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Thomas Black #4
Fat Tuesday
When Fred Pugsley receives a dead rattlesnake in the mail, ex-Seattle cop Thomas Black and his friend, lawyer Kathy Birchfield, are called in to investigate. But when they get there, Fred is dead, and his stunned wife sits huddled in the kitchen, clutching a tool used on racing bicycles -- the murder weapon. But the wife says she's innocent, and suddenly there are plenty of other suspects. Just as Seattle stages its own Mardi Gras, Black is getting ready for a wild blow-out of his own . . .
From the Paperback edition.
From the Paperback edition.
Hardcover
First published January 1, 1987
8 people are currently reading
125 people want to read
About the author
Earl Emerson
32 books92 followersEarl 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.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
March 28, 2024
It was fun to read a story set where I live, but otherwise the book was meh.
June 15, 2024
This book was bizarre in the fact that the cover grabbed my attention with the line - "Everyone who knew Fred had some reason to want him dead, but no one could guess who finally did him in..."
sounds good, right? Sounds like a guy named Fred gets killed and everyone who knows him is a suspect. Could be fun, I thought.
But the story really isn't about Fred at all. Really the story is about Fred's buddy Eric who gets fired for child pornography and how he lost his job. Oh sure, no one liked Fred, really. He was a womanizer. But it's not even about that. it's about Eric and the goings-on at their Tech company. Eric is forced to quit because of the accusations, he loses his wife. The usual, stuff.
The story isn't bad. I just felt misled. It's a decent mystery. I've read better, but it's not bad.
sounds good, right? Sounds like a guy named Fred gets killed and everyone who knows him is a suspect. Could be fun, I thought.
But the story really isn't about Fred at all. Really the story is about Fred's buddy Eric who gets fired for child pornography and how he lost his job. Oh sure, no one liked Fred, really. He was a womanizer. But it's not even about that. it's about Eric and the goings-on at their Tech company. Eric is forced to quit because of the accusations, he loses his wife. The usual, stuff.
The story isn't bad. I just felt misled. It's a decent mystery. I've read better, but it's not bad.
May 18, 2020
Thomas Black and Kathy Birchfield are a fun duo. By comparison boy scouts and girl scouts are tawdry, but the pair is very much a treat. This is a complex plot with many people over many years, but it's super tight with a lot of fun and intrigue along the way. Love the bicycling scences.
October 29, 2020
Hands down the darkest of the first 4 in this line. Shows Seattle at it's craziest, Fat Tuesday. Also gives you a fun geography lesson on the Greater Seattle area. It's nice to read a murder mystery when you can visualize the locations, even if they have changed VASTLY since the late 80's.
November 28, 2021
9.5 out of 10 stars. I enjoy the writing style and quips. I tend to laugh some. Definitely obvious Emerson knows the Seattle area very well. Quick enjoyable reads, and I decided I will read the whole series before moving on.
December 1, 2017
Although this is an older novel, the characters are timeless and full of wit and personality. I can't wait to read more of this author.
February 5, 2012
Not the best that Emerson is capable of. The Seattle-based story jumps around and there are more sub-plots than necessary for an interesting book. Maybe he decided to unload a bunch of ideas he's been carrying in his head and do it all in one book.
That said, I still enjoyed the novel and plan to continue to read his other offerings.
Thomas Black, the main protagonist and his long-time good friend Kathy Birchfield, a lawyer, are asked to investigate a situation in which Fred Pugsley, a bike enthusiast, is sent a dead rattlesnake. When they get to Pugsley's house, they find him dead in a pool of his own blood and his wife in shock. He was murdered with a sprocket tightener, which has his wife's fingerprints on it. She prtests that she's innocent and as the investigation unfolds, Black and Birchfield uncover many possible suspects.
Turns out Pugsley was pretty much a hound dog and loved to chase and seduce women, especially those who were married or otherwise attached. He also had gotten rid of his business partner, Eric Castle, who was accused of child molesting. Black, in particular, gets into multiple dangerous situations with a heavy duty motorcycle Mama, a wild 3000 lb. bull and an unknown assailant on the Space Needle.
All of this is happening as Seattle celebrates it's version of Mardi Gras, Fat Tuesday, which makes for an interesting ambiance for the story. I forgot to mention that this book has more humor than his others and I did get some out loud laughs from the book.
That said, I still enjoyed the novel and plan to continue to read his other offerings.
Thomas Black, the main protagonist and his long-time good friend Kathy Birchfield, a lawyer, are asked to investigate a situation in which Fred Pugsley, a bike enthusiast, is sent a dead rattlesnake. When they get to Pugsley's house, they find him dead in a pool of his own blood and his wife in shock. He was murdered with a sprocket tightener, which has his wife's fingerprints on it. She prtests that she's innocent and as the investigation unfolds, Black and Birchfield uncover many possible suspects.
Turns out Pugsley was pretty much a hound dog and loved to chase and seduce women, especially those who were married or otherwise attached. He also had gotten rid of his business partner, Eric Castle, who was accused of child molesting. Black, in particular, gets into multiple dangerous situations with a heavy duty motorcycle Mama, a wild 3000 lb. bull and an unknown assailant on the Space Needle.
All of this is happening as Seattle celebrates it's version of Mardi Gras, Fat Tuesday, which makes for an interesting ambiance for the story. I forgot to mention that this book has more humor than his others and I did get some out loud laughs from the book.
December 18, 2012
#4 in the Thomas Black series. Black is the wise-cracking, bicycle riding, Seattle Private Investigator who works for lawyer Kathy Birchfield.
Thomas Black series - Fred Pugsley receives a dead rattlesnake in the mail and ex-Seattle cop Thomas Black and lawyer Kathy Birchfield, are called in to investigate. When they get there, Fred is dead, and his stunned wife sits clutching a tool used on racing bicycles -- the murder weapon. But the wife says she's innocent, and suddenly there are plenty of other suspects.
Thomas Black series - Fred Pugsley receives a dead rattlesnake in the mail and ex-Seattle cop Thomas Black and lawyer Kathy Birchfield, are called in to investigate. When they get there, Fred is dead, and his stunned wife sits clutching a tool used on racing bicycles -- the murder weapon. But the wife says she's innocent, and suddenly there are plenty of other suspects.
September 8, 2015
I found that the sarcastic and poetic descriptions used by the private detective in this book are wonderful. He sounds like someone I would enjoy hanging out with on the scene in Seattle, where the book is set. I enjoyed reading about the way that he interrogated each person involved in the murder, and his interactions with his best friend, a female lawyer, were hysterical. If you enjoy murder mysteries with humor, take time to read this book.
June 9, 2012
I like a novel where the location feels like one of the characters - something that couldn't be set in another locale, at least not easily. This book was one of those - the pages were woven through Seattle and the Puget Sound area throughout.
Plenty of suspects, I guessed wrong (as usual).
I am definitely a fan of Earl Emerson's.
Plenty of suspects, I guessed wrong (as usual).
I am definitely a fan of Earl Emerson's.
July 24, 2008
I really enjoy reading the Thomas Black mysteries because they are set in Seattle where I live and the charachters and plots are fun. This book and Rainy City (the first of the series) are the best ones I've read so far.
December 17, 2012
Fair Thomas Black mystery as he has to investigate the murder of a husband and his wife. The problem: This book has too many characters to keep track of. I felt I needed a cheat sheet to remember who was who.
November 11, 2014
A good puzzler, with interesting, well-drawn characters and a vivid setting. Didn't realize this was 4th in a series but it didn't make a difference in my ability to enjoy it. I will look for the others in this series.
February 1, 2009
LOVE THOMAS BLACK, HE'S LOCAL AND FLAWED AND CRAZY AND COOL!
Want to read
March 6, 2009Julie - have you read any of this guy's stuff? He has new novel out and the older ones looked good.
November 25, 2011
This Thomas Black mystery has some of the funniest quips and jokes in the series so far.
June 3, 2012
This book was very clever and enjoyable. The killer was sick twisted and sadistic, and the main character was well written. Flawed, but extremely intelligent and likeable.
January 2, 2014
Love the Thomas Black series, great story.
December 4, 2012
Love Thomas Black and his eccentric sidekick, Kathy!
February 20, 2012
love the Thomas Black series!
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews