Max Unlocks the Universe (Five Star First Edition Mystery) [Hardcover]

Mark Bouton (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Reminiscent of Mickey Spillane, this fast-paced mystery keeps readers entertained and guessing." -- Fresh Fiction.com:

Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Five Star (ME) (September 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1594144885
• ISBN-13: 978-1594144882
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.7 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,835,073 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I earned degrees in sociology and law, and then entered the FBI, where I served in Alabama, New York, Chicago, Puerto Rico, Texas, and Kansas for 30 years. I nabbed killers, kidnappers, and bank robbers, and I also played a key role in solving the Oklahoma City bombing. I've been writing mystery/suspense novels for over 20 years. I really enjoy telling readers what law enforcement people do, and also relating what colorful criminals and laypeople do in response to crime situations.

In some of my books I discuss cosmology (the study of the Universe) in relation to solving crimes. In others, movie lore and the idiosyncrasies of people in Los Angeles form part of the story. There's lots of action and fun in both series. I enjoy telling people what I've learned about life and the way individuals act in stressful and comic situations. As Oscar Wilde said, "Life is too important to be taken seriously." But we can examine it, laugh and learn, and then just shake our heads.

I've also written a non-fiction book entitled How to Spot Lies Like the FBI which my agent is shopping now. I'm working on another novel at present (almost finished--yea!)and have another novel begun.

I also like to read, lift weights, go for walks, play my electric guitar, contemplate the universe and talk to groups about my writing projects. I live in Kansas on a horse ranch, and I love the outdoors. My website is http://www.markbouton.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3.0 out of 5 stars Max Unlocks the Universe, September 12, 2010

By 

grandma (Kansas) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Max Unlocks the Universe (Five Star First Edition Mystery) (Hardcover)

I found this book difficult to follow at times. As a result, I did not enjoy it as much as I had hoped.

3.0 out of 5 stars It's OK, with some caveats, January 1, 2008

By 

PJ Coldren (Saint Helen, MI, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Max Unlocks the Universe (Five Star First Edition Mystery) (Hardcover)

It's the middle of winter in Kansas. Two young men are standing out in the cold, finishing up an argument. One drops dead. The other is, for obvious reasons, arrested. P.I. Max Austin is called by his pal, Detective Bagley, because his son David is the arrestee. Kyle Mossler is the victim. Both men are part owners of Securegard, a software company selling programs to, among others, the guvmint.

Turns out that David didn't kill Kyle, curare did. Not your usual murder weapon. As Max continues to investigate, two other Securegard owners die. One is probably murder, one looks like an accident. We know better.

Max has lots of connections. He used to be FBI, which comes in handy if one is now a P.I. He taps his connections, muses on life and the solar system, and tries to connect the seemingly random events into some kind of logical system. In the process, he flies all over hell and gone on a seemingly unlimited budget. Gotta love that in a client.

The mystery in MAX UNLOCKS THE UNIVERSE is a reasonably good mystery. Max is charming, intelligent, persistent. The plot certainly works. I kept reading, in spite of some obvious flaws. Max has a thing for astronomy, and the reader is well aware of this. There are lots and lots of data dumps about comets and black holes and other facets of our universe; while Max seems to think they are relevant, the average reader is probably not so sure. Sometimes the prose gets a little overdone. The phrase, "crooks practicing their nefarious trade . . ." sticks in my head, for example. Also, for a former FBI agent, Max seems unaware of certain technological tools available on the open market (such as trackers for vehicles) while being totally cognizant of other tools (telephone taps, etc.). This was disconcerting. Max's trust in his colleagues is heartwarming, but naive. If the data dumps, the verbosity, and the naiveté don't bother you, read on.

5.0 out of 5 stars A COSMIC MYSTERY FOR SPACE AND TIME, October 30, 2006

By 

Dennis E. Smirl (Topeka, KS USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Max Unlocks the Universe (Five Star First Edition Mystery) (Hardcover)

Max is back-and it's about time. Well, actually it's about murder and mayhem and space and time and anything else you might want to find in a well-written mystery.

Young computer geeks are dying-well before their time-and ex-FBI agent, Private Eye Max Austin gets involved. To solve the case, and try to save a few lives, Max has to get up to speed on the latest trends in computers and programming. He enlists an old friend, Marisol, to get him into the loop, and she adds a bunch of complications to the case--and to Max's life.

There are lots of great twists and turns, leads and misleads, a bit of traveling around the country tracking down clues, and even a bit of the ol' down and dirty with fists and guns. Max may be a bit past his prime, and even a bit gimpy, but when the goin' gets tough...

Highly recommended...