Customer Reviews

Dark Horse (Jim Knighthorse Series #1)

5 star:		(38)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

It's 3am. Once again I have stayed up reading my forth J.R. Rain book in 4 days. He has gotten the winning combo with the Jim Knighthorse series. He has successfully mixed metaphysics into a modern detective story sprinkled with the necessary romance. It reminds me a bit of R.D. Robbs series, with a higthened spiritual message (s), yet delivered in an easy to grasp modern day setting. I am looking forward to the next one!

Just finished reading DARK HORSE by J.R. Rain couldn't wait to write the praise that I felt. This book is more then a detective murder mystery it contains real touches of humanness along with an Spiritual air that is very captivating. J. R. Rain comes across in this book as a very relaxed writer, one that brings you along the story with the comfort of a cup of tea on a rainy night. He merges his wit with true detective know how and decorum to bring the reality of a real case with the fantasy interlace of a novel. His characters come to life as you stand behind their lives involving the reader with true emotion. The concept of bringing Jack (God) into the story gives an unexpected added twist that really makes the reader wonder about the evidence of All that Is without being preachy yet giving the book a welcome spiritual or slightly paranormal insight. I highly recommend this book, it is an easy read and a must for the mystery novel aficionado.

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!

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

J. R. Rain and "Jim Knighthorse" are destined to fill the void left with the passing of Robert B. Parker. I've read DARK HORSE and THE MUMMY CASE and found the plots unique and entertaining. Jim Knighthorse is an entirely human and believable character; a "jock" with a towering ego, robbed of a bright (and high paying) future in the NFL, he's beset with personal demons that literally drive him to drink, which he struggles to overcome and defeat. Over looking the typos and lapses in editing - hey, self publishing is a LOT of work - I think J. R. Rain and "Jim Knighthorse" have a bright future. I'm eagerly awaiting J. R. Rain's next Jim Knighthorse novel.

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.

This price grabs you and the characters suck you in. Good intro to PI Jim Knighthorse. You'll want to read more...and more.

Dark Horse (Jim Knighthorse Series #1) has a witty, realistic main character, Jim Knighthorse, who captures your attention from the start. He's very real in his adventure and decisions. Someone who's been there-done that, you would definitely want Knighthorse on your side in a conflict. The main mystery of the novel keeps you guessing and the side-line mystery makes you seek out the second to see if it is resolved. His lady love is an interesting twist as she's a distant relative of Charles Darwin. Spoiler alert: I really like how Rain uses that "relativity" in the 2nd book of this series.The Mummy Case (Jim Knighthorse Series #2) Looking forward to the rest in this series.

I absolutely love this book, and promptly downloaded all the rest of Rain's books to my Kindle, and read them all within a couple of days.
Who needs sleep, after all?
Great plot, great characters, a little romance without subjecting his readers to the intimate details.
Honesty requires that I admit I believe Mr. Rain should stick with male lead characters, as I was not impressed the female in, "Moon Dance."
The rest??? All I have to say is, "Write faster Mr Rain! I'm waiting, with great anticipation."

Jim Knighthorse just may be the most entertaining P.I. character out there. Think: Dirty Harry meets Fletch, but 10x's better! This book is a MUST READ!!!