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The Single Twin
Abe Allard and C.S. Duffy are not handsome, wise, or tough. They’re not successful. They’re not good at much, but they do know how to solve a mystery.
A woman digging into the adoption of her long-lost twin brother starts getting close to a long-buried secret which riles up those who would rather it stayed hidden. Fearing for her safety, she asks Abe and Duff to find out what really happened that night, and why someone might be willing to kill to keep this adoption from being brought to light.
A woman digging into the adoption of her long-lost twin brother starts getting close to a long-buried secret which riles up those who would rather it stayed hidden. Fearing for her safety, she asks Abe and Duff to find out what really happened that night, and why someone might be willing to kill to keep this adoption from being brought to light.
217 pages, Paperback
Published November 4, 2019
About the author
Sean Patrick Little
37 books112 followersSean Patrick Little is a writer, speaker, editor, educator, and general literary dude from Sun Prairie, Wisconsin.
He is the author of the best-selling Survivor Journals series and the critically praised Abe & Duff mystery series. He has also authored one book in the Shelby Ree mystery series, a space opera called Strange Angels, and is always at work on the next project.
He holds a BA in Broadcast Journalism from UW-Whitewater, a BFA in Fiction Writing from Winona State University, and a master's in Education from St. Mary's University of Minnesota. He has been a teacher, a painter, a paint salesman, and a Dean of Education. He regularly teaches writing and publishing seminars whenever asked.
Little is a member of the Wisconsin Writer's Association, the Authors Guild, the Mystery Writers of America, and Sisters in Crime.
And if any of those groups ever find out, they'll be very upset.
He is the author of the best-selling Survivor Journals series and the critically praised Abe & Duff mystery series. He has also authored one book in the Shelby Ree mystery series, a space opera called Strange Angels, and is always at work on the next project.
He holds a BA in Broadcast Journalism from UW-Whitewater, a BFA in Fiction Writing from Winona State University, and a master's in Education from St. Mary's University of Minnesota. He has been a teacher, a painter, a paint salesman, and a Dean of Education. He regularly teaches writing and publishing seminars whenever asked.
Little is a member of the Wisconsin Writer's Association, the Authors Guild, the Mystery Writers of America, and Sisters in Crime.
And if any of those groups ever find out, they'll be very upset.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
November 20, 2020
I wrote this.
I really liked writing this.
I'd like to write more in this series, but we'll have to see if anyone else concurs, first.
I really liked writing this.
I'd like to write more in this series, but we'll have to see if anyone else concurs, first.
May 2, 2020
My favorite Sean Patrick Little book thus far! More Abe and Duffy please! 👏🏻
March 9, 2020
Abe and Duff are great characters to get to know. They're not classic detectives. They aren't tough, macho, female-magnet avengers of the night. They don't drive a classic car and they aren't an old cynical cop with a rookie partner. They are a couple of very smart guys who might be easy to underestimate based on appearances!
Sean Patrick Little has got a great ear for dialogue and hanging out with Abe and Duff will make you feel like you're overhearing some old pals. These two friends of yours accidentally get involved in a very twisted and complicated plot that seems fairly innocuous at first -- until the murder. Then they've got to figure it all out as quickly as possible before anything else can go wrong!
I personally would watch a TV series based entirely on these two characters. TV executives out there, please get right on that. It could be a cross between Numbers, Monk, and Barney Miller.
Sean Patrick Little has got a great ear for dialogue and hanging out with Abe and Duff will make you feel like you're overhearing some old pals. These two friends of yours accidentally get involved in a very twisted and complicated plot that seems fairly innocuous at first -- until the murder. Then they've got to figure it all out as quickly as possible before anything else can go wrong!
I personally would watch a TV series based entirely on these two characters. TV executives out there, please get right on that. It could be a cross between Numbers, Monk, and Barney Miller.
March 16, 2024
I really enjoyed this book. Abe and Duff are not hero crime busters but they know what makes people tick and can solve puzzles where others have no idea. Funny in all the right places but still a good mystery plot. I will be looking for more adventures with this unlikely pair.
January 29, 2025
Ok so
1. WHY ON EARTH DOES THIS NOT HAVE ENOUGH RATINGS AND REVIEWS?
2. I was looking for “crime fighting duos”. I’ve always been a fan. Sherlock and Watson. Poirot and Hastings. Dresden and Murphy. But surprisingly, it’s usually one of them being the smart one and the other just there to tell the story or compare ordinary intelligence to that of a genius. I wanted something where both the partners are equally smart and this one provided it.
3. Very good fleshing out of both the characters. Really good back stories. Loved how they were not your typical tall, dark and handsome detectives in a trench coat. They felt very common men with very common men problems who just happened to be very smart. Such a unique idea to build your protagonists on.
4. Really loved their friendship. It was in the small things. And loved how realistic their expectations and responsibilities to each other was. At one point Duff asks Abe to think about his family rather than risking his life for saving Duff and Abe did! Think about his family I mean. The most realistic take ever.
5. The mystery was really well built up. It wasn’t out of the box. There were subtle clues everywhere. Loved how the reader was a part of the whole process along with the guys. Also liked how theyshed light on a really important issue with the mystery.
6. Again shocked about the lack of ratings because it was a really good book with great characters and a decent mystery. If you want realistic, everyday life middle aged men with a genius IQ trying to solve cases, this series is it!
1. WHY ON EARTH DOES THIS NOT HAVE ENOUGH RATINGS AND REVIEWS?
2. I was looking for “crime fighting duos”. I’ve always been a fan. Sherlock and Watson. Poirot and Hastings. Dresden and Murphy. But surprisingly, it’s usually one of them being the smart one and the other just there to tell the story or compare ordinary intelligence to that of a genius. I wanted something where both the partners are equally smart and this one provided it.
3. Very good fleshing out of both the characters. Really good back stories. Loved how they were not your typical tall, dark and handsome detectives in a trench coat. They felt very common men with very common men problems who just happened to be very smart. Such a unique idea to build your protagonists on.
4. Really loved their friendship. It was in the small things. And loved how realistic their expectations and responsibilities to each other was. At one point Duff asks Abe to think about his family rather than risking his life for saving Duff and Abe did! Think about his family I mean. The most realistic take ever.
5. The mystery was really well built up. It wasn’t out of the box. There were subtle clues everywhere. Loved how the reader was a part of the whole process along with the guys. Also liked how theyshed light on a really important issue with the mystery.
6. Again shocked about the lack of ratings because it was a really good book with great characters and a decent mystery. If you want realistic, everyday life middle aged men with a genius IQ trying to solve cases, this series is it!
January 15, 2020
I need more Abe and Duffy!
I absolutely loved this mystery novel. My favorite? The characters of Abe and Duffy. Reminded me in a way of the character Monk from the monk tv show where they are two “damaged” people but extremely intelligent. Makes for a really interesting read. I could totally see this being the beginning of a great series! Can’t wait for more.
I absolutely loved this mystery novel. My favorite? The characters of Abe and Duffy. Reminded me in a way of the character Monk from the monk tv show where they are two “damaged” people but extremely intelligent. Makes for a really interesting read. I could totally see this being the beginning of a great series! Can’t wait for more.
March 16, 2020
The classic “duo on the case” gets a modern upgrade in Little’s latest novel. Abe and Duff are wicked smart and hilariously humble. The case is a good one and kept me guessing. More Abe and Duff, please!
February 4, 2020
A most unusual pair of private eyes I have ever read. They are both a couple of sad sack geniuses with the ability to solve crimes with very little to go on. I quite enjoyed the story and Little's ability to portray unique characters that will have you rooting for them. Quite enjoyable.
October 30, 2024
Great banter from a pair of curmudgeonly detectives. Looking forward to reading more Abe and Duff.
January 27, 2020
Loved Duffy
What a great concept. Need more of this partnership. Quick wit and repartee Diff is the man just can't see how will play him in the series that has to come. Look forward to next book.
What a great concept. Need more of this partnership. Quick wit and repartee Diff is the man just can't see how will play him in the series that has to come. Look forward to next book.
November 21, 2020
A great story with some unique but real life characters.
July 12, 2024
The first Abe and Duff mystery introduces two unlikely detectives with as many psychological problems as they have IQ points.
Abe is recently divorced. His wife came out as a lesbian. He moved into a cheap apartment to leave his house for his ex-wife and teenage daughter. Duff is a loner who lives in their office and likes to pick fights. Both work as consultants for the Chicago police department when the department runs into a tough case to solve.
When Mindy Jefferson comes to them with a problem, they find themselves dealing with a long-term political coverup. Mindy's mother has recently passed away from cancer. Before she dies, she tells Mindy that she had a twin brother. Mindy is determined to find her missing twin and, as a former CIA analyst, she should have the skills to do so. However, she's found herself in a hornet's nest and needs to disappear.
Abe and Duff take the case which comes with a hefty fee for each of them. They begin to look into a possible crime that happened 35 years earlier and soon discover that Marcus Stevens, the son of long-time Chicago politician and long-time senator Robert "Even" Stevens, might be Mindy's missing brother.
Believing it is one thing, proving it is quite another and very dangerous for the detective duo as someone is willing to do anything to keep the secret.
I enjoyed this mystery. The characters were interesting people with real problems. The banter between the two partners was quite witty.
Abe is recently divorced. His wife came out as a lesbian. He moved into a cheap apartment to leave his house for his ex-wife and teenage daughter. Duff is a loner who lives in their office and likes to pick fights. Both work as consultants for the Chicago police department when the department runs into a tough case to solve.
When Mindy Jefferson comes to them with a problem, they find themselves dealing with a long-term political coverup. Mindy's mother has recently passed away from cancer. Before she dies, she tells Mindy that she had a twin brother. Mindy is determined to find her missing twin and, as a former CIA analyst, she should have the skills to do so. However, she's found herself in a hornet's nest and needs to disappear.
Abe and Duff take the case which comes with a hefty fee for each of them. They begin to look into a possible crime that happened 35 years earlier and soon discover that Marcus Stevens, the son of long-time Chicago politician and long-time senator Robert "Even" Stevens, might be Mindy's missing brother.
Believing it is one thing, proving it is quite another and very dangerous for the detective duo as someone is willing to do anything to keep the secret.
I enjoyed this mystery. The characters were interesting people with real problems. The banter between the two partners was quite witty.
January 7, 2024
This needs to be a TV show
I randomly chose this book from a slew of indie author's novels when I asked for a recommendation.
I said I wanted to discover the next best seller.
Listen. This isn't Hemingway. But I'm so glad it isn't. There's a time and place for all kinds of stories and all types of writing.
If you are looking for characters that you can actually visualize with lots of depth Abe and Duff are your men. I love them. Like LOVE them. These guys are very representative of Chicago private investigatiors. And I should know because I'm from Chicago and the daughter of a Chicago cop as well as a niece, daughter in law, friend etc. Basically I've grown up around cops all my life.
I really enjoyed the story. But most of all I loved the characters. Duff was hilarious. I know he doesn't want a relationship but I might say yes if he asked me out 😂😂😂 I'm hoping in future books Abe and/or Duff gets a love interest--but that might be because I write romance. Lol.
I honestly hope Sean takes this novel and makes it into a Screenplay or a pilot and pitches it. I think these characters are too big for books.
Great job Sean! You made me laugh out loud while I was reading.
I randomly chose this book from a slew of indie author's novels when I asked for a recommendation.
I said I wanted to discover the next best seller.
Listen. This isn't Hemingway. But I'm so glad it isn't. There's a time and place for all kinds of stories and all types of writing.
If you are looking for characters that you can actually visualize with lots of depth Abe and Duff are your men. I love them. Like LOVE them. These guys are very representative of Chicago private investigatiors. And I should know because I'm from Chicago and the daughter of a Chicago cop as well as a niece, daughter in law, friend etc. Basically I've grown up around cops all my life.
I really enjoyed the story. But most of all I loved the characters. Duff was hilarious. I know he doesn't want a relationship but I might say yes if he asked me out 😂😂😂 I'm hoping in future books Abe and/or Duff gets a love interest--but that might be because I write romance. Lol.
I honestly hope Sean takes this novel and makes it into a Screenplay or a pilot and pitches it. I think these characters are too big for books.
Great job Sean! You made me laugh out loud while I was reading.
May 11, 2025
Dialogue-driven fun! Private detectives Abe and Duff are wonderful. This is the type of novel and duo about which one says, “Why haven’t I heard of this series before?” At first, I wasn’t sure I could take their banter for an entire book (and it is slightly over-the-top), but then I was hooked because the author kept slipping in interesting background information about the characters and heart. Abe Allard and C.S. Duffy are men who’ve had a hard life and still face uncertain futures. They are different yet perfect friends and need each other for survival. In the plot a woman comes to them wanting to find what became of her twin and the mystery is mixed up with a secret at the highest levels of politics. Abe and Duff become relentless despite practically living out of a car, risking their lives, and sleeping in a bathtub (handy for safety if bullets fly). Abe has a fun ex and a smart teen daughter, and I loved those characters as well. While some readers may feel this book slightly over-written, I say read it and stick with it to the end because it’s ultimately very rewarding, surprisingly so.
April 4, 2020
I enjoy a good mystery where I haven't quite figured out everything before the climax of the plot. I enjoyed the relationship between Abe and Duff and the witty dialogue. I was engaged from the very first page and I picture Abe and Duff looking something like the actors who played Bartles & Jaymes on commercials for many years. They also reminded me of the character, Adrian Monk, because they are extremely smart and Duff, especially, doesn't think like the average person. There were some visually hilarious moments and I appreciate a murder mystery that incorporates a bit of humor. I certainly hope there will be more books in this series.
February 12, 2026
What should have been a standard quirky detectives/corrupt Chicago politician story turns out to be a fun read. Abe and Duff's dialog reminds me of the old Dorfmunder books by Donald Westlake. Nothing new here, but a fun read nonetheless.
September 25, 2022
A great read
Terrific characters terrific story. A must read for lovers of the genre. The 2nd and 3rd books are just as good.
Terrific characters terrific story. A must read for lovers of the genre. The 2nd and 3rd books are just as good.
January 22, 2023
Abe and Duff are good guys tho awkward. I like their easy friendship and their brilliant minds. A good mystery as well, and the Chicago setting was fun.
November 30, 2024
Snappy dialogue, unforgettable characters, and one heckuva crime. I am looking forward to reading more Abe & Duff.
June 4, 2022
Many people would classify Abe Allard and C.S. Duffy as underachievers, but the two close friends are a highly effective team of private investigators. This novel introduces the quirky pair as they help a client find the twin brother she has never met and figure out why someone wants to prevent them from doing so.
The author does a fine job of developing the two main characters. I am left with some questions about them, however. In particular, Duff's parents admired C.S. Lewis enough to name a son after him, but they don't seem to have held or lived by the worldview developed in Lewis's work. That doesn't make sense to me.
The author does a fine job of developing the two main characters. I am left with some questions about them, however. In particular, Duff's parents admired C.S. Lewis enough to name a son after him, but they don't seem to have held or lived by the worldview developed in Lewis's work. That doesn't make sense to me.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews