Headlock

Jeff Reynolds Mystery #1

by Burl Barer

“Nicely written dialog, choice humor, and a slowly evolving plot makes this first mystery in a new series a real winner”—Library Journal


"The kind of novel that mesmerizes. Barer delivers tight, muscular prose, a laconic hard-boiled PI, and a plot that is as slippery as a well-oiled chicane. An utterly compelling narrative that will not disappoint."--Richard Godwin, author of Apostle Rising and Savage Highway


A paranoid recluse lures private eye author Jeff Reynolds into a complex web of deception where delusions are deadly, life after death can be hell and all roads lead to the McFeely Tavern. Several popular mystery writers, including G.M. Ford and Tony Fennelly, make cameo appearances in this clever and captivating private eye caper set in Walla Walla, Washington. Edgar Award winner Burl Barer brings us a private eye mystery unique and wondrous from the opening paragraph to the spectacular cinematic climax featuring one of the best plot twists in PI history.


"Clever, quirky, and often outrageous"-Lee Goldberg, NYT best-selling author of numerous Mr. Monk mysteries


"Undeniable talent, pizazz and imagination”-Jack Olsen, NYT best-selling author


"A 100% dazzling debut of what could be the best new series in mystery fiction"-Prof. Gerry Graber


"...a detective as hard boiled as a twenty-minute egg, and wisecracks as sharp as a new Gillette!"-Dale Furutani, Anthony and Macavity winning author of the Ken Tanaka and Samurai Mystery series


"Barer is obviously twisted. `Headlock' is a hoot. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough!"-G.M. Ford, author of The Deader the Better, Last Ditch, Bum's Rush, and Slow Burn


"Brilliant and hilarious!"-Tony Fennelly, author of The Glory Hole Murders, and 1-900-DEAD


"Burl Barer's new action-packed novel had me laughing my ass off, gasping for breath, and cursing his talent!"-Sparkle Hayter, author of Revenge of the Cootie Girls, and The Last Manly Man

Genres: Mystery

300 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 28, 2017

Reviews

[Denise Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stick with this book, people. It's absolutely brilliant.

[Michele · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really did not know what to expect when I opened the first page of this book. I do like private eye type books so I thought, what the heck. I downloaded it--started to read it and could not stop!! The language may be a bit off putting for some of you as well as some of the descriptions. I had no problem with it at all! This is slap stick at it's funniest, and admittedly can get a bit raunchy, as Jeff Reynolds meets and enlists the aid of prostitutes and other unsavory characters at the local watering holes in Walla Walla, Wa. All the characters are well developed and you feel like you really know all of them. This may be the first time I have read one of this author's books--it will not be the last.
Headlock

[John Bunyan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay. Novel premise. Overlong, somewhat because it’s the first book in the series and you have to get to know the protagonist’s persona and background. But he becomes kind of annoying. I probably won’t read more.

[Bettye McKee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not quite a mystery, more like an adventure

Headlock is an entertaining story featuring author/private investigator Jeff Reynolds. His paranoid client wants him to find out whether his (the client's) father was murdered.

The plot gets a little complicated from there, and there is a sidebar of wrestling, but it's not difficult to keep the characters straight. There are many subplots that come together to form the whole.

I've never been to Walla Walla, but I have been to Mukilteo.