All In

by Lily Gardner

A lovelorn, Portland P.I. must prove a man's innocence when no one else will in this murder mystery from the author of Betting Blind.



Lennox Cooper, flinty ex-cop and poker playing private detective, stands alone in championing Tomek Jagoda, darling son of a local crime family, accused of murdering his high-living girlfriend. The cops have proof that will send Tomek to prison for life.

Meanwhile, prosecuting the case is a Viking goddess of a woman, as smart as she is stunning, who draws everyone's adoration. Next to her, Lennox feels like a garden gnome. It doesn't help that August Kline, Lennox's boss and Tomek's defense attorney, is ready to throw his client under the bus in a plea deal that carries a ten-year sentence just to date the prosecutor.

As Lennox untangles all the lies surrounding the case, she sees deeper into Tomek's humanity and into her own. She realizes that she's in love with Kline, who's in lust with the prosecutor. Now, if Lennox hopes to truly save an innocent man, she must wager her job, her love, and her own safety to find the killer..."Readers will look forward to seeing more of the feisty and resourceful Lennox."--Publishers Weekly

262 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 15, 2018

About the author

Story has been the abiding passion for Lily Gardner since she was a young child; mysteries taking center stage. SHE DID NOT THE WRITE CHILDREN'S BOOKS LISTED ON HER SITE. Lily was happy to consume as many mysteries as she could get her hands on. All that changed when she read Raymond Chandler's "Red Wind" and she realized that she wanted to write more than anything.

"A Bitch Called Hope", a noir mystery set on the rainy streets of Portland, Oregon, is Lily’s first novel, released in February, 2013. Her second novel, "Betting Blind" was released March, 2016, by Diversion Books. "All In", the third in the Lennox Cooper series will be out May 15, 2018.

Lily lives in Portland with two corgis and several thousand books.

Reviews

[Janet Newport · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC.

I very much enjoyed this book. I found it to be a fast read with engaging characters. For all her toughness, Lennox has a big soft heart. Also she's a little rash and very impulsive. And stubborn. I liked her a lot. The story was well paced without any real draggy spots or glaring holes in the action. Only places I got lost were with Lennox's back story. I should find and read those books as well.

[B. Kroon · Rating 5 out of 5]

"All In" is Gardner’s third drive through the streets of Portland with her ex-cop-turned-PI, Lennox Cooper. As was true in her earlier books ("A Bitch Called Hope" and "Betting Blind"), Garner has kept Cooper’s poker playing buddies in play but throws us a few new faces. There’s Jill, the glamorous assistant D.A. who sucks all the male attention out of the room and leaves Cooper struggling with her own jealousy. And Idzi Jagoda, the little old lady head of the city’s drug dealer clan. And most memorable to this reader, Tomac Jagoda, the good-hearted, simple minded younger son of the Jagoda drug-dealing family. Make no mistake, Lennox sticks with the hunt for the real killer…BUT, the heart of this book (great growth for Gardner) is the emotional struggles PI Cooper undergoes. Whether it’s her jealousy, or that she doesn’t get away with simply pigeon-holing Idzi Jagoda as an aging crook.... "All In" is one of those reads where the hero has to bet it all: career, love and her life. When she risks it all, she comes out a better woman and a much richer character.

[Donadee's Corner · Rating 5 out of 5]

All In - Written by Lily Gardner
What do you do when your gut tells you there is definitely something not right?????

The third noir mystery featuring P.I. Lennox Cooper, a smart detective, a smart poker player, and one of today's boldest heroines in the sorority of lonesome gumshoes. Flinty ex-cop, poker-playing, private detective, Lennox Cooper stands alone in championing Tomek Jagoda, darling son of a Portland crime family, accused of murdering his high-living girlfriend. The cops have proof that will send Tomek to prison for life, and prosecuting the case is a Viking goddess of a woman, as smart as she is stunning, who draws everyone's adoration. Next, to her, Lennox feels like a garden gnome. Even August Kline, Lennox's boss, and Tomek's defense attorney are ready to throw Tomek under the bus in a plea deal that carries a ten-year sentence just to court the prosecutor. What is it about Tomek-big as a tool shed and twice as dumb-that convinces Lennox of his innocence? As Lennox unwinds all the lies surrounding the case, she sees deeper into Tomek's humanity and into her own. She realizes that she's in love with the defense attorney who's in lust with the prosecutor. Lennox bets her job, her love, and her own safety to find the killer.

What did I like? I really loved this gal, Lennox Cooper, she is amazing. I think the fly by the seat of her britches is awesome and playing cards with the boys is the cat’s meow! This is the first of the series that I have read but I am getting all the rest of them and the author can write a ton of them and I’ll be in line to read them.

What will you like? Fascinating, riveting, absorbing, action-packed and gutsy! Cooper will lead you on a merry chase to get the killer. Join her as she plays poker with the boys, gets herself in trouble and rousts all those around her. Life at its finest! Gripping characters well developed and grows with the storyline. Great READ!!!! I received this from the author for an honest review with no other compensation.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lennox Cooper is a quirky, sassy ex-cop, PI with a heart of gold. Who doesn’t love a poker-playing woman trying her best in a man’s world. I love that she holds her own with a cadre of regulars who have her back. In this third installment of her adventures she gets a new partner. Set in Portland, OR the locations are a fun, hip addition to this noir mystery.When a well-coifed older woman breaks into her home, the action begins. This third-in-a-series book is fast-paced with pithy dialogue and lots of attitude. Dark, with laugh-out-loud clever moments this is a thoroughly enjoyable read. Get it! You’ll love it!

[Martha · Rating 5 out of 5]

All In is a terrific read. It’s the third in a series of noir detective stories featuring Portland P.I. Lennox Cooper. Lennox is like no one else—an ex-cop, not yet forty, whose closest ties are with a group of cops and lawyers who’ve played poker together every Friday night for the last ten years. They meet at the Shanty Bar and Grill, in a back room paneled in decades-old knotty pine, smelling of stale beer and old carpet. For Lennox, this back room is home away from home, which is one reason I adore this book. Rising stakes, a keep-you-guessing plot, and sharp, witty delivery will pull you in and hold you for the duration of this lovely, heart-felt P.I. novel by Lily Gardner.

[Maryum · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was very disappointed in this book. It just seemed to be full of woman hate, and that's not the direction I want the series to go in. I thought it would be as exciting and kick ass as the previous two books but it just felt all over the place and really improbable. I would love to see Lennox have healthy female relationships and perhaps even a romantic relationship with another woman. But this book just felt very toxic and I don't know if I'll continue the series after this.

[Carol - Reading Writing and Riesling · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fast paced thrilling read! This series just keeps getting better.