Workman’s Complication

McCall & Company #1

by Rich Leder

WAY-OFF BROADWAY ACTRESS. MURDERED PI FATHER. NEW DAY JOB.

Off-off-off-off Broadway actress Kate McCall inherits her father’s New York private investigations business after he’s a whole lot of murdered in a life insurance company elevator.

A concrete-carrying, ballroom-dancing construction mule says he fell off the scaffolding, can never work—or dance—again, and sues the contractor for a whole lot of money.

Kate assembles the eccentric tenants of her brownstone and her histrionic acting troupe to help her crack the cases, and they stir up a whole lot of trouble.

But not as much as Kate, who sticks her nose in the middle of the multi-million-dollar life-insurance scam her father was investigating and gets a whole lot of arrested for murdering a medical examiner.

Will Kate bust the insurance scam, prove who really killed the examiner—and her father—and get out of jail in time to pull off the ballroom sting of the decade? She might, but it's going to be a whole lot of hilarious.

Genres: Mystery, Humor, Murder Mystery, Fiction, Contemporary

Paperback

First published September 7, 2014

About the author

Rich Leder has been a working writer for more than three decades. His screen credits include 19 produced television films for CBS, Lifetime, and Hallmark, feature films for Lionsgate, Paramount Pictures, Tri-Star Pictures, Longridge Productions, and Left Bank Films. He has published eight novels through Laugh Riot Press.

He has been the lead singer in a Detroit rock band, a restaurateur, a Little League coach, an indie film director, a literacy tutor, a magazine editor, a screenwriting coach, a wedding guru, a PTA board member, a commercial real estate agent, and a visiting artist for the University of North Carolina Wilmington Film Studies Department, among other things, all of which, it turns out, was grist for the mill.

Reviews

[Dianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do NOT call Kate McCall a Private Investigator, she is an actor, but it could be her mad, crazy acting skills and her off-off-off-off Broadway talents and troupe, as well as her quirky neighbors that prove that this Not-A-Private Investigator should be. Kate’s father left her in private investigations firm when he was brutally murdered and it looks like the police are getting nowhere. Time for Kate to make use of all those mad skills her father taught her. While she’s at it, she is determined to close the case of insurance scam that cost him his life.

Zany, comical, chaotic and simply brilliant, Rich Leder’s McCALL & COMPANY: WORKMAN’S COMPLICATION is a light-hearted look at the world a private investigator deals with. Okay, maybe not all PIs, but certainly Kate! Non-stop from start to finish, our Kate bumbles and fumbles her way through surveillance, stings and even has time for an off-off-off-off Broadway play, starring herself as a vampire.

Crazy moments, high-speed chases, a trip to jail and some of the best friends a girl could have, not to mention the brilliant dialogue makes this who-dunit from Rich Leder gloriously entertaining reading!

I received this copy from the author in exchange for my honest review.

Publisher: Laugh Riot Press (September 7, 2014)
Publication Date: September 7, 2014
Genre: Humor | Mystery
Print Length: 373 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com

[Malavika P · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an eBook of Workman’s Complication by Rich Leder in exchange for an honest review. This has in no way effected my review, because either way this review would definitely reflect the rating that I’ve given it!

Anyone who knows me knows that I’m a sucker for a good mystery. Couple that with humor and bam – you have a 5 star read! My major problem with most books is that the starting isn’t compelling enough for me and I have to suffer through it to get to the good part. That was definitely not the case with Workman’s Complication! The very first scene describes Kate trying to enact her lines on stage while wearing Vampire teeth and I immediately burst into laughter.

Plot
Workman’s Complication has a simple, entertaining and interesting plot. When I initially read the synopsis for the book and realized that there’d be two cases running parallel to each other, I thought it might be a little jarring. However, the cases were woven seamlessly together and I had no trouble following the story. I began suspecting the culprit (no spoilers!) somewhere around the 80% mark but the ending was nevertheless fantastic!

Characters
More than the plot, what had me hooked was the characters. Workman’s Complication has a quirky round up of characters with intriguing back stories. Kate McCall herself is one of the few protagonists that I completely related to and enjoyed incredibly. All the characters in her rag-tag, disorderly company who help her out through the investigation were all lovable and laughable (in an excellent way)!

Overall, as I have mentioned before, Workman’s Complication receives 5 stars from me!

[Felita Daniels · Rating 5 out of 5]

We’ve all heard the phrase diamond in the rough. It’s a phrase to indicate future potential but lacking refinement or polish. One of the reasons I started Lilac Reviews was to help new authors become visible to readers. I am so tickled to tell you about this book. The author has already looked over his story and decided on the perfect ‘cut.’ He has polished the edges and held it up to see it sparkle in the light. It is a diamond, period, end of sentence.
I loved the chapter titles, the formatting was professional, the cover is indicative of the content. It has been edited so that nothing slows down your enjoyment of the story.
Kate is the lead actress in this work. She helps her father Jimmy, a private investigator, on occasion. Most actors and actresses do other jobs to earn money on the side. She earns some rent by managing the apartment building she lives in. You get to meet the other tenants along with the folks in the play she’s currently rehearing in anticipation of an opening night. Her son is a district attorney. Unfortunately, her father is murdered. This is where the mystery starts. He hadn’t told her about a new case. The cops think she’s holding out on them. It may seem strange that a novel with drama and murder and mourning could be humorous. But life is like that too. I appreciate that you see Kate mourn her father throughout the book when something reminds her of him. I like that you see how much Jimmy was loved and respected by the way the other characters step in to help her. It takes a village, right?
Let’s talk about the humor. This isn’t the laugh out loud Dick Van Dyke falling over the furniture type humor. It’s more like the dialogue in Firefly. You chuckle to yourself, and maybe snort if you don’t think there is anyone around. I think this quote will get you curious without giving too much away.
“When I was fourteen, Jimmy told me that Miranda was his friend. “She’s there when I need her,” he said. “That’s what I like about Miranda.” Years later, I learned that Miranda wasn’t a woman that Jimmy knew: it was his right to remain silent, his right to speak to an attorney even if he couldn’t afford one.”
There are some quirky characters along the way but they aren’t stupid goofy. Next to Kate, my favorite character is Fu. He’s the maintenance man with a dark past. I really hope he’s in the next book, I want to learn more about him. In summary, I have a new favorite author.
I was given a copy of the novel free in order to read and write an honest review.

[Sheri · Rating 5 out of 5]

McCall & Company: Workman's Complications by Rich Leder

Kate McCall, a small time actress inherits her fathers private investigators business after her was murdered. Her father was investigating a life insurance scam and Kate decides to look into this case, as well as who killed her father. She finds herself in hot water when she lands in jail as a suspect in a murder. Will she get out of jail, prove her innocence and find the murderer?

A fast paced well written murder/mystery. I really liked Kate she is pretty much thrown into the investigation. The story has some twist and turns, that keep you guessing, anyone and everyone could be the murderer. I also liked Kate's back story as an "aspiring actress" and the setting in New York City. I feel that lovers of murder/mystery will enjoy McCall & Company: Workman’s Complication.

[PointedlyBlunt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Struggling actress Kate McCall begrudgingly inherits her father’s private investigation business after he’s found murdered in an elevator of a large office building. Tasked with completing a job her father left unfinished, she sets out to solve it, and in the process, find out who killed her father.

The story’s highly entertaining, but starts out a little slow and is a bit long. The mystery aspect of the plot is interesting, but my favorite thing about the book was the characters, especially the tenants of Kate’s apartment building. They were all unique and well-developed, making for some very funny moments. The plot is well-constructed and at times, intricate. There’re a lot of characters to keep track of, and at times, I would forget who was who.

It’s an entertainingly light read with a little bit of mystery, humor, and even a dash of romance.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Shelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Source* Publisher*
*Genre* Mystery, Hijinks
*Rating* 3.5-4

*Thoughts*

Workman's Complication, by author Rich Leder, is the first installment in Leder's McCall & Company series. Meet Kate McCall. Kate is an off-off-off-off Broadway actor playing the part of a vampire/subway ticket sales agent. But, Kate's world is soon shattered when she learns that her father was brutally murdered and left at a high rise called Monument Life Insurance Building. What's even more curious, is that Kate is left holding the bag. 

*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*

http://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/201...

[DJ Sakata · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Rating:

4.5

Favorite Quotes:

“But the acting career path I was planning took a sharp left turn when I got pregnant at sixteen and gave birth to a boy, Matthew, exactly on my seventeenth birthday. The young man who assisted in getting me pregnant left immediately for San Francisco to be, among other things, gay.”

“She was a person who deserved an adjective at all times, at least in the privacy of my own mind.”

“From Jimmy, I had inherited some distinctly Irish DNA that had compelled me since childhood to do precisely whatever I was forbidden to do.”

“Warren wasn’t a particularly nice man either. Forty-five years of opening doors for people who wouldn’t give him the time of day if they were wearing two watches had worn his patience and self-esteem thin.”


My Review:

This cleverly written and highly entertaining book is difficult for me to classify. It was at times raucous, a smartly written comedy that is shrewdly funny, but is also an intriguing mystery, a romance, a family drama, and an addicting tale. I was already chuckling and snorting in merriment during the first chapter. I enjoyed all the quirky characters but my favorite has to be the large Chinese handyman name Fu, who verbalizes only five different English words through most of the story. The writing is crisp, fast paced, smartly humorous and richly detailed. I could almost smell the descriptions. I derived a great deal of enjoyment in the main character’s repurposing of the clothing and costumes for her undercover work, that had been acquired and amassed throughout her acting career as wardrobe, while also describing the bizarre or eccentric role, production, or character she had previously portrayed while using the garments. After years of off - off – off - off Broadway, she continues to describe herself as an “aspiring actor” with a long list of other jobs she has held at various times… although after nearly thirty years and now at age forty-five, her adult son believes she should be well past the aspiring phase and on to a more stable and down to earth profession. In attempting to solve her father’s murder, she miraculously stumbles through several dangerous encounters and whacky plot twists, including a high speed car chase, car theft, breaking and entering, computer hacking, marijuana growing, fraud, impersonating a police officer, hand to hand combat, boxing, shooting a dead man, ballroom dancing, and musical theater. Like I said, hard to classify, but extremely easy to appreciate. I would love to read more of these adventures in subsequent volumes.

[B.K. Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the moment I picked this book up, I couldn’t put it down. When I had to, I couldn’t wait to get back to it, it IS that good. Leder does a fantastic job of drawing the reader in, not to mention keeping you entertained through the entire thing. It felt like an old time movie, you know? The good one’s they don’t make any more? I could see in my mind a young Katherine Hepburn playing the role of Kate, and Cary Grant playing as Detective Herriman. You may see someone else, but you will definitely get the feeling it should be a movie!


You will find yourself laughing out loud, and anxiously turning the pages to see what Kate and her quirky crew are up to next. I can’t say enough about how great this book was, and if you’ve never heard of Rich Leder, you don’t even have to worry about trusting your purchases of his books, because he’s that GREAT of a writer.

I can easily see his books landing on the NY Times Bestseller lists and if you haven’t tried them yet, I strongly suggest you do. I place him right up there with Dean Koontz, James Patterson and Nicholas Sparks! He’s fantastic!

The characters are easy to connect with, the suspense is at the right pace to keep you wanting more, and the humor is brilliant! I easily give it 5 Wolf Moons and Rich Leder is easily placed as one of my most favorite authors! Don’t wait, get right over to Amazon and grab your copy this minute! You won’t regret it.

[Margaret Millmore · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kate is an off-off Broadway actress, and like most in her position, she must take on other jobs to make ends meet. In Kate’s case, she’s done it all on the career spectrum of an unknown actress, including working as a private detective with her father, Jimmy. However, when Jimmy is murdered, not only is Kate confronted with the terrible news, but Jimmy left the PI business to her with the expectation that she’d pick up where he left off. Although Kate isn't interested in being a PI, she does want to find out what happened to her father, but she’s also drawn into one of his unsolved cases as well.

There’s a lot going on in this story, there’s the murder, the unsolved case and an unexpected romance with one of the detectives working on her father’s murder. However, the author never confuses the reader and the story flows beautifully. It’s rife with quirky characters and funny scenes and dialogue, simply a really good read that keeps you turning the pages until the end. I’m looking forward to reading the next book in this new series.

This book was provided to me for free for an honest and unbiased review (see all our reviews at http://www.bookexplosions.com/)

[Hobart · Rating 4 out of 5]

★ ★ ★ 1/2 (rounded up)
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
Kate McCall is an actress struggling to make it -- she's had a few dozen jobs to support her acting (and her son while he was growing up), and is now a building manager, dog walker and off-off-off Broadway actress (I'm probably leaving off a couple of "off"s there). One recurring gig has been helping her father, a private investigator, from time to time.

When Jimmy McCall is murdered he leaves his agency to Kate -- which she doesn't want, she's not a P.I. ,she's an actress -- just ask her. Nevertheless, she's driven to see if she can't figure out what led him to the building he was killed in. Before she knows it, she's lying to the police about what he was working on that might have led to his murder, as well as getting pretty deep into the investigation herself.

Meanwhile, her father's lawyer sends a prospective client to her -- Teddy Barkowski is a general contractor who is being sued by someone who fell off some scaffolding and injured his back. Kate doesn't want to take this case, but honestly, the money woos her. Soon she agrees, with internal reservations, to look at the case. After meeting Barkowski's wife and kids, she's all in -- there's no way that she'll let this guy and his lawyer hurt the family. Easier said than done, really -- this is one tough nut to crack.

Thankfully, Kate's not alone -- she has two great sources to turn to for help. She's got the actors, producers, writers and the rest from her theater to pitch in, playing various roles to try to help her get information about the workman's compensation case. Not only that, many (if not all) of the tenants in the building she manages are friends with Kate and each other. She calls the apartment the House of Emotional Tics and to say that it's populated by a collection of strange characters, is an understatement. With a variety of particular skills (many of which are legal to exercise), Kate calls upon them to help with her investigation of her father's death.

Her son, an assistant DA in the city and the homicide detective she starts dating, aren't nearly as supportive of her new career. In fact, they're downright discouraging. I wasn't a fan of almost all the interactions with her son -- but his last appearance in the novel won me over. The love interest-detective, on the other hand, I thought worked very well.

This is a light/comedic mystery novel -- but it is a mystery novel with strong PI stories, both of which could've been told without the comedic elements and made a pretty good novel. But they do work better the way that Leder told them. Basically Kate's Stephanie Plum with actual skills, or David Ahern's Derry O’Donnell with a bit more maturity, success in theater, and no psychic abilities. The first-person narration is amusing and crisply written, there are more laughs than tense moments -- but all the elements work together and balance each other out well. Occasionally, the goofiness that accompanies the people from the D-Cup theater or the House of Emotional Tics threatens to interfere with the narrative, but it never does -- and usually ends up supporting the detective stories. In the end, Kate's large collection of sidekicks are more like the team that Fox & O'Hare use than Stephanie Plum's coworkers/family/friends -- they aren't inept, but they can actually accomplish most of what they set out to do (and when they don't, it's not because they're jokes -- it's because they got beaten fair and square).

I've compared this to Evanovich enough, how does this compare with Rich Leder's work? Well, I quite enjoyed Let There Be Linda, and I can say that this isn't the same kind of book. Linda frequently felt out of control, in a good way, mind you, but you could argue that Leder took a handful of whacky ideas and threw them together in a contained space to see what would happen when they combined with each other. This was just as funny (sometimes more so, sometimes not as much), but felt controlled -- there was one strong narrative and a few others that supported it. Characters that were more grounded (note, I said more grounded, not grounded), and some emotional depth to the story/storytelling. I'm belaboring this point to underline the differences in the books because I think it demonstrates Leder's skill, and because I know that Linda's style can be off-putting for some, and I don't want those people to think that this book should be avoided.

When the reveal of the murderer happened, I was a little annoyed with myself for not catching the clue that tipped her off. I will admit, I noticed the same thing she did, but shrugged it off, assuming it was a problem with the editing. But, naturally, the folks at Laugh Riot Press don't make flubs like that -- it was a genuine clue and I didn't run with it. Beyond my annoyance with myself for not figuring out the murderer, I rather enjoyed the reveal -- and Kate's ultimate triumph in the other case, too.

A very satisfying, entertaining novel -- really funny with real emotion -- that introduces you to a cast of characters that you want to spend more time with -- thankfully, there are two more books in the series and I hope to return to them soon. Give this one a shot, folks.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Amanda Hupe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Workman’s Complication by Rich Leder is a comedic mystery that has many colorful characters and what seems like an endless plot. Kate McCall is a 45 year-old actor who is starring in an off, off broadway play about vampires. Outside of acting, she walks dogs and is a building manager. She was completely focused on her vampire musical when she finds out her father is murdered. Her father was a private investigator and leaves her the business. Kate wants nothing to do with the P.I. business and wants to focus on acting.

However, after reading his case files, she decides to investigate his murder which also is connected to another case that he was working. The case involved a healthy, fit man, dying of a heart attack and leaving 10 million in life insurance to a non-existent ex-wife. In the meantime, she also looks into another one of his cases that involves a man claiming to be injured on a construction site and is suing the owner…because apparently Kate doesn’t have enough going on. Anyhow, things take a dangerous turn as she tries to navigate the P.I. business, her love life, acting and all her other jobs.

Check out the rest of my review at
https://amandasbookreviewsite.wordpre...

[Douvonté · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25

[Chris Pavesic · Rating 5 out of 5]

I knew that I would like this novel from the very first line: “It was harder to sing with the vampire teeth than I thought it would be.” This is a very evocative image, especially given the number of television shows and movies that have featured vampires in the last decade. I often wondered how the actors/actresses managed to talk with a mouth full of prosthetic fangs without mumbling or lisping (which probably tells you quite a bit about me and what I think about when watching movies!) To be able to sing in a live theater production with those fangs—well, that would be a feat in itself.

 

**SPOILER ALERT**

 

Workman’s Complication, though, is not about singing vampires. The novel centers around Kate, a struggling actress who works (and has worked) a multitude of other jobs in order to pay the bills. Kate learns that her father, Jimmy, has been murdered. As a working private investigator, it is not unexpected, but Kate does need time to morn his passing.

Yet Kate is not given that time. During the reading of the will, Kate learns that she has inherited her father’s business, which boils down to a few possessions in a box. Being Irish, she holds a wake to bury both her father and her own Private Investigator’s license (which she only held to help out her father) when a client appears. Jimmy’s lawyer (who is also his friend) directed the man to approach Kate for a case. The burial of her license is aborted when Kate takes the job and decides to investigate her father’s death as well. Complications then ensue that manage not only to pull in Kate, but also her son, Matthew, who is a District Attorney.

Although this surface description does not sound amusing, Rich Leder does a wonderful job at keeping the tone light. The humor comes from the writing—the subtle way the sentences are crafted—and from the characters themselves.

Look at the following quotation—

“But the acting career path I was planning took a sharp left turn when I got pregnant at sixteen and gave birth to a boy, Matthew, exactly on my seventeenth birthday. The young man who assisted in getting me pregnant left immediately for San Francisco to be, among other things, gay.”

The word choice, the dramatic pause from the commas, the words inserted to interrupt the flow of the sentence, all add to the dry wit of the passage. It will bring a smile to the face of a reader who appreciates this type of humor.

The characters are all wonderful and dysfunctional in their own unique ways. For example, all of Kate’s neighbors attended the wake even though they did not know Jimmy and then negotiated with the client for Kate while toasting her father.

“We’re negotiating. It’s what your old man would’ve done,” Ray said.
“He would’ve driven a hard bargain, Kate,” Edie said.

“To Jimmy,” Warren said. “He never settled.”

“To Jimmy,” everyone said and threw their shots down.

None of these people knew my father. They had no idea whatsoever whether or not he would have settled. But it was a toast. I drank too and refilled the Dixie cups.

**Really Serious MAJOR Spoilers AHEAD**

 

You have been warned!

 

I like the fact that Leder brings the book full circle at the end. It begins in the theater with singing vampires and ends the same way. Kate has a quiet moment with her son discussing the play:

I turned to Matthew and said, “Did you really like it?”

“Yes, Mom, it was fun. But it was also hard to follow, and there were oceans of blood. I mean really a lot. I’m talking about crazy blood.”

“It was hot up there, and I was singing and dancing and killing half the neighborhood. I got very thirsty.”

We both laughed, and then I shrugged and said, “It’s off-off-off- off Broadway. We make up for our shortcomings by bleeding profusely.”

 

I will need to post “We make up for our shortcomings by bleeding profusely” somewhere in my office. As a motivational phrase, it works on so many levels. It is also a great line for Kate who made up for her own shortcomings as a P.I. by bleeding, both metaphorically and physically, when solving her first case.

 

Workman's Complication, by Rich Leder is a novel I would recommend to any adult reader who likes a good mystery with a touch of dry wit. (I actually did recommend it to one of my friends last night.) I give it 5 stars.

Cheers!

 

Disclaimer—I received a copy of this book for a fair and timely review.

[Galit Balli · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars :)
Note: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Review
Plot/Story:

After I read the blurb and all the reviews of this story, I was really looking forward to reading this book. However no matter how much I tried, it didn’t click for me. I really like the overall story and Kate McCall, the main character, as a single mom, actress and fighting to pay her bills. Somehow after a few chapters, it was getting hard for me to really care about what will happen next. I think the only reason I did finish the book was due to the author writing style, but everything else fell flat for me.
Characters:

Kate the main character was written truly well and you could feel her struggles and emotions as she takes her father’s job as a Private Investigator. I thought that the other characters in this story fell a bit short. But, Kate brought me till the end and I am happy that I was able to finish the story and enjoy Kate’s laughter and hurt.
Romance/Kills:

I love that this book has it all. It has love, family, true emotions and tons of good humor.
Writing:

The reason I did finish the book was due to the author writing style. I loved dialogs and the humor that Rich added all through the story. The author was able to keep the suspense throughout the entire book, but still kept it light for us to enjoy the story more.
Beginning:

The first third of the story was very slow and I did fought with it to continue reading, but as I got to know Kate more, I just really wanted to know even more about her and how she will deal with things. There were some bits of information that did not needed to be there that soon for Kate, but this confusion did not stopped me from reading.
Ending:

I loved how the story ends, just as it started and for me the story ended with good closure of the whole story.
Cover Art:

The cover art is nice and fits the story, and it has the book feel in mind very well though.
Blurb:

The blurb is nicely written and hints of the mysteries to come, very well.

You can also read this review at Goodreads and Amazon.

Other Stuff

Opening Line: “It was harder to sing with the vampire teeth than I thought it would be.”

Highlights: For me the highlight of the story was the humor and Kate, both kept me reading and enjoying the overall story.

Lowlights: For me the other characters in the book, even Kate’s son all fell flat and I just didn’t care about them much. There were a few bits in the story that didn’t add up with the cases Kate worked on, but Kate’s true nature kept me hooked to the story.

Final Thoughts: I enjoyed reading the story and I might come back to it in some other time. It was a weird mixture of things, but by the end of the book I realized I did enjoy reading it.

Read the original review at: The Reading Bud

[Jennifer (BTH Reviews) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Review originally appeared on Books That Hook

I am excited to present to you a great book called Workman’s Complication by Rich Leder. It is an entertaining mystery about an off-off-off-off Broadway actress who inherits a P.I. business from her father after he is murdered. Kate gets in way over her head with two cases–the investigation into who killed her father and an investigation into a worker’s compensation claim. Kate is a Stephanie Plum-type character, running into all sorts of trouble, but she’s older and less sassy.

I appreciated that Kate was older; it was refreshing to see a middle-aged character who kicked butt. Also, the dynamics between her and her adult son were on-target and fun to watch. Kate is a well-developed character. She doesn’t always make the best decision, but she does it with the best of intentions.

The rest of the cast of characters are great, too. They are quirky and amusing. Each contributes to the story in his or her own way. Because the characters are all so different, it is easy to keep track of who is who. Sometimes the secondary characters blend together because they are flat or unremarkable. That is definitely not the case in this book.

The writing itself is excellent. I only found one spelling error in the entire book. The writing flows well, making it a quick and easy read.

There were a few things about the book that I found problematic. First, Kate often knew things she couldn’t possibly know. For example, when meeting the detectives for the first time, she states exactly how old each is. Unless she stopped the interrogation to ask them their ages, I don’t see how she could have known this. As far as I know, she had no psychic abilities. Second, there was a scene in which Kate thought, “that implicated me in a ten million dollar insurance fraud and possibly tied me to a murder or two.” The first part of this statement is correct, but the second part is not because it refers to the other case that she was not investigating at that moment. The two cases got confused. Third (and this is the biggest one in my opinion), Kate overlooked a major way her client could have fought the case against Curry. She chalks it up as another sign her client is going to get screwed over, when she could have used that information to nail him to the wall.

These few issues were not enough to sway my opinion of the book. I thought it was a great story. I would read more by this author. I recommend Workman’s Complication to readers who like mysteries solved by people who shouldn’t be sticking their nose in something that should be handled by the police. This is one of those books that makes you cheer for the underdogs.

[Amy (Lost in a Good Book) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Note: I was provided with a copy of this book from the publisher for review.

Leder toes the line between absurd and realistic with this novel with wonderful balance, displaying the right set of circumstances and components that pull off the strange events in this story and make it work smoothly and effectively. The narrative is easy to read and the story is engaging and captivating, making it compelling to read and very hard to put down.

From early on the humour is evident but it never stands out awkwardly, nor does Leder try too hard. The combination of unique and eccentric characters and an intriguing storyline makes the story light while not taking away the serious elements of the story and it gives it a feeling of genuineness. Leder is skilled at saying a lot without saying much and he uses the narrative and dialogue remarkably well to provide information without breaking the flow of the story. The dialogue and character interactions are also excellent and they demonstrate character personalities and show relationships nicely.

The residents at the Brownstone are a quirky and peculiar bunch that is worthy of Hey Arnold and their uniqueness and interactions with one another make you smile and provide immense joy as you read. Even in their limited roles Leder brings the characters to life offering up their whole personality and life on the page, aided by Kate's explanations but also by their interactions with one another. Other characters are developed and enjoyable and through Kate's assessments and Leder's minimal expression, getting a sense of who each character is is easy.

There are a few crazy and adventurous moments that can seem a tad outlandish but these moments are not without consequence and Kate's knowledge as a PI and skills as an actress come in handy though not always with favourable results. I loved that everything was not perfect and there are real mistakes and consequences, it allowed the story to have surprises, danger, and excitement all the while maintaining a realistic feel to the story.

There are multiple points of interest to retain your attention and with surprises big and small Leder keeps it fun while being mysterious and filling you with anticipation. The humour makes you smile while the mystery pulls you in and the realness keeps you reading to the last page. It is a wonderful and surprising read.

A longer version of this review was posted on my blog https://lostinagoodbk.wordpress.com/2...

[Diane Coto · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kate McCall is an actress; at least that’s what she keeps telling us. So, when her father, Jimmy, is murdered, she inherits his PI business and ‘stuff.’ That stuff is in a box that includes his closed files; his open files; his urn; and his gun. Kate has actually held many jobs, one of which was helping her father every now and again with his caseload, so she already has her PI license. She can step right in and work the open cases – if she wants to. Instead, she brings the box with her father’s stuff back to her apartment building where she asks Fu, the maintenance man, to dig an adequate sized hole and invites (mandatory attendance) the tenants to the backyard for a wake (he was Irish after all). The residents weigh in one by one and tell Kate she needs to avenge her father’s death. But, she’s an actress! She even has a leading role with The Schmidt and Parker Players as Farina LeBleu, a Cajun Vampire. But, she finally relents and agrees to take a look at the cases especially since she now knows the police also want them. First, she’ll need to hold the police off long enough to investigate, beginning with the question of which case may have caused someone to murder her father.

I fell in love with the personality of Kate, her very quirky tenants, and her acting troupe. This is the first in the McCall & Company series. As such, the personality of Jimmy comes through only by what you read in his will and Kate’s remembrance of him. Even though this is a humorous novel, the author shows Kate as compassionate as she mourns for her father when she comes across places and things that remind her of him. There were many characters, but each one was so unique that it was easy to remember them. It could be considered a cozy mystery, except it is a bit more graphic than most cozies. This novel is followed by Swollen Identity, the second in this series. I rated Workman’s Complication at 4 out of 5.

[Susan Barton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Workman's Complication is a must read murder mystery! From the first word to the last I was truly entertained! I immediately fell in love with the main character, Kate McCall. Kate dedicated herself to acting when she was just in the seventh grade. Her acting was put on temporary hold when she became a teen mom. But through determination and hard work, Kate raised her son on her own. Between acting gigs she would do private investigator work, including surveillance, as well as odd jobs for her father's private investigator business.

The fast-paced action takes off with the news of Kate's father's murder. Upon inheriting the private investigator's business, Kate was willing to bury the past and the business along with her father. After all, she was an off-off-off-off Broadway actress.

Her plans were to dedicate her time acting, but once again, it didn't quite work out as planned. Besides the investigation of her murdered father, Kate became involved in a case where a construction worker fell from scaffolding. She also jumped into an investigation of a multi-million dollar life insurance scam her father was investigating at the time of his murder. Kate was so overwhelmed with investigating and acting, she decided she needed help. After hiring her quirky friends from her apartment building and her zany actor friends, the story really took off.

I admired Kate. She kept me in suspense with her hilarious laugh-out-loud antics. Worker's Complication is an entertaining fast-paced comical read! With so many scenarios going on, it was difficult to figure out who done it! I can't wait to read author Rich Leder's sequel! Kate is definitely my hero.

Review by Monica McDaniel for eBook Review Gal.
eBook Review Gal received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Cheyanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

A two genre mix that you don't see enough of these days is that of comedy and crime. This may be put down to the fact that it's a hard combination to balance without looking like you're trying to parody the crime genre.

Yet Rich Leder seems to have got that balance down perfectly within this first offering in his series alone. Workman's Complication is a fine balance of crazy, serious crime solving and genuine glances into normal everyday life.

With a fast paced story that goes from normal shenanigans to action in the blink of an eye it really begins to feel like you're within the story itself, unable to breathe for the sheer ferocity of the plot twists that seem to be at every turn. The ending twist alone should be commended particularly, with the abrupt and clever way the case finally gets solved.

The comedy too gets a look in through this crazy twisting plot, for surely none can see half of what is coming next. It's so unpredictable that it's funny. Literally.

The very memorable supporting characters also add a hilarious flavouring to the mix, through a mix of unbelievable, yet surprisingly endearing, personalities.

Yet it's Leder's writing style that really adds and cements the plot together with the underlying comedy factor, through his clever word play and witty metaphors, both of which tend to light things up when it starts to get too dark. We don't want things to get too serious, after all. Leder's bigger-than-life characters wouldn't allow that.

Full of wit, twists, crazy characters and equally crazy action, plus complex narrative to please any crime buff, this is a brilliant example of when genre mashing WORKS. The world of comedy/crime is clearly an open book to Mr Leder.

[Just another reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was provided with a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I just can't recollect when was the last time I laughed out this heartily reading a book! This book had me in splits all the way through. It's a tremendous and terrific job that Leder has taken up and accomplished - carving out black comedy (and bits of enjoyable slapstick) into a beautiful book... Mix a fast-paced murder mystery with that, and the combination is lethally funny - literally. My sides are aching from all the laughing.

Kate is this struggling broadway actress, who still clings on with ounces of vain hope to her dreams of someday making a strike at stardom. Life flips 180 degrees in a matter of days for her and she inherits not just her father's business, but the responsibility of cracking the mystery behind his stunning and untimely murder, the cause behind why a construction worker fell off a scaffolding, and the dangerous scam case that her father was investigating. At her wit's end, she decides to take help from people in her apartment building and her acting troupe. Armed with a force that topple each other up in their quirkiness, crankiness and clumsiness, does she manage to stay alive, leave alone crack the mysteries, is what the book takes us through.

The choice of plot, storyline and the way of depicting the ensuing hilarity deserves a lot of commendation. I would rate the book with a 5 stars for just that! But to add to it, Leder's writing is captivating and brilliant. Be it humour or the page-turning suspense, he handles it all with splendid ease.

This was a brilliant read, and I urge everyone to pick this up!

[Ashley Tomlinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really did not think I was going to like this book. I thought "great another P.I. story" because I have read so many books about private investigators. But this one wasn't like all the rest, the characters were like-able and funny and the story was a fun read. I thought it was a great mystery with a comical edge to it.

Kate was a working Mom that was just trying to make it in the world. My God her job list was as long as my arm! I thought it was cool that she was following her dream to be an actor but I like what her son said about it: "You can't be an aspiring actor forever. At some point you have to stop aspiring to be something and actually be something." I think that was one of my favorite lines in the book, which was tough to choose because there are a lot of good lines in this. I commend her for being a P.I. after what happened to her dad because I would have run away after that. No way would I follow behind in his footsteps after that.

I like all the people that lived in her building, they were wildly entertaining. I don't really know anyone in this book that wasn't at least a little entertaining.

Though I didn't want to start reading this, because it doesn't sound like something I would normally pick up. I'm glad I gave it a chance. I'm glad I got to read this highly entertaining, funny, well written book.

[D.E. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Workman’s Complication is a fun read that reminds the reader of a gumshoe detective story. There are lots of characters, lots of complications and lots of fun. I really enjoyed the read. I liked the character of Kate McCall a lot. She seems sometimes to be bumbling about, but she’s smarter than she looks – or acts for that matter. The secondary characters in her apartment building and of her acting troupe were great fun. A whole lot of crazy that adds to the enjoyment of the read.

Although I enjoyed the book very much, I had a few minor issues with the novel. First of all, there were too many mundane details. I don’t care which train and bus Kate has to take. Also, how did Kate know the exact age of everyone she met briefly. Did she ask them? She also knows the exact price of clothing worn by everyone. Although the characters were lots of fun, I had a hard time keeping them apart in the beginning as there were just so many of them. For a humorous novel, I felt it was a bit too long.

I really enjoyed the novel and would recommend it to anyone who looks a fun mystery.

[Cissy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read Workman's Complication and the second book in the series, Swollen Identity, back to back, and loved them both. Each fast-paced book has everything you could want in a mystery detective novel--or any novel for that matter: an exciting and original plot including gunplay, disguises, car chases, elaborate sting operations and a cast of idiosyncratic characters surrounding, supporting and out to get the feisty actress-turned-PI Kate McCall. Highly entertaining and hilarious, with devious and surprising plot twists and turns, these books had me looking forward to the next in the series so that I can once again visit the D-Cup Theater for another crazy, blood-spurting production; the House of Emotional Tics for a barbecue, a rental car and some putdowns from a parrot; and most importantly, Kate McCall and her hectic, dangerous and intriguing life.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mr. Leder has written a great mystery, with a great plot and great character development making this an excellent read. I enjoyed Rich Leder's books so much that I also ordered his other two books "Juggler, Porn Star, Monkey Wrench: A Romantic Hollywood Sex Comedy" and "Swollen Identity (McCall & Company Book 2) (Volume 2)". This is a book for everyone and I am so grateful to have won it on GoodReads that I will be paying it forward and giving to a friend to also enjoy. Thanks again Mr. Leder.

[J. Ewbank · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book by Leder is an excellent read for mystery buffs and for those who just like a good story. The main character is well sketched out and you come to really like her. The plot is well done and keeps your attention. The other characters are believable. This is a good read and you should enjoy it. I know I did.

J. Robert Ewbank author "John Wesley, Natural Man, and the Isms" "Wesley's Wars" and "To Whom It May Concern"

[Tashia Jennings · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Goodreads First Reads and author, Rich Leder, I get the pleasure of reading this book for free. Thanks!

[Bona Fide Book Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a super entertaining book! It is the story of Kate McCall, who basically will only admit to being a way off-Broadway actress, never mind the dog walking or being an apartment manager for a bunch of quirky people. At this moment, she is Farina LeBleu, star of Blood Song and Dance and vampire extraordinaire. Too bad her fangs make her sound as though she’s from another planet. She’s never done much acting beyond commercials that are only watched by insomniacs. Kate is informed that her father, Jimmy, has managed to be murdered by having both eyes shot out of his head. Always knowing her father was a do or die private investigator, Kate had feared this day for a long time.

When Kate attends the reading of the will, she finds her father’s interesting take on life in evidence. Jimmy leaves his blue suit to his cousin, in hopes he will one day get a job. His Volvo goes to his drunken Uncle Mike, although the keys are left with his wife. The house in the Pocono’s goes to his fishing addicted brother, Kevin. To his oldest daughter, who believes money is all there is to life, he leaves all his money, of course. To Kate, he leaves a box and an urn with what little of him there is left. Kate grabs her box and urn and heads home, wondering what she is going to do with her inheritance. The box can always go in the trash, but what does one do with an urn full of ashes?

Kate happens to be the live-in manager of a five-story walk-up brownstone, which she refers to as ‘The House of Emotional Tics.’ Her tenets consist of what you would call ‘different’ people. Edie wears evening gowns and her husband, Ray, likes to speak of the great results he gets with Viagra. Al Cutter complains of a backed up toilet and having to fill Gatorade bottles as a consequence. There’s also a Chinese assassin, who lives in the basement and does the maintenance. Unfortunately, he doesn’t deal with toilets. That is just the tip of the iceberg. There is plenty more for the reader.

This book is made to entertain and it succeeds from the very beginning to the very end. I found Kate to be a deep character with a sense of humor that doesn’t end. Even though she is shaken by the death of her father, she is constantly involved with her tenants and their strange ideas of how life should be lived. They are basically good people who are more than willing to help her find out who murdered Jimmy. I would not change a single one of them, even though she finds them to be a pain in her backside occasionally. I think Kate is right where she needs to be. People fill her life with their love and care, and she reciprocates by desiring to embellish the lives of everyone she comes in contact with.

The rating:

Genre and general reading age – Comedy/Suspense. Can these two be mixed? Reading age is adults, just because there is a lot of story.
Level of sexuality – Low.
Is there graphic language? Not so much that I noticed.
Did I cry? Certainly not.
Did I laugh? I certainly did.
Is this part of a series? Yes, the McCall & Company series.
Level of character development – Kate is a deep character to begin with. I don’t think she or her supporting cast need any help.

Naturally, this book has ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ stars.

[Clabe Polk · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fine story well told and well written.

In the midst of rehearsing a far off-Broadway play in which she plays a vampire who doubles as a sub-way ticket sales agent, Kate McCall is approached by two NYPD detectives who tell her that her father was found dead in the Monument Life Insurance Company’s elevator. “Why the hell,” wondered McCall, “would her father Jimmy McCall be in the Monument Life Insurance Building’s elevator to begin with…let alone be killed there?” But, wait a minute! He wasn’t killed there. His body was just found there; with both eyes shot out.

In the settlement of her father’s estate, McCall is left his private detective business…in a cardboard box. Determined to find Jimmy’s killer, she defies her son, a Manhattan Assistant District Attorney, and two NYPD detectives by picking up Jimmy’s business where he left off…Kate McCall became a private detective.

Besides the hunt for Jimmy’s killer which leads her squarely to the door-step of a Monument Life Insurance executive, she is soon also deeply embedded in a case involving a construction worker who is suing his boss for permanent injuries that allegedly occurred on his worksite. While anyone would suspect a fraudulent claim, it is up to McCall to stretch herself far outside her comfort zone to prove it. But even more challenging than proving fraudulent injuries, proving murder when the suspect is powerful and surrounds herself with powerful people…including certain NYPD detectives…is even more challenging.

To meet the challenge, she enlists the aid of the misfits who live in her building, and the eccentric owners and members of her theater company to play Academy Award quality roles sometimes in a life and death context.

Workman’s Complication is a story well-told and well written in Rich Leder’s tongue-in-cheek style of dry humor. The characters are well developed and readers are easily drawn into liking or hating the characters. McCall is multi-tasker; her survival depends on it. Fu…well, Fu is Fu...

“Fu say trap!”

“I know it’s a trap. I knew it was trap before you knew it was trap!”

“Fu know first.”

“Fu you, Fu!”

“Fu you too!”

And so it goes until the bad guys give in, die or are killed by the guy that killed Jimmy to begin with.

A fine read for anyone who loves mystery action books. And, oh, did I mention that Kate McCall is an actress, not a detective…kind of puts a whole new light on things, doesn’t it?

[Ricki · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just happened upon this on hoopla and decided to try it. There was a four book download and after the first, it's over for me.

Kate is an aspiring actor- of sorts, dog walker, manager of an apt building and mother to an assistant DA. She also has her PI license from helping her Dad on cases. The story begins with his death and her insistance to all that she is not investigating but then does. Her Dad's lawyer also recommends her for a workman's comp case.

Her crew is the rag tag bunch from the apt building she manages (including the maintenance man Fu-who doesn't speak more than 2-3 words at a time or does he?) They use their acting skills to augment her investigations but the entire book is a light weight, weird, crazy journey. It's like one flew over the cuckoo's nest but not as interesting.

Kate does solve both cases at the end but it's a bit of a slog.

[Skyler Boudreau · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It's such a fun read! With great characters and TWO engaging mysteries, this a hilarious thriller you don't want to miss!

A more complete review is available on my website!

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