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Tin Men
Three crooked cops going straight after a murderer
Woody was working on getting high when the phone rang. Dennis was on a date — it was a date he paid for, but a date all the same. Os had blood on his hands from a little extracurricular law enforcement. All three men picked up their phones because they were cops, and cops are never really off-duty — not even when they’re crooked.
Detective Julie Owen was savagely killed in her own bed, and the unborn child she was carrying is nowhere to be found. The grisly crime has the brass breathing down the necks of the three detectives tasked with finding Julie’s killer. Woody, Dennis, and Os each shared a bond with Julie that went deeper than the blue of their uniforms and have their own reasons to want to find the person responsible for her murder. Secrets drive the investigation — secrets that need to stay buried long enough to solve the case.
Woody was working on getting high when the phone rang. Dennis was on a date — it was a date he paid for, but a date all the same. Os had blood on his hands from a little extracurricular law enforcement. All three men picked up their phones because they were cops, and cops are never really off-duty — not even when they’re crooked.
Detective Julie Owen was savagely killed in her own bed, and the unborn child she was carrying is nowhere to be found. The grisly crime has the brass breathing down the necks of the three detectives tasked with finding Julie’s killer. Woody, Dennis, and Os each shared a bond with Julie that went deeper than the blue of their uniforms and have their own reasons to want to find the person responsible for her murder. Secrets drive the investigation — secrets that need to stay buried long enough to solve the case.
300 pages, Paperback
First published April 10, 2018
4 people are currently reading
481 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
March 17, 2018
About a year ago I picked up Rocks Beat Paper: A Wilson Mystery by this author. It was the first time I’d read his stuff & I was struck by his ability to create characters that live & breathe in your head from the moment you’re introduced. That continues in this dark & gritty tale.
Os, Woody & Dennis…3 cops who couldn’t be more different but must work together to solve the grisly murder of one of their own. When the body of colleague Julie Owen is found in her home, all 3 get the call. Os & Woody are partners & not happy about being saddled with Dennis, the precinct pariah. But a cop has been killed & that means all hands on deck.
It’s an atmospheric read that is not for the faint of heart. Noir-ish & leaning toward hardboiled, Knowles takes no prisoners. The prose is stylish but lean with just enough description to set the scenes. Yes, it’s hard core crime but what elevates it are the characters. As the story unfolds we learn about the MC’s & the secrets they’re struggling to hide. They have one thing in common. Although none of them knew Julie well, each has a deeply personal reason to avenge her death.
Os is a big, intimidating man of few words. Usually cool & focused, he’s like a coiled spring with tendencies barely held in check by his badge. But now Os is angry which means everyone else is scared. He’s an ill-fated figure shaped by his past & as the story progressed I got knots in my stomach as I just couldn’t see any way this could possibly end well for him. By coincidence I was reading “MacBeth” at the same time & couldn’t help thinking Os would have been right at home in Nesbo’s take on Shakespearean tragedy.
Woody has his own issues that he keeps at bay with a drug habit. He’s the chatty half of the partnership, a rumpled Columbo-like man who excels at interrogation while Os does the heavy lifting.
And then there’s Dennis, a legend in his own mind. He’s loud & never tires of regaling anyone who’ll listen of the cases he’s closed. He yearns for the old days when he could have been a cop like his father & resents the lack of respect from his colleagues.
These are your tin men….all badge & no heart on the job. But as we learn each has a trigger that threatens to release emotions that have been simmering below their professional facade. The search for Julie’s killer pushes all the right/wrong buttons, resulting in some shocking events before all the answers are delivered. If you’re looking for a story of redemption with an HEA, move along. Nothing to see here. But if you enjoy spending time on the dark side, give this a shot.
Os, Woody & Dennis…3 cops who couldn’t be more different but must work together to solve the grisly murder of one of their own. When the body of colleague Julie Owen is found in her home, all 3 get the call. Os & Woody are partners & not happy about being saddled with Dennis, the precinct pariah. But a cop has been killed & that means all hands on deck.
It’s an atmospheric read that is not for the faint of heart. Noir-ish & leaning toward hardboiled, Knowles takes no prisoners. The prose is stylish but lean with just enough description to set the scenes. Yes, it’s hard core crime but what elevates it are the characters. As the story unfolds we learn about the MC’s & the secrets they’re struggling to hide. They have one thing in common. Although none of them knew Julie well, each has a deeply personal reason to avenge her death.
Os is a big, intimidating man of few words. Usually cool & focused, he’s like a coiled spring with tendencies barely held in check by his badge. But now Os is angry which means everyone else is scared. He’s an ill-fated figure shaped by his past & as the story progressed I got knots in my stomach as I just couldn’t see any way this could possibly end well for him. By coincidence I was reading “MacBeth” at the same time & couldn’t help thinking Os would have been right at home in Nesbo’s take on Shakespearean tragedy.
Woody has his own issues that he keeps at bay with a drug habit. He’s the chatty half of the partnership, a rumpled Columbo-like man who excels at interrogation while Os does the heavy lifting.
And then there’s Dennis, a legend in his own mind. He’s loud & never tires of regaling anyone who’ll listen of the cases he’s closed. He yearns for the old days when he could have been a cop like his father & resents the lack of respect from his colleagues.
These are your tin men….all badge & no heart on the job. But as we learn each has a trigger that threatens to release emotions that have been simmering below their professional facade. The search for Julie’s killer pushes all the right/wrong buttons, resulting in some shocking events before all the answers are delivered. If you’re looking for a story of redemption with an HEA, move along. Nothing to see here. But if you enjoy spending time on the dark side, give this a shot.
March 30, 2018
Os ... blood still on his hands from 'questioning' a suspect in another case when he gets the call.
Woody ... Trying his hardest to get high with booze and pills and trying to come down with more pills after the call
Dennis ... the outlier who tries very hard to be like the others ... except for his penchant for transvestites
These man have several things in common. First of all, they are all cops .. dirty cops. They all have 'issues' and probably should not be allowed to carry guns. They all have a tin badge .. but no heart.
They all get the same phone call ... another police office has been murdered. They will be leading the investigation. The murdered cop is a female, who is ..or was .. 8 months pregnant. She is found tied to her bed and someone has cut her baby from her body.
All three men know the victim. One was the baby's father that no one else knows. One was busted by her while he was spending a little back alley time with a tranny. And one of them knows of her, but was not particularly close to her.
Crooked cops, Russian mob, drug dealers, everyone is a suspect.
This is a gritty, compelling read. I can't say I liked any of the characters, but then I don't think I was meant to. These are not nice people. The story premise is a good one; hard-boiled with rough language and rougher characters.
Many thanks to the author / ECW Press / Edelweiss for the advanced digital copy of this crime fiction. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
November 19, 2017
Tin Men is a term that cops use to describe one of their own who has the tin badge, but no heart like the Tin Man in the Wizard of Oz. Os is described as such by his brethren. Os, short for Oswald, is a giant of a man, who can wade into a fight outnumbered and walk out nearly unscathed. He takes no Crap from anyone and, to nearly everyone, he is seemingly dead inside. His partner, Woody, has his own pains and nightmares that he tries to drown out such as the death of his wife and unborn child. He lives in an apartment littered with pizza boxes and drowns out his pain in a glass pipe every night. Dennis, who Os and Woody are partnered with here, is a guy who solves the easy cases and has dates quite often when he pays for it. This story is about what happens when a fellow officer is brutally murdered in the most vile fashion imaginable and how they react to it and deal with each other, their history's with her, and more.
Tin Men is a perfectly structured, incredibly well-written hardcore crime novel. Knowles has done his homework here because there is no excess, no lines out of place, nothing you could possibly criticize about this superb novel. Knowles may be one of the great undiscovered talents in the crime fiction world and, if his other work is as good as this, I want to read all of it.
Many thanks to the great Canadian publishing house, ECW Press, for providing yet another terrific novel for review.
Tin Men is a perfectly structured, incredibly well-written hardcore crime novel. Knowles has done his homework here because there is no excess, no lines out of place, nothing you could possibly criticize about this superb novel. Knowles may be one of the great undiscovered talents in the crime fiction world and, if his other work is as good as this, I want to read all of it.
Many thanks to the great Canadian publishing house, ECW Press, for providing yet another terrific novel for review.
April 27, 2018
Very gritty no holds barred police procedural. The 3 protagonists are 3 police detectives thrown together to solve a police murder. The police(woman) was gruesomely found murdered in her own apartment. The 3 detectives are all deeply flawed: Os is rage filled and violent, Woody is a drug addict and Dennis has a sex fetish but they pull themselves together now and then to do their work. There are a lot of little details in this book which made me bump this up from 4 to 5 stars.
At 309 pages, this is a very quick read. It goes very fast and there is no stopping. The mystery itself is not cerebral, most readers will guess the conclusion quickly once they see where the clues are leading them. But this book excels as a character study. The author doesn't hold back when he writes these characters, there are no redeeming qualities and no sequels in his mind. He lets it all come out. There is no pandering to the readers' feels. I respect the author because of this.
This isn't a great police procedural in the run of the mill police procedural sense but it's a great book. I will definitely find and read this author's other books.
I got this book as a free ARC.
At 309 pages, this is a very quick read. It goes very fast and there is no stopping. The mystery itself is not cerebral, most readers will guess the conclusion quickly once they see where the clues are leading them. But this book excels as a character study. The author doesn't hold back when he writes these characters, there are no redeeming qualities and no sequels in his mind. He lets it all come out. There is no pandering to the readers' feels. I respect the author because of this.
This isn't a great police procedural in the run of the mill police procedural sense but it's a great book. I will definitely find and read this author's other books.
I got this book as a free ARC.
October 9, 2018
A gritty whodunit, Tin Men, is a page-turner about a gruesome murder and the three very flawed detectives assigned to the case. When Os gets the call, he’s in the middle of dealing out western-style justice to a group of thugs stupid enough to mouth back to the very large, very angry ex-boxer. When Woody picks up the phone, he’s already had a few beers and too many tokes off his heroin stash. Dennis? I don’t know if he’s truly on same level with Os and Woody; his only vice is transgender prostitutes.
The unfortunate corpse is one of their own, Detective Julie Owen from the gangs division. She was 8 months pregnant and the fetus is missing. Each detective has their own connection to Julie, whether personal or professional or distant, they all know her.
Partner Os and Woody are angry they have been paired with the strange loner, Dennis. They don’t like him for a lot of reasons, some they can’t even identify, but they know they just don’t want to work with them. Dennis is cop because his dad was a cop and he has spent his career trying to prove himself.
The story takes place over a couple of days and the further the case advances the more you realize you really don’t like these messed-up guys. The reader might have some pity for Dennis and his daddy issues but he is the more focused of the bunch. Os just reads like a speeding train aimed for a mountainside. And how Woody is able to function while wacked on heroin, especially with a bunch of cops, is beyond me.
But, like a car crash, you can’t take your eyes off these three. And you want to know how it ends. You want to know whodunit. So, buckle in, this is one scary ride.
The unfortunate corpse is one of their own, Detective Julie Owen from the gangs division. She was 8 months pregnant and the fetus is missing. Each detective has their own connection to Julie, whether personal or professional or distant, they all know her.
Partner Os and Woody are angry they have been paired with the strange loner, Dennis. They don’t like him for a lot of reasons, some they can’t even identify, but they know they just don’t want to work with them. Dennis is cop because his dad was a cop and he has spent his career trying to prove himself.
The story takes place over a couple of days and the further the case advances the more you realize you really don’t like these messed-up guys. The reader might have some pity for Dennis and his daddy issues but he is the more focused of the bunch. Os just reads like a speeding train aimed for a mountainside. And how Woody is able to function while wacked on heroin, especially with a bunch of cops, is beyond me.
But, like a car crash, you can’t take your eyes off these three. And you want to know how it ends. You want to know whodunit. So, buckle in, this is one scary ride.
March 4, 2018
This is a typical gritty detective novel with a cast of characters that are as unlikable as they are troubled. Woody, Dennis, and Os have been brought in to solve the murder of fellow detective Julie Owen and the kidnapping of her unborn child. Although Os has a deep personal reason for solving this crime, since the baby was his, Woody and Dennis also have a connection to Julie that makes her murder a crusade they will not abandon until it is solved. I very much enjoyed the character descriptions and backstories that made these men so interesting, and wouldn’t have minded getting to know them even more.
Even though the story itself might take some time to get into, based on the framework of the plot, the writing is tight and descriptive enough to keep you engaged. And the outcomes of the three characters, as well as the resolution of the murder, was very interesting! One issue I had was that, although the novel is set in Hamilton, Ontario, the details were sparse so the city could have been anywhere. I would have enjoyed it more if we were immersed in the surroundings to the point that the city played a part in the plot.
If you’re a fan of detective stories, this is a great novel to pick up to keep yourself entertained during travel or a Sunday afternoon. After this read, I’m interested in checking out the author’s other books and you might be as well!
Even though the story itself might take some time to get into, based on the framework of the plot, the writing is tight and descriptive enough to keep you engaged. And the outcomes of the three characters, as well as the resolution of the murder, was very interesting! One issue I had was that, although the novel is set in Hamilton, Ontario, the details were sparse so the city could have been anywhere. I would have enjoyed it more if we were immersed in the surroundings to the point that the city played a part in the plot.
If you’re a fan of detective stories, this is a great novel to pick up to keep yourself entertained during travel or a Sunday afternoon. After this read, I’m interested in checking out the author’s other books and you might be as well!
January 14, 2021
Eine tote, hochschwangere Polizistin, der das Baby aus dem Leib geschnitten wurde und drei Problem-Cops, die in dem Fall ermitteln. Rauer Krimi Noir aus Kanada mit sehr tragischen Figuren und garantiert keinem Happy End.
April 14, 2018
3.5 stars
I’ve read a lot of mystery novels where the main premise is about cops trying to solve a murder. I’ve even read mystery novels where the murder victim is a cop. However, I’ve never read any books where the plot revolves around the cops themselves instead of the murderer. That is the unique factor in this novel, and it’s the reason why I wanted to read it.
Another reason I wanted to read it is because all three of the cops are crooked in different ways. Centering a book around three corrupt cops is a really risky move because they were all so unlikable. I never rooted for any of them, but I was still really hooked by them and they were really well-developed. I understood each of their motivations and while I wish their backstories had been a little more fleshed out, I thought their stories and connection to Julie Owen was very compelling.
The best part about this novel is the writing. It’s witty and sharp, without being cheesy or overdone. There’s an edge and a darkness to this novel, but it’s not too graphic or horrific in its descriptions. It’s a very hard line to balance, and I thought Mike Knowles did it well.
Overall, I thought this was a really great crime novel. It was unique in a lot of aspects, and I loved how it was centered in Canada. It’s written very well, the characters are fascinating and it had a few twists that I didn’t see coming. Mike Knowles is an author to watch.
I’ve read a lot of mystery novels where the main premise is about cops trying to solve a murder. I’ve even read mystery novels where the murder victim is a cop. However, I’ve never read any books where the plot revolves around the cops themselves instead of the murderer. That is the unique factor in this novel, and it’s the reason why I wanted to read it.
Another reason I wanted to read it is because all three of the cops are crooked in different ways. Centering a book around three corrupt cops is a really risky move because they were all so unlikable. I never rooted for any of them, but I was still really hooked by them and they were really well-developed. I understood each of their motivations and while I wish their backstories had been a little more fleshed out, I thought their stories and connection to Julie Owen was very compelling.
The best part about this novel is the writing. It’s witty and sharp, without being cheesy or overdone. There’s an edge and a darkness to this novel, but it’s not too graphic or horrific in its descriptions. It’s a very hard line to balance, and I thought Mike Knowles did it well.
Overall, I thought this was a really great crime novel. It was unique in a lot of aspects, and I loved how it was centered in Canada. It’s written very well, the characters are fascinating and it had a few twists that I didn’t see coming. Mike Knowles is an author to watch.
March 28, 2018
3.5 stars. As a police officer is killed in her own apartment -- sliced open and the baby cut out of her -- 3 of the best homicide detectives are assigned to solve this atrocity of one of their own. They're called tin men -- all shield, no heart, just like the tin man in the Wizard of Oz. This case proves the moniker is not true. Os -- big, brutish, and no one knows he is the father of the baby taken from the womb. Woody -- Os's partner who uses heroin to dull the memory of his dead wife and child. Dennis -- the lone cop no one wants to partner with who pays prostitutes regularly.
The author forms meaty characters who have lots of personal demons. Very realistic character development. The book contains dark situations and grisly, graphic scenes. I had a sense of foreboding from the very start that the situation was not going to end well. I received a copy of this book from a Goodreads giveaway.
The author forms meaty characters who have lots of personal demons. Very realistic character development. The book contains dark situations and grisly, graphic scenes. I had a sense of foreboding from the very start that the situation was not going to end well. I received a copy of this book from a Goodreads giveaway.
March 9, 2018
A big thanks to ECW Press and NetGalley who provided this book in exchange for my fair and honest review.
This is a dark, crime-fiction novel set in Hamilton, Ontario that tells the story of three morally ambiguous cops and the murder that binds them together. Woody is the most likeable of the trio who turns his anger at the injustice of the world in on himself. Damaged, likely from his time in the military, Oswald turns his anger outward and uses vigilante justice to punish criminals at every opportunity. Dennis, brought up by a single parent father who was over-bearing, misogynistic and critical of his more sensitive son, is constantly out to prove himself to his fellow cops and deludes himself into believing that the only reason he isn’t liked is because he is so good at his job.
Overall, a pretty unlikeable team. What makes this book interesting however is the subtle connection that each of them has to the murder victim, a fellow officer who was 8 months pregnant at the time of her death.
As a Canadian, I also love stories that are set in Canada so I wish that the story spent a little more time providing more details about the surrounding city as the mystery played out. Hamilton is an interesting city, the ninth largest in Canada and the producer of sixty percent of Canada’s steel. Canada’s version of “steel town" has been the focus of much redevelopment in the recent past with new building in the downtown core generating an interesting and vibrant mix of artistic and blue collar.
The story was fast-paced, the writing good and as I note above, the mystery kept me engaged. The ending felt a bit rushed to me and while the characters were difficult to like, I cared enough about them to want to know “what happens next” with each of them.
This is a dark, crime-fiction novel set in Hamilton, Ontario that tells the story of three morally ambiguous cops and the murder that binds them together. Woody is the most likeable of the trio who turns his anger at the injustice of the world in on himself. Damaged, likely from his time in the military, Oswald turns his anger outward and uses vigilante justice to punish criminals at every opportunity. Dennis, brought up by a single parent father who was over-bearing, misogynistic and critical of his more sensitive son, is constantly out to prove himself to his fellow cops and deludes himself into believing that the only reason he isn’t liked is because he is so good at his job.
Overall, a pretty unlikeable team. What makes this book interesting however is the subtle connection that each of them has to the murder victim, a fellow officer who was 8 months pregnant at the time of her death.
As a Canadian, I also love stories that are set in Canada so I wish that the story spent a little more time providing more details about the surrounding city as the mystery played out. Hamilton is an interesting city, the ninth largest in Canada and the producer of sixty percent of Canada’s steel. Canada’s version of “steel town" has been the focus of much redevelopment in the recent past with new building in the downtown core generating an interesting and vibrant mix of artistic and blue collar.
The story was fast-paced, the writing good and as I note above, the mystery kept me engaged. The ending felt a bit rushed to me and while the characters were difficult to like, I cared enough about them to want to know “what happens next” with each of them.
January 17, 2018
Woody, Dennis and Os are police detectives in Hamilton, ON. Each has their own issues. Woody is dealing with his personal grief by becoming a junkie. Dennis pays for female companionship who have extra parts. Os is big and angry and has his own way of bringing criminals to justice.
A fellow police officer is found brutally murdered in her own bed. She was pregnant and her unborn child is missing. Partners Woody and Os are assigned to the case, as is Dennis. No one likes Dennis but he has a knack for solving crimes quickly. Their boss is putting pressure on them to get this crime solved quickly which adds to the tension they are already feeling. They go off investigating this case using their own styles.
This is the sixth book I've read by this author, the first other than his Wilson series (which I like). It's written in third person perspective with a focus on wherever the action is. I liked the writing style ... it was blunt and to the point. As a head's up, there is swearing and violence. Initially I found Woody, Dennis and Os unlikable but became more sympathetic towards them as I got to know them better.
I'd recommend this book.
Blog review post: http://www.teenaintoronto.com/2018/01...
A fellow police officer is found brutally murdered in her own bed. She was pregnant and her unborn child is missing. Partners Woody and Os are assigned to the case, as is Dennis. No one likes Dennis but he has a knack for solving crimes quickly. Their boss is putting pressure on them to get this crime solved quickly which adds to the tension they are already feeling. They go off investigating this case using their own styles.
This is the sixth book I've read by this author, the first other than his Wilson series (which I like). It's written in third person perspective with a focus on wherever the action is. I liked the writing style ... it was blunt and to the point. As a head's up, there is swearing and violence. Initially I found Woody, Dennis and Os unlikable but became more sympathetic towards them as I got to know them better.
I'd recommend this book.
Blog review post: http://www.teenaintoronto.com/2018/01...
March 6, 2018
What can I say, the cops were crooked as zig zag lines. Loved it.
October 24, 2018
I had read another book from this author recently, Rocks Beat Paper. That was a bit different from this as it involved a con artist and a diamond heist, but I thought since this was also on Amazon Vine I might as well try it.
For those who think Canada is a polite, good-natured place comes this story about three crooked cops in Hamilton, Ontario. Os is a former soldier turned cop with some PTSD issues it seems like. He's basically a thug who often brutalizes suspects, but thanks to connections gets away with it. Woody is a smart detective but he's also turned into a junkie since his wife and newborn daughter died. Dennis has closed a lot of cases, but no one really respects him. He tries to act tough like his dad, a former cop, but he also has a penchant for picking up transgender hookers.
One night a pregnant cop named Julie Owen is brutally murdered and all three crooked cops are called onto the case. But in a way Os and Woody are red herrings. It turns out Dennis does most of the real work on the case itself. The solution turns out not to be a huge surprise, not that I came up with it before it was revealed. It's the kind of thing I probably should have seen. Maybe if I read more mysteries.
Anyway, if you like gritty police dramas then like Ed McBain's 87th Precinct or Michael Connelly's Bosch series then this is good. There are some slight aesthetic differences since it takes place in Canada, but nothing too jarring. Though you do need a strong stomach for a few parts.
That is all.
For those who think Canada is a polite, good-natured place comes this story about three crooked cops in Hamilton, Ontario. Os is a former soldier turned cop with some PTSD issues it seems like. He's basically a thug who often brutalizes suspects, but thanks to connections gets away with it. Woody is a smart detective but he's also turned into a junkie since his wife and newborn daughter died. Dennis has closed a lot of cases, but no one really respects him. He tries to act tough like his dad, a former cop, but he also has a penchant for picking up transgender hookers.
One night a pregnant cop named Julie Owen is brutally murdered and all three crooked cops are called onto the case. But in a way Os and Woody are red herrings. It turns out Dennis does most of the real work on the case itself. The solution turns out not to be a huge surprise, not that I came up with it before it was revealed. It's the kind of thing I probably should have seen. Maybe if I read more mysteries.
Anyway, if you like gritty police dramas then like Ed McBain's 87th Precinct or Michael Connelly's Bosch series then this is good. There are some slight aesthetic differences since it takes place in Canada, but nothing too jarring. Though you do need a strong stomach for a few parts.
That is all.
May 12, 2020
After reading one of Mike Knowles' Wilson books, I was impressed but not blown away. Thank goodness his name stuck in my head so I decided to pick up Tin Men. Otherwise, I'd have missed a book I was blown away by; one which features three bleak-yet-vibrant portraits of broken men, trying to be of use despite their flaws, or utilize them as gifts, or deny them in order to finish the job at hand, or...
It's difficult to describe because I don't want to deny readers the chance to meet Os, Dennis and Woody on their own. While their situations will be familiar to anyone who's read a fair amount of crime fiction, they feel far more real than most dirty cop/damaged tough guy cliches. I also don't want to spoil the details of the crime which drives the plot, because it provides some suspense - but mostly because it provides not only a reason to set the three leads against one another, but because the ways they tackle the problems it presents are what reveals them as compelling figures, and the reason to read the book.
Suffice it to say, if you're okay with leaving a good book feeling a little dirty, this one is definitely worth a read.
It's difficult to describe because I don't want to deny readers the chance to meet Os, Dennis and Woody on their own. While their situations will be familiar to anyone who's read a fair amount of crime fiction, they feel far more real than most dirty cop/damaged tough guy cliches. I also don't want to spoil the details of the crime which drives the plot, because it provides some suspense - but mostly because it provides not only a reason to set the three leads against one another, but because the ways they tackle the problems it presents are what reveals them as compelling figures, and the reason to read the book.
Suffice it to say, if you're okay with leaving a good book feeling a little dirty, this one is definitely worth a read.
November 14, 2018
Although the characters were compelling and there was certainly a dramatic element to the book, you can't give a book a pass for having plot holes larger than swiss cheese. I don't want to give away any spoilers, but I'll say that the final reveal on the killer was horribly predictable and had me shaking my head at the thought of how much time I had wasted to read a book that could've had a plot better developed by a third grader. The book shows promise of a Lee Child type of novel at times, but unfortunately fell flat due to the aforementioned rationale. It made me question if this book had an editor?
February 18, 2024
Meh. I really wanted to like this book. It started out strong with lots of grit and interesting characters that pulled me in, but it quickly started to lose steam. Despite the powerfull set up of a horrendus crime scene, the story began to quickly go off the tracks and into the muck and mire of the lead characters fighting their own demons. This crime novel had little to no forensics other than a few quippy converstations with the medical examiner at the crime scenes. The murders were just suddenly "solved" when the characters "thought about it and who else could it be?" The ending left me with more questions than answers.
December 2, 2018
Absolutely thrilling read.
3 Cops with their own brand of crime solving, seeks to unravel the gruesome murder of fellow cop, hoping to find solutions for Thier own dilemma.
Woody needs salvation to forget the painful trauma of death of his wife and stillborn child.
While Denise seeks to prove himself that he truly belongs to force.
Os wants revenge overiding his guilty conscious.
Along the way Thier is fast action, page turning and predictable climax.
Still enjoyed the while journey.
3 Cops with their own brand of crime solving, seeks to unravel the gruesome murder of fellow cop, hoping to find solutions for Thier own dilemma.
Woody needs salvation to forget the painful trauma of death of his wife and stillborn child.
While Denise seeks to prove himself that he truly belongs to force.
Os wants revenge overiding his guilty conscious.
Along the way Thier is fast action, page turning and predictable climax.
Still enjoyed the while journey.
July 10, 2018
"Not every cop is dirty, but the good ones are. Clean cops are about as effective as a chef with no tongue. The motions are correct, but the food never comes out right."
Loved this little novel about 3 emotionally damaged detectives called on to solve the gruesome murder of a fellow cop. Couldn't put this one down, and look forward to reading more from this author.
Loved this little novel about 3 emotionally damaged detectives called on to solve the gruesome murder of a fellow cop. Couldn't put this one down, and look forward to reading more from this author.
May 15, 2019
[library audiobook]
Set in Hamilton, Ontario. That's a plus, a new venue. Violent and nasty cops who brutalize suspects. Each of the three main cops were flawed, their superiors worse...It's hard to like a book when the main characters are so disagreeable. Went on a long time.
Don't think I will read another by this author.
Set in Hamilton, Ontario. That's a plus, a new venue. Violent and nasty cops who brutalize suspects. Each of the three main cops were flawed, their superiors worse...It's hard to like a book when the main characters are so disagreeable. Went on a long time.
Don't think I will read another by this author.
August 18, 2021
read this for the character development and the writing, pass if you want a typical crime novel with an attractive protagonist and predictable twisty plot. a grim tale, spotlighting the gritty side of policing, not one character is likable, not even the murder victim, but the vivid picture this author creates without excessive description is impressive.
October 30, 2021
The perfect book to end off my October month of murder! A thrilling crime story with perfectly imperfect characters. I enjoyed that the book is set in Hamilton, Ontario and loved the various Canadian tidbits! The story progressed at a good pace and the ending was great!
Follow me on IG @whatsissyreading.
Follow me on IG @whatsissyreading.
January 5, 2019
I read a lot of books that aspire to be "gritty" and "noirish" that ultimately fail the courage of their convictions. Authors want to be dark while also trading in a very simplistic take on morality. they want their characters to be likable or justice to prevail in the end -- or failing that, then a broader more social kind of justice.
Mike Knowles should be applauded for just not really trying to have it both ways. Not to say the characters are in some morbid way relatable. But probably relatable in a way that we'd never want to admit to others. This book is BLEAK. That's exciting to have a real kind of bleakness, which feels honest.
The problem here is while the characters are well drawn, the plot is a total after thought. I'm thinking even a network writer's room would have more than a few chagrin faces hearing the pitch Knowles uses. It's utterly clear straight from jump street where this book is going. My only real unknown was if Knowles would really let things go at being that transparent. So I read this novel with an unfortunate unease due to the suspicion that I could just skip forward past all the red herrings (and let's be clear, most of the book is a red herring in terms of the police investigation).
So I'm not really comfortable recommending this book. I'm hoping Knowles is still developing as a writer and will get better at plotting next time.
Frankly I'm not even big on mysteries to begin with. I think Knowles would be better off taking after Richard Price and the later work of Dennis Lehane where characters are prioritized over dime novel theatrics. I suppose Knowles is already there, which is why it was so odd this lame insistence on who killed Officer Who Cares?
Mike Knowles should be applauded for just not really trying to have it both ways. Not to say the characters are in some morbid way relatable. But probably relatable in a way that we'd never want to admit to others. This book is BLEAK. That's exciting to have a real kind of bleakness, which feels honest.
The problem here is while the characters are well drawn, the plot is a total after thought. I'm thinking even a network writer's room would have more than a few chagrin faces hearing the pitch Knowles uses. It's utterly clear straight from jump street where this book is going. My only real unknown was if Knowles would really let things go at being that transparent. So I read this novel with an unfortunate unease due to the suspicion that I could just skip forward past all the red herrings (and let's be clear, most of the book is a red herring in terms of the police investigation).
So I'm not really comfortable recommending this book. I'm hoping Knowles is still developing as a writer and will get better at plotting next time.
Frankly I'm not even big on mysteries to begin with. I think Knowles would be better off taking after Richard Price and the later work of Dennis Lehane where characters are prioritized over dime novel theatrics. I suppose Knowles is already there, which is why it was so odd this lame insistence on who killed Officer Who Cares?
November 26, 2018
Best crime book I’ve read in 2018
December 2, 2020
the ending could have been so much better. very disappointing.
May 8, 2021
“not every cop is dirty, but the good ones are.” A gritty, noir police story set in Hamilton Ontario.
January 14, 2022
My mind kept wandering and couldnt really get into it
July 5, 2025
this was a dark story and a little unrealistic
November 3, 2025
A good military suspense filled novel.
July 25, 2025
The only character you’ll like is the cop that’s been murdered.
The characters are all flawed, yet you still root for them. Great character development.
The characters are all flawed, yet you still root for them. Great character development.
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