Customer Reviews

65 Proof - Jack Daniels and Other Thriller Stories

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I picked this book up out of curiosity and was very impressed. A few of the stories in the horror section were a bit too graphic for my taste, but they were very clearly marked and all of the stories certainly left an impression. The first section of the stories involved characters from Mr. Konrath's "Jack Daniels" crime series. The stories could be followed without any knowledge of the series and they interested me enough that the first book of the series is on my Kindle waiting to be read. I'll definitely read more books by this author.

55 Proof is a great collection of JA Konrath stories. This collection includes Jack Daniels shorts and horror stories as well. I love the fact that he makes his ebooks a reasonable price!

Sick, shocking, twisted, a little gross and funny! Thanks again Mr Konrath. This is a collection of short stories by J. A. Konrath, that offer a large variety of stories. Some feature his well known characters from his Jack Daniels books, while the others are just as good on there own. This author must be the love child of Ray Bradbury and Rod Serling, or Rain-man and Denis Leary. After reading 55 Proof, I am convinced the author was never hugged as a child or dropped in front of a tv that had the Twilight Zone playing on a loop. Bad for him but great for readers of his books. Seriously it was a fast, fun and hard to put down read that offers a little bit of everything, from mysteries, sci-fi, horror (good I might add) and comedy.

Plot/Storyline: 5 Stars

When I was a kid, I had a book called "One Minute Mysteries" that I loved. It had short mysteries that had clues in them. At the end of each one, the detective would state that he had solved the crime, then the book would ask something like, "How did he know?" The reader could try to figure it out, then turn the page for the answer. There are four stories in this format included in this collection. I have to admit that I was only able to 'solve' two of them. This author showed tremendous talent in his ability to weave intelligent mysteries.

Being a fan of his Jack Daniels mysteries, I especially enjoyed the stories featuring her, her partner, and Phineas Trout. However, you do not have to have read any of those books to enjoy the stories.

There is also a `horror' section with some truly gruesome tales. The themes in this part include vampires, zombies, aliens, abortion, ghosts, etc. This collection is not for the weak-stomached or the easily offended.

The `humor' section at the end has a few essays/stories that are aimed more at authors, but they were still very funny. I also loved the one about James Bond's toys. There was another one that still has me wondering how you can kill someone with fabric softener.

Every single story in this collection has an original and interesting plot. The humor injected into even the most disturbing scenario made for enjoyable reads throughout.


Character Development: 5 Stars

The characters in each of these tales were developed to the extent necessary for the reader's enjoyment. There weren't any actual character study types as these were mainly plot and story driven works.

Writing Style: 5 Stars

The writing style was exactly what I have come to expect from Mr. Konrath. Not only is his prose concise and well-structured, but he has truly mastered the art of the short story.

Editing/Formatting: 4 3/4 Stars

The editing and formatting were of mostly professional quality.

Rating: NC-17 for Graphic Violence, Rape, Necrophilia, Pedophilia, and any other `ilia' you can probably think of. In other words, this is a VERY graphic collection.

Best book of short stories out there, twisted and morbid wrapped up in one book. Konrath will become one of your favorite writers after reading this.

I loved all the short stories about the various characters in Jack's life and Jack herself. I eat up any Jack story and this compilation was more than satisfying.

Forgiveness and Trailer Sucks...these are two of the best short stories I've ever read, although not at all for the faint of heart or easily offended. Short story writing is one of the hardest forms to master, and Konrath has been writing them for years. He's had his short fiction published in every major thriller/mystery magazine that counts, and now all of them are here in one collection. Do not miss out!

Loved most of these short stories. J.A. Konrath has a wonderful imagination. And he proves it in these short stories. Some of the reads I was like, "Huh?" But I could not stop turning the pages. Definitely worth the price on your kindle.

I have to agree with another reviewer that most of the other Konrath I have read has been far better than what I read in this short story anthology. However, some of the stories were great, and I especially Like Phin and Jack Daniels. All in all I had a blast, so thank you Mr. Konrath, from one of your devoted fans.

Some of the stories were interesting especially hope you enjoy a little bit of cannibalism. Many ICK! moments. Some just made you want your time back and an eraser for your brain. Disturb, Origin and Afraid (Jack Kilborn) are excellent and way better Konrath choices.