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Alan Bernhardt #1
Bernhardt's Edge
Alan Bernhardt, an actor and playwright moonlighting for a private detective agency, races against time to find a missing woman before the Detroit hitman who killed her roommate, a small-time hood, can reach her
- GenresMystery
311 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1988
2 people are currently reading
20 people want to read
About the author
Collin Wilcox
57 books3 followersAka Carter Wick
Collin Wilcox was an American mystery writer.
Born in Detroit, Michigan, his first book was The Black Door (1967), featuring a sleuth possessing extrasensory perception. His major series of novels was about Lieutenant Frank Hastings of the San Francisco Police Department. Titles in the Hastings series included Hire a Hangman, Dead Aim, Hiding Place, Long Way Down and Stalking Horse. Two of his last books, Full Circle and Find Her a Grave, featured a new hero-sleuth, Alan Bernhardt, an eccentric theater director. Wilcox also published under the pseudonym "Carter Wick".
Wilcox's most famous series-detective was the television character Sam McCloud, a New Mexico deputy solving New York crime. The "urban cowboy" was played by Dennis Weaver in the 1970-1977 TV series McCloud. Wilcox wrote three novelizations based on scripts from the series: McCloud (1973), The New Mexican Connection (1974), and The Park Avenue Executioner (1975).
Collin Wilcox was an American mystery writer.
Born in Detroit, Michigan, his first book was The Black Door (1967), featuring a sleuth possessing extrasensory perception. His major series of novels was about Lieutenant Frank Hastings of the San Francisco Police Department. Titles in the Hastings series included Hire a Hangman, Dead Aim, Hiding Place, Long Way Down and Stalking Horse. Two of his last books, Full Circle and Find Her a Grave, featured a new hero-sleuth, Alan Bernhardt, an eccentric theater director. Wilcox also published under the pseudonym "Carter Wick".
Wilcox's most famous series-detective was the television character Sam McCloud, a New Mexico deputy solving New York crime. The "urban cowboy" was played by Dennis Weaver in the 1970-1977 TV series McCloud. Wilcox wrote three novelizations based on scripts from the series: McCloud (1973), The New Mexican Connection (1974), and The Park Avenue Executioner (1975).
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
October 1, 2013
I really enjoyed this book. I found it very easy to read and difficult to put down. It was always moving forward, inviting me to keep reading, to find out what happened next.
This was an interesting thriller and I liked the fact that it took some time to find out the reasons behind the action and events of the earlier part of the book. I found myself eager to keep going, to find out why things had happened as they had.
This story had all the elements that constitute a good thriller for me, a good well paced plot, rounded, believable characters, suspense and action. There were also good reasons to account for the actions of the characters, at least in the eyes of those performing them. Added to that were twists and turns to pique one’s interest. I liked that it took time to find out whether the crux of the story was about murder, theft, blackmail or whatever. In the end it was a number of things, all cleverly linked through the characters and their interactions.
I really enjoyed the author’s portrayal of his characters, especially the protagonist, Alan Bernhardt. That he was an actor, moonlighting as a private detective was intriguing. I liked how he managed to draw upon his acting skills, and employ them effectively in his role as an investigator.
I would heartily recommend this for any fan of the intelligent mystery thriller. It was an enjoyable read that I found rather hard to put down.
This review was based upon a digital ARC.
This was an interesting thriller and I liked the fact that it took some time to find out the reasons behind the action and events of the earlier part of the book. I found myself eager to keep going, to find out why things had happened as they had.
This story had all the elements that constitute a good thriller for me, a good well paced plot, rounded, believable characters, suspense and action. There were also good reasons to account for the actions of the characters, at least in the eyes of those performing them. Added to that were twists and turns to pique one’s interest. I liked that it took time to find out whether the crux of the story was about murder, theft, blackmail or whatever. In the end it was a number of things, all cleverly linked through the characters and their interactions.
I really enjoyed the author’s portrayal of his characters, especially the protagonist, Alan Bernhardt. That he was an actor, moonlighting as a private detective was intriguing. I liked how he managed to draw upon his acting skills, and employ them effectively in his role as an investigator.
I would heartily recommend this for any fan of the intelligent mystery thriller. It was an enjoyable read that I found rather hard to put down.
This review was based upon a digital ARC.
July 31, 2008
BERNHARDT'S EDGE - Ex
Wilcox, Collin - 1st in series
Actor-playwright Alan Bernhardt of San Francisco is also a freelance private eye. A rehearsal and his flirtation with new cast member Pamela Brettis interrupted by a message from Hubert Dancer, head of the detective agency that gives the actor outside jobs. Accepting a supposedly brief assignment, Bernhardt leaves town to trace Betty Fields, missing from her post as art consultant to a corporation of venture capitalists. The firm has hired Dancer's agency to find Betty and her lover, Nick Ames, but after doing so and reporting back to Dancer, Bernhardt is outraged to hear that Ames has been stalked and murdered. He breaks with Dancer, going off on his own to find the fugitive again before she also is ``neutralized.'' Betty knows that her life is endangered by the real power behind her corporate employer, reclusive, amoral billionaire Daniel DuBois, who is determined to prevent her from exposing his guilty secrets. When Bernhardt catches up with Betty a second time, the professional killer makes a move that creates the story's stunning climax.
Strong characters, a great plot and a very good read!
Wilcox, Collin - 1st in series
Actor-playwright Alan Bernhardt of San Francisco is also a freelance private eye. A rehearsal and his flirtation with new cast member Pamela Brettis interrupted by a message from Hubert Dancer, head of the detective agency that gives the actor outside jobs. Accepting a supposedly brief assignment, Bernhardt leaves town to trace Betty Fields, missing from her post as art consultant to a corporation of venture capitalists. The firm has hired Dancer's agency to find Betty and her lover, Nick Ames, but after doing so and reporting back to Dancer, Bernhardt is outraged to hear that Ames has been stalked and murdered. He breaks with Dancer, going off on his own to find the fugitive again before she also is ``neutralized.'' Betty knows that her life is endangered by the real power behind her corporate employer, reclusive, amoral billionaire Daniel DuBois, who is determined to prevent her from exposing his guilty secrets. When Bernhardt catches up with Betty a second time, the professional killer makes a move that creates the story's stunning climax.
Strong characters, a great plot and a very good read!
July 7, 2015
Read this book as part of my Mystery Group's summer quest. I was assigned the task of finding a mystery author with a last name beginning with a "W". After check out a few other reviews on the web, I settled on this book. What fun it was. I read this in 3 days and really enjoyed it. Director, writer, actor by trade and profession but detective by necessity. Turned out to be a good combination. I'm going to check out a few more in this series.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews