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Jack Daniels Stories (2000)

by J.A. Konrath(Favorite Author)

3.91 of 5 Votes: 5

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review 1: Jack Daniels Stories by J.A. KonrathI went into this thinking that the Jack Daniels character would be the star of all of the stories, but she isn't. However, She is the main character in, "On The Rocks," "With a Twist," "Body Shots," and "Overproof." I believe, 4 of the 12 stories, and is mentioned in most, and a supporting character in others. In "Whelp Wanted," it's Harry's obnoxious frenemy, Harry McGlade, who is the star, as he is in "Taken To The Cleaners," "School Daze," and "The Necro File." Phineas Troutt takes front and center in "Street Music," "Epitaph," "Suffer," "Bereavement," and "Last Request." Her partner, Herb Benedict, headlines "Pot Shot," and none of the main characters is featured in "The One That Got Away." Even the one series character it featur... moreed, The Gingerbread Man from "Whiskey Sour," isn't the lead character in that story, which is told from the viewpoint of his intended victim. So Phin wins the most stories lottery in this collection of shorts.In general I enjoyed the stories. Certainly, a short story does not allow the depth of development that a novella or novel does, and that showed. While I wasn't fond of the picture the stories painted of Phineas Troutt, preferring what I know of him from the three series novels I've read, I tended to enjoy his stories the most. Of the stories featuring the Jack Daniels character, "Body Shots" was, to me, the best of the lot. I enjoyed the story featuring Herb Benedict, too, feeling that it gave me more insight into the character, which will come into play in reading the remaining series novels. The last story in the collection, a Harry McGlade short, bears an "Author's Note," warning the reader that he considers this the funniest thing he's ever written, but also the most offensive. He was correct on both counts. I can't say I enjoyed it as it fully lives up to Konrath's offensive warning, but the humor in it was good, and I especially liked his Clive Cussler touch of having Jack Daniels ask Harry if he'd every read J.A. Konrath's "Bloody Mary." One of the things I did notice was the lack of fashion reporting. In the first three novels of the series, every time the main character (and sometimes other characters) appears, Konrath meticulously describes what she is wearing, name brands and all. That only appears once in four stories in the collection ("Body Shots" at location 2085 on Kindle). Guess the fashion descriptions must have cut too deeply into the allowed word count!If you like the Jack Daniels series, you'll like these short stories. I always like reading shorts featuring characters from the series I follow. While the shorts can't match the character and plot development of a novel, they are great ways to gain insight into character, personality, backstory and motivation.
review 2: It's been awhile since I've read anything as good as a Jack Daniels thriller. And I desperately needed a crime fix. This anthology of sixteen short stories not only satisfied my hunger but tickled my funny bone and got my brain twitching at the same time. Jack was on her game in several stories, along with her equally sharp partner Herb Benedict, and the locked room mysteries were hard to crack. Harry McGlade, the lovable private detective who couldn't care less about why you want his services so long as he gets what he wants (which may or may not include food/sex) was as usual, a delight to read. And Phineas Trout... I have a soft spot for Phin. Maybe its the poor cancer victim struggling with pain and drug addiction.. maybe its the bad boy who-gives-a-damn attitude even the most ladylike find attractive. Either way, his stories, though fewer then the others were given, were just as entertaining. But nothing beats Harry's sharp wit - Rotisserie, Rheumatism... less

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