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Delilah West #1
Death Is Forever
Before Kinsey Millhone, Sharon McCone and V.I. Warshawski, there was Delilah West, the sensitive, gutsy and resourceful private eye who shattered the boundaries of mystery fiction…and now she’s back.
DEATH IS FOREVER
The first Delilah West novel by Maxine O’Callaghan, honored by the Private Eye Writers of America with their Lifetime Achievement Award.
Ex-cop Delilah West is working as a PI with her husband Jack when he’s killed while investigating a missing person’s case. Grief-stricken and enraged, she becomes obsessed with finding the killer…only to wake up drugged in a skid-row hotel room with him lying beside her with a knife in his back. It’s the perfect frame, nailing her for an obvious revenge killing. Now she’s on the run…living on a razor’s edge trying to avoid capture while searching for the murderers who’ve destroyed her life.
DEATH IS FOREVER
The first Delilah West novel by Maxine O’Callaghan, honored by the Private Eye Writers of America with their Lifetime Achievement Award.
Ex-cop Delilah West is working as a PI with her husband Jack when he’s killed while investigating a missing person’s case. Grief-stricken and enraged, she becomes obsessed with finding the killer…only to wake up drugged in a skid-row hotel room with him lying beside her with a knife in his back. It’s the perfect frame, nailing her for an obvious revenge killing. Now she’s on the run…living on a razor’s edge trying to avoid capture while searching for the murderers who’ve destroyed her life.
205 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1981
121 people are currently reading
382 people want to read
About the author
Maxine O'Callaghan
42 books17 followersReceived the Shamus Award, "The Eye" (Lifetime achievment award) in 1999.
Aka Marissa Owens
Aka Marissa Owens
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
December 1, 2016
Okay story.
Husband is dead, Delilah is trying to find out why and who murdered him. While trying to get used to living without him is hired to find a missing fifteen years old girl. Mystery of this girl's disappearance, finding the killer of her husband gets her in trouble with the police. Early in the story I guessed it, interesting story line but never grabbed me.
Husband is dead, Delilah is trying to find out why and who murdered him. While trying to get used to living without him is hired to find a missing fifteen years old girl. Mystery of this girl's disappearance, finding the killer of her husband gets her in trouble with the police. Early in the story I guessed it, interesting story line but never grabbed me.
May 30, 2016
First book in this series, Delilah West is a Private Investigator. Her husband, Jack, used to be her partner until he was murdered 6 months ago. The killer was never found. Still grief-stricken, she’s obsessing with finding the man who killed her husband.
When she gets a lead, she goes for it.. only to wake up in a dirty, dingy hotel room with a dead man. It takes a few minutes, but she identifies him as the murderer. Cops come to an early conclusion that this was a revenge killing … and Delilah is the # 1 suspect.
Now on the run, not only from the cops, but from whoever hired a hit man, she doesn’t know who she can trust.
This book is like a throw-back to the early days of mystery books ….. smoke-filled rooms, cops who may or may not be the good guys… phone booths on every corner with not a mention of a pager or cell phone.
I really liked the backstory of Delilah and Jack. I came away knowing who Delilah is and why she is the way she is. The mystery is solid and the book well-written.
There are several other books in this particular series … I plan on reading them all.
Many thanks to Brash Books for the digital copy.
February 18, 2016
Captivating Main Character
What you need to know about this book is that it was originally published around 1981. Heroine
Delilah West was one of the first of the modern female private investigators.
Ms. O'Callaghan wrote 13 novels and a short story collection. She was nominated for both the Anthony and Bram Stoker awards. Private Eye Writers of America honored her with their lifetime achievement award, The Eye, for her contribution to the field for her novels and short fiction featuring Delilah West.
I say all this as a way of telling you not to judge her stories by contemporary standards. We're all so knowledgeable now about criminal investigation. That wasn't true in 1981 when her ground-breaking novel was published.
Death is Forever is still a captivating story so read it for the deft characterization, gritty action, and rising tension.
What you need to know about this book is that it was originally published around 1981. Heroine
Delilah West was one of the first of the modern female private investigators.
Ms. O'Callaghan wrote 13 novels and a short story collection. She was nominated for both the Anthony and Bram Stoker awards. Private Eye Writers of America honored her with their lifetime achievement award, The Eye, for her contribution to the field for her novels and short fiction featuring Delilah West.
I say all this as a way of telling you not to judge her stories by contemporary standards. We're all so knowledgeable now about criminal investigation. That wasn't true in 1981 when her ground-breaking novel was published.
Death is Forever is still a captivating story so read it for the deft characterization, gritty action, and rising tension.
June 22, 2023
One of the best noir novels I’ve ever read. Can’t believe it took me so long to start this Delilah West series. An amazing, powerful hard-boiled mc, and Maxine O’Callaghan doesn’t receive anywhere near enough notoriety. Perfect.
January 1, 2016
I can't quiet put my finger on it but something about the whole thing kinda bothered me and felt like a twek would make it so much better. Also for an "ex-cop" she has an awful sense and then i thought the whole knocking out a cop to get away was weak. while i was reading it i liked it but once i was done i felt so blah. Father to be knocking people off for that son is so far fetched. I think it would be better if author would had done more with idea of death is forever and nothing can change that and not that is your husband disappears you will get with some young drug dealer. i guess i was disapponited that the female chars felt so weak and seem to "need" a man kind of thing.
February 22, 2020
This book was free on the iTunes store a few years ago, and I downloaded it. I always figured it would suck because it was free and it'd probably be cheesy too because the iTunes cover looks like an incredibly generic teen romance book cover. But you all know the age-old saying. Later I was to discover that the book was actually written in 1981, was mostly obscure, and it being free and having a silly cover were part of a scheme to re-release the book and get it more attention. So--thank you, silly cover! Thank you, re-release! I would have never found this book without you.
Basic premise: In an attempt to solve her husband's murder, Delilah West is sucked into a mess of mysteries and framed for a crime she didn't commit. Throughout the book, she is mostly on the run from the law. There are a lot of bad cops, illicit porn dealers, drug-dealing surfer boys, and backstabbing bastards. It's pretty exciting all the way through.
I really loved the writing style. The story is so full of details that pull me in and make me feel like I'm right there experiencing it alongside Delilah, but in a way that's so clear-cut and concise, and in a way that doesn't bog down the plotline. There was only one comparison that really irked me and it was when she compared a gun going off to a coughing sound--uh, what? Guess someone's never heard a gunshot outside of TV before.
All in all, a good book. I may or may not have bought the rest of the series immediately after finishing.
Basic premise: In an attempt to solve her husband's murder, Delilah West is sucked into a mess of mysteries and framed for a crime she didn't commit. Throughout the book, she is mostly on the run from the law. There are a lot of bad cops, illicit porn dealers, drug-dealing surfer boys, and backstabbing bastards. It's pretty exciting all the way through.
I really loved the writing style. The story is so full of details that pull me in and make me feel like I'm right there experiencing it alongside Delilah, but in a way that's so clear-cut and concise, and in a way that doesn't bog down the plotline. There was only one comparison that really irked me and it was when she compared a gun going off to a coughing sound--uh, what? Guess someone's never heard a gunshot outside of TV before.
All in all, a good book. I may or may not have bought the rest of the series immediately after finishing.
August 29, 2021
Delilah West is still in deep mourning after the murder of her husband and P.I. business partner Jack six months ago.
She's finding it hard to concentrate on anything than his death, the events that led to his killing, and whether she could have done something to prevent it.
In the days before the tragedy Jack had been withdrawn, secretive and sullen. On that fateful night Delilah followed him, heard the shot that killed him but, crucially, can't remember the face of the killer.
When she is hired to find a missing 15-year-old girl two things become alarmingly clear, it somehow ties in to Jack's death and someone will go to extraordinary lengths to shut down her investigation.
It's a solid story well told but I could not help but feel that the solution begs the question as to why Delilah was hired in the first place?
She's finding it hard to concentrate on anything than his death, the events that led to his killing, and whether she could have done something to prevent it.
In the days before the tragedy Jack had been withdrawn, secretive and sullen. On that fateful night Delilah followed him, heard the shot that killed him but, crucially, can't remember the face of the killer.
When she is hired to find a missing 15-year-old girl two things become alarmingly clear, it somehow ties in to Jack's death and someone will go to extraordinary lengths to shut down her investigation.
It's a solid story well told but I could not help but feel that the solution begs the question as to why Delilah was hired in the first place?
November 2, 2018
What a mess. I can't believe a sane person would act as Delilah West did, especially as a former cop and a private eye. How, after this episode, she'll even keep her license would be improbable, but since the book says #1, I'm assuming there's more. Not that I'll be reading them. She's a very unlikable character.
August 1, 2017
Good story, but left me hollow
No happy ending here, just a twisted murder of one man that tied into several others. Left me with a heartache.
No happy ending here, just a twisted murder of one man that tied into several others. Left me with a heartache.
December 8, 2017
Very intense. Different than other PI books I’ve read.
April 21, 2019
Death is Forever
This a good read that was just a little off center. It was twisted and at times you have to check and see if you're on the right page.
This a good read that was just a little off center. It was twisted and at times you have to check and see if you're on the right page.
January 15, 2021
Great read
As a female PI, D. west is tough and persistent. Great twists involved. Will enjoy reading more from this series.
As a female PI, D. west is tough and persistent. Great twists involved. Will enjoy reading more from this series.
December 21, 2015
Great action, you gotta love Delilah
This is the first in a series of books about Delilah West. Delilah is a private investigator and along with her husband formed the West and West detective agency. Things were going good until her husband was on a case and became withdrawn from her. Wouldn't tell her what was going on. Unfortunately her husband,Jack,was killed. His murder never solved and Delilah is still trying to find out about the case and who killed him.
When Delilah is contacted to take a case of a missing ten, she doesn't want to, but she needs the money. But in taking this case Delilah is being framed. She winds up in a hotel room with a man that has been murdered.Delilah recognizes the dead body as the man that had killed Jack. She had followed Jack the night he was killed she recognized the dead man as the one she saw shoot Jack. Now the cops are after Delilah and she is running for her life. Great read that will keep you turning pages to find out if Delilah gets out with her life.
This is the first in a series of books about Delilah West. Delilah is a private investigator and along with her husband formed the West and West detective agency. Things were going good until her husband was on a case and became withdrawn from her. Wouldn't tell her what was going on. Unfortunately her husband,Jack,was killed. His murder never solved and Delilah is still trying to find out about the case and who killed him.
When Delilah is contacted to take a case of a missing ten, she doesn't want to, but she needs the money. But in taking this case Delilah is being framed. She winds up in a hotel room with a man that has been murdered.Delilah recognizes the dead body as the man that had killed Jack. She had followed Jack the night he was killed she recognized the dead man as the one she saw shoot Jack. Now the cops are after Delilah and she is running for her life. Great read that will keep you turning pages to find out if Delilah gets out with her life.
February 20, 2016
Meet Delilah West. A gutsy ex-cop turned private detective, she’s obsessed with finding the man who killed her husband and partner, Jack. When a man comes to hire her to find his missing niece, she takes the case to take her mind off the past; but, the past comes back to haunt her. Following a lead on the missing girl, Delilah finds herself waking up in a strange hotel room with a headache, and a body on the bed with a knife in its back—she’s found her husband’s killer, and now she’s the prime suspect in his death.
Death is Forever by Maxine O’Callaghan is a mystery in the style of Mickey Spillane and Elmore Leonard, only with a hard-bitten, no-holds-barred female lead who is every bit as tough and uncompromising as her male counterparts. Gritty action from start to finish, with lots of side trips into the wounded psyche of a heroine for the ages—a book you can’t put down.
Death is Forever by Maxine O’Callaghan is a mystery in the style of Mickey Spillane and Elmore Leonard, only with a hard-bitten, no-holds-barred female lead who is every bit as tough and uncompromising as her male counterparts. Gritty action from start to finish, with lots of side trips into the wounded psyche of a heroine for the ages—a book you can’t put down.
January 15, 2016
Six months after the death of her husband and PI Delilah West is still a wreck. She refuses to move on with her life and continues to ask questions about Jack's murder. But when she herself is framed for murder she knows she must have struck a nerve and continues to follow tenuous leads, pursued by the police and the bad guys who don't want her to get too close. Would a woman running her own business really accept a client without writing anything down and carrying all the things pertaining to him in her purse?
A plausible story for the most part but it ended too abruptly. Delilah herself committed felonies along the way and we don't discover how they were resolved.
A plausible story for the most part but it ended too abruptly. Delilah herself committed felonies along the way and we don't discover how they were resolved.
December 22, 2015
Twists and turns, but detetmination!
This book started out with such anguish of the heroine that I just about couldn't continue reading, but I needed to know the cause of her pain. She just wouldn't give up. That determination left me clenching my jaws to try to help her along and I hadn't figured it out until the last few pages. This one that was difficult to start was impossible to put down until the end.
This book started out with such anguish of the heroine that I just about couldn't continue reading, but I needed to know the cause of her pain. She just wouldn't give up. That determination left me clenching my jaws to try to help her along and I hadn't figured it out until the last few pages. This one that was difficult to start was impossible to put down until the end.
December 26, 2015
Mourning Spousal Murder Leads to Mystery
Delilah sees her husband killed, but can do nothing to catch the killer. She has a new assignment to find a missing daughter which leads to even more questions until she is actively pursued by Los Angeles police looking as her as a suspect in another murder.
Delilah sees her husband killed, but can do nothing to catch the killer. She has a new assignment to find a missing daughter which leads to even more questions until she is actively pursued by Los Angeles police looking as her as a suspect in another murder.
December 28, 2015
Another Book
Death's Forever was an entertaining novel. The characters were a little flat. Seems it's the same with characters in most books anymore. If the writers took time to flesh out the characters, it would make for a much more entertaining novel. There were so many bit characters in this one it was difficult to keep up with who each was.
Death's Forever was an entertaining novel. The characters were a little flat. Seems it's the same with characters in most books anymore. If the writers took time to flesh out the characters, it would make for a much more entertaining novel. There were so many bit characters in this one it was difficult to keep up with who each was.
August 26, 2014
Delilah West is and ex-cop turned PI. She is tormented by her husband's death. He was also her partner. She takes a case about a missing girl and things just doesn't add up to her way of thinking. She becomes accused of a killing another PI...and that's where things really get rolling.
October 7, 2014
O'Callaghan's Delilah West set the bar for Grafton's Kinsey Millhone, Paretski's V.I. Warshowski, and Muller's Sharon McCone. Great pacing, believable characters, and if the killer is a wee bit predictable, it's still a very enjoyable read to get to the end. Recommended.
Want to read
December 20, 2015This is the first in the Delilah West mystery series published in 1981. The BookBub's description says it paved the was for Kinsey Milhone, V. I. Warshawski and Sharon McCune. We will see; I'm not sure how I got through the 80s without becoming aware of Delilah West!
December 22, 2015
Without smart strong women.
Without strong smart women to interact with, life wooden be the same. Like a beautiful garden with no blooms, no color. This story is written by one and stars another.
Without strong smart women to interact with, life wooden be the same. Like a beautiful garden with no blooms, no color. This story is written by one and stars another.
December 29, 2015
Not my cup of tea
I was impressed with the story line and how the author presented it, for some reason that I can't even figure out I never really got excited enough to get hooked on this book.
If you like PI stories as much asI do you should give this book a try.
I was impressed with the story line and how the author presented it, for some reason that I can't even figure out I never really got excited enough to get hooked on this book.
If you like PI stories as much asI do you should give this book a try.
February 12, 2016
Delilah West's husband has been murdered and she has been searching for his killer for months. Both she and her husband had worked together as PI's. Now she was on her own. Every avenue she pursued, however, has led to a dead end. Delilah is no closer to solving the murder than when she started.
April 20, 2016
Dark, intense, sad, very suspense filled - felt heavy while reading it and that heaviness didn't release much at the end. She's an intense PI and the series could be interesting....not sure if I'll continue....
July 14, 2018
Action packed..
Short with a lot of action. Much of it unbelievable, but good reading. Will read more of this author soon.
Short with a lot of action. Much of it unbelievable, but good reading. Will read more of this author soon.
December 24, 2015
very good
January 4, 2016
Great Read
Wow! This is definitely the start of something new for me. Excellent character, someone you can relate to. The plot had me guessing for a while. On to the next one
Wow! This is definitely the start of something new for me. Excellent character, someone you can relate to. The plot had me guessing for a while. On to the next one
January 9, 2016
Loved it who'd a thought
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January 29, 2016
Five stars!
This was a great read. I enjoyed it very much! I will read more of the Delilah West series. 2 thumbs up!
This was a great read. I enjoyed it very much! I will read more of the Delilah West series. 2 thumbs up!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews