Friday means Friday’s
Forgotten Books hosted by Patti Abbott. This week I selected Pilikia Is My Business by Mark Troy. Faithful readers of this blog will know I selected this book before when it came out from a new publisher three years ago. This was a book Mark completed long before I was invited to join the local writing group we both belong. If you missed the news, Mark's new book, The Splintered Paddle, has been picked up by Five Star Books. This is the same book we saw in group as he worked on it when it was titled The Law of the Splintered Paddle. It also came in second last year for the Claymore Award. Mark shortened the title at Five Star's request, but I must say the original title had more meaning to the story. While I won't be able to review that book since it went through our group, I can and did review this way back when before I joined the group.....
Written
by 2002 Shamus Award Nominee Mark Troy, this fast paced and suspenseful
novel revolves around Hawaii based private investigator Val Lyon. An ex
cop, ex-con, and former pro basketball player, Val Lyon doesn’t
tolerate idiots and has little patience for those who don’t do the right
thing. Her latest case brings her to the office of Brian Magruder who
used to work in the Honolulu Public Defender’s Office before going out
on his own.
Part of the wealthy and politically connected Magruder family, Brian is a bit of a black sheep of the family as he has gone his own way. Among his many clients is Jean Pfeifer whose case has turned into a media firestorm. Jean claims that her ex-husband, Jason “Jock” Pfeifer abused their son, Nathan. Jean has stopped the visitations and has hidden their son in an effort to protect him from further abuse from his father. She faces contempt charges and jail time unless she brings Nathan back out of hiding and lets him see his dad. Something she isn’t going to do.
This strikes a chord with the media and the viewing public causing a media firestorm with Jean and her attorney at the center of things. Numerous groups get involved making Jean and by extension Nathan part of their agendas. That also ratchets up further the media scrutiny. Brian Magruder initially just wants Val to be part of the security team, and to protect Jean at a public rally the next day. With emotions running high on all sides, something is sure to go bade and it does. Soon, a simple body guard job morphs into a case involving death threat, blackmail, extortion and a missing child as well as the beginnings of a romance between Val and Brian Magruder.
While occasionally reminiscent of the Stephenie Plum type character because Val is also a woman with a sarcastic wit, Val is a much better character. Not only does she have a deeper and more complex background, she also learns from what happens and takes precautions as opposed to Stephanie who makes the same fundamental mistakes in book after book after book. Val is an evolving character over the course of the novel and one that builds quickly on experience.
That fact, coupled with a steady pace, plenty of twists and turns, and characters that come alive for the reader, it is no wonder this book was a Shamus Nominee. simply put, Pilikia Is My Business is a very good one.
Pilikia is My Business
Mark Troy
http://www.marktroy.net/
Ilium Books
2011
ISBN# 978-0578069661
Trade Paperback (also available as an e-book)
302 Pages
Material provided by the author in exchange for my objective review.
Kevin R. Tipple ©2009, 2010, 2013
Part of the wealthy and politically connected Magruder family, Brian is a bit of a black sheep of the family as he has gone his own way. Among his many clients is Jean Pfeifer whose case has turned into a media firestorm. Jean claims that her ex-husband, Jason “Jock” Pfeifer abused their son, Nathan. Jean has stopped the visitations and has hidden their son in an effort to protect him from further abuse from his father. She faces contempt charges and jail time unless she brings Nathan back out of hiding and lets him see his dad. Something she isn’t going to do.
This strikes a chord with the media and the viewing public causing a media firestorm with Jean and her attorney at the center of things. Numerous groups get involved making Jean and by extension Nathan part of their agendas. That also ratchets up further the media scrutiny. Brian Magruder initially just wants Val to be part of the security team, and to protect Jean at a public rally the next day. With emotions running high on all sides, something is sure to go bade and it does. Soon, a simple body guard job morphs into a case involving death threat, blackmail, extortion and a missing child as well as the beginnings of a romance between Val and Brian Magruder.
While occasionally reminiscent of the Stephenie Plum type character because Val is also a woman with a sarcastic wit, Val is a much better character. Not only does she have a deeper and more complex background, she also learns from what happens and takes precautions as opposed to Stephanie who makes the same fundamental mistakes in book after book after book. Val is an evolving character over the course of the novel and one that builds quickly on experience.
That fact, coupled with a steady pace, plenty of twists and turns, and characters that come alive for the reader, it is no wonder this book was a Shamus Nominee. simply put, Pilikia Is My Business is a very good one.
Pilikia is My Business
Mark Troy
http://www.marktroy.net/
Ilium Books
2011
ISBN# 978-0578069661
Trade Paperback (also available as an e-book)
302 Pages
Material provided by the author in exchange for my objective review.
Kevin R. Tipple ©2009, 2010, 2013
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2 comments:
I completely agree, Kevin. This is definitely a good book. I fell in love with Val Lyon in the first chapter and still carry a torch. In addition to giving us a great heroine and a great story, Mark gives so much genuine Hawaiain flavor it's like being there
That it is, Earl.
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