Miami Burn (Titus) by John D. Patten

Former detective Titus (no first name in a clear homage to Spenser) is in Miami to avenge his lover, meanwhile working in a bar. Asked by the wife of a politician to find her missing daughter he gets involved with some other missing person cases and clashes with a dangerous hitman. There's also some romance when he falls for a beautiful and tough cop.
This could be a Men's Adventure paperback the way Titus violently face off against foes and beds beautiful women. But there's also a deceptively good mystery story with a lot of twists and Lew Archer like family secrets.
Folks who want Spenser to be more hardboiled or fans of Lee Child will enjoy this one. I pretty much did.

New Jersey Noir (Jack Colt) by William Baer

This is a book you should read in as little sittings as possible if you want to follow the story. You see, there's a literary bend in here with not alway linear storytelling, a lot of characters and some surprising twists and turns. It's also written in a style that is most of the time pretty much conventional for a PI story but every now and then gets way more creative. Don't worry though, Jack Colt is also a very cool protagonist, always wearing a black suit and shades and a gun. He's also a descendant of the famous gun maker, ain't that cool?

The whole story which follows Colt's investigation of his uncle's murder and a lot of other surrounding cases can also be read as a love story about New Jersey, full of references to places, people and events there.
The author is a poet as well as a crime witer and that shows in this original and literary PI tale.

Pro Bono: Tales of a Reluctant Detective (C.T. Ferguson) by Tom Fowler

I just love it when a writer manages to find a unique little twist on the PI profession without doing outlandish stuff (you know, making him a zombie or a robot). C.T. Ferguson is unique because he's not a grizzled ex-cop but a hacker and the son of some rich folks. He takes case for free but is paid afterwords by his parents who want him to do good. Cool, huh?
What's also cool is that this book contains three neat self-contained stories featuring this character. It's a nice and quick introduction to this enjoyable character.
Missing persons and murders are investigated by the talented young hacker and resolved in fast-paced little mysteries.
A nice and quick read I recommend.

Darkness Sing Me A Song (Holland Taylor) by David Housewright

I first got to know David Housewright's writing via his Holland Taylor novels. I loved those although I had to admit his Rush McKenzie novel were better and just a bit more original. To my surprise Holland Taylor is back and better than ever. He's a bit more gritty and the writing is a bit tighter and the plot thicker.
In this one Taylor is working for an attorney representing socialite Eleanor Barrington, accused of murdering her son’s fiancee. What follows is an investigation in a family that makes those in a Lew Archer novel look sane and healthy. He also gets involved with fracking in a small town and a bunch of righ-wing crazies who make sure Taylor gets in some action.
A subplot and theme is how Taylor has lost many friends and how sometimes regrets his loner status.
As we rush to the ending there's a very nice amount of dark twist and turns that make this a novel that will stay with you for days after you finish it.

Background Check on Velvet on a Tuesday Afternoon (Eddie Collins) by Clive E. Rosengren

Clive E. Rosengren has written a new novel featuring actor/PI Eddie Collins. I'm a sucker for PI's who have a sidejob (like my own Lenny Parker, the roadie / PI). That's why I had to ask him some questions about it...


Tell us what the novel is about.
Carla Rizzoli and actor/PI Eddie Collins were once cast in the same TV show. He has never forgotten her. Now Carla needs Eddie to find her missing brother, who warned her in a note to “watch her back.” Carla, now an exotic dancer with the stage name of Velvet La Rose, has a role in a B-movie, and Eddie is driven by more than a paycheck to protect her, no matter what the risks.


How long did it take you to write the novel?
I’m not exactly sure, but somewhere in the neighborhood of 10 months.


Did it take a lot of research?
 Not really. I spent 18 years in Hollywood working as an actor, so the inner workings of that town and that business are still fresh in my memory.


 What inspired you to write the story?
 My nephew’s wife, in an offhand bit of conversation, uttered the words of the title. They rattled around in my head until a story gradually started to come together.


What scenes did you enjoy writing the most?
The scenes involving Carla Rizzoli. She’s a new character in the series, and the exploration of her “voice” was fun to flesh out.


Who is your favorite among the characters in the novel?
I would have to say that it’s still Eddie Collins, the PI. He is still revealing parts of himself to me, and remains an intriguing character.