Customer Reviews

Dirty Deeds: A Meg Malloy Mystery

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I'm of course biased--I wrote the book, after all, but was recently told to go review it myself. I won't do that, though I will say that readers have told me that Dirty Deeds reminds them favorably of Sue Grafton and her Kinsey Millhone novels. High praise indeed. Here are some review highlights from other areas:

From Ginny Stolicker's review in The Oakland Press:

"Author Terry offers minimal violence, maximum intrigue and just the right touch of romantic interest to hold the reader to the next chapter."

From Library Journal, April 1, 2004:

"Action, excitement, and suspense mix with computer hacking, easy-to-read prose, and bits of humor for a promising series debut."

From Mary V. Welk for Mystery Scene Magazine: "There aren't many men who can accurately describe the thinking processes of women. Mark Terry is one of them, and he does it well in Dirty Deeds featuring Meg Malloy, computer troubleshooter and high-tech P.I. Terry's latest offering is a clever mystery with an unresolved romantic twist that's sure to lead to further books in the series."

From Steve Lewis for Mystery*File: "Dirty Deeds is a nicely developed combination of the hard-boiled private eye novel with well-honed computer geekiness."

And I liked this comment from Susan Streib, posted on DorothyL: "A fine, well-plotted and crafted entertainment that got me back to reading again."

(...)

Although his day job centers around the science of genetics, Mark Terry spends his discretionary time as a free lance writer, producing short stories, articles, and one prior novel. He is a mystery reviewer with The Oakland Press, and lives with his family in Michigan.

Meg Malloy grew up with computers, as her father was a professor of computer sciences. Using a tip from her dad, she and her husband found an internet company, which she sells for millions. But too early retirement and shallow relationships grind away at her basic values, and she finds herself hiring out to companies as a computer troubleshooter. Having some experience as a private eye puts her in a unique position to help out when a TV preacher's daughter turns up in a porn video delivered to his door. Meg reluctantly agrees to help, but quickly brings in the heavy guns in the person of Jack Bear, her cousin's ex-beau. Jack is exciting and mysterious, and his Chippewa blood and prowess as a "fix-it" guy comes in mighty handy, especially when things get a little hot for Meg:

"As if in a trance I picked my way around the men and out of the Mason's house. Turning as I stepped through the doorway, I watched Jack reach inside one of the men's jackets and pull out what looked like a slim leather wallet. He flipped it open and read it before tucking it back inside the coat. Something flitted across his dark features like bats across the night sky, then he pocketed their two guns and followed me out the door."

It takes real skill as a writer to craft a story around sleazy subjects, such as prostitution and the mob, and not get caught up in the murkiness of the tale. But Mark Terry manages to not only sidestep the darker side, but to focus on the unresolved sexual tension between Meg and Jack to kick out a great mystery. Meg has no problem carrying the story...she's smart, rich, and has just enough issues to be fascinating. But Jack's character is sheer brilliance, and the tight dialogue between him and Meg absolutely sizzles. Mark Terry is coy enough to use their relationship as a finger beckoning the reader toward his next novel, while the reader can't get enough of DIRTY DEEDS. This is an airy page turner and a good old fashioned Nero Wolfe type of good time.

Shelley Glodowski

Senior Reviewer