The Last Striptease

Terrific first book by Mr. Wiley. I'm already a fan of Joe Kozmarski, and that's not said lightly -- I consider Jack Reacher and Joe Pike good friends :) I am truly anticipating the release of his second book.

terrific! haven't had this much fun since "tough guys don't dance." here's a cool hero outwitting his way through plenty of bad guys. whodunit? who cares! the fun here is the dialogue, the characters, the setting. quick read with lots of action. can't wait for the next one.

I have the misfortune to wear out the flight pattern between Chicago and Dallas. Accordingly, I spend a great deal of time waiting out the inevitable delays at the DFW Chili's over a margarita big enough to drown a small puppy. This book was my first step toward sobriety. I had difficulty putting it down, let alone draining my drink, so I didn't (do either). With short breaks for boarding, deplaning and hailing a cab in Chicago, I read it straight through, finishing at 4AM. The author's use of language had me coveting the highlighter belonging to the traveler in seat 23B so as to commit to memory phrasing I could use at social events. "The chrome window faced like a stone drunk who wouldn't tell you what was inside his head no matter how many times you slapped him" I could almost smell the car chase around the Belmont El. It was gritty and funny and absorbing. Bravo! I can't wait for the next one....

During a surveillance project, Chicago private investigator Joe Kozmarski sees a murder that he calls in over 911. His former police crony, Bill Gubman follows up on Joe's call, but is shot by the killer who escapes. When his employee Bob Piedras is suspected of killing his girlfriend, Le Thi Hanh, former judge Peter Rifkin asks family friend Joe to investigate; the judge assumes Piedras is innocent although he and Le had a public argument. Joe does not like these types of cases in which a friend with a presumption hires him because the truth may not be what the person wants, but a$15K retainer supersedes any doubt. Besides Joe has a grudge with the Judge, who was forced to retire for behavior unbecoming a court official. As Joe makes inquiries, Le's angry violent brothers follow his every move because they plan their own form of justice including keeping a PI straight anyway necessary. However, the toughest project is his eleven year old nephew who has been dumped on him to straighten him out, but the lad insists on doing field work instead of schoolwork. Joe is terrific in this bruising (to the characters that is) action-packed urban noir. The story line is fast-paced as it seems everywhere that Joe goes; a corpse either greets him or follows after him. Readers will appreciate his joy ride of Chicago even as his wise guy not precocious nephew insists on leading the investigation. Harriet Klausner