It’s C.T.’s first case. He wants an easy one.
Instead, he gets Alice.
C.T. Ferguson spent years as a hacker. He lived in Hong Kong, working against the Chinese government. Then they found him, threw him in jail, and eventually kicked him out. In Baltimore, C.T. sets himself up as a private investigator.Then Alice walks in.She’s sure her husband is cheating on her. C.T. looks into it but isn’t … investigator.
Then Alice walks in.
She’s sure her husband is cheating on her. C.T. looks into it but isn’t convinced. He soon discovers Alice has serious problems of her own.
When Alice’s troubles get even worse, C.T. finds his own life in danger. With a liar for a client and enforcers hounding him, can C.T. prevent his first case from becoming his last?
You’ll love The Reluctant Detective because it blends classic mystery with modern cyber intrigue.
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The Reluctant Detective is Tom Fowler’s first novel in the C.T. Ferguson Mystery Novel series. Former computer hacker, C.T. Ferguson comes from a wealthy family. His parents have had enough of him doing nothing and they make the joint decision that C.T. will offer his services as a private investigator in Baltimore to those who can’t afford, enter Alice. Alice is his first client and she thinks her husband is cheating on her. Things, however, are not as C.T. has been told and suddenly there’s a missing person and a lot of not so nice people. C.T. is about to learn some lessons in life. A delightfully witty, entertaining, first in the series. I’m hooked!
If you like Robert Parker, you’ll love this author. The characters are fun, dialogue is fast paced, plot quick. It’s a series so you won’t run out of reading too soon. I’m only on #2 but the main character is addictive.
I recommend this book. I like real who dun its & this one is an interesting case. C.T. Ferguson is on a learning curve that I’m sure will only improve with each case. Interesting characters with down to earth personalities. Well done Tom Fowler.
C.T. Ferguson is a a ‘trust fund baby’. He has all the money he needs so he has decided to become a private investigator and work for free. Of course he really doesn’t know the first thing about being an investigator, but he wings it. He uses his computer hacking skills to help solve his cases, it doesn’t always come out like he planned. This story is one you don’t want to take to seriously because I feel it isn’t written to be a serious book. It is funny. It strange in places, but is great to read! I really did enjoy this book. I am voluntarily reviewing this book, but am looking forward to more from this author if he keeps writing like this!
This story begins with C.T. being told by his parents, that they want him to find a job. Their hope was for him to work at their foundation. He replied that he wanted to help people like he did in China and wanted to be a P.I. Unknown to C.T., his folks had taken a classified ad out which highlighted his business. They hoped that it would help him get started.
Since C.T. had finished his courses and had received a license from the state, he was ready. His 1st call was one that wanted him to look into Aliens. He ignored it and the 2nd case that he was asked about related to finding out if a husband was having an affair and cheating on his wife. C.T. took this case as discovered as it went on, that there was more to it than originally thought. In fact, it resulted in an individual being killed as well as C.T. being attacked and also kidnapped. C.T. found that he need to ask his cousin, who was a Sgt. on the police force for assistance that was off the books. The cousin was skeptical initially, but he finally agreed to help.
To discover why the individual was killed and who was responsible for attacking him as well as kidnapping him, then you need to read this book. It is well worth you time and will whet your appetite for more in the series.
Allow a full day for the PG15 first investigative procedural of 27-year-old Coningsby (C.T.) Ferguson in Baltimore, Maryland back in a pre-Covid November.
The unconventional PI, C.T. Ferguson discovers that he is good in uncovering hidden secrets and that he enjoys to bring closure to people´s problems. He is a bon vivant turned PI in order to attend to his parents´ requirements to get his hands on family money, and he suceeds and seems to enjoy his new life. The story has action, mystery, deceit, and good humor, as CT makes fun of himself with his thoughts and words. Another series that got me hooked and I´ll be looking for other books to read.
I donwloaded a free copy of this book and this is my honest review.
Pull one thread and an adultery case unravels to another crime with other perpetrators. C. T’s first case and the spoiled, rich kid is out of his element in no time. He perseveres and gets a new perspective on his life and his career choice. I enjoy his descriptions of Baltimore.
I an reviewing the Audible version of this book. It is the first I have read in this series. I found it to be quite entertaining. Lots of humor. Crazy characters. Mystery. Murder. Complex investigating. Did I mention the humor…..loved it!
The narrator was excellent. He nailed the voice of C.T.! He added alot to the enjoyment of this story.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book from Story Origins.
I’m reviewing the audio version. This is the first story I’ve read/listened to by this author. I normally am a romanced reader but there was something about this story that drew me to it and I’m glad I tried it. The author did a great job of letting me know who C.T. is. He appears to be a man of integrity even though he also seems to have a bit of a lazy streak. His main worry is getting money from his parents. He does what he has to so he can continue getting money from them. His parents seem to prioritize doing good. That is one thing that they insist C. T. also do. Him being a detective came across to me as him just trying to do what is right stumbles into things working out for him. I found it funny that the people he grew up with are less that upstanding. How he deals with them kept me entertained. C.T. is comfortable in any situation. He can be talking to the worse criminal and he acts like they are BFF’s to get what he wants. This is a very good opening story for this series. The characters are pretty well defined be it his cousin or his friends. The flow of the story I think is good. I didn’t find any place to skim over. I look forward to more of his books. I enjoyed the narrator Anderson Graham-Brown, his style and tone lead a reality to the story.
He was a brilliant hacker, until the Chinese stopped him, and sent him home. His parents wanted him to do pro-bono work.and give back to society, since he didn’t need the money. With his skills at finding information, this helps and hinders him. A simple case, lands him into trouble and on the run. A story that has a good plot, and full of action. Narration by Anderson Graham-Brown
brought this story to life and very well done.
The Reluctant Detective #1 – This is my first read by this author and I like it. This story fits into one of my all-time favorite genres with plenty of humor, action and investigations. The storylines are good and realistic, and I like that the PI is a privileged person instead of a Mickey Spillane stereotype.
C.T. also has an interesting past that plays a large part in this introduction. Add in his parents, his older police Detective cousin and a good supporting cast, which all make it difficult to put the book down. I read it in one sitting and then went on to another book in this series. The pace is steady without any boring bits. This is one of the better edited books I’ve seen from an Indie author. 4*
Already Guilty – I could not put this book down. Well written, fasted paced, and intriguing with great storylines and characters, a real page-turner. Bits reminded me of Lithgow and Denzel’s revenge movie, but the author does well making this his work.
There are plenty of good characters, old and new, and the storylines merge well with the story’s plot and the past books. Of course, there is always something or someone to mess up the flow, but that is what makes the series interesting. C.T. is C.T. and you cannot help but respect him and his efforts, and he has a hard row to hoe this time with his special case.
I do not know how the previous books flowed since I have only read the first of this series, but I want to read all the books, including anything else this author has written past or future. 5*
I was reluctant to put it down
C.T., a grey hat hacker, is forced to get a job helping people if he wishes to get back in his parents’ good graces. As the story progresses he has decided to continue using the skills he acquired in China to help people with little to no means as a private eye, thinking that hacking is the new way to solve their issues, not fully anticipating that his cases may need the physical legwork as well. Tom Fowler’s first full length book brings C.T. into the here and now; showcasing his witty humor, understanding of digital detecting, and the potential dangers PIs might face. His cast of supporting characters are the perfect blend of right and wrong side of the law, allowing C.T.’s own brand of morality to shine. I came into the series at The Unknown Devil and was hooked, finally getting time to re-read the series in preparation of the next release, I realized I had never read The Reluctant Detective and set about remedying that fact, not knowing that I would be reluctant to put it down.
Audio book review review:
Overall I loved this book this book, the audio performance was pretty good. The performer conveyed the characters true to the e-book and provided distinction between the characters’ “voices” so that the listener would never have to wonder who was speaking. If one is reading the book and the audio simultaneously there were some deviations (5 major and less than 30 minor) from the printed book. One major deviation caused two sentences to overlap on the audio, another was a duplication of a phrase and both of these threw me. The other major deviations (consisting of leaving out phrases from the script) and the minor deviations (different or dropped words) did not detract from the overall story and might not be noticed otherwise.
I received a free audio copy of the book from the author for a book I had previously purchased. I had the opportunity to review or not.
I really enjoy the C T Ferguson series of novels and novellas about a computer hacker from a very privileged family, who finds himself having to ingratiate himself to his very philanthropic parents following a disastrous episode in Hong Kong. He decides that being a Private Investigator would suit his parents requirements and also be a good match for his computer skills.
This covers his first case as a detective, and sets the scene for the subsequent books, with C T discovering that he can’t carry out all his detective work from a computer keyboard, and he has to get his hands dirty on the streets.
The story is complex and enjoyably involved, there are some genuinely exciting action passages and there is some great dialogue, particularly when C T is being his normal sarcastic self. But his desire to help innocent people also shines through to counter the sarcasm.
A great read, with an excellent detective story at its heart, but with a whole lot more besides.
The Reluctant Detective: A C.T. Ferguson Private Investigator Mystery (The C.T. Ferguson Mystery Novels Book 1) I am an avid fan of Tom Fowler’s C.T .Ferguson. He is a computer hacker turned Private Investigator. Although he isn’t the most competent PI, he usually solves whatever puzzles his clients ask him to figure out. In this episode, C.T. takes on his first and last cheating spouse case. He figures that this is an easy case and shouldn’t take more than a day or two. Needless to say, nothing turns out the way he thought it would. I recommend The Reluctant Detective to anyone who enjoys a good mystery with lots of twists and turns.