Royal Flush: A Jake Samson and Rosie Vicente Mystery (Jake Samson and Rosie Vicente Series) [Paperback]

Shelley Singer (Author)

Book Description

Series: Jake Samson and Rosie Vicente Series | Publication Date: October 1, 1999

Now author Shelley Singer has brought Jake and Rosie back in her new mystery, Royal Flush, sixth in the series and the first to be published by Perseverance Press/John Daniel and Company.

Since their last appearance, the San Francisco Bay Area duo has been through some changes. First Rosie, then Jake left Oakland for Marin County, north of the Golden Gate. Jake has never bothered to get his private eye license--but Rosie did, and now he's working for her. Happily for readers, their relationship is still solid. "Their respect for each other's privacy and integrity is so deeply ingrained that they are careful with their affection, would not quite call it love, and so their wisecracking takes on a softened, humane edge."--San Francisco Chronicle

Jake and Rosie's latest poker-titled case, Royal Flush, calls on all their strength and commitment to one another, as they must go underground to infiltrate a dangerous neo-Nazi group. On their skill and intelligence depend the life of a misguided but essentially good kid and possibly the lives of several political assassination targets. But the gang's incompetence may be even more deadly than their megalomaniac plans. Today's news headlines echo in Royal Flush: violent youth, pop culture and technology, easy availability of weapons, extremist ravings, and dissemination of hatred for outsiders.

Singer's light touch with serious issues makes Royal Flush as enjoyable a read as all of her previous books. New readers will join with longtime fans in hailing the latest installment of this beloved and trend-setting series.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Self-effacing PI Jake Samson is understandably nervous about infiltrating the local Marin County neo-Nazi group, the Aryan Command. After all, he is Jewish. In his sixth appearance (after Samson's Deal) with brash boss Rosie Vicente, his sense of decency, keen wit and logical mind do much to carry a slow-moving, muddled narrative. Trying to save a friend's goddaughter from a ruinous romantic entanglement with Royal Subic, a disenchanted neo-Nazi who is too terrified to defect from the group, Jake goes undercover as an aspiring right-wing extremist. He begins by frequenting a skinhead bar. After meeting with some predictably loathsome habitu?sAsneering racists, menacing bikers, brooding wannabesAJake realizes that the group is indeed dangerous and might have murdered Royal's friend, who also had wanted to defect. Conspiracies abound: will the Aryan Command assassinate a talk-show host? Are members of a leftist group responsible for the murder of one of the right-wingers? Is the Aryan Command connected internationally? Are there other infiltrators besides Jake? It is soon impossible to untangle the many, thinly stretched subplots that snake through the novel. To complicate matters, Jake finds himself ambivalently attracted to one of the Command's more attractive members. Could she be an Israeli agent? Some surprising twists, and Jake's sharp-edged humor, help rescue the novel from its incessant and needless convolutions.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

The unlicensed Jake Samson now works for his former employee, licensed private eye Rosie Vicente, in Marin, CA. As a favor to a friend, and because he grudgingly likes Royal, the skinhead kid in potential trouble, Jake infiltrates a neo-Nazi group to learn of its plans to murder an outspoken radio talk-show host. Rosie aids and abets Jake and Royal, as all three risk exposure and possible death. Great bar scenes, a wonderfully wry narrative, and the obvious nonsexual affection between the Jake and Rosie will have readers clamoring for more. Singer is a Shamus Award nominee.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 237 pages
• Publisher: Daniel & Daniel Pub (October 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1880284332
• ISBN-13: 978-1880284339
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,737,538 in Books (See Top 100 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 A Labyrinth of Danger and Disdain, December 2, 1999

By 

Eileen Massucco (Seattle) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Royal Flush: A Jake Samson and Rosie Vicente Mystery (Jake Samson and Rosie Vicente Series) (Paperback)

Shelley Singer, like fellow award winning mystery authors Robert Ferrigno and Laura Lippman, has a journalism background. Another similarity is the superior quality and subtlety of her wordsmithing. In Royal Flush, Singer's PI team of Jake Samsom and Rosie Vincente have to infiltrate the labyrinthine world of the skinhead culture. I felt I was walking the tightrope of suspense and intrigue right along with Jake and Rosie. I never felt I had to "suspend disbelief" to get into the story. It moves with a real life flavor imbedded within the characters, motivations and plot. Jake's and Rosie's thoughts and comments -- including the humor -- were absolutely "right on." I adored Jake's thoughts when in the presence of the skinheads. His PI's cool sometimes got swamped with his feelings of danger, disdain and lust. Jake and Rosie are readily believable as normal people struggling to blend in with and understand the skinhead hierarchy. The twists, turns and resolution were vintage Singer -- unpredictable and fresh. She writes so that you unravel the story right along with Jake and Rosie. As a reader, I really appreciated the subtle way Singer makes her characters and plotting so clear and vibrant that I never had to "back read" when I interrupted my reading for a couple days due to "real life." But I could just pick up Royal Flush, read the next sentence and it all came back to me like I never put the book down.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent return of two beloved characters in mystery, September 9, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Royal Flush: A Jake Samson and Rosie Vicente Mystery (Jake Samson and Rosie Vicente Series) (Paperback)

There have been many changes to the private detective team of Jake Samson and Rosie Vicente. They no longer operate out of Oakland as they relocated to Marin County. However, the biggest transformation is at the helm. Jake now works for Rosie as opposed to her toiling for him as it previously was. Though they rarely agree on which case to accept, they always back one another up with their lives.

Jake's best buddy Artie Perone is watching his god-daughter Deanne. Her boy friend Royal needs help with a predicament he has gotten himself into and Deanne wants him to hire Jake. Royal wants out from the Aryan Command, a Neo-Nazi crowd in which he is a member. The only exit is death. Although the job is repulsive to the Jewish Jake, he takes on the case to insure Deanne remains safe from the vengeance of the group. Jake and Rosie go undercover, but find it nearly impossible to separate the good guys from the villains.

Impatient fans who have waited too long for the reappearance of Jake and Rosie will find ROYAL FLUSH is a winning hand that was worth the wait. The protagonists retain that familiar friendly feel even as circumstances have changed for them. The well-done story line is socially relevant as hate groups seem to be proliferating at an alarming rate. Shelly Singer escorts her audience into the soul of a particularly nasty one. Fans of the series will enjoy this entry that also will provide much pleasure to first time readers.