Customer Reviews

A Final Judgment (Five Star First Edition Mystery)

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4 star:		(2)
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Mike Black has written another fast-paced mystery featuring Ron Shade. His characters are believable; his writing is crisp; the plot moves along at a good pace.
I love the ending where he hints of things to come.
Highly recommended.
Helen Osterman

Three books in, Michael A. Black has an interesting series brewing here. Ron Shade is a world-class-kickboxer and an ex-Chicago-cop-turned PI. In A Final Judgement, he's presented with a case by a lawyer in private practice, something Shade prefers to avoid, since he's averse to their typical clients--traditionally guilty scumbags. But this lawyer is a friend, and Shade feels compelled to help.

Yup, mistake #1. Shade, in short order, realizes he is up against some legendary opposition on the Cook County side of the case, and pretty soon the fan gets very clogged, if you get the drift.

Black has a sparse, no-nonsense style that is refreshing in an age of Parker/Crais wannabees. His first-person style is information-packed and light on punchy metaphor, which services this specific story very well, particularly the very well-drawn action sequences.

As he winds up the story, Black gives us an ending that both inspires and intrigues, which is a neat trick.

If you are a reader that likes to discover new talent and spread the work, consider yourself advised: Michael Black is the real thing. Check it out!

The fight scenes in this book along with a tense finale kept me up far too late. This Ron Shade novel presents a really nice guy who becomes titanium tough when he needs to be.

"A Final Judgment", the latest Ron Shade novel by Michael Black is a really nice piece of work; of the three Shade novels, this one in my opinion is the best and most accessable. It's quite apparent that Mike Black's writing is growing.

Ron Shade, police officer turned Kickboxing PI is Chicago's version of T.V.'s Jim Rockford or Robert B. Parker's Spenser. In "Judgment" Shade is juggling two seemingly unconnected cases and the short-notice training for a world title kickboxing bout. Black manages to blend the three quite nicely along with a couple of predictable (although still entertaining) twists. "A Final judgment" combines good dialogue with an insiders look at how a police department works and as always insightful comments on what it means to be a fighter and train for a fight. For those that live in Chicago or the greater Chicago area, you'll enjoy Black's detailed description of the of streets and familiar landmarks.

If you enjoy Robert B. Parker or John D. MacDonald all three of the Ron Shade novels will be right up your alley.

Black brings back Ron Shade in this third novel, the Chicago cop turned private detective. The intriguing character is such a bleeding heart that he reluctantly takes on two cases for friends, despite his uneasy feelings about both cases. When a lawyer friend needs a detective at the last minute, because his previous detective killed himself, Shade agrees to help. The high-powered opposing law firm seems to be putting on too much pressure for settlement, and Shade doesn't like it. In another case, a police officer Shade dislikes needs help. He's afraid of a young man's interest in his teenage daughter. Shade thinks the daughter is more involved than she lets on, but he can't get to her.

While he works on both cases, he prepares for what could be his last chance at the World Kickboxing Championship. Shade is such a fascinating character that even a reader with no interest in kickboxing is drawn into his preparation and the fight itself.

Black's novel provides a knock-out punch in more ways than one.

In Chicago, attorney Rick Walters hires private detective Ron Shade to conduct an investigation in support of a wrongful death lawsuit in Cook County. Rick's clients, parents of deceased Laura Gooding, are suing their former son-in-law Todd, acquitted in a Cook County case, of killing their daughter. Ron, a contender for the heavyweight title of the World Kickboxing Association, looks at the files and cannot see how the husband was acquitted as the evidence stacks up that he killed his wife and there were no mistakes by the cops or the prosecution. The other side has the elite of lawyers Mason Gilbert and the legend of sleuths Big John Flood.

Ron's nemesis Police Lieutenant Bielmaster asks Ron to do him a favor; Ron, who blames Bielmaster for getting him kicked off the police force plans to say no until he sees the cop looking frail as he lies in a hospital bed recovering from bypass surgery. Beilmaster's eighteen years old daughter Grace is Yale bound if they can keep Tim Knop away from her. Three years ago Tim impregnated Grace who gave up the child for adoption and her boyfriend went to jail for sexual abuse of a minor.

Besides wondering if Ron will finally fight for the title as he was injured twice before doing his day job (see A KILLING FROST and WINDY CITY KNIGHTS), fans will enjoy Ron work the two assignments while also training. The story line is fast-paced in and out of the gym as Ron begins to uncover fraud in the judicial system while Rick's two female employees react differently towards him; one seems to hero worship him while the other thinks he is a muscular bum.

Harriet Klausner