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Bean Counter Mysteries #1
Bean Counter
What do you get when you mix two dead bodies, millions in missing money, and a dangerous idiot wearing a hammer he’s named Thor?
The answer: murder, malfeasance, and mayhem.
When the head of Nick Rohmer’s Miami accounting firm is found dead after a suspicious accident, Nick finds his quiet, comfortable, boring life slipping out of his control. With most of the firm’s management either on vacation, sick, or dead, Nick is thrust into the unfamiliar position of actually having some responsibility. The weight does not sit easily on his shoulders.
He’s relieved when the instructions from the Chicago head office are – don’t do anything until we get there. This he can do. He tries to stick to his ‘do nothing’ instructions even as the firm’s largest client threatens to jump ship.
But Nick’s plan of inaction is short-lived when he is convinced to try to save the business. He secures an invitation to dinner on the private island of the mega-wealthy, and highly dysfunctional, Keene family. Things quickly go from bad to disastrous when another dead body shows up, and Nick finds he's the prime suspect.
As he gets sucked into the mystery, Nick’s focus quickly changes from trying to save the business to trying to save his skin.
The answer: murder, malfeasance, and mayhem.
When the head of Nick Rohmer’s Miami accounting firm is found dead after a suspicious accident, Nick finds his quiet, comfortable, boring life slipping out of his control. With most of the firm’s management either on vacation, sick, or dead, Nick is thrust into the unfamiliar position of actually having some responsibility. The weight does not sit easily on his shoulders.
He’s relieved when the instructions from the Chicago head office are – don’t do anything until we get there. This he can do. He tries to stick to his ‘do nothing’ instructions even as the firm’s largest client threatens to jump ship.
But Nick’s plan of inaction is short-lived when he is convinced to try to save the business. He secures an invitation to dinner on the private island of the mega-wealthy, and highly dysfunctional, Keene family. Things quickly go from bad to disastrous when another dead body shows up, and Nick finds he's the prime suspect.
As he gets sucked into the mystery, Nick’s focus quickly changes from trying to save the business to trying to save his skin.
314 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 17, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
March 28, 2016
Unexpected hero
I liked the characters and their growth through the book. It had an unexpected ending which took me by surprise.
I liked the characters and their growth through the book. It had an unexpected ending which took me by surprise.
April 13, 2016
This is a well written, fun book, in the tradition of South Florida comedy adventure. I enjoyed it thoroughly.
June 5, 2021
Fun and fast paced
Loved the “inspirational quotes” starting every chapter - those alone are worth 5 stars - the. The plotting pace and Hiasen like Florida nutcase was fun - and a reasonable mystery
Loved the “inspirational quotes” starting every chapter - those alone are worth 5 stars - the. The plotting pace and Hiasen like Florida nutcase was fun - and a reasonable mystery
December 19, 2017
Nick is a bean counter—a wage worker slaving away at a cubicle for a money-grubbing corporation at the mercy of a demanding boss, who died under mysterious and suspicious circumstances. Now, Nick is in charge of the office. He’s never really been much of a go-getter. In fact, he’s always avoided risks, ever since his childhood. After his cop father was killed on duty, his mother always kept him away from risks. No sports, just track to practice escape; no becoming a doctor as there are too many sick people; no becoming a lawyer as there are too many unsavory characters. So accounting seemed to be a safe bet. After all, there was nothing perilous about numbers.
At the urging of his pistol of a fiancé, Nick pursues a promotion, but soon finds himself in the middle of something much more than he can handle, something that certainly involves risk. In his efforts to move up the corporate ladder, Nick literally stumbles upon the dead body of the CEO and is accused of murder.
Told in the POV of a variety of characters, story is a tale of murder, mayhem, and bean-counting. It’s a witty repartee of the working-class stiffs that get muddled in a conspiracy. I thought it was a little too complex. Story was just all over the place that it soon turns into a jumbled mess. You start to lose interest pretty soon.
At the urging of his pistol of a fiancé, Nick pursues a promotion, but soon finds himself in the middle of something much more than he can handle, something that certainly involves risk. In his efforts to move up the corporate ladder, Nick literally stumbles upon the dead body of the CEO and is accused of murder.
Told in the POV of a variety of characters, story is a tale of murder, mayhem, and bean-counting. It’s a witty repartee of the working-class stiffs that get muddled in a conspiracy. I thought it was a little too complex. Story was just all over the place that it soon turns into a jumbled mess. You start to lose interest pretty soon.
June 11, 2021
Nick Rohmer, whose natural tendency is to avoid risk, has a comfortable job as an accountant in Miami. His fiancé Victoria believes that he should be doing more to advance his career and provides him with cliché-ridden business self-help books. (Humorous quotes from such books are given at the start of each chapter of this book.)
Nick's world is shaken up when his firm's boss suddenly dies and Keene Construction, their biggest customer, immediately announces that it is taking its business elsewhere. With the executives next in line unavailable because of vacations or medical leave, Nick is temporarily in charge of the firm, and risk aversion is no longer an option. Hoping to save the Keene account and his job (and perhaps impress Victoria), Nick visits the eccentric, dysfunctional Keene family and quickly finds himself in trouble when a murder is committed with his necktie. Events spin out of control, and much more than his job is riding on Nick's ability to "follow the money" and figure out what is really going on. This is a fast-moving comic mystery with a large cast of memorable characters.
Nick's world is shaken up when his firm's boss suddenly dies and Keene Construction, their biggest customer, immediately announces that it is taking its business elsewhere. With the executives next in line unavailable because of vacations or medical leave, Nick is temporarily in charge of the firm, and risk aversion is no longer an option. Hoping to save the Keene account and his job (and perhaps impress Victoria), Nick visits the eccentric, dysfunctional Keene family and quickly finds himself in trouble when a murder is committed with his necktie. Events spin out of control, and much more than his job is riding on Nick's ability to "follow the money" and figure out what is really going on. This is a fast-moving comic mystery with a large cast of memorable characters.
June 16, 2022
This was a great who done it! Never in a million years would I have figured out the ending. This was a fun, fast paced, action packed story. I started and couldn’t put it down. I read it in one sitting. What fun! This is the second book I have read by this author and I am so glad I came upon him. Excellent!
June 22, 2021
Rich is not happy
Wealth and an abusive household drives someone to kill the patriarch-twice! With many family members living in the palatial home, who is the killer?
Novel looks at wealth, tax accountability, business fraud, family relationships.
Wealth and an abusive household drives someone to kill the patriarch-twice! With many family members living in the palatial home, who is the killer?
Novel looks at wealth, tax accountability, business fraud, family relationships.
July 12, 2021
Kindle Customer
DISAPPOINTED
I found the first chapter or two to be pretty good, but rest of the novel just didn't hold my interest... I pushed through to the final chapters, but the character development was underwhelming and the ending just kinda fizzled out...
DISAPPOINTED
I found the first chapter or two to be pretty good, but rest of the novel just didn't hold my interest... I pushed through to the final chapters, but the character development was underwhelming and the ending just kinda fizzled out...
October 5, 2021
This was an 'Amazon Free First Reads' find and I was pleasantly surprised. The main character is a bit of a hapless lead, but the situations he finds himself in are entertaining. I am continuing with the series.
August 20, 2019
I enjoyed this funny, quirky tale. I liked the characters and the locations. I'll be interested to read more of this series.
October 14, 2021
Very entertaining read
February 5, 2018
Just good fun
No great redeeming social value,just a good,well written romp.I'll buy the next one. Enough said.minimal word count discourages succinct reviews
No great redeeming social value,just a good,well written romp.I'll buy the next one. Enough said.minimal word count discourages succinct reviews
January 5, 2017
Good plot, believable characters and a nice twist at the end. Well done!
April 17, 2016
This book is a kick!!! Clever story, great characters, smooth and witty dialogue - well done, TA Clark! I was glad to be able to read this one straight through in one sitting as the tension builds, the pages NEED to be turned quickly, and the ending leaves you wanting to keep hanging out with the guys - well, most of them! Hoping there's a sequel in the works!
December 20, 2016
*** 1\2
Good plot. The author keeps the story moving right along.
I had a bit of a problem with the way the main protagonist abruptly transitioned from a junior accountant, coasting through life, to a detective who solves a case that the police cannot. Just a bit of a stretch there.
Good work creating the memorable character "Scorch".
Good plot. The author keeps the story moving right along.
I had a bit of a problem with the way the main protagonist abruptly transitioned from a junior accountant, coasting through life, to a detective who solves a case that the police cannot. Just a bit of a stretch there.
Good work creating the memorable character "Scorch".
December 10, 2016
The plot moves quickly and the mystery has a surprise ending. I enjoyed reading about an accountant as the protagonist. He seemed a bit nerdy in the beginning but rose to the occasion and became a hero. Just like real life, eh?
March 2, 2016
Really fun book. Good story and some very funny scenes. I was also surprised by the ending. Sometimes that doesn't work, but in this case it all came together.
March 21, 2016
Good book!!
Very interesting, good dialogue, Will read more by this author. Recommend this as a really good read for most anyone.
Very interesting, good dialogue, Will read more by this author. Recommend this as a really good read for most anyone.
November 22, 2016
Entertaining!
Fast paced and easy to read. Interesting characters and detail. Would definitely read more from this author in the future.
Fast paced and easy to read. Interesting characters and detail. Would definitely read more from this author in the future.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews