This review will be a bit odder than others in that when I read this book, I rooted for Louie the Lost. That’s because Louie was interviewed by my character, Mitch Malone as part of the Mystery We Write blog tour in November and December. (Read it here: http://wsgager.blogspot.com/2011/12/mww-day-13-tim-halinans-louie-lost.html)
I knew I liked Tim’s humor and Louie, so I purchased LITTLE ELVISES. I wasn’t sorry. I read it while I was laid up from shoulder surgery and needed something to keep my attention but was easy reading. It fit the bill exactly except when I laughed out loud. That was painful but cathartic. It didn’t take me long to finish, and then I wanted more.
In LITTLE ELVISES, Louie is an information broker who helps the main sleuth Junior Bender. Junior is a guy you can’t help rooting for. A guy with questionable morals as a thief but who you want in your corner when the chips are down. Junior lives in hotel rooms moving frequently when shady characters want a word and more from him. In LITTLE ELVISES some of the funniest scenes were in Marge ‘n Ed’s North Pole Hotel in Hollywood and it wasn’t even Christmas.
Here’s the first line: From behind his little pile of crumpled Tootsie Roll wrappers, DiGaudio said, “We can make you for the Hammer job.”
That is the only piece I’m going to give you because from that line, Hallinan draws you in and never lets you go except for fits of laughter. Louie has some masterful lines and Junior is a fully rounded character you can’t help liking even if he is stealing the crown jewels.
And, as a special bonus, and to see if you like Tim’s wicked wit, THE BONE POLISHER is FREE on Amazon for another 24 hours. This is from the Simon Grist series of books. Here is the book blurb: 2011 Edgar and Macavity nominee Timothy Hallinan's sixth and final novel featuring erudite Los Angeles private eye Simeon Grist takes place in the West Hollywood of 1995, where the community is shaken but the brutal killing of an older man who was widely loved for his generosity and kindness. In a time when the police were largely indifferent to crimes against gay people, Simeon is hired to catch the murderer—and finds himself up against the most dangerous adversary of his career, a man who kills his victims one once, but twice: once physically and once in spirit. The story's climax takes place at a memorable Halloween-themed wake, but there's a big plot twist yet to come.Bone Polisher at Amazon
Whooo, Wendy, THANK YOU. I'm so glad you liked LITTLE ELVISES, and thanks for the plug on BONE POLISHER.
ReplyDeleteI love good guys who aren't all good. Thanks for the tip on this one.
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