Book Review: Dirty Pool

Reviewed By: Gina Metz - RAM

Dirty Pool     Amazon US PB Amazon US TPB Amazon UK PB Amazon Canada PB Amazon Canada TPB
Steve Brewer
Class/Genre:   Mystery
Series: Bubba Mabry # 5
St. Martin’s Press, 1999, 269 pp

Dirty Pool begins with William J. Pool, a sleazy Texas private investigator who Bubba has had run ins with before, contacting Bubba about helping him in a case. The client is Dick Johnson, a millionaire who has made his fortune from building strip malls across the country. His son, Richie who has a heart condition, has been kidnapped and they want Bubba to deliver the ransom. The son is actually a young adult who set up his own phony kidnapping and collects the ransom himself.

So now Dick sets up a competition between Bubba and William Pool to see who can locate Richie first and get him back to Daddy. Winner is to get the ransom money or whatever is left of it when they find Richie. Things become pretty complicated as Richie has hooked up with a local gang of violent skinheads so trying to get near him is quite dangerous.

Bubba’s long lost father, Dub Mabry, turns up in the picture with an apparent case of Alzheimer’s to complicate matters and although Bubba initially wants nothing to do with him, his new wife Felicia persuades him to take on Dub and try to get to know him and get him some help for his current crazy behavior.

As with the other Bubba Mabry book I read, I found this one to be a page turner full of surprises. I look forward to going back and starting at the beginning to complete the series and look forward to further installments in Bubba’s life along with Mr. Brewer’s standalones.

Gina Metz - RAM

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Gina Metz - RAM

Please Note: Books reviewed are usually provided by the publisher, author, or an agent. Reviewers usually get to keep the book.