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Trace #1
二日酔いのバラード (ハヤカワ・ミステリ文庫
Devlin Tracy is a very good insurance investigator in a profession that rewards success. He lives in a luxury condo on the Las Vegas Strip and only works when he feels like it. He also drinks vodka by the pint, cracks wise to damn-near everyone, and has what can charitably be described as a complicated relationship with his girlfriend. None of that matters to the Garrison Fidelity Insurance Company. They're interested in results. Which is why they keep Trace on retainer.
Problem: A patient at a private clinic died, shortly after making his doctor the beneficiary of his insurance policy. Suspicious. Now a wealthy friend of the Garrison Fidelity is a patient at the same private clinic, and he isn't doing well. Troubling. Solution: Send Trace, who has a natural way of shaking things up. On the surface everyone's friendly and nothing points to murder, fraud or larceny. A late-night beatdown from two masked thugs sends a very different message, however, and tells Trace that he's onto something. If only he could figure out what he's onto.
Problem: A patient at a private clinic died, shortly after making his doctor the beneficiary of his insurance policy. Suspicious. Now a wealthy friend of the Garrison Fidelity is a patient at the same private clinic, and he isn't doing well. Troubling. Solution: Send Trace, who has a natural way of shaking things up. On the surface everyone's friendly and nothing points to murder, fraud or larceny. A late-night beatdown from two masked thugs sends a very different message, however, and tells Trace that he's onto something. If only he could figure out what he's onto.
336 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1983
101 people are currently reading
385 people want to read
About the author
Warren Murphy
294 books123 followersWarren Murphy was an American author, most famous as the co-creator of The Destroyer series, the basis for the film Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins. He worked as a reporter and editor and after service during the Korean War, he drifted into politics.
Murphy also wrote the screenplay for Lethal Weapon 2. He is the author of the Trace and Digger series. With Molly Cochran, he completed two books of a planned trilogy revolving around the character The Grandmaster, The Grandmaster (1984) and High Priest (1989). Murphy also shares writing credits with Cochran on The Forever King and several novels under the name Dev Stryker. The first Grandmaster book earned Murphy and Cochran a 1985 Edgar Award for Best Paperback Original, and Murphy's Pigs Get Fat took the same honor the following year.
His solo novels include Jericho Day, The Red Moon, The Ceiling of Hell, The Sure Thing and Honor Among Thieves. Over his career, Murphy sold over 60 million books.
He started his own publishing house, Ballybunion, to have a vehicle to start The Destroyer spin-off books. Ballybunion has reprinted The Assassin's Handbook, as well as the original works Assassin's Handbook 2, The Movie That Never Was (a screenplay he and Richard Sapir wrote for a Destroyer movie that was never optioned), The Way of the Assassin (the wisdom of Chiun), and New Blood, a collection of short stories written by fans of the series.
He served on the board of the Mystery Writers of America, and was a member of the Private Eye Writers of America, the International Association of Crime Writers, the American Crime Writers League and the Screenwriters Guild.
Murphy also wrote the screenplay for Lethal Weapon 2. He is the author of the Trace and Digger series. With Molly Cochran, he completed two books of a planned trilogy revolving around the character The Grandmaster, The Grandmaster (1984) and High Priest (1989). Murphy also shares writing credits with Cochran on The Forever King and several novels under the name Dev Stryker. The first Grandmaster book earned Murphy and Cochran a 1985 Edgar Award for Best Paperback Original, and Murphy's Pigs Get Fat took the same honor the following year.
His solo novels include Jericho Day, The Red Moon, The Ceiling of Hell, The Sure Thing and Honor Among Thieves. Over his career, Murphy sold over 60 million books.
He started his own publishing house, Ballybunion, to have a vehicle to start The Destroyer spin-off books. Ballybunion has reprinted The Assassin's Handbook, as well as the original works Assassin's Handbook 2, The Movie That Never Was (a screenplay he and Richard Sapir wrote for a Destroyer movie that was never optioned), The Way of the Assassin (the wisdom of Chiun), and New Blood, a collection of short stories written by fans of the series.
He served on the board of the Mystery Writers of America, and was a member of the Private Eye Writers of America, the International Association of Crime Writers, the American Crime Writers League and the Screenwriters Guild.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
May 22, 2013
Devlin Tracy, Trace to his friends, is a P.I. who works out of Las Vegas and lives with Chico, a blackjack dealer/part time hooker. He's your typical wisecracking detective, sarcasm delivered with stunning regularity.
He's an insurance investigator for Garrison Fidelity and is sent to New Jersey to look into a case there. One of their policyholders died in a private hospital and it was discovered he'd changed his beneficiary on a hundred thousand dollar life insurance just a few days before he'd died. The new name was that of the doctor that ran the private hospital.
At the same time, the owner of GF asks him to look in on a rich friend, a recent heart attack victim, residing in the same hospital. He's worried that their might be something to the claims of the first patient's family who's threatening to sue.
Things seem fairly straightforward though to Trace as he interviews all the participants, the lawyers, one in particular representing both the doctor and the rich friends of his boss.
Until he's jumped by a pair late at night, thumping him a bit before he gets the upper hand and drives them off. Both his rear tires had been flattened and he finds a scrap of paper lying beside the car embossed with the hospital's name at the top.
When on a case, Trace keeps a tape recorder taped to his back, a wire running around to a tie clasp/speaker. He records interviews and makes personal notes to himself. He listens to them later to organize his thoughts and maybe gain some insight.
Liked this one. Warren Murphy is one those responsible for two of the most popular characters in adventure fiction. Remo Williams, The Destroyer, and his mentor, Chiun.
He's an insurance investigator for Garrison Fidelity and is sent to New Jersey to look into a case there. One of their policyholders died in a private hospital and it was discovered he'd changed his beneficiary on a hundred thousand dollar life insurance just a few days before he'd died. The new name was that of the doctor that ran the private hospital.
At the same time, the owner of GF asks him to look in on a rich friend, a recent heart attack victim, residing in the same hospital. He's worried that their might be something to the claims of the first patient's family who's threatening to sue.
Things seem fairly straightforward though to Trace as he interviews all the participants, the lawyers, one in particular representing both the doctor and the rich friends of his boss.
Until he's jumped by a pair late at night, thumping him a bit before he gets the upper hand and drives them off. Both his rear tires had been flattened and he finds a scrap of paper lying beside the car embossed with the hospital's name at the top.
When on a case, Trace keeps a tape recorder taped to his back, a wire running around to a tie clasp/speaker. He records interviews and makes personal notes to himself. He listens to them later to organize his thoughts and maybe gain some insight.
Liked this one. Warren Murphy is one those responsible for two of the most popular characters in adventure fiction. Remo Williams, The Destroyer, and his mentor, Chiun.
December 23, 2022
The first book in the Trace series is really the fifth book in the Digger series. When Murphy changed publishers, they made him change all the names in the books, so Digger becomes Trace, Koko becomes Chico, etc. The atmosphere of the novels remains the same, so if you enjoyed Digger, you will definitely enjoy Trace.
The plot of this novel is a little bit difficult. Trace’s insurance company is about to pay out on a policy in which the deceased recently changed the beneficiary from his family to his doctor. The family is talking to lawyers and the insurance company wants to make certain everything is on the up and up—and while Trace is out there his boss wants him to check on a friend in the same hospital and make certain he isn’t about to die as well.
That’s where things get interesting because things are not good with the friend—but what exactly is wrong is not easy to tell. Throw in a séance or two, a couple of lawyers, an irate business partner, and a patient who seems to be in fear and you have a good mystery.
While all of this is unfolding, Chico is secretly exploring a job opportunity which would move her to the other side of the country from Trace. And Chico and Trace’s strange and dysfunctional friendship/relationship is one of the most interesting parts of the novel. They don’t appear to want to get married. They aren’t particularly faithful to each other. And yet, both are also very jealous of each other.
All of this winds together into a very interesting mystery.
The plot of this novel is a little bit difficult. Trace’s insurance company is about to pay out on a policy in which the deceased recently changed the beneficiary from his family to his doctor. The family is talking to lawyers and the insurance company wants to make certain everything is on the up and up—and while Trace is out there his boss wants him to check on a friend in the same hospital and make certain he isn’t about to die as well.
That’s where things get interesting because things are not good with the friend—but what exactly is wrong is not easy to tell. Throw in a séance or two, a couple of lawyers, an irate business partner, and a patient who seems to be in fear and you have a good mystery.
While all of this is unfolding, Chico is secretly exploring a job opportunity which would move her to the other side of the country from Trace. And Chico and Trace’s strange and dysfunctional friendship/relationship is one of the most interesting parts of the novel. They don’t appear to want to get married. They aren’t particularly faithful to each other. And yet, both are also very jealous of each other.
All of this winds together into a very interesting mystery.
November 25, 2015
Wonderful start to a new series
Trace is a drunk, politically incorrect womanizer. He's also refreshingly honest, sexy as hell and totally hilarious. I was hooked until the end by this surprisingly not bad free Kindle download. Ttyl y'all I'm off to download the sequel.
Trace is a drunk, politically incorrect womanizer. He's also refreshingly honest, sexy as hell and totally hilarious. I was hooked until the end by this surprisingly not bad free Kindle download. Ttyl y'all I'm off to download the sequel.
Want to read
February 12, 2020Synopsis: Devlin Tracy, out of Vegas, is a very good insurance investigator. He knows he's onto something when 2 thugs send a message.
January 11, 2019
This is the first novel in the short-lived Trace series, which is actually a continuation of the shorter-lived Digger series, prompted by a change in publishing houses. Basically, the Trace series is the Digger series with all of the names changed. Other than that, it's the same setup, with witty alcoholic insurance investigator Devlin "Trace" Tracy (formerly Julian "Digger" Burroughs became Devlin "Trace" Tracy) working out of Las Vegas with his blackjack dealer/prostitute/sidekick Chico (formerly Koko) inadvertently solving murders while investigating potential insurance fraud cases for the Garrison Fidelity Insurance Company (formerly Broker's Surety Life Insurance Company).
This reboot/continuation second introduction (I'll stop obsessing on that now) has our man Trace dragged from Las Vegas to the wilds of New Jersey, where he is surrounded by elderly golfers, trombone-wielding barristers, mysterious hospital deaths, tangled will and insurance policy mischief, and the looming threat of a visit from his ex-wife.
Much of the novel follows your standard gumshoe whodunit boilerplate, including multiple sexcapades with attractive (and occasionally married) women, a never-ending cavalcade of red herrings, an anonymous beat-down by thugs in the second act, and the "Let me tell you how you did it" reveal at the end. Any stereotypical antics can be forgiven thanks to a less than predictable resolution that doesn't give itself away until fairly late in the story, and continuous level of humor throughout.
Going back to the Digger/Trace comparison once more - apologies - Trace, while still the veteran acerbic smart-ass, seems somewhat less irreverent than in his previous Digger incarnation. Trace comes off as more self-reflective almost to the point of brooding while obsessing about his life and relationships, whereas Digger's roving attention span led to more entertaining non sequitur. I haven't read the intervening Digger novels between Digger #1 and Trace #1, so it is possible that this is a progression of character throughout the series shift rather than a re-calibration of the character's personality. whichever one it turns out to be, the difference isn't enough to recommend one series over the other. Yet.
This reboot/continuation second introduction (I'll stop obsessing on that now) has our man Trace dragged from Las Vegas to the wilds of New Jersey, where he is surrounded by elderly golfers, trombone-wielding barristers, mysterious hospital deaths, tangled will and insurance policy mischief, and the looming threat of a visit from his ex-wife.
Much of the novel follows your standard gumshoe whodunit boilerplate, including multiple sexcapades with attractive (and occasionally married) women, a never-ending cavalcade of red herrings, an anonymous beat-down by thugs in the second act, and the "Let me tell you how you did it" reveal at the end. Any stereotypical antics can be forgiven thanks to a less than predictable resolution that doesn't give itself away until fairly late in the story, and continuous level of humor throughout.
Going back to the Digger/Trace comparison once more - apologies - Trace, while still the veteran acerbic smart-ass, seems somewhat less irreverent than in his previous Digger incarnation. Trace comes off as more self-reflective almost to the point of brooding while obsessing about his life and relationships, whereas Digger's roving attention span led to more entertaining non sequitur. I haven't read the intervening Digger novels between Digger #1 and Trace #1, so it is possible that this is a progression of character throughout the series shift rather than a re-calibration of the character's personality. whichever one it turns out to be, the difference isn't enough to recommend one series over the other. Yet.
July 1, 2018
Rating 3
Bought this book cheap when I saw it as was interested in trying another series by the prolific author better known for the destroyer series written with Sapir.
I thought this was okay as the first in a series if a bit generic-wise cracking, hard drinking PI with ex wife issues and a sarcastic turn of humour with his employer. Nothing that hadn’t been seen before really. And I did miss the humour that is generally present in the destroyer novels. This resembled the more average entries in that series tbh.
If I see the 2nd novel I will probably give it a go to see how the series progresses.
Bought this book cheap when I saw it as was interested in trying another series by the prolific author better known for the destroyer series written with Sapir.
I thought this was okay as the first in a series if a bit generic-wise cracking, hard drinking PI with ex wife issues and a sarcastic turn of humour with his employer. Nothing that hadn’t been seen before really. And I did miss the humour that is generally present in the destroyer novels. This resembled the more average entries in that series tbh.
If I see the 2nd novel I will probably give it a go to see how the series progresses.
March 4, 2023
Drunk investigator lives with a part time hooker. Trace is the go to investigator for an insurance company. He tapes conversations and turns them into notes. Story doesn't really develop a level of observation or intelligence that would make reader believe Trace is great as an investor. The hooker has the brains. I don't get it
March 28, 2019
This was a really good book, had a lot of different things going for it. Intrigue,mystery and a little bit of romance. I really enjoyed it and after reading an excerpt from the next book would enjoy it as well I'm sure.
August 29, 2020
I got a little over 10% through the book before I lost interest. I've enjoyed other books by Warren Murphy, but in this particular book most of the beginning seemed to be filler rather than important information for the story.
October 5, 2019
Fun look at 80's Vegas. Humorous dialogue.
May 28, 2019
The story was okay, but the main character, Trace, is hilarious! Great dialogue. A TV series should be made of Trace.
September 1, 2018
A Novel About Insurance Scams/A Private Eye/Murder and Money
WM has penned a novel about a Murder in a retirement home. The PI Trace is called by an insurance company to investigate a death in a retirement community. He discovers numerous plots that are being carried out by
Three people who think they have gotten away with murder. This is an excellent read for the genre.....DEHS
WM has penned a novel about a Murder in a retirement home. The PI Trace is called by an insurance company to investigate a death in a retirement community. He discovers numerous plots that are being carried out by
Three people who think they have gotten away with murder. This is an excellent read for the genre.....DEHS
August 21, 2013
One of the prolific Warren Murphy's many series (he is mostly known for the long running Created, the Destroyer series featuring Remo Williams and Chiun) is the wonderfully humorous Trace series, featuring Develin Tracy and his sometimes girlfriend, the ever lovely, smart, part-time hooker, half Chinese half Italian, Chico. With crackling sarcastic dialog and a fast pace, the Trace series is a classic. I read them oh so many years ago and you too can get started for free at kobobooks.com here. Originally published 30 years ago, it still is a fun read and a great series.
In the opener, Trace is sent to New Jersey at the behest of his friend, the head of Garrison Fidelity, who he works for as a sometimes investigator. He is looking into the mysterious death and, more to Gone Fishing's interest, sudden change in the will of a man who died at a local caring facility. Was there foul play involved? Was the man coerced into changing his will? Why are other patients slowly dying here after transferring from another hospital?
Trace does what fictional detectives tend to do - stir things up to see what flies. Told mostly in the third person from Trace's point of view, some chapters are transcripts of the daily tapes he makes to himself summarizing what happened during the day. Later on, he lets Chico listen to them and she comes up with the theories and possible solutions. It works out pretty well in the end, of course.
I loved it. It was as funny as I remembered it and the book just flew along. It's a little jarring, hearkening back to the 80s, with the nonexistent plane security, smoking in restaurants and the like, but a crackling good start to the series and I can hardly wait to reread the rest of it.
In the opener, Trace is sent to New Jersey at the behest of his friend, the head of Garrison Fidelity, who he works for as a sometimes investigator. He is looking into the mysterious death and, more to Gone Fishing's interest, sudden change in the will of a man who died at a local caring facility. Was there foul play involved? Was the man coerced into changing his will? Why are other patients slowly dying here after transferring from another hospital?
Trace does what fictional detectives tend to do - stir things up to see what flies. Told mostly in the third person from Trace's point of view, some chapters are transcripts of the daily tapes he makes to himself summarizing what happened during the day. Later on, he lets Chico listen to them and she comes up with the theories and possible solutions. It works out pretty well in the end, of course.
I loved it. It was as funny as I remembered it and the book just flew along. It's a little jarring, hearkening back to the 80s, with the nonexistent plane security, smoking in restaurants and the like, but a crackling good start to the series and I can hardly wait to reread the rest of it.
January 14, 2017
BOTTOM-LINE:
Great intro to a great series
.
PLOT OR PREMISE:
Devlin Tracy is a claims investigator working for an insurance company. The VP gives him a case to investigate -- a friend of the President of the company is in a sanatorium, and one of the other patients changed their beneficiary on their insurance policy before they died, and the doctor at the sanatorium got the winfall. The President is afraid for his friend, that he'll be pressured to do the same, and wants Trace to make sure there's nothing weird going on.
.
WHAT I LIKED:
Warren Murphy was also creator of several other series, and while some of those were kind of pulp-style, this one is a full "standard" novel. Wise-cracking, determined, but not always the fastest to figure things out. Trace works hard, keeps poking until something shakes loose, and then grabs on and won't let go until whatever scheme falls apart. All the elements of the series are here -- drinking like a fish, sleeping with suspects, wearing a little frog pin that records conversations, and a bit of a blundering style that worms his way into lots of situations. There are sub-stories with drugs and potential lawsuits, but mostly it is just about Trace shaking things up.
.
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
He has a girlfriend, of sorts, and her portrayal in this one is more annoying than usual for the series. Plus she comes in near the end as a super-detective to help solve the case, but Trace was doing fine on his own. She helps him out, as she often does, but she was mostly superfluous for this outing.
.
DISCLOSURE:
I received no compensation, not even a free copy, in exchange for this review. I am not personal friends with the author, nor did I follow him on social media.
Great intro to a great series
.
PLOT OR PREMISE:
Devlin Tracy is a claims investigator working for an insurance company. The VP gives him a case to investigate -- a friend of the President of the company is in a sanatorium, and one of the other patients changed their beneficiary on their insurance policy before they died, and the doctor at the sanatorium got the winfall. The President is afraid for his friend, that he'll be pressured to do the same, and wants Trace to make sure there's nothing weird going on.
.
WHAT I LIKED:
Warren Murphy was also creator of several other series, and while some of those were kind of pulp-style, this one is a full "standard" novel. Wise-cracking, determined, but not always the fastest to figure things out. Trace works hard, keeps poking until something shakes loose, and then grabs on and won't let go until whatever scheme falls apart. All the elements of the series are here -- drinking like a fish, sleeping with suspects, wearing a little frog pin that records conversations, and a bit of a blundering style that worms his way into lots of situations. There are sub-stories with drugs and potential lawsuits, but mostly it is just about Trace shaking things up.
.
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
He has a girlfriend, of sorts, and her portrayal in this one is more annoying than usual for the series. Plus she comes in near the end as a super-detective to help solve the case, but Trace was doing fine on his own. She helps him out, as she often does, but she was mostly superfluous for this outing.
.
DISCLOSURE:
I received no compensation, not even a free copy, in exchange for this review. I am not personal friends with the author, nor did I follow him on social media.
July 29, 2019
I love the character of Trace. I read this book many, many years ago and just read it again and. It still makes me laugh.
January 8, 2014
I read all the Trace series books by Warren Murphy back in the '80's and loved 'em back then. I just ran across them recently while unpacking an old box of books. I zipped through all seven and liked them even more than I had 25 years ago. So, maybe someone out there in the internet world can answer this question which has confounded me since 1983. Before he wrote his Trace series, Murphy had a short series (4 books as I recall) featuring a main character named Digger. Digger was a smart-assed PI for an insurance company and he had a girl friend who was a part-time call girl. No, I'm not getting Digger confused with Trace. A bunch of other details were different. His boss wasn't Walter Marks and he hadn't birthed What's His Name and the Girl.
Does anyone know why Murphy suddenly switched from Digger to Trace? Or did I just imagine Digger because my '60's hallucinations lasted longer than I thought?
Does anyone know why Murphy suddenly switched from Digger to Trace? Or did I just imagine Digger because my '60's hallucinations lasted longer than I thought?
March 29, 2010
Good start to the series, although I like some of the later books better. Trace is a likable, drunk, degenerate, gambling, womanizer who occasionally will investigate for an insurance company. His roommate/girlfriend/part-time hooker, Chico, usually solves his cases for him by listening to the tapes he made of conversations.
This particular cases has Trace heading back to New Jersey to see if a hospital is convincing its patients to change the beneficiary and then killing them. Trace is doing this as a favor to the owner of the insurance company as he went to school with the wife of the latest patient admitted.
This particular cases has Trace heading back to New Jersey to see if a hospital is convincing its patients to change the beneficiary and then killing them. Trace is doing this as a favor to the owner of the insurance company as he went to school with the wife of the latest patient admitted.
January 9, 2017
This book, or maybe the series was the basis for a short-lived tv series staring George Segal called "Murphy's law". I see almost none of it here except for the exotic girlfriend. The "Trace" series apparently is based on the earlier 4-book "Digger" series by the same author.
I thought this book was fairly average. The central character was quirky enough to be interesting but most of the others were pretty two-dimensional. The girlfriend might have made the story more interesting but she was not around much. The setting, the plot and the final resolution were all a bit shopworn.
I thought this book was fairly average. The central character was quirky enough to be interesting but most of the others were pretty two-dimensional. The girlfriend might have made the story more interesting but she was not around much. The setting, the plot and the final resolution were all a bit shopworn.
April 8, 2012
The Trace series of books were the basis for the enjoyable TV show Murphy's Law which made a lot of changes and lost its way. George Segal was the star. If it accomplished nothing else it got me to read the books.
Very entertaining, memorable characters, good mysteries. As pointed out by others, his girlfriend Chico solves most, maybe all, of the mysteries.
Very entertaining, memorable characters, good mysteries. As pointed out by others, his girlfriend Chico solves most, maybe all, of the mysteries.
September 14, 2013
I liked this book more than I thought I would. I don't really read a lot of PI/detective books because they all start to seem the same. I loved Devlin Tracey's character, it made the book. The plot was good, but a little predictable. Overall, I would give it 4 stars and would read another Warren Murphy book.
August 22, 2013
Devlin Tracey is a wise-cracking,womanizing, alcoholic P. I. .... Who's roommate is a part time hooker...what's not to love. Takes me back to the eighties. Dime phone calls and tape recorders!! Great read!
September 2, 2013
Well written plot, no (kindle) edit errors, likable characters. will read the author again.
September 10, 2013
Four and 1/2 stars. This book is an oldie but a goodie. It was funny as hell and I liked the ending.
November 7, 2013
Hilarious and irreverent detective series. Widly entertaining. Although I hope Trace doesn't end up with a poisoned liver.
March 27, 2014
A wonderful read. I will be reading the next in the series.
June 2, 2014
Better then the Forgotten Son so I suspect that Murphy wrote all of this one. Nice light series that moves along well. I'll check out book 2
March 21, 2014
Humorous and well written- but predictable.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews