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Rafferty #7
False Gods
An alternative cover edition for this ASIN can be found here.
Rafferty’s Rule 17: Never take a client at face value.
(Amendment B): Or a case.
Teenager Kimberly has run away with her boyfriend though her Mom, Kathy-Lee, doesn’t want to admit it. All cases should be this easy; Rafferty’ll have it wrapped up by the weekend.
But with boyfriend Brian home alone, that idea bears rethinking. The last sight of Kimberly was of her putting the missionary in the position with the charismatic cult leader, Dariell Thof, and Brian doesn’t know where she’s gone since then. Or much care.
By the time Rafferty tracks Kimberly to a remote compound in the Texas desert, he’s stuck between a pack of gun-toting religious zealots, and an ATF agent playing hardball to protect his agenda.
Can Rafferty get Kimberly out before the two sides come together and all hell breaks loose?
He’ll do his damnedest. And after what he’s learnt about Dariell’s twisted thirst for young girls, Rafferty’s itching to organize a personal meeting for the cult leader and his god..
False Gods is the first new Rafferty P.I. story in 25 years. Written by W. Glenn Duncan Jr. (son of the original author) it picks up where the previous books left off, pitting Rafferty and his old friends (and a few new ones) against a shadowy cult leader, in a winner-take-all dash to save a teenage girl.
Rafferty’s Rule 17: Never take a client at face value.
(Amendment B): Or a case.
Teenager Kimberly has run away with her boyfriend though her Mom, Kathy-Lee, doesn’t want to admit it. All cases should be this easy; Rafferty’ll have it wrapped up by the weekend.
But with boyfriend Brian home alone, that idea bears rethinking. The last sight of Kimberly was of her putting the missionary in the position with the charismatic cult leader, Dariell Thof, and Brian doesn’t know where she’s gone since then. Or much care.
By the time Rafferty tracks Kimberly to a remote compound in the Texas desert, he’s stuck between a pack of gun-toting religious zealots, and an ATF agent playing hardball to protect his agenda.
Can Rafferty get Kimberly out before the two sides come together and all hell breaks loose?
He’ll do his damnedest. And after what he’s learnt about Dariell’s twisted thirst for young girls, Rafferty’s itching to organize a personal meeting for the cult leader and his god..
False Gods is the first new Rafferty P.I. story in 25 years. Written by W. Glenn Duncan Jr. (son of the original author) it picks up where the previous books left off, pitting Rafferty and his old friends (and a few new ones) against a shadowy cult leader, in a winner-take-all dash to save a teenage girl.
334 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 31, 2018
562 people are currently reading
206 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
May 30, 2019
The Rafferty series was one of the best series of the 1980's. When I read the son was going to continue the series, I decided to give it a try.
It isn't quite up to the father's standard, but pretty close.
Rafferty is hanging around, when he is called onto find a missing person. It seems she joined the usual chiliastic cult. Rafferty keeps poking around, and finally finds the cult is stockpiling arms in the middle of nowhere, and determines to get the woman out. Enter Cowboy and MiMi,who supply the violence.
If you miss the Rafferty series, definitely give this a shot. If you don't you still might like it. One of the better PI books I've read this year.
It isn't quite up to the father's standard, but pretty close.
Rafferty is hanging around, when he is called onto find a missing person. It seems she joined the usual chiliastic cult. Rafferty keeps poking around, and finally finds the cult is stockpiling arms in the middle of nowhere, and determines to get the woman out. Enter Cowboy and MiMi,who supply the violence.
If you miss the Rafferty series, definitely give this a shot. If you don't you still might like it. One of the better PI books I've read this year.
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July 24, 2020🎁 FREE on Amazon today (7/24/2020)! 🎁
July 8, 2020
Very interesting Private Investigator series.
The story starts with a missing Kimberly and her mother thinks that Kimberly has run away with Brian - Kimberly's boyfriend.
Rafferty however finds that Brian is all alone and he does not know or care that KImberly is missing. That starts Rafferty's search into a cult where Kimberly was seen with the chief of the cult once.
The story was intense and action packed and thoroughly enjoyable.
The story starts with a missing Kimberly and her mother thinks that Kimberly has run away with Brian - Kimberly's boyfriend.
Rafferty however finds that Brian is all alone and he does not know or care that KImberly is missing. That starts Rafferty's search into a cult where Kimberly was seen with the chief of the cult once.
The story was intense and action packed and thoroughly enjoyable.
December 15, 2020
This book got better as it went along, but I found it incredibly dated and stale in many regards. There are a lot of 80s pop culture references made in an attempt to be hip that fall flat, as characters needlessly drop comments about commercials, TV shows, films. People are smoking cigarettes constantly, male chauvinism is a norm that female characters all acquiesce to or perform for, and there are even a few uses of the "n" word that are unnecessary, and garner a troubling non-response from the main character, Rafferty.
Rafferty is trying to track down a beautiful blonde girl who left her boyfriend, willingly, for some religious cult. The subject of how religion is dealt with in this novel also irks me. All Christians are grouped together as idiots and the main character's atheism, gets irritating when he, or the author through him, constantly suggests you'd have to be a dolt to believe in God. Evangelical characters cross themselves and talk about going to mass while Episcopalians don't want to accept other Christians as social equals not because of their country club status but because their fundamentalism isn't pure enough: this atheist doesn't seem to have much sense of different denominations at all, and misrepresents groups.
The book is an action mystery response to the Jim Jones cult with some lurid variations in a Texas theme.
What is there to like here? I found the two supporting characters of Cowboy and Mimi utterly charming, and that raised the rating from two stars to three.
Rafferty is trying to track down a beautiful blonde girl who left her boyfriend, willingly, for some religious cult. The subject of how religion is dealt with in this novel also irks me. All Christians are grouped together as idiots and the main character's atheism, gets irritating when he, or the author through him, constantly suggests you'd have to be a dolt to believe in God. Evangelical characters cross themselves and talk about going to mass while Episcopalians don't want to accept other Christians as social equals not because of their country club status but because their fundamentalism isn't pure enough: this atheist doesn't seem to have much sense of different denominations at all, and misrepresents groups.
The book is an action mystery response to the Jim Jones cult with some lurid variations in a Texas theme.
What is there to like here? I found the two supporting characters of Cowboy and Mimi utterly charming, and that raised the rating from two stars to three.
August 3, 2018
Utterly bad. Would have loved to see the Rafferty series continue, but the son of the original author does not appear to be the right person to continue the job. Stop at book 6!
April 6, 2020
#7 in the Rafferty series. This 2018 series entry is the first by author W. Glenn Duncan Jr. continuing the series his father left off almost 30 years earlier. The book is set in the late 1980s, with references to music, celebrities and events of the period. He obsesses with religious cults such as Heaven's Gate (although the massacre wouldn't occur until years later) and spends an inordinate amount of time on Jim Jones and the Jonestown Massacre of 1978. As a result the book is both longer and slower moving than the six written by his father. The wrap-up, when it arrives, includes the series characters of Cowboy and Mimi and remains fairly true to his father's work.
Teenaged student Kimberly Troupe is missing. It’s obvious she’s run away with her boyfriend, though her mom doesn’t want to admit it. All cases should be this easy; Rafferty’ll have it wrapped up by the weekend. But when Rafferty finds the boyfriend home alone, that idea bears rethinking. The last sight of Kimberly was of her putting the missionary into the position with charismatic cult leader, Dariell Thof and no-one knows where she’s gone since. By the time Rafferty tracks Kimberly to a remote compound in the Texas desert, he’s stuck between a pack of gun-toting religious zealots and an ATF agent playing hardball.
Teenaged student Kimberly Troupe is missing. It’s obvious she’s run away with her boyfriend, though her mom doesn’t want to admit it. All cases should be this easy; Rafferty’ll have it wrapped up by the weekend. But when Rafferty finds the boyfriend home alone, that idea bears rethinking. The last sight of Kimberly was of her putting the missionary into the position with charismatic cult leader, Dariell Thof and no-one knows where she’s gone since. By the time Rafferty tracks Kimberly to a remote compound in the Texas desert, he’s stuck between a pack of gun-toting religious zealots and an ATF agent playing hardball.
July 31, 2018
Rafferty and religion don't mix
I'm a Johnny-Come-Lately to W. Glen Duncan's Rafferty mysteries. Having just finished False Gods, (thanks, Hidden Gems, for the ARC) I'm highly motivated to correct that oversight.I'm not sure Ill ever get enough of Rafferty's sardonic self-deprecating wit, his instinct for doing the right thing, or his penchant for landing feet-first in a pile of fertilizer while solving the case. And let's be honest, his honey, Hilda, is the best female love-interest in any mystery I've ever read. Clearly author Duncan has a gift for characterization, because even the most minor of players in this book come across as 3-D real. The mystery is developed slowly, almost insidiously, and there's plenty of dramatic tension, red herrings, and dead ends before it's all sorted. The climax is horrifying, the ending is somberly satisfying, and this voluntary, independent, and uncompensated review is: 5 stars.
I'm a Johnny-Come-Lately to W. Glen Duncan's Rafferty mysteries. Having just finished False Gods, (thanks, Hidden Gems, for the ARC) I'm highly motivated to correct that oversight.I'm not sure Ill ever get enough of Rafferty's sardonic self-deprecating wit, his instinct for doing the right thing, or his penchant for landing feet-first in a pile of fertilizer while solving the case. And let's be honest, his honey, Hilda, is the best female love-interest in any mystery I've ever read. Clearly author Duncan has a gift for characterization, because even the most minor of players in this book come across as 3-D real. The mystery is developed slowly, almost insidiously, and there's plenty of dramatic tension, red herrings, and dead ends before it's all sorted. The climax is horrifying, the ending is somberly satisfying, and this voluntary, independent, and uncompensated review is: 5 stars.
August 17, 2020
Works as a great standalone novel
This is the first book I've read in this series, but at no point did I feel like a stranger. The writer is very good at introducing the characters without the "throwaway preamble" which weighs down many series. The characters are there and you are expected to get to know them via their actions.
That said, Rafferty is very similar to many PIs of his genre. Rough around the edges. Sole proprietor. Perpetually broke. Able to capture the attention and affection of striking women way out of his league.
What made this story stand out to me was the acceptance of a collaborative approach to crime-solving, the author's apparent disdain of trite neat endings and at the root of it a crime story well told.
A bit too gritty for my taste, but overall, great stuff.
This is the first book I've read in this series, but at no point did I feel like a stranger. The writer is very good at introducing the characters without the "throwaway preamble" which weighs down many series. The characters are there and you are expected to get to know them via their actions.
That said, Rafferty is very similar to many PIs of his genre. Rough around the edges. Sole proprietor. Perpetually broke. Able to capture the attention and affection of striking women way out of his league.
What made this story stand out to me was the acceptance of a collaborative approach to crime-solving, the author's apparent disdain of trite neat endings and at the root of it a crime story well told.
A bit too gritty for my taste, but overall, great stuff.
August 1, 2018
Wow. This is my first in this series.
If this book were made into a movie, I could see the format being like a film noir style but modern. Rafferty has that quality and sass about him. Cowboy and Mimi intrigue me. will need to to read previous books to for their background hopefully. Love their interactions together. I may have found another hero that I would love to be like, lol.
It took me long time to read because it was intense. Needed a rest and the way the subject matter was written had me thinking. Plus I had to changes buses every time I got to a good part. GRRRRRR! Plus I had festival to do that I was committed to doing.
This is my honest and freely given review for an ARC.
If this book were made into a movie, I could see the format being like a film noir style but modern. Rafferty has that quality and sass about him. Cowboy and Mimi intrigue me. will need to to read previous books to for their background hopefully. Love their interactions together. I may have found another hero that I would love to be like, lol.
It took me long time to read because it was intense. Needed a rest and the way the subject matter was written had me thinking. Plus I had to changes buses every time I got to a good part. GRRRRRR! Plus I had festival to do that I was committed to doing.
This is my honest and freely given review for an ARC.
August 3, 2018
Another great PI mystery from this author. I love these stories, they remind me of the PI shows of the seventies. When Rafferty is hired to find runaway Kimberly, her mother thinks it is with Brian her boyfriend. But Brian is home....alone. Kimberly was seen in a rather compromising position with charismatic cult leader, Dariell Thof, and Brian has no idea where she is or cares. So much for an easy case! Now Rafferty has to get Kimberly out of there before the cult and the ATF people start their own little war. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.
July 28, 2018
I've loved this type of older time P.I. for many years and now to have a junior take over from dad and do it so well is amazing. It also allows for many more years of great writing and ideas. If the next book needs any changes, it's less Hilda and more Cowboy and Mimi. They're fun, witty and bring all the action. Looking forward to the next in the series and Bill Duncan Jr., you were very lucky to not only have inherited your dads' talent but to have built on it to make it your own.
July 31, 2018
Okay, I love it, and I'm going to be really honest: I can't get enough of Rafferty!
I love this character, his dark humour, his honesty... And I love Mr Duncan's writing, his seamless crafted plots, the way the red herrings are sprinkled here and there so you never feel comfortable in your knowledge of what really is going on...
Another gem in the Rafferty's series and a whole-heartily recommended read.
I love this character, his dark humour, his honesty... And I love Mr Duncan's writing, his seamless crafted plots, the way the red herrings are sprinkled here and there so you never feel comfortable in your knowledge of what really is going on...
Another gem in the Rafferty's series and a whole-heartily recommended read.
August 4, 2018
I read the first Rafferty book, Rafferty's Rules and immediately bought the entire series. And of course, I picked up False Gods as quickly as Icould. It's amazing how easily Bill has taken up the reins and gone on with his dad's stories. There is the same suspense and tension, the slow building of the mystery to a powerful conclusion. But most importantly are characters who feel real and not cardboard or fake. I HIGHLY recommend this series for any true PI fan. It is amazing!
February 23, 2019
I particularly like the Raftery books. These stories are solid, well written and the characters are developed in a strong way. For a serial detective novel these are a cut above. This story is really interesting and really keeps you connected. Raftery has great friends who always appear in these novels. You gotta love Cowboy and Mimi as well. The love interest is exactly opposite of Raftery and they fit well.
Solid story.
Solid story.
September 3, 2020
Rafferty is hired to find a missing daughter and the roller coaster ride starts. The daughter ran off with her boyfriend to a religious gathering. He returned, she didn't. Religious fanatics, an atheist ex priest, the ATF and the usual comrades in arms that help Rafferty make this a tale to remember.
July 31, 2018
I have to admit this is my first Rafferty read, and after this will not be the last. This has to be up there with the best of them in crime fiction. You just don’t want to put it down. Highly recommended.
September 6, 2018
Good book; however, I enjoyed the first in the series more. Rafferty is a likeable, intelligent and relentless character that is a pleasure to read. I rate this one 4.7 stars. (I plan to read the whole series.)
July 28, 2020
Great writing, Rafferty as good as ever cracking wise and living large. Him and his buddy Cowboy and Mimi sorting things out the way they know how with lots of violence and saving the girl but not the others sadly. You can only do so much but what he does is good.
Read
August 15, 2020Great characters
I love the stubborn, sarcastic Rafferty who storms in where angels fear to tread, yet he melts whenever Hilda is with him. Cowboy is a funny, brave and gentle giant.
I love the stubborn, sarcastic Rafferty who storms in where angels fear to tread, yet he melts whenever Hilda is with him. Cowboy is a funny, brave and gentle giant.
August 27, 2020
Kathy-Lee Troupe has after a couple of months become concerned about her missing 18 year old daughter, Kimberley. Rafferty believes it will be only a couple of days work, but he is so wrong.
An interesting story
An interesting story
October 2, 2020
False Gods a Rafferty PI is a great read
This is the kind of detective thrillers that makes you want to keep reading no matter how late. I highly recommend this book for the mystery readers.
This is the kind of detective thrillers that makes you want to keep reading no matter how late. I highly recommend this book for the mystery readers.
February 10, 2022
And I loved Parker’s books!
It was bound to happen ! When Parker passed some one was bound to fill his shoes. That alone should let you know my feeling about Duncan’s great works. Just like Mikey, you’ll love them!
It was bound to happen ! When Parker passed some one was bound to fill his shoes. That alone should let you know my feeling about Duncan’s great works. Just like Mikey, you’ll love them!
September 18, 2023
huge misstep
Since when does Hilda smoke? Seven books and not even a hint or suggestion. The only way sequels work is if there is a consistency…both in the characters and in their characteristics. The series is clearly coming to its end. The stories are starting to unravel.
Since when does Hilda smoke? Seven books and not even a hint or suggestion. The only way sequels work is if there is a consistency…both in the characters and in their characteristics. The series is clearly coming to its end. The stories are starting to unravel.
July 28, 2018
What a first time mystery from this amazing author. Kimberly is thought to have run away with her boyfriend, but things show otherwise. P.I. Rafferty is on the case. Loved every bit.
July 31, 2018
An edge of your seat, action packed read, with great characters. The plot vibrates with a combination of some not so current events that still manage to touch an emotional response.
August 3, 2018
This is the first book I have read by this author. Throughly enjoyed reading,and plan to go back and catch up on the titles I have missed. Thank you for this good read
July 27, 2020
Not a bad yarn. Worth reading
August 7, 2020
A little intense for a pandemic reading choice. In addition to the usual blood and mayhem we expect with Rafferty, throw in fear of another Jim Jones.
August 12, 2020
Beach read
Duncan writes well and spins a good tale. The final action scene was a bit over the top, but it didn’t detract from the overall story.
Duncan writes well and spins a good tale. The final action scene was a bit over the top, but it didn’t detract from the overall story.
August 29, 2020
Old style PI series, easy read
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews