A Token of Remorse: A Streeter Mystery [Paperback]

Michael Stone (Author)

Book Description

Series: Streeter Mystery | Publication Date: February 1, 1999

Streeter, the Mile-High City's most sought-after ex-linebacker bounty hunter, is back in action, hired by the Waterbed King of Denver to go to the Mexican ratlands to track down his missing airhead nephew, Richie Moats. Seems Richie's relieved a sex-shop tycoon of his weekly take-and sex kings don't take robbery lying down. Finding Richie and his ex-stripper gal before the tycoon's seriously peeved musclemen get their grips on them may be Streeter's toughest challenge yet--possibly as difficult as his ongoing search for wife #5. Once again, Streeter tangles with the nasty, the sultry, and the dim-witted as only he can.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

The third Streeter mystery once again breathes life into the streets of Denver. As the bounty hunter searches for the vacuous nephew of a waterbed millionaire, he winds up in Mexico. Clever plotting, dark humor, quick action.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Kirkus Reviews

Richie Moats's initial foray into armed robbery is blemished when his mask slips off mid-heist, revealing his face to the two acquaintances--collectors picking up the weekly take from Rudy Fontana's string of massage parlors--he's in the process of robbing. A week or so later, Richie's uncle, Denver waterbed king Marty Moats, asks Streeter, the one-named bounty hunter who's apparently a neighbor of CJ Floyd (see above), to take a trip down to San Ignacio to check out the State Department's story that Richie's Blazer, with Richie's bloodstains, has turned up without Richie. Streeter obligingly fences with the Mexican officials, but just as he's turning up evidence that Richie and his ladylove Tina Gillis, the exotic dancer Rudy made his Girl Friday, haven't gone south of the border after all, Marty calls him home, and Streeter's left without a case. Back home, though, it turns out that Marty isn't the only one who'd like to set his mind at ease about Richie. Rudy's silent partner, Grover Royals, is seriously interested in Richie and Tina and the money they boosted from him, and won't give them a safe-conduct back home from Florida unless they agree to make a little extra delivery of Quaaludes and Tupperware. Fans of Streeter's first two cases (A Long Reach, 1997, etc.) won't be surprised that from here on in, things get a little complicated. Though you'll need a diagram to keep track of the double-crosses, Stone's dry, unfussy narration keeps two things perfectly clear throughout: Everybody's into everybody else, and everybody's going to get burned. -- Copyright ©1998, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics) (February 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0140275460
• ISBN-13: 978-0140275469
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 3.8 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,114,016 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fast-paced and well-written, November 1, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: A Token of Remorse: A Streeter Mystery (Paperback)

First of all, this isn't a mystery. There is no complicated puzzle for the detective to solve. That's okay, though, because what this book is is a scorcher of a crime novel. The hero is likable and tough but he does make mistakes, as we all do. The villains are also tough and mean but they are also not too smart, which is probably the way most real life criminals are. The plot is fast-paced, unpredictable and realistic. Overall, just a really enjoyable read.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Reality on the mean streets level, with a good guy hero., April 5, 2000

By 

Robert Wade - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Token of Remorse: A Streeter Mystery (Paperback)

This guy Stone can write--characters well drawn, humor, tough broads, very devious and brutal low-lifes, a fast-moving plot that keeps you guessing and interested, and "Streeter"-tough, cautious and smart but not indestructible or infallible. Also, he got some issues about long-term relationships with the fair sex, even though he needs one. This was a great read-didn't put it down for long--wife enjoyed it too. Highly recommended as an example of the tough private eye genre. I'm about to order the other 3 Michael Stone "Streeter" books.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars The last Street I will ever read, March 11, 2004

By 

D. Ross "http://directorblue.blogspot.com" (USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Token of Remorse: A Streeter Mystery (Hardcover)

This is the third Streeter novel -- and happened to be the first I picked up. Unless something strange happens -- a rift in space and time perhaps -- I won't be reading any more of these. Portrayed by the marketing material as tough-guy, noir fiction akin to Chandler's Marlowe or Child's Reacher, Streeter is not even in the same league as those characters.

We wait until page 146 to get any kind of action involving the protagonist. The pacing is deadly slow and the storyline (not lines... just line) hits lull after lull. You'll know who the bad guy is within, oh, 50 pages or so.

The sad thing is that Stone has writing ability. He isn't a bad technician. And once in a while Streeter even cracks wise, like the great characters often do. Problem is, the humor and sarcastic comments are few and far between. Combine that fact with a story-line that isn't even remotely engaging... well, you pretty much get the last Streeter I will ever read.