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Jamie Rush Mystery #1
Daughters of Bad Men
Jamie Rush understands what it takes to disappear because her parents taught her that long ago. Leveraging her knowledge of why and how people run from their own lives, Jamie has built a business based on bringing those in hiding back to answer for their actions. She takes pride in using her somewhat shady skills to work both inside and outside the law.
When her estranged brother, Brian, calls and says his daughter is missing, Jaime initially turns down the case. Kristen has always been a bit wild, frequently dropping off the grid then showing up a few days later. But Brian swears this time is different, and even though Jamie vowed years ago to keep her conniving sibling at arm’s length, she can’t walk away if Kristen could be in real trouble.
As Jamie begins digging into Kristen’s life, she uncovers her niece’s most guarded secrets. Uncovering the truth will put a target on Jamie’s back and endanger the lives of those she loves.
When her estranged brother, Brian, calls and says his daughter is missing, Jaime initially turns down the case. Kristen has always been a bit wild, frequently dropping off the grid then showing up a few days later. But Brian swears this time is different, and even though Jamie vowed years ago to keep her conniving sibling at arm’s length, she can’t walk away if Kristen could be in real trouble.
As Jamie begins digging into Kristen’s life, she uncovers her niece’s most guarded secrets. Uncovering the truth will put a target on Jamie’s back and endanger the lives of those she loves.
280 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2017
270 people are currently reading
245 people want to read
About the author
Laura Oles
15 books39 followersLaura Oles is a photo industry journalist who spent twenty years covering tech and trends before turning to crime fiction. She has been widely published in numerous photography magazines and has served as a columnist for several trade and consumer publications.
Growing up in a military family, Laura discovered the frequent travels were made more enjoyable with the company of Nancy Drew. She has been an avid reader and writer of mysteries ever since.
Laura is a Writers’ League of Texas Award Finalist, Killer Nashville Claymore Finalist and is a member of Sisters in Crime and Austin Mystery Writers .She lives in the Texas Hill Country with her husband, daughter, and twin sons.
Growing up in a military family, Laura discovered the frequent travels were made more enjoyable with the company of Nancy Drew. She has been an avid reader and writer of mysteries ever since.
Laura is a Writers’ League of Texas Award Finalist, Killer Nashville Claymore Finalist and is a member of Sisters in Crime and Austin Mystery Writers .She lives in the Texas Hill Country with her husband, daughter, and twin sons.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
December 18, 2017
PI Jamie Rush and her best friend and partner, PI Cookie are pulled into Jamie's family problems. She grew up with a father who was a con man; her half-brother joined that life and now is calling Jamie to find his daughter, Kristen, who has also participated in some potentially dangerous scams.
Jamie has changed her life and only works on this side of legal. As much as she really has nothing to do with her family, she finds it hard to ignore her brother's request for help.
Things change when she does find Kristen. Kristen is dead of an overdose ... although Jamie knows she was clean. She finds a crumpled up $2 bill in her back pocket ... the calling card of a drug family.
So who, exactly, killed Kristen? Was this is warning to someone else in the family? What was Kristen into that someone felt compelled to kill her?
As Jamie begins to dig into Kristen's life, she finds her nieces secrets. That truth will put a target on Jamie's and Cookie's backs.
This is an exceptional debut novel. This is not a gritty police procedural; it is not a cozy, but somewhere in between. There is no romance ... rather the love Jamie has for her chosen family... Cookie, who lives in Hawaiian shirts, Erin, the bookie's daughter, Marty who runs a bar and Deuce ... an extremely lovable (and spoiled) 4-footed, furry friend.
The book is well-written, with wonderful characters that you want to see more of. It's a riveting story with a lot of suspense, making it hard to put down until the very last page.
Many thanks to the author / Red Adept Publishing / Netgalley for the advanced digital copy. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
#DaughtersOfBadMen #NetGalley
February 17, 2018
I liked this book. Jamie displays strength and intelligence. This really is a fast read. There was plenty of action to keep the storyline moving along at a good pace. The only thing is that as much as I did enjoy this book and the lead character, I had a bit of trouble connecting with the rest of the characters within the story. Therefore, it does not matter how good a storyline is if the characters doing grab you and connect with you. Yet, from what I read and liked about this book; makes me want to read more by this author. I feel like with the right elements I could really come to enjoy this author a lot. You could say that this book tickled me fancy. Daughters of Bad Men is worth a look and read.
December 10, 2017
Daughters of bad men by laura oles.
Jamie Rush understands what it takes to disappear because her parents taught her that long ago. Leveraging her knowledge of why and how people run from their own lives, Jamie has built a business based on bringing those in hiding back to answer for their actions. She takes pride in using her somewhat shady skills to work both inside and outside the law.
A fantastic read with great characters. I couldn't put it down. Didn't expect that. 5*.
Jamie Rush understands what it takes to disappear because her parents taught her that long ago. Leveraging her knowledge of why and how people run from their own lives, Jamie has built a business based on bringing those in hiding back to answer for their actions. She takes pride in using her somewhat shady skills to work both inside and outside the law.
A fantastic read with great characters. I couldn't put it down. Didn't expect that. 5*.
August 13, 2023
One of the coolest and most talented people I know. The book slayed and I loved all the characters <3
January 30, 2018
Pivotal to Laura Oles’s debut novel, Daughters of Bad Men, is the sense of place and people that permeates this gritty crime thriller. Set in Port Alene, a mythicized version of the Texas coastal city of Port Aransas, which is only a three-hour drive away from where she lives in Texas Hill Country, the setting holds an especially dear place in the author’s heart, especially in view of it having suffered so badly from the depredations of Hurricane Harvey. As befits the darker world of Daughters of Bad Men, however, the town takes on a murkier side in the form of the challenges faced by its deeply conflicted characters, not least of which is the emotionally troubled skip tracer, Jamie Rush.
Rush wishes to have as little as possible to do with her nefarious family, most specifically her estranged brother, Brian, that is, until he literally begs her to help find her missing niece, Kristen. When she very quickly does, what she finds catapults the lead protagonists into a situation that becomes more tumultuous by the minute, and one that tears at the very heart strings of the otherwise fairly close-knit Port Alene community. Oles clearly feels very deeply for her fictional characters, on whose lives and adventures she intends to expand in her forthcoming books in the selfsame series.
As is fitting for a finalist for the 2016 Killer Nashville Claymore Award, Daughters of Bad Men is taut with suspense, and a sense of foreboding danger is ever-present. Counterpoised against the shady dealings of her brother’s real estate scams and the instability of his set of cronies are the life-enhancing relationships that PI Jamie Rush has with her BFL and colleague-in-arms, Cookie, and her friend, Erin, who is a newbie bookie. The heart-stopping pace of the central narrative hurries the reader along at a nerve-jolting rate, while Oles’s questioning of the deeper ethical and moral issues that are very much brought into play in the course of the novel lead one into considering the familial bonds that can either tie a society together or tear it apart.
Oles, in speaking of the affinity between her fictional subject matter and her long-running career as a prolific photo industry journalist, tells of the role that keen observation plays in both. The profession of skip tracing is certainly forefronted in Daughters of Bad Men, giving the work a keen edge and powerful impetus that keeps the reader glued to the text from start to finish. All those who are interested in the detecting genre, but especially those who enjoy a finely drawn set of characters, and the interplay between them, are not only likely to savor every page of Daughters of Bad Men, but also to anticipate with great interest Oles’s coming books in the series.
Rush wishes to have as little as possible to do with her nefarious family, most specifically her estranged brother, Brian, that is, until he literally begs her to help find her missing niece, Kristen. When she very quickly does, what she finds catapults the lead protagonists into a situation that becomes more tumultuous by the minute, and one that tears at the very heart strings of the otherwise fairly close-knit Port Alene community. Oles clearly feels very deeply for her fictional characters, on whose lives and adventures she intends to expand in her forthcoming books in the selfsame series.
As is fitting for a finalist for the 2016 Killer Nashville Claymore Award, Daughters of Bad Men is taut with suspense, and a sense of foreboding danger is ever-present. Counterpoised against the shady dealings of her brother’s real estate scams and the instability of his set of cronies are the life-enhancing relationships that PI Jamie Rush has with her BFL and colleague-in-arms, Cookie, and her friend, Erin, who is a newbie bookie. The heart-stopping pace of the central narrative hurries the reader along at a nerve-jolting rate, while Oles’s questioning of the deeper ethical and moral issues that are very much brought into play in the course of the novel lead one into considering the familial bonds that can either tie a society together or tear it apart.
Oles, in speaking of the affinity between her fictional subject matter and her long-running career as a prolific photo industry journalist, tells of the role that keen observation plays in both. The profession of skip tracing is certainly forefronted in Daughters of Bad Men, giving the work a keen edge and powerful impetus that keeps the reader glued to the text from start to finish. All those who are interested in the detecting genre, but especially those who enjoy a finely drawn set of characters, and the interplay between them, are not only likely to savor every page of Daughters of Bad Men, but also to anticipate with great interest Oles’s coming books in the series.
March 31, 2018
I received an eARC through NetGalley. I would recommend as a quick easy read. I enjoyed the story and the characters. Some parts of the story were not that surprising and I wasn't kept on the edge of my seat waiting to see what happens.
However, I enjoyed the characters and the story. There are parts where we could have had a little more detail about Jamie and her family or even Cookie and his motivation with why they do the things they do. It is a good book though and something to sit down and enjoy for a fast read. Not exactly a happy ending with Jamie not able to resolve things with her niece which was estranged but did solve the mystery surrounding her.
This is one that if more books come out about any of the characters I would definitely give them a try.
However, I enjoyed the characters and the story. There are parts where we could have had a little more detail about Jamie and her family or even Cookie and his motivation with why they do the things they do. It is a good book though and something to sit down and enjoy for a fast read. Not exactly a happy ending with Jamie not able to resolve things with her niece which was estranged but did solve the mystery surrounding her.
This is one that if more books come out about any of the characters I would definitely give them a try.
May 17, 2018
Jamie Rush brings people out of hiding to answer to for the things they have done. She uses her skills both inside and outside of the law to do this. When her brother calls and tells her that Kristen is missing and in trouble, Jamie isn't so sure. Kristen has always been a wild child, but her brother assures her this is not the case. As Jamie digs into Kristen's behaviors and what she has been doing, it brings out rather unsavory characters that puts a target on Jamie. Can she get to Kristen and bring her back or will they both end up 'disappeared'? You will need to read the book to find out. This is a wonderful story with wit, humor and mysterious people. I would like to thank Hidden Gems for a copy of this book, I voluntarily reviewed it and this is my opinion of it.
February 24, 2018
Thank you to JKS Communications for allowing me the opportunity to read this book and for the adorable dog beanie baby!
Check out my blog for a full review!
Check out my blog for a full review!
August 12, 2022
In Daughters Of Bad Men, the first book in the Jamie Rush Mystery Series, author Laura Oles transports the reader to the island coastal town of Port Alene, Texas, for an intriguing mystery that will keep the reader guessing and turning the pages.
Jamie Rush comes from a family of con artists, she's left that life behind and is in business as a private investgator with her best friend and partner Cookie Hinojosa. Jamie and Cookie investigation business usually involves skip tracing, divorce, and surveillance cases.
Jamie gets a call from her estranged older half-brother Brian asking her to help locate his missing daughter Kristen. At first Jamie thinks that Kristen may have just gone off-grid and turned down the case, but when Brian insists that something is definitely wrong, Jamie and Cookie agree to take the case and begin searching for Kristen. As Jamie and Cookie search for the truth behind Kristen's disappearance, the further they dig, the more they realize that Kristen has gotten into some pretty dangerous stuff, and someone is determined to stop them at all costs. Can Jamie and Cookie put the pieces of the puzzle together and solve the disappearance of Kristen?
Author Laura Olves weaves a slow-building and suspenseful tale written in the third person narrative that follows Jamie and Cookie's investigative journey in search of the truth behind the disappearance of Jamie's niece. Their investigation will take a lot of digging and dangerous situations to find the truth. And if that's not enough, Jamie has to come to terms with her ongoing family issues, especially when it comes to dealing with who is behind Kristen's disappearance.
The reader will be easily drawn into this intriguing story with its richly descriptive plot and idyllic coastal town setting. Daughters Of Bad Men has intriguing characters, and enough drama, tension, action, flashbacks, secrets, clues from the past, and unexpected twists and turns that kept me thoroughly engaged and guessing what would happen next, it will definitely take the reader on one heck of a thrilling roller coaster ride.
https://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspo...
Jamie Rush comes from a family of con artists, she's left that life behind and is in business as a private investgator with her best friend and partner Cookie Hinojosa. Jamie and Cookie investigation business usually involves skip tracing, divorce, and surveillance cases.
Jamie gets a call from her estranged older half-brother Brian asking her to help locate his missing daughter Kristen. At first Jamie thinks that Kristen may have just gone off-grid and turned down the case, but when Brian insists that something is definitely wrong, Jamie and Cookie agree to take the case and begin searching for Kristen. As Jamie and Cookie search for the truth behind Kristen's disappearance, the further they dig, the more they realize that Kristen has gotten into some pretty dangerous stuff, and someone is determined to stop them at all costs. Can Jamie and Cookie put the pieces of the puzzle together and solve the disappearance of Kristen?
Author Laura Olves weaves a slow-building and suspenseful tale written in the third person narrative that follows Jamie and Cookie's investigative journey in search of the truth behind the disappearance of Jamie's niece. Their investigation will take a lot of digging and dangerous situations to find the truth. And if that's not enough, Jamie has to come to terms with her ongoing family issues, especially when it comes to dealing with who is behind Kristen's disappearance.
The reader will be easily drawn into this intriguing story with its richly descriptive plot and idyllic coastal town setting. Daughters Of Bad Men has intriguing characters, and enough drama, tension, action, flashbacks, secrets, clues from the past, and unexpected twists and turns that kept me thoroughly engaged and guessing what would happen next, it will definitely take the reader on one heck of a thrilling roller coaster ride.
https://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspo...
August 16, 2018
Missing niece, complicated family
I truly enjoyed the story and I figured that it based on Port Aransas where I have traveled to from Austin. My family and I know Corpus Christi, Texas and the surrounding towns. This story is based on that area which makes it a must reAd for me. Her niece is missing or is she? Jamie must work this as a missing person or not! You will enjoy this story. It is well written and goes at a great pace.
I truly enjoyed the story and I figured that it based on Port Aransas where I have traveled to from Austin. My family and I know Corpus Christi, Texas and the surrounding towns. This story is based on that area which makes it a must reAd for me. Her niece is missing or is she? Jamie must work this as a missing person or not! You will enjoy this story. It is well written and goes at a great pace.
March 20, 2018
Port Alene, TX. Hemingway’s Pier restaurant & pub. Jamie Rush (PI) was meeting with his client Sarah Mathers (single mother, 2 boys).
Ricky Finch (Irish, deadbeat father, lousy BF) was behind in his child support & owed his bookie Erin Clay a bunch. Jamie was hired by Erin to hunt him down.
The Tarpon Taproom. Jamie & Cookie Hinojosa (60, Manny’s older brother, Jamie’s PI partner/BMF) were on stakeout.
Brian (Jamie’s ½ brother, aka Dexter Hutchinson) informed Jamie, Kristen (Brian’s daughter, Jamie’s niece, drug addict, aka Natasha Irons) is missing.
Dylan Luna (20+, Kristen’s BF) was at the top of the suspect list.
Erin’s Senior Seaside Adventures warehouse. Jamie & Cookie greeted Detective David Herrera (Port Alene PD) at the crime scene.
The coroner was on his way to look at Kristian’s body.
She more than likely OD. A syringe needle was stuck in her arm.
Golden Star Racetrack. Now Jamie had to break the horrible news to Brian.
It really didn’t seem to bother him.
Tricky Dick’s restaurant. Dick Dobbs (owner) was glad to see Jamie.
Jamie interviewed Connie Coy (waitress).
Youth Art Center. Next stop on her list Marcus Holliday.
Coastal Adventures Marina (slip # 46). Bill (J & R) is going to work on Chelsea’s Freedom (Marcus’ fishing boat).
St. Mark’s Senior Care (Corpus Christi, TX.). Room # 112. Jamie & Cookie were going to pay Abuelo Deltone (matriarch) a visit.
They visited with Marissa Deltone (elderly daughter) instead.
Both of them knew who killed Manny Hinojosa (Cookie’s brother).
Cookie & Jamie went to visit Marcus Holliday (Texas A&M).
Will the 2 help solve the murder mysteries & someone brought to justice?
Warning: This book contains graphic adult content, or violence, which is only suitable for mature readers. It may be offensive or have potential adverse psychological effects on the reader.
I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review, only an honest one. All thoughts & opinions are entirely my own.
A very awesome book cover, & great font/writing style. A very well written crime thriller book. It was very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a huge set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make another great crime thriller movie, or better yet a mini TV series. There is no doubt in my mind this is a very easy rating of 5 stars.
Thank you for the free Bookfunnel; Red Adept Publishing, LLC.; Author; PDF book
Tony Parsons (Washburn)
Ricky Finch (Irish, deadbeat father, lousy BF) was behind in his child support & owed his bookie Erin Clay a bunch. Jamie was hired by Erin to hunt him down.
The Tarpon Taproom. Jamie & Cookie Hinojosa (60, Manny’s older brother, Jamie’s PI partner/BMF) were on stakeout.
Brian (Jamie’s ½ brother, aka Dexter Hutchinson) informed Jamie, Kristen (Brian’s daughter, Jamie’s niece, drug addict, aka Natasha Irons) is missing.
Dylan Luna (20+, Kristen’s BF) was at the top of the suspect list.
Erin’s Senior Seaside Adventures warehouse. Jamie & Cookie greeted Detective David Herrera (Port Alene PD) at the crime scene.
The coroner was on his way to look at Kristian’s body.
She more than likely OD. A syringe needle was stuck in her arm.
Golden Star Racetrack. Now Jamie had to break the horrible news to Brian.
It really didn’t seem to bother him.
Tricky Dick’s restaurant. Dick Dobbs (owner) was glad to see Jamie.
Jamie interviewed Connie Coy (waitress).
Youth Art Center. Next stop on her list Marcus Holliday.
Coastal Adventures Marina (slip # 46). Bill (J & R) is going to work on Chelsea’s Freedom (Marcus’ fishing boat).
St. Mark’s Senior Care (Corpus Christi, TX.). Room # 112. Jamie & Cookie were going to pay Abuelo Deltone (matriarch) a visit.
They visited with Marissa Deltone (elderly daughter) instead.
Both of them knew who killed Manny Hinojosa (Cookie’s brother).
Cookie & Jamie went to visit Marcus Holliday (Texas A&M).
Will the 2 help solve the murder mysteries & someone brought to justice?
Warning: This book contains graphic adult content, or violence, which is only suitable for mature readers. It may be offensive or have potential adverse psychological effects on the reader.
I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review, only an honest one. All thoughts & opinions are entirely my own.
A very awesome book cover, & great font/writing style. A very well written crime thriller book. It was very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a huge set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make another great crime thriller movie, or better yet a mini TV series. There is no doubt in my mind this is a very easy rating of 5 stars.
Thank you for the free Bookfunnel; Red Adept Publishing, LLC.; Author; PDF book
Tony Parsons (Washburn)
November 30, 2017
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley.
Jamie and Cookie run a PI agency (although goodness knows how they make any money, given their willingness to take a week off to work for free) and use their skills when Jamie's estranged half-brother Brian asks her to find his daughter Kristin. Brian is a con man and he cut off contact with Jamie when she tried to persuade Kristin to leave her father and go straight.
Things I liked about this novel:
- the title is excellent;
- the plot makes sense and is easy to follow.
Things I liked less:
- there is a fair amount of repetition and many places where a paragraph really hammers home a point which could just as easily have been expressed in a single sentence;
- poor Deuce (of whom we heard far too much) surely leads the unhealthiest lifestyle of any dog ever (and I also wish Jamie or Cookie would eat a vegetable or a piece of fruit occasionally);
- I don't know anything about Texan gambling laws, but why is Erin running an illegal bookie operation? Can't she just register and do it legally? Probably my personal prejudices showing through, but I don't see enabling elderly people in a retirement home to gamble on a weekly basis is quite such a saintly act of service as it is portrayed as being here;
- I wouldn't have read this if I had known it was one of those books where a mob/crime family make everything right and the hero/heroine is very grateful to them because it was the only way...
Jamie and Cookie run a PI agency (although goodness knows how they make any money, given their willingness to take a week off to work for free) and use their skills when Jamie's estranged half-brother Brian asks her to find his daughter Kristin. Brian is a con man and he cut off contact with Jamie when she tried to persuade Kristin to leave her father and go straight.
Things I liked about this novel:
- the title is excellent;
- the plot makes sense and is easy to follow.
Things I liked less:
- there is a fair amount of repetition and many places where a paragraph really hammers home a point which could just as easily have been expressed in a single sentence;
- poor Deuce (of whom we heard far too much) surely leads the unhealthiest lifestyle of any dog ever (and I also wish Jamie or Cookie would eat a vegetable or a piece of fruit occasionally);
- I don't know anything about Texan gambling laws, but why is Erin running an illegal bookie operation? Can't she just register and do it legally? Probably my personal prejudices showing through, but I don't see enabling elderly people in a retirement home to gamble on a weekly basis is quite such a saintly act of service as it is portrayed as being here;
- I wouldn't have read this if I had known it was one of those books where a mob/crime family make everything right and the hero/heroine is very grateful to them because it was the only way...
February 3, 2018
Daughters of Bad Men by Laura Oles
I was unsure of what to expect when asked to review this book. I was pleasantly surprised to discover a new author that I thoroughly enjoyed. The story was character centric with plot secondary to character development. Two friends have an investigation business that is not flourishing due to their soft hearts and frequent pro bono work. A family crisis arises that forces them to use all of their talent and connections to survive.
The author does a very good work up of the main protagonists and their motivation. She provides the reasons for their character and behavior. I really like an author that provides the underpinnings of the story.
The setting is a shore town in southern Texas. This an area that I am completely unfamiliar with but the similarities to Jersey shore towns were very strong.
Cookie and Jamie were very likeable characters with easily seen flaws that made them more real.
I enjoyed the book and recommend it.
Web: https://lauraoles.com/
I was unsure of what to expect when asked to review this book. I was pleasantly surprised to discover a new author that I thoroughly enjoyed. The story was character centric with plot secondary to character development. Two friends have an investigation business that is not flourishing due to their soft hearts and frequent pro bono work. A family crisis arises that forces them to use all of their talent and connections to survive.
The author does a very good work up of the main protagonists and their motivation. She provides the reasons for their character and behavior. I really like an author that provides the underpinnings of the story.
The setting is a shore town in southern Texas. This an area that I am completely unfamiliar with but the similarities to Jersey shore towns were very strong.
Cookie and Jamie were very likeable characters with easily seen flaws that made them more real.
I enjoyed the book and recommend it.
Web: https://lauraoles.com/
February 19, 2018
This was a very enjoyable read. The character development was great! I really connected with Jamie and Cookie and would like to see more of them. I'm not sure if this is going to be a series, but if so I would be on board for book number 2.
Jamie has some shall we say family problems? She grew up with a father who was a con man and her half brother and niece Kristen followed in that lifestyle while Jamie distanced herself and found a way out. What to do though when her niece goes missing and her half brother is asking for help finding her? Jamie is now on the hunt to find out what happened to her niece. The more Jamie digs, the more secrets she seems to find about her niece and just how involved she was with some dangerous people. Is she putting herself and Cookie in danger?
This book is well-written and an impressive debut and I would like to see more of Jamie, Cookie and even the adorable little dog Deuce.
Many thanks to the publisher/author who provided me a copy of this book! I will now be looking out for this author's future books! :)
Jamie has some shall we say family problems? She grew up with a father who was a con man and her half brother and niece Kristen followed in that lifestyle while Jamie distanced herself and found a way out. What to do though when her niece goes missing and her half brother is asking for help finding her? Jamie is now on the hunt to find out what happened to her niece. The more Jamie digs, the more secrets she seems to find about her niece and just how involved she was with some dangerous people. Is she putting herself and Cookie in danger?
This book is well-written and an impressive debut and I would like to see more of Jamie, Cookie and even the adorable little dog Deuce.
Many thanks to the publisher/author who provided me a copy of this book! I will now be looking out for this author's future books! :)
May 21, 2018
An exciting first Jamie Rush book. Jamie is making her living as a P.I. and skip tracer…she finds people who are missing but may not always want to be found. In this first story, Jamie works with her good friend and partner Cookie Hinojosa as they try to find Jamie’s niece, Kristen, who is missing. Now Jamie comes from a family of con artists and although she has left the life, unfortunately her niece has not. There is strong feelings of tension and distrust between Jamie and her brother Brian who is Kristen’s father. Jamie & Cookie will encounter danger and shady characters as they do their best to find out what happened to Kristen. Help will come from unexpected sources that adds a twist to the outcome. This story is complex and suspenseful and written with complicated characters that are well crafted. I found myself immersed in the action and turning the page to see if my favorite characters were going to survive to the end of the book. I received a free copy of this book and voluntarily chose to give an honest review. (by paytonpuppy)
April 5, 2018
This is the first book I read by Laura Oles and I am hooked! A can’t put down suspense filled mystery. With a shady family history Jamie has wanted nothing more than to cut ties with them all. Until her brother calls and tells her that her niece is missing and begs for her help finding her. When Jamie does find her niece, Kristen, dead of an apparent overdose, she knows there is a lot more to the story than her brother is letting on. To undercover the truth she knows that she must find out what happened herself even if it puts her own life in danger.
This book will keep you up way past your bedtime but well worth it!
I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book will keep you up way past your bedtime but well worth it!
I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
May 21, 2018
3.5 I am not going to repeat the blurb, it is sufficient. I did like the little intricate details that are added to this blurb to mesh out the story and make it enjoyable. I think Cookie, the Hawaiian wearing shirt mammoth became my favorite character. I loved the rapport between Cookie and Jamie. This is not a romance novel. This is a novel of life, crime, decisions, family and intrigue. Your own up bringing and morality will definitely color how you read this novel, as it did mine. Take a step, you are not the character, you are the reader, being taken to another world. Thank you Hidden Gem for an opportunity to receive this arc. All opinions are my own.
December 8, 2017
I received this ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This was a really great interesting story about 2 PI’s trying to figure out what happened to the one PI’s neice. I enjoyed all the back and forth between Jamie and Cookie and how close their relationship was. The plot kept me intrigued the entire book as they sleuthed to figure out what happened to Kristen. I liked the mob angle too.It was a really good story and I enjoyed the characters.
This was a really great interesting story about 2 PI’s trying to figure out what happened to the one PI’s neice. I enjoyed all the back and forth between Jamie and Cookie and how close their relationship was. The plot kept me intrigued the entire book as they sleuthed to figure out what happened to Kristen. I liked the mob angle too.It was a really good story and I enjoyed the characters.
January 21, 2018
This book is different from a lot of books I normally choose. I was between books and went for it. I am so so glad I did! I couldn’t put it down! The characters have so much- well, character! You immediately develop a love or hate relationship with each of them and cannot turn away from what lies next in their pursuit. Great writing, good story, keeps you interested from first page to the last. Loved it, and already got my mom to start reading it next:)
October 26, 2017
Lucky me, I got an early read of DAUGHTERS, and I absolutely loved it. I loved the coastal Texas setting, loved the characters, especially Jamie's sidekick Cookie--gotta love a big guy named Cookie--and the mystery of exactly what went on with Jamie's niece Kristin never let up. An incredible debut.
February 9, 2018
Five stars for the FOOD in this book! I swear, I'm moving to Texas.
Okay, I loved this book. The author presents a moving, tough, gritty thriller. The plot is excellent, the character dynamics complete and convincing, and A+ on setting, too. Can't WAIT to see more from Laura Oles. Absolutely terrific debut novel. Complete with Cookies!
Okay, I loved this book. The author presents a moving, tough, gritty thriller. The plot is excellent, the character dynamics complete and convincing, and A+ on setting, too. Can't WAIT to see more from Laura Oles. Absolutely terrific debut novel. Complete with Cookies!
March 17, 2018
A woman who comes from a family of con artists now tracks down people. When contacted by her estranged brother to help locate her niece, she finds her dead of an overdose. She knows it was murder and investigates, only to find her niece has plenty of secrets, one of which will endanger several people.
Appealing main character. And, yes, there is a dog in the story.
Appealing main character. And, yes, there is a dog in the story.
April 10, 2018
Well written and an engaging read. I hope this is the beginning of a series!
May 15, 2018
Fast paced and exciting with a satisfying conclusion. It's no wonder it was nominated for an Agatha Award for Best First Novel. Brava!
August 17, 2022
Past and present clash on the Texas Gulf Coast in this excellent debut mystery by Laura Oles
Daughters of Bad Men is a fantastic debut for the Jamie Rush Mystery series by author Laura Oles. The main character, Jamie Rush, is a likable and capable yet vulnerable young woman who, despite her unfortunate childhood, has broken away from her family’s shady way of life and landed on her own two feet with a pretty positive outlook. She’s one smart cookie, able to read people, and has a witty personality. She and her partner have a delightful friendship and excellent working relationship that I really enjoyed. Their friend, Erin Clay, is a woman of contrasts. Although looking like a member of the Junior League, she’s building a successful bookie operation among the locals and the Winter Texans and doing so away from the influence of her father, a well-known, if not notorious, bookie in Las Vegas.
The author makes the coastal setting of Port Alene come alive. The descriptions are vivid and familiar, and I enjoyed trying to decide if the locations were actual ones, but disguised, or entirely fictional. I could easily visualize where the action was taking place, and I wanted to make a trip to Corpus Christi, Port Aransas, or Rockport quick, fast, and in a hurry.The plot is smart and complex and held my attention from page one. I got the distinct impression that there is so much more happening below the surface of life in Port Alene than what is visible and that our characters are just getting started with their involvement in the business of the various crime families and criminal organizations. That feeling gave the book an extra undercurrent of menace and danger lurking nightside there. I hope there are many more mysteries to come in this series.
With its likable and engaging characters, sultry, salt-sprayed setting, and the emotion-tugging puzzle of a murder, I recommend DAUGHTERS OF BAD MEN to mystery fiction readers, especially those who like strong female protagonists, dog-and-cat partnerships, and a tempting setting on the Texas Gulf Coast.
October 15, 2018
Laura Oles' debut novel, "Daughters of Bad Men," brings to life a series of colorful, flawed characters in the fictional Texas port town of Port Alene (which in itself is a vivid character of its own). The story revolves around skip-tracer Jamie Rush, whose con-artist family history is never far, and her business partner, Cookie. When Rush's niece goes missing, her half-brother Brian asks for help. During the investigation, she runs into local crime families, a bookie based in a senior-citizens home and much more.
If you like fast-paced and thoughtful detective fiction, you will enjoy this book.
If you like fast-paced and thoughtful detective fiction, you will enjoy this book.
September 3, 2022
Jamie Rush and Cookie Hinojosa are a team, detectives and best friends, living in Port Alene, also known as Port A. Now, if you are a Texan you will be able to imagine the setting of this book as Port Aransas. Along with Deuce, Jamie’s dog, they form bonds with each other as strong as family.
In this first book in a series, Jamie sets out to find her niece, Kristen, who has been leading a life conducting scams, very dangerous ones.
Well written, fast paced and characters you like. I’m up for her next book.
Thank you, Laura Oles!
In this first book in a series, Jamie sets out to find her niece, Kristen, who has been leading a life conducting scams, very dangerous ones.
Well written, fast paced and characters you like. I’m up for her next book.
Thank you, Laura Oles!
November 30, 2025
Interesting read. The main character is currently a PI but her background is a bit shady as she grew up in a family of con artists. She has a bulldog that eats a lot of greasy food and that bugged me. There was quite a bit of repetition throughout that made the first 2/3 of the book drag. She is asked by her brother to find out where his daughter is. It isn’t until later we find out why she is so important. The final third picks up the pace nicely but a lot of the characters aren’t good people so it was hard to care about what was happening.
March 25, 2019
One of our book club members chose this book because she is related to the author. I loved the title!
I enjoyed the characters and I see a lot of potential for this author and a series based on the characters …. I found the detective work overly simplistic though but feel sure the author will make the stories more intricate in the future! Best of luck!
I enjoyed the characters and I see a lot of potential for this author and a series based on the characters …. I found the detective work overly simplistic though but feel sure the author will make the stories more intricate in the future! Best of luck!
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