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
