Customer Reviews

Shoofly Pie & Chop Shop: 2 Bugman Novels in 1

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I read all of Downs' "Bugman" books in less than a week! I got these two on Kindle and just had to get the rest.

I'm picky about my novels. They have to contain engaging characters, have a plausible plot, and be devoid of any kind of sex. Trust me, that's a hard combination to find. But Tim Downs delivers it, and more.
His books are easy to read, not dumbed down, and these two are believable. He is a Christian author, but there's no proselytizing in any of his Bugman novels. The few mentions of faith flow naturally from certain characters. There's not a lot of romance, and what little there is stays clean.

Nick Polchak, the bugman, is a forensic entomologist, and basically has OCD when he gets involved in crime solving. He's brilliant, but fairly devoid of social skills. His snarky comments are truly hilarious.

The research for these novels has been done well, and thoroughly. They don't get bogged down in too much technical or descriptive detail, but there's enough to make you feel like you know the place, and definitely the characters.

All in all, great books that hooked me and made me want to read more. They aren't life changing, but if you want escapist, enjoyable novels, give these a try. This Kindle price is pretty good, too!

Shoofly Pie and Chop Shop by Tim Downs are great! This is two Bug Man Novels in one. Shoofly Pie introduces us to Nick Polchak, the bug man, and his quest for justice in his own way. He is a forensic entomologist and has very unique ways to determine the cause of death using bugs and then proceeds to prove his theories correct. I was fascinated by the explanations of how the different bugs react to a corpse and how much information Nick is able to obtain from said corpse. In the first book Shoofly Pie Nick is asked to help Kathryn Guilford learn the truth about the death of her long time friend. The more Nick probes the more the conspiracy grows and so does the body count.
Chop Shop by Tim Downs deals with the horrible idea of harvesting body parts. A pathologist Dr. Riley McKay seeks the help Nick Polchak, the bug man. What they discover together turns both their worlds upside down. Both of these books offer a refreshing and informative look at the bug world and how it can be used to prove vital information.

I love Tim Down's novels about the "Bug Man". Because they are "almost" local...locations in NC and that's always a drawing card...I enjoy the easy reading, the interesting information (I'm a mystery lover, and I like novels that are a little different and offer a learning experience, as well as humor). I was able to enjoy these on my Kindle, and hope that Mr. Downs writes more novels featuring this character.

I have read most of Tim Downs's books and like all the others this had me hanging on the edge of my seat the whole time. Very good. Tim Downs has done it again!

I love this author. The books are well-written and hold your interest. They arrived in good shape and I was eager to begin reading. Couldn't put the books down! Highly recommend.

I had read a few other Bug Man novels by Tim Downs and loved them. Although you can read them by themselves, there is clearly history from other books in them.

None of the books make it clear in what order the series is in. After three of them I finally got to these and am glad as it explains a LOT.

If you are new to Tim Downs and the Bug Man series, read these first.

Oh yeah, and for the price you can't beat getting Bug Man #1 and #2!

both of these books are quick and fun reads. who knew bugs could tell us so much.