Deviant Behavior

Thomas Black #5

by Earl Emerson

When seventeen-year-old Todd Steeb has been missing for eight days, his wealthy parents hire Thomas Black to investigate. Faith Steeb is worried by her son's obsession with suicide, though her husband dismisses it as youthful "deviance." Aided by his lawyer friend Kathy Birchfield, Black finds forgotten crime, buried treasure, possible murder, and enough "deviant" behavior to blow Seattle off the map.


From the Paperback edition.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Detective

224 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 1988

About the author

Earl Emerson is a lieutenant in the Seattle Fire Department. He is the Shamus Award-winning author of Vertical Burn, as well as the Thomas Black detective series. He lives in North Bend, Washington.

Reviews

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

That was a rather sad tale overall. It was well written with interesting characters and some interesting twists. Thomas Black is a tough guy that doesn’t really come across as tough. I like that about him. And he definitely is underestimated frequently. Poor Buzz. I hope he overcame all of this and became a happy successful adult. Until next time, Mr Black.

[T · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ran into this on one of my favorite used book sites, fun to catch up with a local author with settings set in my hometown.

Thomas Black is a retired Seattle policeman, out on disability. He currently works as a private detective, taking cases from his housemate attorney Kathy. For this episode, a pair of Kathy's clients, husband and wife owners of a large successful rug company, are searching for their runaway teenager son who seems to be holing up in an abandoned and closed off hotel in Seattle's Chinatown area.

Six years ago, the runaway's uncle reportedly committed suicide at this abandoned site after researching the author of a cult book and movie. There's something to do with money obtained to start the rug company somehow.

Thomas befriends the runaway's younger brother in an attempt to ferret out details and wanders all over the outskirts of Seattle to try to gather more information, where another body shows up and the weird slimey cult book author and his washed up wife require multiple visits along with poor old granny whose mind is deteriorating but has moments of lucidity.

[Lori Schiele · Rating 2 out of 5]

Although this was book five of the "Thomas Black" series, I did not feel as though I needed the other books to "know" the characters. Thomas Black--the ex-police officer and current private investigator becomes wrapped up in a missing persons case by his lawyer friend, Kathy Birchfield. The missing person is a 17-yr-old boy who has been missing for 8 days and while the father dismisses this as "youthful deviance", the mother is concerned due to her son's possible obsession with suicide following the suicide of his uncle, Jan, a few years before. And the 13-yr-old brother knows something is wrong but is afraid of betraying his brother.
But as Black goes searching for the boy, with the somewhat unwillingness of the younger brother, the case becomes much more complicated that just a runaway teenager as Black "discovers forgotten crime, buried treasure, possible murder, and enough 'deviant' behavior to blow Seattle off the map"

It was an okay read that occupied a few afternoons, but nothing much to write home (or even here) about. Even what were supposed to be "surprises" seemed mundane and not surprising at all, and when everything was wrapped up at the end, it was easy to close the book and move on to another without giving it a second thought.

[Kay · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the very best PI procedural authors we have in Seattle, Emerson delivers again with a heartbreaking story of adopted teenagers sucked into a family tragedy embroidered with greed and secrets. Characters all come alive, and a man's kindness, compassion, and crime-solving skills are the clear winner this time.

[Bill Yarbrough · Rating 5 out of 5]

9.5 out of 10 stars. Thomas Black tends to take a lot of beatings---I think Mr. Emerson wants to make him more human/real life in the books. In the previous books, I have figured out the perpetrator well before the ending. In this book, I missed a couple of the clues which were vague, because the person I thought was the perp was so strongly portrayed.

[Donny Forbes · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of those, you just keep losing and hurting yet somehow at the end of the book you just have to smile.

And as always, Emerson gives a great snapshot of Seattle. This one even mentions a small up and coming yuppie outdooring store... R.E.I.

[Katherine Strom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can’t quite explain why I love this character and these books so much. I think both to be clever and witty. I thought the rhythm might get old this deep in, but to date, I’m still content having one of these books in my hand.

[Tami · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every story delivers. And I always have several moments of admiring an observation or turn of phrase.

[LJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

DEVIANT BEHAVIOR - VG
Emerson, Earl - 5th in Thomas Black series

Seventeen-year-old Todd Steeb has been missing for eight days when his wealthy parents hire Seattle private eye Thomas Black to investigate. Faith Steeb is worried by her son's obsession with suicide, though her husband dismisses it as a youthful "deviance." Either way, ex-cop Black and his lawyer friend Kathy Birchfield aren't exactly thrilled: runaway kids are a dime a dozen.

It's a weird case that keeps getting weirder, as Black discovers forgotten crime, buried treasure, possible murder, and enough "deviant" behavior to blow Seattle off the map.

Good read in an interesting series.

[Jennifer Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

I started reading Earl Emerson in the early 90's while living in the Seattle area. I love his lead characters, often described as "a thinking woman's kind of man". Emerson is a Seattle firefighter, and oddly enough, right after I had read a couple of his mysteries I met a firefighter of my own who's best friend had worked with Earl at the Seattle Fire Dept. I hadn't read any of his books in years, so this was a thoroughly fun romp, and Thomas Black is definitely the kind of guy that I would like to meet...just an older version.

[Ed · Rating 4 out of 5]

#5 in the Thomas Black series.

Thomas Black, Seattle PI, is hired to find a runaway 17 year old. His younger brother helps, but is not fully forthcoming. The apparent suicide of the boy's uncle six years earlier, a cult author, a stash of cash in Seattle's Chinatown, and the vicious father of the boy's girlfriend come into play. Kathy Birchfield, the beautiful lawyer Black works for, is also his tenant.

[Kathy KS · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thomas Black is a private investigator. I like the stories of his case(s) because there's a fairly light touch to the tales. While not humorous, Thomas and his friend, Kathy, share a light-hearted and lasting relationship. I appreciate that Thomas isn't one of the tortured, dark investigators that seem to be in vogue recently.

In this volume of the series, I especially like the way Thomas relates to teenagers and sincerely wants to help them.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good mystery set in Seattle’s Chinatown and better neighborhoods. Our Detective works for a small law firm and is asked to find a teenager who has left home. They fear he wants to find out why his uncle committed suicide 6 years earlier.
The story is complex with many folds and twists and a fast pace.

[Maura · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this completely out of order - didn't even know it was part of a series, but I didn't feel totally lost. There was some background information that I didn't have but it all still made sense and was a pretty decent and entertaining mystery. I liked Seattle as a setting. I'd recommend it.

[Salsabrarian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Found this ancient gem at a Friends library sale. Enjoyed reading and remembering old-school Seattle. The Kingdome! Eating at Kau Kau! The teens in the story go to Franklin! Mayhem and falling bodies in Chinatown! The author even cites the infamous Wah Mee murders. Awesome...

[Asrutledge]

Love his books!

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entertaining private eye Thomas Black set in Seattle. Enjoyable for the setting and the humor.

[aPriL does feral sometimes · Rating 4 out of 5]

The saddest one so far. A reminder of how bad bad guys can be. Buzz is my favorite 15 year old character from a book now.

[Marti]

Passed on to me by Mom.

[Jeff Dickison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good private eye/mystery tale. Thomas Black begins looking for a runaway which leads to murder, mayhem and the solving of a long forgotten puzzle/crime. Recommended.

[Dale Rosso · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed the Thomas Black story, Emerson's books are always hard to put down.

[John Cates]

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