DCI Jack Austin – Jane to his friends and the not so friendly – knew he shouldn’t have come in to work. Following a terrorist bomb, an incident with a tutu and a hangover that would fell an elephant, investigating dead dogs, dodging bullets and being pulled sopping wet from a naval harbour is not conducive to a sunny disposition. But when the Head of Armed Forces and a City Banker are brutally … murdered what is a dashing DCI to do? FORCE, a powerful Star Chamber, is under threat and Jack will need to go deep undercover to get to the bottom of the sinister plot. As revelations and rocket attacks threaten to turn his world upside down (and ruin his best pair of trousers), Jack will need courage, skill and a huge dose of lady luck if he is to bring the perpetrators of a nefarious plot that goes all the way to the Prime Minister’s office to justice. As the trail leads to a showdown at the Albert Hall, Jack Austin, quintessential jumped up barrow boy and Portsmouth’s very own self-styled national icon, must fight to save his reputation, the country, and the lives of those who matter most. And work out just what a dead dog has to do with it all
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Today’s book review is for ‘A Barrow Boy’s Cadenza: In Dead Flat Major’ by Pete Adams. This is the third book in his Kind Hearts and Martinets series, and I’ve previously read the first two mysteries. If you’re a fan of quirky British police procedurals, then this series is for you!
Jack, a troubled but hilarious genius, has been in more accidents than I can count. Poor fellow practically has only one eye these days… and he often tells you about the shape his body is in too. Let’s also not forget his frequent metaphors, nicknames, and discussions about bodily functions — all in a humorous, shocking, and explosive manner. It makes for quite an adventurous and unique series. His love, Amanda / Mandy, tames him at times, but she’s also got a bit of a wild side. In their opening scene, we definitely see the charm of their relationship.
So, what’s going on in this third book? Political scandals… Villains… Crime informants you might not want to trust…. Someone wearing a tutu… terrorism… and Jack meets The Queen. About halfway thru the book, we learn he’s going to receive a medal. When he bows before her… things go wacky and haywire. Being a fan of shows like The Crown, I cannot imagine how this would happen in real life, but it’s completely on point to make a reader understand Jack’s character, especially with what he says to the Queen, or Philip, her husband, in regard to her throne. It just goes with the theme in the book.
There are so many fun and new idioms to learn. I can’t help but wonder what it’d be like to meet the author in person. We might speak a similar language, but wow, I have a lot to learn about expressions and double meaning! Jack is a good detective… sometimes he stumbles upon the truth by accident or luck. As he accepts aging, we see so much about the reality of life, it’s got a bit of everything in this book. Fast-paced, full of wild personalities, you will undoubtedly find several characters to love and a few to slant your eyes at. “What just happened!?!?!” Then you’ll hurt from laughing.
I leave you with this… what is a cadenza? Perhaps a solo artist shining amidst a musical ensemble included to show the talent or range of the star? Jack is obviously the star here, and in this book in the series, we get the POV or perspective from other members of the team… curious how the title says a lot more about the book? You’ll have to pick it up to read it.
Suspense is the name of the game! Jack Austin likes to emulate Jane Austin at times with his sayings. He renames people, but none seem to take offense. His work with MI 5 has caused him to lose an eye, but he is now involved with his cohorts to stop a takeover of England by a combination of the military, important money men, and even some of those involved in the government. He is in love with Mandy (Amanda). They not only work together, but live together. In short order, he is attacked, then an assassin sends a bullet through his shoulder and he falls into the harbor. He’s rescued and fitted with a shoulder harness. This doesn’t’ stop his meetings and investigations. Then someone he discovers is his daughter, sneaks into an illegal dogfight and is severely injured. He and her fiancé (a police officer) manager to rescue her and somehow come upon a ship loaded with illegal weapons and ammunition that is connected to the cabal planning government overthrow. The race is on to take down the group before Jack Is to be presented to the queen in less than a week. The assassin is still trying to nail him. Will Jack and his group succeed or will those intent on controlling England. Will Jack even have a decent suit to wear when presented to the Queen? If he is successful, will there be another attempt on his life, or will he and Mandy even survive?
A barrow boy’s cadenza by Pete Adams.
Detective Chief Inspector Jack Austin is a veteran crime-solver, with a passion for metaphors and nicknames who, unfortunately, is constantly putting himself into situations where he ends up getting hurt. His love interest, Amanda, his superintendent, is losing her patience with him but through it all, she knows that he is the right man for the job even if he does seem to discover a lot of things by accident!
The author’s writing style is quirky and fun, the story is complex and intriguing, and we are thrown into the heart of the crime and action of the storyline which is littered with political scandal, crime informants and terrorism. In the middle of which our hero gets to meet the Queen! This book has a little for everyone and if you want a good laugh then this is for you!
A very funny novel indeed. The author has a weird and wacky sense of humour that hooks you from the very first page!
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Serious Crimes, Police Antics, Raucous Humor
Detective Chief Inspector Jack Austin, major crime solver extraordinaire, has a propensity for taking unheard of chances and getting hurt. His Detective Superintendent, Amanda Bruce, loves him deeply. But her patience with his antics and accidents begin taking a toll on her good nature, wearing it thinner and thinner. Yet, she knows his abilities better than anyone and stands by her man.
Complicate that personal story line with a major political crime of far reaching proportions needing to be solved. Miscreants galore have a political agenda and turn the investigation upside-down. Then you have a mystery as close to real life as you can get. That is, if you don’t die laughing first.
The author, Pete Adams, hailing from the UK, writes in all the humor and idioms readers might expect in a British crime story. That is, we in the US and other areas, actually find a lot of the British idioms to be quite humorous. With the author’s writing style, the sentences and story flow faster than a flood. We not only feel a part of the lovers personal lives, we are also in the heart of the crime and the action of solving it. As a reader, I gasped when people were shot and died. I help my breath when someone had to poo.
This author’s style involves the reader. The story left me still thinking about the characters. I could not start reading a new book for several days. This is the 3rd story in Adams’s Kind Heart and Martinets Book series. I understand two more are available. I am heavily invested in these characters and this author’s stories and writing style. Needless to say, I will be reading the next books as well.