James M. Jackson

Review of eBook

When a drug dealer skates on charges of killing a woman, her boyfriend wants the man dead . . . and offers a quarter million dollar payment for his death. This sets a plan in motion that will ultimately involve Seamus McCree.

Seamus, at his home in Shank Lake on Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, is busy mapping spruce grouse habitats in order to complete a proposal to the USDA to fund habitat improvements on the land, land held in trust for his granddaughter, Megan. A few days earlier, Adam Smith, aka the Happy Reaper, a high-priced hitman serving a life sentence in a maximum-security prison thanks to Seamus’s testimony, escaped.

Now he’s at Shank Lake . . . with a proposition for Seamus.

It seems that someone has hijacked the website Adam set up for prospective clients and is now soliciting clients. Can Seamus discover the imposter’s identity?

But the Happy Reaper has a sinister plan . . . one that might well cost Seamus McCree his life.

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Although this is the eighth book in the author’s Simon McCree series, there is sufficient backstory for the book to work as a standalone for readers new to the series. [But new readers might want to check out the earlier books.]

With viewpoints from several characters, readers can easily discern how the various plot points will come together, Short pages keep the narrative unfolding at a rapid pace while the suspense continues to build. Unpredictable, complex, and intriguing, the twisty plot keeps readers guessing. Strong characters and an impressive sense of place add to the telling of the tale.

Readers who enjoy mystery, suspense, and thrillers will find much to appreciate here. Be forewarned, however, that the narrative races toward a completely unexpected denouement that leaves readers wondering what comes next.

Highly recommended.… (plus d'informations)

Four mysteries, all with enough twists to keep you guessing!

In Trouble Like a Freight Train Coming - Tina Whittle gives us a prequel to her scrappy Tai Randolph character and Tai's disavowed family of sketchy characters. For fans of Ms. Whittle, this story does not disappoint.

In The Last Heist, a jewel thief takes a chance and perpetrates his last caper close to home, a rule he's vowed never to break, and in doing so, he gets more than he bargained for.

The Blue Nude is a love story to the lowcountry, taking the reader through the ebbs and flows of the tides and their affects on the waterways while a disengaged ex-husband tracks down the truth when the police suspect him of stealing a famous work of art with his ex for the insurance money.

Low Tide at Tybee walks along with Seamus McCree as trouble finds him while on vacation. What starts out as petty theft turns into grand theft auto and then to a real estate scam, which author James M. Jackson ties together neatly in the satisfying conclusion.

All four provide the perfect diversion for a quiet day of reading.… (plus d'informations)

Another riveting installment in the Seamus McCree series, Seamus is on protective duty, only to lose his charge. A series of coincidences send the "protectee" on the lam, running from perceived threats, including from his protector. When people start showing up dead, Seamus has to piece together whether it's his charge or if his neighbors are involved. In the process, he uncovers more than he bargains for.

James Jackson writes heart-pounding suspense, keeping you guessing at each character's role in the story and tying it up nicely at the end, including some unexpected surprises. The emotions wrung out of this book are genuine and believable with Seamus facing down personal crisis and genuine fear for his life. As a "Seamus fan," I was a little put off that he chose to operate outside the law even while being deputized - a man of high moral fiber and conscience. Seamus deliberately gets in the way of the investigation, and is threatened with obstruction of justice. He does it again, despite his son reminding him he shouldn't and why. The story takes a detour toward the end in order to wrap up some of the loose ends. In the end, Seamus's family is his salvation, and that's the final message the author leaves you with.
… (plus d'informations)

I received an advance reading copy of this book.

What would you do if your ex-wife showed up on your doorstep and asked you to find her missing husband? Well, if your consummate nice guy, Seamus McCree, you grimace and step up to the plate. As he pursues clues, Seamus (and subsequently his son) uncover an intricate web of crimes that either point to his ex-wife's husband running away with laundered money or his ex-wife covering her tracks to account for a murder for hire. All scenarios put Seamus in a precarious position. Does he trust his ex-wife? Does he tell her the husband is a criminal and most likely running to escape prosecution? None of the clues line up the way they should. Seamus's journey is further complicated by his mother, a car accident, a mob boss, his son and the woman he loves. Set in Cincinnati, New Jersey, Savannah and the outerbanks, and Chicago, this top notch whodunit leaves you guessing to the bitter end (although yes, I did figure it out!). A mystery worthy of Agatha Christie and highly recommended.… (plus d'informations)