Way Past Dead (Harry James Denton Mysteries) (Mass Market Paperback)

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Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Former Nashville police reporter turned private investigator Harry James Denton has problems: his cash flow isn't flowing, his girlfriend is among many held hostage by a fanatic religious group, and his pal from down the hall, songwriter Slim Gibson, is in jail for murder. It seems Slim's ex-wife but current singing partner, Rebecca, was found beaten "way past dead" shortly after a gig with Slim, whose car was seen leaving Rebecca's driveway. Slim had plenty of motive--including the fact that Rebecca's considerable portion of their songwriting catalog reverts to Slim upon her death--but there are plenty of other suspects lurking on the fringes of the Nashville music crowd. This third Denton mystery is a little jewel. Denton is a Rockford-like private eye who'd like to avoid danger but has just enough integrity to follow his cases through to the end. Toss him into the colorful Nashville musical milieu, and you get a mystery in which the mournful wail of a pedal steel guitar represents death as well as heartbreak. Wes Lukowsky

Product Description

With his cash flow down to a slow drip, times are tight for Nashville gumshoe Harry James Denton. Things are tough all over Music City, U.S.A. And in some instances, they're murder, as Harry finds out the hard way when he lands a case he'd rather not touch.
When rising country singer Rebecca Gibson is found viciously beaten to death in her home, a heap of damning evidence points straight to her ex-husband, Slim Gibson -- half of the struggling songwriting team with whom Harry shares office space and an occasional beer. Slim and Rebecca were last seen making beautiful music at a local club just hours before the killing. Yet while probing beneath the sweet harmony, Harry discovers the dark history of a marriage made somewhere south of heaven -- and delves into the cutthroat world of the C&W music business, where deceit, betrayal, passion, and vengeance are sung about . . . and ruthlessly performed.
"A rising star among the current crop of American novelists." -- Nashville Banner

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Fawcett; Revised edition (January 30, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0345390431
• ISBN-13: 978-0345390431
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,068,340 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Womack is one of the best, April 12, 2000

By	Joan Benny "Naomi" (Beverly Hills, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Way Past Dead is a great read; however, if you plan to try Womack, I suggest you start with the first of the series. Womack is right up there with Parker, Jance, and Grafton. He writes a fast-moving, humorous, well-plotted detective story. No psychology like Rendell, no agenda like Cornwell. His Nashville hero, Harry Denton, is colorful and likeable, and although he has little money and lives on the edge, he has the charisma of Parker's Spenser and Jance's Beaumont. I highly recommend all of the Denton series. I've read every one, and haven't been disappointed yet.

2.0 out of 5 stars Not very good, July 13, 2009

By	J. Shi - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Way Past Dead (Paperback)

This is the first book I read from Steven Womack. I got a good beginning but finishes with a poor ending. Steven tried to mix two or three lines together in this book, which seems not a very nice arrangement.

4.0 out of 5 stars Another good Womack Book, May 21, 1999

By A Customer

If you read the Harry James Denton series, this one is not to be missed. Denton, must help his friend, Slim, who is accused of brutally murdering his wife. Denton delves into the seedy country music underworld in search of answers.

I was hoping for a little bit more out of this book. It was fun to read, but I was hoping for more eye-opening and revealing tidbits on the country music scene ( as the book alluded to ). In addition, I was little disappointed with the ending.

However, it is another good read for Womack fans...