Author Mike Faricy's LAST SHOT

Book Review - Fran Lewis - LAST SHOT

Creating a character that is believable, interesting and unique when so many murder mysteries have been written is a tall order. Mike Faricy’s character is Dev Haskell a private detective with a touch of Rockford, Mickey Spillane, Magnum PI and a slight resemblance to Mannix. Dev is handsome, charismatic and has a partner named Louis that is a down to earth, no holds barred lawyer whose sharp tongue, quick comebacks add to the plot from the start. But, Dev Haskell’s problem is that he’s too quick to judge, prefers working cases alone and loves to solve a good murder. When Desi Quinn approaches him and wants to hire him to take down the man who set her up to take a huge fall and landed her in jail, he turns her down. Desi knows that she did not commit the crime and remove the documents from the Federal Reserve. Leaving her to fend for herself, never finding time to clear her of the accusations, the man, her boss Gaston  Driscoll, takes his wife on a long as he feels well deserved vacation. Desi never recovers her losses. Losing her job as an architect, doing time for a crime she never committed yet removing the papers as instructed by Gaston Driscoll, whose image seems to be whiter that Mr. Clean himself, has fallen on hard times, needs to wash cars for a living and bartend to make ends meet. But when she asks for Dev’s help he turns her down claiming the case would cost her more than she could make in a very long time. A small fortune and his time but the end result was worse. Someone was following Desi and someone wanted her out of the way but why? When Karla her boss asks Dev to help Desi and find out why she missed several days of work, what he finds will shake him to the core and make him wish he could turn back the hands of time.

Dev is determined to find out more about Desi so he frequents some bars, meets some of the dancers and then along comes Marsha/Brandi or whatever name she uses when she dances. Digging into the police files with the help of a detective, he learns more about Desi, a woman named Helen Olsen, her relationship with Driscoll, her suspicious death and the death of Driscoll’s wife, Bernadette. How would both Helen and Bernadette die the same way and in the same place? Who planted the bottle of liquor in Helen’s car? Helen was allergic to alcohol and never drank. Helen was fired from her job in Human Resources where Driscoll was a managing partner in the architectural firm. At times right out of an episode of Psych Shawn Spencer and Burton Guster or Gus with a touch of comedy, humor and definitely an unorthodox way of handling a case. But, when Dev delves into the lives of many of the women that Gaston decided to use as diversions, a pattern comes through, each one threatened, fired, told she would spend time in prison for stealing funds and finally DVD’s of their time together. What a sterling man! Yet, no one can pin anything on him even though many of his victims are either dead or are finally coming forward. With Helen who died when her car fell through ice or his wife in a boat accident just how far will Gaston Driscoll go to eliminate anyone that gets in his way or is in his way? With the help of Aaron Lazelle of the police department Dev gets access to the files he needs. Someone is following Marsha, Dev tries to protect her and in doing so gets the license plate but the guy gets away.
Learning his identity and more about him the author gives readers an inside view of a lowlife named Pauley linked to Gaston and Desi but how. A chase, an accident, his car being towed and the plot gets more complicated as Dev’s office is broken into and his life could be on the line. Guilt flares up and rears its head and Dev decides to honor Desi by proving her innocence at all cost. Pauley Kopff is not worth the glue on a postage stamp yet he’s tied to Gaston Driscoll but how and why?

Speaking to Helen Olsen’s sister important information comes to light added in Marsha has decided to do her femme fatale act and become Gaston’s next plaything but of course with her own twist. With Dev watching her back and her idea of how to infiltrate Gaston’s company and life, Marsha could be next on his list of those to eliminate in short order. With Catherine, Helen’s sister, Daphne Cole and Karla, Dev has his hands full to try and protect them all before someone strikes again.

Dev is persistent and when things seem to point to Driscoll the police seem to be going in a different direction and no one believes him. Taking matters into his own hand he puts his life on the line and someone close to him is taken. Will Dev be able to unravel what really happened to Desi and prove her innocence even though she is gone? Will he vindicate the others that were wrongly accused? Is Driscoll so connected that no one can touch him and he gets away with more than just murder? Missing bodies, the police hot on the trail but whose and one Private Investigator who will stop at nothing and is fearless in his quest to right what he feels is a wrong.  One rich guy, some hired thugs. An ending that you won’t see coming and chase scenes, breaking and entering and much more added with humor, sarcasm and a touch of comedic relief, author Mike Faricy’s character of Dev Haskell takes on Last Shot to find a killer, avenge a death and hopefully solve his case. Last Shot: Who wins and who loses and who gets that final Last Shot in their favor?

Fran Lewis: Reviewer