This Doesn't Happen In The Movies (The Reed Ferguson Mystery Series) [Kindle Edition]

Renee Pawlish (Author)

Book Description

READERS FAVORITE FINALIST IN MYSTERY

THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN IN THE MOVIES

A wannabe private eye with a love of film noir and detective fiction.
A rich, attractive femme fatale.
A missing husband.
A rollicking ride to a dark and daring ending.

More Great Reviews

5 Star Review
I'd recommend this to people that like mysteries and to anyone who just wants
to enjoy some quality time with quality material. But if you have a pressing
engagement (like finishing writing your own book) stay away until AFTER you
finish, because once you start, you won't be able to put this down.

John DeJordy, author

Oh how I've missed the Sam Spade and Philip Marlowe characters that saw me with a flashlight in the dead of night flipping pages to see what happened next. Thank you Ms. Pawlish for bringing back to life this long-lost art of the detective battling against all odds and getting to the bottom of things.
Maureen with Zencherry Book Reviews

Editorial Reviews

Review

From Kirkus Reviews:
The promising kickoff to Pawlish's comic mystery series, starring far-from-perfect PI Reed Ferguson. Pawlish earns high marks for plot construction, with twists and turns naturally unfolding as Ferguson, inexperienced but not incapable, feels his way through the case. A good-humored mystery series worth following.

From Readers' Favorites:
This is one witty, hilarious detective story that will keep the reader glued to the pages till the very end.

5 Star Review
There is little doubt that Renée Pawlish is a promising new voice to the comic murder/mystery genre.  Quite noticeable...is Pawlish's adept development of the plot coupled with her ability to contrive clear, concise and playful prose with almost perfect pacing.
Norman Goldman, Bookpleasures Publisher and Editor
Top Amazon Reviewer

About the Author

Renée Pawlish is the award-winning author of the bestselling Nephilim Genesis of Evil, the first in the Nephilim trilogy, the Reed Ferguson mystery series (This Doesn't Happen In The Movies, Reel Estate Rip-off, The Maltese Felon and the short story Elvis And The Sports Card Cheat), The Noah Winters YA Adventure series (The Emerald Quest), Take Five, a short story collection, and The Sallie House: Exposing the Beast Within, a nonfiction account of a haunted house investigation.

Renée has been called "a promising new voice to the comic murder/mystery genre" and "a powerful storyteller".  Nephilim Genesis of Evil has been compared to Stephen King and Frank Peretti.  This Doesn't Happen In The Movies is a Readers' Favorite Finalist in mystery.

Renée was born in California, but has lived most of her life in Colorado. When she's not hiking, cycling, or chasing ballplayers for autographs, she is writing mysteries, thrillers and horror. She loves to travel and has visited numerous countries. She has also spent many summer days at her parents' cabin in the hills outside of Boulder, which was the inspiration for the setting of Taylor Crossing in her novel Nephilim: Genesis of Evil.

Visit Renée's website reneepawlish.com or her blog tobecomeawriter.com.

To learn more you can follow her
on Twitter: @reneepawlish
on Facebook: facebook.com/reneepawlish.author
on her blog: tobecomeawriter.com
or Goodreads: goodreads.com/reneepawlish

Product Details

• File Size: 322 KB
• Print Length: 227 pages
• Page Numbers Source ISBN: 0982705611
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B005DJHWRW
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #43,818 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 28 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Man Guy Noir Would Love. November 16, 2011

By Lucinda Rose

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

True to its description, this book delivers a wannabe detective, a femme fatale and an non-stop adventure. Guy Noir, my favorite detective, would be proud to work a case with the fledgling Reed Ferguson. Both of them are in love with all things film noir and model their style after that genre.

At first, I didn't really like the character of Reed Ferguson. A rich boy trying to be a detective and then I thought about it, if I won the lottery tomorrow, what would I be doing? Traveling and writing every summer; plus I would have the coolest classroom ever . (Yes, I am a masochist and would continue teaching.) He is doing what many of us would be doing if the lack of money wasn't standing in the way. Reed is also smart enough to know when he is being played and doesn't fall for the book's femme fatale, no matter how hard or drunkenly the women tries.

Despite, my initial reaction to Reed, the book sucked me into its world and didn't let go until the case was resolved. The last couple of pages were nice, but tied up loose ends that weren't really loose to begin with. Reed's world is tidy, but not without problems. That is to be expected in a shiny new world. Reed's neighbors, Ace and Deuce, are good guys, but how they pay their rent being idiots and working at a video store is beyond me.Yes, it is a small thing, but small things can throw a reader off. Maybe there is some secret the brothers have that Pawlish is saving for the future.

There are intricate twists and turns, but in the end both Ferguson and the bad guys get it. Ferguson receives his dose of reality and all is set right in the universe until of course his next case. And I do hope there will be a next one.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Reads like a great Matinee movie June 3, 2012

By laurathomas61

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

This story starts off with a bang!
"I want you to find my dead husband."
"Excuse me?" That was my first reaction.
"I want you to find my husband. He's dead and I need to know where he is." She spoke in a voice one sexy note below middle C.
"Uh-huh." That was my second reaction. Real slick.
Renee's writing style reads like a noir film. Like a great Bogie movie. It is no surprise that Reed Ferguson, main character and P.I. in the story, is a fan of Bogie. He prefers old movies, especially detective film noir, and dark women.
When Amanda, the client, walks into his office, the first thing he thinks is "Trouble". She is a major flirt. It's never a good idea to mix business with pleasure.
Honorable mentions to brothers Ace and Deuce, the comic relief team. Kept me laughing and lightened the atmosphere. Cal. Get a picture of Sherlock Holmes in your head. Got it? That's Cal, Reed's friend. He helps dig for the dirty little secrets in the investigation. I had many a grin with their back and forth banter.
Despite all of the warnings to drop the investigation, Reed persists and ends up in a world of hurt. He does not get through this without being battered and bloodied.

My body was screaming at me, sore in too many places to count. "I feel light-headed." I blinked hard at Forbes.
"Hey, buddy, you're bleeding."
I began examining myself, but didn't see anything.
"No, back there."
I craned my neck around, exploring my backside with my hands. "Oh, man! She shot me in the ass?" I couldn't believe it, but it was true. My rear end suddenly hurt like nobody's business.
Agent Forbes tried to hide a smile. And then I fainted.

Witty sarcasm and tension oozes from the pages. This book looks and smeels like an Alfred Hitchcock movie. I ate this up and immediately moved on to the second book, Real Estate Rip-Off. I have also posted a review for it here on Amazon.
Don't miss out on this well written mystery novel, packed with action and thrills.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Reed rocks. November 14, 2011

By Darlene Jones

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Reed Ferguson, a "wanna be" Bogie, emulates his heroes of old films and sets himself up as a PI. His first job is to find a missing husband. Simple, right. Not for Reed. Soon the bad guys (in this case women) are after him intent on his demise, then the Feds want him out of the way as he's interfering in their investigation. Reed is a likable young man and you soon come to care for his welfare.

I'm not a huge fan of detective books, but I enjoyed this one very much, likely because Renee has a deft touch with the genre. Her style is not to hammer the reader over the head, but rather to use subtly and light touches of humor appropriate to her story and wonderful references to old movies. But underneath all that there is a serious story with surprising plot twists. Her subtle touch and sound mechanics make for a nice flow and a smooth pleasurable read.
Darlene Jones, Author

More About the Author

Renée Pawlish is the award-winning author of the bestselling Nephilim Genesis of Evil, the first in the Nephilim trilogy, the Reed Ferguson mystery series (This Doesn't Happen In The Movies, Reel Estate Rip-off, The Maltese Felon, and the short story Elvis And The Sports Card Cheat), The Noah Winters YA Adventure series (The Emerald Quest), Take Five, a short story collection, and The Sallie House: Exposing the Beast Within, a nonfiction account of a haunted house investigation.

Renée has been called "a promising new voice to the comic murder/mystery genre" and "a powerful storyteller". Nephilim Genesis of Evil has been compared to Stephen King and Frank Peretti.

Renée was born in California, but has lived most of her life in Colorado. When she's not hiking, cycling, or chasing ballplayers for autographs, she is writing mysteries, thrillers and horror. She loves to travel and has visited numerous countries. She has also spent many summer days at her parents' cabin in the hills outside of Boulder, which was the inspiration for the setting of Taylor Crossing in her novel Nephilim: Genesis of Evil.


To learn more you can follow her on her website:
http://www.reneepawlish.com

on her blog:
http://tobecomeawriter.com/

on Twitter:
@reneepawlish

on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/reneepawlish.author

or Goodreads:
http://www.goodreads.com/reneepawlish