Customer Reviews

Sore Loser: A Mickey Donovan Mystery

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

 

 

NYPD Deputy Inspector Mickey "The Wraith" Donovan is working a weird serial killer case. A deranged individual is personally implementing the phrase "kill the umpire" and it is not a William Bendix movie. The first casualty was murdered just after umpiring a softball game near Yankee Stadium. The next victim was murdered just after blowing a tennis call that cost Ginny Glade a victory in a professional tournament. Ginny's former spouse is actually the recipient of a bad call that turns him into the World Series hero. The ump who blew the call was blown away.

The media hangs Ginny since she is the link to at least two of the higher profile incidents. Mike believes that Ginny is innocent and begins a city-wide investigation even as he has to deal with personal problems, mostly caused by his rebellious daughter. An attraction springs up between Ginny and Mike, but before he can fully pursue his feelings, the law enforcement official has to find a killer to bring to justice.

"There's a hold-up in the Bronx; Brooklyn's broken out in fights ...". This little ditty is what comes to mind as Mike runs all over the city bringing the totality of the "Big Apple" to life. That is the core of this exciting novel. Though the characters are well written and the story line moves at a blistering pace, Mike McAlary pays homage to the boroughs, which turns SORE LOSER into a big winner.

As a writer and avid reader of mysteries/thrillers, I just want to say I thoroughly enjoyed this start to what I hope will be a successful new series. I loved the characters and the way they interacted, especially the father/daughter exchanges and the mystery itself was fun and delightfully twisted. I will be looking forward to the "Wraith's" next adventure.

Oh, my...the BOOK is the sore loser itself. I really foundthis a dull read, blah blah blah blah blah. And blah blah blah blahand blah! Yes, that boring. I cannot stand the writing, the layout wasn't a beauty either.

McAlary uses this vehicle to trash the New York Times, the New York Post (rival newspapers--he works for the Daily News), and most particularly, the mayor of New York, whom he thinly disguises as Mayor Vito Caruso, and describes as "worse than Clinton" (direct quote). The plot is thin and the story does not build. Waste of money.