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Jack Palms Crime #1
Jack Wakes Up
Washed-up movie star Jack Palms is knee-deep in a Bay Area drug war and it’ll take the performance of a lifetime to get him through it alive.
In the three years since Jack Palms left Hollywood and kicked his drug habit, he’s added fourteen pounds of muscle, read eighty-three books, and played it as straight as anyone could reasonably ask. But the residual checks are drying up, and the ascetic lifestyle’s starting to wear thin, so Jack’s happy to cash in on his former celebrity by showing some out-of-town high rollers around San Francisco’s club scene.
Then people start turning up dead, and Jack realizes he’s been playing tour guide to a pack of former KGB agents turned coke dealers. Soon he’s got too many gunmen after him to count–including a South American drug cartel, a mountain-sized Samoan enforcer, and a mobbed-up strip-club owner with an army of thugs. That’s not to mention the gorgeous bartender who may be planning on shooting him in the back and the homicide cop who’s just given Jack twenty-four hours to bring down the Bay Area’s biggest drug dealer.
But the thing that scares Jack the most? He’s starting to enjoy himself.
In the three years since Jack Palms left Hollywood and kicked his drug habit, he’s added fourteen pounds of muscle, read eighty-three books, and played it as straight as anyone could reasonably ask. But the residual checks are drying up, and the ascetic lifestyle’s starting to wear thin, so Jack’s happy to cash in on his former celebrity by showing some out-of-town high rollers around San Francisco’s club scene.
Then people start turning up dead, and Jack realizes he’s been playing tour guide to a pack of former KGB agents turned coke dealers. Soon he’s got too many gunmen after him to count–including a South American drug cartel, a mountain-sized Samoan enforcer, and a mobbed-up strip-club owner with an army of thugs. That’s not to mention the gorgeous bartender who may be planning on shooting him in the back and the homicide cop who’s just given Jack twenty-four hours to bring down the Bay Area’s biggest drug dealer.
But the thing that scares Jack the most? He’s starting to enjoy himself.
293 pages, Trade Paperback
First published January 17, 2008
125 people are currently reading
354 people want to read
About the author
Seth Harwood
29 books218 followersSeth Harwood received an MFA in fiction from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop and went on to build a large readership for his first novel, JACK WAKES UP, by serializing it as a free audiobook online. Currently audio versions of Harwood’s novels and stories have been downloaded over one million times.
He is the author of six additional novels: THE MALTESE JORDANS, EVERYONE PAYS, IN BROAD DAYLIGHT, CZECHMATE, THIS IS LIFE and YOUNG JUNIUS, as well as two collections of short stories, A LONG WAY FROM DISNEY and FISHER CAT. He has also written a novella in the world of Kurt Vonnegut dealing with the themes of time travel, writing, and fatherhood.
Harwood currently lives in western Massachusetts and is at work on a second Clara Donner novel.
He teaches creative writing and English classes at City College of San Francisco, Stanford Continuing Studies, and Harvard Extension. Other jobs throughout the years have included commodities floor trading clerk, bartender, copy-editor, rare book cataloguer, high school English teacher, basketball coach, and freelance journalist.
He is the author of six additional novels: THE MALTESE JORDANS, EVERYONE PAYS, IN BROAD DAYLIGHT, CZECHMATE, THIS IS LIFE and YOUNG JUNIUS, as well as two collections of short stories, A LONG WAY FROM DISNEY and FISHER CAT. He has also written a novella in the world of Kurt Vonnegut dealing with the themes of time travel, writing, and fatherhood.
Harwood currently lives in western Massachusetts and is at work on a second Clara Donner novel.
He teaches creative writing and English classes at City College of San Francisco, Stanford Continuing Studies, and Harvard Extension. Other jobs throughout the years have included commodities floor trading clerk, bartender, copy-editor, rare book cataloguer, high school English teacher, basketball coach, and freelance journalist.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews
May 6, 2009
A crime noir thriller that keeps me on the edge of my seat, Jack Wakes Up's engaging protagonist is both likable and despicable. In mythic terms he represents the shapechanger, a mirror man who is what other people think he is. And yet his tale wraps you up, demands your attention, forces you to take his side. I care about Jack even though he really clearly hates himself. And that's why I give this book five stars.
The crime aspects are hard, the characters bold, the whole feel of the story is very noir, so crime fans will be happy with the book. And so will literature fans.
The crime aspects are hard, the characters bold, the whole feel of the story is very noir, so crime fans will be happy with the book. And so will literature fans.
March 28, 2011
Jack Palms is a one-hit wonder actor who's climbing his way back from drug addiction and a domestic abuse charge. The financing for the sequel to his hit movie dried up with his arrest, his marriage is long gone, the money is just about gone and Jack is nearly broke, out of work and on the verge of losing his house in Sausalito, California. Jack's working hard at living right and getting himself back on the right track, but we all know how far that goes when the bills are due, so when the phone rings with an offer from an old friend to make some quick cash, Jack agrees.
Jack metaphorically woke up and I fell asleep. Jack Wakes Up came with a lot of positive press, but the story didn't do anything for me. I found the Jack Palms character unlikable and unbelievable. The supporting characters came across as one-dimensional caricatures that bordered on stereotypes and were unintentionally comical. The dialogue and narrative - the meat and potatoes of stories like this - were, at times, weak and uninteresting, and I found myself taken out of the story thinking about that which made it very difficult for me to maintain any interest in the story. Finally, I found the present-tense narrative distracting.
The plot of Jack Wakes Up isn't new stuff but that's alright because the 'how' and the 'why' are really less important than the 'who' and the 'what' in this type of crime story. But there are writers, specifically Charlie Huston and Victor Gischler, who do this sort of 'wrong man' story, this average schmoe suddenly finding himself having to not just survive, but thrive, in a hardboiled, gritty, violent world, a lot better than Seth Harwood did it here with Jack Palms.
Despite this being a negative review, I didn't hate Jack Wakes Up, I just thought it could have been more. And better. Yeah, I know, purely subjective. I really wanted to like this book and because of that I'll read Seth Harwood's second book, Young Junius.
Jack metaphorically woke up and I fell asleep. Jack Wakes Up came with a lot of positive press, but the story didn't do anything for me. I found the Jack Palms character unlikable and unbelievable. The supporting characters came across as one-dimensional caricatures that bordered on stereotypes and were unintentionally comical. The dialogue and narrative - the meat and potatoes of stories like this - were, at times, weak and uninteresting, and I found myself taken out of the story thinking about that which made it very difficult for me to maintain any interest in the story. Finally, I found the present-tense narrative distracting.
The plot of Jack Wakes Up isn't new stuff but that's alright because the 'how' and the 'why' are really less important than the 'who' and the 'what' in this type of crime story. But there are writers, specifically Charlie Huston and Victor Gischler, who do this sort of 'wrong man' story, this average schmoe suddenly finding himself having to not just survive, but thrive, in a hardboiled, gritty, violent world, a lot better than Seth Harwood did it here with Jack Palms.
Despite this being a negative review, I didn't hate Jack Wakes Up, I just thought it could have been more. And better. Yeah, I know, purely subjective. I really wanted to like this book and because of that I'll read Seth Harwood's second book, Young Junius.
May 15, 2009
I first was exposed to Jack Palms in podiobook form with Seth reading them and I still couldn't wait to pre-order my signed copy when I had the chance. I then won a contest and ordered two more with my winnings.
JWU is a great, action packed read with a flawed 'hero' that you can't help but pull for throughout the whole series. And even though I've already listened to them all, I will probably listen to them again and buy them when they are released. Yes! They are that good. Seth does such a great job of reading them I couldn't help but hear his voices, complete with accents, as I re-read Jack Wakes Up
Now go order several copies or Freeman will come to your door to take your order, and you really don't want that as he's a very large man.
JWU is a great, action packed read with a flawed 'hero' that you can't help but pull for throughout the whole series. And even though I've already listened to them all, I will probably listen to them again and buy them when they are released. Yes! They are that good. Seth does such a great job of reading them I couldn't help but hear his voices, complete with accents, as I re-read Jack Wakes Up
Now go order several copies or Freeman will come to your door to take your order, and you really don't want that as he's a very large man.
February 11, 2013
Jack Palms walks into a diner just south of Japantown, the one where he's supposed to meet Ralph.
Once upon a time, Jack was the toast of Hollywood. He was the star of a mega-hit action movie called Shake 'em Down and had a beautiful trophy wife and the world on a platter. These days, he's a divorced, washed-up actor who just spent several years weening himself from coke and booze. The bills are piling up and the mortgage on his gorgeous San Francisco mansion is overdue. When his old friend Ralph Endorino calls with the promise of quick, easy cash, Jack jumps in it. All he has to do is flash his once-famous smile to get Ralph and some friends through the door of an exclusive night club or two. Needless to say, Ralph soon turns up dead and Jack is up to his neck in Czech gangsters, Colombian drug kingpins, and SanFran's finest street thugs.
Jack Wakes Up starts with a nice setup and a strong protagonist. The character of an action movie star on the wrong side of his career is one with a lot of promise. Unfortunately, it doesn't live up to that promise. The dialogue was repetitive and quite clunky. The majority of the characters sounded exactly the same; I can't tell you how many times someone ends a sentence calling Jack "my man". Some reviews call the book Tarantino-like and in a way it is, only Seth Harwood embraces the worst aspects of QT's work. There are some funny moments, but the characters aren't as clever as they think they are and the dialogue is littered with every variation of the f-word that you can imagine.
Some clunky dialogue can be glossed over if the rest of the book is solid, but it's not. The story is almost nothing but dialogue and stage direction. Character A says something. Character A rubs his forehead. Character B points his chin at something. Character A nods. Character B says something and pinches his nostrils between his thumb and forefinger. And on and on and on. There are very few attempts to get inside the characters' heads or even take a breath to describe their surroundings.
I don't want to make it sound like I hate the book. I think there are some interesting characters and a story to be told here. If you turned this into a mindless summer action movie starring Vin Diesel, you could make $200 million without breaking a sweat. But the pieces aren't quite where they need to be to make this a good read.
I'd heard good things about Jack Wakes Up and had been looking forward to it for a while, so I couldn't help but be disappointed.
Once upon a time, Jack was the toast of Hollywood. He was the star of a mega-hit action movie called Shake 'em Down and had a beautiful trophy wife and the world on a platter. These days, he's a divorced, washed-up actor who just spent several years weening himself from coke and booze. The bills are piling up and the mortgage on his gorgeous San Francisco mansion is overdue. When his old friend Ralph Endorino calls with the promise of quick, easy cash, Jack jumps in it. All he has to do is flash his once-famous smile to get Ralph and some friends through the door of an exclusive night club or two. Needless to say, Ralph soon turns up dead and Jack is up to his neck in Czech gangsters, Colombian drug kingpins, and SanFran's finest street thugs.
Jack Wakes Up starts with a nice setup and a strong protagonist. The character of an action movie star on the wrong side of his career is one with a lot of promise. Unfortunately, it doesn't live up to that promise. The dialogue was repetitive and quite clunky. The majority of the characters sounded exactly the same; I can't tell you how many times someone ends a sentence calling Jack "my man". Some reviews call the book Tarantino-like and in a way it is, only Seth Harwood embraces the worst aspects of QT's work. There are some funny moments, but the characters aren't as clever as they think they are and the dialogue is littered with every variation of the f-word that you can imagine.
Some clunky dialogue can be glossed over if the rest of the book is solid, but it's not. The story is almost nothing but dialogue and stage direction. Character A says something. Character A rubs his forehead. Character B points his chin at something. Character A nods. Character B says something and pinches his nostrils between his thumb and forefinger. And on and on and on. There are very few attempts to get inside the characters' heads or even take a breath to describe their surroundings.
I don't want to make it sound like I hate the book. I think there are some interesting characters and a story to be told here. If you turned this into a mindless summer action movie starring Vin Diesel, you could make $200 million without breaking a sweat. But the pieces aren't quite where they need to be to make this a good read.
I'd heard good things about Jack Wakes Up and had been looking forward to it for a while, so I couldn't help but be disappointed.
July 2, 2009
Three years ago action movie star Jack Palms was arrested in front of several paparazzi and his movie career tanked leaving his chances for a sequel to Shake ‘Em Down at next to nothing. But that was the wake up call he needed. He divorced his troubled wife, left Hollywood and successfully kicked a serious drug habit. Now all he has to look forward to is his rationed one cigarette per day, a bowl of cereal and working out at the gym.
When one of his old friends, Ralph Anderino, calls upon him for a favor it’s a no-brainer for Jack who’s fending off the creditors and he accepts. Ralph offers him $2,000 to take some Czech businessmen out on the town to use Jack’s celebrity to open VIP doors for the group. The only catch is that Jack also has to be the go between for a drug deal that will get the Czech’s foot in the door to start dealing big time. After a night of partying and drugs Jack amazingly was able to stay clean and he was proud of himself for it. When he goes Ralph’s house the next day to initiate the drug trade he finds Ralph dead.
Partnering up with the Czech businessmen Jack hunts down Ralph’s killer but soon he’s pulled right into the middle of an all out drug war that includes dueling drug lords, a prominent local businessman and both dirty and clean cops.
I sincerely hope that Jack Wakes Up is made into a movie. This was an action packed thrill ride that I didn’t want to end. I could totally see Johnny Depp speeding along in the ’66 Mustang Fastback that Jack drives. The characters were as endearing as thugs and drug dealers can be and I was sincerely rooting for them throughout the book.
Visit author Seth Harwood’s website to listen to the entire book free! I had finished about 2/3 of the book when I found the podcast version and I listened to all but the last few chapters online. It was so much more action packed with music and sound effects. I can't wait for Harwood's next book Young Junius. This is a highly recommended read for all action and crime fiction lovers.
When one of his old friends, Ralph Anderino, calls upon him for a favor it’s a no-brainer for Jack who’s fending off the creditors and he accepts. Ralph offers him $2,000 to take some Czech businessmen out on the town to use Jack’s celebrity to open VIP doors for the group. The only catch is that Jack also has to be the go between for a drug deal that will get the Czech’s foot in the door to start dealing big time. After a night of partying and drugs Jack amazingly was able to stay clean and he was proud of himself for it. When he goes Ralph’s house the next day to initiate the drug trade he finds Ralph dead.
Partnering up with the Czech businessmen Jack hunts down Ralph’s killer but soon he’s pulled right into the middle of an all out drug war that includes dueling drug lords, a prominent local businessman and both dirty and clean cops.
I sincerely hope that Jack Wakes Up is made into a movie. This was an action packed thrill ride that I didn’t want to end. I could totally see Johnny Depp speeding along in the ’66 Mustang Fastback that Jack drives. The characters were as endearing as thugs and drug dealers can be and I was sincerely rooting for them throughout the book.
Visit author Seth Harwood’s website to listen to the entire book free! I had finished about 2/3 of the book when I found the podcast version and I listened to all but the last few chapters online. It was so much more action packed with music and sound effects. I can't wait for Harwood's next book Young Junius. This is a highly recommended read for all action and crime fiction lovers.
September 3, 2009
"Jack Wakes Up" was an incredibly fun novel. Three authors I really enjoy: Megan Abbott, Duane Swierczynski and Michael Connelly offered up high praise for the book, so I expected to like it and I ended up enjoying it even more than I expected
The novel is about Jack Palms, a former actor who made one hit action movie that gave him everything and then lost it all because of drug addiction and scandal. When the novel begins, Jack is fresh out of rehab and offers to help one of his oldest friends show some out of towners around San Francisco. Turns out these out of towners are ex-KGB agents though and their in town looking to buy a large supply of cocaine. And from there Jack Palms finds himself dragged into a drug war.
The action in "Jack Wakes Up" is pure pulp crime and action at it's finest. Harwood packs the novel with scenes that are exciting, illuminating, and often laugh out loud funny. There is a villain to the piece but the morality in "Jack Wakes Up" is refreshingly grey instead of black and white.
Author Seth Harwood also packs the book with some truly memorable and fun characters like a drug dealer who's protected by a gigantic Samoan enforcer, a cop unafraid to bend the rules to get results, and the five Czech ex-KGB agents. They're great ,larger than life characters and they're friendship with the lead character really felt genuine. You liked these guys even though they were coke sniffing, gun toting, ex-spies.
And the character of Jack Palms was also pretty intriguing too. Harwood takes Palms, a good looking ex-movie star, and makes him a likeable every man.
So I'm very happy I tried "Jack Wakes Up". So much so that I'm having a hard time waiting for the sequel to be released and might have to go to Harwood's website where I can listen an audio version of it
August 14, 2009
I love Jack! He was an actor who fell into the kind of negative behaviors that come with fame and money. Successful in cleaning up his life after a public fiasco that put his career on hold, the money began to run out and boredom was setting in. A meeting with an old friend and a decision to make a few quick bucks sends him off on a wild adventure. This fast paced thriller doesn't even give you time to breathe between one gut-wrenching, jaw-dropping moment to the next. We follow Jack through the streets of San Francisco as his quest pulls him deeper into the world of San Francsico drug dealing, and post cold war European drama.
Despite the fact his own life is threatened, Jack finds finds a resolve and determination he didn't know he had. He's on a wild ride that gives his life a spark it hasn't seen for quite a while. From the bouncers to the drug lords to the cocaine loving Czechoslovakians, there isn't a dull character in the book.
Warning: don't read the last chapter before going to bed ... if you want to sleep anyway.
When you're finished and starting through JWU withdrawals, you'll be begging Seth to publish the next two "Jack" stories in print! Well, Seth? (In the meantime, you can hear them at sethharwood.com)
Despite the fact his own life is threatened, Jack finds finds a resolve and determination he didn't know he had. He's on a wild ride that gives his life a spark it hasn't seen for quite a while. From the bouncers to the drug lords to the cocaine loving Czechoslovakians, there isn't a dull character in the book.
Warning: don't read the last chapter before going to bed ... if you want to sleep anyway.
When you're finished and starting through JWU withdrawals, you'll be begging Seth to publish the next two "Jack" stories in print! Well, Seth? (In the meantime, you can hear them at sethharwood.com)
October 4, 2009
The back cover of Jack Wakes Up has a quote from Megan Abbott, a writer I greatly admire that reads, "like a long lost Mickey Spillane tale as directed by Robert Rodriguez." I love Mickey Spillane's work and a Robert Rodriguez film always leaves me with a smile on my face. So when I saw this at the book store I was instantly sold. Sadly, the book nowhere lives up to Megan's billing.
It's not that Seth Harwood is a poor writer, in fact I quite enjoyed his crisp, in your face, break neck paced style. It's just the plotting, the characterization, the overall story that I had issue with. In my heart this review hurts, because I always hope that first time writers do well because everyone loves to read something bold and fresh from an up and coming new voice.
In the end, I am somewhat disappointed to discover Jack Wakes Up doesn't even come close to Megan's billing, but that's why I love the crime fiction world so much, there's always more and if you get disappointed you can always return to the worlds of Spillane, Poe, Doyle and Chandler. Thank the stars for reprints. completists
It's not that Seth Harwood is a poor writer, in fact I quite enjoyed his crisp, in your face, break neck paced style. It's just the plotting, the characterization, the overall story that I had issue with. In my heart this review hurts, because I always hope that first time writers do well because everyone loves to read something bold and fresh from an up and coming new voice.
In the end, I am somewhat disappointed to discover Jack Wakes Up doesn't even come close to Megan's billing, but that's why I love the crime fiction world so much, there's always more and if you get disappointed you can always return to the worlds of Spillane, Poe, Doyle and Chandler. Thank the stars for reprints. completists
September 12, 2008
Jack Wakes Up is just the beginning, but it is an important beginning. How do hardboiled detectives get made? Do they spring, fully-formed from some dark closet, all of their quirks and mannerisms in place?
Or are they, like Jack Palms in the novel "Jack Wakes Up", created through circumstance?
Jack could have turned his back on the death of his friend, but he didn't. He could have told his friend's drug gangsters to take a hike, but he didn't. He could have left well enough alone, but he didn't.
He's no great hero, is Jack, but he is a very intriguing person, someone who wrestles with his own demons and who tries hard to figure out the right thing to do.
I heartily recommend all the Jack Palms novels, so here, I am recommending this one. Take it on faith - it is a crime novel, so it isn't about cute widdle fuzzy kittens. BUT it is a compelling, fast-paced tale that takes you from the world of the silver screen to the world of the silver spoon and back again.
Or are they, like Jack Palms in the novel "Jack Wakes Up", created through circumstance?
Jack could have turned his back on the death of his friend, but he didn't. He could have told his friend's drug gangsters to take a hike, but he didn't. He could have left well enough alone, but he didn't.
He's no great hero, is Jack, but he is a very intriguing person, someone who wrestles with his own demons and who tries hard to figure out the right thing to do.
I heartily recommend all the Jack Palms novels, so here, I am recommending this one. Take it on faith - it is a crime novel, so it isn't about cute widdle fuzzy kittens. BUT it is a compelling, fast-paced tale that takes you from the world of the silver screen to the world of the silver spoon and back again.
December 15, 2012
Jack Wakes Up by Seth Harwood is written very professionally, with author’s skill and experience obvious in each sentence. On the other hand, the plot and characters seem to be taken straight from a B-class action flick of the 1980s or 1990s. I admit this contrast puzzled me at the beginning. However, once I realized that this is a convention deliberately chosen by the author, I started to really enjoy the fast action and punchy dialogue of the novel. The audacious use of stereotypes and cliches in Jake Wakes Up resembles Quentin Tarantino’s “Pulp Fiction”. If you are willing this accept this convention, you will like Seth Harwood’s book.
May 21, 2013
Jack Palms is an actor who, like many before and many after, achieved high fame and then lost all control of his own life, falling into drugs, alcohol, and general celebrity malaise. An old friend calls him up and offers him a pretty decent job entertaining some out-of-town drug types, but things rapidly spin out of control. Jack finds himself in the middle of a drug war, with bullets flying all around him.
This is one of those bulletproof anti-hero stories, where the main character can't escape pain, but seems to dance around just out of reach of death again and again. Along the way, there's the beautiful girl, the annoying cop, evil villains, unlikely heroes and general mayhem.
Jack Wakes Up is the first in a series of novels featuring Jack Palms. This was a fun ride, and I quickly picked up the second in the series to see what else was in store.
This is one of those bulletproof anti-hero stories, where the main character can't escape pain, but seems to dance around just out of reach of death again and again. Along the way, there's the beautiful girl, the annoying cop, evil villains, unlikely heroes and general mayhem.
Jack Wakes Up is the first in a series of novels featuring Jack Palms. This was a fun ride, and I quickly picked up the second in the series to see what else was in store.
August 25, 2009
I don't read a lot of crime fiction, which when I think about it is kind of odd. I mean, I love a lot of this stuff when it's presented in movie form - stuff like Tarantino's early work, Guy Ritchie's stuff, and the like. Jack Wakes Up, Seth Harwood's debut novel, is exactly like one of those movies. It tells the story of Jack Palms, a washed-up actor who gets caught up in a drug war between various gangs in San Fransisco. This was a fun, slick read, that had a lot of energy to it and a great narrative voice. If you're a crime fan or someone who's interested in trying the genre out, I'd definitely recommend this title
April 23, 2013
A writer's efforts shouldn't be destroyed, so I'll keep the negativity to a minimum. Book held promise for the first 150 pages, then fell flat. The action became repetitive and the storyline sluggish. I wasn't big on the dialog, to be honest, felt contrived, certainly not classic noir in my opinion. My thoughts place me in the minority opinion here, so the decision to take the plunge should be based on your tastes. I'll read another Harwood offering, but not another with Jack Palms.
September 12, 2008
Seth Harwood brings crime into the modern era. This gritty tale of a washed up actor brings to light a seedy side of San Francisco that the Chamber of Commerce hopes doesn't truly exist.
Both the text and podiobook versions hold up well and Harwood's use of the first person narrative puts you right in the action.
Both the text and podiobook versions hold up well and Harwood's use of the first person narrative puts you right in the action.
November 24, 2008
Seth Harwood takes you into a world of crime through the eyes of a has been actor, JACK PALMS. Jack learns the hard way that his friends are not who they claim to be and he might not get out of trouble in tact.
Harwood's pace of action and dialogue make for a quick read that is very entertaining and leaves you wanting to "Shake It Down."
Harwood's pace of action and dialogue make for a quick read that is very entertaining and leaves you wanting to "Shake It Down."
September 17, 2009
This book keeps you on the edge of your seat. You don't know what is going to happen next, and the main character is extremely unpredictable. You will find yourself yelling at Jack when he does something stupid.
Want to read
November 4, 2009I must say I was sooo excited when I got this book in the mail and Seth signed the copy for me. My husband ( who might I add isnt a reader at all) is very excited about this novel. He read the back and said that he would be interested in reading as well!!!!!!!
September 12, 2008
A crime tour de force. A 1950's noir thriller meets the hard edge of the 21st century. Author Seth Harwood's first book in the Jack Palms series grabs you early and never lets go
January 20, 2020
Coming out on May 5, 2009, THIS is THE book. This is THE year. JACK PALMS, baby!
Catch it!
Catch it!
August 25, 2009
Could not get into this book at all.....
October 2, 2009
EXCELLANT BOOK- LOVED IT- FAST MOVING- GREAT CHARACTERS- MUST READ
July 5, 2012
Blah is the best way to describe this book.
September 23, 2010
I really, really tried to like this book. I trudged through to the end, which mercifully it did.
April 18, 2025
Jack is a one-hit wonder movie star. However, after his hit film his life spiraled down into alcohol and drug abuse. Then, his wife made allegations of domestic abuse and he was no longer box office material.
Now, three years later, he still is identifiable as a celebrity, but his life is on cruise control. Clean and sober for some time, his efforts are really nothing more than a rut of staying clean and exercising at the gym. When an old friend roped him in to use his celebrity status to entertain some Czech mobsters and facilitate a drug deal his desperation to make a few bucks drags him in. His approach is to pretend it is an acting job.
Suddenly he is drawn into a murder, gang threats and violence-- all the time acting as if he is his character in the action movie. For the first time in years, he feels alive and vibrant. When the bullets start flying- can he stay that way?
This novel is fast paced, even as the reader is thinking that the hero is stupid for continuing to be involved in such a dangerous situation. It is written completely in the present tense-- sort of like "A guy walks into a bar and orders a...." This style, though odd, seems appropriate for this quirky story that is a cross between an action crime story and a dark comedy.
I see that this is the first book of a series and I think I'm game to try another.
Now, three years later, he still is identifiable as a celebrity, but his life is on cruise control. Clean and sober for some time, his efforts are really nothing more than a rut of staying clean and exercising at the gym. When an old friend roped him in to use his celebrity status to entertain some Czech mobsters and facilitate a drug deal his desperation to make a few bucks drags him in. His approach is to pretend it is an acting job.
Suddenly he is drawn into a murder, gang threats and violence-- all the time acting as if he is his character in the action movie. For the first time in years, he feels alive and vibrant. When the bullets start flying- can he stay that way?
This novel is fast paced, even as the reader is thinking that the hero is stupid for continuing to be involved in such a dangerous situation. It is written completely in the present tense-- sort of like "A guy walks into a bar and orders a...." This style, though odd, seems appropriate for this quirky story that is a cross between an action crime story and a dark comedy.
I see that this is the first book of a series and I think I'm game to try another.
October 8, 2017
Seth truely wakes up with this great first novel. Jack, an ex Hollywood star, makes one film and then learns to really act as he gets mixed up in drug dealing, nasty thugs, and murder.
Seth produces some great secondary characters too, and Jack links up with some unlikely guys who turn out to be great friends and the camaraderie between them is nicely written.
I look forward to reading more of Jack and recommend it anyone who is looking for action and mayhem. This is a great crime novel.
Go buy, guys and become a Palms fan!
Seth produces some great secondary characters too, and Jack links up with some unlikely guys who turn out to be great friends and the camaraderie between them is nicely written.
I look forward to reading more of Jack and recommend it anyone who is looking for action and mayhem. This is a great crime novel.
Go buy, guys and become a Palms fan!
January 22, 2025
Interesting book. I was intrigued by the description so went for it. Jack Palms, has a rich background that we are told about, bit by bit. He gets into a LOT of trouble, but gets out pretty unscathed. There are a lot of characters in this book, I for a while I wasn't sure who was on whose side! Lots of action, betrayal, love, okay, maybe not love.
I enjoyed this enough to want to read the next in the series.
I enjoyed this enough to want to read the next in the series.
February 4, 2018
I found this fast paced and suspenseful tale very enjoyable. Jack is a washed up actor, living a calm and organized life when he gets a call from an old friend. From this point things just spiral out of control, but Jack keeps it together the best that he can, even though he's in the middle of it all. This action packed story is suspenseful with a touch of dark humor.
December 11, 2021
An interesting character
Jack Palms is a very unique character. The incongruity of the situations he gets himself into are fun to read through. Btw: 289 is an US of A engine displacement measurement in cubic inches, not c.c. or cubic centimeteres (p. 160).
Jack Palms is a very unique character. The incongruity of the situations he gets himself into are fun to read through. Btw: 289 is an US of A engine displacement measurement in cubic inches, not c.c. or cubic centimeteres (p. 160).
May 9, 2025
Violence driven, cocaine gang inspired mayhem. Jack Palms, a washed-up movie star, is fighting a drug war in the Bay Area. Fast-paced, most of the characters were instantly forgettable. Except Jack. I really liked him but wish the story had a bit more depth and surprise. A good book.
October 2, 2025
A good average quick read that also moved along quickly. Not much of a mystery but seemed like it could make a quick, cute movie with lots of quirky, but obligatory characters. I'll probably read Jack Palms #2 sometime when I need a quicky that doesn't cause you to think much.
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