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Rusty Star
Commander Russell Stokes made a major mistake. Moonlighting as a private investigator he slept with his client's wife and now has to deal with the consequences. Blowback is one thing, but after a bar fight that leaves two people in the hospital, Stokes and his reputation are checkered at best. Forced to resign from the Navy for a different blunder, Stokes tries valiantly to find a way forward. When he can't get out of his own way a beautiful stranger crosses his path. That's when his life takes a real turn. Whether it's an improvement or downward spiral is up to him.
- GenresAmazon
381 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 29, 2022
About the author
Jonathan Kuiper
27 books31 followersJonathan Kuiper spends most of his days teaching and motivating students. When not at school, he can be seen out for a run or working on his next novel.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
March 31, 2026
Takes a long while to get going
The author certainly takes his time in telling this story, and the story is about a very broken man. Stokes, the main character, is on terminal leave from the navy, the result of a scandal involving his commanding officer’s wife. He is working up a clientele as a private investigator, during which he sleeps with a client’s wife, an unethical act which makes him a bitter enemy. He has several enemies in the police department. Stokes also has three ex-wives and is currently involved with a married woman twenty years younger. If Stokes is to be believed, she is his true soulmate. Being a skeptic, I believe he felt that about all of his wives at one time. O yes, Stokes also doesn’t get along with his parents. Actually he doesn’t seem to get along with many people. Eventually the girlfriend is murdered and Stokes, needless to say, solves the case, not that there is much mystery as to the guilty party and the accomplices. I really didn’t like the main character. He had too many issues and very little self awareness. We are told at the end of the book, that he has quit drinking, absolved himself of the guilt he had previously felt for the death of men under his command, and is going to have a serious talk with the injured commanding officer. I wish the author had taken time to write about how Stokes accomplished these major psychological tasks. Come to think of it, I’d probably down grade my evaluation to a 3.5. The editing was good.
The author certainly takes his time in telling this story, and the story is about a very broken man. Stokes, the main character, is on terminal leave from the navy, the result of a scandal involving his commanding officer’s wife. He is working up a clientele as a private investigator, during which he sleeps with a client’s wife, an unethical act which makes him a bitter enemy. He has several enemies in the police department. Stokes also has three ex-wives and is currently involved with a married woman twenty years younger. If Stokes is to be believed, she is his true soulmate. Being a skeptic, I believe he felt that about all of his wives at one time. O yes, Stokes also doesn’t get along with his parents. Actually he doesn’t seem to get along with many people. Eventually the girlfriend is murdered and Stokes, needless to say, solves the case, not that there is much mystery as to the guilty party and the accomplices. I really didn’t like the main character. He had too many issues and very little self awareness. We are told at the end of the book, that he has quit drinking, absolved himself of the guilt he had previously felt for the death of men under his command, and is going to have a serious talk with the injured commanding officer. I wish the author had taken time to write about how Stokes accomplished these major psychological tasks. Come to think of it, I’d probably down grade my evaluation to a 3.5. The editing was good.
May 1, 2026
Flawed Hero
The storey started out slowly with at main character who was the most unlikeable man most people would ever want to meet. I was expecting someone to Be murdered But I wasn't sure who it would be. The hero meeting a much younger woman ended up changing him to where he was someone you could appreciate. I thought she was the 1 that was going to be murdered as soon as she was introduced but it took a long time for that to happen . I did like the ending in the book with the unlikeable hero finally reconciling his problems And Attempting to become a better person.
It was an enjoyable read but I thought That it could have been a little more difficult for him to solve the murder. As it turned out it seemed a little too easy.
All in all The author held my attention from the beginning of the book all the way through to the end. Yes I liked it and I would recommend it..
The storey started out slowly with at main character who was the most unlikeable man most people would ever want to meet. I was expecting someone to Be murdered But I wasn't sure who it would be. The hero meeting a much younger woman ended up changing him to where he was someone you could appreciate. I thought she was the 1 that was going to be murdered as soon as she was introduced but it took a long time for that to happen . I did like the ending in the book with the unlikeable hero finally reconciling his problems And Attempting to become a better person.
It was an enjoyable read but I thought That it could have been a little more difficult for him to solve the murder. As it turned out it seemed a little too easy.
All in all The author held my attention from the beginning of the book all the way through to the end. Yes I liked it and I would recommend it..
April 27, 2026
Really liked this one. Great characters and dialogue. Story is satisfying.
July 31, 2022
I liked the way the people in Stokes' military life have got his back. The story was an interesting introspective journey for him, and for the reader an introduction to a maybe good relationship for him. The mystery part wasn't so interesting.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews