Customer Reviews

Dirty Money

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4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
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1 star:		(1)

 

 

When his former girl friend called to ask him to see her as she enters her ninth month of the pregnancy, Nashville private investigator Harry Denton starts driving west. Besides loyalty to Dr. Marsha Helms who he shared a relationship with for years, Harry wants to be there for the birth of his child. He also wonders if his relationship with Marsha can be salvaged. However, the drive to Reno in his ,68 Mustang turns nearly deadly when his vehicle dies on the loneliest road in a desert stretch of Nevada. Ultimately two guys, "Greasy Blond and Wolf" stop, but they rob a worn out Harry. Eureka, Nevada law enforcement official Dell Kanon rescues Harry.

At the house of Marsha's Aunt Marty, Harry meets Jacques Barrone and Jake Shalinsky. Jacques manages the notorious Mustang Ranch cathouse for the federal government while Jake works for him. Jacques believes the ranch plays a major role in money laundering. He hires Harry to work undercover as a maintenance man at the ranch. All Harry has to do is count cars, but a "cat killer" changes the rules of the game.

A Harry Denton tale is always an entertaining novel that leaves the audience with chaotic feelings as the reader savors the novel while salivating for more. The most recent Denton book, DIRTY MONEY, is a fabulous story that never eases off the accelerator until the last page. Harry retains that likable combination of landing in pathetic situations, but always on his feet. He is a great character and placing him in Nevada adds a fresh angle to the plot. Steven Womack makes reading about the adventures of a male professional sleuth simply a lot of fun.

Harriet Klausner

Womack continues the Harry James Denton detective series in this new novel. Readers familiar with the series will recall that Denton is off to Reno to witness the birth of his daughter. His relationship with his girlfriend is on the ropes but they are amiable enough that she wants him to witness their child's birth. Denton's usual and somewhat predictable string of bad luck occurs near Reno. His car breaks down in the desert and he is harassed and robbed by bandits. By the time he arrives in Reno he has little more than a suitcase. Not withstanding, Harry does involve himself in a case that involves money laundering at a legal brothel. He is there to get information and poses as a janitor. I was a little disappointed in the book. Mostly on account that it took around 150 (of the 300) pages for the mystery to develop. Don't get me wrong, Womack's writing is solid and captivating and I was not bored. However, I felt there is was too much prep time and before page 250 the mystery was pretty much solved (and it wasn't that deep of one). I liked the book a lot though and polished it off in a day and look forward to other Denton adventures. Also I noticed more than the usual 4-letter words than in the past Denton books.

Every outing with Harry James Denton, this series' main character, is a vivid ride and this entry is no exception. Facing burn-out from his previous two cases and hurt and bewildered by his break-up with long-time lover, Dr. Marsha Helms, Harry hits the road for Reno to determine what, if anything, is left of his relationship Marsha and to be with her for the birth of their child. The trip to Reno becomes an exercise in survival as well as an opportunity for Harry to plumb the depths of his psyche, and sets him on the path for one of his wildest adventures yet. The author has an uncanny ability to draw you into Harry's world with his incorporation of details of Harry's physical environment. Harry James Denton is such a fully fleshed-out character whose soul is laid bare in every book that it makes the reader cry, cheer, and pray for his redemption every time out. Though the supporting characters are not as three dimensional as Harry's usual crowd, this book still makes one hope that another work is well under way because this reader is ready to take another ride with Harry at the very earliest opportunity.

This book is one of the most disappointing books I have read in that I thought it had such promise. I read the other reviews prior to getting this book and thought that it would be a good choice. It wasn't. If you have read previous Harry James Denton books you might enjoy it, but if you haven't like me you won't find enough of a story to be worth reading the whole book. I felt the book started well, but it took forever to get to the mystery itself. There were about a hundred pages left in the book, when it got past the point where the description on the back of the paperback copy described. That in of itself tells you that there was so little for even the publishers to even tell you about the book. From reading the other peoples reviews Steven Womack has probably written some pretty good mysteries. The unfortunate thing is I won't bother giving another book of his a try, because I feel I wasted my time. Don't waste yours either.

Wonderful book. Of course, this plot took place before we became so consumed with electronics, so this author had to rely on talent and imagination. Both are at work in this book, and I'll never understand why Womack is not a best-selling author.