Cherry Bomb by J.A. Konrath

Cherry Bomb is the latest in the Jack Daniels series by J.A. Konrath. Like the previous books, it is fast-paced and action packed.

The tone of this book is much darker than the other books. I don't believe in spoilers, so I won't mention why, but I will say that Jack Daniels in many ways is a changed woman in Cherry Bomb.

I give this one 3 1/2 stars ***1/2 because I like that Jack is flawed, but I thought she was a little too flawed in Cherry Bomb. I wanted the good guys to win in the right way, and Jack, Phin, and Harry go about the action of this book in a way that reminded me more of a vigil ante than the hero I'm used to.

I still read this one in under two days, I still recommend it, but I hope that the next book in the series is a little less dark. I liked the old Jack better.

One thing I did like was the scene where Jack's mother was on the cruise ship. That part brightened the mood a little for me.

I also wasn't sure I wanted to root for Jack and Phin to hook up. Part of their relationship felt really right, and other aspects of it felt totally wrong. I still haven't made up my mind yet.

Fuzzy Navel by J.A. Konrath

Fuzzy Navel by J.A. Konrath is the next book in the Jack Daniels series. Of all the books in the series, this was the one I enjoyed the most. The speed was break neck; the action was well written, and the characters all got a chance to interact throughout the scenes.

I read this book in under one day. I actually threw the book on the floor when I finished because the end made me want more. Konrath leaves the reader hanging at the end of this one. I could wait to read the next book in the series, Cherry Bomb. I had to know the outcome of the action from Fuzzy Navel. Like the other books in the series, there was an except at the end from the next book, but it didn't hold any clues to what I wanted to know.

I was on the edge of my seat during the entire book. I give this one 5 stars ***** because it was one of the best page turners I have ever read.

Dirty Martini by J.A. Konrath

Dirty Martini by J.A. Konrath is the fourth book in the Jack Daniels series. Jack has to catch a poisoner before he kills thousands of people in the greater Chicago area. The killer is so effective at his work that Jack sees many of the people closest to her die in horrible ways.

I wanted to give this book 5 stars. Up until the final few chapters, I would have given it 5 stars, hands down. Of the first four books in the series, this was the one I read the quickest. I digested the entire thing in under 6 hours. I was riveted by the killer and couldn't wait to figure out how Jack would catch him.

I thought the methods the killer used were the most unique of the first four Jack Daniels books, and the characters more human. I liked that I finally got to see more of Jack and Herb's humanity.

What makes me give this one 3 stars *** is that the end was too tidy. I lost my suspension of disbelief. My inner voice kept screaming at me in the final 3-4 chapters that it was too far out in left field for Jack to be able to survive all the things she was going through.

I wasn't deterred from continuing to read other books in the series.

Rusty Nail by J.A. Konrath

Rusty Nail by J.A. Konrath is the third book in the Jack Daniels series. Jack has to figure out the clues of the Gingerbread Man's family to figure out who the Killer(s) is/are. Her partner, Herb Benedict, returns to being his normal self. (Herb was a bit of a jerk in Bloody Mary). I was glad Herb was more likable in Rusty Nail.

It took me a really long time to figure out why this one was titled Rusty Nail, but after finishing the entire novel, the title made sense. Mr. Friskers, Jack's cat, plays a nice role in this book too. I was glad Konrath kept Mr. Friskers as an active character.

I give this one five stars ***** for several reasons.

I finished the book in under a day because I had to know how it ended.

I liked that Konrath was able to mix the darker characters of the Kork family with the humor I was used to from Whisky Sour and Bloody Mary. I think Konrath struck a nice balance between giving the reader a dark, funny, and twisted plot.

Harry McGlade makes another appearance in Rusty Nail. He plays what I felt was a large role in this novel. I don't know why, but I like Harry better than even Jack. He's an annoying SOB, but I like him anyway.

Bloody Mary by J.A. Konrath

Bloody Mary by J.A. Konrath is the second book in the Jacqueline, "Jack" Daniels series of murder mysteries. This book took on a little bit of a different tone than Whiskey Sour, and I liked it for a lot of different reasons than I liked Whiskey Sour.

After the killer is caught and about to be tried, there's a twist I completely didn't see coming. I raced to read the end to find out how the trial with the killer would conclude.

Mr. Fiskers, the cat Jack rescues from one of the murder victim's apartment, is a character in and of himself. The thing I will remember the most about Bloody Mary was Mr. Fiskers, hands down. I actually read parts of this book aloud to my husband because I was laughing so hard at the cat and how Konrath describes it.

Herb Benedict, Jack's partner, acted very differently than in Whiskey Sour. I didn't like him as well in Bloody Mary, though I thought Konrath did a good job of redeeming him in the end. I didn't like thinking of him as a jerk. I was glad to find out at the book's conclusion that he really wasn't a jerk.

Harry McGlade, Jack's old partner and annoying friend makes a comeback in Bloody Mary. He manages to help Jack and drive her crazy at the same time. I liked him more in this one than in Whiskey Sour.

What I liked the best about Bloody Mary (other than Mr. Fiskers) is the conflict Jack has to face between her ex-husband and Latham. Jack is a flawed woman, and I love that she has to choose between the two men. I wanted to slap Jack's mother for bringing the ex-husband back into the picture because I really liked Latham from Whiskey Sour and the beginning part of Bloody Mary. I wanted to slap Jack's mother, actually.

'Tis a sign of well written characters when an author elicits the urge from me to slap characters around. They're alive in my head :)

I give this one 5 stars also. *****

Whiskey Sour by J.A. Konrath

This book was good enough that I couldn't sit down to write a review of it until I also read the second and third books in the series: Bloody Mary and Rusty Nail. I asked for Bloody Mary as a Christmas gift last year. Just as I was sitting down to read it, I went to J.A. Konrath's website and realized I didn't have the first book in the series. So, it took me a few months go get off my rear end and buy the first book so I could read the second one.

I'm sure glad I did.

Whisky Sour is a mixture of wit, fast-paced action, and lovable characters. Even the characters who get under the protagonist's skin are characters I love to hate. Jack Daniels, the hero cop who solves crimes in the series, has a knack for solving murders using the help of characters she wants to avoid. Harry McGlade is one such character.

I also love Jack's partner, Herb Benedict. He compliments Jack's police skill well. I found myself wanting to give the guy a great, big, teddy-bear hug. He reminded me a little of Santa Claus with his love of food and his knack at being there for Jack.

The action scenes in Whisky Sour are nail biting, especially the scenes in which the killer, The Gingerbread Man, is inside Jack's apartment. I found myself checking my closets before going to bed after reading Whiskey Sour.

I give this one 5 stars *****. It had been awhile since I read funny hard-boiled fiction. The change was refreshing.