Whiskey Sour by J.A. Konrath

One of the things I wanted to do in my retirement was read more. I've been a little slow getting to that because I've been a little slow getting my retirement. By that I mean I tried to retire but my employer kept calling me, begging me, to please come in for the morning or please come in for the afternoon, or please come in well so-and-so was on vacation. You get the picture. Now I'm finally at a point where I seem to have more days at home than I do filling in. Now I that I finally have time to set aside an afternoon or two a week for reading, I’m loving life. And since I promised myself that I would review some of the books I've read, I’ve found the place to start 2013 - Whiskey Sour by JA Konrath.

Whiskey Sour is book one in a series followed by Bloody Mary, Rusty Nail, Dirty Martini, Fuzzy Navel, and Cherry Bomb.  The author has quite a few more books but for right now I'm just want to read the six book series. His author page at the Big A says the books don’t need to be read in order, but I like order. Order is good. I’ll read them in order.

Our lead is homicide detective Jacqueline “Jack” Daniels. She's mid-forties, very average, and believes what she does might just one day make a difference for someone. The character is written as a woman who has embraced her maturity and realizes life isn't a rose garden. She wins some, she loses some, but she keeps right on going and that's one of the things I liked about her. She felt real in a lot of aspects except for how well she threw a punch.

The cast of characters was a bit cliché, but I didn't feel like Konrath pandered to an audience accustomed to bumbling FBI agents and other bureaucrats. Some of the scenes and dialogue were flat-out funny to the point I actually laughed. Konrath is a bit irreverent but I like that.

I didn't want to give away any plot spoilers, but I will say there is a little bit of, well, gore.  It's downright bloody, but I didn't want to put it down but some people get really hung up on that so I thought I'd mention it. Personally, if it fits the story line, much like homicide detective Jack Daniels, I can deal with it. But be warned that the perpetrator is more than a little insane and acts accordingly as he hunts young women. He didn't get nearly the ending he deserved being that it was too quick and he didn't suffer nearly enough. And I know Konrath has the ability to write a really detailed scene so I can only guess he saw those two words writers love - The End - approaching and he got in a hurry.

I wouldn’t call this book a short story but I did devour it in a long afternoon. I couldn't put it down. Between that and the fact that I've already purchased Bloody Mary (book two) and have cleared my calendar for an afternoon to read it is probably the best recommendation I can give Whiskey Sour.

Good book and well worth your time.

I'd have put a picture of the book up here but I don't know Mr. Konrath and didn't know how he'd feel about some amateur swiping his stuff for on her blog.