Lesa's Book Critiques: Kevin’s Corner Annex – One Good Eye by Kevin Wade

 Lesa's Book Critiques: Kevin’s Corner Annex – One Good Eye by Kevin Wade

Review: One Good Eye: A Jeep Mullane Novel by Kevin Wade

One Good Eye: A Jeep Mullane Novel by Kevin Wade is the second read in the series that began with Johnny Careless. I very much liked that first book and was glad to be approved for an ARC the week before publication on the Edelweiss platform.

 

Tropical Storm Kyle is headed inbound and Centre Brookville Chief of Police Jeep Mullane is out and about on Long Island’s North Shore. He is handing out batteries and bottled water and checking on folks as the storm comes ever closer. So, he’s already fairly close by when he gets an urgent text from Nicole. She drives for Jenny Racine and has requested Jeep come to the house. Jeep has known Jenny Racine since high school.

 

Without revealing spoilers, they have a very tight bond and a complicated history that goes back to those high school days. In the here and now, she is fairly famous for good and bad reasons, is wealthy, and is in real trouble though she does not want any help. Nicole is ex-Suffolk County PD and carries, but Jenny needs on duty cops and more assistance than her longtime driver and friend can provide.

 

Even if Nicole had not filled in Jeep Mullane on his arrival, one look at Jenny’s face makes her need for help clear. She’s been punched in the face and is visibly marked. She’s also been hit hard in her rib cage on her right side. She says the masked man was in her master bedroom when she walked in, never said a word, hit her, and fled. She has an idea who did it, and even knows why, but makes it very clear that she isn’t going to tell him or anyone. Jenny isn’t going to file a police report. She wants him to leave it alone as she plans on continuing to handle everything privately.

 

But, this is Jenny. Jeep Mullane isn’t going to let her take a beating and do nothing.

 

Jeep Mullane starts poking around and then the feds show up. Soon after they make their presence known, the killing starts in, One Good Eye: A Jeep Mullane Novel. Complicated with plenty of flashbacks to explain the deep relationship between Jenny and Jeep, this is a compelling and fast moving read that keeps the reader (at least this one) rapidly turning pages.

 

There is quite a lot going on in One Good Eye: A Jeep Mullane Novel  by Kevin Wade. Many of the things cannot be explained without creating spoilers. I can say that the book is a mighty good read and well worth your time. Strongly recommended.

 

Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/3U6uDIK

 

My digital ARC came from the publisher, Celadon Books, through Edelweiss, with no expectation of a positive review.

  

Kevin R. Tipple ©2026

Thursday Treats

Welcome back to “Thursday Treats.”  The first column last week proved to be incredibly popular. More than I had thought possible. Thank you to those who commented here and elsewhere, shared the post, and made it clear that it was a hit. Thank you. The bar has been set high so I hope I can keep meeting it.

 

Cameron Trost recently announced on Facebook that Dead on the Dolmen, the first Oscar Tremont, Investigator of the Strange and Inexplicable novel, will be released on the 30th of January.  https://mybook.to/deadonthedolmen. I took advantage of the pre order deal and used funds in my Amazon Associate account to snag the eBook copy.

 

Authors Barb Goffman, Dave Zeltserman, and many others appear in Black Cat Weekly #230. BCW is a weekly publication featuring short stories and novellas in multiple genres. You can buy individual issues or one of the far better subscription deals at blackcatweekly.com.

 

Craig Johnson announced on Facebook that The Brothers McKay: A Longmire Mystery is coming out in late May. Amazon has the listing for it. Based on the synopsis there, it seems like Walt is closer to home this time. Been a big fan of this series, so I am hoping I get a shot at it on NetGalley or through the Dallas Library System. NetGalley has added it, so I put in my request. Viking is the publisher. I do not have a good track record with them in being granted the approval to read stuff.  

 

Michael Connelly also announced on Facebook that Ironwood is coming out in mid-May. Amazon has the listing for it. This is the second book in the police procedural series that started with Nightshade. I very much enjoyed that book so I am very much looking forward to this. No sign of it, yet, at either NetGalley or the Dallas Public Library System.

 

Also on Facebook, Kevin Wade announced that One Good Eye: A Jeep Mullane Novel is coming out in August. This is the second book in the police procedural series that began with Johnny Careless. I really liked that book a lot, so I am glad to see a second book in the series is coming out. The Dallas Public Library System does not list it yet. NetGalley has it, but the publisher is, apparently, gauging interest by asking folks to “wish for it.” That wishing for something on NetGalley has never worked for me, but I still did it.

 

I am a big fan of the works of Steven F. Havill. His Posadas County Mystery series has gone on for many years, and it is mighty good. I told you about the most recent one, If It Isn’t One Thing… A Posadas County Mystery, last March. Knowing he does very little social media, I have been checking Amazon for the new one. They now have it listed. Reverse: A Posadas County Mystery comes out in May. NetGalley got it listed yesterday and I grabbed it. I got it right away as it is with Severn House who has me preapproved on NetGalley for everything they do. 

 

By the way, if you don’t already know, Lesa Holstine does a blog post every Thursday where folks, including yours truly, share what we are reading. Make sure you check it out at Lesa’s Book Critiques. It will, guaranteed, make your TBR pile grow.

 

Which in one way is not helpful at all as my long standing order for the READ FASTER, DAMN IT! brain implant is still on backorder at Amazon. Apparently, there are supply chain issues. 😉

 

 

Kevin R. Tipple ©2026

Review: Johnny Careless: A Novel by Kevin Wade

 

Jeep Mullane has seen more than a thing or two in his long law enforcement career. He is older, wiser, and far more jaded about people and the world as he comes back home to Long Island’s North Shore. Back in the day, he never did fit in as the son of a NYPD cop. Now he is the Bayville Police Chief and it is a personally brutal Sunday morning as Johnny Careless: A Novel by Kevin Wade begins.

 

The body on the shore is of a guy Jeep has known for decades. John “Johnny” Payson Chambliss, aka, Johnny Careless, is from a wealthy family. Jeep most certainly is not. They were running buddies in no small part because they both were the best on their elite league lacrosse team and tore it up on and off the lacrosse fields. They did a lot of things back in the day, not all of them good, and had a very tight bond.

 

Until they didn’t.

 

All these years later, and after very few conversations in between, Johnny is very much dead on the beach. Detective Ron Arbogast of the Nassau County PD is the lead and does not want Jeep and his people involved. Jeep isn’t going to let that happen. Especially when the good detective does not know the family, the ex-wife, or any of the history that Jeep does. Not only that, the good detective doesn’t see some obvious signs at the scene either. He isn’t necessarily a bad cop. He just doesn’t know the victim and he doesn’t see things as they are.

 

Jeep does and is soon fully involved in finding out what happened in an increasingly complicated case. It isn’t the only case he has either and the bosses aren’t happy with any of it.

 

Parlaying his extensive work on the CBS TV show, Blue Bloods, and a slew of contacts, Kevin Wade has created an incredible debut novel with Johnny Careless. Part police procedural, part homage to the perils and stupidity of youth, the book pulls the reader in quickly and does not let go.

 

As a standalone, the read is very good. As the foundation of a possible series, the read is very good. Amazon has it listed as the first book of the series, so I very much hope this is true. Either way, if you like police procedurals that have depth to the characters involved, this is one of those books you must read.

Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/3HwLKx4

 

 

Make sure you read Lesa’s review from earlier in the year. It is because of her review; I put the book on hold at the library.

 

My reading copy came by way of the North Oak Cliff Branch of the Dallas Public Library System.

 

Kevin R. Tipple ©2025

Lesa's Book Critiques: Johnny Careless by Kevin Wade

 Lesa's Book Critiques: Johnny Careless by Kevin Wade