What do you think?
Rate this book
Jack Carpenter #1
Midnight Rambler
Explosive. Pulse-pounding. Heart-racing.
From the bestselling author The Wall Street Journal hails as one terrific writer, Midnight Rambler is the breakout thriller of the year--a brawny, brainy novel of suspense that pairs James Swain's trademark smooth-as-silk prose with a plot bigger and bolder than anything he's done before.
In South Florida, Jack Carpenter is infamous. He's the cop who busted the notorious serial killer Simon Skell, aka the Midnight Rambler, and sacrificed his badge and marriage in the process.
Haunted by the Skell case, Carpenter now works as an abduction specialist in Fort Lauderdale, reuniting families with their missing children.
But the body of one of the Midnight Rambler's victims has just been uncovered, and forensic evidence suggests Carpenter jailed the wrong man. With Skell just days away from release, the tarnished hero must reopen the case that shattered his life and the lives of eight murdered women.
As waves of heat and rain wash over the steamy streets, Carpenter races against the clock to reaffirm the case against Skell. Yet the deeper he digs, the more he starts to realize that Skell is just one piece in a terrifying puzzle of predation and murder, just one player in a shocking conspiracy that ranges across the state of Florida. And as the relentless Carpenter draws the net tighter, his enemies prepare to spring a devastating final surprise.
From the seaside bar that Jack Carpenter calls home to the glittering tourist kingdom in Orlando to the funky jungle of Coconut Grove, James Swain unleashes a wild ride into the heart of evil with the Rolling Stones' Midnight Rambler as the throbbing, terrifying soundtrack.
From the bestselling author The Wall Street Journal hails as one terrific writer, Midnight Rambler is the breakout thriller of the year--a brawny, brainy novel of suspense that pairs James Swain's trademark smooth-as-silk prose with a plot bigger and bolder than anything he's done before.
In South Florida, Jack Carpenter is infamous. He's the cop who busted the notorious serial killer Simon Skell, aka the Midnight Rambler, and sacrificed his badge and marriage in the process.
Haunted by the Skell case, Carpenter now works as an abduction specialist in Fort Lauderdale, reuniting families with their missing children.
But the body of one of the Midnight Rambler's victims has just been uncovered, and forensic evidence suggests Carpenter jailed the wrong man. With Skell just days away from release, the tarnished hero must reopen the case that shattered his life and the lives of eight murdered women.
As waves of heat and rain wash over the steamy streets, Carpenter races against the clock to reaffirm the case against Skell. Yet the deeper he digs, the more he starts to realize that Skell is just one piece in a terrifying puzzle of predation and murder, just one player in a shocking conspiracy that ranges across the state of Florida. And as the relentless Carpenter draws the net tighter, his enemies prepare to spring a devastating final surprise.
From the seaside bar that Jack Carpenter calls home to the glittering tourist kingdom in Orlando to the funky jungle of Coconut Grove, James Swain unleashes a wild ride into the heart of evil with the Rolling Stones' Midnight Rambler as the throbbing, terrifying soundtrack.
368 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2007
179 people are currently reading
711 people want to read
About the author
James Swain
49 books352 followersJames Swain is the national best selling author of seventeen mystery novels, and has been published in twelve different languages. His books have been chosen as Mysteries of the Year by Publisher’s Weekly and Kirkus Reviews, and have received three Barry Award nominations, a Florida Book Award for Fiction, and France’s prestigious Prix Calibre .38 for Best American Crime Fiction. Born in Huntington, New York, he graduated from New York University and worked as a magazine editor before moving to Florida to run a successful advertising firm. When he isn’t writing, he enjoys researching casino scams and cons, a subject on which he’s considered an expert.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 140 reviews
December 19, 2018
Noo!!! It's not over!! What an excellent read. It wasn't like a roller coaster because there wasn't any down time to catch your breath. A constant barrage of excitement. Kept me up at night. What happens next?
May 5, 2019
Jack Carpenter, ex-cop infamous for brutally beating a serial torture-killer (Simon Skell, the Midnight Rambler of the title), has become a private investigator who helps find missing children. When the body of one of Skell's victims is uncovered, evidence points to another killer and Skell goes free. Immediately, Carpenter and Melinda Peters, whose evidence put him away, are in deadly peril.
Uh… I really could not believe how hilariously bad this book is. It’s just really, amazingly poorly written. I was amazed to find that Swain is not a young upcoming author, nor this his first book; he’s an award-winning, middle-aged fellow with seven previous books under his belt!
But where to begin about how ridiculously out of touch and cartoonishly silly this supposedly gritty, hard-boiled book is? That there is a wide circle of killers aiding Skell, one of whom is a successful businessman who picks his victims (young prostitutes) from fast food drive-through cameras? Young and beautiful prostitutes, mind you, with cell phones and cars; no one would miss such people! That Carpenter is such a moron he, the experienced child abduction recovery expert, is flummoxed as to why the kidnappers would have spray paint on them (to color the kid’s shoes, obviously)? That every single case Carpenter is called to in this book relates somehow to Skell (what luck!)? That Skell, supposedly a smart, crafty killer, would immediately come for the witness and cop who put him in jail, after being released very publicly? That the villains race through public streets, shooting and fleeing the FBI, even as they are (hilariously at this point) still trying to frame Carpenter for Skell’s crimes? That Carpenter learns that a radio host who daily excoriates him is (of course) part of this prostitute kidnapping cartel, and learns this from a couple of random illegal workers who are putting up a billboard (the host’s past is clearly known by cops and newsmen, but Carpenter doesn’t know it about his most public enemy, although these blue collar aliens do, for some reason)? There's a thousand preposterous bits and major plot points like these. Swain is a Christian, and the book has an explicitly Christian undertone, so maybe he is incapable of writing a realistically gritty tale, I don't know. He’s certainly capable of writing an utterly moronic sentence like “she had the sympathy of one who had raised kids,” though (as if parents cannot be unsympathetic, or even evil!). Or this hilariously unaware howler of a passage: “‘What if you are killed?’ ‘Best not to think that way.’ ‘But what if you are?’ I hadn’t weighed that option,” the narrator (ex-cop, gritty private eye) muses. This is easily the worst book I’ve read in many years. I actually finished it just because it was so unintentionally hilarious.
Uh… I really could not believe how hilariously bad this book is. It’s just really, amazingly poorly written. I was amazed to find that Swain is not a young upcoming author, nor this his first book; he’s an award-winning, middle-aged fellow with seven previous books under his belt!
But where to begin about how ridiculously out of touch and cartoonishly silly this supposedly gritty, hard-boiled book is? That there is a wide circle of killers aiding Skell, one of whom is a successful businessman who picks his victims (young prostitutes) from fast food drive-through cameras? Young and beautiful prostitutes, mind you, with cell phones and cars; no one would miss such people! That Carpenter is such a moron he, the experienced child abduction recovery expert, is flummoxed as to why the kidnappers would have spray paint on them (to color the kid’s shoes, obviously)? That every single case Carpenter is called to in this book relates somehow to Skell (what luck!)? That Skell, supposedly a smart, crafty killer, would immediately come for the witness and cop who put him in jail, after being released very publicly? That the villains race through public streets, shooting and fleeing the FBI, even as they are (hilariously at this point) still trying to frame Carpenter for Skell’s crimes? That Carpenter learns that a radio host who daily excoriates him is (of course) part of this prostitute kidnapping cartel, and learns this from a couple of random illegal workers who are putting up a billboard (the host’s past is clearly known by cops and newsmen, but Carpenter doesn’t know it about his most public enemy, although these blue collar aliens do, for some reason)? There's a thousand preposterous bits and major plot points like these. Swain is a Christian, and the book has an explicitly Christian undertone, so maybe he is incapable of writing a realistically gritty tale, I don't know. He’s certainly capable of writing an utterly moronic sentence like “she had the sympathy of one who had raised kids,” though (as if parents cannot be unsympathetic, or even evil!). Or this hilariously unaware howler of a passage: “‘What if you are killed?’ ‘Best not to think that way.’ ‘But what if you are?’ I hadn’t weighed that option,” the narrator (ex-cop, gritty private eye) muses. This is easily the worst book I’ve read in many years. I actually finished it just because it was so unintentionally hilarious.
July 9, 2013
Likeable story with Disney World thrown in. Other reviewers have commented about plausible police procedures and that Swain was better off writing about what he knows. I'm leaning in the same direction.
The FBI is NOT going to let a local take lead on a serial killer investigation. Especially if the person isn't part of the po-po.
But I was so let down from Cook's Nano that Midnight Rambler has me youtubing music videos!
The FBI is NOT going to let a local take lead on a serial killer investigation. Especially if the person isn't part of the po-po.
But I was so let down from Cook's Nano that Midnight Rambler has me youtubing music videos!
August 4, 2016
Jako uzbudljiva i napeta priča, puna avanture i adrenalina. Džek Karpender je definitivno detektiv koga će ljubitelji krimića zavoleti. 4 zvezdica od mene zbog predvidljivog kraja i nekih nejasnih momenata i situacija. :)
April 5, 2009
I have read most of Swain's Tony Valentine series and enjoy them a lot. Swain apparently knows the gambling and grifting business cold and it shows in the stories. Midnight Rambler is a departure from that knowledge set, I think. His protagonist is an ex-cop who got thrown off the force for beating up a suspect. He specializes in finding missing persons, especially children. He has Bruno, a dog to provide some comic relief. It's a good story but the detail doesn't ring as authentic as his grifter series. I was listening to this book while driving and every now and again would mutter, "you stupid son-of-a-bitch."
I have this thing about self-righteous vigilantes, for that's what our "hero" is. He has this obsession with finding lost children and he's good at it, but there are a couple of scenes where, rather than call the authorities, who have the manpower and resources to fix things right, he insists on taking the law into his own hands, all the while treating us to a discourse on why he can do things better, yada yada yada. The end result is that he is forced to kill one of the chief bad guys before getting information they desperately need to save a girl who has been kidnapped and is being tortured. They can see it happening on the screen, and they learn the location, but do they call in the cavalry? Nope, gotta do it themselves. Foolish, stupid and self-righteous.
Nevertheless, I'll give it a couple of stars for an intriguing and unusual plot in which the bad guys employ centralized order taking at a McDonald's to target their victims.
I have this thing about self-righteous vigilantes, for that's what our "hero" is. He has this obsession with finding lost children and he's good at it, but there are a couple of scenes where, rather than call the authorities, who have the manpower and resources to fix things right, he insists on taking the law into his own hands, all the while treating us to a discourse on why he can do things better, yada yada yada. The end result is that he is forced to kill one of the chief bad guys before getting information they desperately need to save a girl who has been kidnapped and is being tortured. They can see it happening on the screen, and they learn the location, but do they call in the cavalry? Nope, gotta do it themselves. Foolish, stupid and self-righteous.
Nevertheless, I'll give it a couple of stars for an intriguing and unusual plot in which the bad guys employ centralized order taking at a McDonald's to target their victims.
February 14, 2018
(3 1/2). I saw a couple of reviews about this book on GoodReads and it piqued my interest. It is solid from start to finish. Jack Carpenter is a great protagonist. Insightful, cocky, irritating, slighted, enduring, the whole nine yards. The story gets a little out of hand here once in a while but the pursuit keeps it all hanging tough. Oh, and there is a really cool dog as well. A great vacation read for me, big fun.
May 23, 2021
Nisam u ljubavi sa trilerima.... Nije loša knjiga ali meni se nije dopala.
March 5, 2014
Midnight Rambler appears to be the first of a series featuring Jack Carpenter, a disgraced ex-cop, almost broke PI, who has a talent for finding "lost" children. The locale is the well worked ground of Southern Florida. Jack is a likeable protagonist - loving husband (although estranged from his wife), father (college age daughter) and dog owner (said dog borders on being a "partner" joining Jack on every road trip). Jack has a sense of humor, a temper, an exercise regimen, a set of seedy friends and enough "connections" to keep him informed or provide back-up and special favors when necessary. The plot revolves around the villain/case that sent Jack packing from the Police Dept. with his tail between his legs and now he has a chance to redeem himself. So all the formulaic "private eye bases" are covered.
The bad news. The story's plausibility factor is at times stretched beyond belief. The "bad guy", (with a genius IQ), not only manipulates his own cohorts but the justice system and its associated players - cops, forensic experts, judges - with an expertise that borders on farce.
Secondly, poor Jack with his "past" is constantly fighting an uphill battle in the credibility department with no one giving him the benefit of the doubt until the end.
The good news is that there are some extremely entertaining and poignant vignettes - for instance a kidnapping attempt at Disney World and the advice/solution Jack gives/provides to wealthy parents about the "disappearance" of their daughter.
Part of my problem with this book was the expectation level I had based on the previous reviews. Midnight Rambler is not a bad book - I just didn't find it a great thriller - simply an "average" one.
The bad news. The story's plausibility factor is at times stretched beyond belief. The "bad guy", (with a genius IQ), not only manipulates his own cohorts but the justice system and its associated players - cops, forensic experts, judges - with an expertise that borders on farce.
Secondly, poor Jack with his "past" is constantly fighting an uphill battle in the credibility department with no one giving him the benefit of the doubt until the end.
The good news is that there are some extremely entertaining and poignant vignettes - for instance a kidnapping attempt at Disney World and the advice/solution Jack gives/provides to wealthy parents about the "disappearance" of their daughter.
Part of my problem with this book was the expectation level I had based on the previous reviews. Midnight Rambler is not a bad book - I just didn't find it a great thriller - simply an "average" one.
July 2, 2015
This is #1 in a Jack Carpenter Series.
This takes place in South Florida and involves women that have been abducted and have not been found. Jack has been kicked off the police force and he is kind of looking into things on his own. He is not a private investigator yet, but that may be in the works down the road.
Jack seems to be misunderstood a lot and accused of things he may or may not have done. I loved his character and am going to look for the next 2 books in the series. He left the ending of this book up in the air and I am not sure if what happened will happen in the next book or a book in the future, but it certainly had my interest.
I am giving this 5 out of 5 stars.
This takes place in South Florida and involves women that have been abducted and have not been found. Jack has been kicked off the police force and he is kind of looking into things on his own. He is not a private investigator yet, but that may be in the works down the road.
Jack seems to be misunderstood a lot and accused of things he may or may not have done. I loved his character and am going to look for the next 2 books in the series. He left the ending of this book up in the air and I am not sure if what happened will happen in the next book or a book in the future, but it certainly had my interest.
I am giving this 5 out of 5 stars.
May 4, 2025
Awesome crime thriller. Who doesn’t love the disillusioned ex-cop turned PI who takes the fight to the bad guys? And who has his trusted dog always by his side? Enter Jack Carpenter and his dog, Buster. Carpenter lost his badge when he hospitalized a serial killer who tried to kill him. The creep, Simon Skell, wants payback. Can you spell, unfinished business? All of the familiar elements to the genre are found within the story but the execution is top-notch. Fast, lean-prose that matches the gritty edge where Carpenter operates. Can’t wait to read the rest of the series.
July 9, 2013
First of the Jack Carpenter series. A good place to start with this author if you haven't tried him. His Tony Valentine series is also very good but much better in the early books.
Edited to correct Valentine's first name. Thanks, Cathy
Edited to correct Valentine's first name. Thanks, Cathy
August 30, 2023
First in the series, originally released in 2007.
Even though I just stumbled upon this author the story still rang true 16 years after it was written, it was not dated or stale and addressed a societal problem that still exists in the shadows.
It is hard enough for a detective to identify and then track down a pedophile much less find a victim willing to fight their embarrassment and testify against them. A sex ring that eliminates their victims is even more difficult to prove.
The hero of this story has a likable quality, he is imperfect. Rough around the edges, fighting just to make it another day, and haunted by his past- it helps those of us that have had a hard time identify with him.
8 hour read, had a hard time putting this one down.
Now- on to #2 in the series- The Night Stalker.
Even though I just stumbled upon this author the story still rang true 16 years after it was written, it was not dated or stale and addressed a societal problem that still exists in the shadows.
It is hard enough for a detective to identify and then track down a pedophile much less find a victim willing to fight their embarrassment and testify against them. A sex ring that eliminates their victims is even more difficult to prove.
The hero of this story has a likable quality, he is imperfect. Rough around the edges, fighting just to make it another day, and haunted by his past- it helps those of us that have had a hard time identify with him.
8 hour read, had a hard time putting this one down.
Now- on to #2 in the series- The Night Stalker.
February 7, 2023
I may never get in a drive-through line again.
July 1, 2025
Such an intense book. Lots of things happening and it kept my attention. Excited for the next book!
April 17, 2018
There is absolutely nothing realistic about anything or anyone in this book, and there are so many inconsistencies the story has no credibility. The FBI would never let a civilian lead them around by the nose, they don't encourage civilians to shoot and kill people, and they handle kidnappings with a lot more urgency. It doesn't make any sense that an ex-cop famous for tracking missing people would not immediately jump to trying to find a missing person, especially when he knows the girl. Cops don't threaten violence and beat information out of everyone, and certainly not as a first course of action. This isn't the best way to get information. Bad guys don't confess and start telling the truth after being ask the question one time. And after tripping over conscience after happenstance after good stroke of luck, Jack Carpenter should just bag the whole thing and buy a lottery ticket, because no one is ever that fortunate and never do the pieces of the a case just drop themselves in the investigator's lap.
December 16, 2007
A patron of my librarian hubby recommended this and I read it in one sitting. It was very good and I will get more by him.
A specialist in finding missing children, former cop Jack Carpenter was fired from the force for assaulting a prisoner. Broke after a civil lawsuit and estranged from his wife and daughter, he's living in a seedy beachside apartment north of Miami, Fla., with his dog. Then Simon Skell (aka the Midnight Rambler), whom Carpenter helped convict for murdering prostitutes, is released from prison on a technicality. Determined to prove Skell guilty, Carpenter is frozen out by the cop on the case, but help comes from an FBI agent whose daughter vanished years earlier. The tension rises as the investigation widens far beyond Skell. Well-defined characters and intricately woven subplots, one involving a nail-biting scene at Disney World, make this a page-turner. 12-city author tour. (Oct.)
A specialist in finding missing children, former cop Jack Carpenter was fired from the force for assaulting a prisoner. Broke after a civil lawsuit and estranged from his wife and daughter, he's living in a seedy beachside apartment north of Miami, Fla., with his dog. Then Simon Skell (aka the Midnight Rambler), whom Carpenter helped convict for murdering prostitutes, is released from prison on a technicality. Determined to prove Skell guilty, Carpenter is frozen out by the cop on the case, but help comes from an FBI agent whose daughter vanished years earlier. The tension rises as the investigation widens far beyond Skell. Well-defined characters and intricately woven subplots, one involving a nail-biting scene at Disney World, make this a page-turner. 12-city author tour. (Oct.)
April 30, 2009
Yes, the detective protagonist is a former police officer, burned out, broke, and isolated from his family and friends due to a high profile serial killer case, and yes, there is nothing new with that plot device.
Even so, I have to credit James Swain through his cliches for the mostly artful presentation, which moves the detective and the reader convincingly from the hunt for clues to bloody confrontations, and back on the hunt again. The specter of the serial killer's release (for which the detective is partially correct in blaming himself) makes an excellent countdown, elevating the suspense all the more since the readers do not encounter him personally until the end. So we project a lot of power on him and his abilities, and even though the trick is obvious, it still works.
Look for the lemon sharks.
Even so, I have to credit James Swain through his cliches for the mostly artful presentation, which moves the detective and the reader convincingly from the hunt for clues to bloody confrontations, and back on the hunt again. The specter of the serial killer's release (for which the detective is partially correct in blaming himself) makes an excellent countdown, elevating the suspense all the more since the readers do not encounter him personally until the end. So we project a lot of power on him and his abilities, and even though the trick is obvious, it still works.
Look for the lemon sharks.
July 5, 2015
Loved it. Another book read in one single day. yum!
The only thing I didn't like was that one was left feeling as a spectator, only getting oblique views of "possible past" actions of this 'Midnight Rambler' guy. All the action was carried by his cohorts, and was discovered way later, as the author pieced it all together.
Maybe that's life, but I would have liked a more pro-active, current approach to the villain and his actions--THEN we can proceed to piecing it together and apprehending/killing him.
The only thing I didn't like was that one was left feeling as a spectator, only getting oblique views of "possible past" actions of this 'Midnight Rambler' guy. All the action was carried by his cohorts, and was discovered way later, as the author pieced it all together.
Maybe that's life, but I would have liked a more pro-active, current approach to the villain and his actions--THEN we can proceed to piecing it together and apprehending/killing him.
November 6, 2016
A constant barrage of excitement.
Nook. It's not over!! What an excellent read. It wasn't like a roller coaster because there wasn't any down time to catch your breath. A constant barrage of excitement. Kept me up at night. Haven't read a book this good in such a long time. What happens next?
Nook. It's not over!! What an excellent read. It wasn't like a roller coaster because there wasn't any down time to catch your breath. A constant barrage of excitement. Kept me up at night. Haven't read a book this good in such a long time. What happens next?
September 12, 2023
This is the first book in a trilogy about an ex-cop who disgraced himself by nearly beating a criminal to death. He lost his job, and so obsessed is he over the cases of eight missing young women that even his wife moved out. He lives alone as this opens in a fog of self-destruction and pity.
But Jack is off-the-charts amazing at finding missing kids, and he’s freelancing to pay the bills. You see a sample of his ability to snag a missing child no one else could find near the beginning of the book, and that will gladden your heart. There’s another scene spanning chapters 25 through 29 that will surely raise your heart rate. You get a detailed look at how Carpenter trips up a criminal and returns a little girl to her parents. But it’s far worse than it seems.
The courts have overturned a conviction of a serial killer Carpenter helped put behind bars. The guy plans to kill Carpenter and a stripper who testified against him in the original trial. The secrets Carpenter uncovers are far-ranging in their evil.
I had a difficult time putting this down. The plot thoroughly foiled the best plans Morpheus could throw at it, and I’m writing this on two hours of mediocre sleep this past evening. This was worth all the yawning I’m doing.
But Jack is off-the-charts amazing at finding missing kids, and he’s freelancing to pay the bills. You see a sample of his ability to snag a missing child no one else could find near the beginning of the book, and that will gladden your heart. There’s another scene spanning chapters 25 through 29 that will surely raise your heart rate. You get a detailed look at how Carpenter trips up a criminal and returns a little girl to her parents. But it’s far worse than it seems.
The courts have overturned a conviction of a serial killer Carpenter helped put behind bars. The guy plans to kill Carpenter and a stripper who testified against him in the original trial. The secrets Carpenter uncovers are far-ranging in their evil.
I had a difficult time putting this down. The plot thoroughly foiled the best plans Morpheus could throw at it, and I’m writing this on two hours of mediocre sleep this past evening. This was worth all the yawning I’m doing.
July 19, 2023
In South Florida, Jack Carpenter is infamous. He's the cop who busted the notorious serial killer Simon Skell, aka the Midnight Rambler, and sacrificed his badge and marriage in the process.
Haunted by the Skell case, Carpenter now works as an abduction specialist in Fort Lauderdale, reuniting families with their missing children.
But the body of one of the Midnight Rambler's victims has just been uncovered, and forensic evidence suggests Carpenter jailed the wrong man. With Skell just days away from release, the tarnished hero must reopen the case that shattered his life and the lives of eight murdered women.
As waves of heat and rain wash over the steamy streets, Carpenter races against the clock to reaffirm the case against Skell. Yet the deeper he digs, the more he starts to realize that Skell is just one piece in a terrifying puzzle of predation and murder, just one player in a shocking conspiracy that ranges across the state of Florida. And as the relentless Carpenter draws the net tighter, his enemies prepare to spring a devastating final surprise.
Haunted by the Skell case, Carpenter now works as an abduction specialist in Fort Lauderdale, reuniting families with their missing children.
But the body of one of the Midnight Rambler's victims has just been uncovered, and forensic evidence suggests Carpenter jailed the wrong man. With Skell just days away from release, the tarnished hero must reopen the case that shattered his life and the lives of eight murdered women.
As waves of heat and rain wash over the steamy streets, Carpenter races against the clock to reaffirm the case against Skell. Yet the deeper he digs, the more he starts to realize that Skell is just one piece in a terrifying puzzle of predation and murder, just one player in a shocking conspiracy that ranges across the state of Florida. And as the relentless Carpenter draws the net tighter, his enemies prepare to spring a devastating final surprise.
October 30, 2018
Love Jack Carpenter!
What a great addition to the “Series of Swain”. If you’ve not indulged yourself, I’d recommend you do so as quickly as possible! I love the character development characteristic of all James’ books, and this one is/was no different. Gritty, down-on-their-luck characters who are heroes beyond the tarnish are his trademark. This new series is right in line with what we’ve co e to expect!
What a great addition to the “Series of Swain”. If you’ve not indulged yourself, I’d recommend you do so as quickly as possible! I love the character development characteristic of all James’ books, and this one is/was no different. Gritty, down-on-their-luck characters who are heroes beyond the tarnish are his trademark. This new series is right in line with what we’ve co e to expect!
February 10, 2019
Jack Carpenter is a former policeman who is now a private detective specializing in child abduction cases. Currently, he is trying to clear his name after being accused of falsifying evidence in a murder case while he was still with the police force. A serial killer is about to be released from jail because of this accusation. Jack throws away the rule book in his effort to prove that he had not falsified the evidence that convicted the serial killer.
November 4, 2021
J’ai décidé de lire ce livre malgré les très mauvaises revues que j’ai lu. Et je ne le regrette pas. Ce n’est pas de la grande prose et assez basique comme écriture. C’est commercial mais très efficace. Bon, la fin est peut-être un peu précipitée et la passe du requin est pas la meilleure du livre mais bon en autant que le pas gentil ait son compte…C’est un page turner et le livre vous appellera souvent. Ça se lit vite et bien. Un gros 4.
November 22, 2025
This was unexpectedly good. I love a good mystery, but this one was more than that. There were so many clues throughout that left you continually wondering what was going to happen next. Almost like you’re figuring it out at the same time as the main character. I’ve never read a thriller with so many ups and downs. And I liked the few Florida references. It really tied in the setting. Sounds like I’ll have to read the next one to see what happens!
June 16, 2017
Meh. So-so start to the Jack Carpenter private detective series. It was okay enough that I'll probably try the second book in the series, though, before totally giving up on it.
I listened to the audio version on a long car trip. The story itself was mostly engaging, but most of it was either too predictable or too farfetched.
I listened to the audio version on a long car trip. The story itself was mostly engaging, but most of it was either too predictable or too farfetched.
November 21, 2018
Another good one
Just started reading this author, this is the second of his books I’ve read. Enjoy his style and humor - to the point and no unnecessary details. I like the plot twists and his knowledge of law enforcement. Looking forward to the next one as I read up to his most recent, which was the first one I read.
Just started reading this author, this is the second of his books I’ve read. Enjoy his style and humor - to the point and no unnecessary details. I like the plot twists and his knowledge of law enforcement. Looking forward to the next one as I read up to his most recent, which was the first one I read.
May 4, 2020
Interesting and fun, that Carl Hiaasen setting but definitely darker plot. Well-drawn characters, Jack Carpenter is a delightful hero, trying to rebuilt his life. The jump out to deal with child abductions were a little sloppy in terms of how the story telling went, even though the threads of the story eventually all converged.
August 28, 2021
This book was ok. Seemed older than original published date in 2007. Appears to me more like the 1980's detective stories. A good cop that did something not so good who then goes into the private world but is still connected to police in general. I would be willing to continue the series, but it's not high on my priority list.
January 26, 2022
Well, I must say that although this book is pretty idiotic, it still is a fun , mindless read. Former cop, and friend to the vulnerable, looks for the link that connects the death of 8 prostitutes, when the man he put away for murder, is found not guilty, and will soon be free to come after his accusers.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 140 reviews