Rock of Ages

Junior Bender #8

by Timothy Hallinan

Junior Bender, Los Angeles burglar and off-the-books detective to the felonious, is reminded that rock and roll will never die, no matter how fervently he wishes some of it would, when Hollywood's most dangerous geriatric mobster, Irwin Dressler, retains Junior's investigative services to solve a rather unharmonious problem.


Four of Dressler's old gangster colleagues have put together a national tour of once-popular rock bands they own a piece of: three nights of concerts by guys (and a few gals) who were big shots back in the 1960s and 1970s, and who are now hoping at one more gasp of glory with this nostalgia exhibition. The Rock of Ages tour has proved itself to be anything but a love fest: plenty of the bandmates have been feuding for forty years, and—perhaps unsurprisingly—drugs and bad behavior have created health, wellness, and legal problems for the musicians and managers. Plus there have been two near-fatal accidents that might have been attempted murders.

But they're not what Irwin Dressler is concerned about. It's that someone—one of his own colleagues—is using the tour as a front to steal Dressler's money. And that simply cannot be allowed.

Now the tour has pulled into LA, and Junior has one weekend to figure out who's to blame—a weekend that begins with his tires being slashed, threatening notes left on his car, and a theatrical backdrop falling on a drummer during the truly terrible first set of the first concert. To make things worse, Junior is saddled for the weekend with his teenage daughter, Rina, who lately has been much, much too interested in how her father earns his living. Can Junior recover Dressler's money, prevent a murder, talk his daughter out of pursuing a life of crime, and somehow survive all that bad music?

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Mystery Thriller

336 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 7, 2022

About the author

I'm a thriller and mystery novelist with 22 published books in three series, all with major imprints. I divides my time between Los Angeles and Southeast Asia, primarily Thailand, where I've lived off and on for more than twenty years. As of now, My primary home is in Santa Monica, California.

I currently write two series, The Poke Rafferty Bangkok Thrillers, most recently FOOLS' RIVER, and the Junior Bender Mysteries, set in Los Angeles, Coming up this November is NIGHTTOWN. The main character of those books is a burglar who works as a private eye for crooks.

The first series I ever wrote featured an overeducated private eye named Simeon Grist. in 2017 I wrote PULPED, the first book in the series to be self-published, which was actually a lot of fun. I might do more of it.

I've been nominated for the Edgar, the Macavity, the Shamus, and the Left, and won the Lefty in 2015 (?) for the Junior Bender book HERBIE'S GAME. My work has frequently been included in Best Books of the Year roundups by major publications.

Reviews

[David C Ward · Rating 3 out of 5]

Murder and fraud on a rock and roll nostalgia tour. Not as snappy or inventive as others in the series. Too much filler, from show biz arcana (the Plaster Casters etc) to room descriptions. Gets 3 stars only because the Irwin Dressler/Rina segment was sweet - and informative!

[Emmalynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

In general I’ve enjoyed the Junior Bender Books, this one was sort of a miss for me. Many of the secondary characters that really elevated the books were either missing or faded to the background. The mystery/story itself just didn’t grab and hold the way other Junior stories have in the past. This book makes you realize that it’s not just Junior’s antics and and the murder mysteries that help the books, but it’s his interactions with those close in his life as they help in out of or into his numerous scrapes, his relationships with family and frenemies as they blackmail each other etc that really make the books work and it was just missing from this one.

[3 no 7 · Rating 4 out of 5]

A “Rock and Roll Retrospective” tour goes wrong

“Rock of Ages” is part of the continuing “Junior Bender Mystery” series, but it is not necessary to have read previous books to be captivated by this one. Events unfold in Junior’s first-person usually laid-back, somewhat fatalistic, and definitely sarcastic narrative. Readers find Junior and his daughter at a rock concert, the Los Angeles stop on a “Grand Farewell” tour by “Rock of Ages,” a group of classic, (almost “over-the-hill” but not quite faded away and still projecting some fame and skill) musicians. This road trip was intended to be a return to rock life a few decades ago when the world and its rockers were young.

The rock and roll experience continues with the all the expected and unexpected drama and trauma inherent at those events. While at the concert, things take a turn for the worse for Junior and his daughter when the hastily constructed backdrop suddenly collapses and chaos ensues. How could this happen? Well Junior knows, and shares the events that led up to the “Rock and Roll Reunion” success tour becoming a “rock catastrophe” that required his special skill. Road trips are always difficult for musicians, but the monetary rewards are great, -- unless there are problems. This tour definitely has problems, and it is up to Junior to find and fix them. Junior discovers that the tour is not a retrospective “good old rock and roll happening" but rather a low budget debacle filled with criminals, scam artists, crooked accountants, and past-their-prime musicians who are “phoning it in” music-wise.

Music lovers and readers alike will appreciate the rich music trivia that is an important component of the narrative. After all, Rock and Roll never fades away. I received a review copy of “Rock of Ages” from Timothy Hallinan and Soho Crime.

“Rock of Ages” is now available in print, as an e-book, and on audio from independent bookstores, online booksellers, retail stores, public libraries, and anywhere you get your books.

[Hannah F · Rating 1 out of 5]

So mind numbingly boring. ramble after ramble about nothing that helps the plot. just distracts.

Oh and Junior is boring not witty not funny and def not as intelligent as the author wants you to think .

ps Why does his 12 year old daughter have a "long standing boyfriend " .As a female , I find that ridiculous she's a child. Stupid on his and his exs part , and no she's not percocious or charming .just a brat who works him around her finger .

[Jenna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Normally I enjoy doing this series on audio but it isn't avail yet thru my library so I got the hard cover print version instead.
The story dragged but I like the characters & Hallinan's humor shines throughout so I continued reading.
Also, I was a bit confused about the ending.
Otherwise, I liked it.
This was more of a character driven story than one that's dealing with the mystery element.
I'm glad the writer did another book for the series & I look forward to reading more of them in the future.

Quotes from the first page:

"The drum solo had gone on so long that it seemed to be taking place in geological time, and there was no indication that it was nearing the end."

..."Instead, he embarked on a solo that, from my perspective, threatened to outlive him."

[Lisa Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Junior Bender and I love Timothy Hallinan for creating him. This outing has Junior doing a "favor" for the most powerful gangster in LA. Not something he can turn down. On top of that it is on a rare long weekend that he has his daughter Rina staying with him. Lots of complications, lots of laughs. Loved it!

[Mal Warwick · Rating 4 out of 5]

You can depend on three things when you pick up any one of the first seven books in the Junior Bender series. They’re action-packed, full of surprises, and often hilarious as well. But that’s not the case with the eighth in the series, Rock of Ages. Oh, it’s funny from time to time. And it’s a joy to read, because Timothy Hallinan’s fresh and engaging style keeps the eye moving across the page. However, the plot of the novel seems merely to provide a framework for Hallinan to write a book about a rock and roll tour and fill in the backstory of one of his recurring characters. The result is a story that, unlike the earlier entries in the series, can’t be called a thriller. A mystery, yes, but no thriller.

ROCK AND ROLL AND A GANG OF CRIMINALS
Just to be clear, this novel is not related in any way to the Broadway musical and film of the same title despite its subject matter. “Rock of Ages” is the name of a rock and roll concert tour organized by a group of four criminals. They’ve persuaded several second- and third-rate rock-and-roll bands of the 1960s and 70s to come back together for a farewell tour all across the Pacific West. Naturally, the crooks’ objective is to steal the money. Unfortunately, they’ve badly miscalculated. To finance the operation, they’d borrowed $250,000 from the notorious Irwin Dressler, the crime boss of Los Angeles. And NOBODY steals from Irwin Dressler.

A PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR WHO’S REALLY A PROFESSIONAL BURGLAR
Enter Junior Bender. As any reader of the earlier novels in the series is well aware, Junior is an A-list professional burglar. He specializes in high-end artwork, antiques, and other lucrative loot. And he’s never been caught. Unfortunately, the superior intellect that has enabled Junior to be so successful in his chosen career has caught the eye of Irwin Dressler. For some time now, the aging crime kingpin has been turning to Junior to investigate other crooks who are, in the old man’s opinion, misbehaving. And Irwin Dressler knows the idiots behind this rock and roll tour are up to no good. So, although Junior has been looking forward to a long weekend with his 19-year-old daughter, he’s got no choice. He’ll have to drag her along as he peers under the rocks of the Rock of Ages Tour.

Naturally, the gang of four at the Lafayette Theater is not happy that Junior has come to look over their shoulders. And not only do most of them pack heat but the leader of the bunch, Yoshi Perlman, has brought along a murderous thug who seems intent on killing Junior in a colorfully gruesome manner. And when one of the musicians on the tour is killed by a stage set that falls on him from above, the situation becomes not just complicated but downright dangerous.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Timothy Hallinan (1949-) divides his time between Santa Monica, California, and Bangkok, where he set a series of thrillers featuring travel writer Poke Rafferty. He is also the author of seven novels about a well-read LA private investigator named Simeon Grist in addition to the eight Junior Bender novels to date. Before turning to writing full-time, Hallinan was a corporate consultant and helped create public television educational websites.

[Traci · Rating 4 out of 5]

LOVED IT! I've been anxious for Hallinan to put out another Junior book and it's finally here! This one wasn't so much Junior stealing things as him doing a "favor" for our favorite gangster, Irwin Dressler. We learn Dressler's backstory - awesome. We see how much Tuffy and Babe care for the ailing Irwin - adorable. And we see Junior's daughter, Rina, learn a LOT more about her dad...great for the reader but probably not great if ex-wife Kathy learns about it.

Can't say enough good things about Hallinan's series. He obviously puts a lot of research into these books and it shows. I also love that it's smart writing, both literally and figuratively.

Just hope we don't have to wait so long for book #9!

[Larry Fontenot · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like the Junior Bender series and this one is entertaining while providing a backdrop of old music groups on a nostalgia tour. Of course, the managers of the tour are oldsters, too, and oldster gangster Irwin Dressler hires Junior to investigate whether the tour managers are stealing his investment. The book is filled with the usual set of intriguing characters and a lot of facts about staging a musical event. We get a lot of involvement from Rina, Junior's daughter, who seems to be more interested in the "business" her father is in. Junior is at his most perplexed about describing his "business" to his daughter, but they get along pretty well. I like the series and enjoyed this book very much.

[Sue · Rating 3 out of 5]

I hate saying I was disappointed in a Hallinan book, but this one just didn't cut it. Great stuff with Junior and Rina, and some really interesting stuff with Dressler. But the opening chapters had his metaphors on steroids and half the time I had no flipping idea what was going on. Then the climax had some insane level of anxiety that was ridiculously wiped away with no real explanation.
All in all, just eh. Read it if you're a fan of Junior, but if not, don't bother.

[Bruce · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another delightful Junior Bender tale. This one takes an aging rocker reunion tour as its backdrop, but it's really more about Junior and his relationships with hit-women, daughters, and crooks both big- and small-time. Witty dialog drives the story forward and helps make it an engaging read from start to finish. Can't wait for the next adventure of this burglar-turned-detective.

[Jenny Winter · Rating 5 out of 5]

So sad this series is done!!

[The Library Lady · Rating 3 out of 5]

Somehow the plot didn't work well for me, but I always like these books and several sequences made me ROTFLMAO. And that's a precious commodity in a book.

[Craig Pittman · Rating 4 out of 5]

An entertaining but ultimately frustrating book for longtime fans of Timothy Hallinan's burglar-detective Junior Bender.

I have read all eight of Hallinan's novels about the wisecracking Junior, and raved about the snappy dialogue, his ability to discourse on a variety of obscure topics, his hilarious character names and the always amusing side characters, such as Louie the Lost, a getaway driver with a bad sense of direction who changed into an information broker as a result. Some of those elements are here, but some aren't.

The book starts with a bang -- literally. At a show featuring aging rock'n'rollers, a piece of scenery falls from a rope and kills a drummer as Junior and his daughter Rina look on. Then the story spins backward to show why they're there: The show is part of a tour financed by a quartet of aging gangsters, using money from Irwiin Dressler, the Jewish godfather of Hollywood and someone who has previously called on Junior for a favor. Now Dressler's again dispatched Junior to use his detecting skills -- not to solve any murders, but to figure out who in the quartet is ripping him off.

Junior solves both the murder and the mystery of the ripoff, and along the way gets Dressler to reminisce about his beginnings in Detroit; meets an aging groupie named Lavender who spins a hilarious story about "the Casters," the groupies who take plaster casts of their consquests' attributes; and Cappy, a longtime tour manager who has many a tale to tell about rock bands on the road. And Junior frequently exchanges insults with Sparks, a thug he blames for the death of a friend.

While Junior commits no new burglaries in this book, he does flash back to a few, as well as the lessons he learned from his mentor, featured in the best book in the series, "Herbie's Game."

The problem is that for much of this book's plot, we're stuck inside the theater where the final shows of the tour are taking place, so there's a feeling of creeping claustrophobia. Worse, we're missing out on some of the regular side characters who make reading Hallinan's books such a delight. No Anime Wong, the hacker; no Stinky Detwiler, the fence; and Louie the Lost shows up only briefly -- to change Junior's tires after they're slashed. We at least get Debbie the Hitwoman, who's a world-class flirt as well as a crack shot.

And while we get a good sampling of teen Rina's wit during the first half of the novel as Junior gives her some rudimentary lessons in the world of crime, she disappears for the second half of the novel. Worst of all, though, is the absence of Junior's girlfriend, the sarcastic Ronnie Bigelow, who's been a sparkling presence starting from their meeting in the first book in the series. Here she's reduced to a voice on the telephone a few times and that's it.

I am particularly disappointed about Ronnie's absence because Hallinan set up a situation in his sixth book involving her and her prior marriage that I fully expected him to resolve in the next book, No. 7. He didn't, but it did affect the plot. Here, it gets not even a mention. Why drop it completely? It's a mystery -- one I suppose only Junior Bender can solve.

[Cathy Cole · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a fan of cat burglars from Cary Grant's To Catch a Thief to Robert Wagner's It Takes a Thief, I've been a fan of the irreverent, irrepressible Junior Bender from book one (Crashed). In this latest installment, Rock of Ages puts readers right in the middle of a nostalgia rock and roll tour, complete with falling props, Super Trooper lighting, old groupies, and a very inquisitive teenage girl. The names of the bands are almost worth the price of admission alone, and this behind-the-scenes look at rock and roll is equal parts illuminating and hilarious. "The bands hated each other, some of them were rusty, some needed cue cards for their lyrics, and three guys had shown up in wheelchairs." Junior must navigate all this as well as slashed tires, threatening notes, inflated egos, and people willing to kill for a money-and-power grab.

I really enjoyed the time spent with Junior's daughter, Rina. She's one sharp cookie who has a mind (and a mouth) very similar to her father's. Junior's going to be sweating bullets over Rina in a year or two, mark my words. But Rock of Ages isn't just the Junior and Rina Show. Other characters shine as only Hallinan can make them. Lavender the old groupie. Cappy the manager who keeps everything running. Debbie, whom Junior calls when he needs backup. Irwin Dressler, the LA mobster of legend. I always love Hallinan's casts of characters.

As I said before, I've enjoyed this series from the very first book. I will follow Junior Bender wherever he leads me because I know I'm going to enjoy myself with a first-rate plot and an excellent cast of characters, and guess what? I always learn something, too. The history of Los Angeles, the movie industry, rock and roll... it's all up for grabs when Tim Hallinan shares an adventure with my favorite burglar. I'm already looking forward to the next one. Hurry up, Junior!

(Review copy courtesy of the publisher and Net Galley)

[donna_ehm · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was expecting a continuation of the last book which was a darker, more emotionally fraught story involving Ronnie's very nasty ex and the decision of Ronnie and Junior to get her young son away from said ex. But Hallinan understandably decided to give his characters a well-deserved breather after all that and sends Junior off on a side quest investigating a case of potential financial fraud involving Irwin Dressler, at Dressler's request.

The story focuses on character and relationship building which I quite liked. The introduction of Rina to Dressler afforded the opportunity to delve into Dressler's backstory . The relationship between Junior and Rina is always a good time, particularly in light of her voicing her burgeoning interest in following Junior's career footsteps, something that's sure to provide excellent fodder to explore that relationship as well as that of Junior and Kathy (to say the least). I do wish she hadn't disappeared from the story halfway through. Still, I was glad Hallinan avoided the cliche of Rina being kidnapped by the bad guys.

It was also great to have Debbie back in the picture, and I really liked the latest inductee into the Bender community: former groupie Lavender. She was a hoot on her own but Dressler developing a crush on her was adorable. I can't wait to see where that goes in the next book(s).

Also, fun fact! Junior finds out that a Super Trouper is both special type of very bright spotlight and what ABBA's song "Super Trouper" refers to! (Super trouper beams are gonna blind me / But I won't feel blue / Like I always do / 'Cause somewhere in the crowd there's you...).

So, if this one wasn't what I was expecting, it proved to be an engaging and entertaining story. This series has lots of life left in it.

[Margie Bunting · Rating 4 out of 5]

In book #8 of the Junior Bender series, professional burglar Junior doesn't have an opportunity to demonstrate his burglary proficiency. Instead, a legendary (though elderly) gangster employs Junior to make sure his reputation doesn't suffer when he suspects that four men who solicited him to sponsor a tour of aging rock bands are planning to cheat him out of the money he expected to make from the proceeds. In addition, there have already been a couple of "accidents" which may have resulted from feuding band members and reason to expect that there may be more, so Junior has his hands full.

Part of the fun of this book is in reading about the behind-the-scenes drama of the Rock of Ages tour--aging rockers with personal vendettas, crumbling venues, and outrageous behavior. The book is front-loaded with too much of this description, which slows down the story, but it is often witty and entertaining. Junior brings his teenage daughter into some of the action, allowing her time with the old gangster and with a flamboyant septuagenarian former groupie and telling her more about his own career than he should, displaying questionable parenting skills. But it is in the final scenes of the book where things really take off, leading to a propulsive, suspenseful conclusion that is worth waiting for.

My review is based on a complimentary pre-release copy of the book.

[Mike Wolstat · Rating 1 out of 5]

Did AI write this book? The character names were all the same, but in no way did it feel like the same world as the first few in this series. [Broad plot line spoilers ahead]

Junior Bender's lot has devolved from being a clever, solo burglar who smarts his way through all challenges to a mid-level mafia lackey who babysits boring business endeavors. His refined taste and moral hair-splitting are absent, and we instead have to stand by while he enjoys torturing a creepy thug and carries a gun the whole story.

What kept the early books grounded for me was the emotional toll he suffered while trying to keep his girlfriend, daughter and ex-wife insulated from the consequences of his bad behavior. That has all been dispensed with as he stupidly (purposely?) drags his daughter to a murder scene and has her sit in while he violently intimidates a nest of bad guys.

The book ends in a weird rush where all the plot lines return to status quo. It's the kind of hamstrung storytelling that syndicated sitcoms suffer from where the episodes need to maintain continuity even when viewed out of sequence. Cue the closing theme. Roll credits. I'm out.

[Mike Nettleton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tim Hallinan's most recent entry in the Junior Bender series is a hoot. I've enjoyed Hallinan's writing including the Bangkok-set Poke Rafferty series and the noirish L.A. Junior Bender books. This one is a smile-inducing character-driven tour-de-force of the highest order.
The story centers on a tour of over-the-hill rock, new wave and pop bands in a rundown venue. Somebody is siphoning off money from the endeavor and Junior is persuaded (bullied?) into investigating by a powerful California gangster/power broker. Hilarity ensues. Junior Benders relationship with his sharp-as-a-whip daughter Rina and the introduction of Velvet, an aging, but still vibrant rock-and-roll groupie delighted me, as did his cast of L.A. hoodlums, thugs and over-muscled under-brained bodyguards who protect the bad guys.
If you're a fan of noir, caper books, or just flat-out terrific writing, this is the book for you.

[Luis Cuesta · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book as a Goodreads giveaway. In this eight novel of the series, main character Junior Bender is asked by a local aging mobster to get his stolen investment back from a local rock concert tour made of past rock star's but one of the positive aspects of any new Tim Hallinan novel is that you don’t need to have read the preceding novels in the series to catch up with the characters and this one is not an exception.

The best parts of this novel involve the relations among Rina, Junior as the world's worst babysitter, and Lavender, an aging groupie to whom Rina takes a shine, also part of the fun of this book is in reading about the behind-the-scenes drama of the Rock of Ages tour--aging rockers with personal vendettas, crumbling venues, and outrageous behavior.

[Sharon Falduto · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun book--although part of a series, I didn't feel lost (having not read any other books in the Junior Bender series). I liked the characters, and the setting--a murder mystery at a music festival for aging rockers. With some gangsters involved. And our protagonist, Junior Bender, who is a burglar (but...like...an ethical one, I guess)?

Fun characters, I liked the relationship with him and his daughter.

I did get confused in the plot at some points. I realize in every mystery novel there's a point at which the penny drops for the protagonist before it does for the reader, but honestly, I never could quite figure out what all was going on with all the different gangsters, lowlifes, and others on the wrong side of the law.

[Ted Lehmann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rock of Ages, a pun on rock music played by aging, if not old, 1960's musicians in a 1950's once great Hollywood movie house, as a fine addition the Junior Bender series featuring the thieves' thief as he tries to meet all the demands Irwin Dresher places on him while caretaking his perky teenage daughter, Rina. Filled with insights into old Hollywood, over-the-hill musicians, and the gangsters hoping to cash in on them, the book also continues to explore author Tim Hallinan's concern for the problems of being the father of a teenage daughter. You can read my full review here:
http://tedlehmann.blogspot.com/2022/0...

[Kathleen Gray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Someone doesn't want Junior Bender to find out what's really going on with the Rock of Ages tour. That's what Irwin Dressler hired him to do- especially he wants Junior to find his money. Junior, who has his daughter Rina for the weekend, brings her along (probably not the best idea but she's a great addition). I liked this for the very funny depiction of the various aging rockers on tour and for the attitude- humor without snark. It's not the most complex mystery out there but it's fun. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. I've only read one of the books in the series (the last one, which was published in 2018) so this was more or less a fine standalone for me.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this outing, Junior is asked by Irwin Dressler to check on a golden oldies rock tour he has helped finance. Knowing how little honor there is among thieves, he expects his criminal-type partners to attempt to steal the proceeds. In his first day on the job (with his daughter, who may or may not want to follow in his footsteps, in tow) one of the aging rockers is struck down. Literally.

The very best Junior Bender yet. Hallinan writes wonderful central characters but what takes him up a notch is his ability to sketch a "peripheral" character to the point that they are real and the reader cares. Even if it's "just" muscle-bound muscle during arm curls in the rain. I always love Dressler, but throw in Jennifer and Lavender, and even this bunch of bad guys, and, what can I say? I just loved it!

[Don Gorman · Rating 3 out of 5]

(3 1/2). I have thoroughly enjoyed the Junior Bender series. He is such a cool guy. A professional burglar, he again assumes the position of fixer for mob boss Irwin Dressler in this latest installment. We have a lengthy and nice appearance by Junior's daughter Rina, and a really fun showing by a lady hitter that I believe has appeared previously as well. Spending time with Junior is always a joy. If you have not read any of the books in this series there is not a single one that will disappoint. Good stuff.

[Ammy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25 Stars

The latest in the Junior Bender series. He is an LA burglar who can't say no (and live) to geriatric mobster, Irwin Dressler. His job is to root out thieves among thieves who siphoned off cash from a rock n roll nostalgia concert Dressler bankrolled.

I like this series. It's witty and the story line is usually good. This one not so much. While funny, I found the plot to be uninteresting and loaded with one too many characters. I also didn't like his daughter's involvement.
2022(36)

[Mandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I hadn't even finished reading the first sentence and I was already smiling. This is what I've been waiting for.

A great character and Hallinan is a Chandler-level wordsmith. And spoke to me personally because of the theater setting.

Worth the wait and makes me want to revisit the rest of the series.

[JDK1962 · Rating 5 out of 5]

While I was disappointed in the final Poke Rafferty novel, and gave up on the Simon Griest series two books in, I'm still really liking this series. This entry was nearly perfect, especially the father-daughter interplay (which Hallinan always did extremely well in the Poke Rafferty series as well).

[John Marr · Rating 1 out of 5]

Absolutely awful. While there may be a nugget of a story in here, it's well concealed under an avalanche of anecdotes and a windstorm of wordage. I swear, it can take Bender a couple thousand words to walk across the room. I do think there is a very pleasant 10,000 word story in here, but it's even more well concealed in the 300+ pages here than the solution to the mystery.

[Diane Fredericks · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 stars.
Not as good as the other entries in this series. There was so much filler and even with that, at times it seemed that some explanations were missing. I’m not sure how Rina’s concern for Junior’s safety morphed into her meeting Dressler. Although it was sort of cute. Also, there were too many characters making snappy sarcastic quips. Everyone sounded the same.