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Ray Courage Mystery #3
Courage Stolen
A former college professor with a sharp wit is not your typical private investigator. But when clients want results, he’s the first one they call.The Monarch Project could revolutionize the energy industry, eliminating the need for foreign oil, dramatically reducing greenhouse gases, and creating a clean sustainable energy future for generations to come. But all this is at risk when someone steals the project and demands $20 million for its return. Ray acts as the bagman in an effort to secure the project’s return. Events become more complicated when two murders ensue. Working against an Asian street gang, eco-terrorists, greedy corporate executives, and a band of academics who seem incapable of telling the truth, Ray and his sidekick Rubia seek to unravel who’s behind it all.What readers are "Another fantastic Ray Courage . . . a definite must read!""A tightly-plotted, tightly-written, page turner.""I would recommend any and all of the books in the Ray Courage series. Whether you’re a seasoned mystery reader, or someone picking up the book out of curiosity, you will not be disappointed."Read for yourself why mystery fans love Ray Courage. Once you start these reading you won't be able to put them down.
213 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 21, 2015
19 people are currently reading
55 people want to read
About the author
R. Scott Mackey
13 books90 followersScott Mackey lives in Northern California, where he writes both fiction and non-fiction. He is the author of the highly acclaimed Ray Courage Mystery Series: Courage Matters, Courage Resurrected, Courage Begins, Courage Stolen, and Courage Betrayed (to be released January 2019)
Follow him:
Twitter: smackey17
Facebook: Facebook.com/rscottmackey
Goodreads: http://bit.ly/1tMtfF8
Web: www.rscottmackey.com
Follow him:
Twitter: smackey17
Facebook: Facebook.com/rscottmackey
Goodreads: http://bit.ly/1tMtfF8
Web: www.rscottmackey.com
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
March 22, 2017
Monarch flies away
Ray's dry humor and always finding dead bodies keeps the Courage books enjoyable. Monarch, a top secret energy project, is stolen and Ray is brought in to find it. Two eco- terrorist groups and a Chinese gang all figure into the mix. Sometimes suspects are closer than you think.
Ray's dry humor and always finding dead bodies keeps the Courage books enjoyable. Monarch, a top secret energy project, is stolen and Ray is brought in to find it. Two eco- terrorist groups and a Chinese gang all figure into the mix. Sometimes suspects are closer than you think.
March 22, 2017
This book is a part of the series about a private investigator and the mysteries he solves with the help of his sidekick. The book can be read as a standalone and has several plot twists with cases that get solved at the end. A very good and engaging read.
October 21, 2015
Not what I expected but definitely not disappointed
I received a copy of Courage Stolen from the author free of charge in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion. Upfront, let me say that I am not one of those reviewers that retells the story plot. If you want to know that then scroll to the top of the page and read it there or look at another review. My role as a reviewer is to tell you what I think of this book and why I feel the way I do so that you can make an informed decision on whether or not to read the book. I had never read any of Scott Mackey’s books before and I did not want to look him up prior to reading this book. I also did not look at any other reviews for his previous books because I wanted to have a completely unbiased reading.
Based on the title of the book, I expected the book to be about a kidnapping and I was looking forward to a good mystery. However, I have to say that the name is very misleading. I discovered very quickly that Courage was the last name of the main character. Well, I thought ok maybe the main character, who is a private investigator, gets kidnapped. But alas, I was sorely disappointed in that aspect. I was also a bit surprised that the main character, Ray Courage, got so deeply involved with the crime that was taking place. I NEVER expected him to do what he did. I was left with my mouth hanging open. I did notice some spelling errors and grammatical errors but I am not including that in my rating level because this was an advanced reader copy. The only other issue that I had with this book was that in a couple of places the subject completely changed and I had to pause in my reading to think about what was going on. For example, the beginning of the book describes Courage meeting with his client and going over his assignment and beginning his investigation. All of a sudden, you start a chapter that describes Courage’s visit with his doctor. It would have been nice to have a segue into the chapter about the doctor visit. In addition, there are several mentions about things that took place in previous books but it does not affect the reading of this book. You will still be able to understand what you are reading without having read the previous books.
Now, with all that said, let’s get to the good stuff. This book was short and sweet. I liked the way the action flowed. One event right after another. I did not get bogged down with nitpicky little details or descriptions of characters. Speaking of characters, I liked the way Mackey showed you who his characters were through their actions and their decisions in the book. I would much rather read a book in which the characters are built this way instead of the author describing in detail who the character is. This way lets me form my own ideas about the characters. Earlier I said that picking up this book had me looking forward to a good mystery. Well this was not a mystery! It was 3 mysteries all rolled into one. The main mystery had me literally shocked. I kept saying all the way up to the end that it was ---(not spoiling it for you) and in reality it was someone I NEVER even had on my radar. That’s when you know you’ve read a good mystery! I also liked the way that Courage went above and beyond to find out what was going on. I mean, he could have just walked away after he did the job he was hired to do but he didn’t. I really liked the last chapter in the book because it gave me closure on a situation that took place between Courage and his best friend. I am very glad the author addressed this because I would have severely disappointed had he not. I also liked the fact that Courage is a morally sound character. I know that sounds cliché because he is the good guy, but he does make some bad decisions. However, despite the decisions he makes, he does what he can to make it right and his heart is certainly in the right place.
I hope that you will consider reading this book and when I compare the bad to the good, the good definitely wins out and this book gets 5 stars from me. That’s saying something because sometimes I don’t even give my favorite authors a 5 star rating! I am certainly going to read additional books by this author. I really do want to know a bit more about Ray Courage. To the author: thank you for giving me the opportunity to read your book, I really enjoyed it and if you ever need another book reviewed, well you have my number :)
I received a copy of Courage Stolen from the author free of charge in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion. Upfront, let me say that I am not one of those reviewers that retells the story plot. If you want to know that then scroll to the top of the page and read it there or look at another review. My role as a reviewer is to tell you what I think of this book and why I feel the way I do so that you can make an informed decision on whether or not to read the book. I had never read any of Scott Mackey’s books before and I did not want to look him up prior to reading this book. I also did not look at any other reviews for his previous books because I wanted to have a completely unbiased reading.
Based on the title of the book, I expected the book to be about a kidnapping and I was looking forward to a good mystery. However, I have to say that the name is very misleading. I discovered very quickly that Courage was the last name of the main character. Well, I thought ok maybe the main character, who is a private investigator, gets kidnapped. But alas, I was sorely disappointed in that aspect. I was also a bit surprised that the main character, Ray Courage, got so deeply involved with the crime that was taking place. I NEVER expected him to do what he did. I was left with my mouth hanging open. I did notice some spelling errors and grammatical errors but I am not including that in my rating level because this was an advanced reader copy. The only other issue that I had with this book was that in a couple of places the subject completely changed and I had to pause in my reading to think about what was going on. For example, the beginning of the book describes Courage meeting with his client and going over his assignment and beginning his investigation. All of a sudden, you start a chapter that describes Courage’s visit with his doctor. It would have been nice to have a segue into the chapter about the doctor visit. In addition, there are several mentions about things that took place in previous books but it does not affect the reading of this book. You will still be able to understand what you are reading without having read the previous books.
Now, with all that said, let’s get to the good stuff. This book was short and sweet. I liked the way the action flowed. One event right after another. I did not get bogged down with nitpicky little details or descriptions of characters. Speaking of characters, I liked the way Mackey showed you who his characters were through their actions and their decisions in the book. I would much rather read a book in which the characters are built this way instead of the author describing in detail who the character is. This way lets me form my own ideas about the characters. Earlier I said that picking up this book had me looking forward to a good mystery. Well this was not a mystery! It was 3 mysteries all rolled into one. The main mystery had me literally shocked. I kept saying all the way up to the end that it was ---(not spoiling it for you) and in reality it was someone I NEVER even had on my radar. That’s when you know you’ve read a good mystery! I also liked the way that Courage went above and beyond to find out what was going on. I mean, he could have just walked away after he did the job he was hired to do but he didn’t. I really liked the last chapter in the book because it gave me closure on a situation that took place between Courage and his best friend. I am very glad the author addressed this because I would have severely disappointed had he not. I also liked the fact that Courage is a morally sound character. I know that sounds cliché because he is the good guy, but he does make some bad decisions. However, despite the decisions he makes, he does what he can to make it right and his heart is certainly in the right place.
I hope that you will consider reading this book and when I compare the bad to the good, the good definitely wins out and this book gets 5 stars from me. That’s saying something because sometimes I don’t even give my favorite authors a 5 star rating! I am certainly going to read additional books by this author. I really do want to know a bit more about Ray Courage. To the author: thank you for giving me the opportunity to read your book, I really enjoyed it and if you ever need another book reviewed, well you have my number :)
March 5, 2017
Whose Detecting What
Very good detective story, the storyline flows smoothly the characters are well developed and the story has a very real plot.
Very good detective story, the storyline flows smoothly the characters are well developed and the story has a very real plot.
October 21, 2015
3.75 stars
“Courage Stolen” by R. Scott Mackey is part of the ‘Ray Courage’ series and highlights the adventures of the professor turned private investigator as he explores a case that initially seems to be a theft of research data on a private college campus. The discovery that the research may have significant impact on several aspects of energy production and the escalating violence as clues are followed leads the PI on a tortuous journey that brings him into contact with a variety of factions, including a vicious gang, ecoterrorists, and somewhat naïve or obnoxiously opinionated researchers. Added to this is the somewhat unpalatable investigation he undertakes on his best friend’s behalf. The clues, and the mayhem, threaten to spiral out of control, as do the aftereffects of Ray’s last encounter with horrendous violence, but he’s determined to solve the mystery, even if he has to constantly live up to his last name—and survive long enough to unravel the very tangled investigation.
This contemporary mystery starts off fairly low-key, as both the case presented and the aftereffects of a previous case are touched upon. The gradual revelation of the suspects and the clues that are dropped are interspersed with disconcerting asides, including the conflict-inducing investigation of a woman for his friend and Ray’s response to the challenges of PTSD. I like the quirkiness of both his character and that of his intermittent assistant with her colorful background, and, although I suspect that familiarity with the rest of the series would be beneficial, I had no trouble reading this as a stand-alone title. Although the story started a little slow for my tastes, it picked up toward the middle and I found myself anxious to learn the solution to the case. I enjoyed the story and recommend it to those who like a light mystery tale.
A copy of this title was provided to me for review.
“Courage Stolen” by R. Scott Mackey is part of the ‘Ray Courage’ series and highlights the adventures of the professor turned private investigator as he explores a case that initially seems to be a theft of research data on a private college campus. The discovery that the research may have significant impact on several aspects of energy production and the escalating violence as clues are followed leads the PI on a tortuous journey that brings him into contact with a variety of factions, including a vicious gang, ecoterrorists, and somewhat naïve or obnoxiously opinionated researchers. Added to this is the somewhat unpalatable investigation he undertakes on his best friend’s behalf. The clues, and the mayhem, threaten to spiral out of control, as do the aftereffects of Ray’s last encounter with horrendous violence, but he’s determined to solve the mystery, even if he has to constantly live up to his last name—and survive long enough to unravel the very tangled investigation.
This contemporary mystery starts off fairly low-key, as both the case presented and the aftereffects of a previous case are touched upon. The gradual revelation of the suspects and the clues that are dropped are interspersed with disconcerting asides, including the conflict-inducing investigation of a woman for his friend and Ray’s response to the challenges of PTSD. I like the quirkiness of both his character and that of his intermittent assistant with her colorful background, and, although I suspect that familiarity with the rest of the series would be beneficial, I had no trouble reading this as a stand-alone title. Although the story started a little slow for my tastes, it picked up toward the middle and I found myself anxious to learn the solution to the case. I enjoyed the story and recommend it to those who like a light mystery tale.
A copy of this title was provided to me for review.
October 21, 2015
When Jerry Langford, the security chief at Granderson University, hires Ray Courage after someone steals the files of a PhD student working on a project that could lead to a way to reduce greenhouse gas and revolutionize the energy industry, it seems a fairly routine case. Ray is dragooned into being the bagman when the thief demands a $20 million payment for return of the files.
What appeared to be a simple case, though, quickly becomes complicated when two murders occur, and Ray finds himself dealing with crooked corporate executives and a band of criminals who would just as soon see him dead. He and his sidekick, Rubia, must unravel the mystery of the Monarch Project before they become the next victims.
Courage Stolen by R. Scott Mackey is book four in the Ray Courage Private Investigator series, and continues the excitement of the first three. The author is a master wordsmith who knows how to meld wry humor, pathos, and action into a story that grabs you by the hair and twists until you submit. Pithy dialogue and incisive narrative give readers a picture full of soot, blood and gore, with touches of hilarity that seem to fit the world that the protagonist inhabits. This is a book that you simply cannot put down until the closing scene.
I received an advance copy of Courage Stolen in exchange for my unbiased review. If you’re a mystery fan, particularly noir mysteries with a liberal dose of humor, this is a book you absolutely must read.
What appeared to be a simple case, though, quickly becomes complicated when two murders occur, and Ray finds himself dealing with crooked corporate executives and a band of criminals who would just as soon see him dead. He and his sidekick, Rubia, must unravel the mystery of the Monarch Project before they become the next victims.
Courage Stolen by R. Scott Mackey is book four in the Ray Courage Private Investigator series, and continues the excitement of the first three. The author is a master wordsmith who knows how to meld wry humor, pathos, and action into a story that grabs you by the hair and twists until you submit. Pithy dialogue and incisive narrative give readers a picture full of soot, blood and gore, with touches of hilarity that seem to fit the world that the protagonist inhabits. This is a book that you simply cannot put down until the closing scene.
I received an advance copy of Courage Stolen in exchange for my unbiased review. If you’re a mystery fan, particularly noir mysteries with a liberal dose of humor, this is a book you absolutely must read.
December 14, 2015
Ray is up to his ears investigating the stolen Monarch project at Granderson University, getting involved with Chinese loan sharks, and murders while also checking out his friend Danny’s new girlfriend before he pops the question.
While I didn’t understand the scientific details about the Monarch project concerning genomes, etc., it sounded like the project would revolutionize the energy industry so it would be worth a lot of money. The people who stole it thought so too and demanded a ransom of 20 million dollars to return it. Ray was the lucky person chosen to follow the instructions and deliver the cash. Even after the project is returned, Ray can’t get it off his mind and continues looking for the thieves while also uncovering the eco-terrorists who are blowing up buildings in the area.
There is so much action going on and following Ray’s investigations that it was hard to put this book down. I have read several of the Ray Courage series and highly recommend it to anyone who likes reading mysteries and action books.
While I didn’t understand the scientific details about the Monarch project concerning genomes, etc., it sounded like the project would revolutionize the energy industry so it would be worth a lot of money. The people who stole it thought so too and demanded a ransom of 20 million dollars to return it. Ray was the lucky person chosen to follow the instructions and deliver the cash. Even after the project is returned, Ray can’t get it off his mind and continues looking for the thieves while also uncovering the eco-terrorists who are blowing up buildings in the area.
There is so much action going on and following Ray’s investigations that it was hard to put this book down. I have read several of the Ray Courage series and highly recommend it to anyone who likes reading mysteries and action books.
December 14, 2015
I’ve only read two books by R. Scott Macket: Courage Begins (book 1) and Courage Resurrected (book 3).
Courage Begins was an excellent start to the series while Courage Resurrected displayed a promising plot that, unfortunately, didn’t quite deliver. The major issue for me was the complicated and wordy details, details that become more prevalent in the fourth book, Courage Stolen. In this book, we have a project that could eliminate foreign oil and reduce greenhouse gases; someone steals it, demanding ransom; and two people are murdered in the process. It sounded simple enough, but then the story becomes more convoluted with the involvement of street gangs, eco-terrorists, and corporate executives, which wears out the reader. Although Mackey expresses a talent for the written word, his stories are too dry and complex. I kind of wish he would go back to the same simple wit that captivated me in the first novella. But, of course, that’s just me. Again, this book would be perfect for fans of political thrillers.
Courage Begins was an excellent start to the series while Courage Resurrected displayed a promising plot that, unfortunately, didn’t quite deliver. The major issue for me was the complicated and wordy details, details that become more prevalent in the fourth book, Courage Stolen. In this book, we have a project that could eliminate foreign oil and reduce greenhouse gases; someone steals it, demanding ransom; and two people are murdered in the process. It sounded simple enough, but then the story becomes more convoluted with the involvement of street gangs, eco-terrorists, and corporate executives, which wears out the reader. Although Mackey expresses a talent for the written word, his stories are too dry and complex. I kind of wish he would go back to the same simple wit that captivated me in the first novella. But, of course, that’s just me. Again, this book would be perfect for fans of political thrillers.
October 22, 2015
'Courage Stolen' is the 4th in the Ray Courage mysteries series by R. Scott Mackey. I believe this entire series is an awesome read. The books can actually be read in any order and enjoyed immensely. Mackey keeps each book intertwined, yet introduces new characters and situations. I will admit that I don't usually gravitate to mystery books, but after reading 'Courage Matters' and the other two in this series, my response was the same for all. When I start reading these books, I am not able to put them down. They are entertaining, interesting and captivating. I strongly recommend 'Courage Stolen' by R. Scott Mackey.
October 21, 2015
I recieved a free copy in exchange for a honest review. It appears you have another hit on your hands. My only problem with this book is that it ended. I enjoyed it start to finish. I have enjoyed all of thr Ray Courage books. I look forward to the next one.
November 22, 2015
Well written. Holds the reader in suspense right up to the climatic ending. Ray Courage is best described as a thinking man with a good heart and the reasonable conviction to act, not some fancy S. Seagal wasn't be !
April 18, 2016
Looking for action and adventure Mackey will more than satisfy your quest. Again author produces an outstanding mystery adventure. Writing is clear with believable characters. A definite must add to library.
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March 28, 2019very good book would really encourage people to read it.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews