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Detective Buddy Lock Mysteries #1
Next of Kin
A New Year’s Eve celebration begins with the pop of a champagne cork—and ends with the bone-chilling screams of a killer’s victims. Ten-year-old Ben Brook is the lone survivor of the brutal murder of his wealthy family at their upstate New York compound. But from the moment he evades death, Ben’s life is in constant danger. Can NYPD detective Buddy Lock keep the boy safe from a killer intent on wiping out the entire Brook clan?
When two more massacres decimate the Brookses’ ranks, Buddy’s hunt narrows. But his challenges grow as power, money, and secret crimes from the family’s past stand in the way. With Ben more and more at risk, Buddy steps closer to the edge, forcing a relentless killer to become more brazen, brutal, and cunning. Saving the boy will put all of Buddy’s skills to the test…and risk the lives of everyone he loves.
350 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 17, 2017
685 people are currently reading
2932 people want to read
About the author
James Tucker
4 books91 followersJames Tucker is the author of THE PARIS ESCAPE, as well as two acclaimed mysteries: THE HOLDOUTS and NEXT OF KIN, an Amazon Crime Fiction Bestseller and recipient of a Publishers Weekly Starred Review.
In 1944, a fighter plane flown by James’s grandfather was shot down over France, landing in a farmer’s field near Châteaudun. In 2002, the author visited that field, along with the man and woman who saw the crash. On that warm afternoon nearly sixty years after his grandfather’s death, James found pieces of the plane still in the field. For him, France, sacrifice, and freedom have always rhymed.
James grew up near Minneapolis, attending Carleton College and the University of Minnesota Law School. Formerly a lawyer, he’s an executive at a Fortune 40 company. In his free time, James enjoys skiing, tennis, and travel. He and his wife, painter Megan Rye, live with their family near Minneapolis.
More information at jamestuckeronline.com.
Follow James Tucker on Twitter @JamesTuckerRTR
In 1944, a fighter plane flown by James’s grandfather was shot down over France, landing in a farmer’s field near Châteaudun. In 2002, the author visited that field, along with the man and woman who saw the crash. On that warm afternoon nearly sixty years after his grandfather’s death, James found pieces of the plane still in the field. For him, France, sacrifice, and freedom have always rhymed.
James grew up near Minneapolis, attending Carleton College and the University of Minnesota Law School. Formerly a lawyer, he’s an executive at a Fortune 40 company. In his free time, James enjoys skiing, tennis, and travel. He and his wife, painter Megan Rye, live with their family near Minneapolis.
More information at jamestuckeronline.com.
Follow James Tucker on Twitter @JamesTuckerRTR
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 203 reviews
November 22, 2017
Interesting subject.
Will read more books written by this author. Plot of this book was paintings owned by Jewish people, and Brook family members. Tragic family drama, ten years old Ben escaped but hunted by the one hateful, revenge seeking killer. Ending really surprised me. Liked Buddy and Mei characters.
Will read more books written by this author. Plot of this book was paintings owned by Jewish people, and Brook family members. Tragic family drama, ten years old Ben escaped but hunted by the one hateful, revenge seeking killer. Ending really surprised me. Liked Buddy and Mei characters.
September 30, 2017
This was a vey fast paced and exciting read. A new year is being celebrated when an entire family is murdered.. except for 10 year old Ben. Thanks to Netgalley and Thomas and Mercer for an advance copy of this book to read and review
September 25, 2017
Thank you Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for this ARC.
I found this to be a fast paced police procedural with somewhat flat characters. Not a bad story, but I found some of the twists and action pretty implausible. Felt more like Mr Tucker wrote a Life time movie rather than a book. Nice escapist reading. If this is the beginning of a series, I would read the next one. If it's not, I'd be okay with that too..
I found this to be a fast paced police procedural with somewhat flat characters. Not a bad story, but I found some of the twists and action pretty implausible. Felt more like Mr Tucker wrote a Life time movie rather than a book. Nice escapist reading. If this is the beginning of a series, I would read the next one. If it's not, I'd be okay with that too..
January 4, 2019
Kitaba bayıldım. Bunca zaman okumak için beklemek hataymış. Yazarın ilk kitabı mı bilmiyorum ama @goodreads’te Detektif Buddy Lock serisinin ilk ve tek kitabı görünüyor. Ben hem yazarın dilini ve Buddy’i sevdim. Kitap çok heyecanlıydı.
Çok zengin bir ailenin üç üyesi aynı gece kendi evlerinde katledilir. Katliam sırasında kilerde çikolata arayan Ben sağ kurtulur. Ama katil peşini bırakmayacaktır.
Daha fazlasını söylemek istemiyorum. Spoiler oluyor sonra 🙊
Kitap çok heyecanlı. Ben-Buddy-Mei ilişkisine bayıldım. Ward bana çok soğuk ve itici geldi. Belki diğer kitaplarda ısınırım bilemiyorum.
Yazar olay örgüsünü ortalama tutturmuşken gerilimi çok güzel yakalamış. Kitabı okurken zaman zaman gülümsemekten kendimi alamadım. Bence polisiye severlerin bayılacağı bir kitap 👍🏻
Çok zengin bir ailenin üç üyesi aynı gece kendi evlerinde katledilir. Katliam sırasında kilerde çikolata arayan Ben sağ kurtulur. Ama katil peşini bırakmayacaktır.
Daha fazlasını söylemek istemiyorum. Spoiler oluyor sonra 🙊
Kitap çok heyecanlı. Ben-Buddy-Mei ilişkisine bayıldım. Ward bana çok soğuk ve itici geldi. Belki diğer kitaplarda ısınırım bilemiyorum.
Yazar olay örgüsünü ortalama tutturmuşken gerilimi çok güzel yakalamış. Kitabı okurken zaman zaman gülümsemekten kendimi alamadım. Bence polisiye severlerin bayılacağı bir kitap 👍🏻
July 19, 2018
Yazarın ilk kitabı olmasına rağmen oldukça başarılı buldum . Kitaba başladıktan sonra bulduğum her fırsatta kitaba koştum çünkü aklım hep ondaydı. Katili az çok tahmin etmiştim çünkü bazı ipuçları açık seçik önümde duruyordu.
February 28, 2018
This was a very good mystery but a little brutal. I mean, the killer killed a father, mother and daughter of one family but the 10 year son got away. Then he killed the other brother and his family and then the other brother and his family, all the while trying his best to kill the kid, Ben, that got away. I had a feeling who the killer was but not until about 75% but I really wasn’t sure.
Unfortunately, the heroine, Mei, had a couple of TSTL moments that were disappointing. The killer got up the elevator of Mei’s condo and since he couldn’t open the door he bashed it in with an ax, the ax he used when he killed most of the 11 or 12 family member and 2 cops, who were there to protect the family. Anyway, Mei and Ben did sneak out of the fire exit and got away and when Ward, the hero’s brother gave her a gun she said she wouldn’t use it because she didn’t believe in them or in violence, or some such nonsense. BUT she did take it with her when she went to work the next day and took Ben with her. So when she hears something in the storage room she heads in that direction. Really? Knowing the killer is after Ben and how many people he’d already killed she checks out a noise? The author could have done better. Needless to say, she and Ben got away again.
Our hero, Buddy couldn’t save a little girl last year but he was determined to save Ben. Since Ben had come to stay with Buddy and Mei he’d grown to love the boy a great deal. BUT Buddy was a simple homicide detective and now the 10 year old was a billionaire so Buddy didn’t think he had anything but love to offer Ben. Buddy was a wonderful character.
There was no sex in this story but the F-bomb was used 12 times.
Oddly enough, this book was the biggest in chapters that I’ve ever read with 102. That’s a lot of chapters but some were as little as 3 pages long.
As to the narrator: His men’s voices were all good and all different but his females were pretty awful and he read without emotions. It was okay since there wasn’t any sex but he really needs to practice his female voices.
Unfortunately, the heroine, Mei, had a couple of TSTL moments that were disappointing. The killer got up the elevator of Mei’s condo and since he couldn’t open the door he bashed it in with an ax, the ax he used when he killed most of the 11 or 12 family member and 2 cops, who were there to protect the family. Anyway, Mei and Ben did sneak out of the fire exit and got away and when Ward, the hero’s brother gave her a gun she said she wouldn’t use it because she didn’t believe in them or in violence, or some such nonsense. BUT she did take it with her when she went to work the next day and took Ben with her. So when she hears something in the storage room she heads in that direction. Really? Knowing the killer is after Ben and how many people he’d already killed she checks out a noise? The author could have done better. Needless to say, she and Ben got away again.
Our hero, Buddy couldn’t save a little girl last year but he was determined to save Ben. Since Ben had come to stay with Buddy and Mei he’d grown to love the boy a great deal. BUT Buddy was a simple homicide detective and now the 10 year old was a billionaire so Buddy didn’t think he had anything but love to offer Ben. Buddy was a wonderful character.
There was no sex in this story but the F-bomb was used 12 times.
Oddly enough, this book was the biggest in chapters that I’ve ever read with 102. That’s a lot of chapters but some were as little as 3 pages long.
As to the narrator: His men’s voices were all good and all different but his females were pretty awful and he read without emotions. It was okay since there wasn’t any sex but he really needs to practice his female voices.
April 2, 2025
I wouldn't call
Next of Kin
an impressive debut but the plot as to why these murders are being committed is an interesting one.
Detective Buddy Lock is called in to investigate a series of brutal and bloody murders of a wealthy family whose privilege and reputation was based on their forefather's dealings with the Nazis.
As Lock delves deeper into why the members of the Brook family are being eliminated, he is also torn between feelings for the one member of the family who survived his family's massacre and his love for his live-in girlfriend, Mei.
Lock is your basic, tortured cop; a young girl died on a previous case and her death still haunts him.
He and his half-brother Ward have an unsettling, conflicted relationship because families are...well...complicated.
Plot aside, the writing is simplistic and amateurish. In certain tense and climactic scenes, the prose only serves to drag the scene down and make it boring.
There are many violent scenes that force you to suspend disbelief, especially when the reader is told that the killer is omniscient but is hard to do and believe when the writing is so bad.
And, damn, the writing is bad.
To make matters worse, the relationship between Lock and Mei is corny and Lifetime-ish as they care for young Ben Brook and deal with their growing feelings for him as well.
Then, we have to listen to Ben and Mei and Lock telling each other how much they love each other even though they just met.
Come on! The emotions were so fake and uncomfortable, it just made me laugh.
Also, can an investigating detective take the young survivor of a brutal murder into his personal custody? Is that legit? It doesn't sound right.
I'm sure social services would have been called in, another detail I couldn't suspend disbelief for.
Overall, the motive of the serial killer isn't a bad one but the writing is just too bad to ignore.
The extra star is for the plot.
I'll skip this author's next book unless he takes a writing workshop.
Detective Buddy Lock is called in to investigate a series of brutal and bloody murders of a wealthy family whose privilege and reputation was based on their forefather's dealings with the Nazis.
As Lock delves deeper into why the members of the Brook family are being eliminated, he is also torn between feelings for the one member of the family who survived his family's massacre and his love for his live-in girlfriend, Mei.
Lock is your basic, tortured cop; a young girl died on a previous case and her death still haunts him.
He and his half-brother Ward have an unsettling, conflicted relationship because families are...well...complicated.
Plot aside, the writing is simplistic and amateurish. In certain tense and climactic scenes, the prose only serves to drag the scene down and make it boring.
There are many violent scenes that force you to suspend disbelief, especially when the reader is told that the killer is omniscient but is hard to do and believe when the writing is so bad.
And, damn, the writing is bad.
To make matters worse, the relationship between Lock and Mei is corny and Lifetime-ish as they care for young Ben Brook and deal with their growing feelings for him as well.
Then, we have to listen to Ben and Mei and Lock telling each other how much they love each other even though they just met.
Come on! The emotions were so fake and uncomfortable, it just made me laugh.
Also, can an investigating detective take the young survivor of a brutal murder into his personal custody? Is that legit? It doesn't sound right.
I'm sure social services would have been called in, another detail I couldn't suspend disbelief for.
Overall, the motive of the serial killer isn't a bad one but the writing is just too bad to ignore.
The extra star is for the plot.
I'll skip this author's next book unless he takes a writing workshop.
October 22, 2018
3.5 stars
This was a solid mystery/thriller that fans of the genre should enjoy. It’s not too long, so the pace is steady.
A young boy miraculously escapes his family being murdered by an ax murderer. The killer keeps coming after him, which was exciting. He ends up staying with the detective main character as his extended family are all potential suspects as well as potential victims, neither of which is a good thing for the kid. The pool of suspects was surprisingly small.
I had a few things to nitpick. If you memorize a piano piece, you will forget it if you don’t play it regularly. After a number of years, there is no way you’d still have it memorized.
The girlfriend, Mei, really irritated me with her blase attitude toward safety. She’s just been attacked by an ax murderer and refuses to arm herself with a weapon. This can’t be a realistic response. She finally accepts a revolver but decides to carry three bullets in it. What a moron. Then, now armed with a weapon she has no knowledge or experience with, she never gets safety lessons or time at the range. This is also moronic. (I’d like to see her try and get a gun permit for NYC, anyway. Good luck!) So now you have an idiot wielding a gun who has no experience, no safety knowledge, and no legal clearance.
I’m also getting tired of stories set in New York City. It doesn’t represent the country; it’s a bubble of crazy where everything is illegal.
Book Blog
This was a solid mystery/thriller that fans of the genre should enjoy. It’s not too long, so the pace is steady.
A young boy miraculously escapes his family being murdered by an ax murderer. The killer keeps coming after him, which was exciting. He ends up staying with the detective main character as his extended family are all potential suspects as well as potential victims, neither of which is a good thing for the kid. The pool of suspects was surprisingly small.
I had a few things to nitpick. If you memorize a piano piece, you will forget it if you don’t play it regularly. After a number of years, there is no way you’d still have it memorized.
The girlfriend, Mei, really irritated me with her blase attitude toward safety. She’s just been attacked by an ax murderer and refuses to arm herself with a weapon. This can’t be a realistic response. She finally accepts a revolver but decides to carry three bullets in it. What a moron. Then, now armed with a weapon she has no knowledge or experience with, she never gets safety lessons or time at the range. This is also moronic. (I’d like to see her try and get a gun permit for NYC, anyway. Good luck!) So now you have an idiot wielding a gun who has no experience, no safety knowledge, and no legal clearance.
I’m also getting tired of stories set in New York City. It doesn’t represent the country; it’s a bubble of crazy where everything is illegal.
Book Blog
July 23, 2018
🔪 ilk olarak @arkadyapolisiye yi tebrik etmek istiyorum. Yine yapmış yapacağını ve ilk sayfadan son sayfaya kadar okuyucuya “katil kim?” sorusunu sorduran, okuyucuyu uykusuz bırakan bir kitap basmış. #Kurbanmıcellatmı daha ilk sayfadan vurucu bir giriş yapıyor. Bir yeniyıl gecesi Brook ailesi kutlama yaparken birden geceleri cehenneme dönüyor. Eli baltalı katil tüm aileyi katlederken geriye sadece 10 yaşındaki Ben kalıyor. O’nu himayesine alan dedektif Buddy ve kız arkadaşı Ben’i katilden ve tabi asla yanlarında büyümek istemediği amcalarından korumaya çalışıyorlar. Peki peşinde baltalı bir katil olan 10 yaşındaki küçük bir çocuğu ne kadar koruyabilirler? Üstelik katil onlardan hep bir adım önde iken... Kim bu adam? Brook ailesi ile alıp veremediği ne? Katil öyle uzun zamandır bu planı yapmış ki, kokulardan tutun parmak izlerine kadar daha anlatmak istemediğim her ayrıntıyı düşünmüş. Hepimizin bildiği bir cümle var: “intikam soğuk yenen bir yemektir” Ama bu intikam artık buz kesmiş, öyle ki okurken kanınızı donduracak!
.
.
June 6, 2019
I won this book in a giveaway and I was hooked from the beginning. I read this book every free moment I had. With it being marked as book 1, I will say that I cannot wait for the next book in the series to come out.
**Goodreads win**
**Goodreads win**
July 4, 2017
I would like to thank Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for an advance copy of Next of Kin, a debut novel featuring NYPD detective Buddy Lock.
The novel opens with 10 year old Ben Brook escaping the murder of the rest of his family at their holiday home. His family lawyer asks Buddy to investigate but procedurally he can't as the crime has been committed outside his Manhattan jurisdiction. This changes when a further crime takes place in his jurisdiction and Ben goes into protective custody with Buddy and his girlfriend, Mei.
Wow, what a read. It is adrenaline filled from start to finish and very addictive and when I had to put it down it was as fast as I could get back to it. It's not just the action that pulls you in it's the need to know why it's happening and who the omniscient perpetrator is. Ben's miraculous escapes from death may not be the most realistic plotting ever conceived but they make for an exciting read and it is very well done.
Buddy is a lovely guy. Socially he's a bit unsure of himself, for no obvious reason as he's kind, caring and respectful, but he's fully confident of his abilities in his job where he works meticulously and relentlessly until the case is solved. I would love to meet him again.
Next of Kin is an excellent thriller which I have no hesitation in recommending.
The novel opens with 10 year old Ben Brook escaping the murder of the rest of his family at their holiday home. His family lawyer asks Buddy to investigate but procedurally he can't as the crime has been committed outside his Manhattan jurisdiction. This changes when a further crime takes place in his jurisdiction and Ben goes into protective custody with Buddy and his girlfriend, Mei.
Wow, what a read. It is adrenaline filled from start to finish and very addictive and when I had to put it down it was as fast as I could get back to it. It's not just the action that pulls you in it's the need to know why it's happening and who the omniscient perpetrator is. Ben's miraculous escapes from death may not be the most realistic plotting ever conceived but they make for an exciting read and it is very well done.
Buddy is a lovely guy. Socially he's a bit unsure of himself, for no obvious reason as he's kind, caring and respectful, but he's fully confident of his abilities in his job where he works meticulously and relentlessly until the case is solved. I would love to meet him again.
Next of Kin is an excellent thriller which I have no hesitation in recommending.
February 9, 2018
This is a very entertaining first novel. The plot revolves around the Holocaust, "stolen" paintings, and revenge. It's interesting and gripping, although somewhat over the top in the sheer amount and quality of crime. The characters were well drawn and interesting (although many of them entered the book only to be killed!) The book has a cliffhanger ending, so I expect to see a Buddy Lock #2 book published shortly.
March 17, 2019
Putting aside all the plot holes and implausibility, the author's aversion to secondary clauses is rivalled only by his obsession with every character's hair color.
He has also never met a ten year old boy.
He has also never met a ten year old boy.
October 17, 2017
Too long & wordy!
This could have been written in 10 chapters. Repetitious & painful to read. Author lacks style, should be a free book!
This could have been written in 10 chapters. Repetitious & painful to read. Author lacks style, should be a free book!
October 30, 2018
This could have been written in 10 chapters. Repetitious & painful to read. Author lacks style, should be a free book!
August 13, 2018
3/5 The very rich are different from you and me. That's what this detective discovers as he pursues murders among a present-day family whose deep pockets are steeped in the blood of concentration camp victims whose artwork was stolen by the Nazis. This was just the kind of book I needed on a post-election Sunday. I finished this in a day, lolling on the lanai and resting up from my long hectic day before. A fast-reading debut novel, a bit of a whodunit, heavy on plot while not so heavy on characterization.
June 26, 2017
This debut novel from James Tucker grips you and holds you tight right from the first chapter. Ten year old Ben knows that his family has been killed and he has barely escaped with his own life. The lawyer for Ben's wealthy family is acting as his guardian, but he is frustrated with the authorities handling the case. He is also fearful that whoever is responsible for the murders will seek to tie up the loose ends.
NYPD detective Buddy Lock is married to his job. A former child prodigy on the piano, his attention to detail plays an important role in his success as a detective. He has a gift of methodically and intentionally working a crime scene. After the family attorney contacts him, Buddy gets pulled into this case and is relentless in his investigation of this brutal murder. Tucker provides just enough back story on Buddy so that you get a sense of what makes him tick. Hopefully in future installments there will be more development on this interesting character.
The investigation has many variables and suspects. Money is a powerful motive, and this case centers on a large family with lots of money. This is a story of wealth, power, and greed, revenge, art, and Auschwitz. Buddy must investigate each angle while being cautious of the dangers that lurk around every corner. The tension ratchets up as the body count multiplies in a series of bizarre deaths. Buddy calls on his brother, Ward, to help him out when things escalate. Ward is an interesting character also. Tucker could probably make another series based on his character alone. At first Buddy seems like a Jack Reacher sort of guy, but as the book progressed I classified him more as a cross between Myron Bolitar and Harry Bosch. Ward seems a lot like Myron's buddy Win. The killer is very cunning and seemingly omniscient, and he presents an unwelcome challenge to Buddy. The investigation hits some roadblocks and plot twists and culminates in a shocking conclusion that you likely won't see coming.
This book has short chapters that flow well. You will find yourself reading well into the night as you promise to read just one more chapter. I recommend this book to fans of thrillers and suspense, and I look forward to the next installment in this series. I received this as a free ARC from Thomas & Mercer on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
NYPD detective Buddy Lock is married to his job. A former child prodigy on the piano, his attention to detail plays an important role in his success as a detective. He has a gift of methodically and intentionally working a crime scene. After the family attorney contacts him, Buddy gets pulled into this case and is relentless in his investigation of this brutal murder. Tucker provides just enough back story on Buddy so that you get a sense of what makes him tick. Hopefully in future installments there will be more development on this interesting character.
The investigation has many variables and suspects. Money is a powerful motive, and this case centers on a large family with lots of money. This is a story of wealth, power, and greed, revenge, art, and Auschwitz. Buddy must investigate each angle while being cautious of the dangers that lurk around every corner. The tension ratchets up as the body count multiplies in a series of bizarre deaths. Buddy calls on his brother, Ward, to help him out when things escalate. Ward is an interesting character also. Tucker could probably make another series based on his character alone. At first Buddy seems like a Jack Reacher sort of guy, but as the book progressed I classified him more as a cross between Myron Bolitar and Harry Bosch. Ward seems a lot like Myron's buddy Win. The killer is very cunning and seemingly omniscient, and he presents an unwelcome challenge to Buddy. The investigation hits some roadblocks and plot twists and culminates in a shocking conclusion that you likely won't see coming.
This book has short chapters that flow well. You will find yourself reading well into the night as you promise to read just one more chapter. I recommend this book to fans of thrillers and suspense, and I look forward to the next installment in this series. I received this as a free ARC from Thomas & Mercer on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
July 20, 2017
A very promising first novel.
NYPD detective Buddy Lock is the central investigating figure in this first novel but to my mind, the hero is 10-year-old Ben Brook. Someone has a huge grudge against the very wealthy Brook family, which consists of four brothers and their spouses and offspring. He takes it out on them by murdering as many as he can in as gruesome a way possible. Ben is a survivor of the first attack and he is taken under the wing of Buddy and his partner Mei.
Every time I set aside time to read this thriller I couldn’t wait to get into the plot again. Despite several small incidents which stretched credibility it was a real page-turner and superb for a first novel. Although set in the USA and written by an American it never felt foreign, nor thankfully were the pages filled with NY slang dialogue. It was in fact like slipping on a favourite, warm jacket on a bright but chilly winter’s day.
Although the focus was clearly on Buddy and his investigating powers the very real love both he and his girlfriend developed for Ben came through in spades. It was the love of a father for his son and I applaud the author for being able to develop this subplot so effectively.
The plot had quite a few twists and turns and I thought I had the killer sussed at quite an early stage. How wrong could I be? The uncovering of the truth was quite a shock. Now that the personalities of Buddy and Mei have been so well established I look forward to the follow-up novel in what I very much hope will become a series.
First class!
mr zorg
Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.
NYPD detective Buddy Lock is the central investigating figure in this first novel but to my mind, the hero is 10-year-old Ben Brook. Someone has a huge grudge against the very wealthy Brook family, which consists of four brothers and their spouses and offspring. He takes it out on them by murdering as many as he can in as gruesome a way possible. Ben is a survivor of the first attack and he is taken under the wing of Buddy and his partner Mei.
Every time I set aside time to read this thriller I couldn’t wait to get into the plot again. Despite several small incidents which stretched credibility it was a real page-turner and superb for a first novel. Although set in the USA and written by an American it never felt foreign, nor thankfully were the pages filled with NY slang dialogue. It was in fact like slipping on a favourite, warm jacket on a bright but chilly winter’s day.
Although the focus was clearly on Buddy and his investigating powers the very real love both he and his girlfriend developed for Ben came through in spades. It was the love of a father for his son and I applaud the author for being able to develop this subplot so effectively.
The plot had quite a few twists and turns and I thought I had the killer sussed at quite an early stage. How wrong could I be? The uncovering of the truth was quite a shock. Now that the personalities of Buddy and Mei have been so well established I look forward to the follow-up novel in what I very much hope will become a series.
First class!
mr zorg
Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.
July 8, 2017
I'm lovin' this book for two reasons. First, it's by a new, local author--book one of a two book deal with Thomas & Mercer. Second, it's just a super-fun read--heart-stopping suspense from page one. Ben, the 10-year old lone survivor of the savage murder of his wealthy family, will take hold of your heart and carry you through a thrilling ride. I dipped into my sleep time to read this one. That's a rarity. Put this one on your list. It releases mid-October 2017. Looking forward to more from #JamesTucker and his crime-fighter, NYPD detective, Buddy Lock.
October 22, 2017
Fantastic
I loved this mystery. It was fast paced and always exciting. Buddy is the boss in NYPD, but he can't figure out who is behind some horrible extended family murders. This was a fantastic Goodreads Kindle free giveaway. Thank you James Tucker for your first book. I hope there will be more to come.
I loved this mystery. It was fast paced and always exciting. Buddy is the boss in NYPD, but he can't figure out who is behind some horrible extended family murders. This was a fantastic Goodreads Kindle free giveaway. Thank you James Tucker for your first book. I hope there will be more to come.
January 19, 2018
What a great read! This book grabs the reader on the first page and never slows down. I did not see the ending coming. It was that good. I understand that this is the writer’s first book. I certainly hope he keeps writing detective Buddy Lock mysteries. They’re first class!
March 6, 2018
An engaging read from start to finish with the main purpose being escapism. It’s just a story, but a good one. I found myself looking to see if he’d written anything else. I’m looking forward to his second novel.
January 6, 2018
Kept me on the edge of my seat, would recommend this book for sure
January 8, 2018
Very good. A terrific debut. Non-stop action, a great story, couldn't put it down.
January 10, 2018
Great read
Can’t believe that this is James Tucker’s first book. I want more and hope this becomes the first of many books! I could not put down the book - great job James Tucker!
Can’t believe that this is James Tucker’s first book. I want more and hope this becomes the first of many books! I could not put down the book - great job James Tucker!
February 4, 2018
Excellent book
I enjoyed the book, there were places I thought could have moved a little faster, but the majority of the book I loved and it was hard to put down
I enjoyed the book, there were places I thought could have moved a little faster, but the majority of the book I loved and it was hard to put down
February 19, 2018
Fast paced thriller
Gritty murders and an unexpected twist. Couldn’t put the book down until I knew who the killer was. Great read!
Gritty murders and an unexpected twist. Couldn’t put the book down until I knew who the killer was. Great read!
October 8, 2025
We know what happened," Buddy explained. "Someone came to this spot and killed three people. The killer either opened an unlocked door and entered unexpectedly, or was invited in by a family member. The problem we need to solve is not how the family died, but why . Mr. Sawyer, do you have any thoughts on motive?"
Sawyer shook his head. "God only knows."
Buddy gazed again at the dried pools of blood and decided Sawyer was wrong. Given the proximity of the lodge and the other houses, he thought someone did know. He thought it might be a family secret.
~~A rustic, but luxurious lodge in upstate New York is pictured above. I imagine the lodge sitting between the various homes of the Brook family looked somewhat similar to this. When 10 year old Ben's family is brutally attacked, he happened to be in the back pantry, scrounging for a chocolate bar. His father had shown him a secret passage between their house and the lodge, and Ben narrowly escaped through it, in his pajamas and bare feet, shivering in the winter chill. The family lawyer contacts Buddy Lock, a NYPD detective, and asks him to take on the multiple murder case, since the family spends most of their time in New York City, and the motive for the murders likely lies there. Lock learns that the Brook family is extraordinarily wealthy. They also continue to be targeted, and as more murders occur, Buddy wonders where their wealth came from....and if someone is seeking retribution. Can he untangle the mystery in time to save Ben from another attempt on his young life?
First two sentences: Ben heard shattering glass. He pictured the bottle of champagne his father had been holding, now lying in shards on the oak floor.
Vital statistics: Author's home: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Year written: 2017
Length: 337 pages
Setting: Primarily in present day New York City, but also the more rural upstate.
Genre: Mystery thriller with a detective as the main character. There is quite a lot of gore.
Read if: You are looking for an exciting page turner, that is quick/easy to read.
My two cents: This is the second dud in a row for me. :( The story-line premise sounded interesting, but I couldn't get past the elementary prose. I might have still given it a bit higher rating if the ending wasn't a complete cliff hanger for no apparent reason. But cliff hanger aside, I'm not sure if it's even plausible that an investigating detective would be allowed to also care for a minor child who was involved in the murders being investigated. Seems like a huge conflict of interest. Given 1.5 stars or a rating of "Below average."
Sawyer shook his head. "God only knows."
Buddy gazed again at the dried pools of blood and decided Sawyer was wrong. Given the proximity of the lodge and the other houses, he thought someone did know. He thought it might be a family secret.
~~A rustic, but luxurious lodge in upstate New York is pictured above. I imagine the lodge sitting between the various homes of the Brook family looked somewhat similar to this. When 10 year old Ben's family is brutally attacked, he happened to be in the back pantry, scrounging for a chocolate bar. His father had shown him a secret passage between their house and the lodge, and Ben narrowly escaped through it, in his pajamas and bare feet, shivering in the winter chill. The family lawyer contacts Buddy Lock, a NYPD detective, and asks him to take on the multiple murder case, since the family spends most of their time in New York City, and the motive for the murders likely lies there. Lock learns that the Brook family is extraordinarily wealthy. They also continue to be targeted, and as more murders occur, Buddy wonders where their wealth came from....and if someone is seeking retribution. Can he untangle the mystery in time to save Ben from another attempt on his young life?
First two sentences: Ben heard shattering glass. He pictured the bottle of champagne his father had been holding, now lying in shards on the oak floor.
Vital statistics: Author's home: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Year written: 2017
Length: 337 pages
Setting: Primarily in present day New York City, but also the more rural upstate.
Genre: Mystery thriller with a detective as the main character. There is quite a lot of gore.
Read if: You are looking for an exciting page turner, that is quick/easy to read.
My two cents: This is the second dud in a row for me. :( The story-line premise sounded interesting, but I couldn't get past the elementary prose. I might have still given it a bit higher rating if the ending wasn't a complete cliff hanger for no apparent reason. But cliff hanger aside, I'm not sure if it's even plausible that an investigating detective would be allowed to also care for a minor child who was involved in the murders being investigated. Seems like a huge conflict of interest. Given 1.5 stars or a rating of "Below average."
February 26, 2019
Wow, I am so glad I picked this book up at the library! This was an amazing book to read.
Furthermore, James Tucker did an awesome job of making a thrilling mystery novel.
The chapters in the book are short and choppy, but at the end of each chapter, there is always a cliff hanger that wants me to turn the page and read even more! It made it really fun to read. I’m always on edge while reading this book.
Another amazing thing about this book is the ending. While I was reading the climax, I could see every detail in slow motion. My heart was literally pounding and my blood pressure shooting up in the sky. (even though I’m 17, deuces to you, Tucker) The ending I never saw coming.
Furthermore, the last best factor in this book is the realistic components in this book. In the "about the author" paragraph at the end of the book, I noticed that Tucker has a background of being a lawyer. So deducing that information, I would assume he knows how a crime is solved and other details about a crime investigation. It was relievingly NOT one of those mystery books where the detective knows 100% who the killer is because there was a hair in a jar. But, all the information the detective and the reader are given is reasonable. The connections are deductible, so it really feels like we are solving who the killer is with the detective in the book.
However, there is one con to this book. Luckily, this isn’t very major. I would like to see more diversity in female characters. They seem all the same: classy, formidable, and rich. Of course, in the setting of this book, most of the characters are wealthy, so I could see why there isn’t any diversity in any of the female characters.
To top it off, my general opinion of this book is: go to the freaking library right now and get this book. It was so fun to read! I really enjoyed it.
I hope this review helped you.
Kandice
Furthermore, James Tucker did an awesome job of making a thrilling mystery novel.
The chapters in the book are short and choppy, but at the end of each chapter, there is always a cliff hanger that wants me to turn the page and read even more! It made it really fun to read. I’m always on edge while reading this book.
Another amazing thing about this book is the ending. While I was reading the climax, I could see every detail in slow motion. My heart was literally pounding and my blood pressure shooting up in the sky. (even though I’m 17, deuces to you, Tucker) The ending I never saw coming.
Furthermore, the last best factor in this book is the realistic components in this book. In the "about the author" paragraph at the end of the book, I noticed that Tucker has a background of being a lawyer. So deducing that information, I would assume he knows how a crime is solved and other details about a crime investigation. It was relievingly NOT one of those mystery books where the detective knows 100% who the killer is because there was a hair in a jar. But, all the information the detective and the reader are given is reasonable. The connections are deductible, so it really feels like we are solving who the killer is with the detective in the book.
However, there is one con to this book. Luckily, this isn’t very major. I would like to see more diversity in female characters. They seem all the same: classy, formidable, and rich. Of course, in the setting of this book, most of the characters are wealthy, so I could see why there isn’t any diversity in any of the female characters.
To top it off, my general opinion of this book is: go to the freaking library right now and get this book. It was so fun to read! I really enjoyed it.
I hope this review helped you.
Kandice
February 20, 2018
This is the first in a series of book about Detective Buddy Lock. This one grabs you from the first pages and keeps you reading until the end.
Ben, 11 years old, is at his parents house when he hears noises and his mother saying "Run Ben",
he does escape the house before the killer gets to him, but not before he kills his mother, father and sister. Taking over the case, is Det. Lock. The crime scene is horrible, Ben's family were killed by a hatchet. The family is very rich and owns, along with other members of the family, a billion dollar company. Just days before the brothers were arguing about selling the company. Ben's parents had left a will and their attorney is to have custody of Ben as they didn't want any family member to have him. But in living with this attorney, Ben, sneaks out of the house, and while he is gone, the attorney's wife is killed.
Det Lock wants to protect Ben and gets custody of him during the investigation. He girlfriend Mei, is agreeable and they fall in love with Ben. But they know they must keep him safe and the killer is now targeting Mei in trying to get to Ben. When he tries breaking into her apartment, fortunately, Ben and her escape.
The next victims are the other family members..Who is targeting Ben and his family and why?
I really enjoyed the book and hope that the 2nd one will be out soon. Keeps you reading and turning the pages until you finish and find out who the killer is.
Ben, 11 years old, is at his parents house when he hears noises and his mother saying "Run Ben",
he does escape the house before the killer gets to him, but not before he kills his mother, father and sister. Taking over the case, is Det. Lock. The crime scene is horrible, Ben's family were killed by a hatchet. The family is very rich and owns, along with other members of the family, a billion dollar company. Just days before the brothers were arguing about selling the company. Ben's parents had left a will and their attorney is to have custody of Ben as they didn't want any family member to have him. But in living with this attorney, Ben, sneaks out of the house, and while he is gone, the attorney's wife is killed.
Det Lock wants to protect Ben and gets custody of him during the investigation. He girlfriend Mei, is agreeable and they fall in love with Ben. But they know they must keep him safe and the killer is now targeting Mei in trying to get to Ben. When he tries breaking into her apartment, fortunately, Ben and her escape.
The next victims are the other family members..Who is targeting Ben and his family and why?
I really enjoyed the book and hope that the 2nd one will be out soon. Keeps you reading and turning the pages until you finish and find out who the killer is.
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