Do you know Dev Haskell?“Think of Patterson’s Alex Cross and Sanford’s Virgil Flowers and toss in a laugh.” – Criminal BehaviorBooks 1-7 in the best selling Dev Haskell series: Russian Roulette, Mr. Swirlee, Bite Me, Bombshell, Tutti-Frutti, Last Shot, and Ting-A Ling.Dev Haskell is a P.I. with a foot on both sides of the law. A back slapping, fun loving, ladies man, but best not to cross him. … Bombshell, Tutti-Frutti, Last Shot, and Ting-A Ling.
Dev Haskell is a P.I. with a foot on both sides of the law. A back slapping, fun loving, ladies man, but best not to cross him. Dev deals in the day to day problems and troubles that come from people making bad decisions. But then, bad decisions make for interesting tales . . .
At the end of the day Dev get’s the job done and there’s usually a gorgeous woman who says, “Please, don’t ever call me again. Ever!”
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“Faricy is America’s hottest new writer” – The Dirty Lowdown
“Even now I can’t believe the way this guy can weave a tale. Just when things were about to get too grim there’s a laugh out loud scene that kept me turning the pages. Run! Don’t walk, to pick up your copy.” – The Irish Gazette
What Amazon readers are saying:
★★★★★ “Faricy is a strong writer and takes care of the reader”
★★★★★ “I throughly enjoyed the book. I had a hard time putting it down.”
★★★★★ “This action driven thriller will keep you turning the pages.”
★★★★★ “You can tell by the number of stars I gave that I liked it a lot.”
★★★★★ “A fantastic novel that kept me hooked from the first page.”
★★★★★ “I recommend this book, a detective story with a likable rogue hero.”
★★★★★ “Good character development, good editing, and a believable story line makes this a great book! Loved the book and I highly recommend it!”
★★★★★ “I only wish I could give this more than five stars.”
★★★★★ “I highly recommend this book. It gets five stars from me.”
★★★★★ “Only one question . . . When is the movie coming out?”
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I love Dev Haskell. Sort of sex crazy, but gets in such messes and seems to have a good heart even those go he tries not to show it too much.
Nothing very deep but very enjoyable reads for a rainy day
Funny characters. Even though predictable entertaining to read
Travis McGee type character in Minnesota setting.
Didn’t want to put it down
Just love this author. I will be reading everything he has written. A series you could re-read in a few !onths.
These books are easy to read and I like the characters. May not be everyone’s cup of tea since the main character tells it like it is, but I like him.
When I first started reading the book, I wasn’t too sure, but a few pages in, and I was hooked. I purchased a 7-book set, and through the arc of these books, it is possible to see the author refine and improve his writing style. As far as the story lines, they take some interesting twists and turns, and make for a lively read. If you’re looking for a quick but witty read with a little mystery tossed in, this is the book series for you.
Halfway through this collection and hope there are more. Love the Dev character!
enjoyed the story lines, the books were hard to put down, since I couldn’t wait to get to end.
Book 1: RUSSIAN ROULETTE
Remember Donny and Marie? “I’m a little bit country… I’m a little bit rock ‘n’ roll…?” Devlin Haskell, PI, is a little bit 30s noir detective and a little bit 21st century screwup. Modern noir sometimes uses throwback technology to set the scene. Mike Faricy gives Dev Haskell all the modern gadgets, but sets the mood with sharp language.
RUSSIAN ROULETTE is a well written mystery/thriller that includes the private eye and his cop buddy, interfering Feds, booze, and women. Yes, let us not forget the women.
I’m not one to give away the farm while reviewing. If you want that, read the blurb. Faricy sets the stage for the books to come without actually giving away too much about Devlin. It is suggested in the blurb that followers of Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series will enjoy this book. Ms. Plum has several traits that follow her through the books. I am reserving judgement on this until I have read more books in this series because the one thing that stands out about Stephanie (in my mind anyway) does happen to Dev.
I confess to having put off reading this series (17 books and counting) for far too long. My excuse? So many books, so little time! I see this first book in the series as the start of an ongoing, beautiful relationship.
Book 2: MR SWIRLEE
I grew up in the Bronx. We had Mr. Softee trucks, complete with annoying chimes. I guess in the St. Paul half of the twin cities they have Mr Swirlee driving parents nuts. Ice cream trucks seem innocent enough, but with the wrong owners there is apparently no end to their nefarious uses.
MR SWIRLEE is the second book in the Dev Haskell, Private Investigator series, and it is jamb packed with all the things you need for a page-turner.
Devlin Haskell is just trying to make it through life doing as little actual work as possible while making enough money to keep body and soul together. Somehow, trouble seems to find him no matter how hard he tries to avoid it. In the first book, we met his cop buddy, Aaron LaZelle, and his friend with benefits Heidi Bauer both of whom appear again in MR SWIRLEE. And now we meet Dog, known only to his mother as Anthony Colli.
MR SWIRLEE is filled with a lot of not-so-legal shenanigans alongside some really nasty criminal behavior. As you turn the pages, you’ll find this book hard to put down until the final bell on the ice cream truck tolls.
Book 3 – BITE ME
The titles in this series have a connection to a running theme in the book; you might say they’re a running gag. BITE ME fits this one to a T. As in the first couple of books, Dev finds himself in trouble, only in BITE ME trouble doesn’t begin to describe it.
Devlin Haskell drinks… a lot! Yet, he doesn’t seem to be an alcoholic. His ability to turn down a drink, even go cold turkey for a period of time is remarkable. (Don’t think of this as a spoiler, but as an observation.)
It takes a skilled writer to create havoc around the central theme of a guy who thinks about only three things… babes, booze and, well, the third one varies, but usually ends up being bodies… yet keep it interesting and new book after book. Mike Faricy does just that. Last time I checked, there are now 17 books in this series, and I plan on reading them all.
Book 4 – BOMBSHELL
It’s been three years since I’ve dipped my toe in the Devlin Haskell universe. There are currently 25+ books in this series, and I found it easy to slip back into the 21st century tech noir that are so much a part of the appeal. It has been suggested that fans of Stephanie Plum will enjoy these books… I concur.
The recurring theme in the life of Dev Haskell is ‘wrong time, wrong place.’ He is a private investigator with a fondness for beer and women… lots of women. Heidi Bauer seems to be his go to squeeze when all else fails. Detective Manning and Haskell seem to have a double-sided relationship where Manning alternately arrests Dev and asks for his help. Let’s not forget his disheveled lawyer Louie Laufen.
In BOMBSHELL, our hero gets picked up in a noisy bar by a sassy girl and winds up as security for an upcoming roller derby match between the Bombshells the local St. Paul team, and the Hasting Hustlers imported from the UK. As always, the big question is ‘what could go wrong’ watching over a bevy of gorgeous derby girls? The answer is, of course, everything!
Mike Faricy is very good at describing the characters throughout the book… everyone except Devlin Haskell. He leaves the looks of the lothario PI to your imagination. His success with women, albeit usually short lived, seems to indicate he is far from being a toad, yet we know nothing about his height, weight, hair or eye color. An interesting portrayal to be sure.
BOMBSHELL, like the first three books in the series, is a very fast read. The action keeps you turning the pages, and the mayhem that is the life of Devlin Haskell will make you shake your head and laugh aloud.
Book 5 – TUTTI FRUTTI
I really enjoy reading books that I don’t have to take too seriously during these times of upheaval. A body can take just so much politics without having a total meltdown. Devlin Haskell, ‘call me Dev,’ manages to combine beer, babes and bad luck in very clever ways thanks to the skill of author Mike Faricy in convoluting any and all situations.
TUTTI FRUTTI is the fifth book in the Dev Haskell series; take note… the title does not refer to a flavor of ice cream. It is a club that caters to a clientele with very specific tastes… again, not ice cream. Once more, Dev finds himself in the wrong place at the right time to land in hot water with the police.
Dev’s client in this outing is Swindle Lawless… female, blonde, curvy (of course!). The way she becomes his client is nothing but unorthodox. And our feckless womanizer thinks he’s in love with an older woman with the unlikely name of Candi Slaughter. I’m starting to notice a pattern in the names in this series and that pattern spells satire. If you read mysteries, you know that there is generally no fat in the telling. Every detail is a clue. Sometimes that clue is a red herring; more often than not, it is worth considering. That makes every name, of every character (particular to the book) a very clever ploy on the part of Mike Faricy. Remember the names that make you laugh!
Book 6 – Last Shot
LAST SHOT gives us more insight into just who Devlin Haskell really is. Yes, he still cracks wise, but he also reflects inward which gives his character more depth. I’ve thought of Dev mostly as a kind of goofball until now. There is a kind of quiet strength and more integrity in him than you might think.
Desi Quinn is a woman wronged. She is not just down on her luck, she can’t get Dev to dig into why she was wronged. This is strange because she is an attractive, intelligent woman… and (if you’ve been reading the series) you know just how Dev feels about attractive women. She is the almost client, then she is dead. Some of the last words she spoke to him were “You were sort of my last shot. I don’t know, but I just have a feeling.” These words will haunt him throughout the book.
In some respects, the books in this series border on noir without actually crossing that line; LAST SHOT puts a couple of toes in that direction. The Spot is not the bar in Casablanca, and Heidi Bauer is far from the tragic heroine. The usual suspects – Detective Norris Manning, Lt. Aaron LaZelle, and Louie Laufen – are all there in their usual roles that roots the story in 21st century reality. So far, and I have a lot of books left to read, LAST SHOT is my favorite.
Book 7 – Ting-A-Ling
Dev Haskell made the mistake of answering a 2 AM phone call; his life went downhill from there. The sexy voiced caller was one Danielle Roxbury the heiress-princess-trust fund-baby. Dev, of course, couldn’t resist. She has apparently loaned $50,000, in cash, to lowlife con man Renee Paris, and she wants Dev to send the message she wants her money back. Dev suggests she get a good lawyer.
Now that I’m seven books into the series, I realized that I don’t know much about Devlin Haskell. Mike Faricy does a great job of describing all the regulars, and the cast of characters introduced in each book, but he doesn’t tell us much about Dev. In the last book, LAST SHOT, there is mention that Dev is an Iraq War vet, and all along, I’ve assumed he must be easy on the eye because women seem to be drawn to him (at least at first). The only thing, I know about him after reading this book is that he has dark hair, combed back. The emphasis on Devlin Haskell has always been his ability to be at the wrong place, at the right time, to find himself in hot water. He is also charming enough, and smart enough to get himself out of these jams pretty much unscathed.
We also learn about a childhood friend of Dev’s, Jimmy White who Dev recalls taking the blame for a broken window for him.
The skill of a mystery writer is showcased by how well they pull all the threads in a plotline together. I find that Mike Faricy is a very good thread puller. No matter how far from the central story something may seem, it will matter in the end. However, there is a teeny, tiny thread… no, maybe just a trace of lint… that remains a mystery here… What would that be?! Ahh, that would be telling.
Dev is an interesting character… reading 1-6 you begin to get some insights as to what makes him tick… his penchant for making every female client into a damsel in distress is either a bad habit or a unexplored character flaw…either way he sure moves the story line along!
Really enjoyed the entire series
I just love Dev Haskell! He’s a hoot, but a good guy! The author dies a great job of introducing him to you and he has a whole series! They are easy to read and interesting! This is one heck of a bargain!
In each of the books, the main character, which is a private investigator, exhibited a variety of stupid acts which seemed to repeat themselves from book to book. Individuals with his propensity for alcohol, coffee and evil women, wouldn’t live long in the real world. The writing style was good but the plots had holes in them.
I am into my 2nd of these 7 books. The main character is a loser and alcoholic who is continually ridiculed by his friends. Even free these books are not worth the price, in my opinion.
Love the series. Dev is a great character! Can’t believe the crazy situations he stumbles into. Very entertaining.
I found Russian Roulet be very entertaining, fast paced, and fun to read. Really looking forward to reading the next six Books in this set. I highly recommend!
I don’t have the set, but I have read them individually. Enjoyed them, great characters and plots.
Enjoyable, but the “bumbling P.I.” refrain gets a little tiresome…