Counting to Infinity (Jake Diamond, Private Investigator) (Hardcover)

~ (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

PI Jake Diamond, abetted by his Girl Friday, Darlene, sleuths back and forth between San Francisco, Chicago and L.A. in his third outing (after 2003's Clutching at Straws), a convoluted but routine mystery involving a decades-old crime and Mafia vendetta lists. After a nice opening line, parodying classic hard-boiled detective fiction—"The scent of deep-fried calamari floated in through my office window like an invitation to triple-bypass surgery"—Abramo soon loses narrative focus. The witty remarks (e.g., "If you want someone who can't ask a good question, get Larry King") simply disappear, and the tone grows serious. As the plan to topple the bad guy plays out, the first-person Chandleresque burlesque is dropped in favor of a detached third-person account more like a thriller novel. Fans of Mafiosi fiction should be the most satisfied.
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Product Description

When a shotgun toting thug shows up in Jake Diamond's San Francisco office threatening Jake's secretary, Jake knows he's in trouble. Things get even worse when it turns out that the thug's boss, Mr. Lansdale, was an old client of Jake's mentor Jimmy Pigeon. Six years ago Jimmy either botched a case for Mr. Lansdale or deliberately lied to him. Unfortunately, Jimmy is no longer among the living, so Mr. Lansdale has decided that the burden to rectify Jimmy's error falls on Jake. It's an impossible job, but Mr. Lansdale isn't giving Jake much say in the matter.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Minotaur; First. edition (July 29, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312326505
• ISBN-13: 978-0312326500
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,080,320 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars very special crime thriller, September 1, 2004

By	Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews (#1 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

San Francisco private investigator Jake Diamond is forcibly persuaded to meet Max Lansdale for a job he can't refuse. Max wants Jake to find Harry Chandler who was reported dead in a shoot-out. Max says that a private investigator reported to him that he ran into Harry. The reason Jake is chosen for the job is that his mentor and associate Jimmy Pigeon reported that Harrison died. Max believes that the mantle has passed to Jake. Max wants to find Chandler because he killed Max's brother Randolph.

When Jake returns to San Francisco his trusty associate Darlene tells him that Max is connected to the mob. Jake buys time to figure out how to handle the situation because Max has threatened Darlene and his ex-wife and lover if he doesn't get results. When he finally meets with Chandler, an unknown person kills Harry. Soon after a bomb goes off in Jake's apartment, killing Sally and injuring Jake. When he recovers Jake and his friends put into motion a plan to bring Max down.

COUNTING TO INFINITY is a dark and gritty urban noir thriller that starts off at light speed and quickly gains even more momentum. This is not a book for the faint of heart because there are some violent scenes but they are necessary to make the plot feel realistic. Readers will feel empathy for Jake who loses someone he loves dearly and will admire him for trusting his friends to formulate a plan that will take care of Max while working with the boundaries of the law including not murdering him. J.L. Abramo has written a very special crime thriller.

Harriet Klausner

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Jake Diamond Three: With a Vengeance, September 3, 2004

By	James E. (San Francisco) - See all my reviews

Those familiar with San Francisco PI Jake Diamond, introduced in "Catching Water in a Net" (2001) and "Clutching at Straws" (2003) are in for a surprise as his latest investigation exposes Diamond's darker side. The easy-going actor turned shamus is pushed to thoughts of bloody retribution when his loved ones are threatened by a mob connected Chicago attorney. Thanks to his friend and protector, Joey Russo, Jake is able to control his violent impulses; and with the help of Russo and familiar cohorts, Vinnie Strings, Darlene Roman and Lieutenant Ray Boyle, Diamond's nemesis learns the hard way that crime does not pay. A great addition to J. L. Abramo's funny and entertaining series, "Counting to Infinity" should please loyal Jake Diamond fans and recruit new followers.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Trip Worth Booking, September 21, 2004

By	Mickey S - See all my reviews

In the third installment of J.L. Abramo's Jake Diamond series, following "Clutching at Straws" and the award-winning debut "Catching Water in a Net", new facets of both the author and his San Francisco private investigator are revealed when Diamond's latest case comes dangerously close to home. Combining elements of private eye noir and crime thriller, The Maltese Falcon and Mission: Impossible, "Counting to Infinity" is a thoroughly satisfying read; funny and provocative, touching and intelligent, comfortably familiar and full of surprises. Abramo and Diamond are improving with age.