The debut of Jon A. Jackson's acclaimed "Fang" Mulheisen mystery series, The Diehard instantly established him as a master of the form. It begins in Indian Village, an exclusive enclave in Mulheisen's crumbling Detroit precinct, where a gorgeous young heiress is shot and stabbed during a break-in and expires on a neighbor's doorstep. It appears at first a simple robbery attempt. Mulheisen gets suspicious when her husband turns out to be the only executives of Fidelity Trust Insurance to escape blame for an embezzlement scandal worth some twenty million dollars. But what is the connection, where is the money, and who is the suntanned stranger who is tracking down the same leads, one step ahead of Mulheisen?
Well another book I read, enjoyed and promptly forgot. Well what do I remember?
Detroit setting, crime, 70s, first in a series, a murder investigation centred around insurance fraud.
That's it. Nothing else. Character development? Plot? Pacing? Tension? Excitement? All gone.
I don't remember any boredom with the book, neither do I recall falling off my chair with excitement. Just because I don't remember it, doesn't mean I didn't enjoy it.
3.5 from 5
The Diehard is the first in a series of ten, featuring Mulheisen and I believe I have the other nine on the TBR pile. When I want to read the second book, The Blind Pig, I think I'm going to dust this one off and re-read the month before. It seems only fair.
Cracking cover which seems to suggest an element of humour in the books.
Read - December, 2021
Published - 1977
Page count - 224
Source - purchased copy
Format - paperback
I've read books like that, too, Col. They don't leave a really lasting impression, but as you say, that doesn't mean they're not enjoyable. I do like the premise here, and it sounds as though the setting works for this one.
ReplyDeleteMargot, I'm annoyed at myself for not remembering it better. That's kind of the raison d'etre for the blog, so it helps me when I look back.
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