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The Fighting Detective #1-3
The Fighting Detective Series #1-3
Are you looking for a pulsating crime fiction series, filled with larger-than-life characters and unexpected twists and turns?
Then meet Detective Sergeant Jack Lisbon, an ex-boxer cop who stops at nothing to uncover the truth.
GET **THREE** ADDICTIVE CRIME MYSTERIES IN ONE GREAT-VALUE BOX SET.
"Fast-paced with murder, multiple suspects, and mystery."
"Head spinning twists and gritty crisp dialogue."
"If you like action-packed, page-turning thrillers with an irreverent twist, then this will be right up your street."
KILL SHOT
A body found in the mangroves appears to be the victim of a frenzied crocodile attack. But it soon becomes obvious, this is a horrific murder. And when a popular MMA fighter disappears, police now face a possible double homicide. The list of suspects grows longer, but no one in the closed fighting community is talking. Can hard-nosed ex-boxer Jack Lisbon solve the mystery before the panicked town of Yorkville goes into total meltdown? Join DS Lisbon and his partner Detective Claudia Taylor on a heart-thumping ride through the steamy tropics of Northern Australia as they hunt for a killer out of control. Justice served with a side order of vengeance.
SHOT CLOCK A hit-and-run victim lies shattered on the road. The brutal murder of a famous sports coach sends shock waves through the city. With enough suspects to fill a stadium, Detective Jack Lisbon must race against time to find a cold and calculated killer. After years of waiting, the struggling Scorpions basketball franchise is finally knocking on the door of its first ever championship title. The community of Yorkville is united behind the home team, spirits are high. But with the playoffs in sight, their coach Dale Collins is mowed down in broad daylight. The killers leave no trace – no DNA, no prints, no clues, nothing. Ex-boxer DS Jack Lisbon and his partner DC Claudia Taylor must unravel dark secrets and long-standing grudges to peel back the layers of this baffling mystery. If those obstacles aren't enough, Jack has to battle his own personal demons that threaten to cripple him at every turn. With the long list of suspects all harboring a motive, Detectives Lisbon and Taylor pull no punches to find the killers.
TRICK SHOT
A blood-soaked body in a basement
A high-ranking police officer with dark secrets
A town full of suspects And Jack Lisbon, a detective who never takes a backward step. When a prominent pool hall owner is found brutally slain in his own home, Yorkville's Criminal Investigation Branch swoops into action. The Assistant Commissioner of Police is piling the pressure on Detective Lisbon and his team. With suspicions the crime has links to terrorism and a meeting of world leaders about to kick off, solving the case is now an urgent priority. But is the killer really linked to a terrorist organization? Or does the homicide have nothing to do with national security at all? With the line of suspects stretching out the door, Jack and his partner Detective Claudia Taylor must pull out all stops to unravel this baffling crime. Can Jack Lisbon solve the case in time to avert a disaster? Or will the Trick Shot mystery snooker him completely?
If you’re a fan of fast-paced thrillers by American crime legends James Patterson, David Baldacci and Michael Connelly, or British doyens of police procedurals Ian Rankin, Peter James and Val McDermid, the Fighting Detective series will keep you reading into the night.
Then meet Detective Sergeant Jack Lisbon, an ex-boxer cop who stops at nothing to uncover the truth.
GET **THREE** ADDICTIVE CRIME MYSTERIES IN ONE GREAT-VALUE BOX SET.
"Fast-paced with murder, multiple suspects, and mystery."
"Head spinning twists and gritty crisp dialogue."
"If you like action-packed, page-turning thrillers with an irreverent twist, then this will be right up your street."
KILL SHOT
A body found in the mangroves appears to be the victim of a frenzied crocodile attack. But it soon becomes obvious, this is a horrific murder. And when a popular MMA fighter disappears, police now face a possible double homicide. The list of suspects grows longer, but no one in the closed fighting community is talking. Can hard-nosed ex-boxer Jack Lisbon solve the mystery before the panicked town of Yorkville goes into total meltdown? Join DS Lisbon and his partner Detective Claudia Taylor on a heart-thumping ride through the steamy tropics of Northern Australia as they hunt for a killer out of control. Justice served with a side order of vengeance.
SHOT CLOCK A hit-and-run victim lies shattered on the road. The brutal murder of a famous sports coach sends shock waves through the city. With enough suspects to fill a stadium, Detective Jack Lisbon must race against time to find a cold and calculated killer. After years of waiting, the struggling Scorpions basketball franchise is finally knocking on the door of its first ever championship title. The community of Yorkville is united behind the home team, spirits are high. But with the playoffs in sight, their coach Dale Collins is mowed down in broad daylight. The killers leave no trace – no DNA, no prints, no clues, nothing. Ex-boxer DS Jack Lisbon and his partner DC Claudia Taylor must unravel dark secrets and long-standing grudges to peel back the layers of this baffling mystery. If those obstacles aren't enough, Jack has to battle his own personal demons that threaten to cripple him at every turn. With the long list of suspects all harboring a motive, Detectives Lisbon and Taylor pull no punches to find the killers.
TRICK SHOT
A blood-soaked body in a basement
A high-ranking police officer with dark secrets
A town full of suspects And Jack Lisbon, a detective who never takes a backward step. When a prominent pool hall owner is found brutally slain in his own home, Yorkville's Criminal Investigation Branch swoops into action. The Assistant Commissioner of Police is piling the pressure on Detective Lisbon and his team. With suspicions the crime has links to terrorism and a meeting of world leaders about to kick off, solving the case is now an urgent priority. But is the killer really linked to a terrorist organization? Or does the homicide have nothing to do with national security at all? With the line of suspects stretching out the door, Jack and his partner Detective Claudia Taylor must pull out all stops to unravel this baffling crime. Can Jack Lisbon solve the case in time to avert a disaster? Or will the Trick Shot mystery snooker him completely?
If you’re a fan of fast-paced thrillers by American crime legends James Patterson, David Baldacci and Michael Connelly, or British doyens of police procedurals Ian Rankin, Peter James and Val McDermid, the Fighting Detective series will keep you reading into the night.
733 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 6, 2021
395 people are currently reading
154 people want to read
About the author
Blair Denholm
25 books227 followersBLAIR DENHOLM is a born-and-bred Australian crime fiction writer whose previous jobs have been as varied as translator, debt collector, technology researcher, banking and insurance consultant, and even car-wash attendant. Over the years he has lived and worked in New York, Moscow, Munich, Abu Dhabi and Australia. His life-long love of sports is reflected in the plots of the Fighting Detective series.
Denholm's flagship series, The Fighting Detective, stars ex-boxer Detective Sergeant Jack Lisbon and is set in the steamy tropics of North Queensland, Australia. The series features heavy doses of noir crime with a vigilante justice twist. So far there are eight novels and two prequel novellas in the series, with more in the pipeline.
In 2026, Denholm will independently release a spin-off series featuring Jack's daughter as a private investigator working cases out of Brisbane. Skye Lisbon Investigates promises to be a series with wide appeal.
Denholm's debut novel, SOLD, is the first in a noir trilogy featuring the detestable yet lovable one-man wrecking ball Gary Braswell. The book was long-listed for movie adaptation by Screen Queensland in 2019. The other books in this series are Sold to the Devil and Sold Dirt Cheap.
Denholm has also written two thriller novels set in Russia. Captain Viktor Voloshin is a hard-boiled investigator who has to fight the establishment in order for justice to be served in his own special way. The first in this series, Revolution Day, was published in 2021, with the follow-up, The Defector, released in 2024. One more book will round off this series.
In 2024, Denholm signed on with UK-based publisher Vinci Books.
Blair Denholm grew up in suburban Brisbane, Queensland. After two lengthy stints in Tasmania, he now resides in the Southern Downs region of Queensland with his partner, Sandra, and faithful dog, Bruno.
Denholm's flagship series, The Fighting Detective, stars ex-boxer Detective Sergeant Jack Lisbon and is set in the steamy tropics of North Queensland, Australia. The series features heavy doses of noir crime with a vigilante justice twist. So far there are eight novels and two prequel novellas in the series, with more in the pipeline.
In 2026, Denholm will independently release a spin-off series featuring Jack's daughter as a private investigator working cases out of Brisbane. Skye Lisbon Investigates promises to be a series with wide appeal.
Denholm's debut novel, SOLD, is the first in a noir trilogy featuring the detestable yet lovable one-man wrecking ball Gary Braswell. The book was long-listed for movie adaptation by Screen Queensland in 2019. The other books in this series are Sold to the Devil and Sold Dirt Cheap.
Denholm has also written two thriller novels set in Russia. Captain Viktor Voloshin is a hard-boiled investigator who has to fight the establishment in order for justice to be served in his own special way. The first in this series, Revolution Day, was published in 2021, with the follow-up, The Defector, released in 2024. One more book will round off this series.
In 2024, Denholm signed on with UK-based publisher Vinci Books.
Blair Denholm grew up in suburban Brisbane, Queensland. After two lengthy stints in Tasmania, he now resides in the Southern Downs region of Queensland with his partner, Sandra, and faithful dog, Bruno.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
January 15, 2022
733 pages
4 and 1 /2 stars
When a car is found idling on the side of the road with blood in it, DS Jack LIsbon and DC Claudia Taylor are called to the scene to investigate. The two detectives spot what looks like blood in the car. It belongs to MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) trainer Terry “Kezza” Bartlett. There is also some unidentified blood in the front seat area.
Very soon, a body is found in a swamp. It has suffered an alligator attack. Jack and Claudia suspect that it is Kezza. So the investigation begins. They interview his cohorts, trainees and friends.
Startlingly, the body is not that of Kezza. Instead, he is an MMA fighter by the name of Owen Kennedy. Kennedy has recently soundly trounced challenger Danny Sharpe, and not for the first time. When Jack interviews Sharpe, he lies and is arrested. But, they must let him go.
The investigation is moving painfully slowly. No one is telling the whole truth.
The story then takes a wild ride through interviewing suspects, hidden videotapes, snitches and illegal drugs. The ending is action-packed. The story reads very quickly and smoothly.
I liked Jack and Claudia and their boss, Bautista. Jack is a former boxer himself who still works out daily, so he can take care of himself well. He is a recovering alcoholic, but holding his own. While he’s a “tough guy,” he has a soft spot for women and especially children. Being new partners, Claudia seems hesitant at times, but does a good job as Jack’s conscience. They get along well and their boss, Bautista does all he can to assist them in their investigations. Bautista is laid back, but sharp.
I liked learning about the world of MMA. While I knew of the sport, I didn’t know much. The descriptions of Australia and its countryside and weather confirms what I had learned about the charming country. I’d wanted to go in the worst way, until I learned about all the venomous snakes and whatnot. Ewww.
I will definitely find time to read more of Blair Denholm’s stories.
4 and 1 /2 stars
When a car is found idling on the side of the road with blood in it, DS Jack LIsbon and DC Claudia Taylor are called to the scene to investigate. The two detectives spot what looks like blood in the car. It belongs to MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) trainer Terry “Kezza” Bartlett. There is also some unidentified blood in the front seat area.
Very soon, a body is found in a swamp. It has suffered an alligator attack. Jack and Claudia suspect that it is Kezza. So the investigation begins. They interview his cohorts, trainees and friends.
Startlingly, the body is not that of Kezza. Instead, he is an MMA fighter by the name of Owen Kennedy. Kennedy has recently soundly trounced challenger Danny Sharpe, and not for the first time. When Jack interviews Sharpe, he lies and is arrested. But, they must let him go.
The investigation is moving painfully slowly. No one is telling the whole truth.
The story then takes a wild ride through interviewing suspects, hidden videotapes, snitches and illegal drugs. The ending is action-packed. The story reads very quickly and smoothly.
I liked Jack and Claudia and their boss, Bautista. Jack is a former boxer himself who still works out daily, so he can take care of himself well. He is a recovering alcoholic, but holding his own. While he’s a “tough guy,” he has a soft spot for women and especially children. Being new partners, Claudia seems hesitant at times, but does a good job as Jack’s conscience. They get along well and their boss, Bautista does all he can to assist them in their investigations. Bautista is laid back, but sharp.
I liked learning about the world of MMA. While I knew of the sport, I didn’t know much. The descriptions of Australia and its countryside and weather confirms what I had learned about the charming country. I’d wanted to go in the worst way, until I learned about all the venomous snakes and whatnot. Ewww.
I will definitely find time to read more of Blair Denholm’s stories.
February 1, 2022
Great Stories
I've read these before but it was good to read books 1-3 together. Blair Denholm knows how to keep your wanting to keep turning the pages and not putting the book down. The constant reference to Jack's musical taste takes me back to my time as a punk. Taylor & Lisbon are a winning combination, can't wait for the next one.
I've read these before but it was good to read books 1-3 together. Blair Denholm knows how to keep your wanting to keep turning the pages and not putting the book down. The constant reference to Jack's musical taste takes me back to my time as a punk. Taylor & Lisbon are a winning combination, can't wait for the next one.
March 28, 2022
Excellent Detective Series
Great variety of plots. Detectives you come to love; warts & all. Amazing amount of zingy one-liners. Fun reading about criminals getting justice & sometimes even what they deserve, too.
Great variety of plots. Detectives you come to love; warts & all. Amazing amount of zingy one-liners. Fun reading about criminals getting justice & sometimes even what they deserve, too.
October 2, 2022
Jack Lisbon and his police partner who he would like to be his full time partner work well together to solve crimes in Northern Australia where he is working after fleeing the British police force before hell broke loose because of his borderline illegal conduct. He is missing the UK and his daughter but is determined to make a go of it and seems to be doing well. This trilogy showcases his struggle with booze and the violent tendencies that landed him where he is now but it also shows through skilled writing how he got away with murder and is now making a sterling career effort into the bargain.
January 11, 2022
Profane and vulgar language
Woah! If you don't like profane or crude language, don't read this. The author abuses that which is sacred, as well as lets the f-bombs fly. Not worth lowering any standards for.
Woah! If you don't like profane or crude language, don't read this. The author abuses that which is sacred, as well as lets the f-bombs fly. Not worth lowering any standards for.
January 15, 2022
no
I really wanted to read this as the blurb sounded great, but the foul and crude language was liberally used in the couple of pages I struggled through. That was enough. Sad
I really wanted to read this as the blurb sounded great, but the foul and crude language was liberally used in the couple of pages I struggled through. That was enough. Sad
April 11, 2023
Fighting Dirty - An interesting introduction to a new series describes how the life of an ex-fighter turned police detective is involuntarily uprooted from the UK to the Queensland Police Service in AU. 4*
Take Down - Takes place about six months after Fighting Dirty ends. Jack is in the wrong place at the wrong time. 4*
Kill Shot, #1 - Interesting but a bit wordy. The coppers are an interesting group of characters. Good story lines kept me immersed until the end. The story picks up four years after Take Down ends. Would highly recommend reading Fighting Dirty and Take Down first. 4*
Shot Clock, #2 - Another interesting read that picks up about a year after Fighting Dirty ends. Good blending of old and new story lines along with an interesting variety of characters made this a fast paced read. Judas betrayed Jesus, Peter denied Him, Blair. 4*
Trick Shot, #3 - Interesting read, although a bit wordy. Good story lines with a couple of bad characters, one of them, a top law enforcement officer. Jack is being himself, both the Limey and Aussie versions working together trying to solve the murder and get home to his daughter. Some humor here and there. 4*
Shot to the Heart, #4 - Story begins five years after Jack leaves London for AU and picks up where Trick Shot ends. Vacation in England is not what he expected when the past comes after him. 4*
Revolution Day - This is my first book by Denholm. I tried several times to read RD, but the English colloquialisms used by the Russian characters peeved me immensely. My lack of tolerance over this not so minor detail is probably due to my growing up on Robert Ludlum, and many other good and great authors. Foreign languages were actually spoken in these books. Plus the fact my generation was better educated in school.
While I know, and have noticed, that the writing styles of the newer/younger authors will never be up to par with just the good writers of the not so distant past, at least an effort can be made for accuracy. Writing books is not the same as today's Journalism.
While this book is a dud per my standards, Denholm does well with his Jack Lisbon series, an English DS working in AU. 2*
Take Down - Takes place about six months after Fighting Dirty ends. Jack is in the wrong place at the wrong time. 4*
Kill Shot, #1 - Interesting but a bit wordy. The coppers are an interesting group of characters. Good story lines kept me immersed until the end. The story picks up four years after Take Down ends. Would highly recommend reading Fighting Dirty and Take Down first. 4*
Shot Clock, #2 - Another interesting read that picks up about a year after Fighting Dirty ends. Good blending of old and new story lines along with an interesting variety of characters made this a fast paced read. Judas betrayed Jesus, Peter denied Him, Blair. 4*
Trick Shot, #3 - Interesting read, although a bit wordy. Good story lines with a couple of bad characters, one of them, a top law enforcement officer. Jack is being himself, both the Limey and Aussie versions working together trying to solve the murder and get home to his daughter. Some humor here and there. 4*
Shot to the Heart, #4 - Story begins five years after Jack leaves London for AU and picks up where Trick Shot ends. Vacation in England is not what he expected when the past comes after him. 4*
Revolution Day - This is my first book by Denholm. I tried several times to read RD, but the English colloquialisms used by the Russian characters peeved me immensely. My lack of tolerance over this not so minor detail is probably due to my growing up on Robert Ludlum, and many other good and great authors. Foreign languages were actually spoken in these books. Plus the fact my generation was better educated in school.
While I know, and have noticed, that the writing styles of the newer/younger authors will never be up to par with just the good writers of the not so distant past, at least an effort can be made for accuracy. Writing books is not the same as today's Journalism.
While this book is a dud per my standards, Denholm does well with his Jack Lisbon series, an English DS working in AU. 2*
January 31, 2023
Kill Shot: An Australian Crime Thriller (The Fighting Detective Book 1), my fifth read from author Blair Denholm, Outstanding, entertaining police/detective fiction set in Australia, well-written with characters & a plot you can buy into with unexpected twists & turns. “I received a free Kindle copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review." So good I went out & purchased a copy. The gifting of this book did not affect my opinion of it. (RIP Marley January 20, 2014 - July 24, 2018).
Shot Clock: an Australian crime thriller (The Fighting Detective Book 2), my sixth read from author Blair Denholm, Outstanding, entertaining police/detective fiction set in Australia, well-written with characters & a plot you can buy into with unexpected twists & turns. “I received a free Kindle copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review." So good I went out & purchased a copy. The gifting of this book did not affect my opinion of it. (RIP Marley January 20, 2014 - July 24, 2018).
Trick Shot (The Fighting Detective, #3), my second read from author Blair Denholm, an author I'd wanted to read since acquiring Kill Shot: an absolutely gripping mystery and suspense thriller (The Fighting Detective Book 1), back in January yet never getting around to it until now. Longer at 22 pages than the 55 page Fighting Dirty: A Jack Lisbon Crime Thriller, my first read from author Blair Denholm. Outstanding police/detective fiction set in Australia, well-written with characters & a plot you can buy into with unexpected twists & turns. I look forward to reading Kill Shot: an absolutely gripping mystery and suspense thriller (The Fighting Detective Book 1). “I received a free Kindle copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review." So good I went out & purchased a copy. The gifting of this book did not affect my opinion of it. (RIP Marley January 20, 2014 - July 24, 2018)
Shot Clock: an Australian crime thriller (The Fighting Detective Book 2), my sixth read from author Blair Denholm, Outstanding, entertaining police/detective fiction set in Australia, well-written with characters & a plot you can buy into with unexpected twists & turns. “I received a free Kindle copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review." So good I went out & purchased a copy. The gifting of this book did not affect my opinion of it. (RIP Marley January 20, 2014 - July 24, 2018).
Trick Shot (The Fighting Detective, #3), my second read from author Blair Denholm, an author I'd wanted to read since acquiring Kill Shot: an absolutely gripping mystery and suspense thriller (The Fighting Detective Book 1), back in January yet never getting around to it until now. Longer at 22 pages than the 55 page Fighting Dirty: A Jack Lisbon Crime Thriller, my first read from author Blair Denholm. Outstanding police/detective fiction set in Australia, well-written with characters & a plot you can buy into with unexpected twists & turns. I look forward to reading Kill Shot: an absolutely gripping mystery and suspense thriller (The Fighting Detective Book 1). “I received a free Kindle copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review." So good I went out & purchased a copy. The gifting of this book did not affect my opinion of it. (RIP Marley January 20, 2014 - July 24, 2018)
January 17, 2022
Captivating police procedurals, sprinkled with a dash of mystery and suspense (which will keep you guessing till the end) along with far from perfect and well fleshed out characters, is a constant with Blair Denholm's books. Each book is distinct with its unique plot against the vivid backdrops and landscapes of Northern Australia. Every book reels you in and establishes a greater connection with the characters. DS Jack Lisbon is a well-crafted and far from perfect character. The author successfully creates a balance between making progress with the plot with distinct supporting characters and Lisbon's inner musings while alluding to the environment. Stay away from these books if you're not a fan of the cursey words. These books will not disappoint! A 4.5-star experience!
January 16, 2024
Raw, rough and riveting
Three excellent murder mysteries set in a fictional North Queensland town. A tough English police detective, with a past that could come back to haunt him, has a way of solving murders with huge input from his Aussie straight talking female work partner.
Aside from the murders the side stories of the characters also bring vitality to the books.
I don’t like swearing, hence the 4 stars instead of 5.
Great characters with multiple life layers going on.
Three excellent murder mysteries set in a fictional North Queensland town. A tough English police detective, with a past that could come back to haunt him, has a way of solving murders with huge input from his Aussie straight talking female work partner.
Aside from the murders the side stories of the characters also bring vitality to the books.
I don’t like swearing, hence the 4 stars instead of 5.
Great characters with multiple life layers going on.
May 20, 2023
Life is for living
The detective is learning you can’t run away from problems there is always something or someone you have keep. A new beginning but the past is still haunting you.
The detective is learning you can’t run away from problems there is always something or someone you have keep. A new beginning but the past is still haunting you.
February 26, 2022
A very interesting set of stories well told.
The two detectives worked well together solved all three cases and still got along ok despite the males tough attitude.
The two detectives worked well together solved all three cases and still got along ok despite the males tough attitude.
April 15, 2022
Great fighter!
Love the main detective and his attitude. His partner balances him well and I'm looking forward to more of this character. Great read!
Love the main detective and his attitude. His partner balances him well and I'm looking forward to more of this character. Great read!
July 10, 2022
Poorly written
September 11, 2022
excellent
I really enjoyed not only this story but the previous two books in the series. Lisbon doesn’t take any crap and neither does his partner
Love it!
I really enjoyed not only this story but the previous two books in the series. Lisbon doesn’t take any crap and neither does his partner
Love it!
December 29, 2023
Little too mundane for me. DNF
Read
February 21, 2025I love all Blair Denholm's books and highly recommended them.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews