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Missing Mona: A Tommy Cuda Mystery
Tommy has boomeranged back to his parents residence and a dead-end job after too many years in college. As he looks squarely at his next decade of life his smartphone convinces him the time is ripe for a change. A gift from his grandfather provides the means, so he embarks on the path of blues artists and beatniks before him-and hits the road. He immediately meets a damsel in hitchhiking distress who says her name is Mona. Her presence persuades him that the bright lights and dark clubs of Chicago might be his kind of town. So on a summer Saturday night they settle into a fancy hotel overlooking the beaches of Lake Michigan.
On Sunday...Mona disappears.
But she leaves behind more than a sweet memory that involves Tommy in a brand new cash flow problem he never imagined. While trying to sort out how to stay on the right side of the law and get back on the road, he meets a young criminologist who helps him, a DJ who doesn't, and a librarian who teaches him about the city, women, and the art of the makeover. After truth and lies are stirred like a blue martini, being assaulted by a pink monkey, and witnessing a drive-by shooting that drowns a Ferrari-Tommy is desperate to help Mona.
If he can find her.
Praise for Joe Klingler:
"...dramatic, vivid, evocative, and perfectly detailed."--San Francisco Book Review
"Fierce writing chops...balance action and subterfuge...effortlessly clever prose."--Kirkus Reviews
"Klingler is skilled at writing action scenes. He puts the reader directly in the line of fire, and doesn't let up."--Foreword Clarion Reviews
On Sunday...Mona disappears.
But she leaves behind more than a sweet memory that involves Tommy in a brand new cash flow problem he never imagined. While trying to sort out how to stay on the right side of the law and get back on the road, he meets a young criminologist who helps him, a DJ who doesn't, and a librarian who teaches him about the city, women, and the art of the makeover. After truth and lies are stirred like a blue martini, being assaulted by a pink monkey, and witnessing a drive-by shooting that drowns a Ferrari-Tommy is desperate to help Mona.
If he can find her.
Praise for Joe Klingler:
"...dramatic, vivid, evocative, and perfectly detailed."--San Francisco Book Review
"Fierce writing chops...balance action and subterfuge...effortlessly clever prose."--Kirkus Reviews
"Klingler is skilled at writing action scenes. He puts the reader directly in the line of fire, and doesn't let up."--Foreword Clarion Reviews
- GenresMystery
418 pages, ebook
Published November 2, 2015
379 people are currently reading
191 people want to read
About the author
Joe Klingler
9 books26 followersJoe Klingler was born in the Great Black Swamp on a hot July day during a cold war. In primary school he read Four Wheel Drift. That led to a soap box derby car named Restless, two crashes, and a lifelong love of motion.
Images of Jimi Hendrix playing the U.S. National Anthem at Woodstock inspired pounding on a Gibson in a garage band influenced by local groups like the MC5 and Iggy and Stooges whose pioneering punk music he figured existed everywhere—though it was actually coming out of Detroit, Michigan forty miles to the north.
Joe read The God Machine by Martin Caidin, and started thinking about the nature of computation. He studied electrical engineering, spent time doing research in medical image processing, published academic papers, wrote a few patents. All of which led to an interest in special effects and the software that made them. He co-founded a company that was soon acquired, leading to a string of jobs for bigger and bigger corporations until assimilation by a billion dollar enterprise gave him the idea for a book—which he wrote while moving 525 mph bouncing between the coasts of North America.
That book led to RATS, his debut novel, which draws on the beauty of technology, its uses, misuses and abuses. And how the collision of human ideologies shapes its future—and ours. A minor character in RATS led to Mash Up: a rollicking ride with student musicians through San Francisco, Silicon Valley, social media and the minds of persons who use sharp knives to solve problems.
He currently resides in California with an iMac and a couple of motorcycles, and has recently released his third novel: Missing Mona. He's fond of turbochargers, and loves his S1000RR.
P.S. The best way to know when a new book is released is to subscribe to The Klingler Kronicle at joeklingler.com. Joe sends an update about six times per year, your email address will never be shared, and you can opt out at any time.
Images of Jimi Hendrix playing the U.S. National Anthem at Woodstock inspired pounding on a Gibson in a garage band influenced by local groups like the MC5 and Iggy and Stooges whose pioneering punk music he figured existed everywhere—though it was actually coming out of Detroit, Michigan forty miles to the north.
Joe read The God Machine by Martin Caidin, and started thinking about the nature of computation. He studied electrical engineering, spent time doing research in medical image processing, published academic papers, wrote a few patents. All of which led to an interest in special effects and the software that made them. He co-founded a company that was soon acquired, leading to a string of jobs for bigger and bigger corporations until assimilation by a billion dollar enterprise gave him the idea for a book—which he wrote while moving 525 mph bouncing between the coasts of North America.
That book led to RATS, his debut novel, which draws on the beauty of technology, its uses, misuses and abuses. And how the collision of human ideologies shapes its future—and ours. A minor character in RATS led to Mash Up: a rollicking ride with student musicians through San Francisco, Silicon Valley, social media and the minds of persons who use sharp knives to solve problems.
He currently resides in California with an iMac and a couple of motorcycles, and has recently released his third novel: Missing Mona. He's fond of turbochargers, and loves his S1000RR.
P.S. The best way to know when a new book is released is to subscribe to The Klingler Kronicle at joeklingler.com. Joe sends an update about six times per year, your email address will never be shared, and you can opt out at any time.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
April 26, 2016
This was the first book that came aaaaaaall the way from the US for me to read and review it. When I saw the cover I immediately had to think of David Lynch's Lost Highway, which is a weird ass sort of arthouse/mystery/thriller movie which I love, but is definitely not for everyone. My hunches about these kinds of things are usually pretty good and it turned out there were some unexpected similarities between Missing Mona and Lost Highway. Thankfully, though, Missing Mona was a lot less fucked up, and more coherent. I say thankfully because while I might like these sorts of things in a movie, I can usually appreciate them a lot less in a book.
* Don't read the last half of the original GR blurb if you want this book to surprise you. I think it gives away too many spoilers.*
Tommy has just turned 30 and seriously needs a break from all the latest technology, or well, mostly the internet. He jumps into his Barracuda, which had this colour in my imagination...
...and sets off to the west to escape his current life while searching for inspiration for his future one. I believe he was only 1.5 hours away from home when he already met sexy redhead Mona who eventually hitchhikes with him to Chicago. They spend the night in a hotel together, but when she disappears the next morning, Tommy's on a mission; a mission to find Mona.
Let me get this straight: I'm not a car person. I don't give two shits about cars. If it drives and doesn't look totally like a toaster on wheels, I'm good. I can appreciate air conditioning and electric windows. Oh, and I have no idea how to drive an automatic, even though that's supposed to be a lot easier than manual. That's about all the passion for cars I can muster up. So when there were endless descriptions of car parts during the first 50 pages or so, I sincerely hoped this wouldn't be the case for the remaining 370 pages. The constant references to a beautiful Hemi made me google it. I found this:
You can imagine how happy I was when the car part bits slowly dissolved into fictitious sulphuric acid.
It wasn't that the rest of the story was bad during those 50 pages or so. The car talk was just really distracting for me. When I could finally fully focus on the story, it was awesome!
There's crime, blues music, strip clubs, good food, humour, suspension (heh,see what I did there?!), a make-over shop which can make you look like whoever you want to, and some pretty fascinating characters, which I will get to in a bit.
Tommy insists on solving the mystery of Mona the old fashioned way, meaning no cell phone and no internet access. Eventually, he's forced to use the internet anyways (just shows how much we rely on the WWW huh) to, for example, order a Detective's Handbook for Noobs. If you have to order a book in a physical bookstore, you can't generally pick it up the next day. Not where I live at least, and apparently also not in the Chicago region where Tommy is staying. Instead of buying a laptop or new phone, he goes to the library to do his research, so that's something, at least, when it comes to doing it the old fashioned way.
The characters. I love quirky characters and there were plenty of those in this book. There's a waitress/crime student called Penny, who I could only picture as Penny from The Big Bang Theory for some reason (funnily, there was a reference to the show a little later in the book, which made me giggle). She was probably the least quirky of all the characters, but she still has a pretty important role in the book. Then there's Mona, of course, a mysterious girl who's into some pretty weird things. An Asian car mechanic/whizzkid who likes to keep his sentences short and to the point, yet can perform miracles when it comes to technology. Like a Mr.Miyagi without the karate moves, really. A librarian with an eccentric clothing style, for one. And Tommy himself is just a nice guy who really wants to solve this mystery and have a little adventure in his life while doing so.
I generally liked Tommy and his painful progress in his wanting to become a great private detective, yet I couldn't get past the fact that Tommy's a total slut as well. Every girl he meets gets the flirty treatment, and magically, they all seem to fall for it! And, of course, all the women are extremely beautiful, most of them in a burlesque kind of way. I would've liked it better if he had to struggle a bit more. It's not like he's James Bond for crying out loud (I get just as annoyed with him, though).
All in all, I can say I truly enjoyed this book. It's fast paced mystery at its best (I read all 417 pages within 2 days or so) and feels like an old-fashioned noir detective yet with modern technology incorporated in it. The writing style was pleasant, I can see the author is very talented, and another great thing is that the mystery is all tied up nicely in the end (I really hate it when you want to know what happened and then get an unsatisfying explanation in the end). I'm giving it 4 brownies and a firm recommendation for everyone who likes a bit of a quirky detective story.
A big thank you to Joe Klingler for providing me with a (physical!) copy of his book in exchange for an honest review!
* Don't read the last half of the original GR blurb if you want this book to surprise you. I think it gives away too many spoilers.*
Tommy has just turned 30 and seriously needs a break from all the latest technology, or well, mostly the internet. He jumps into his Barracuda, which had this colour in my imagination...
...and sets off to the west to escape his current life while searching for inspiration for his future one. I believe he was only 1.5 hours away from home when he already met sexy redhead Mona who eventually hitchhikes with him to Chicago. They spend the night in a hotel together, but when she disappears the next morning, Tommy's on a mission; a mission to find Mona.
Let me get this straight: I'm not a car person. I don't give two shits about cars. If it drives and doesn't look totally like a toaster on wheels, I'm good. I can appreciate air conditioning and electric windows. Oh, and I have no idea how to drive an automatic, even though that's supposed to be a lot easier than manual. That's about all the passion for cars I can muster up. So when there were endless descriptions of car parts during the first 50 pages or so, I sincerely hoped this wouldn't be the case for the remaining 370 pages. The constant references to a beautiful Hemi made me google it. I found this:
My level of excitement/understanding:
You can imagine how happy I was when the car part bits slowly dissolved into fictitious sulphuric acid.
It wasn't that the rest of the story was bad during those 50 pages or so. The car talk was just really distracting for me. When I could finally fully focus on the story, it was awesome!
There's crime, blues music, strip clubs, good food, humour, suspension (heh,see what I did there?!), a make-over shop which can make you look like whoever you want to, and some pretty fascinating characters, which I will get to in a bit.
Tommy insists on solving the mystery of Mona the old fashioned way, meaning no cell phone and no internet access. Eventually, he's forced to use the internet anyways (just shows how much we rely on the WWW huh) to, for example, order a Detective's Handbook for Noobs. If you have to order a book in a physical bookstore, you can't generally pick it up the next day. Not where I live at least, and apparently also not in the Chicago region where Tommy is staying. Instead of buying a laptop or new phone, he goes to the library to do his research, so that's something, at least, when it comes to doing it the old fashioned way.
The characters. I love quirky characters and there were plenty of those in this book. There's a waitress/crime student called Penny, who I could only picture as Penny from The Big Bang Theory for some reason (funnily, there was a reference to the show a little later in the book, which made me giggle). She was probably the least quirky of all the characters, but she still has a pretty important role in the book. Then there's Mona, of course, a mysterious girl who's into some pretty weird things. An Asian car mechanic/whizzkid who likes to keep his sentences short and to the point, yet can perform miracles when it comes to technology. Like a Mr.Miyagi without the karate moves, really. A librarian with an eccentric clothing style, for one. And Tommy himself is just a nice guy who really wants to solve this mystery and have a little adventure in his life while doing so.
I generally liked Tommy and his painful progress in his wanting to become a great private detective, yet I couldn't get past the fact that Tommy's a total slut as well. Every girl he meets gets the flirty treatment, and magically, they all seem to fall for it! And, of course, all the women are extremely beautiful, most of them in a burlesque kind of way. I would've liked it better if he had to struggle a bit more. It's not like he's James Bond for crying out loud (I get just as annoyed with him, though).
All in all, I can say I truly enjoyed this book. It's fast paced mystery at its best (I read all 417 pages within 2 days or so) and feels like an old-fashioned noir detective yet with modern technology incorporated in it. The writing style was pleasant, I can see the author is very talented, and another great thing is that the mystery is all tied up nicely in the end (I really hate it when you want to know what happened and then get an unsatisfying explanation in the end). I'm giving it 4 brownies and a firm recommendation for everyone who likes a bit of a quirky detective story.
A big thank you to Joe Klingler for providing me with a (physical!) copy of his book in exchange for an honest review!
March 30, 2019
I hate to leave a bad review of any novel; writing a novel is difficult. Unfortunately, this novel just didn’t work for me. It was 150 pages too long, ridiculously complicated, introduced significant characters seemingly at random and had plot holes so big that the unappealing (except, apparently, to every attractive woman in the novel) protagonist could have driven his car through it. In other words, clearly written to be the basis of a Hollywood movie. I hope it becomes one.
November 18, 2016
“Missing Mona” was a fun read. It took me awhile to really get into the story but once I did the suspense had me flipping pages to unravel all those loose threads!
I have to admit that when I began the book I did not like Tommy. Not even a little. He seems like a grown man baby. He doesn’t at all seem to understand how privileged he is and he surely doesn’t appreciate it. I was more than a quarter into the book before I stopped sneering at Tommy and actually started to like him a little. His evolution as a character is one of the aspects of the book that I enjoyed the most. Because, let me tell you…if Tommy wouldn’t of started to change pretty early on there is a good chance I would of put this book down and labeled a DNF.
Beyond my immediate dislike of Tommy, the plot of “Missing Mona” is intricate and cleverly constructed. Most of the twists and turns took me completely by surprise while a few others were a bit predictable.
Now, the supporting characters is what makes this book! Klingler did a fantastic job of building Mona, Marvin, Lizz, Kim ect… They each stand out and build on the Chicago setting making the location feel more and more authentic. For a mystery, this had one of the best casts of supporting characters that I have read this year. I really can not brag on this enough. Each time a new character came into play the story became more vibrant and dug its hooks further in.
All in all, this book is cleverly written and fun to read. Klingler did a great job and this is a series I will follow in the future.
To see my full review, check out my blog AlliesOpinions on Wordpress!
I have to admit that when I began the book I did not like Tommy. Not even a little. He seems like a grown man baby. He doesn’t at all seem to understand how privileged he is and he surely doesn’t appreciate it. I was more than a quarter into the book before I stopped sneering at Tommy and actually started to like him a little. His evolution as a character is one of the aspects of the book that I enjoyed the most. Because, let me tell you…if Tommy wouldn’t of started to change pretty early on there is a good chance I would of put this book down and labeled a DNF.
Beyond my immediate dislike of Tommy, the plot of “Missing Mona” is intricate and cleverly constructed. Most of the twists and turns took me completely by surprise while a few others were a bit predictable.
Now, the supporting characters is what makes this book! Klingler did a fantastic job of building Mona, Marvin, Lizz, Kim ect… They each stand out and build on the Chicago setting making the location feel more and more authentic. For a mystery, this had one of the best casts of supporting characters that I have read this year. I really can not brag on this enough. Each time a new character came into play the story became more vibrant and dug its hooks further in.
All in all, this book is cleverly written and fun to read. Klingler did a great job and this is a series I will follow in the future.
To see my full review, check out my blog AlliesOpinions on Wordpress!
April 21, 2018
Fast, Funny, and Funky, too
Detective stories are a popular genre and this book rises to the top of my favorites list for all the reasons listed in this reviews title. I fell in love with the dreamy, wanderlust of the blues playing Cuda. His fondness for Detroit iron muscle cars and music of days gone by. I could relate with the desire to unplug from cell phones and his diary of kisses. The damsels in the story, distressed or otherwise were delightful and seemed as intrigued by Tommy as I was. The bad guys were many and their vices evil. Even minor characters achieved dazzling feats of skill and talent which carried the story and reader alike through an entertaining roller coaster ride of discovery and defeat. Just one thing left me disappointed, I wanted to hear the blues song they wrote for Amanda! Looking for more like this.
Detective stories are a popular genre and this book rises to the top of my favorites list for all the reasons listed in this reviews title. I fell in love with the dreamy, wanderlust of the blues playing Cuda. His fondness for Detroit iron muscle cars and music of days gone by. I could relate with the desire to unplug from cell phones and his diary of kisses. The damsels in the story, distressed or otherwise were delightful and seemed as intrigued by Tommy as I was. The bad guys were many and their vices evil. Even minor characters achieved dazzling feats of skill and talent which carried the story and reader alike through an entertaining roller coaster ride of discovery and defeat. Just one thing left me disappointed, I wanted to hear the blues song they wrote for Amanda! Looking for more like this.
March 3, 2017
In an Oyster Shell – It was an intriguing mystery that had lots of twists and turns that made for a very entertaining and interesting read.
The Pearls – The mystery was fantastic. It was an interesting concept being hired to find someone and it ends up being the person that hired you. Though Tommy was an amateur sleuth he got around pretty good and found his way around the mysteries.
There were a lot of ladies that Tommy comes across and he becomes one very lucky dude. They all seem to like him in one way or another. It was a little funny, it was a little bit of male fantasy being played out in narrative. It was a fairly clean novel just some intense kissing, but there was a lot of kissing.
The setting was interesting Chicago. There was a lot of reference to the crime. It helped me to know more about that city and made it so I felt like I was there, I don’t have to visit.
Full Review: Writing Pearls
The Pearls – The mystery was fantastic. It was an interesting concept being hired to find someone and it ends up being the person that hired you. Though Tommy was an amateur sleuth he got around pretty good and found his way around the mysteries.
There were a lot of ladies that Tommy comes across and he becomes one very lucky dude. They all seem to like him in one way or another. It was a little funny, it was a little bit of male fantasy being played out in narrative. It was a fairly clean novel just some intense kissing, but there was a lot of kissing.
The setting was interesting Chicago. There was a lot of reference to the crime. It helped me to know more about that city and made it so I felt like I was there, I don’t have to visit.
Full Review: Writing Pearls
April 21, 2024
Tommy drives an old Barracuda that his grandfather restored. He leaves home in Ohio, heading west, and picks up a hitchhiker in Indiana, and they head for Chicago. Now I don't give many details about stories, but think police detectives, money, some fake money, murder, a librarian, a dancer, lesbians, mechanics, accidental murder,spy cams, corrupt Chicago politicians, BnB's, guitars, and the blues. And some other stuff. It's a great story, and you'll enjoy trying to figure out what in going on.
February 27, 2023
This is yet another "new to me" author, and I am VERY glad I bought more of his books. The beginning was a slow buildup, and the story just kept on building to a crescendo of action. The plot is easily followed if you concentrate and the characters are very interesting, intelligent, and scintillating at times. I am very much looking forward to the next book by this author and highly recommend this one.
July 7, 2019
Joe Klingler Writes Great Stuff
I am hoping there is more Tommy Cuda in store for us, as well as the final book of the Tune Up trilogy. All of these characters are memorable, as well as believable. The plot lines are complex, but once again (mostly) believable. It is, after all, fiction, and exceptionally well written fiction at that. I look forward to reading more.
I am hoping there is more Tommy Cuda in store for us, as well as the final book of the Tune Up trilogy. All of these characters are memorable, as well as believable. The plot lines are complex, but once again (mostly) believable. It is, after all, fiction, and exceptionally well written fiction at that. I look forward to reading more.
July 29, 2020
Love, jealousy, corruption and freedom.
I didn't expect to like this book as much as I did. I ordered it because of the Title. I couldn't put it down. Loved the conversations between Tommy and all the women in the story. Loved the mystery and how it played out. I recommend this book to everyone.
I didn't expect to like this book as much as I did. I ordered it because of the Title. I couldn't put it down. Loved the conversations between Tommy and all the women in the story. Loved the mystery and how it played out. I recommend this book to everyone.
September 25, 2017
Thank goodness, a unique and thoroughly enjoyable read
Loved this book, it was so fresh, innovative and unpredictable that I didn't want to put it down. Bravo for the creative effort.
Loved this book, it was so fresh, innovative and unpredictable that I didn't want to put it down. Bravo for the creative effort.
January 25, 2018
I was caught up in this book quite early on, because of the refreshing difference these characters provided vs. many other books I've read recently. The premise was original, the complexity grew quickly, the pace increased to the point where I didn't want to stop reading!
Nicely done!
Nicely done!
June 17, 2018
I enjoyed this book. The author frames the story well so we can make the movie in our head. Had to do some rereading to stay with the plot. Liked the characters. Action without excessive violence, sexy but not raunchy,humorous but not cutesy,believable but not ordinary or formula.
June 28, 2018
Missing Mona
The start was slow. I almost gave up on this book and moved on to another. Just in time, the pace picked up and a complicated mystery unfolded.
I gave this three stars because of the slow beginning, but I ended by staying up late to finish the story.
The start was slow. I almost gave up on this book and moved on to another. Just in time, the pace picked up and a complicated mystery unfolded.
I gave this three stars because of the slow beginning, but I ended by staying up late to finish the story.
April 2, 2019
Lots of twists and turns
I liked how Tommy decided to go tech free and the adventures he found and the people he met when he set himself free. Lots of interesting characters in this book
I liked how Tommy decided to go tech free and the adventures he found and the people he met when he set himself free. Lots of interesting characters in this book
March 3, 2021
Good read.
There are many Twists and turns throughout the story. Got lots a few times about small details that turned into developing ingredients to progress to the final solutions.
There are many Twists and turns throughout the story. Got lots a few times about small details that turned into developing ingredients to progress to the final solutions.
April 25, 2023
Technoir
Easy reading, difficult to put down, noir crossed with computer tech mystery thriller. Engaging characters, popculture references and convoluted but not confusing plot. Worth a read.
Easy reading, difficult to put down, noir crossed with computer tech mystery thriller. Engaging characters, popculture references and convoluted but not confusing plot. Worth a read.
October 25, 2017
not great... didn't like the main character, or how he viewed women.
March 3, 2020
Good read
Good story. I enjoyed his writing style and he kept the story interesting without getting boring. I’m looking forward to reading the next Tommy Cuda story.
Good story. I enjoyed his writing style and he kept the story interesting without getting boring. I’m looking forward to reading the next Tommy Cuda story.
August 22, 2020
Just no opinion...
I have up after chapter 17...in my opinion written by someone trying too hard to be clever... But what do I know... Someone else will probably get it...
I have up after chapter 17...in my opinion written by someone trying too hard to be clever... But what do I know... Someone else will probably get it...
June 15, 2023
Missing Mona
This is one hot, sexy book! It really didn’t matter which way you were coming from or going I liked it all.
This is one hot, sexy book! It really didn’t matter which way you were coming from or going I liked it all.
April 23, 2024
Loved this book. The characters come to life, the plot twists and turns.
February 6, 2016
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
I can't put my finger on why (I probably needed to take a few more minutes between books), but the first page or two of this book really turned me off -- five or six paragraphs in, and I was already groaning at the length of this book. And then I hit the line:
Tommy's tired of being tethered to his smartphone, he's not entirely sure he wants to continue with the lady in his life, needs a break from his friends and his job, he -- actually, let me let his mother sum it up:
She disappears the next day, leaving behind some money and a photograph of herself, with a note on the back:
Finding Mona ends up being pretty easy -- the challenge is in figuring out what to do with her once that's been accomplished. Not only that, but finding her lands Tommy in the middle of a web of crime, one that leads him into investigations that will involve a shooting, grand theft auto, and several other things that I can't say because they'd be spoilers, and you have to read the book anyway to believe my list -- outlandish, strange, and yet totally logical in this world.
As interesting as that all is -- and it was quite the knot to untie -- what sold this book for me was the characters, starting with the people that Tommy ends up surrounding himself with -- there's the waitress/aspiring criminologist who helps Tommy enough that you could almost say he tags along with her; the librarian/artist/personal stylist who helps him around town; the B&B employee (yeah, typical hard-boiled P.I. stays at a B&B); the coat girl who wants to be a police officer, the eccentric mechanic, a hotel valet/blues musician who can connect you with anything on the street that you need; and of course, Mona. Almost any one of these would be enough of a pal/associate for a P. I., but Klingler gives us all of these in an embarrassment of riches.
And then there's Tommy -- the poor guy who is clearly in over his head, but knows it and is doing whatever he can to find the girl, earn his money, maybe save the girl -- and play a little guitar while enjoying his new friends. Tommy reminded me a lot of Harry Lockhart, from Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, especially when he said things like,
I will read better books this year, though this was a good one -- but I will not read many that will be more fun. Missing Mona was a great ride, and I'm hoping that Tommy Cuda gets behind the wheel of his Barracuda again soon. Klingler has a couple of other books on his résumé that I'll be getting my hands on pronto, too, just to see if he has the same touch there. Check this one out, folks, you'll thank me.
---
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for a fair review, which was awfully generous of him, and it's really appreciated.
---
I can't put my finger on why (I probably needed to take a few more minutes between books), but the first page or two of this book really turned me off -- five or six paragraphs in, and I was already groaning at the length of this book. And then I hit the line:
Where could I find a life as exciting as a detective novel? Or at least a pop song?Nothing special, but the second question got my attention. Tommy Kelsey might be my kind of guy after all -- the reference to The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy at the bottom of the page just sealed the deal.
Tommy's tired of being tethered to his smartphone, he's not entirely sure he wants to continue with the lady in his life, needs a break from his friends and his job, he -- actually, let me let his mother sum it up:
She held my shoulder with her right hand. “You just celebrated your last twenty-something birthday. You see the big three-oh coming at you down the long highway of life, so you want to run away to find something before old age pins you to the mat.” She smiled and let go. “And makes you cry uncle.”Tommy grabs a few essentials (his guitar, some records, clothing, etc.), throws them in the trunk of his restored Plymouth Barracuda (with a 426 Hemi V8 ) and hits the road to some unknown destination. He's not on the road before too long before he picks up a hitchhiker -- a potentially dangerous move, but he's clearly in an impulsive mood -- and he's clearly attracted to her. In an attempt to impress Mona Meyers, he says that he's a Private Investigator named Tommy Cuda (Kelsey didn't seem like a name worthy of her, and the nearby dashboard provided the inspiration he needed). Mona's intrigued by that and hires him to find someone for her once they reach Chicago.
Mom was okay. I didn’t think so back in high school, but she seemed smarter now.
She disappears the next day, leaving behind some money and a photograph of herself, with a note on the back:
Find me, Tommy— M.
Finding Mona ends up being pretty easy -- the challenge is in figuring out what to do with her once that's been accomplished. Not only that, but finding her lands Tommy in the middle of a web of crime, one that leads him into investigations that will involve a shooting, grand theft auto, and several other things that I can't say because they'd be spoilers, and you have to read the book anyway to believe my list -- outlandish, strange, and yet totally logical in this world.
As interesting as that all is -- and it was quite the knot to untie -- what sold this book for me was the characters, starting with the people that Tommy ends up surrounding himself with -- there's the waitress/aspiring criminologist who helps Tommy enough that you could almost say he tags along with her; the librarian/artist/personal stylist who helps him around town; the B&B employee (yeah, typical hard-boiled P.I. stays at a B&B); the coat girl who wants to be a police officer, the eccentric mechanic, a hotel valet/blues musician who can connect you with anything on the street that you need; and of course, Mona. Almost any one of these would be enough of a pal/associate for a P. I., but Klingler gives us all of these in an embarrassment of riches.
And then there's Tommy -- the poor guy who is clearly in over his head, but knows it and is doing whatever he can to find the girl, earn his money, maybe save the girl -- and play a little guitar while enjoying his new friends. Tommy reminded me a lot of Harry Lockhart, from Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, especially when he said things like,
Now I knew why private eyes in novels were always smoking a cigarette: it was nerve-wracking having no idea what was going on.I enjoyed watching him flounder around, trying to figure out how to do this thing that he's read about and watched movies about, but is honestly clueless. about. Yet somehow -- with a little help from his friends -- he gets the job done. Sure, the ladies threw themselves at him in a way that was tough to believe, but that goes with the genre territory.
I will read better books this year, though this was a good one -- but I will not read many that will be more fun. Missing Mona was a great ride, and I'm hoping that Tommy Cuda gets behind the wheel of his Barracuda again soon. Klingler has a couple of other books on his résumé that I'll be getting my hands on pronto, too, just to see if he has the same touch there. Check this one out, folks, you'll thank me.
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Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for a fair review, which was awfully generous of him, and it's really appreciated.
March 23, 2017
A fun read
Sheer mind candy. Not an earthshaking book, but a fun, engaging read. Enough foreshawdoing to keep a reader interested and guessing. Sufficient surprises to make you turn the page.
Sheer mind candy. Not an earthshaking book, but a fun, engaging read. Enough foreshawdoing to keep a reader interested and guessing. Sufficient surprises to make you turn the page.
March 21, 2017
Interesting characters but confusing.
If I had read the book in one setting perhaps I could have followed it better. Not really my cup of tea.....
If I had read the book in one setting perhaps I could have followed it better. Not really my cup of tea.....
October 7, 2016
Meet Tommy Cuda, a young man in an old car, who dumps his predictable life and his Wal-mart job to head West in a search for self. What he finds is a beautiful and mysterious hitchhiker, and a heretofore unrealized desire to be a . . . Private investigator.
After Mona the hitchhiker disappears, leaving a note imploring "Find me!," Tommy sets forth to solve his first case. Along the way he meets many new people, including an aspiring blues man, a waitress/criminologist, a sexy goth librarian, a computer-genius auto mechanic, strppers, Russian Mafiosi, and an impossibly cooperative homicide detective.
'Missing Mona' is well-written, fast-paced and extremely readable. Though not very believable, and depending on an improbable amount of luck, the book was very enjoyable and would be a good choice for fans of Raymond Chandler or Robert B. Parker.
*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
After Mona the hitchhiker disappears, leaving a note imploring "Find me!," Tommy sets forth to solve his first case. Along the way he meets many new people, including an aspiring blues man, a waitress/criminologist, a sexy goth librarian, a computer-genius auto mechanic, strppers, Russian Mafiosi, and an impossibly cooperative homicide detective.
'Missing Mona' is well-written, fast-paced and extremely readable. Though not very believable, and depending on an improbable amount of luck, the book was very enjoyable and would be a good choice for fans of Raymond Chandler or Robert B. Parker.
*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
April 11, 2016
Grabs and keeps your attention
I was given a free copy for an honest review.
I have been reading mystery novels since I started with Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys very young, and discovered Agatha Christie when I was 12 years old. Because that was my introduction to amazing mystery writing, I don't give out 5 stars very often.
This booked grabbed my attention from the beginning and held it clear to t h e end. I couldn't wait to see what happened next and hated when I had to set it down for any reason.
The characters are well developed and believable. The story was given just the right amount of time to develop and grow. I will definitely be watching for the next Tommy Cuda mystery to come out. I hope it's sooner better than later.
I was given a free copy for an honest review.
I have been reading mystery novels since I started with Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys very young, and discovered Agatha Christie when I was 12 years old. Because that was my introduction to amazing mystery writing, I don't give out 5 stars very often.
This booked grabbed my attention from the beginning and held it clear to t h e end. I couldn't wait to see what happened next and hated when I had to set it down for any reason.
The characters are well developed and believable. The story was given just the right amount of time to develop and grow. I will definitely be watching for the next Tommy Cuda mystery to come out. I hope it's sooner better than later.
February 6, 2017
I found this to be an interesting book with a clever plot and a cast of unique characters. My only criticism of it is its length. At times, I thought it would never end. That being said, I would not hesitate to give the next book in the series a look.
May 24, 2016
The real mystery here is what happened to me, the reader. I tore into Missing Mona: A Tommy Cuda Mystery enthusiastically, but about halfway through my interest waned. Hmmm. Writing: good. Characters: good. Story…bread and butter mystery tale. In all fairness to the author, I think the problem was with my expectations going in. I really had my taste buds set for something more quirky and off-the-wall than dirty politics and cracking a counterfeit ring.
November 17, 2016
Finding Mona Lookalikes
Enjoyed this clever, sometimes exciting "Private Eye Romp" in Chicago. Interesting plot involving counterfeit money, pretty girls, dirty cops, good ones too, musicians and the "good guys win" . Recommend this author and his other books. No I'm not family.
Enjoyed this clever, sometimes exciting "Private Eye Romp" in Chicago. Interesting plot involving counterfeit money, pretty girls, dirty cops, good ones too, musicians and the "good guys win" . Recommend this author and his other books. No I'm not family.
April 7, 2018
I was caught up in this book quite early on, because of the refreshing difference these characters provided vs. many other books I've read recently. The premise was original, the complexity grew quickly, the pace increased to the point where I didn't want to stop reading!
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