Southpaw

Robert Hoon Thrillers #2

by J.D. Kirk

Ex-Police Scotland detective, Bob Hoon, has made himself some powerful enemies.

Following his brutal search for the missing daughter of an old army colleague, Hoon is being hunted by the Loop, a secretive criminal cabal with members in very high places and a tendency to eliminate all those who stand against it.

Unfortunately for them, Hoon has never been one to back down from a fight, and he isn’t about to start now. Instead, he’s going to burn their whole damn organisation to the ground.

But first, he’s going to have to get inside.

He may be a foul-mouthed, hard-drinking psychopath with a death wish, but Bob Hoon is about to do something he hasn’t done in years.

He’s going undercover.

Genres: Thriller, Crime, Audiobook, Mystery, Fiction, Humor, Action

400 pages, Paperback

Published March 21, 2022

About the author

JD Kirk is the pen name of multi-award-winning author, screenwriter, and writer of comics, Barry Hutchison.

JD Kirk lives in the Highlands of Scotland with his wife, two children, and a number of sturdy umbrellas. Despite writing from a young age, 'A Litter of Bones' is his first novel, and combines his love of the Highlands, crime thrillers, and cats.

Reviews

[Natalie M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reread of Book 2 - still worth of every cent and minute. Kirk is on my very short Bucket List of authors to meet.

Original review (2022):

Bloody brilliant!

The blurb sums it up: He may be a foul-mouthed, hard-drinking psychopath with a death wish, but Bob Hoon is about to do something he hasn’t done in years - go undercover.

The second instalment once again had me laughing out loud. I’m not sure how, but it is cruder, ruder and more brutal than the first book, but what a read!

I am absolutely going to reread this one - even if only to remember some of the brilliant one-liners! So glad I bought a copy of this one!

[Kristina Dauksiene · Rating 3 out of 5]

3** su uodega! Ir vėl pabuvojau Guy Ritchie kino filme. Tokios ryškios, klampios spalvos, velnioniškai natūraliai suskambantys kiekvienas pyyyyp. Na ir Hunas- buldozeris be strategijos ir plano, bet su sodraus škotiško bajerio žvilgsniu ir liežuviu💪
🖋️Ne, žinoma aš jo nenužudžiau, kuo tu mane laikai?..Bet ar jis mirė? Taip. Jis sumautai negyvas. Ar tai mano kaltė? Ne. Na, gal iš dalies. Bet ar aš jį nužudžiau? Ne. Nors, žinoma, čia kaip pažiūrėsi.
🖋️-Viskas bus gerai,- Aš saugosiu užnugarį.
-...kaip palengvėjo...jei reikalai pakryps į blogąją pusę, tiesiog palauksiu, kol atskubėsi į pagalbą su savo sumautomis skaičiuoklėmis ir PowerPoint prezentacijomis.
🤣🤣🤣

***********************************************
3* with a tail! Visited Guy Ritchie movie again! Such bright, viscous colors, every f... sounds natural as hell. And beloved Hunas - bulldozer without strategy and plan, but with a rich Scottish joke tongue.

[Nei_dienos_be_knygos · Rating 5 out of 5]

#perskaičiau
JD Kirk "Kairiarankis"

Jeigu ieškai nuotaikingo, tačiau su juodojo humoro gyslele parašyto detektyvo, kuriame pagrindiniu smuiku griežtų netašytas senų pažiūrų tyrėjas, iš kurio lūpų sklistų juoką sukeliantys keiksmai, tai tau nereikia skaityti kelių atskirų knygų, tau tereikia perskaityti šią knygą, nes joje yra Robertas Hunas. Tai antroji serijos knyga, kurioje Hunas ir toliau tęsia Karolinos paieškas ir bando įsigauti į Kilpos gretas. Kaip ir pirmoje taip ir šioje knygoje nestokojama žiaurumo, intrigos ir žinoma humoro. Knyga ištirpo mano rankose, nes begalo įtraukė ir buvo labai smagu ją skaityti. Tai nebuvo banali knyga, net jeigu ir pagrindinis veikėjas verčia nuolat šypsotis, nes aprašomos knygoje situacijos - liūdna tikrovė. Jeigu jums patiko "Šiaurės vėjas", tai tikrai labai patiks ir "Kairiarankis" 👌
Jau nekantrauju perskaityti sekančią serijos knygą 🙈
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

[Vilius · Rating 5 out of 5]

Antroje dalyje veiksmo gal kiek mažiau, bet pakankamai. Kaip ir pirmojoje dalyje, knygos varomoji jėga - pagrindinis veikėjas Robertas Hunas, šiurkštus, žodžių į vatą nevyniojantis, bet viduje gerietis. Dar jis beveik neužmušamas :). Neužmušumas ne ta prasme kaip Supermenas, bet labiau kaip Deadpool'as. Susiskatė tikrai gerai, laukiu kitų dalių.

[Natalija R. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Patiko daug labiau nei pirma dalis😊❤ daug juokingu komentaru ir repliku, bet pati istorija labai itrauke ir super uzsibaige😊 pajutau simpatija kaip veikejui Bobui Hunui, zinau kad sekanti knyga bus apie inspektoriu Dzeka Logana, bet jei butu dar knygu apie Boba Huna- imciau nedvejodama😘
Iki ⭐5 pritruko siek tiek- butent del to, kad kaip ir kalbejau pirmoj serijoj per daug netikroviskai vaizduojamas veikejas su jo kovom- lyg supermenas, tiek kartu sulauzytas ir toliau begantis, einantis, veikiantis. Tai tiesiog neatitinka tikroves, po poros suzeidimu, kuriuos patyre Bobas jau realybeje niekas nepasikeltu, O gal neliktu gyvas. Tai va- tas biski netikroviskumas man kliuvo ir cia🙂

[TheBookWarren · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 Stars — Robert Hoon is just such a blast, it’s truly hard to concentrate in anything else. In the follow-up to The Hoon Debut, Robert goes undercover for M6 — albeit begrudgingly — the result of which is sheer chaos, destruction, fun, enigmatic & absolutely hilarious!

This story follows on from the series debut novel, and it doesn’t disappoint in anyway. Hoon is a simple man, with simple needs — but what makes him really endearing is his vivid descriptions and insults, of which come in furious waves that rock back and forth before another one hits the shoreline.

This Tartan-noir is excellently paced, has some clever plot points without being too silly yet it also doesn’t take itself too seriously, yet remains faithful to the story, keeps things moving & offers a unique perspective on the thriller genre.

The narrative moves at a steady pace, and the author does a superb job in fleshing out all new characters well, giving them scope and depth — without ever having to stray too far from the endearingly bombastic investigator himself.

[Julia Charles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ya wee bawbag!! I love Bob Hoon!!

Absolutely blown away, yet again by JD Kirk.

I couldn’t wait for this one to be publish, I couldn’t wait to read it, I couldn’t wait to finish it, but I don’t want it to end.

Strap yourself in, and hold on tight, we are going from 0 to 100 in a matter of 4 chapters!!

I would highly recommend reading the first book ‘The North Wind’ featuring my mate Bob, just so you can get to grips with his character and refine your Scottish accent.

Having read all of JD Kirk’s book I’ve known about Bob for a while.

I was a little reluctant to read the first book, couldn’t get enough of it and have been waiting with baited breathe for the follow up.

While my Scottish accent still hasn’t improved much (I just can’t help myself when Bob is talking) my absolute love for the crazy bastard just keeps getting stronger!!

Can’t wait for the next instalment!!

[Graeme Rodaughan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fetish Imbroglio! Pampers or Huggies! "Well, I was really dreaming of the perfect underwear to meet my needs for a truly glorious wee wee time when this crazy scottish guy crashes my party and made me crap my pants instead! What's a bad guy gotta do to get some respect!" - Godfrey West - Soiled Underwear Scribbler

Well, when the Bad Guy has a perfectly hilarious fetish - what can a reader do but give it 5 stars.

This story manages to paint a very dramatic situation involving really vile evil with lashings of foul-mouthed comic wit.

Brilliant. Another entertaining Hoon crime thriller!!!

Strongly Recommended, 5 'Wee wet bollocks,' stars

[Nikki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seemed a lot more fighting than story.
Took me a while to get through it. Hoon is a good character, but the constant negative outlook, and fuck this and fuck that, fuck off, off you fuck; while funny...I wanted more story and dialogue and less fighting. Hoon barely able to stand, spits blood, slowly looks up, difficult to see, ah bright lights. Fighting, driving around with a bag on his head, broken rib. A big chase to find Caroline. Working with and MI5 guy to get at One of the main dudes ina "mafia group" always chasing/following trying to find the guy, getting punch out when he gets close.

I don't know, maybe I'm just being a grumpy Hoon myself. Maybe I should go to bed, and try again later. Lol

[Aiste Gashi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nors pirma dalis "Siaures vejas" suzavejo be proto ir "Kairiarankis" buvo siek tiek kitoks, bet man vis tiek labai patiko. Hunas prilipo prie sirdies nuo pirmo puslapio. Knyga itrauke ir nepaleido iki galo.

[David Ward · Rating 5 out of 5]

Warning! This book is full of gratuitous violence. Much of it is brutal, rough, rude, crude and totally outrageous. AND I LOVED IT!

As Hoon encounters the Loop (or we assume a small part of it) he is still searching for a friend's daughter. He enters the world of organised fights (not boxing, but fights where anything goes). While doing so he leaves a trail of chaos behind him.

This story rockets along at a fast pace, no doubt about it. It's not for the faint-hearted, But I heartily recommend it to anyone else.

Two questions only J.D.Kirk can probably answer -
1 - How many times does the "f" word get used in Southpaw?
2 - How does the author have me laughing out loud so often, even when the violence is at its toughest?
J.D.Kirk has a strange but wonderful skill. Maybe it's because he eats too much square sausage or caramel bars.

I'm looking forward to more books in the Jack Logan series though.

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfection!

As much as I absolutely love Jack Logan and company, I absolutely adore Bob Hoon. If you had asked me when he was first introduced in the Logan series if I would ever read a series based on Hoon, I would have said, not a chance in h*ll. I hated the man. Now, I think he rocks my world :)

[Loreta Griciutė · Rating 4 out of 5]

Man ši dalis patiko kiek mažiau už pirmąją "Šiaurės vėjas". Per daug muštynių, per daug kraujo, ir vietomis per daug keiksmažodžių (nebuvo taip linksma ir skanu skaityti vietomis) . Jei pirma knyga buvo įtraukianti, tai šioje pasigedau to jausmo, kai skaitai, ir pamiršti viską aplink.

[Knygu_burtai · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kaip man patiko! Antroji serijos dalis ir tokia pat šmaikšti, įdomi, su ne vienu siužeto posūkiu! Pats Bobo personažas jau dabar bus vienas iš mėgstamiausių☺️

[Vita Ašmantė · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,5 ⭐️

[Ugnė | pilna_lentyna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mielieji, įsikibkit ir tvirtai laikykitės - Bobas Hunas sugrįžta 🔥

Antroje serijos dalyje, Hunas tęsia draugo dukters paieškas ir infiltruojasi į slaptos, bei pavojingos gaujos gretas. Dar daugiau priešų, įtampos ir tamsoko humoro, be kurio pagrindinis herojus niekaip negali.

Hunas vis dar nevaldo liežuvio, veliasi į beprotiškas situacijas ir i��lieka nesunaikinamu. Jei jo išgyvamamas situacijas rasčiau kitose knygose - peikčiau už nelogiškumą. Bet su Hunu viskas kitaip - žinant, kad pats Bobas yra vaikščiojantis absurdo teatras, logikos neieškai ir tiesiog mėgaujiesi savotišku trilerių parodijos žanru. Pagrindinio veikėjo charizma paperka. Lygiai taip pat, kaip ir po bjauraus nusmurgėlio kauke slepiama gera širdis.

Antroji dalis kiek lėtesnė už pirmąją ir įsivažiavo tik pasiekusi vidurį, tačiau vėliau veiksmo netrūko - nelegalios kovos, slapti turtingų žmonių vakarėliai, ginklai, kraujas ir lūžtantys kaulai susipynė į milžinišką sniego gniūžtę ir besiridendama taškė visus į šalis.

Man, ši serija - metų atradimas, visiškai iškrinantis iš mums įprastų detektyvų ir trilerių žanrų ribų. Su nekantrumu laukiu sekančių serijos dalių ir esu tikra - su Hunu, liūdna tikrai nebus.

[Eglė (IG-atgimusi_meile_knygoms) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dar viena leidyklos Jotema knygų serija nustebinusi Lietuvos detektyvų mylėtojus. ,,Kairiarankis" - tai jau antroji dalis apie Robertą Huną ir jo siekį surasti draugo dukrą. Taip pat kovą su galinga ir labai organizuota slapta organizacija.
Bobas Hunas neeilinė asmenybė, tačiau visada laikosi duoto žodžio. Tad vis nesėkimgai ieškodamas merginos jis nepasiduoda ir po mažą žingsnelį artėja link pačios organizacijos. Deja ar nelabai, bet jis jau atsidūręs Kilpos žmonių akiratyje. Vienintelė išeitis bandyti įsilieti į pačią organizaciją, o su MI5 pagalba tai bus daug lengvesnis kelias.
Išskirtinis ir labai jau vaizdingai kandus žodynas. Jei galėtų pagrindinis veikėjas žodžiais ir nužudytų, nereiktų į darbą paleisti kumščių. Labai išskirtinis personažas, įdomi ir klampinanti tema, kuri apima ne vieną knygos dalį. Kai ieškoma kažko įdomaus ir neeilinio tai ši knygų serija kaip tik Jums. Knygos įtrauks, o juodo humoro persmelkti skyriai tik dar labiau privers ,,suryti" knygą greičiau.

[Karly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bob Hoon comes crashing back into our lives swearing and punching his way through this latest instalment. Bob is a man of his word and he is making mince meat out of the thugs and rapists of London in his crusade to find the missing daughter of one of his oldest friends.

Bob’s adventure gets elevated when MI5 get involved and he goes undercover - but as you can imagine this loud, crude and over the top Scotsman does not do undercover the way you may imagine.

The humour in this book did not let me down there were many laugh out loud moments for me however it wasn’t as good as the first one for me. Bob does take us on a wild adventure that is extremely over the top but it wouldn’t be Hoon if if it wasn’t.

I would say if you liked the first book definitely read it - the story continues and you get more information into the ‘loop’ but for me it just wasn’t quite as special as the first book. I can see another story in Hoon’s future so if you love the loud mouthed lout then carry on with this one. For those of you playing at home though DCI Jack Logan does pop up in this one for a quick chat with Bob which is quite amusing.

Great job J.D Kirk and I look forward to seeing DCI Jack Logan in his next instalment.

[Neringa Cikanaitė]

Antroji dalis netgi geresnė už pirmąją 😍

[The Cats’ Mother · Rating 3 out of 5]

Southpaw is the second book in the Robert Hoon series, which is a spin-off from his main Jack Logan crime novels - I haven’t read those (yet.) I loved the first of these, Northwind, so continued on to the next audiobook soon after finishing it, but didn’t enjoy this one due to the relentless brutality described in great detail - virtually the whole book is about boxing and cage-fighting, which I have zero interest in. I still liked Hoon as an anti-hero - his insults are hilarious, so will read the next one as the story arc which began in the first book is largely wrapped up here, but I hope he goes back to more detecting and less being beaten up.

[Wayne Fielding · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my new favourite series of reads, so funny

[Steven R. McEvoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the fifth novel from J.D. Kirk that I have given a read. I am hooked. I will read all the books in the DCI Logan and Robert Hoon Series. Right now I am reading 2 Logan and then inserting a Hoon.

After reading the first book in the DCI Logan Series, A Litter of Bones, I picked up the first Hoon and the next few Logan. I had picked that one Bones for a few reasons, but mainly because authors Alex Smith and JE Mayhew have both recommended the author and series. I am a big fan of Smith’s DCI Kett novels and Mayhew’s DCI Will Blake Series. And having ripped through both of their series and slowing working through all of Mayhew’s others works I decided to give this one a try. I can see the comparisons with both Smith and Mayhew’s works. I would set the DCI Logan stories right in the middle, Smiths are darker and more brutal, and Mayhew’s typically focused a little more on the mystery. The Hoon stories on the other hand are proving just as dark and brutal as Smith’s. The Hoon books are more Crime thriller’s than mysteries. The stories race from start to finish at break neck speeds and a few necks get broken along the way.

The description of this novel is:

“Ex-Police Scotland detective, Bob Hoon, has made himself some powerful enemies.

Following his brutal search for the missing daughter of an old army colleague, Hoon is being hunted by the Loop, a secretive criminal cabal with members in very high places and a tendency to eliminate all those who stand against it.

Unfortunately for them, Hoon has never been one to back down from a fight, and he isn’t about to start now. Instead, he’s going to burn their whole damn organisation to the ground.

But first, he’s going to have to get inside.

He may be a foul-mouthed, hard-drinking psychopath with a death wish, but Bob Hoon is about to do something he hasn’t done in years.

He’s going undercover.”

I said before that the character of Hoon is over the top. He exemplifies the stereotypes taken to an extreme. But in this story we see some of his redeeming characteristics. Kirk in the afterword of the first Hoon Novelinformed us that:

“This book was always going to be a challenge.

When I first introduced the then Detective Superintendent Bob Hoon in my DCI Logan crime fiction series, he was so foul-mouthed and unpleasant as to feel almost irredeemable. A larger than life bully with a penchant for bad language, Hoon was a deliberately over the top caricature—a barely human monster who existed largely to make the lives of the other characters that bit more difficult.
Some readers hated him. Others, inexplicably, adored him. And, as the series progressed, I took a perverse delight in making Bob that bit worse in every book. He was a thug, a drunk, and an ever present pain in the arse.

In late 2020, I first had the idea of giving Hoon his own novel. It was ridiculous, I knew. Here was a character so thoroughly unpleasant that even if readers enjoyed his scenes, surely they couldn’t cope with a full length novel in which he took centre stage? Surely they couldn’t actually empathise with such a man and cheer him on?

I tried to push the idea from my mind, but Hoon—because this is what he does—soon forced his way back in. The man is nothing if not persistent, and before long I had stopped thinking about whether it was possible for readers to root for him, and had started thinking about the how.”

And the series originally planned as a trilogy now has a fourth book announced. I sort of home this and the DCI Logan Series become like Douglas Adams trilogy, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, of 6 books. Or like Piers Anthony’s Xanth which started as a trilogy and it now has a total of 45 books in print and 3 more announced. I am hooked on the character of Hoon I have read 2 and pre-ordered the next 2 in the series. Hoon reminds me think of Alex Smith’s DCI Kett, especially his short spell off the force. He is over the top, foul mothed, and eager to use violence as a blunt instrument to find out what he needs to know. He is not above manipulating people. But he is on the quest for find out what happened to a friend’s daughter, a friend who he owes a lot. He has leads to chase he will leave no stone unturned. And he will put himself in the part of harm and risk, not only on this mission but for a young boxer he meets and takes under his wing.

I still want to warn readers that this story is violent, bloody, brutal and full of language. It is not for all readers. That being said it is an excellent thriller with a lot of action. This offering was not as graphically brutal as the first. But some of the crimes being alluded to are even worse. A great story in what is shaping up to be an excellent series. I am looking forward to reading more of the Logan and Hoon novels and books from Kirk’s other pen names.

[Jan Hughes · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was a bit disappointed and that says a lot considering I love Kirks books.
The Hoon books are an offshoot of the DCI Logan books and the first one was good.
This one didn’t grip me, there was no whodunnit or edge of seat drama.
It was of course hilarious because Hoon the foul mouthed ex cop is always funny but there was too much of the foul mouth funny stuff and not enough drama.
I’ll read the third book when it comes out and decide then if I want to follow it..
Looking forward to the new Logan book in May.

[Elisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Robert Hoon, you are my hero. Like you, I don't discriminate against anyone based on color or gender but assume they are all @holes until proven otherwise. Your vocabulary is so colorful, it's taught me a lot about the English language and now I know there's such a thing as a square sausage. As usual, this author is very funny and his stories are top-notch.

[mnemosineirknygos · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Bobas Hunas mėgavosi tokiomis akimirkomis. Jam patiko dramos. Auganti įtampa prieš audrą."

Panašu ši serija taps viena iš mano mėgstamiausių. Bobas Hunas - arogantiškas liežuvio nevaldantis šiknius. Ar man tai patinka? O taip 🤭🤩

"-Kas tu toks, velniai rautų?
-Aš? Niekas. Manykite, kad susirūpinęs pilietis. Nesukite galvos dėl manęs.
- Akcentas buvo škotiškas, balsas šiurkštus kaip barsuko subinė. Turėtumėt sunerimti dėl savęs, skystakiaušiai liurbiai. "

Nors ši dalis kiek lėtesnė, bet kažkodėl man priminė filmą su John Wick. Daug veiksmo, keiksmų, muštynių ir nežinai kas bus toliau.
Su nekantrumu laukiu kitos knygos 😍

" - Ar norėtumėt išgirsti daugiau?
- Šiku ir koją kratau."

🤛5.0🤜

[Lina Walton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Smagiai susiskaite ir antroji dalis. Vienintelis trukumas kad kai vienas arba du zmones stoja pries didziausia blogi ir galima sakyti nugali, tikrovej taip nebuna.

[Kim J · Rating 5 out of 5]

Welcome back to the world according to Hoon! I honestly didn't know if I was going to enjoy the Hoon series when one of my top 5 authors (that would be J.D. Kirk) decided to write a series about the indescribable jerk Hoon from the DCI Logan series. But Hoon is pure entertainment! And though its not a "proper" police procedural, there is nothing Cozy about the Hoon crime series! Hoon does what he wants, when he wants to. He is cagey, violent, a drunk (some of the time), and he curses more than any sailor I've heard of. But, that's part of his charm. Hoon also has a VERY caring side, though he tries to hide it. As with all J.D. Kirk's novels I laugh out loud like a crazy woman and shake my head. And though my father and grandparents, etc had emigrated here from Scotland, I've still had to Google some of Hoon's favorite words and sayings. He might, or might not have accomplished, (nope, no spoilers here), what he set out to do from the first book in this series, and I'm truly hoping his story continues! To be honest, I think we all need a little bit of Hoon in our lives!

[Pat K · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
I liked this book less than the previous ones in the series.
Surely Hoon will eventually end up with parkinsons disease or dementia from all the extreme head injuries.

[Eddie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A super 2nd instalment in the Hoon adventure, a follow on from the last book that is as gripping and as entertaining as the last.

Some very clever plot lines mixed with colourful banter and great humour throughout the book. I could not out it away and read with glee and open laughter.

A very satisfying outcome that sets us up for the next.

A small plea, could JD get together with John Carson and put Hoon with Stewart for the adventure of a lifetime!

[Colleen Laye · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was so happy to see Robert Hoon back again. I’m such a HUGE fan of JD Kirk and eagerly await the release of each novel. It’s hard to believe that such a foul mouthed, crusty and unorthodox character can build such a fan base but I definitely want to see more of him!!! These books keep you in the edge, guessing all the while and then boom, he makes you laugh out loud at some reference to a current situation happening in real life. Loved the references to a certain Royal in this book! Keep them coming JD. Can’t get enough of your stories