Dark Horse (Jim Knighthorse #1) [Kindle Edition]

J.R. Rain (Author)

Book Description

Dark Horse takes place in Huntington Beach, California. Surf City, USA. Written in the tradition of Robert B. Parker's Spenser and Raymond Chandler's Philip Marlowe, Dark Horse introduces a new hard-hitting, wise-cracking hero with a modern twist.

When high school student Derrick Booker, the only black student at a posh Orange County high school, is accused of killing his white girlfriend, ex-college football hero and detective Jim Knighthorse is hired to dig a little deeper into the murder. It doesn't take long for Knighthorse to realize that not all is as it seems at tranquil Huntington High, from a band director who preys on the innocent to a vice-principal with a secret agenda of her own. Not to mention someone's hired a professional killer to keep Knighthorse permanently off the case.

As the investigation continues, Knighthorse's personal life is shattered by the discovery of new evidence relating to his mother's unsolved murder, a murder dating back twenty years. Reeling from the discovery, a determined Jim Knighthorse sets out to bring two killers to justice.


**Acclaim for the Novels of J.R. Rain**

"I read Dark Horse by J.R. Rain. He's the author of Moon Dance, that I reviewed last column. The author is a private investigator, and it shows; this is another fast moving and entertaining detective story. It is the first of a series, published by Lulu. Rain is surely destined for larger success, if he can get the right break; his fiction is fun reading."
—PIERS ANTHONY, New York Times bestselling author of A Spell for Chameleon and On A Pale Horse

"I finished Dark Horse late last night. I enjoyed it immensely—very good story, J.R.! I really liked your dialogue, which kept me chuckling each time I sat down to read the book. Add great character and scene descriptions and a well-paced plot, and you've got a gripping story indeed. I can honestly say your book was as entertaining as anything I've ever read from Patricia Cornwell. I can easily see Dark Horse moving to the big screen!"
—AIDEN JAMES, author of Plague of Coins and Deadly Night

"Dark Horse is one of the best books I've read in a long time! A great classic detective story with a modern twist. Unique and interesting characters (I think I'm half in love with Jim Knighthorse now!), a great plot that kept me guessing until the end, and some of the funniest lines I've read anywhere. Rain does an amazing job of blending suspense, mystery and humor in this fantastic debut novel destined for the keeper shelf."
—GEMMA HALLIDAY, author of Deadly Cool and Play Dead

"I love Jim Knighthorse! Please write faster, Mr. Rain!"
—ELAINE BABICH, author of You Never Called Me Princess and Relatively Normal

"Gripping, adventurous, and romantic—J.R. Rain's The Lost Ark is a breakneck thriller that traces the thread of history from Biblical stories to current-day headlines. Be prepared to lose sleep!"
—JAMES ROLLINS, international bestselling author of Altar of Eden and The Devil's Colony

"Impossible to put down. J.R. Rain's Moon Dance is a fabulous urban fantasy."
—APRIL VINE, author of The Midnight Rose and Blindfolded by Lust

"Moon Dance is absolutely brilliant!"
—LISA TENZIN-DOLMA, author of Understanding the Planetary Myths and The Dolphin Experience

"Moon Dance is a must read. If you like Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum, bounty hunter, be prepared to love J.R. Rain's Samantha Moon, vampire private investigator."
—EVE PALUDAN, author of Letters from David and The Romance Writer's Pink Pages

Product Details

• File Size: 370 KB
• Print Length: 176 pages
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B00408B12Y
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #23,439 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

35 of 37 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars an interesting new take on the PI November 18, 2010

By mbaker

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I have been a fan(atic) of mysteries since I was 10. I've read, and loved, lots of different takes on the PI. Jim Knighthorse is a new interesting take on the genre; an almost perfect reflection of his Southern California beach locale. I liked the balance of character development and mystery storyline. So there were a few typos-I find those in almost every book I read anymore-they were easy to overlook since I was drawn into the plot and didn't put the story down until the last page. Immediately bought #2 and spent another great afternoon w/ that one. I'm looking forward to #3. If you are the kind of reader who likes to "get to know" the characters who people the books that they read, who can relate to flawed, flesh and blood human types that reflect people we might know in real life, you will like the books in this series. You will like them a lot!

47 of 53 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Whither the Dark Horse? April 13, 2011

By James A. Weaks

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Mix in a dash of Spenser, a touch of Mike Hammer, a gallon of corn oil, and spice it with some bad theology/philosophy and you have the Dark Horse with detective Jim Knighthorse.

I so want to give this book more stars, but I can't. In terms of fun and a nice twist or two I could see giving it 4 stars, but I just can't do it. Overall there are too many specks in the brew.

What I like:

* The dialogue - somewhat Spenser-esque, it will be interesting to see where Jim and his relationships go.

* The theology/philosophy - this was the biggest surprise in the book, both a strength and a weakness. The author is taking a risk and that is commendable.

* It's a fun ride and the author keeps it moving fast.

What I don't like:

* The dialogue - too much corn-oil and too many profanities. Perhaps there are places where people really speak that way, but I doubt it. And it's unnecessary.

* The theology/philosophy - if the theology/philosophy were stronger, this work would potentially be superb. The theology/philosophy is weak, "new-agey" and ultimately a distraction. Unfortunately it's too late to set it right without being inconsistent with the foundation already laid.

* Some typos and a few inconsistencies in the story telling - If Jim is going to narrate, he needs to remember what he has already told the reader, be consistent, and reveal his story in a smoother fashion.

All in all, Jim Knighthorse is a hard-boiled detective that you want to like and root for. I will definitely read the next in the series hoping for some improvement and still have fun even it doesn't get better. Bottom line: A solid 3-3.5 stars with tons of potential. If you like sassy hard-boiled detectives, read it.

-jw

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Unique Murder Mystery with Humor and Much More October 17, 2011

By Krisi Keley

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Former college football star and present private investigator, Jim Knighthorse, is hired to find evidence that will prove the innocence of Derrick Booker, a black student at a well-off Orange County high school who has been arrested for killing his white girlfriend. Convinced, along with several others, that Derrick has been framed, Knighthorse soon has a roster of suspects to investigate, from the girl's abusive father to a band director with a penchant for seducing his female students, all while dealing with his own complicated life situations - a wish to return to football as a pro player, a cold, absent father whose approval he may or may not need, new evidence pertaining to the long-ago murder of his mother, a hitman trying to "persuade" him to drop the case, and an unusual friendship with a homeless man (or is he?) at the local McDonald's.

To say this novel was a delightful surprise would be an understatement. I honestly loved this book and it is definitely at the top of my new favorite reads. I picked it up because I like crime fiction and mystery/suspense, figuring it would be, well, just that - a murder mystery. Instead, here's this incredibly unique story with laugh-out-loud funny lines, an unbelievably likeable narrator and a subtle touch of philosophical spirituality.

Jim Knighthorse's almost over-the top self-confidence in his looks and talent could have, seemingly, made for a vain and annoying character, yet instead he manages to bring this across as an almost self-parodying charm. Except that it isn't parody because, though he really does appear to think quite highly of himself, he does so with such panache and with such a compassionate and insightful evaluation of those around him, it's impossible not to like him - not just despite his over-confidence, but somehow even in it. The lines he comes up with, both about himself and others, are often so hilarious because they're delivered with sincerity and leave the reader feeling that they're simply true, no argument. This would have been enough to have had me enjoy the novel, but there were so many other things I loved about it just as much. The dialogue and story are smooth and realistic with great plotting, the character development of all the main players is perfect and, though he doesn't veer from the main crime story at hand, author J.R. Rain does a fantastic job of introducing another mystery in Knighthorse's life, the unsolved murder of his mother. Last, but definitely not least, the addition of the narrator's sometimes funny, sometimes frustrating circular conversations with a homeless man who may well be God make for an even more fascinating read. This aspect of the novel gives the story even more depth as Jim deals with his own personal demons - his conflict over his purpose in life, his pain over the loss of his mother, the drinking that eases his pain, physical and emotional, and his struggle to do the right thing, something at which he sometimes succeeds and sometimes doesn't, just like every other human being.

A great narrative voice, a fast-paced and fun mystery/suspense with real-life characters and some serious reflection that subtly adds to its overall effect, I highly recommended this novel and eagerly look forward to reading the next book in this series, as well as Mr. Rain's other novels.

More About the Author

J.R. Rain is an ex-private investigator who now writes full-time in the Pacific Northwest. He lives in a small house on a small island with his small dog, Sadie, who has more energy than Robin Williams. Please visit him at www.jrrain.com.

Amazon Author Rankbeta 

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#11 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Fantasy

#11 in Books > Romance > Fantasy & Futuristic

#14 in Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Fantasy

#22 in Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy

#61 in Books > Romance > Romantic Suspense

#11 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Fantasy

#11 in Books > Romance > Fantasy & Futuristic

#14 in Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Fantasy

#22 in Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy

#61 in Books > Romance > Romantic Suspense