Want to read a good mystery novel? Check out Detective Lessons by Bill Larkin! Kevin "Schmitty" Schmidt works for Orange County Harbor Patrol and is not really happy with his job. He is tired of the mundane routine. He wishes for some adventure, "Be careful what you wish for" as the saying goes.
A wealthy developer asks Schmidt to look for his kissing son and he is teamed up with Megan McCann who is a private investigator.
Schmidt gets his wish for adventure!!
I enjoyed this fast paced read! ( )

Detective Lessons is the story of a young Orange County Sheriff's Deputy that has made some career mistakes and teeters on the edge of career destruction with every decision he makes. When he recognizes a former classmate's father in a harbor rescue, he is approached to do some work that is outside the rules of his job with the OCSD. Things more get complicated with every move he makes. Detective Lessons is an read with a satisfying conclusion.

If you enjoy mystery novels, this book will definitely keep you guessing the entire time. Though it started out slow, the case Schmitty and Megan got themselves involved in had so many unexpected twists that I was drawn in and hooked until the end. Their relationship has a romantic side but most of their development is that of a friendship, which I appreciated. Where so many books draw out the sexual chemistry between two characters, this book was able to approach this attraction but didn't make it the main focus and the two were still able to have a functioning work relationship without 'feelings' getting involved.
What I didn't like were the parts when Megan would describe something and Schmitty would claim to now know of it due to their age difference. However, I knew all of these references and I'm 10 years younger than Schmitty!! I find this in many books and movies and it really annoys me; it makes it seem like the author has not done research and just assumes his experiences are solely for his own age range. I enjoyed this book but each time I came across a part like this, I inwardly groaned.

Good book for an interesting and quick-paced mystery novel. The characters are enjoyable to get to know, and though the majority of the narrative is from Schmitty's POV, there are several chapters that allow the reader insight into the others' perspectives. ( )

I received a copy of Bill Larkin’s DETECTIVE LESSONS in exchange for an honest and unbiased review, and I was so glad to be introduced to this author. I enjoyed the book very much. It was a complex mystery full of twists and turns - several of them very unexpected. There was a tremendous ‘sense of place’ and attention to detail which I look for (and enjoy) in books. I became very familiar with places in the LA area that I had only remotely heard of before (heard from tv detective programs!); places such as Newport Beach, Newport Harbor, Balboa Island and Catalina Island, plus the law enforcement agencies connected with them, specifically the Orange County Sheriff’s Department and its Harbor Patrol.
There was just enough intrigue and danger without being overly graphic and gritty. The plot was very well-constructed and well-written. The characters were believable and likable. The main character is Orange County Sheriff’s Deputy Kevin Schmidt (Schmitty). He appears restless, looking not so much for ‘trouble’ as interest and stimulation. He is pushy and smart enough to be acceptable as opposed to being obnoxious and a royal pain. I liked his character.
The best aspect of receiving this book is the research I did on the author himself. When I looked at his web page, bill-larkin.com , I instantly found a kindred spirit. He listed several blogs and my favorite was his ‘ode’ to James Garner, entitled “This is Jim Rockford. At the tone, leave your name and message. I’ll get back to you. Beep.” I have always adored James Garner and his work, from Maverick (yes, I watched the original Maverick series on tv), the Rockford Files, commercials and his films. The Rockford Files was my favorite program with everything I think I know about detectives and Los Angeles coming from that program. So, thank you Mr. Larkin, for that great blog.
I have also downloaded, read and enjoyed his short stories/novellas: THE DEEP END, SHADOW TRUTH, OC CONFIDENTIAL and THE HIGHLANDS.
I would highly recommend each title and I hope to see more of Deputy Schmidt in the future. ( )

From the first chapter I was instantly drawn into the story line. Kevin Schmidt, who is an Orange County Sheriff's deputy that is on harbor patrol, gets a call over the radio about a runaway boat that is headed for the rocks. The action takes off from there and does not stop! It just so happens that the owner of the boat that made the call for help is actually a billionaire named Mac Whelan, who Schmitty has briefly met once before while attending high school with Whelan's son. Without giving everything away, the story starts to unfold from here when a few days later Whelan calls Schmitty to have an early morning breakfast to enlist his help in finding his missing son.
The characters are so well developed in Detective Lessons, that you instantly get a sense for who each person truly is. For instance, before I even read the 2nd chapter I had this suspicious feeling that something was off with Whelan and then when I read the 2nd chapter, my feelings were right! This book definitely brings up the mystery and stays true to it's title. Last year, I was getting in a slump with mystery books because I felt that you could basically just guess how it was all going to end up. Not with this one! I really thought I had it figured out about who did what to whom but that completely turned around at the end of the book. Detective Lessons is worth the read if you are on the hunt for a good action packed, mystery! ( )