2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Keep 'em coming Dorien!, January 4, 2008
This review is from: The Bar Watcher (Dick Hardesty Mysteries) (Paperback)
"To those who not only hear the different drummer within themselves, but dare to march to his beat.." When egotistical former porn star, Barry Comstock, is found laying lifeless with his chest pierced by his own letter opener in the office of his members only bathhouse; PI Dick Hardesty is the local police department's leading suspect. Heck, he is their single suspect. His fingerprints are on the murder weapon and the police are sure they need not look any further.
PI Hardesty's town has changed a bit since abhorrent, homophobic Chief Rourke retired, however it has not changed enough. The fact that PI Hardesty was seen by various witnesses in another part of town at the time the murder took place seems to be making little impression on the local constabulary. It does not take PI Hardesty long to recognize that he is going to have to track down the real killer darn fast.
Luckily Comstock's partners are not nearly so conceited as was Comstock. Attorney Glen O'Banyon, one of Comstock's partners, offers Hardesty a contract paying Hardesty customary fee in exchange for his work on the matter. With PI Dick Hardesty on the job it does take long for the matter to be resolved.
Dorien Grey has done it again! The Bar Watcher is the third in this stirring series of thrillers featuring the affable Dick Hardesty. Grey's characters continue as entertaining and credible as those found in his two previous works. Many of the old company as well as many of the old familiar haunts reappear here in this narrative.
Hardesty and his chums are a likeable group, it is like meeting with old friends to once more read another of the works in the series. The Bar Watcher is a fast paced, action propelled account filled with treachery, characters you love to hate, and others you really have to like in spite of themselves.
Writer Grey has brought us one of his excellent 'grab the reader from the opening line and hold them tight right down to the last paragraph' works. Discussion between the characters is fluid, plausible and filled with hullabaloo. The promise of the narrative is fulfilled by Writer Grey's attention to detail.
The reader comes away with a sense of having been in Hardesty's neighborhood, and working right alongside Hardesty as he disentangles this inexplicable case.
Watch those red herrings. Writer Grey has moved beyond crafty and is getting down right sneaky in his presentation of those little roadblocks! Happy to know Dorien is already working on the next in the series. Keep 'em coming Dorien!
Excellent read, highly recommended.
Molly Martin
Reviewer
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Hardesty Rides (And Solves) Again., March 19, 2008
This review is from: The Bar Watcher (Dick Hardesty Mysteries) (Paperback)
Number 3 in the Dick Hardesty series, sees our gay private investigator hard at work solving another case of a serial killer targeting the gay community.
Dick's humourous monologues are as enjoyable as ever. Three of my favourites were: "There's a definite difference between having a big prick and being one, but in Comstock's case he qualified in both" and "What could be bought for a song ten years ago would now require a full-scale opera." And when Dick chastised himself for talking to his body parts, "Jeezus, how many people do you know who have conversations with their crotch?"
As would be expected, there are links between this story and those that have gone before. Most are very welcome. Dick's circle of friends, his job and the area where he lives and works. However, one connection I wanted to see, news of Ed Greyley from The 9th Man, was totally absent. Even a clue would have been nice.
I know it's deliberate that we don't know what Dick looks like. Though I'm not sure why we don't know. Mostly it's fun to guess. As Dick is often hit on, he's obviously attractive.
Murders are not the only deaths which take place. The increasing number of people dying from the as then unknown AIDS is an ominous dark spectre that haunts these pages. I commend Grey for his treatment of this subject. Dick's sense of helplessness, anger at the lack of action by the authorities and gay community leaders, strikes exactly the right note.
For me, the ending was more satisfying than in The 9th Man. It's difficult to say why without giving away details. All I can do is urge the reader to buy this book so they can see what I mean.
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