Holland Taylor Mystery Series by David Housewright
Holland Taylor Mystery #1
Penance
David Housewright
Intrigue runs deep when Minnesota detective Holland Taylor uncovers murder, blackmail, and politics all wrapped up with a gubernatorial race involving people from his past, but it is not until a murder hits close to home that he begins to play tough. Reprint. AB. PW. "From Publishers WeeklyMurder intrudes on a Minnesota political campaign in this first outing for St. Paul PI Holland Taylor. A former cop, Taylor is suspected of murdering a drunk driver who killed his wife and child four years ago. Hunting the murderer to clear his own name, he latches onto the gubernatorial campaign of Carol Catherine "C.C." Monroe, a telegenic legislator whose rise began shortly after the mysterious hit-and-run death of an opponent. Apparently on the verge of upsetting two veteran politicos, Monroe is vulnerable: she once made an intimate videotape with her boyfriend, and now blackmailers may be after her. When a likable young Monroe campaign worker learns something dangerous and pays with her life, Taylor finds himself on a truly sordid trail. Some impressive tough-guy sass emerges from the narrating Taylor, and Housewright, a former newspaper reporter, has an intriguing, darkly pessimistic take on American politics and media. But long monologues and a weakness for preaching bog the story down and, in the end, Taylor is more narcissistic than interesting. Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. From BooklistJoe Sherman was the other driver when St. Paul private eye Holland Taylor's wife and child were killed in an automobile accident. Sherman was drunk at the time of the accident, did prison time, and was recently released. Now he's dead, and Taylor is the most likely suspect. Sherman's death turns out to be linked to Taylor's current case, involving state representative and gubernatorial candidate Carol Catherine Monroe, who is being blackmailed by an old boyfriend. Taylor is hired to pay the ransom and secure the tape, but when he arrives at the drop site, the blackmailer is dead. As the bodies pile up, Taylor discovers the link between Monroe and the late Joe Sherman, solves the case, and gets himself off the suspect list. This is a surprisingly accomplished first novel with a likable everyman protagonist and a clever plot. The dialogue sags once in a while, and there are a couple of extraneous subplots, but most readers will find these faults minor and will look forward to Taylor's next case. Wes Lukowsky
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Holland Taylor Mystery #2
Practice to Deceive
David Housewright
Housewright's Edgar Award-winning first novel, Penance, introduced readers to Holland Taylor, a wisecracking, cynical ex-cop turned PI. Now Taylor takes on a shocking embezzlement case that puts millions of dollars, the reputations of the city's most powerful people--and even Taylor's own life--on the line... "Housewright follows up his Edgar-winning debut with a greased lightning tale of scam and counterscam."-- Kirkus Reviews"A colorful cast of characters."-- Cleveland Plain Dealer"Excellent."-- Nevada Barr"Clever...believable...lively."-- Philadelphia Inquirer****Amazon.com ReviewAt first, reading about Holland Taylor might seem like déjà vu. He's a former cop turned private detective; he has an African American associate who covers his back, a high-level friend on the police force, and a smart lady who tries to keep him on the straight path. He also practices martial arts, brews exotic coffee, and favors a special brand of local beer. But author David Housewright isn't doing a Spenser rip-off; he's just having fun telling a good story while ringing a few changes on Robert Parker. Taylor works out of Minnesota's Twin Cities, a long way from Spenser's Boston, and Housewright's plot is as open-faced as his genial homage. Asked by his father to help an 85-year-old neighbor recover the life savings stolen from her by an oily investment counselor, Taylor uses a cross-dressing computer genius to harass the swindler. Things quickly turn nasty and lots of shots are fired--some are deadly. Housewright's Edgar Award-winning first book about Taylor, Penance, is available in paperback. From Library JournalBrian Emerson returns with a deadpan Dragnet reading as Holland Taylor. This PI caper opens with a series of trite high school pranks as Hollands first attempt to squeeze out the embezzler of elderly Mrs. Gustafsons life savings. Millions of dollars and the reputations of high-profile Twin Cities citizens are at stake as a hired gun stalks Holland and key suspects Levering and Amanda Field. Housewright does a meager job of characterizing Taylor and Cynthia Gray, Taylors love interest cum lawyer, while others are left with cardboard personalities. Recommended only where recorded PI stories are very popular.Sandy Glover, West Linn P.L., ORCopyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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