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Blind Switch: A Jack Doyle Mystery (Jack Doyle Series) [Kindle Edition]

John McEvoy
3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)

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Book Description

One-time amateur boxer Jack Doyle, an irreverent and rebellious advertising account representative, goes to work one fine Chicago day and finds his desk—and his job—both gone. A two-time loser at the marriage game as well, Doyle, usually ultra-confident, fishes himself out of a bottle to take stock, realizing, “with a thumping finality, that Life sure as hell did have his Number and was crunching it.”

At loose ends, Doyle accepts a most unusual offer from an acquaintance, Moe Kellman, to fix a horse race. The context of making the deal, a Cubs game at storied Wrigley Field, sets the tone for the drama that follows. Thus begins a chain of events that will lead the FBI to Doyle’s door where they “coopt” him into a quest after people who are maiming or killing thoroughbred horses for their insurance values. Their number one target is a loathsome media mogul who can’t bear to lose…at anything.

Built upon recent factual events, spiced with satire and peppered throughout with engaging loonies, Blind Switch is a noteworthy first novel with a hero forced to ask in its ultimate line, “Where have I gone right?”


Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This accomplished first novel set in the world of horse racing is bound to be compared to the novels of Dick Francis, though McEvoy may be a little broader and perhaps sunnier than Francis. Unemployed ad man Jack Doyle—so appealing he might be described as freewheeling instead of plain old irresponsible—decides to help gym acquaintance Moe Kellman, a tiny man with a Don King explosion of hair, fix a horse race. He finds the assignment interesting, though he's distinctly uncomfortable with its illegal nature. After the race, Doyle is not only relieved of his payoff by two erstwhile pals, but the FBI swoops in and threatens to prosecute him if he doesn't help them with another crime involving race horses. Doyle agrees, and is given a job on the estate of the evil Harvey Rexroth. Rexroth's eccentricities, insisting that a babe perpetually rollerblade on a track around his pool area, for example, are amusing if a little strained. Rexroth's farm manager, a good-hearted New Zealander, suspects that his boss is having horses killed—in ingenious ways that look like natural deaths—for insurance money. The denouement wobbles toward an ending that could have been stronger, but a mesmerizing, all-too-human protagonist, a playful tone and exceptionally lively language more than make up for any flaws.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

"Fired from his corporate job, Jack Doyle agrees to help fix a horse race for $25,000. Then, supposed pals steal his payoff, he's reported to the FBI, and, consequently, agrees to work with them on getting enough evidence to put away a media mogul horse owner who pays to have his unremunerative-but highly insured-animals killed. Skeptical Doyle works with the mogul's likable New Zealander horse trainer and ultimately finds a way to stop the horse killers. Easy prose, always interesting subject matter (shades of Dick Francis!), and an admirable protagonist make this a satisfying first novel." McEvoy lives in Evanston, IL. LIbrary Journal

*Starred Review*



This accomplished first novel set in the world of horse racing is bound to be compared to the novels of Dick Francis, though McEvoy may be a little broader and perhaps sunnier than Francis. Unemployed ad man Jack Doyle--so appealing he might be described as freewheeling instead of plain old irresponsible--decides to help gym acquaintance Moe Kellman, a tiny man with a Don King explosion of hair, fix a horse race. He finds the assignment interesting, though he's distinctly uncomfortable with its illegal nature. After the race, Doyle is not only relieved of his payoff by two erstwhile pals, but the FBI swoops in and threatens to prosecute him if he doesn't help them with another crime involving race horses. Doyle agrees, and is given a job on the estate of the evil Harvey Rexroth. Rexroth's eccentricities, insisting that a babe perpetually rollerblade on a track

around his pool area, for example, are amusing if a little strained. Rexroth's farm manager, a good-hearted New Zealander, suspects that his boss

is having horses killed--in ingenious ways that look like natural deaths--for insurance money. The denouement wobbles toward an ending that could have been stronger, but a mesmerizing, all-too-human protagonist, a playful tone and exceptionally lively language more than make up for any flaws.



Forecast: As the former Midwest editor and senior correspondent for Daily Racing Form (and author of five nonfiction books on thoroughbred racing),

McEvoy is in a good position to promote this book, starting with a signing at the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame. -- Publishers Weekly (7.12.2004)

Product Details

  • File Size: 417 KB
  • Print Length: 289 pages
  • Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1590580958
  • Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
  • Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press (May 6, 2012)
  • Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
  • Language: English
  • ASIN: B003VD22AE
  • Text-to-Speech: Enabled
  • X-Ray: Not Enabled
  • Lending: Enabled
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #139,137 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)
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Customer Reviews

3.9 out of 5 stars
(16)
3.9 out of 5 stars
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Saddle Up and Hold On - It's a Fun Ride!! December 12, 2004
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
I love books that deal with horses. I especially look forward to those which deal with horse racing. Add to that setting a hero with some serious defects in his character, an interesting scenario which puts him on the side of the angels, several villians whom you will love to hate, some people you will genuinely care about and a generous sprinkling of serious nut cases and you have a very readable, thoroughly enjoyable first novel by John McEvoy. I have read most of the writings of the late, great Dick Francis and in my judgment, references to his writings in comparison to this story is comparing apples to oranges. Both authors have an interesting way of telling their story, but there is little comparison to how they go about it. This is a story that will hold your interest, tickle your funny bone and satisfy your sense of justice. That's a trifecta worth betting on!!
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars Racing intrigue October 21, 2012
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
Hate to think there are people capable of such dastardly deeds but think author did a good job with the storyline. Characters fully developed and story was well told.
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3 of 4 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Races August 13, 2004
Format:Hardcover
Blind Switch is worth the read! A lively book with full blown interesting, and some despicable characters, this book kept me going. McEvoy makes the world of horse breeding and racing a seductive one and one I would like to visit again. He blends the good guys with the bad guys as the story weaves from Chicago to Kentucky and en route we watch the main character grow and ultimately flourish.

A fast and refreshing story!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
2.0 out of 5 stars Blind Switch; John McEvoy
Had I known before purchase that Mr. McEvoy holds nothing but contempt for the National Rifle Assn. and it's more than 3, 000,000 members, I would have steered clear of this one. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Regina Cake
3.0 out of 5 stars Blind Switch
I found it a little slow to grab my interest at first, but I am glad I stuck with it as I really enjoyed the book's resolution.
Published 2 months ago by Alibongo
3.0 out of 5 stars Book
A bit boring, still trying to finish it
Hope i will finish it soon
Too long to get to the heart of the story
Published 3 months ago by sher
4.0 out of 5 stars Blind Switch: A Jack Doyle Mystery
Good book. Glad they got the horse killers.
Would recommend reading this book, May read it again down the road.
Published 3 months ago by Penny Hohbach
3.0 out of 5 stars A fun light read marred by excessive Political Correctness
This was almost an engaging book for a fun light read to give a few laughs. But about halfway through it becomes tedious to find McEvoy is writing as though he has to get by a... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Teresa
4.0 out of 5 stars A good horse mystery
Blind Switch has good character development and a very interesting story. The characters are developed such that the "bad guys" are truly bad guys and you root against them. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Michael N. Guerini
4.0 out of 5 stars A fun and easy read
If you like horse racing and a bit of mystery, read this book. Some events are a bit disturbing to this horse lover.
Published 4 months ago by O&G
4.0 out of 5 stars Nice Mystery
The characters are nicely drawn and developed. The story itself has a nice flow to it. I will stick with the series
Published 5 months ago by The Dock
5.0 out of 5 stars Loved this book.
Great story, quite realistic and enjoyable. I love stories about the horse industry and this one did not fail to deliver.
Published 6 months ago by Phillip Nash
2.0 out of 5 stars Too much horse jargon
This book, in my opinion, was not very well thought out. There were too many misspelled words and grammatical errors. Did anyone proof this book? I did not finish this book.
Published 7 months ago by Daytona
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