What do you think?
Joe the Bouncer #4
The Wild Life
Joe the Bouncer seeks the killer of NYC’s most desirable call girls in the newest caper in “a unique and worthwhile series” (CrimeReads)
Expulsed Harvard student and ex-Special Forces operative suffering post-traumatic stress syndrome so severe that it turned him to drug and alcohol abuse, Joe Brody is getting his life back together, living with his grandmother in Queens and taking what should be a simple job as a bouncer at a strip club where he can spend most of his night reading the classics. The only catch is that his childhood friend Gio Caprisi, now head of New York’s Italian Mafia, relies on Joe’s extra-legal expertise when things get particularly nasty on the streets — where, in an agreement between Gio and the rest of the city’s biggest crime syndicates, it’s understood that Joe is the sheriff for an industry that doesn’t call the cops.
Most recently, New York’s criminal underworld has been shaken by the disappearance of its most successful and desirable call girls, vanishing one by one from the brothels where they’re employed. As a pattern emerges, what might otherwise appear to be a choice to pursue a new life comes to resemble something more troublesome — the work of a serial kidnapper — and when a woman turns up dead, the hunt for the predator behind it all becomes even more urgent.
To find the killer, Joe will have to plunge into the seediest fringes of Manhattan and its surrounding boroughs, populated with memorable characters that add humor and heart to this fast-paced caper. There is still sleaze behind the pristine veneer of 21st century New York, and Gordon, whose writing is often compared to Donald E. Westlake and Elmore Leonard, knows all the best places to find it.
Expulsed Harvard student and ex-Special Forces operative suffering post-traumatic stress syndrome so severe that it turned him to drug and alcohol abuse, Joe Brody is getting his life back together, living with his grandmother in Queens and taking what should be a simple job as a bouncer at a strip club where he can spend most of his night reading the classics. The only catch is that his childhood friend Gio Caprisi, now head of New York’s Italian Mafia, relies on Joe’s extra-legal expertise when things get particularly nasty on the streets — where, in an agreement between Gio and the rest of the city’s biggest crime syndicates, it’s understood that Joe is the sheriff for an industry that doesn’t call the cops.
Most recently, New York’s criminal underworld has been shaken by the disappearance of its most successful and desirable call girls, vanishing one by one from the brothels where they’re employed. As a pattern emerges, what might otherwise appear to be a choice to pursue a new life comes to resemble something more troublesome — the work of a serial kidnapper — and when a woman turns up dead, the hunt for the predator behind it all becomes even more urgent.
To find the killer, Joe will have to plunge into the seediest fringes of Manhattan and its surrounding boroughs, populated with memorable characters that add humor and heart to this fast-paced caper. There is still sleaze behind the pristine veneer of 21st century New York, and Gordon, whose writing is often compared to Donald E. Westlake and Elmore Leonard, knows all the best places to find it.
330 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 1, 2022
About the author
David Gordon
244 books180 followersDavid Gordon was born in New York City. He attended Sarah Lawrence College and holds an MA in English and Comparative Literature and an MFA in Writing, both from Columbia University, and has worked in film, fashion, publishing, and pornography. His first novel, The Serialist, won the VCU/Cabell First Novel Award and was a finalist for an Edgar Award. His work has also appeared in The Paris Review, Purple, and Fence among other publications.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
March 17, 2022
This was my first foray into a David Gordon book and it did not disappoint! The Wild Life, the fourth book featuring Joe the Bouncer, can be enjoyed as a standalone due to Gordon giving just the right amount of background.
Truth be told, I wasn't sure I wanted to even read it but I'm glad I did. Joe, who got thrown out of Harvard, was a special forces operative, and is the mob's 'dude"-- their problem solver. When "ladies of the night" start disappearing, Joe is who they call. The Wild Life literally has it all: gunfights, car chases, romance and whatnot.
What really resonated with me was how Gordon approached addiction. As someone who has had problems with addiction, Gordon encompassed what being an addict was like and the everyday struggles addicts fight through.
If you want a vivid, fun read, I can not recommend The Wild Life enough. Gordon has a new fan in me. I know he's excited...
Thank you to David Gordon, Penzler Publishers and NetGalley for the privilege to read an advance copy of The Wild Life!
Truth be told, I wasn't sure I wanted to even read it but I'm glad I did. Joe, who got thrown out of Harvard, was a special forces operative, and is the mob's 'dude"-- their problem solver. When "ladies of the night" start disappearing, Joe is who they call. The Wild Life literally has it all: gunfights, car chases, romance and whatnot.
What really resonated with me was how Gordon approached addiction. As someone who has had problems with addiction, Gordon encompassed what being an addict was like and the everyday struggles addicts fight through.
If you want a vivid, fun read, I can not recommend The Wild Life enough. Gordon has a new fan in me. I know he's excited...
Thank you to David Gordon, Penzler Publishers and NetGalley for the privilege to read an advance copy of The Wild Life!
April 13, 2022
The carnal desires of wealthy and powerful men.
Are bizarre!
Nursery themed rooms with a crib, stuffed animals, and a changing table.
A what?
A room with stone walls, chains, whips, and spinning torture wheel.
What's the matter with you?
An eclectic group of characters with a plot that is eye rolling, head shaking, and at times disturbing.
Looking forward to next weeks episode
Are bizarre!
Nursery themed rooms with a crib, stuffed animals, and a changing table.
A what?
A room with stone walls, chains, whips, and spinning torture wheel.
What's the matter with you?
An eclectic group of characters with a plot that is eye rolling, head shaking, and at times disturbing.
Looking forward to next weeks episode
July 19, 2022
Solid thriller with quick pacing, interesting characters, and unique setup.
It's the first time I read a book by this author. It's the 4th book in an ongoing series, but that didn't bother me at all. In fact, it almost felt like hitting the ground running with a bunch of well drawn characters who clearly all had history. Gordon did an excellent job welcoming new readers to his story so that they didn't feel lost: no easy feat.
So overall, good summer read!
It's the first time I read a book by this author. It's the 4th book in an ongoing series, but that didn't bother me at all. In fact, it almost felt like hitting the ground running with a bunch of well drawn characters who clearly all had history. Gordon did an excellent job welcoming new readers to his story so that they didn't feel lost: no easy feat.
So overall, good summer read!
May 10, 2025
After saving the world for humanity in the first three books of the series, Joe becomes an investigator for the crime syndicate who employs him. He goes after a New York City real estate mogul who reminds me of an orange-hued one. Lots of action with the gang Joe has assembled.
It’s the same bible, Josh thought. You guys stole it and added a lame sequel.
It’s the same bible, Josh thought. You guys stole it and added a lame sequel.
May 31, 2022
(3 1/2). I thought I had read all the Joe the Bouncer books, but I see now that I have missed the one before this. They have all been big fun. Joe has a niche that is unparalleled and always makes for good stories. This one is no exception, and we get a real bonus with a big dose of his criminally crafty Mother. We have a few of the old regulars, plenty of excitement, deception, violence, twists and turns, a little sex, all of the ingredients one needs for an enjoyable exploration. If you haven’t gotten into this series it is really worth a try. Good stuff.
April 5, 2022
A fun series full of outlandish action and over the top characters. This one seemed a little more subdued, but still kept the gas pedal down.
August 20, 2022
Read THE WILD LIFE based on a GoodReads recommendation without doing any background investigation. Presumed this was the first in a prospective series. No, it is the fourth in the series, so my early amazement at how quickly Gordon had assembled a team of characters with significant interconnecting back stories was lessened a bit. That revelation does not, however, diminish my appreciation for this book. It just means I wish I had started with book one.
THE WILD LIFE features Joe Roth, Joe the Bouncer, a man of dangerous abilities, a stout moral code that has only a passing association with societal norms, and a violent, difficult past; oh, and he has impressive literary tastes. In this book, too, he has assembled a stellar reputation amongst the criminal element in New York, and a coterie of colleagues with unique talents. Over the course of the previous three books in the series, it seems, Joe has become the official "law" enforcement officer for organized crime's leadership.
In this story a sex worker from one of the more exclusive brothels in New York turns up missing and then as a corpse floating in the water just off a piece of land scheduled for a controversial spate of development. Early conversations reveal that there have been a slew of missing sex workers over the past few years. Joe investigates and the evolving case soon entangles him with the FBI and, more strikingly, with a local real estate mogul who may or may not resemble a current political figure.
Joe Roth is a protagonist who can carry a decent story. THE WILD LIFE is a good story so that elevates this book. The supporting characters are solid if unspectacular, but there is a lot of potential therein and perhaps reading the first three books would enhance their presence in this book. Joe's relationship with Special Agent Donna Zamora of the FBI adds depth to his character. The depiction of wealthy decadence portrayed here feels so apt it is jarring. It is time to go back and read the first three books in the series.
The bouncer works for
fancy thugs but the cause does
seem just. Possible?
THE WILD LIFE features Joe Roth, Joe the Bouncer, a man of dangerous abilities, a stout moral code that has only a passing association with societal norms, and a violent, difficult past; oh, and he has impressive literary tastes. In this book, too, he has assembled a stellar reputation amongst the criminal element in New York, and a coterie of colleagues with unique talents. Over the course of the previous three books in the series, it seems, Joe has become the official "law" enforcement officer for organized crime's leadership.
In this story a sex worker from one of the more exclusive brothels in New York turns up missing and then as a corpse floating in the water just off a piece of land scheduled for a controversial spate of development. Early conversations reveal that there have been a slew of missing sex workers over the past few years. Joe investigates and the evolving case soon entangles him with the FBI and, more strikingly, with a local real estate mogul who may or may not resemble a current political figure.
Joe Roth is a protagonist who can carry a decent story. THE WILD LIFE is a good story so that elevates this book. The supporting characters are solid if unspectacular, but there is a lot of potential therein and perhaps reading the first three books would enhance their presence in this book. Joe's relationship with Special Agent Donna Zamora of the FBI adds depth to his character. The depiction of wealthy decadence portrayed here feels so apt it is jarring. It is time to go back and read the first three books in the series.
The bouncer works for
fancy thugs but the cause does
seem just. Possible?
June 12, 2022
Can a ex- special forces soldier, now a bouncer at a strip club manage to maintain a relationship with an FBI agent, especially when their jobs overlap? It isn't as simple as that...
January 20, 2022
The good bad guy, Joe, works with the Mafia and has a girlfriend who’s an FBI agent. When some sex workers disappear he’s called in (by the brothel owners) to investigate. There’s also an unholy alliance going on with a land developer who has issues of his own. Joe, as the fixer, is sent to remedy the situation(s). With his ragtag team, he attacks. I wish there had been more of a “Sting” feel to the solution. Joe, with his special forces and Harvard background, didn’t utilize his own skills as much as I would have liked. I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher and voluntarily provided an honest review.
February 20, 2022
I love this series and character. David Gordon has not dissapointed once in this series. This book is so discriptive I actually felt I was there. The action is fun and I couldn't put the book down. Make sure to get this book on April 26th, 2022 you will not be disappointed. Thank you NetGalley and Penzler Publishers for this advance copy.
August 28, 2023
#71- Against the Law and The Wild Life by David Gordon. Against the Law is the third book in the Joe Brody series. Joe is a bouncer with PTSD, some drug addiction issues, he lives with his grandmother in Queens and he sometimes, ok, often, breaks the law. The latter often
happens because one of his childhood friends is now a mafia boss and so Joe also moonlights as a fixer for the most powerful crime families in New York City. So, a bit of a complicated life, but never boring.
I have praised this author and this series often, as I love the plotting, the heists and car chases and shout-outs, and the characters. Plus it's a lot of run to read. Some of my other favorite crime writers agree. Robert Crais writes, "David Gordon brings an outstanding new voice to the contemporary crime novel." CrimeReads describes him as having found a niche in between Donald Westlake and Elmore Leonard, two other authors I love. It makes sense to reference those two authors as the book jacket describes this as a "comic caper" and they both wrote plenty of them.
"This one has everything, from a car chase that makes what Steve McQueen does with that Mustang in Bullitt seem like a Sunday drive, to a
showdown in a Russian bathhouse that is part Marx Brothers and part Kill Bill. For anyone with a taste for blood-splattered comic capers
featuring characters who vault off the pages, Against the Law is an exquisite fever dream in Technicolor," Booklist writes.
In Against the Law Joe's new assignment is to kill Zahir, who is the faceless name behind White Angel, a powerful new brand of heroin invading the mob's territories and threatening their sales. When Joe learns of a connection between Zahir and a shady group of private military contractors things become even more deadly.
This leads to an all-out drug war in the Five Buroughs, with Joe and the mob's other killers against a group of ruthless killers. Joe has a new plan: To use his thieving skills to intercept the newest shipment of the product.
The book opens with this great start, one unexpected for someone with as wild a life as Joe. It starts, "Joe was in hell. Or close enough. The suburbs of hell. And he was stuck there with a kid who was bugging the shit out of him.
"I'm hungry," Hamid says, sprawled face down in the dust, in the middle of nowhere, staring at nothing.
Gradually, the reader realizes that this is happening not in some house somewhere but in Afghanistan where Joe was waiting for a heroin deal to go down because then Zahir would try to steal the product and, the book says, "Joe was there to kill him. That was what brought him back to this place he never wanted to see again. That and a half million dollars." The kid, from Brooklyn, was there as a paid translator. Also there, helping Joe again, is Yelena, his bad-ass Russian friend.
As is custom now in this series the book has a great cast of characters, one of my favorite being Donna, an FBI agent with a crush on Joe. They keep having repeated almost run-ins, as well as a few actual encounters. The idea of a cop and a criminal having feelings for each other is not something I see often in crime novels. The book has a satisfying ending as most things are resolved. I give it an 8.
The Wild Life is the fourth book in the series and the most recent. Someone has been kidnapping call girls from their brothels and they are never heard from again and one turns up dead. Joe, among his other jobs, is essentially the sheriff for the New York mafia and they own some of these brothels. Joe protests that he's not a detective but he agrees to investigate anyway. What he learns is not good.
It appears that someone visiting these girls in the brothels is telling them that if they run off with him they will have a better, more independent, life. They go for it - how can they not? - before they realize too late they have been tricked. Joe identifies a suspect
and then the book becomes even more fast-paced as they zero on in him and his family and his crew have to run some cons and games to get to him.
This is another excellent fast-paced thriller that, despite the dark subject matter, was enjoyable due to the scams and cons and witty dialogue between characters. I give this an 8.
Warning: Both books have a lot of violence, as you might expect with a mafia fixer who is a bouncer dealing with some of the seediest fringes of New York City.
happens because one of his childhood friends is now a mafia boss and so Joe also moonlights as a fixer for the most powerful crime families in New York City. So, a bit of a complicated life, but never boring.
I have praised this author and this series often, as I love the plotting, the heists and car chases and shout-outs, and the characters. Plus it's a lot of run to read. Some of my other favorite crime writers agree. Robert Crais writes, "David Gordon brings an outstanding new voice to the contemporary crime novel." CrimeReads describes him as having found a niche in between Donald Westlake and Elmore Leonard, two other authors I love. It makes sense to reference those two authors as the book jacket describes this as a "comic caper" and they both wrote plenty of them.
"This one has everything, from a car chase that makes what Steve McQueen does with that Mustang in Bullitt seem like a Sunday drive, to a
showdown in a Russian bathhouse that is part Marx Brothers and part Kill Bill. For anyone with a taste for blood-splattered comic capers
featuring characters who vault off the pages, Against the Law is an exquisite fever dream in Technicolor," Booklist writes.
In Against the Law Joe's new assignment is to kill Zahir, who is the faceless name behind White Angel, a powerful new brand of heroin invading the mob's territories and threatening their sales. When Joe learns of a connection between Zahir and a shady group of private military contractors things become even more deadly.
This leads to an all-out drug war in the Five Buroughs, with Joe and the mob's other killers against a group of ruthless killers. Joe has a new plan: To use his thieving skills to intercept the newest shipment of the product.
The book opens with this great start, one unexpected for someone with as wild a life as Joe. It starts, "Joe was in hell. Or close enough. The suburbs of hell. And he was stuck there with a kid who was bugging the shit out of him.
"I'm hungry," Hamid says, sprawled face down in the dust, in the middle of nowhere, staring at nothing.
Gradually, the reader realizes that this is happening not in some house somewhere but in Afghanistan where Joe was waiting for a heroin deal to go down because then Zahir would try to steal the product and, the book says, "Joe was there to kill him. That was what brought him back to this place he never wanted to see again. That and a half million dollars." The kid, from Brooklyn, was there as a paid translator. Also there, helping Joe again, is Yelena, his bad-ass Russian friend.
As is custom now in this series the book has a great cast of characters, one of my favorite being Donna, an FBI agent with a crush on Joe. They keep having repeated almost run-ins, as well as a few actual encounters. The idea of a cop and a criminal having feelings for each other is not something I see often in crime novels. The book has a satisfying ending as most things are resolved. I give it an 8.
The Wild Life is the fourth book in the series and the most recent. Someone has been kidnapping call girls from their brothels and they are never heard from again and one turns up dead. Joe, among his other jobs, is essentially the sheriff for the New York mafia and they own some of these brothels. Joe protests that he's not a detective but he agrees to investigate anyway. What he learns is not good.
It appears that someone visiting these girls in the brothels is telling them that if they run off with him they will have a better, more independent, life. They go for it - how can they not? - before they realize too late they have been tricked. Joe identifies a suspect
and then the book becomes even more fast-paced as they zero on in him and his family and his crew have to run some cons and games to get to him.
This is another excellent fast-paced thriller that, despite the dark subject matter, was enjoyable due to the scams and cons and witty dialogue between characters. I give this an 8.
Warning: Both books have a lot of violence, as you might expect with a mafia fixer who is a bouncer dealing with some of the seediest fringes of New York City.
July 12, 2022
First I have to comment on the front flap. I have no idea who creates the contents for front flaps, but the person who did this one made a major mistake. The opening line is “Joe Roth is getting his life back together.” The problem? “Joe Roth” is not the character’s name. The Bouncer is “Joe Brody.” (by the way, “Joe Roth” is the name of a movie director, so maybe a payoff was made!). Okay, now that that atrocious error is out of the way, I liked this book at its beginning. It is the fourth in a series and the first of the series I’ve read, and it has real charm. It’s funny and action-filled. But somewhere along the middle, it got a bit too over the top for me. Yep, it’s a caper job, but a bit too convoluted for my taste. And while the action continues to be strong, the characters begin to feel a bit cardboard. This is the type of book that likes to tie up the loose ends, but something is missing: Donna’s boss Tom seems awfully bent to me, calling off raids, refusing to allow Donna to proceed. And at the end, when the really bad people turn out to be people who sling around “whore of Babylon” lingo, I just had to force myself to finish. I hate to give up on a book, but this came close.
May 23, 2022
Joe (the Bouncer) Brody was expelled from Harvard student, and given a choice between jail and the Army, became a Special Forces operative, but PTSD led him into drug and alcohol abuse. Now he is an enforcer for his childhood buddy, Mafia Don Gio Caprisi, when not working at a strip club. And he is in a relationship with a rising FBI agent. When prostitutes start disappearing, the cops are not investigating and Gio and his underworld buddies ask Joe to help. Joe is not a detective, but the pros will not speak to the cops anyway, and he eventually hones in on a major real estate developer, who is partnered with the underworld in a major NY City development. There were way too many characters, and it was simply beyond belief that someone with no investigative skills at all could track down a psychotic serial killer. Joe's grandmother, a card shark and pick pocket, was the best character in the book, by far.
October 1, 2025
Spoilers ahead. 3.5 rounded up to 4. I generally like Joe the Bouncer series. The characters and writing are easy to read and follow, it's like easy reading for my mind. Tbh, the whole series is a bit syrupy sweet. You've got a whole bunch of gangsters: Russian, Italian, Chinese, Jewish, Puerto Rican and who knows what else who all have a heart of gold underneath their tough exteriors and get together to fight bad guys.
That hasn't been my experience. I know one gangster through circumstances and he doesn't have a heart of gold. He's a gangster because he has no morals. He cannot let anyone get one up on him and he has no qualms against breaking legs, even those of innocent people. That's how he enforces his control, not through reasoning, quid pro quo, but violence. Anyway...
In this book, Joe goes after a real estate developer who's involved in kidnapping and doing away with trafficked working girls.
That hasn't been my experience. I know one gangster through circumstances and he doesn't have a heart of gold. He's a gangster because he has no morals. He cannot let anyone get one up on him and he has no qualms against breaking legs, even those of innocent people. That's how he enforces his control, not through reasoning, quid pro quo, but violence. Anyway...
In this book, Joe goes after a real estate developer who's involved in kidnapping and doing away with trafficked working girls.
March 2, 2024
I liked the first two books in this series significantly better than the next two, but it’s still a fun series and it a still worth following along with Joe’s adventures.
We see less of Gio and the rest of the crime bosses in this one, which is a bit of a bummer. But the rest of the recurring cast still play significant roles in the plot.
The back and forth of Joe and Donna doesn’t interest me much, but it also doesn’t bug me, which is unusual for a novel with a criminal/law enforcement love story subplot.
I wish we could get back to more of the tradecraft stuff that made the first two books in this series so good, as well as spend more time with the crime bosses. But this is still a fun and worthy read, and a series I’m interested in continuing.
We see less of Gio and the rest of the crime bosses in this one, which is a bit of a bummer. But the rest of the recurring cast still play significant roles in the plot.
The back and forth of Joe and Donna doesn’t interest me much, but it also doesn’t bug me, which is unusual for a novel with a criminal/law enforcement love story subplot.
I wish we could get back to more of the tradecraft stuff that made the first two books in this series so good, as well as spend more time with the crime bosses. But this is still a fun and worthy read, and a series I’m interested in continuing.
April 3, 2023
Read mostly over vacation. This is the first book I've read by David Gordon and mostly on a whim after scanning the book cover at the library. If I had to make a comparison to another author it may be Andrew Vachss with less of an edge. Joe the Bouncer is an okay lead and his support crew are interesting but I would have liked them to be even more unusual. Gordon does get into the seedier side of New York in this story of serial killer and sex workers as his victims. But, he takes a turn in Joe's scheme to catch the killer that turns it more into a caper to catch the killer. By the end, I was entertained but not as much as I was hoping. I may try another by Gordon but it might be a while.
October 30, 2023
I was surprised how much I liked The Wild Life, since I had never heard of David Gordon. But I found his protagonist, Joe "Joe the Bouncer" Brody to be delightful despite his being a paid heavy for a mob boss. The Wild Life has a grand cast of characters, including a gay couple and a trans woman, and the story moves along smoothly and engagingly. Joe has a new love interest, the absolute wrong person for him since she is an FBI agent. You also get her side of a quickly complicated story that is tied up at the end very satisfactorily.
If you love the Jack Reacher and Spenser stories, Joe the Bouncer is your man. Excellent entertainment!
If you love the Jack Reacher and Spenser stories, Joe the Bouncer is your man. Excellent entertainment!
July 25, 2022
3.5 stars. Well, it had to happen eventually. Joe the Bouncer let me down in book four. It seemed like Gordon was more interested in the relationship between Joe and Zamora than he was the plot because it is a little flat. The fun is hard to find in this installment as Joe pursues a serial murderer of call gir. The caper isn't even that original. Oh well. Hopefully, he will get back on board in book five. It was still better than half of the last 10 non-Joe books I read.
September 6, 2024
Joe the bouncer is the main person in this book and the character of Joe is very intriguing. He is now asked by his boss Gio Caprisi to look into missing workers from his clubs. What Joe finds out is a serial killer and the killer does not want to be on Joe’s radar. The ex special forces and someone who got into Havard has a different mind having grown up on the streets. Overall a very good book with good characters.
July 12, 2022
This is not a real 4 - but I enjoyed it so much, I had to distinguish it from all the other decent 3-star books I read. I love good/bad-boy Joe, the main character, love the relationship he is building with his goodie two-shoes FBI lover, and the potential of future stories. This is book 4 in a series and I m going to seek out the others.
July 23, 2022
Joe the Bouncer and his gang of misfits really know how to run a caper. They raised the bar in this book by putting an entitled jerk and his son who prey on the weak in their place. Sometimes those on the wrong side of the law do the right thing and society benefits. The budding romance between Joe and his FBI girlfriend are an added benefit in this terrific book.
December 7, 2022
Fun read. 4th book in the series about Joe who is a Harvard drop put, ex-special forces with a history of PTSD and substance abuse. His childhood friend, Gio, Amon chief, considers him a sherif and he investigates murders and financial improprieties affecting the various criminal gangs. But he’s a decent guy!
January 20, 2025
Another ILL this time from Ludington Public Library in the Lower Marion Library System. It's the middle of the series (of course it is! Why would I start at the beginning!!) And I'm completely taken in by this mafia ish storyline about a former military veteren who does odd jobs for several mafia bosses.
It may replace some of the book series that I'm thinking of retiring.
It may replace some of the book series that I'm thinking of retiring.
April 29, 2022
Best yet in a very entertaining series. While you don't need to read the series in order, since each book brings a new reader up to speed, the joy of watching a writer bring a new character to maturity is a joy.
If you enjoy well written, intelligent thrillers, this book is for you.
If you enjoy well written, intelligent thrillers, this book is for you.
June 25, 2022
I enjoyed this book, and the Joe the Bouncer series, a lot. The plots are certainly interesting but it is the good hearted criminality of the main characters that drew me in. The extra bonus of this one is a villain clearly inspired by Trump. Great fun!
July 9, 2022
Hmmm- a bouncer connected with the mob,hookers galore,female FBI agent involved with bouncer,mob guys galore and throw in super rich a-holes killing prostitutes and you have the story- not bad read,but entertaining
August 13, 2023
Joe the Bouncer may be slowing down a bit, but his mind is a sharp as ever. And, he is making some hard choices as he continues his journey. Another caper that had me smiling from cover to cover. Onward!
December 7, 2023
I really like this series. I like Joe and his crew and Donna and her crew and all their adventures. I love the heists. There is a lot of violence, but the humor makes up for it. I get an Elmore Leonard vibe. Which is always a good comparison.
January 13, 2026
I've read the previous 3 books and think this series is getting tired. An indestructible hero that is smarter than everyone else does not lead to much suspense. The ending generates some excitement but it arrives too late.
April 30, 2022
Recommended
Review posted at Tzer Island book blog:
https://www.tzerisland.com/bookblog/2...
Review posted at Tzer Island book blog:
https://www.tzerisland.com/bookblog/2...
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews