Andy Straka

Quite an enjoyable crime thriller involving an ex-policeman-turned-private detective.

A paediatric oncologist’s (Dr Lonigan) cat goes missing. So do other pets in her apartment block. She enlists the help of New York PI, Darla Barnes. When Lonigan suspects the pets are being preyed upon by an owl, to order, Darla enlists the help of PI Frank Pavlicek, who also happens to be a falconer. The case of the missing cat is more complex than either Frank or Darla could possibly have imagined. The oncologist is an animal rights activist; the residents of her apartment block are involved in a bitter dispute with its developer, who is very elusive about certain aspects of his other ‘activities’. Knives, guns, murders…all because of a missing cat and puppy? This is quite a case for Frank and his daughter, who is following in his PI footsteps. And when her life is threatened, it becomes seriously personal.

I did like this thriller, but the plot was rather complex, hurried in places, and ‘told’ rather than ‘showed'. It could have done with some extra room in which to manoeuvre—I did get a little lost and confused—and the ending was rather frantic. All threads were neatly tied up, but rather over-economically in more a less a sentence or two!

That said, it did hold my attention, it had some snappy, intelligent dialogue, and a good cast of contrasting and intriguing characters. The complexity of the plot left little room to get to know the main characters a little better, which was a shame, as I could feel a likeability for Frank and his daughter and would have welcomed a little more of their personal life and relationship to better appreciate their professional partnership.

Worth a read, nonetheless, despite many very annoying, avoidable, proofreading oversights.… (más)

“Split City” by Andy Straka is the perfect cozy mystery for a relaxing weekend or holiday.

As the book begins pro bowler Billy Gills is summoned to the Partridgeberry County morgue to identify the body of his identical twin brother Bo. But Billy insists it is not Bo. Is this a case of the “third twin”?

Billy owns a bowling center in the Catskills while his brother Bo designs specialty bowling shoes. Billy is very likeable, even loveable, while Bo seems to be a bit shady.

This is a character-driven novel, as I believe most cozies are. The protagonist is likable and the primary feature of the story with the mystery itself being secondary. The supporting cast of characters were interesting and entertaining. The small-town setting is perfect for the quirkiness of some of the characters. It also was perfect for the small-town politics of the story leaving the reader to wonder who could be trusted.

I was a bit perplexed by “Operation Rabbit Rescue. Maybe it was just a momentary diversion that added a bit of humor to the story.

I found an activity mentioned in the book that was new to me - “extreme ironing”. Yes, it is a real thing. It even has championships. Definition: an activity that involves ironing items of laundry while engaged in a sport such as snowboarding or rock climbing. All I can say is “Why?”

This was an enjoyable weekend read.… (más)

Frank Pavlicek finds the body of a teenage boy when out hunting with his hawk. Having been a homicide detective with the NYPD, he studies the crime scene. When he finds a wallet with the boy's ID and money, he is unnerved to see his daughter's name and phone number written on one of the bills. He needs to find out how Nicole is involved.

Nicole is arrested for drug dealing before Frank can talk to her about the boy's murder. Now Frank must solve both who is dealing drugs and who is the murderer.

This is a suspenseful mystery the curves keeps on striking you from the main path. Best of all the cast of characters is well developed as the story progresses. The solution is a twist in the path.… (más)

This is what, the fourth Frank Pavlicek mystery I have read, and I am starting to yawn. I think perhaps Andy Straka just doesn't have what it takes to bring Frank to life. I am particularly irritated by the limping relationship between Frank and his daughter Nicole. His pontificating about her sex life, and her willingness to put up with it remind me that these books have an underlying Christian vibe that I don't like. Too faint to make this a "Christian" book, but too strong to be anything but deliberate. Kind of creepy, especially as Frank likes the occasional bedroom tumble, but pushes his daughter to wait till marriage. Double standard much?

I received a review copy of "A Cold Quarry: A Frank Pavlicek Mystery" by Andy Straka (Brash) through NetGalley.com. It was originally published in 2003 by Signet.… (más)