Reviews for Bloody Mary (Jacqueline "Jack" Daniels Series #2)

The average rating for Bloody Mary (Jacqueline "Jack" Daniels Series #2) based on 2 reviews is 3.5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2011-05-30 00:00:00 Stephen Newland J.A. Konrath (aka Jack Kilborn) writes unhinged, serial-murdering nutbagaloons as good as anyone in crime/mystery and that's what elevates this series above just another standard "also ran" of the genre. His bad guys jar you with their killings. They torture. They mutilate. They dismember. They even EAT . They are designed to shock and they do their job proficiently, while Konrath enthusiastically delivers color commentary on the festivities like a hometown football announcer hopped up on caffeine. The killer in this one is several shades of sicko worse than "The Gingerbread Man" from Whiskey Sour, which is saying something. Our psycho du jour suffers from debilitating headaches that only moderate after he has savagely ripped apart a human being, which he seriously loves to do. Add to this personality quirk that our mental case has a deep-seated hatred for our main character and the stage is set for another tension-filled, gruesome murder investigation. Beyond that, this is an entertaining but very formulaic, garden-variety crime series with an engaging, but stereo-typical protagonist in the form of smart, hard-working, no frills Chicago homicide detective Jacqueline "Jack" Daniels. Jack is certainly likeable, but I wouldn't tune in just to see what she's up to as she constantly strives to balance her 80+ hour work weeks with some semblance of a social life with her very understanding boyfriend. This series isn't about the main character like it in when I pick up the next Matt Scudder novel by Lawrence Block or Burke novel by Andrew Vachss. The Jack Daniels mysteries, so far at least, have all been about the bad guys. Along with Jack and the truly excellent villains, the story includes a host of your usual genre staples: * The overweight, good-natured partner with the heart of gold; * The politically incorrect coroner making inappropriate stiff jokes; * Healthy doses of police procedural and witness interrogations; * Cat and mouse shenanigans between the cops and the killer; * The career-minded DA looking for the next high profile case; and * The lewd, shady ex-cop turned private investigator that seems to alternate between friend and foe. Of course, even the to the standard fare, Konrath drops in his own little touches of depravity like the mild-mannered, corpse-banging mortician. You know, just to spice things up with a little kink. Overall, this is a fun, fast, well written thriller, with some mood-lightening humor that is kept a cut above standard by the exceptional "nightmare-inducing" bad guys Konrath inflicts on us. The man has problems and I am a fan. 3.5 stars. Recommended.

Review # 2 was written on 2016-10-20 00:00:00 John Wilson I really enjoyed the first Jack Daniels book, but this one hit it big time! Maybe it's because so much more happens in Jack's life this time, or maybe it's because the bad guy is seriously bad! Whatever the reason, this story is "cooking with gas". An ex-husband, a boyfriend, a former partner, and a mortician with seriously bad behavior. This book also has a perfect example of why I'm a dog person. I really like Jack. In many ways, she reminds me of my other favorite policewoman, Eve Dallas.