Harry Starke
by Blair Howard
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GENRE: Mystery/Crime Fiction
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BLURB:
It's midnight on a cold and snowy night in January when a beautiful young girl, Tabitha Willard, throws herself off the Walnut Street Bridge. Harry Starke happens to be there. Wrong time, wrong place? Maybe. Although he tries, he is unable to stop her. Thus begins a series of events and an investigation that involves a local United States congressman, a senior lady senator from Boston, a local crime boss, several very nasty individuals, sex, extortion, high finance, and three murders. Harry has to work his way through a web of deceit and corruption until finally.... Well, as always, there's a twist in the tale, several in fact.
Harry Starke is a big fish in a small pond. He's a tough individual with a past and a conscience. He has friends in high places. He’s single, successful, wealthy, a womanizer, well educated, and he will hurt you if he needs to. This book is the first in the series of Harry Starke novels.
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EXCERPT
"You're about as transparent as that window, Benny. Maybe more so. It's filthy. Now tell me the truth."
"Screw you, Starke. I don't have tell you nothin'. Get the hell out of my office, and stay outa the bar too."
I sat there for a moment, contemplating his fat face, then I nodded and rose to my feet, but I didn't leave. I walked around the desk, reached inside my jacket and pulled out the MP9, and sat down on the desk facing him.
"Whoa." He leaned away from me, his eyes wide, his hands in front of him, fingers spread.
"Now then, Benny. There are two ways we can do this; either way you'll tell me what I want to know. So, what do you think? Painful or not?"
"Harry, I swear I don't know those two guys. I barely even noticed 'em."
I nodded, and then tapped him gently on the bridge of his nose with the barrel of the nine."
"Ow, ow, ow." he yelled. "That hurt, you son of a bitch."
"I asked you, Benny... painful or not? You chose painful." I tapped him again.
"Oh ow. Goddam it, Harry. Quit it. You'll bust my nose."
"Yup, it's quite likely I will. You ready to talk?"
"I told ya, I don't know who they are."
Smack! This time I laid the flat side of the gun hard against his ear.
"Uch, uch, uch, uch, uch," Hah, the man was actually crying, sobbing as he rubbed his ear. The bridge of his nose was already turning black.
I grabbed his right hand and slammed it down on the desktop, fingers spread.
"Benny, you want to talk to me, before I start on your fingers?"
"Okay, okay." He nodded enthusiastically.
"They... they... work... for the Packman."
"The Packman? You mean Lester Tree, Shady?"
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MY REVIEW
Harry Starke by Blair HowardMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is the second book that I read from this Author (The first one is "Three Days in Hell: A Novel of the American Civil War" if you haven't read it, grab a copy), so this one is a little different, but a good type of different.
Harry Starke is a fantastic character, with so many layers, he's funny, tough, fearless, smart., and he found himself in a situation where he can put all that into work. The result is a great book, full of mystery, deception, intrigue, corruption, action and good amount of twists and turns. Will our resourceful hero be able of get into the bottom of this case?
Harry Starke is fast paced and wonderful written, the Author has the ability of introduce us into this rich world of characters and situations, that leaves you wanting more and happy to know that's going to be a second book!!
I highly recommend this book to all type of readers.
*I received a Free copy in exchange for an Honest Review*
View all my reviews
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AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Blair Howard was born and raised in England. He writes sweeping historical epics, and is the author of four historical novels, with a fifth due to be released at the end of July this year: be on the lookout for Three Days in Hell: a Novel of the American Civil War. His current novels are: Chickamauga: a Novel of the American Civil War; The Mule Soldiers: a Novel of the American Civil War; The Chase: a Novel of the American Civil War: and Comanche: a Novel of the Old West. His new book, Harry Starke, mystery novel will be available on September 4, 2015 All of Blair's books are available on Amazon as eBooks or Paperbacks.
Blair is also a travel writer and professional photographer specializing in golf travel, vacation travel, and golf course photography. His travels take him throughout the United States, Europe and the Caribbean playing golf, writing about his experiences, and photographing the golf courses he visits. You can follow him on About.com here: http://abt.cm/1zoDpei.
Blair is the author of more than 40 books and more than 4,500 magazine, newspaper, and web articles. His work has appeared in many national and international publications, including Delta's Sky Magazine, PHOTOgraphic magazine, The Mail on Sunday, The Walking Magazine, Petersen's Hunting Magazine, The Boston Herald, The Detroit Free-Press, The Anchorage Times and many more.
Visit Blair's blog: http://bit.ly/1KA0CCR
Blair's Website is: http://bit.ly/1zBru1C
Follow Blair on Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/blairhowardbooks
On Twitter @bcwhoward
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GIVEAWAY
Blair Howard will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner
Thank you for hosting
ReplyDeleteThanks for the chance!!
DeleteThanks for the great review:-))
ReplyDeleteBlair
Hi, Blair!! Thank you for letting me be part of your Blog Tour!! Fantastic book with a great cover!! Congrats
DeleteGreat excerpt, thanks for sharing it and the review, sounds like a very intense and thrilling book, thanks for sharing it. Good Luck with the tour and HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
ReplyDeleteHi, Eva!! Thank you for stopping by!!! Happy Thanksgiving!
DeleteGreat review. This sounds like a great series. Loved the excerpt.
ReplyDeleteHi, MomJane!! Thank You, this book is really good. Good luck!!
DeleteHi, Cali! Good luck with the giveaway!
ReplyDeleteGreat excerpt and thanks for sharing your review! I'm looking forward to reading it :)
ReplyDeleteReally loved the blurb, thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteIf you could change one law, what would it be?
ReplyDeleteGreat review, sounds good.
ReplyDeleteI would like to ask the author how many hours...years he has put into research while writing these novels. Does he try to be accurate with his historical accounts?
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed the excerpt! Thank you.
ReplyDelete