adam Smith is obliquely referenced as “the invisible hand of the real estate market” (p. 36) and “the invisible hand of the market” (p. 37). Later, I was surprised by a biblical reference to take no gift (aka “bribe”) and a Wordsworthian paraphrase on getting and spending which lays waste our powers (p. 88). There is reference to the French “artist” called a petomane who performed tunes with his flatulence (pp. 142, 147, and 149). And appropriately enough since a cover blurb calls protagonist Tom Bethany a modern Travis McGee, Bethany picks up a John D. McDonald book on p. 173. There is even a humorous reference to Sylvia Plath on p. 230.
Sprinkle in 1970s references to the Thomas Keating S&L scandal (p. 63), G. Gordon Liddy of Watergate and JFK conspiracy fame (p. 183), lots of angry references to Reagan and Bush, and a clever motel registration as Elliott Abrams and one has the historical references covered, too.
And although nearly everyone knows about Pontius Pilate’s gambit to free Jesus in the NT, there is a clever note about how confronted with a choice between Jesus and Barabbas, the average citizen will choose Barabbas (p. 35). Not only that, but there is a marvelous biblical principle on seduction: “It starts with rationalization, like all sin.” (p. 77) I also liked the line that read “Nostalgia is generally the sign of poor memory.” (p. 150)
One of the disappointing factors in the book was poor editing where Earl and Rodney’s names are mixed up on p. 160 and a couple of other places where it like names had switched in the course of dialogue. But this is a fast read and surprisingly satisfying. It didn’t grab me emotionally and cause me to care deeply about the characters, but it was as satisfying as a good action movie, nonetheless. I generally like more characterization, but I would still pick up other books in the series.
February 8, 2018
A good mystery as Tom Bethany, a man who looks into things, takes on the savings & loans scandal of the Reagan/Bush era. He meets lots of unsavory characters and there is quite a bit of blood shed. I really didn't know this author, but I thoroughly enjoyed this read. Recommended.
October 17, 2014
Doolittle was a great writer who died before his time. He was also an outspoken critic of the corporatization of America and the politicians and their free market masters who perpetrated the current recession/financial crises by fiscal mismanagement and outright greed.
The six books in the Tom Bethany series are well written and interspersed with biting commentary on the then present state of affairs.
The six books in the Tom Bethany series are well written and interspersed with biting commentary on the then present state of affairs.
July 24, 2015
#3 in the Tom Bethany series.
Tom Bethany agrees to "look into" $300K lost by a group of Cambridge, MA retirees when they were sold worthless securities. Tom's investigation takes him to TX where he interviews acquaintances of Dr. Denton Somerville, the deceased head of Sunbanc S&L, and he then takes off for Isleboro, ME where the widow is living well on her yacht.
Tom Bethany agrees to "look into" $300K lost by a group of Cambridge, MA retirees when they were sold worthless securities. Tom's investigation takes him to TX where he interviews acquaintances of Dr. Denton Somerville, the deceased head of Sunbanc S&L, and he then takes off for Isleboro, ME where the widow is living well on her yacht.
January 2, 2025
This is another entry in the "not-quite-a-private-eye" genre, of which the most famous of this series include Block's Matthew Scudder and MacDonald's Travis McGee. These people are sort of troubleshooters-- guys that find people and or things and along the way do a little vigilante justice along the way, especially since their adventures frequently run them on a collision course with murderers, etc.
Tom is a former Olympic hopeful wrestling star (who missed out on an actual Olympic event when Carter boycottedf the Olympics) who now does some coaching, but also does some of the troubleshooting type stuff on the side. He gets roped into helping a group of old men who've lost thousands in the S&L scandal and junk bonds. He feels sorry for them and goes looking for any remnant of their missing money.
Tom's investigative approach is slow and easy, but he eventually figures out where at least some of the funds are. It is amazing how many people actually speak to him, with him pretending to be a reporter. Of course, he is going to run afoul of some bad guys. When the action FINALLY kicks in, Doolittle describes some quality action and throws in one major twist (and one minor) to bring the book to a stunning conclusion.
What makes this book interesting is Doolittle does little to disguise his disgust, his wrath, towards the people involved in these scandals, including polititicans on both sides of the aisle. We get a picture of the early 1990's, the political landscape, the ethical problems of a nation laid bare for the reader to see in all of its shame. The star of the show is that revealed wrath, echoed in the voices and thoughts of multiple characters, as well as the disdain for the victims of the scandal.
Tom is a former Olympic hopeful wrestling star (who missed out on an actual Olympic event when Carter boycottedf the Olympics) who now does some coaching, but also does some of the troubleshooting type stuff on the side. He gets roped into helping a group of old men who've lost thousands in the S&L scandal and junk bonds. He feels sorry for them and goes looking for any remnant of their missing money.
Tom's investigative approach is slow and easy, but he eventually figures out where at least some of the funds are. It is amazing how many people actually speak to him, with him pretending to be a reporter. Of course, he is going to run afoul of some bad guys. When the action FINALLY kicks in, Doolittle describes some quality action and throws in one major twist (and one minor) to bring the book to a stunning conclusion.
What makes this book interesting is Doolittle does little to disguise his disgust, his wrath, towards the people involved in these scandals, including polititicans on both sides of the aisle. We get a picture of the early 1990's, the political landscape, the ethical problems of a nation laid bare for the reader to see in all of its shame. The star of the show is that revealed wrath, echoed in the voices and thoughts of multiple characters, as well as the disdain for the victims of the scandal.
May 21, 2026
Jerome Doolittle's bio made him the ideal author for a mystery series with a hardboiled protagonist steeped in political commentary. The suspense engaged me with consistent action and just enough surprise. Bear Hug is a book that shows the value of classic mysteries.
Raymond Parish, author of the Hank Anderson Mystery series
Raymond Parish, author of the Hank Anderson Mystery series
December 21, 2021
Another GREAT Tom Bethany mystery - has one of the funniest lines I've read recently.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews