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Customer Reviews (7)

Promising, but Too Little Charm
I have to say, being a lover of the Rat Pack and a hater of the remakes, I was happy to see the real boys get some attention paid to them. I got this one with high hopes, but, eh, it was not so much. It is more like the remakes--using the Rat Pack but applying modern rules.

Overall, I think I can sum it up by saying the writer seems frustrated he was not/could not be in the Rat Pack, and overcompensates by focusing on the idea of their "dark" side, a la sexual exploits, by making the entire book pretty much about graphic sex (not between the Pack and broads, even)--as in, threesomes and other discriptions on practically every page. Of course, these things went on in the hey days, but the beauty is, they weren't discussed except in the steam room ;) .

BUT, if you can get past that, it really is a fun read. He has fun with the boys, even though they are more of a pleasant backdrop. He has Frank's connections and foreshadowing his politcal turn-around via Dean predicting it, he has Dean watching westerns--just some good little nuggets to smile at.

I througoughly enjoyed the Rat Pack bits, and, unlike some, I don't feel they were way too few--always leave 'em wanitng more, as they say, though a couple more scene would have been nice.

However, it would have been much better had it dealt more with innuendo rather than blatant description of sexual encounters with a slightly cynical eye towards the entire scene of the time, no less. I won't write a book of a review here, but the shortest way I can think of to say it is this: I think some of the Rat Pack's appeal was, back then, their shocking innuendo and exploits, and now, the same, but now mixed with the charm of the fact it was innuendo of their exploits, as in, they didn't say "bl*w j*b" on stage (they may *allude* to it in other words, though ;)--but that's takes brains and charm!), yet you read about that here. In other words, the stuff Randisi describes happened in those days, but it wasn't so publicly talked about. Maybe if you desperately want to feel like you were at the "after-parties" with the Pack, you'd enjoy that (which I feel is the writer's angle). Real fans, though, can get that feeling and know what was what and who was who without reading about imagined characters having threesomes.

I'd rather have a charming little book with hints of things abounding and instead get dirt about the late-nights from interviews with the Pack themselves and their close cohorts.

Therefore, if you think this is going to be like watching an old movie, think again. It's not; it doesn't have the charm because it's too focused on NOT the Rat Pack but rather on the author's desire to be in the naughty side of the Rat Pack (check out his picture on the jacket--Sinatra wannabe; I believe he's Eddie G.). In the fact it is not old fashioned, to people like me, it loses its charm--because, if you think about it, Rat Pack fans obviously like the old days, and if you were writing a book about the old days, you'd want to capture that spirit. This doesn't do it. Because of that, I'm hesitant to buy "Lucky Be A Lady, Don't Die".

So why three stars if it's too cynical, not that charming, and more of a "fanfic" sort of thing for the author to imagine himself alongside Sinatra and Dino? Well, because it's about the Rat Pack. The scenes with the Rat Pack are good ones, the little character ticks for the Clan are good, and the nods to things to come (see when a tipsy Dean predicts the fight between Kennedy/Peter and Sinatra) are good. In general, if you're a Rat Pack fan (since I'm writing this as a Rat Pack fan and a fan of the old days in general :) ), even if the writer's fantasties about what he wishes he could have been and disregard for the charm and spirit of the olden days code of public conduct bore you, you'll still get a smile reading a book that captures the boys well :) .

Frank, Mo Mo, and JFK.
The long and the short of it is that some Clyde is sending threatening notes to Dean Martin.

Dean is in town (the town being Las Vegas, 1960) with Frank, Sammy, Joey, and Peter to film the original OCEAN'S 11. Concerned for his friend's safety, Ol' Blue Eyes approaches Jack Entratter, the operator of the Sands, for help. Jack puts Frank onto Eddie Gianelli, a former Brooklyn street kid-turned CPA-now-turned pit boss, who knows everybody on The Strip.

As soon as Eddie G. starts asking questions, the bodies start piling up. After he's roughed up by a couple of torpedoes, Eddie starts taking it all very personally, and delves into his investigation with the passion (if not the professionalism) of Hercule Poirot.

Prolific thriller writer Robert J. Randisi has written a humorous and affectionate homage to the Era of the Rat Pack and to the vanished Sin City of the Fifties, where goombahs, celebrities, and everyday people lost fortunes, made fortunes and rubbed shoulders.

Bright and breezy though he is, Randisi is still writing Genre Noir and doesn't shy away from the drugs, hookers and shady deals that made (or make) up the seedy side of Las Vegas, but he doesn't obsess on them either. He is unsparing of the racism of the time: the outrage of some toward Sammy Davis Jr.'s impending marriage to Swedish actress May Britt, the mockery of Davis' Judaism, the disdain shown by white cops to a black detective, and the institutionalized segregation of Vegas are all mentioned in brief and summarily dismissed as ignorant by the diamond-in-the-rough Eddie, who blends with Casino owners, hitmen, showgirls, and The Boys quite comfortably, no matter what.

The Rat Pack and Friends (with cameo appearances by George Raft and then-Senator Jack Kennedy) move sparklingly across these pages. EVERYBODY KILLS SOMEBODY SOMETIME is a great poolside read. Brief, snappy chapters move the story right along. Just about as light and fluffy as a murder mystery can be, EVERYBODY KILLS SOMEBODY SOMETIME drips with ambience and that ring-a-ding-ding good feeling of the time.

The first in a new series, this little novel is a time capsule. Climb in and be transported.

You can almost hear ole Dean singing
Hey pallies! It's time to take a trip down memory lane to the glory days of the 1960's Sin City and go on a caper with the coolest cats who ever dunked their toes in the Sands Hotel and Casino swimming pool.

Yep, mystery writer Robert J. Randisi has started a new series featuring Las Vegas' beloved Rat Pack with Everybody Kills Somebody Sometime. The boys (Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr., Peter Lawford, and Joey Bishop) are in town to film their first movie together, Ocean's 11. But before filming starts, the guys are having a blast taking the Sands by storm with their on and offstage hijinks.

As the title indicates, Dean Martin is the cat with the problem. Frank Sinatra asks Sands boss Jack Entratter for some helping trying to figure out who is sending death threats to Dino. Jack calls in pit boss Eddie Gianelli, better known everyone in Vegas as Eddie G. Although the guys know Eddie G., Eddie is just another clyde ("clyde was Rat Pack-ese for anyone who wasn't part of their group.") but he's wired into everything that happens in Vegas. Eddie gets a leave of absence to play gumshoe--and that's when the fists begin to fly. Before all is said and done Eddie takes a savage beating and the bodies start to pile up.

Everybody Kills Somebody Sometime is a homage to the Rat Pack, an illustration of how star-struck our society is, including a social commentary on the racial period of the time, with a mystery thrown in for good measure. It's a wonderful take-me-to-the-pool read that sure to bring smiles to those old enough to remember the Pack's antics and a history of those hard partying days and nights.

Robert J. Randisi is the author of the Nick Delvecchio and Miles Jacoby series. He is the founder and executive director of the Private Eye Writers of America, the creator of the Shamus Award, and the cofounder of Mystery Scene magazine.

Armchair Interviews says: In case you didn't get the play on words for the title, one of Dean Martin's biggest hits was "Everybody Loves Somebody Sometime"--and you'll love this book!

Disappointing
Unlike the Rat Pack, this book does not deliver.It starts promisingly, but meanders along without focusing on the case at hand.That could have been an opportunity to paint a vivid picture of old Las Vegas, but no such luck.

The scenes with Pack members are best, but too few and seldom insightful.

Long conversations are depicted in glorious tedium.The characters' meal selections are listed, and character development gets left behind.

Worst, the "mystery" isn't.There is a too common practice among mystery writers: introduce the culprit early and cast no suspicion on him or her, then have them vanish while parading red herrings around in the hopes of getting the readers to forget them.Finally - haha! - look who it was.

'Sall I'm sayin'.

In fact, the whole resolution is a big gyp.Made me feel cheated.

This was one swingin' tale of mystery
I don't understand how this got by me when it was first published.... but I'm glad I found it here.Its a terrific tale of the Rat Pack at the apex of their fame in Vegas -- and the mystery ain't bad either. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (4)

"Women are meaner than men, Mr. G."
Las Vegas, 1960. The Sands Hotel. The Rat Pack's in town to attend the premier of "Oceans Eleven." Frank's latest squeeze, Mary Clarke, disappears. Hoping to find her, he turns to his friend, Eddie Gianelli, who has all of Vegas wired.

As soon as Eddie G. starts looking for Mary, he finds a trail of fresh blood with dead clydes strewn all along it like mile markers. He also finds Mary's sister, Lily, and finds himself in the middle of a---how shall we say it?---a small but pungent disagreement between mob boss Sam Giancana and a low-level soldier on his payroll.

The wisecracks fly as fast as the bullets in this novel, which, like Everybody Kills Somebody Sometime (Rat Pack Mysteries) is paced about as fast as a blackjack dealer's hands. Once again, Robert Randisi has written a noir light tale of murder, mystery and mayhem, this time centered around the darker side of life in that fondly-remembered Las Vegas of times gone by (CSI, eat yer heart out!) and The Chairman of The Board's legendary weakness for beautiful women. That was the world that was.

Great beach reading, LUCK BE A LADY, DON'T DIE never slows, and it never loses your interest either. With chapters as short as one page, Randisi tells his story in full-color live-action snapshots, and the only failing of this book is that it ends before you want it to. And that's the sign of A REALLY GOOD BOOK, pallie.

LUCK BE A LADY, DON'T DIE by Robert J. Randisi
Robert J. Randisi is one of the hardest working writers currently producing and his work is reliably entertaining, action-packed, and good fun. He has written a broad variety of popular fiction over his twenty-five year career--Westerns, mystery, action, and even horror. He reintroduced me to the Western early in the twenty-first century with his fine novel MIRACLE OF THE JACAL and downright wowed me with his police procedural ALONE WITH THE DEAD, the first of his impressive Joe Keough series, and now he's at his best with the latest Rat Pack novel, LUCK BE A LADY, DON'T DIE.

LUCK BE A LADY, DON'T DIE opens six months after the filming of the original Ocean's Eleven. Eddie Gianelli--Eddie G to his friends--is back at his post as a Sands pit boss when he learns his new friends, the Rat Pack, are expected back in town for the premier of the film. Eddie isn't expecting much so when Dean Martin summons him, Eddie is pleasantly surprised; and even more surprised when Martin asks him to help Frank with a problem. His new paramour, who was supposed to meet him in Vegas, has disappeared. Frank assigns New York heavy Jerry Epstein to watch Eddie's back again, and with good reason, because it doesn't take long for the body-count to rise and for Eddie to realize things are going to get a little personal.

LUCK BE A LADY, DON'T DIE is a terrific private-eye novel--Eddie G is a likable, hip, sarcastic, and tough protagonist. The supporting cast is strong. The New York import, Jerry Epstein--don't call him torpedo--is perfect. He brings a straight-faced humor to the story that elevates it well beyond the usual. And his appetite for pancakes and playing the horses is seemingly endless; in a good way.

The background characters--the Rat Pack, Sam Giancana, Jack Entratter--help create the glitzy, cool atmosphere of 1960s Vegas; you know, before it was dummed-down to Disneyland in the desert. The mystery is top-notch and there is more than one kink in the final pages. The reader, as well as Eddie G and his small gang, are in the dark until Randisi expertly reveals the intrigue.

LUCK BE A LADY, DON'T DIE is Randisi's best work since the Joe Keough novels, and if you like American-style mysteries, hip private eye stories, or just an entertaining and enjoyable read you can't do much better. And I hope Randisi has plans for one or two more of these.

Ben Boulden, Gravetapping

A super fun read by a fire or at beach
Hey pallies! Robert J. Randisi is back with the second in the Rat Pack Mysteries, Luck Be A Lady, Don't Die. The boys (Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr., Peter Lawford, and Joey Bishop) are back in Sin City for the premier of their first movie together, Ocean's 11. Dean's already arrived and is playing the Copa Room. Joey's in town get things ready, while Sammy, Peter, and Frank sneak in the front door via limos with tinted windows and a little hush money.

Sinatra has been stood up by a dame-and nobody stands up Sinatra. It's Dean's turn to help his pally, Frank, so Dean sends Eddie to see Frank and Frank asks Eddie G.--who is the Sands' pit boss and the most wired cat in Vegas--to help find the missing broad, who also happens to be canoodling mob boss Sam "MoMo" Giacomo.

First stop, home. Here Eddie G. finds a present from Dean- a New York muscle man Jerry Epstein, a.k.a. Jerry the Torpedo. Jerry is to stick by Eddie G. no matter what. Mainly because he's also protecting Mr. S's interests but after awhile, Jerry's also watches Eddie G.'s back because he and the two men become friends. Luck Be A Lady, Don't Die explores the theme of friendships and loyalties, whether Randisi meant to or not.

The dame who stood up Ol' Blue Eyes checked in at the Nugget so as not to draw too much attention to Frankie's oh-so-public affair with Juliet Prowse and his torch for Ava Gardner. But, by the time Eddie G., Jerry, and Eddie G.'s PI buddy Danny Bardini get there, she's long gone, leaving her unpacked bags in her hotel room and a little present in the bathtub. Eddie G. unravels the case of the missing dame, which is a lot more complex than not wanting to date the charming Mr. S.

Like Everybody Kills Somebody Sometime, Luck Be A Lady, Don't Die is a, to quote myself, "wonderful take-me-to-the-pool read that sure to bring smiles to those old enough to remember the Pack's antics and a history of those hard partying days and nights."

Armchair Interviews agrees.

homage to the Rat Pack
In 1960 during the filming of Ocean's 11, Sands casino pit boss Eddie Gianelli helped Dean Martin with a problem (see EVERYBODY KILLS SOMEBODY SOMETIME).So when the leader of the Rat Pack, Frank Sinatra tells Dino he has a problem, Dino suggests Eddie.

Frank explains to Eddie he has a female problem that has nothing to do with the two women the press connects him with.He asks Eddie to help him, but the pit boss cannot fathom what Frank is saying about the dames until finally he says the lady in question has vanished.Gianelli and his New York protector, Jerry Epstein search for the missing female as someone is bumping off people connected to the Rat Pack; Epstein assumes Mafia Don Sam Giancana is involved as money is the root of a potential gang war between the mob and the pack.

The key to the second Rat Pack crime caper is Robert J. Randisi's adoring homage of the members while also bringing them to life especially Frank this time.The story line is fast-paced while enabling the readers to meet the Rats up front and personal even as the original Ocean's 11 film is about to hit the big screen and an apparent mob war between a gang that uses real bullets and a group that uses Hollywood glitter seems imminent.The mystery is light but fun as it is more a mechanism for the readers to meet the rat Pack so that baby boomers and other fans of the recent Ocean's movies will enjoy LUCK BE A LADY, DON'T DIE.

Harriet Klausner
... Read more

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A Debt to the Dead

For Daniel Shaye and his boys, the law comes second, family first. So when a letter -- an urgent cry for help -- arrives from a woman who claims to be the mother of a child sired by Shaye's late son, Matthew, the former lawman and his clan saddle up and head out for Pearl River Junction.

The desperate young woman may not be telling the whole truth -- lying instead about her boy's parentage to get the Shaye guns behind her as protection from a cold killer and his bloodthirsty gang. There's a whirlwind of death and destruction blowing in, and now Dan and his sons are directly in its path. But Shaye taught his sons well to stand up for justice -- and that even a town full of strangers is worth fighting for . . . and dying for.

Customer Reviews (2)

Pretty good - way better than L'Amour
Good plot and action, way better than most westerns. I'll never read another Louis L'Amour book again. But Max Brand is still the best.

Riveting
I love this book. It is a classic western with lots of action from true heroes of the west.

Daniel Shaye and his sons, Thomas and James, respond to a woman who claims her son was fathered by Matthew Shaye, their deceased son and brother.

Intrigue surrounds the young mother dragging the Shayes further into danger. When outlaws threaten the town over the young mother, they can't help become involved.

One son died for his principals. Daniel doesn't want to lose another son but the choice is theirs, and law enforcement is in their blood.

In a swift and satisfying ending, the Shayes bring justice to the outlaws and find the answers to questions about Matthew.

Well done, Mr. Randisi. This is the first book of yours I have read and I can't say enough good things about it. ... Read more

Product Description
NYPD Detective Sergeant Dennis McQueen has his hands full with a very bizarre case. A series of dead bodies have been found, all frozenkilled by various methods, but disposed of in the same manner. Just a coincidence, or is there a serial killer at work? Things heat up when McQueen is sent to investigate a body found in the rubble of a fire and meets FDNY Fire Marshal Mason Willis. Willis is investigating it as an arson, but the medical examiners report makes it obvious that this is a case for McQueen. McQueen and Willis have no choice but to work together. Will even the combined efforts of the NYPD and the FDNY be able to stop the killeror killers? ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Another Randisi killer is on the loose

I got hooked on Robert J. Randisi's writing style when I reviewed the first of his Rat Pack series, Everybody Kills Somebody Sometime. So that meant that I needed to read everything he's written that's still in print. All but one of his titles at my local library were checked out, so I grabbed Cold Blooded before anyone else could snag it.

Cold Blooded features another Randisi-series protagonist, NYPD Detective Sergeant Dennis McQueen. When the first stiff, dead AND frozen, washes up on a Brooklyn beach, McQueen and his new partner, Detective Bailey Sommers, think it's odd, but it's just another murder in the city that never sleeps. McQueen's Lieutenant ships the case out of McQueen's hands and tries to convince McQueen to focus on breaking in Sommers who is new to the district and homicide.

McQueen reluctantly lets the case go, but when another and another pop up with the same MO, McQueen is sure that there is a serial killer loose in the borough. With warm weather, the body count dwindles and then picks up again when winter strikes, and it's as cold outside as the bodies that float.

In the last third of Cold Blooded, Randisi adds Owen Feinstein's point and view and lets the reader in on the mind of a murderer. The scene illustrating Feinstein's cruelty (scalding a small child's arms) is horrifying.

While finding the killer is center stage, Cold Blooded also deals with office politics, sexual harassment, and the need to follow your gut.

It was an easy read, however I was appalled at the number of typos in the text. I guess Cold Blooded is a testimony that publisher's need to re-hire proof readers.

Armchair Interviews says: If you like Randisi's other writing, you'll also like this book.

From our armchair to yours...

I basically love anything by this author
Randisi has done it again.

He has managed to write a police thriller that will keep you on your toes and make you feel as though the book should never end.

Although I thought that I had figured out the ending, it turns out that there are a few twists and turns in this one that I hadn't counted on.

Buy this book and enjoy an honest to goodness thriller. I have been really missing those lately. ... Read more

Product Description
The sheriff of Epitaph, Texas, Dan Shaye was a hard but just defender of the law -- a devoted husband and father who kept the truth about his violent past from the townfolk he protected. But then the hardcase Ethan Langer gang galloped into town looking to rob the local bank. And when they rode out again, Dan's beloved wife Mary was lying dead in the Texas dust.

Now the time has come for Daniel Shaye to leave Epitaph, maybe for good, with his three motherless adult sons at his side. For the only justice that will serve is going to come from a rifle or a rope -- as the four Shayes band together to uphold a new law ... called revenge. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Randisi the other mystery/western writer
There are many very good western writers.However when it comes to writers who write westerns and mysteries, the field get very small.It is a field that is dominated by Elmore. Robert Randisi ranks right up there with Elmore Leonard in both genres.Randisi's St. Louis mysteries are top notch as any you can find.Like Elmore he too writes westerns that are strong in characters and are well written.Randisi developes characters first and then uses them to drive the story.The Sons of Daniel Shaye is such an example.The plot to seek revenge for the death of the wife/mother is simple and is a classic staple in westerns. But Rondisi uses this chestnut to develope a coming of age/roadtrip type of story.Randisi takes his time to build the bonds between brothers and father with the Shayes and counter balances them with the Langer family[ three brothers and one "father"]The characters are fully developed and the reader gets to know each one.Randisi uses the road trip idea to discuss several themes, such as Why God let's things happen, Bonds between brothers, A father's duty to his son, and the morality of revenge along with the concept of a fitting punishment. Don't get me wrong, there are gun fights and shoot outs. This all sounds rather heavy, but in Randisi's hands the book moves swiftly and is not preachy. The reader can tell that Randisi has done this before because there are no wasted passages or slow spots.This is the begining on a series and one that I will definitly want to read.

Worth a read
Like many books by Robert Randisi this tale is dialogue driven. Due to this and short chapters of two or three pages in length this is an easy to read book.

There's not a lot of action until quite a way into the story but Randisi uses this to skillfully flesh out his characters, both good and bad.

The fact that not all the brothers hearts are into killing, instead of capturing and making the bank robbers stand trial, allows Randisi to include some thought provoking discussions on the right and wrongs of killing for vengeance and on the existance of God.

LEAVING EPITAPH is the first in what seems to be a trilogy and I am looking forward to reading the next two.

NEW ACTION PACKED SERIES-A MUST READ!!!!!
Epitaph Texas 1889. Ethan Langer and his gang were riding out of town at a full gallop after robbing the bank. Suddenly a woman appears in front of Ethan and he rides her down. The woman is Mary Shaye, wife of Sheriff Daniel Shaye. Now the hunt for Ethan takes on a vendetta for Daniel. Unable to find any willing townsmewn to help in the hunt for Ethan, Shaye deputizes his three sons, Thomas, James and Matthew. Now Daniel is on the trail of Ethan and his hard bunch with three inexperienced deputies. Shaye's sons learn more about their fathers past, even that at one time he himself rode the outlaw trail. Up north in South Dakota, Aaron Langer and his part of the gang had successfully robbed a bank and was now headed to Salina, Kansas where the two brothers and the gang were to meet and divide the money. Shaye and his sons along with the sheriff and his deputies had hopes of ending the career of both Langer brothers in Salina. Unknown to the lawmen, the Langer brothers and their Segundos were upstairs in the saloon when they were fired on by the gang members. Once the gunsmoke had cleared, the gang members lay dead or wounded while the Langers made their escape. Aaron heads to Nebraska while Ethan goes south to Oklahoma City. This forces Daniel to split with his sons. Shaye and James go north after Aaron while Thomas and Matthew follow Ethan south. The Shaye boys acted well in the saloon gun fight. But how will they react against two experienced outlaws with no back up except each other or Daniel? If Shaye's vendetta is successful, will he and his sons return to Epitaph and resume their duties as lawmen? THE SONS OF DANIEL SHAYE; LEAVING EPITAPH is a new ACTION PACKED series from Robert J Randisi that I hope to be reading about in the years to come.

Les ... Read more

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IS THE WIDOWMAKER THE GUN...OR THE MAN?

John Locke has been many things -- lawman, bounty hunter, gun-for-hire. And when it comes to shooting, he's a dead shot with a six-gun or a rifle. Legends abound in the Old West depicting him as both a pillar of justice and a cold-hearted killer. The only thing folks know for sure is that Locke's dangerous -- and not to be crossed unless you have more guts than brains.

Locke's been hired to serve as a bastonero, the Master of Ceremonies, at the hanging of Ignacio Delgado -- a deadly bandit leader who, with his bandidos, has terrorized the town of Fredericksburgh, Texas. But while the townspeople are eager to see him hang, and his men are equally anxious to set him free, Locke discovers there are unseen forces manipulating events so that the wrong man may end up dead -- the Widowmaker himself! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Very entertaining
John Locke has been hiding from his past and while doing so had become somewhat dependant on the bottle. Locke is a legend, has been a lawman, bounty hunter and a gun-for-hire, all in all a dangerous man to cross.

Locke finds himself hired to oversee the hanging of Ignacio Colon, leader of a group of bandits. The outlaw's gang are sure to try to free him. But there's much more to the job than that as Locke discovers. Seems there's more than just the bandits involved, unseen forces are manipulating events and Locke soon becomes unsure of who's friend or foe.

Like most of RJR's work this book moves forward at a rapid pace with the story very much dialogue driven. Again RJR has his hero a friend of Doc. Holliday who plays a part in this tale. The story builds to a dramatic final shoot-out that brings the book to a satisfying end.

If you like RJR's writing you're going to enjoy this book and, like me, be eager to read the next in the series, Turnback Creek.

A very entertaining read.

By the author of The Gunsmith
I received Robert J. Randisi's THE WIDOWMAKER #1 INVITATION TO A HANGING this morning. Started reading it at 9AM and just finished this 278 page book at 10:45AM.
If you don't buy any other western series book this month, get this one. It moves faster that any book that I've read in a loooong time. [I usually read about 2-3 books per week] While the characters don't seem to be totally fleshed out yet this series looks like it's going to be a winner, and I'm sure Robert will fill us in as he goes along. I'm hoping his publisher sees the same thing and keeps this excellent series going for a long time.

Steve Everett ... Read more

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On the run from the assassins who murdered his family, Ty Butler found a new way to survive: with a few good hands, a loaded gun, and a little luck. But lying low and keeping out of his hunters' gunsights is getting harder to do since he started earning a serious rep at the poker table—and especially now that he's made some new friends . . . named Wyatt Earp, Bat Masterson, and Doc Holliday.

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Customer Reviews (3)

Great story; enjoyable mystery
I highly recommend this mystery "You're Nobody 'Til Somebody Kills You". The book is full of action as pit boss Eddie G. describes how he and his bodyguard/friend investigate Marilyn's belief that she is being followed as well as the disappearance of Eddie's private detective friend Danny. I have enjoyed reading the other Rat Pack mysteries by this author, but this one was my favorite. This series takes you back in time and gives you an inside look at hanging out with Frank, Dean, and Sammy. This installment in particular was interesting and really touching. Marilyn Monroe was portrayed in this book as sweet and vulnerable and the characterization was so vivid that I felt sad when some of the inevitable events took place in the end.

If you haven't read the earlier books in the series, you are missing out on other great reads, but you will still be able to follow and enjoy this book. Don't miss the author's note at the end which gives an interesting bit of information about Marilyn Monroe's house. It also talks about the character Detective Stanze that was named after real life police office Robert Stanze who was killed in the line of duty in St. Louis.

I really enjoyed this book and hope that Eddie's adventures continue in future books.

"No relation."
YOU'RE NOBODY 'TIL SOMEBODY KILLS YOU is Robert Randisi's fourth Rat Pack Mystery. The title is a take-off on a popular song, but it's also a comment on the price of fame. While Randisi never waxes philosophical in these books, YOU'RE NOBODY 'TIL SOMEBODY KILLS YOU has a strong undercurrent of retrospection.

This is a lightning read, comic, colorful, and very entertaining. It's one weak spot is it's ending, a deux ex machina reprised from an earlier Rat Pack Mystery. Considering that this weak spot is on the second-to-last page, and that it works, I'll give Randisi a pass, this time, anyway. I read the book through in one sitting, and didn't lift my eyes from print once until page 77.

Unlike the previous entries in this series, YOU'RE NOBODY 'TIL SOMEBODY KILLS YOU hardly takes place in Las Vegas. Instead, Eddie Gianelli and his pancake-addicted sidekick, the good-natured killer-for-hire Jerry Epstein, spend most of their time in Los Angeles (and a few days in Brooklyn).

Dean Martin asks Eddie G to look after Marilyn Monroe, who, after filming THE MISFITS, is wracked with misplaced guilt for being the cause of Clark Gable's death, and is seemingly awash in paranoia, convinced that she's being followed. Nobody is taking Marilyn very seriously. She's "fragile," and Eddie is expecting to do little more than to reassure her.

When Eddie G has to leave Los Angeles for a few days to attend his mother's funeral, he leaves his friend, Private Investigator Danny Bardini, in charge of Marilyn. Eddie's Brooklyn venture is disastrous as he comes face-to-face with his severely dysfunctional family. He leaves Brooklyn right after his mother's funeral, vowing never to return.

Family being so central to many Italian-Americans, and knowing that Randisi is a Brooklyn native who now lives in St. Louis, I had to wonder if something autobiographical doesn't lurk in these pages. Being a Brooklyn boy myself, I was saddened that Eddie G's recollections of life in Brooklyn were so overwhelmingly negative. Maybe Randisi needs to reintroduce Eddie to Brooklyn, sans his Gianelli connections.

Upon returning home to Las Vegas, Eddie is greeted by the news that Danny has disappeared and so he sets out for LA to find Danny. In company with Jerry and Marilyn Monroe, Eddie G soon discovers that there is far more to Marilyn's fears than he'd ever wanted to know.

Randisi doesn't shy away from the sexual Marilyn Monroe in these pages, but he draws her sympathetically, as a lonely, good-natured beautiful girl who likes to cook and watch TV, drifting in a sea of predatory males. Close contact with "the real" Marilyn Monroe destroys "the fantasy" Marilyn Monroe for Eddie, Jerry, and the other men who truly get to know her.

In the end, YOU'RE NOBODY 'TIL SOMEBODY KILLS YOU is all about family, and those we've loved and lost. Eddie G can't file a missing person's report on Danny Bardini until he identifies himself as Danny's cousin; Eddie is both sorrowful and angry about the way he's treated by his Brooklyn relatives; Marilyn becomes "like my kid sister"; the Rat Pack is a band of brothers; Jerry is Eddie's "best friend"; Vegas is "home." Even a secondary character, LAPD Captain Stanze, is named at the request of a Randisi and Rat Pack fan for a St. Louis police officer, her brother, sadly killed in the line of duty. It seems we may all be nobody until life takes us away from one another. Then, like Marilyn Monroe, we become icons.

The fact that this is a roaring good read doesn't hurt either.

fun Rat Pack tale
In 1962 in Las Vegas, the Rat Pack turns to Sands Hotel pit boss Eddie Gianelli to get them out of embarrassing situations as he has done for them before (see HEY THERE, YOU WITH THE GUN IN YOUR HAND).Dean Martin asks Eddie to help a remorseful and frightened Marilyn Monroe; the sex symbol fears she drove Clark Gable to an early grave during the shooting of The Misfits while also believes someone is stalking her.

Dino further explains MM is a child in a woman's body so suggests he treat her as such.Eddie investigates Marilyn's claim of being followed.Soon he runs into some nasty thugs though neither he nor his associates can figure out who these punks work for and why Miss Monroe is the target.He detours to the East Coast while one of Eddie's buddies P.I Danny Bardini vanishes and the other Jerry is beaten and has to be hospitalized at a time when JFK is coming to Palm Springs allegedly to see Frank.

This is a fun Rat Pack tale as the expatriate Brooklyn dodger Gianelli once again protects the extended "family" of the famous drinking buddies.The story line is fast-paced, but predominantly focuses on Eddie and his two associates as they protect the eldritch like Miss Monroe from her troubles; many of which are in her head.The Rat Pack mostly plays cameo roles, but fans of the series know that they will relish another fine historical mystery as the Brooklyn Bums continue to take star billing over the Rat Pack in Vegas.

Harriet Klausner
... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Enjoyable western by a master professional
The protagonist is Lancaster ,a hired gunman who makes a clear moral distinction between that andbeing a killer for hire and so rejects a generous fee offered by a Big Bend ,Kansas "businesssman",Hannibal Kane to kill a man .The intended victim does not know this and confronts Lancaster and is killed in the resultant shootout.Unfortunately ,so too is a small girl caught in the crossfire .Lancaster is haunted by her death and in particular her startlingly blue eyes .He is wracked by guilt for the accodent and embarks upon a downward spiral which sees him workingin a saloon in Dunworthy ,Texas and earning a reputation as the town drunk.
One morning he witnesses the arrival of the new teacher and her small daughter Alicia who reminds hin so forcefully of the dead child that he becomes obsessed with her and with preventing a malign fate befalling her.The teacher and Alicia are fleeing her husband/father an abusive millionare namedDelaware who has engaged the services of a professional tracker Josiah Alton to track them down .Lancaster is too late to save the life of the mother but kills Alston and goes on the run with Alicia pursued by a posse headed by Delaware ,two of his hirelings ,and a reluctant contingent of townsman from Dunworthy ,including its sheriff .
Lancaster becomes fixated on the idea of taking the child to Big Bend and uniting the bereaved nother and the bereaved child in a kind of instant family .
The narrative cuts between Lancaster and Alicia between whom a real bond is forming and their pursuersmany of whom cordially detest their employer.The chase takes in encounters with ladies of the night and a wagon train of pilgrims heading West and matters climax in Big Bend where Lancaster must deall with Delaware and a hired gunman set upon him by Kane .
This is a propulsively told Western with just a faint hint of the supernatural and a strongly redemptive theme as Lancaster is seeking atonement for his involvement in the death of the child in Kansas amnd it is implied that it may have become a life quest ,one going beyond even the circumstances of the present case.It also brings out the role of women in the Western as most are either soiled doves or teachers but it is made clear that even the roughest and most mercenary of men will not tolerate an abuser of woman in the society of the west
It is briskly told in snappy dialogue heavy prose and is thoroughly professional in its telling and is recommended to all -not simply genre devotees -who enjoy a brisk tale well told ... Read more

Product Description
Beaten and left to die in the Nevada desert without weapons or a horse, Lancaster’s only hope is a sorry-looking horse he finds, nothing more than crow bait. But that crow bait will not only help Lancaster make it to town, he’ll also help him track down the men who left him to die. ... Read more

Product Description
A penniless Russian baron has made his way west byputting his pedigreed killing practices to work, but in the eyes of the law, all men are equal, and Decker the bounty hunter is going to make sure the Baron faces American justice. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

HAS DECKER MET HIS MATCH??????
This is another book about Decker the bounty hunter. I think this is the fourth one. They have all been good.
The Baron comes from Russia, is good with a rifle, knife or pistol, does not matter to him. He is a hired killer, he makes one mistake and a wanted poster is issued. Decker is on his trail. The Baron now goes by the name of Brand and lives in a town where no one know who he is. He is tipped off that Decker is looking for him by a Sheriff looking to make money for himself.
The Baron and Decker finally meet and the book has a very good ending.
This is a fast read, full of action and will hold you attention. If you enjoy a good western I think you will like this one. I have read a lot of Robert J Randisi Books and have not been disapointed in any of them.

VERY GOOD AT WHAT HE DOES--POSSIBLY THE BEST


BOUNTY ON A BARON is one book in a series of westerns that Robert J. Randisi wrote approximately 20 years ago.So far Leisure Book Westerns has reprinted three others of this series as well:DOUBLE THE BOUNTY (1987) republished August, 2008; THE LAWMAN (1987) republished December, 2008; and BEAUTY AND THE BOUNTY (1988) republished June, 2009; with possibly more of the series to appear in coming months.

The books all have as main character a man named Decker who makes his living as a bounty hunter.As we follow Decker's life and adventures from book-to-book we find him to be very much a realist, one who does what he does very well, strictly for the bounty to make a living.Yet he always hopes to find his bounty innocent of the charges listed on the wanted poster, so in some ways he is also a romantic as most of the bounty posters turn out only too accurate.In line with this thinking, though it seldom if ever happens, we find that Decker would prefer to bring his quarry in alive rather than dead.

In this particular book, if not taken note of in previous books, we learn that Decker "wished he was a more competent shot with a six gun.".And one of the trademarks of his identity is "a cut-down shotgun (double barreled) in a special holster.".Also he carries a hangman's noose attached to his saddle to keep his mind focused, yet that is another story that unfolds as one reads these books by Mr. Randisi.

Decker has a few intimates but mostly he travels alone living a solitary life, always on the move, going wherever the trail of his next bounty takes him.He is an intellignet and interesting man living out a very dangerous existence albeit an interesting one.The Decker books are smoothly written, offering satisfying storylines with both occassional humor and wit, and can be quickly read by most readers.

Being an admirer of the western story for years, I feel confident most other enjoyers of the western novel will also find them interesting as well.Great stories written by a great contemporary writer.

Semper Fi.

A good read

Justice is blind, or at least it's supposed to be.

Randisi writes a thrilling tale of justice and bounty hunting.The Baron, a cultured killer with a big reputation, comes up against Decker, who wants to see justice done, either at the end of a noose, or barrel of a gun.

Good writing with enough action to keep the pages turning and your inner camera running.Clint Eastwood would make a great Decker!

Tim Lasiuta ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

DECKER, BOUNTY HUNTER


Any book by this author falls within the range of 4 to 5 stars, always. I've been receiving 4 books each month in the Leisure Western Book Club for years, with Leisure republishing older books as well as new releases, with these 1987-88 books from R. J. Randisi being reprints.

However, that does not detract from readers of today who didn't get the chance to read them back then.To date there have been 3 books reprinted, DOUBLE THE BOUNTY (8/2008), THE LAWMAN (12/2008), and this one BEAUTY AND THE BOUNTY (6/2009). There may possibly be a couple more that Leisure Westerns may offer in the future.

This book finds Decker spending most of his time living in a hotel owned by a friend with most of his expenses covered.Decker is more grounded in this one staying in San Francisco for most of the book, with action being a bit slower in coming than in the other two books.This time he is on the trail of an attractive, elusive, female con artist, and a strange twist is, without one sister knowing of Decker's interest in her sister, offers to pay Decker to find her! Besides this venture several other items capture Decker's attention, like staying alive in San Francisco for one, with one heck of a brawl at novel's ending.Great reading.

One thing builds into another making this another light, but fine read from one of the better western authors writing today.If you are looking for a quick, absorbing western read, you are advised to try any of these books by Robert Randisi.He never fails to offer great reading.

Semper Fi.

Reprint
NOTICE:This book is a reprint of the original printed under Randisi's Joshua Randall name, #3 in The Bounty Hunter Series, Beauty And The Bounty, January 1988.
Publisher was Paperjacks.
The reprint is by Leisure Books and the order book does not indicate it's a reprint, but the copyright date is listed as 1988.
Apparently Leisure Books is reprinting all five of the old series and Decker is the main character.
Stupid me, I've bought all three so far and keep forgetting.
Norm ... Read more

Product Description

Louis L'Amour leads off this powerful collection with a stunning tale featuring his legendary Texas Ranger Chick Bowdrie. Here, too, are superb, action-packed entries from today's outstanding Western storytellers -- distinguished award winners as well as daring newcomers, including

Peter Brandvold· Randy Lee Eickhoff· Marcus Galloway· Ed Gorman· Elmer Kelton· Rod Miller· Robert J. Randisi· James Reasoner· Dusty Richards· Troy D. Smith· L. J. Washburn

Edited by renowned author and anthologist Robert J. Randisi, Lone Star Law spans the existence of this elite investigative law enforcement agency. From fending off hostile Comanche to tracking serial killers, from aiming Winchesters and Colt revolvers to firing up laptops and state-of-the-art forensics technology, from targeting rustlers and outlaw gangs to leading harrowing hostage negotiations, the men and women who don the badge and white hat of the Texas Ranger stand as steadfast deliverers of American justice -- the Lone Star way. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Texas Tales
This is another of the believable and somewhat history lessen of the Great state of Texas.

Peter Brandvold's Ghost Colts
This book contains several short stories, but the only one that I've read so far is Peter Brandvold's "Ghost Colts."I tried to read a couple others, but they didn't do anything for me, and I aborted them.Ghost Colts is an unusal - and erie, western tale about a Texas Ranger who finds himself in a small town inhabited by townsfolk - who aren't exactly what they seem.I enjoyed this spooky yarn very much, and plan to read it again.It alone was worth the cost of the book. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (3)

Hey There (You with the Gun in your Hand): A Rat Pack Mystery
A great story!!Hey There (You with the Gun in your Hand): A Rat Pack Mystery, by Robert J. Randisi, is a great story that takes place in the Las Vegas of the 1960s. Sammy Davis, Jr. is being bribed for a photo that he took as part of his new photography hobby.The roll of film was stolen from his house, and Sammy cannot even remember what photo on that roll was so important that somebody would bribe him for it.
Eddie Gianelli is a casino floor supervisor during the Las Vegas heyday of the 1960s.Some of his acquaintances include Las Vegas' famous Rat Pack----Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Joey Bishop and Sammy Davis, Jr.Eddie won the reputation as a problem solver based on a previous case he worked for the Rat Pack.He receives a personal invitation from Big Frank himself to help Sammy when someone is bribing him.Eddie's friend Jerry, a freelance hood from New York, travels to Vegas to help Eddie.
The identity of the blackmailer is unknown.Eddie's task is to meet the blackmailer at a remote location and buy the photo, Jerry is much-more street wise than Eddie, and helps him plan some of the details and the contacts as they go to meet the blackmailers. Unfortunately, at the first meeting, the man that Eddie and Jerry go to meet is dead when they arrive. Eddie and Jerry wind up with more problems than they bargained for.A second group is also looking for the photo and for Eddie by default.Eddie and Jerry continue running and searching, with a bit of Dino, Frank and Sammy in between.As the plot unfolds, the photo turns out to be of someone VERY important, this really makes a great climax for the novel.
The early book reads in a narration style similar to Noire.I could hear the narration in my head as I read.The style is very entertaining, especially with a bribery and mobster story.Later though, afterthe background of the bribery case is developed, the plot turns more into action than narration.Eddie and Jerry run through a lot of action they solve the case.
Although billed as a Rat Pack story, the novel is really about Eddie Gianelli solving the bribery crime.If you are not a fan of the Rat Pack, you will still enjoy the novel.Rat Pack lovers will enjoy the book because it involves the rat pack, and because it is a good story.
On a side note, the novel opens and closes in current time at the Rat Pack tribute act at the Greek Isles Casino in Las Vegas.I saw the show in 2006, and I loved it.

"We'll make a thug outta ya yet, Mr. G."
Robert Randisi revisits the Rat Pack in HEY THERE, YOU WITH THE GUN IN YOUR HAND, the third in the Rat Pack Mysteries series.

In HEY THERE, YOU WITH THE GUN IN YOUR HAND, Sammy Davis Jr. calls on the ever-dependable Brooklyn-born Eddie Gianelli, former street kid-turned-CPA-turned-Sands pit boss-turned-Vegas Strip Go To Guy for the Rat Pack. It seems that somebody has gotten ahold of an embarrassing photograph taken by Sammy, the kind of photo that could torpedo not only his career, but the aspirations of a Very Important Person who has just started his new job in the year 1961.

Eddie has tripped across more than his share of dead guys in the series so far, and here he trips across even more, but he's developing a real sang-froid in dealing with the stiffs, the cops, the strongarm boys, the celebrities, the pimps, the hookers, the con artists, and the other denizens of Sodom-in-the-Desert. This includes his demanding boss at the Sands Hotel, Jack Entratter, who he mostly keeps out of the loop in this particular tale. Part of Eddie's cool is his right hand man and friend, Jerry Epstein, a New York hitman par excellence, but a good bit of it is his own comfort in being able to move easily and unobtrusively between the seediest and glitziest that Vegas has to offer. Eddie has the town wired. No longer tongue-tied and star-struck, he's even able to cope with kissing Marilyn Monroe, and is becoming a truly effective fixer.

Just like Everybody Kills Somebody Sometime (Rat Pack Mysteries)and Luck Be a Lady, Don't Die: A Rat Pack Mystery (Rat Pack Mysteries), HEY THERE, YOU WITH THE GUN IN YOUR HAND is a light, breezy, and easy visit to the circa 1960 Las Vegas of mobsters, molls, guys and dolls, a sunny day beach blanket special. You might just strain your thumb and forefinger turning the pages in this quick moving tale, some chapters of which are measured in short paragraphs. Hopefully, Randisi will run with this series for several more volumes. By then, who knows? Maybe Eddie G.'ll be the Mayor of Sin City.

zany Rat Pack historical thriller
In 1961 Vegas, Sammy Davis Jr. knows that Sands Casino pit boss Eddie Gianelli has come to the aid of his Rat Pack pals (see Dean Martin's tale EVERYBODY KILLS SOMEBODY SOMETIME and Frank Sinatra in LUCK BE A LADY, DON'T DIE).Since he needs help and knows he can trust Eddie, he hires him to make an exchange with a blackmailer.Someone broke into Sammy's home, stealing an embarrassing career ending photo and now wants 25 grand for its return.

Eddie and his friend Jerry Epstein show up at the exchange point only to find a corpse with no photo.The pit boss and his buddy find themselves in a cat and mouse game across Nevada with blackmailers, cops, FBI and high ranking DC politicians though neither the two friends on the lam can understand why Hoover or the White House seem to be in on the chase.

Once again as with the previous two Rat Pack historical thrillers, Robert J. Randisi paying homage by making his real players come to life especially the entertainers whom the author clearly thinks highly of.The story line is zany and a bit over the top, but no one will care as the Rat Pack steals the show in spite of Eddie and Jerry's excellent adventure.

Harriet Klausner
... Read more

Product Description
The bounty hunter known only as Decker is hot on the trail of a crooked sheriff, but a band of outlaws dogging his every step won’t make the catch easy. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Previously distributed in 1987
Just information:
This book was previously printed in 1987 under one of Randisi's other names, specifically Joshua Randall, as The Bounty Hunter #2: The Lawman, printed by Paperjacks.
This reprint is by Leisure books and the sales catalog did not mention
it was a reprint.After I bought the book, it did mention bounty hunter
Decker and that led me to check the dates.It showed the copyright date
of 1978.
I just happened to have the original book (it's listed on Amazon).I did enjoy all the Bounty Hunter books, so this is a good Western if you haven't read the original.
Norm ... Read more

Product Description
When the abused wife of a brutal—but popular—man finally kills him, his friends in town want to try her for murder. Only Lancaster, a gunman who found the wife with the dead man’s body, is willing to fend off the townspeople and keep her alive and insure she sees a fair trial. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

RETURN OF LANCASTER


The year is 1885 when Lancaster arrives on the outskirts of a town named Gallows. Wanting only to water his horse, he kills 3 men, all brothers, with another murdered brother inside the house.The murdered brother's wife is being ruffed up by the 3 men Lancaster kills and she believes, though is not certain, that she murdered her husband, the man inside the house.So begins a tale that could see both Lancaster and Liz Burkett swing from a hangman's noose.

The town of Gallows is controlled by a crooked, somewhat egomanical judge, and as fate would have it all four dead men are his sons.No one in the town has much caring for either the judge or his recently departed sons, yet they all fear going against the judge.The only attorney Lancaster can use is a man whom the judge hates.What a plot, one that will keep most western readers turning the pages, especially when the writer is Robert J. Randisi. Mr Randisi is the equal of any of the 'ole time' western writers, his books would find favor now as well 'back then'.They fit right in, between the Ernest Haycox and Luke Short westerns on my shelves.If you enjoy westerns this is an author and a book you will no doubt enjoy.

Read on, pards.

Semper Fi. ... Read more

Product Description

When legendary gunfighter John Locke is hired to ride shotgun on a fat payroll wagon bound for Turnback Creek, Montana, it's more than a job. It's a chance to reunite with his old riding partner, ex-Marshal Dale Cooper. The pair go back a ways, and though Coop no longer wears a badge, he wants to hit the trail one more time. But the going is not easy. There are sidewinders in the shadows, ready to pilfer the loot for themselves.

Once they get to the ramshackle town, the trouble really starts, as the pair must make a perilous trek to the remote mining camp itself, with death lurking behind every boulder and crevice. Armed with hot lead, cold steel, and an iron will, Locke and Cooper know that in this fight, there will be no winners -- only survivors. But Locke soon learns that the true danger lies closer than he thought. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Worth a look
When legendary gunfighter John Locke is hired to ride shotgun on a fat payroll wagon bound for Turnback Creek, Montana, it's more than a job. It's a chance to reunite with his old riding partner, ex-Marshal Dale Cooper. But it's not going to be an easy ride as there are sidewinders in the shadows, ready to pilfer the loot for themselves. As the perilous trek to the remote mining camp begins, death is lurking behind every boulder and crevice and Locke and Cooper know that in this fight, there will be no winners - only survivors...

Like many of Randisi's books, this novel is dialouge driven and has little action at the beginning as the plot and characters are developed. Due to short chapters (two or three pages long) and that much of the book is short lines of speech this is a very easy, and fast, read.

The plot builds well to its exciting ending, throwing in a few twists along the way.

John Locke makes for an interesting hero - although at times I did start imagining him as Randisi's other major western hero, Clint Adams, The Gunsmith, so alike are they.

So for fans of The Gunsmith this is a must read and I'd also say that most western fans will find this an entertaining read.

Shame that this book is the final story about The Widowmaker, as Pocket cancelled its westerns without publishing the advertised third book in the series. I'd have liked to see how John Locke would have
developed.
... Read more

Product Description

Unfortunately, Randisi's characters are shallowly drawn, the plot dully incoherent, the denouement astonishingly nonsensical. The reader looking for well-written Midwestern mysteries with a tinge of political graft would be far better advised to turn to Sara Paretsky's V.I. Warshawski series (Tunnel Vision, Blood Shot). One hopes that Blood on the Arch is a momentary aberration, and that Randisi's next foray into authorship will better fulfill his dedication to the private-eye genre. --Kelly Flynn ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

AWESOME!!!
This is another masterpiece of Randisi's! I really love these books and am sorry to have them end...as far as the character Joe Keough is concerned. He is a great character and I have looked forward to seeing what kind of things life is going to throw at him. He has real life problems. He worries about his health, his partners, love life, friends and the all the victims in his cases. It is great to see how it all unfolds. It is an easy read! Not saying that it is not an adult book but it is very easy to get into and keep you into. I didn't want to put it down just like all the others. I love these books and wish there were more. One this I will put out, there that I was not aware of when I purchased this book is that, Blood on the Arch and Arch Angels are the exact same book! I purchased them both thinking that I was getting two different books but I found out once I got them home that they are exactly the same Blood on the Arch is the soft back and Arch Angels is the hard back. This is so that no one else make the same mistake that I did. But don't let that stop you from enjoying even loving the book and the character!

Tried a little too hard
to make this hard to figure out until it lost some of its credibility.A simpler plot line would have worked better.However, it's still fairly entertaining.If you're a knowledgable mystery reader,you'll probably figure it out anyway.

Pretty Good
Robert Randisi is a good writer.I've enjoyed all his books,and "Blood on the Arch"is no exception.I read the book in 2 days.Joe Keogh is an interesting character.Short chapters,lots of conversations-what more couldyou ask for?Ha!

Fast moving....but
Blood on the Arch had a very interesting, and at times, complicated mystery about it.What I particularly enjoyed about the book was Detective Joe Keough's desire to solve the murders.It was refreshing to read abouta character who thought more about his job (solving the murders), than hisown career (the harrasment suit). The one big downside to the book revolvedaround its ending.The author never goes into any detail regarding why themurders were taking place.He does talk about the land developmentopportunities, but it was few and far between.

This is the first bookthat I have read in the Detective Joe Keough series, I just hope that thenext one is a little more developed than this one.

good read
Although Detective Joe Keough has worked in St. Louis for less than a year, he has attained the reputation as the city police force's number one homicide cop. After stopping a gruesome serial killer, Joe is a hero on apar with home run slugger Mark McGuire.

Joe's latest case takes him tothe Gateway Arch where he finds the bludgeoned body of the personresponsible for his new home and job in St. Louis. Joe deeply believes heowes it to Mark Drucker to solve the case by bringing the murderer tojustice. Joe quickly realizes he knows very little about his mentorincluding how Mark earned his money. As Joe digs for clues and answers,another homicide directly linked to the Drucker case occurs. Keough slowlywades through the city's movers and shakers determined to uncover the trutheven as his inquiries leave some individuals very nervous about what thepersistent detective will learn.

Robert J. Randisi has written anelectrifying police procedural novel that will makes fans of the sub-genreextremely happy with this special work. BLOOD ON THE ARCH moves at a veryrapid pace, with many delightful red herrings interwoven into the plot tofool Joe and the audience. Though the subplot about his health bringsreaders closer to the Joe, the protagonist is clearly a maverick whofollows his own moral beliefs when it conflicts with the rules. This, inturn, leaves readers wondering about the enigmatic Joe and wanting moretales to learn more about his past and present motivations.

HarrietKlausne ... Read more