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Chuck Restic Mystery #1
The Silent Second
Chuck Restic has achieved the American dream, but twenty years in Human Resources have pushed him into existential-crisis mode. Only when he sets out to find a missing employee from his L.A. firm does he feel alive again. Applying his HR skills and wit to his moonlight detective work, Chuck unravels a web of crooked real estate deals and three murders, while staving off a fourth: his own.
Adam Walker Phillips is an executive at a global financial services company who used his corporate experience to inspire this debut mystery. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife and son.
Adam Walker Phillips is an executive at a global financial services company who used his corporate experience to inspire this debut mystery. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife and son.
280 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2015
178 people are currently reading
984 people want to read
About the author
Adam Walker Phillips
4 books18 followersAdam Walker Phillips is the author of the Chuck Restic Mystery Series, which follows a burnt-out HR man who moonlights as a private detective.
Phillips is a 20-year corporate vet who has endured countless PowerPoint decks, offsite retreats and visioning sessions to bring this mystery series to life. His sardonic take on corporate life brings a fresh voice to the classic detective novel.
Phillips lives with his family in the Eagle Rock neighborhood of Los Angeles.
Phillips is a 20-year corporate vet who has endured countless PowerPoint decks, offsite retreats and visioning sessions to bring this mystery series to life. His sardonic take on corporate life brings a fresh voice to the classic detective novel.
Phillips lives with his family in the Eagle Rock neighborhood of Los Angeles.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
January 16, 2020
Chuck Restic has spent twenty years in HR, and he’s good at his job – making sure employees get along so they don’t sue each other or, more importantly, the company. That’s how he first meets Ed, who has had a complaint filed against him. Ed seems like a nice guy, and their meeting goes well, but then Ed disappears a couple of days later. A plea from Ed’s family to figure out what happened to him intrigues Chuck. He’s recently separated from his wife, and he wants to do something to fill his time away from work, so he uses his boredom as an excuse to start poking around. The trail quickly leads to real estate around Los Angeles, but how could that have led to Ed’s disappearance?
I’d seen the author speak at a library event a while ago, and I thought this book sounded like fun. While I certainly enjoyed it, I found the book to be darker in tone than I was expecting. There were a few laughs when Chuck was in HR mode, but for the most part, this felt more like a hard-boiled book. But that’s my only complaint with the book. I really did like Chuck – in fact, I could identify with him a bit too much. (Maybe that was part of my problem.) The rest of the cast are just as strong and become well-rounded people as we learn most about them. The plot was great with plenty of twists and an ending I didn’t see coming. The book was light on foul language and didn’t get too graphic with the violence or sex, which I most definitely appreciated. This is a solid debut, but pick it up when you are in the mood for something on the darker side.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
I’d seen the author speak at a library event a while ago, and I thought this book sounded like fun. While I certainly enjoyed it, I found the book to be darker in tone than I was expecting. There were a few laughs when Chuck was in HR mode, but for the most part, this felt more like a hard-boiled book. But that’s my only complaint with the book. I really did like Chuck – in fact, I could identify with him a bit too much. (Maybe that was part of my problem.) The rest of the cast are just as strong and become well-rounded people as we learn most about them. The plot was great with plenty of twists and an ending I didn’t see coming. The book was light on foul language and didn’t get too graphic with the violence or sex, which I most definitely appreciated. This is a solid debut, but pick it up when you are in the mood for something on the darker side.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
June 16, 2015
From the moment I opened this book, I found myself laughing at the main character's cynical take on the corporate life. For anyone who has spent time in a corporate setting, it's absolutely true. One of my new favorite detectives--sort of a modern day, passive-aggressive version of Glen Cook's Garrett P.I.
The book's main plot was all about real estate, which I found a bit hard to understand, but the author had a VERY solid grip on the ins and outs of the industry. He also seemed to understand life as an HR rep very clearly, and a decent understanding of police procedure.
The writing had a few flaws. It was written in primarily passive voice, and roughly 30% of punctuation was missing (a lot of commas needed!). The book's pace was VERY slow. Not much mystery and thrill for a mystery/thriller.
However, it didn't detract from the enjoyment of the main character. It was a solid book, and one I'd recommend to anyone looking for something interesting and out-of-the-norm to read.
The book's main plot was all about real estate, which I found a bit hard to understand, but the author had a VERY solid grip on the ins and outs of the industry. He also seemed to understand life as an HR rep very clearly, and a decent understanding of police procedure.
The writing had a few flaws. It was written in primarily passive voice, and roughly 30% of punctuation was missing (a lot of commas needed!). The book's pace was VERY slow. Not much mystery and thrill for a mystery/thriller.
However, it didn't detract from the enjoyment of the main character. It was a solid book, and one I'd recommend to anyone looking for something interesting and out-of-the-norm to read.
January 31, 2016
Chuck had climbed the corporate ladder as far as he was going to get. Bored with his job, he decides to drive over the personal effects of Ed, a man who had never missed a day of work in his life, and was even forced to take vacation when it was maxed out, after he went missing. When asked to help, Chuck tried to back out and not get involved, but when faced with going back to his empty apartment and ponder his failed marriage, he finds himself looking into Ed’s life. And out of nowhere, he gets himself tangled up in the investigation.
Chuck has quite the cynical outlook on corporate America. However, if you’ve ever spent time working there, he’s spot on. It was quite humorous and fun to read from the very beginning. There were parts that could have been cut here and there and they wouldn’t have affected the story, but they didn’t take away from the enjoyment of the reading too much.
There was a lull part way through the story. It was during this lull that I figured out the “whodunit.” That was sad since I was completely clueless up to that point, but it can’t be easy to put together the perfect mystery. The entire mystery rotated around real estate, and while that didn’t necessarily make for a riveting plot line, MacDonald definitely had a firm grasp on the ins and outs of how it would work. That was fairly impressive.
I will admit that I quite enjoyed the ending. It gave me a firm sense of satisfaction. I would definitely be interested in reading more of this series as I quite enjoyed the humor laced throughout. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys mystery.
Chuck has quite the cynical outlook on corporate America. However, if you’ve ever spent time working there, he’s spot on. It was quite humorous and fun to read from the very beginning. There were parts that could have been cut here and there and they wouldn’t have affected the story, but they didn’t take away from the enjoyment of the reading too much.
There was a lull part way through the story. It was during this lull that I figured out the “whodunit.” That was sad since I was completely clueless up to that point, but it can’t be easy to put together the perfect mystery. The entire mystery rotated around real estate, and while that didn’t necessarily make for a riveting plot line, MacDonald definitely had a firm grasp on the ins and outs of how it would work. That was fairly impressive.
I will admit that I quite enjoyed the ending. It gave me a firm sense of satisfaction. I would definitely be interested in reading more of this series as I quite enjoyed the humor laced throughout. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys mystery.
July 28, 2017
3 stars = I liked it.
This is how humor should be written. A lot of authors try humor but fall flat. It's hard to do and it's done best this way: not trying too hard and letting it come naturally. However, the humor kind of tailed off as the author concentrated on the story.
The book was easy to read and a fast read at 286 pages. I liked the characters but the mystery lacked thrill. Though the plot was clearly explained at the end, unfortunately it's a type of story that doesn't lend itself to being thrilling. Despite characters that I didn't want to go away going away, it didn't feel like they or the main character were in danger at any point and there wasn't a great sense of urgency anywhere.
So overall I liked the characters and the humor, I thought the plot mechanics was weak. I would definitely want to read another Chuck Restic mystery though.
I got this book as a free ARC.
Edit: More thoughts and spoilers - don't read here unless you want to spoil it.
I really like that the protagonist is a HR exec, it's something different. I think the author does a good job of fleshing out the characters, I liked all of them, even the bad ones. I thought some of them would have more time in the book like Rafi and the bike messenger girl. And how could he kill off CM and CA (figuratively)?
This is how humor should be written. A lot of authors try humor but fall flat. It's hard to do and it's done best this way: not trying too hard and letting it come naturally. However, the humor kind of tailed off as the author concentrated on the story.
The book was easy to read and a fast read at 286 pages. I liked the characters but the mystery lacked thrill. Though the plot was clearly explained at the end, unfortunately it's a type of story that doesn't lend itself to being thrilling. Despite characters that I didn't want to go away going away, it didn't feel like they or the main character were in danger at any point and there wasn't a great sense of urgency anywhere.
So overall I liked the characters and the humor, I thought the plot mechanics was weak. I would definitely want to read another Chuck Restic mystery though.
I got this book as a free ARC.
Edit: More thoughts and spoilers - don't read here unless you want to spoil it.
I really like that the protagonist is a HR exec, it's something different. I think the author does a good job of fleshing out the characters, I liked all of them, even the bad ones. I thought some of them would have more time in the book like Rafi and the bike messenger girl. And how could he kill off CM and CA (figuratively)?
July 11, 2016
I purchased the WhisperSync version of Smile Now, Cry Later and although the mystery fell a bit flat the author's observations about corporate America were spot on. Chuck Restic has been working in Human Resources for a number of years and is underwhelmed by his job. When a co-worker goes missing, Chuck gives up his day job to pursue leads in the case. He finds that his co-worker was involved in some questionable real estate dealings that may or may not have lead to his death. The ending was lackluster when it arrived but I enjoyed the narration and had a few laughs along the way. I thought this first enough was good enough that I plan to read the second volume on this series.
July 13, 2017
A debut mystery with many of my favorite things: droll humor, an engaging protagonist, vividly real L.A. settings, and a solid story-- all in all, completely entertaining. Chuck is a soul-deadened HR guy who gets a new lease on life when he discovers that his HR skills come in handy for an unwitting private eye, and it's a lot of fun to take the journey with him. Full disclosure: I'm the book's editor. And there's a reason for that: I bought it to publish it because I loved it.
August 22, 2018
Intriguing book
A different approach from my usually detective novel. The main character is an HR manager simply following up on the abrupt disappearance of an employee. He gets entangled in several webs of conspiracy and the ending kind of slaps you in the face. I enjoyed it a lot.
A different approach from my usually detective novel. The main character is an HR manager simply following up on the abrupt disappearance of an employee. He gets entangled in several webs of conspiracy and the ending kind of slaps you in the face. I enjoyed it a lot.
October 25, 2018
This is such an enjoyable book. It helps that I know the area in which it takes place and I work in human resources. It is well written with a good story and easy to read. Surprised that it hasn't gotten wider publication.
May 4, 2019
Chuck is a bored HR executive in corporate America. He quickly finds himself looking for answers and is drawn into a quid mire of lies and cover ups. This was funny sad and very entertaining read. I highly recommend it as you won't be disappointed.
May 28, 2017
Chuck Restic, leading a bland life on the human resources staff of a Los Angeles corporation and newly separated from his wife, decides to find out what happened to an employee (correct corporate lingo is associate) who has disappeared. The result is a mildly amusing mystery involving Los Angeles real estate with a few people getting killed along the way. The novel is at its best when the author uses his keen sense of humor to poke fun at corporate life and the Los Angeles power structure. It's probably fair to label this as a "cozy"; there's little violence, and events that would be tragic in real life don't have much emotional resonance.
March 30, 2023
The Silent Second is the first in an entertaining mystery series. The main character is HR manger Chuck Restic. He works for a large company in Glendale, California. One of the "office drones" an Armenian man named Ed disappears and is terminated as a no show. Chuck ends up following up with the Man's family. He finds out there is fowl play, between his office hours he plays detective for the Ed's family. It leads him all over Glendale and a bunch of and unsavory characters along the way. It's quite a plot and was fun to read.
February 20, 2023
This is a decent mystery but it gets bogged down in real estate investing. If an abstract concept is a potential motive for murder, it helps if you put value to it instead of saying "It's worth a lot." The story slows down and feels repetitive for extended sections in the second half. I rather liked the protagonist but the storytelling was too slow at times.
October 26, 2017
I received this book as a Goodreads Giveaway and thank the organizer for that! I was completely absorbed in this humorous take on an unusual detective. I found myself chuckling over the situations that Chuck, the HR guy, got himself into. It was a light, quick read and thoroughly enjoyable!
February 20, 2018
Entertaining enough, dark & gritty, but ... occasional minor writing flaws may take you out of the storyline here & there, and ... a bit predictable. I did some wondering here and there as to the villains, and I like that, but ultimately I knew whodunnit a bit too soon.
July 29, 2018
Real Estate Really?
A lot of complicated real estate lingo but a good story, none the less. From the looks of the cover and the else's job title(HE manager), I thought this guy would be a nerd. But he turns out to be sociable and instinctive. I enjoyed it.
A lot of complicated real estate lingo but a good story, none the less. From the looks of the cover and the else's job title(HE manager), I thought this guy would be a nerd. But he turns out to be sociable and instinctive. I enjoyed it.
November 8, 2024
Not for the faint-hearted
The author uses his corporate background to create a spellbinding novel, that is extreme, yet believable. It is filled with psychological twists which create a frightening read. Don’t hold back…go for it.
The author uses his corporate background to create a spellbinding novel, that is extreme, yet believable. It is filled with psychological twists which create a frightening read. Don’t hold back…go for it.
September 4, 2017
It is amusing and knowledgeable. How a man can seek the truth about a missing co-worker.
November 3, 2017
Interesting story. I would have gone for a different Title and Cover Design, but I did enjoy the read.
January 4, 2018
Paul MacDonald did a great job of developing a story that is different from most of the formulaic crime stories, meanwhile creating believable characters in believable circumstances. Good story!
July 30, 2018
I thought the book very entertaining and interesting from start to the finish. I look forward to other books by this author.
August 26, 2018
Just not my type of story. Could not finish.
February 9, 2019
Very well conceived modern Noir. The author's insights into regular working life were amazingly on point and the last fifty pages turned this mystery into something pretty damn good.
March 27, 2015
Posted first to Blog Critics as Book Review: 'Smile Now, Cry Later', a Chuck Restic Mystery by Paul McDonald.
The business of human resources is often fraught with personalities and unpopular decisions. The people that hold these positions must be diligent and knowledgeable, able to make good decisions, often at a moment’s notice.
In Smile Now, Cry Later by Paul McDonald, we meet one such individual. Chuck Restic is in the HR profession and often moonlights as a private detective. His personality is very passive-aggressive based off his real life persona. He uses his corporate skills to solve crimes, which he finds a bit more interesting than his actual corporate job.
His coworkers are often not as caring as he would like, and many of the conversations he has with those working within his company are uncomfortable, but usually necessary. There are sometimes those caught up in circumstances, yet still must be dealt with to keep the company above the law. Ed Vardaresian is one of those, a quiet unassuming man, yet he wears an excessive amount of cologne, which leads to the complaint filed. The accuser is noted for her complaints and the circumstances are those that make it necessary to deal with this issue in a timely manner.
What really creates Chuck’s concern is when Ed, an employee that never calls in sick, disappears not long after his conversation with him. Due to his perceived connection, Chuck determines that he will find out what is happening with the missing employee.
It is here that Chuck gets a dangerous surprise, for Ed is much more than a simple employee. He owns some property and has somehow come up against a billionaire real estate developer as well as the Armenian mob, and his disappearance is decidedly worrisome. His family has no answers and when Chuck digs deeper he finds himself in danger, and that old friends may actually be enemies in his search for Ed. Can he find the answers before another body is found or has his meddling created a murder fest that is cavalcading out of bounds?
MacDonald has given us an interesting private investigator, one that seems unlikely at first glance but quickly wins your confidence. His background in HR is at times a boon, but in other areas a danger. He trusts often too quickly which makes him seem easy. But once he determines the truth, he is like a dog with a bone, digging to find the answers where ever they lead, regardless of the people involved.
The characters are interesting and the mystery is well set, leading the protagonist in directions that sometimes get very dizzying. Yet he sticks with it and keeps you along with his wit and humor.
If you enjoy mystery and people you will find Chuck Restic in Smile Now, Cry Later>, a great protagonist. This is a solid work for your library.
The business of human resources is often fraught with personalities and unpopular decisions. The people that hold these positions must be diligent and knowledgeable, able to make good decisions, often at a moment’s notice.
In Smile Now, Cry Later by Paul McDonald, we meet one such individual. Chuck Restic is in the HR profession and often moonlights as a private detective. His personality is very passive-aggressive based off his real life persona. He uses his corporate skills to solve crimes, which he finds a bit more interesting than his actual corporate job.
His coworkers are often not as caring as he would like, and many of the conversations he has with those working within his company are uncomfortable, but usually necessary. There are sometimes those caught up in circumstances, yet still must be dealt with to keep the company above the law. Ed Vardaresian is one of those, a quiet unassuming man, yet he wears an excessive amount of cologne, which leads to the complaint filed. The accuser is noted for her complaints and the circumstances are those that make it necessary to deal with this issue in a timely manner.
What really creates Chuck’s concern is when Ed, an employee that never calls in sick, disappears not long after his conversation with him. Due to his perceived connection, Chuck determines that he will find out what is happening with the missing employee.
It is here that Chuck gets a dangerous surprise, for Ed is much more than a simple employee. He owns some property and has somehow come up against a billionaire real estate developer as well as the Armenian mob, and his disappearance is decidedly worrisome. His family has no answers and when Chuck digs deeper he finds himself in danger, and that old friends may actually be enemies in his search for Ed. Can he find the answers before another body is found or has his meddling created a murder fest that is cavalcading out of bounds?
MacDonald has given us an interesting private investigator, one that seems unlikely at first glance but quickly wins your confidence. His background in HR is at times a boon, but in other areas a danger. He trusts often too quickly which makes him seem easy. But once he determines the truth, he is like a dog with a bone, digging to find the answers where ever they lead, regardless of the people involved.
The characters are interesting and the mystery is well set, leading the protagonist in directions that sometimes get very dizzying. Yet he sticks with it and keeps you along with his wit and humor.
If you enjoy mystery and people you will find Chuck Restic in Smile Now, Cry Later>, a great protagonist. This is a solid work for your library.
June 22, 2015
ABR's original Smile Now, Cry Later audiobook review and many others can be found at Audiobook Reviewer.
Smile now, cry later is the first book in the series “Chuck Restic Mystery” by Paul MacDonald, which is Published in January 2015, narrated by Paul Dake. The genre of this book is modern detective.
Chuck Restic is a normal office worker in Human Resources for a large corporation, when a man in his corporation disappears suddenly. Only Chuck’s bad emotional state (his very near divorce) and his free time, made him start looking in this case, where he discovers that this disappearance is just the surface for something much bigger than he could have imagined.
The settings are very real, it screams bureaucracy of corporate America. However, what was really realistic was the characters, they were very, logical, understandable, and cool (and I’m talking about a bunch of NORMAL BORING peoples) ….. Let me take a moment to explain how much I liked the style of the characters in this story (sorry about that, but I have to rant or I won’t be able to sleep tonight.)
So here we have the protagonist “Chuck” who is unlike most heores in detective stories. He isn’t a macho man with all the charm that makes each female sown to the ground. He isn’t a hero with skills in Karate or an expert marksman the likes of a Matrix character. He is a BORING OFFICE WORKER, and you know what that’s okay, he gets beaten up, and threatened, but doesn’t go back to avenge his manly pride, he feels vulnerable, sad, and motivated to help another human being, his only weapon is his knowledge of psychology and HR skills (which is awesome by the way).
okay I’m done….
The events here are told form Chuck’s narrative point, they are fast paced, but not so predictable as part of the plot, we can see the plot is logical, fun, and surprising.
The narration of Paul Dake was very good at moving along with the events, he showed the suitable voice for each scene, he really could deliver the emotional states and the thoughts of Chuck with ease. However, there were some moments I just laughed out loud, he really did a great job with the story.
Audiobook provided for review by the author.
Smile now, cry later is the first book in the series “Chuck Restic Mystery” by Paul MacDonald, which is Published in January 2015, narrated by Paul Dake. The genre of this book is modern detective.
Chuck Restic is a normal office worker in Human Resources for a large corporation, when a man in his corporation disappears suddenly. Only Chuck’s bad emotional state (his very near divorce) and his free time, made him start looking in this case, where he discovers that this disappearance is just the surface for something much bigger than he could have imagined.
The settings are very real, it screams bureaucracy of corporate America. However, what was really realistic was the characters, they were very, logical, understandable, and cool (and I’m talking about a bunch of NORMAL BORING peoples) ….. Let me take a moment to explain how much I liked the style of the characters in this story (sorry about that, but I have to rant or I won’t be able to sleep tonight.)
So here we have the protagonist “Chuck” who is unlike most heores in detective stories. He isn’t a macho man with all the charm that makes each female sown to the ground. He isn’t a hero with skills in Karate or an expert marksman the likes of a Matrix character. He is a BORING OFFICE WORKER, and you know what that’s okay, he gets beaten up, and threatened, but doesn’t go back to avenge his manly pride, he feels vulnerable, sad, and motivated to help another human being, his only weapon is his knowledge of psychology and HR skills (which is awesome by the way).
okay I’m done….
The events here are told form Chuck’s narrative point, they are fast paced, but not so predictable as part of the plot, we can see the plot is logical, fun, and surprising.
The narration of Paul Dake was very good at moving along with the events, he showed the suitable voice for each scene, he really could deliver the emotional states and the thoughts of Chuck with ease. However, there were some moments I just laughed out loud, he really did a great job with the story.
Audiobook provided for review by the author.
September 27, 2015
I discovered this book through a free Book Bub offer. I was drawn in by the cover art and the melancholy title. The image of the man hunkering over his desk while his co-workers desk sat empty spurred me to read the blurb. Seeing it was a mystery and was indeed about a missing co-worker, I decide to download it. Mind you, like all Kindle readers, I download many books I don't read. Some of them I start but abandon when it's clear I won't care for it. Most I don't even start. This one I was drawn to and began reading it. Not only did I complete it, but when I was about half-way through I found myself back on Amazon seeing if there were any other books by MacDonald out. I saw there was Eternal Summer and bought it full price (an extremely reasonable price, I might add). But I digress. Back to SNCL. What can I saw that others have not? He nails corporate America, both in his accuracy of description and dry passive-aggressive wit and also to the proverbial cross. The author is not crass, nor is he politically correct, which I personally find quite refreshing. Chuck Restic is an everyman type character who works in HR but finds himself embroiled in a mystery that he's perhaps surprised to find is giving his life purpose and a healthy dose of much needed excitement. I've read one reviewer say that the mystery was simple and the solution obvious, but this is not the case at all. I've also seen the book referred to as 'hard-boiled', and perhaps there's a dash of that in there, but there's also a smidge of 'cozy' in the batter. All in all, I'm not sure the Restic series can be pigeon-holed into a particular genre, and that is most certainly to MacDonald's credit as an author. All I know is that I'm delighted to have discovered this series at its beginning and there is no doubt that I will be following it with each new release. In fact, I cannot wait for book three. Hopefully, at some point, we'll see Chuck sent off to a retreat in the woods with all the corporate tropes we loved to hate. And maybe, if we're lucky, MacDonald will let us witness at least a few of them die off before Chuck figures it out and brings the villain to justice.
April 22, 2015
I would give it 3.5 stars.
It was pretty good and an enjoyable read, though there are some reasons I wouldn't give it a 4:
- There's not enough description. I still don't really know what any of the characters look like. Mostly the descriptions are of scenery or buildings (which does go a little bit with the theme of the book, but I still feel some more description of the characters and how they act would have been beneficial).
- Partly because of the above and partly because it's very short, you don't really get to know the characters very well.
- The ending was predictable (even though some of the zoning/building stuff was not entirely clear), which is not a good thing for a mystery.
Despite this I did enjoy it. It took me a little while to get into it as I've never even been to the US (though I was surprised by the number of L.A./California areas I recognised by name - too much TV!), and therefore don't know if stuff like a company not serving alcohol at a party for employees in fear of getting sued if someone drinks and drives is as ridiculous as it sounds or something that could totally happen.
It has a few funny bits (though calling it hilarious as I saw in another review would be stretching it quite a bit), and even though I did at some point suss out the ending, it did keep me interested until the end.
I think it would have been better if it had been fleshed out a bit, but overall I would recommend it if you're looking for a light, fun read.
It was pretty good and an enjoyable read, though there are some reasons I wouldn't give it a 4:
- There's not enough description. I still don't really know what any of the characters look like. Mostly the descriptions are of scenery or buildings (which does go a little bit with the theme of the book, but I still feel some more description of the characters and how they act would have been beneficial).
- Partly because of the above and partly because it's very short, you don't really get to know the characters very well.
- The ending was predictable (even though some of the zoning/building stuff was not entirely clear), which is not a good thing for a mystery.
Despite this I did enjoy it. It took me a little while to get into it as I've never even been to the US (though I was surprised by the number of L.A./California areas I recognised by name - too much TV!), and therefore don't know if stuff like a company not serving alcohol at a party for employees in fear of getting sued if someone drinks and drives is as ridiculous as it sounds or something that could totally happen.
It has a few funny bits (though calling it hilarious as I saw in another review would be stretching it quite a bit), and even though I did at some point suss out the ending, it did keep me interested until the end.
I think it would have been better if it had been fleshed out a bit, but overall I would recommend it if you're looking for a light, fun read.
August 3, 2015
This book is definitely not something I would normally read but it wasn't bad. It won't land on my favorites list but I'm glad I got the chance to read it. It was very entertaining, which surprised me because I really thought it was going to bore me. I'm going to be honest I didn't think I was going to like this book because - again- it isn't something I would normally pick up.
I liked the storyline and it did manage to hold my attention once it got it. It was a little slow for me at first which is very dangerous. With my ADD not grabbing my attention from page one can ruin the book for me but it didn't with this one. though I did think it was ridiculous that Ed got called into his office because his cologne. Even if it did stink, it's his and he should be able to wear it without any trouble.
I liked how Chuck talked about his job, it was entertaining to me. I don't know why but I think it's funny when people talk crap about their jobs. I know they should be appreciative but if you hate your job then you hate your job. I'm sure a lot of people hate their jobs out there in the world and complain about them but are still glad they have them, even if they have women like the one in this book that complained about the dumbest things.
There wasn't much description, which kind of sucked because that's what I usually love the most about a book. Even with the lack of descriptions it was still a good read. I recommend to anyone looking for a fun read.
I liked the storyline and it did manage to hold my attention once it got it. It was a little slow for me at first which is very dangerous. With my ADD not grabbing my attention from page one can ruin the book for me but it didn't with this one. though I did think it was ridiculous that Ed got called into his office because his cologne. Even if it did stink, it's his and he should be able to wear it without any trouble.
I liked how Chuck talked about his job, it was entertaining to me. I don't know why but I think it's funny when people talk crap about their jobs. I know they should be appreciative but if you hate your job then you hate your job. I'm sure a lot of people hate their jobs out there in the world and complain about them but are still glad they have them, even if they have women like the one in this book that complained about the dumbest things.
There wasn't much description, which kind of sucked because that's what I usually love the most about a book. Even with the lack of descriptions it was still a good read. I recommend to anyone looking for a fun read.
May 1, 2015
Chuck, an HR supervisor discovers one of his more valuable employees is missing and he decides to approach the family under the guise of delivering the missing man’s possessions (after it becomes clear the employee won’t be returning). Upon meeting the employee’s family, Chuck is drawn into the mystery of the man’s disappearance and launches his own semi-investigation which quickly pulls him into an intriguing tale of real estate scams, shady developers, not-so-honest cops, the Armenian mob and a variety of other variables that make this tale a terrific thriller that I thoroughly enjoyed.
I should confess, in an earlier life I had a long career in the commercial real estate business, managed a handful of employees and thus dealt with HR frequently and I grew up in the LA area, so for me this book was incredibly easy to follow – but don’t let the complicated nature deter you, the plot is intricate (and in my opinion educational to those that aren’t experienced in the above), the characters are well developed and interesting and the vivid descriptions through-out the story are well done and accurate.
This book was provided to me for free for an honest and unbiased review (see all our reviews at http://www.bookexplosions.com/ or on Goodreads at https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/... )
I should confess, in an earlier life I had a long career in the commercial real estate business, managed a handful of employees and thus dealt with HR frequently and I grew up in the LA area, so for me this book was incredibly easy to follow – but don’t let the complicated nature deter you, the plot is intricate (and in my opinion educational to those that aren’t experienced in the above), the characters are well developed and interesting and the vivid descriptions through-out the story are well done and accurate.
This book was provided to me for free for an honest and unbiased review (see all our reviews at http://www.bookexplosions.com/ or on Goodreads at https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/... )
April 22, 2015
Smile Now, Cry Later is the first installment of works about Chuck Restic, a bored HR supervisor with a caustic wit and insight into the vagaries of big business. The series is not about big business per se, however, but rather about Restic's transition into the world of private investigation. In this story, Restic simply breaks protocol by returning a missing employee's belongings personally. What ensues entangles Restic in a web of organized crime (the Armenian mob) and big money real estate speculation, gets him involved with a sharp police detective, and has him realize he's at least as good a negotiator as any police psychologist. He manages to talk himself out of (almost) all the tight spots.
I loved this book from start to finish. Restic's police detective liason is believable and sympathetic, a woman underdog in a male dominated and chauvinist force. She makes a great foil for Restic's easygoing, slightly self-effacing style. The prose is impeccably edited and MacDonald's evocative descriptions bring LA to life. It's all here --- memorable characters, a gripping plot, and a quirky point-of-view character that works. The book at times seems too humorous to be noir, but I would put the wisecracking Restic with the great hard-boileds anyway. Looking forward to more!
I loved this book from start to finish. Restic's police detective liason is believable and sympathetic, a woman underdog in a male dominated and chauvinist force. She makes a great foil for Restic's easygoing, slightly self-effacing style. The prose is impeccably edited and MacDonald's evocative descriptions bring LA to life. It's all here --- memorable characters, a gripping plot, and a quirky point-of-view character that works. The book at times seems too humorous to be noir, but I would put the wisecracking Restic with the great hard-boileds anyway. Looking forward to more!
January 17, 2015
Hilarious and suspenseful modern mystery thriller that takes place in LA. HR director for a fortune 500 company by day, Chuck Restic, uses his great people skills from work to solve crimes when he's not on company time. A great book for people who feel trapped in their own jobs and are struggling to find more meaning in life. Chuck Restic is a smart new twist on the modern mystery thriller with great influences from the masters of LA noire pulp fiction through Thomas Pynchon. If you liked the Fletch series or enjoy Monk or Castle on TV you'll love Smile Now, Cry Later as a great introduction into the a new series that's bound to be hear for many more books to come. A quick read you'll find yourself finishing in a weekend.
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