Favorite Sons of 2019

I had some more time to read this year and managed to enjoy some great new PI writing. As I do every year I managed to pick my favorites again.

BEST PI NOVEL: Behind The Wall Of Sleep (Henry Malone) by James D.F. Hannah
BEST DEBUT: Cobra Clutch (Hammerhead Jed Ounstead) by A.J. Devlin
BEST NEW PI: Auggie Velez by Robert J. Randisi

The Last Sweet Song of Hammer Dylan (Auggie Velez / Nashville P.I.) by Robert J. Randisi

Robert J. Randisi shows again what a master he is at the Elmore Leonard style of writing: leaving out the parts people skip. That makes for a highly entertaining, fast read.
I also love the character of guitarplayer / PI Auggie Velez. Never do you think of him as a superman, but he still is a strong protagonist and pretty good private eye. In this novel he is hired to track down country artist Dylan Hammer who went missing years ago, presumed dead. In this mission he stumbles on a dead body and two older ladies with a very healthy sexual appetite to complicate things.
While the mystery isn't that complicated and there's not much action within the pages the strong writing and atmosphere made me really enjoy it. I just love how Randisi uses the country scene to really give the story extra color like I try to use the metal scene in my Lenny Parker stories.
I really hope Mr. Randisi sticks with this character!

The Honky Tonk Big Hoss Boogie (Nashville PI series / Auggie Velez) by Robert J. Randisi

Robert J. Randisi is of course a real pro when it comes to PI fiction. He wrote a lot of PI stories and series in the past (like the Miles Jacoby books) and even served as president of the Private Eye Writers of America. So, it should come as no surprise he hands in a solid little story here.
In nicely paced short chapters we are introduced to Auggie Velez, a session guitarplayer in Nashville who is also a PI. He reminds me just a little bit of my own roadie/bassplayer/PI Lenny Parker in that regard. Auggie is hired by a record producer to deliver a suitcase. When the recipient of the suitcase is murdered Auggie sets out to find the killer.
What makes this story great is that Auggie really feels like a real person, not a two-dimensional action hero. I was just a bit sorry he’s a war veteran as I thought his charm is that he doesn’t seem like a real tough guy. Also, the whole Nashville music setting is interesting and the writing very tight.