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Blu Carraway Mysteries #1
In It For The Money
A gritty mystery featuring an ex-military PI in coastal South Carolina, by an author who “nails the voice of new Southern noir” (Hank Phillippi Ryan, Mary Higgins Clark Award–winning author of Trust Me).
Lowcountry private investigator Blu Carraway needs a new client. He’s completely broke and the tax man is coming for his little slice of paradise.
Unfortunately, not everyone appreciates his skills. Some call him a loose cannon. Others say he’s a liability. All the ex-Desert Storm Ranger knows is his phone hasn’t rung in quite a while.
Of course, that could be because it was cut off due to delinquent payments.
Lucky for him, a client does show up at his doorstep—a distraught mother with a wayward son. She’s rich and her boy’s in danger. Sounds like just the case for Blu. But the jigsaw pieces—a ransom note, a beat-up minivan, dead strippers, and a missing briefcase filled with money and cocaine—do not make a complete puzzle. The first real case for Blu Carraway Investigations in three years is going off the rails. And that’s just the way he prefers it …
Lowcountry private investigator Blu Carraway needs a new client. He’s completely broke and the tax man is coming for his little slice of paradise.
Unfortunately, not everyone appreciates his skills. Some call him a loose cannon. Others say he’s a liability. All the ex-Desert Storm Ranger knows is his phone hasn’t rung in quite a while.
Of course, that could be because it was cut off due to delinquent payments.
Lucky for him, a client does show up at his doorstep—a distraught mother with a wayward son. She’s rich and her boy’s in danger. Sounds like just the case for Blu. But the jigsaw pieces—a ransom note, a beat-up minivan, dead strippers, and a missing briefcase filled with money and cocaine—do not make a complete puzzle. The first real case for Blu Carraway Investigations in three years is going off the rails. And that’s just the way he prefers it …
278 pages, Paperback
Published September 12, 2017
67 people are currently reading
347 people want to read
About the author
David Burnsworth
7 books192 followersDavid Burnsworth became fascinated with the Deep South at a young age. After a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Tennessee and fifteen years in the corporate world, he made the decision to write a novel. Burnsworth is the author of the Brack Pelton Mystery Series and the Blu Carraway Mystery Series. Having lived in Charleston on Sullivan’s Island for five years, the setting was a foregone conclusion. He and his wife along call South Carolina home.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
November 4, 2017
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Blu Carraway has bills to pay, including his phone bill and the taxes on his island paradise. His last investigation paid well but that was 3 years ago. The ex-Desert Storm Ranger, now Private Investigator really needs a new client. Unable to reach him by phone a well to do woman and her driver show up at his home to ask him to find her son. They are estranged but he hasn’t made any recent withdrawals from his trust fund and she is worried. Blu thinks this will be a quick, high paying job but was he wrong. Drugs, money, and dead bodies litter the path of his investigation. Soon he just hopes to stay alive long enough to close the case and spend a little bit of the money he is earning.
Blu Carraway is a lot like Brack Pelton, the lead character in the author’s other series. In fact Brack pops up occasionally in this series. They are both war vets that have experienced things that have extremely changed their lives. Their training also gives them the necessary tools to be great PI’s. Blu does have his weaknesses and tries to be mindful and keep himself in check. His friend Mike Crome, also a vet, rides in on his motorcycle just in time to help with the case. They hadn’t seen each other since he rode off 3 years ago.
Blu has cultivated plenty of sources over the years including a contact at the DMV and a detective that helps to keep him out of jail when things go sideways. Blu also reaches out to an old girlfriend but getting that relationship back on track is going to take some work.
Mr. Burnsworth writes vivid characters, they truly come alive within these pages. They are all flawed in their own ways but like Blu and are ready to help him. I loved that there are some four legged characters too. Some very special horses, Dink and Doofus, who act more like watchdogs instead of grazing horses.
The story has a lightning pace, there is always something happening. Blu is quite a man, he can take a man or three down with just a couple of moves and remove all their guns at the same time. Whether the be bullets flying or people to question, Blu and Crome make a great team. I was holding my breath a few times as I was afraid Blu was as invincible as he thought. I was unable to put the book down and read it all on a Sunday afternoon.
I knew from the start David Burnsworth was an author to watch and he has exceeded my expectations with every book he writes. These are thrillers with plenty of violence and gritty places and situations but it is an excellent read that has no foul language. I appreciate that.
I am looking to visiting these characters again in future stories. The author has laid the groundwork for what I hope will be a long running series.
Blu Carraway has bills to pay, including his phone bill and the taxes on his island paradise. His last investigation paid well but that was 3 years ago. The ex-Desert Storm Ranger, now Private Investigator really needs a new client. Unable to reach him by phone a well to do woman and her driver show up at his home to ask him to find her son. They are estranged but he hasn’t made any recent withdrawals from his trust fund and she is worried. Blu thinks this will be a quick, high paying job but was he wrong. Drugs, money, and dead bodies litter the path of his investigation. Soon he just hopes to stay alive long enough to close the case and spend a little bit of the money he is earning.
Blu Carraway is a lot like Brack Pelton, the lead character in the author’s other series. In fact Brack pops up occasionally in this series. They are both war vets that have experienced things that have extremely changed their lives. Their training also gives them the necessary tools to be great PI’s. Blu does have his weaknesses and tries to be mindful and keep himself in check. His friend Mike Crome, also a vet, rides in on his motorcycle just in time to help with the case. They hadn’t seen each other since he rode off 3 years ago.
Blu has cultivated plenty of sources over the years including a contact at the DMV and a detective that helps to keep him out of jail when things go sideways. Blu also reaches out to an old girlfriend but getting that relationship back on track is going to take some work.
Mr. Burnsworth writes vivid characters, they truly come alive within these pages. They are all flawed in their own ways but like Blu and are ready to help him. I loved that there are some four legged characters too. Some very special horses, Dink and Doofus, who act more like watchdogs instead of grazing horses.
The story has a lightning pace, there is always something happening. Blu is quite a man, he can take a man or three down with just a couple of moves and remove all their guns at the same time. Whether the be bullets flying or people to question, Blu and Crome make a great team. I was holding my breath a few times as I was afraid Blu was as invincible as he thought. I was unable to put the book down and read it all on a Sunday afternoon.
I knew from the start David Burnsworth was an author to watch and he has exceeded my expectations with every book he writes. These are thrillers with plenty of violence and gritty places and situations but it is an excellent read that has no foul language. I appreciate that.
I am looking to visiting these characters again in future stories. The author has laid the groundwork for what I hope will be a long running series.
August 27, 2017
Carrots, Apples, and Turnips OH MY for Dink and Doofus. Supporting characters in a Find the Missing Person Puzzle. Blu Carraway on his Island paradise waiting for his rotary phone to ring, that has been disconnected, is just too funny! Tough guy PI evaluating the need to sell his boat to pay his property taxes; gets a windfall break when Cynthia Rhoads arrives in her Mercedes. Quick moving plot with no nonsense investigations riddled with contract hits, drug dealers, feisty girl friends, nosy news reporters and free flying bullets and punches. My first Burnsworth read but this one features a cross over visit from Brock Pelton star of author's previous mysteries. "A copy of this book was provided by Henery Press via NetGalley with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read and my comments here are my honest opinion."
August 7, 2017
A cozy mystery, the first book in a new series about Blu Carraway, a private investigator, and his friends. I like his friends, Door is and Dink. The reading flew smoothly and the persona is developed in great depth. The background is the low country. If you like gun battles, fights, and violence, you will like this book. There is plenty. I felt the author was trying to show the male person and missed it. Blu, an ex Desert Storm Ranger is broke and takes a job of locating a missing son for the boy's Mother. His Ranger partner, Mike Crome arrives on a motorcycle. Together they managed to have a few gun battles and fights with the unknown "bad guys". There are several turns in the story line to keep you guessing.
Disclosure: I received a free copy from Henery Press through NetGalley for an honest review. I would like to thank them for this opportunity to read and review the book. The opinions expressed are my own.
Disclosure: I received a free copy from Henery Press through NetGalley for an honest review. I would like to thank them for this opportunity to read and review the book. The opinions expressed are my own.
May 11, 2018
Here's the thing that makes this title so difficult to review. It has tremendous strengths--strong concept, engaging protagonist, fearless prose. I like his animal sidekicks, Dink and Doofus. Crome is one of the finest sidekick characters I've seen in a mystery.
Thanks go to Henery Press and Net Galley for the DRC, which I received free and early in exchange for this honest review.
On the other hand, there are some serious issues with pacing, which is clearly uneven, and also some of the worst grammar disasters I have ever come across in prose written by an adult. "Had brang" comes to mind, but they are legion. I wanted to ignore this aspect, given that it's a galley, but I've seen hundreds of them, and yet nothing that isn't self-published has grammar this awful. The result is a deeply frustrating read.
What I suspect is that this could be a terrific series given the services of a high profile editor.
Thanks go to Henery Press and Net Galley for the DRC, which I received free and early in exchange for this honest review.
On the other hand, there are some serious issues with pacing, which is clearly uneven, and also some of the worst grammar disasters I have ever come across in prose written by an adult. "Had brang" comes to mind, but they are legion. I wanted to ignore this aspect, given that it's a galley, but I've seen hundreds of them, and yet nothing that isn't self-published has grammar this awful. The result is a deeply frustrating read.
What I suspect is that this could be a terrific series given the services of a high profile editor.
November 28, 2017
Terrifically interesting, wryly funny, involved with characters well drawn and different than most pi novels. Even the horses have their own personalities. Who did it? What was done? Just who ARE the good/bad guys? The action goes to the end
August 26, 2017
This book is from one of my favorite publishers of cozy mysteries. This is not a cozy mystery. It is an action adventure mystery. Lots of gun fights and dead bodies. It is cozy like in that it does not contain foul language or intimate sexual details. While cozies are my favorite genre, this series kicks it up a notch without being offensive to me. I look forward to reading more about the adventures of Blu (and his wild horses) and Chrome (and his Harley). The publisher provided a copy via NetGalley for my voluntary review.
September 14, 2017
I liked this novel. I liked the setting, introducing me to the low country of the south. The scene descriptions were good. The plot was a bit complex, with layers of bad guys that needed to be confronted in the search for a missing person.
The aspect of the novel I liked best was the characters. Blu is a likable private eye. He'd been a Desert Storm Ranger so knows how to handle himself in a difficult situation. But he is also the kind of guy who knows his weaknesses and drinks sweet iced tea when in a bar. His investigating sidekick, Crome, is an interesting character too. He's a bit more rough than Blu but his connections with questionable people helped move the investigation along. The other characters in the story gave me a sense of the darker side of life in the area.
This novel is a good mystery with many quirky characters, from southern rich to drug dealers. There is a high body count but I don't remember much foul language. There is casual sex but not at all descriptive.
I received a complimentary digital copy of this book through Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours. My comments are an independent and honest review.
The aspect of the novel I liked best was the characters. Blu is a likable private eye. He'd been a Desert Storm Ranger so knows how to handle himself in a difficult situation. But he is also the kind of guy who knows his weaknesses and drinks sweet iced tea when in a bar. His investigating sidekick, Crome, is an interesting character too. He's a bit more rough than Blu but his connections with questionable people helped move the investigation along. The other characters in the story gave me a sense of the darker side of life in the area.
This novel is a good mystery with many quirky characters, from southern rich to drug dealers. There is a high body count but I don't remember much foul language. There is casual sex but not at all descriptive.
I received a complimentary digital copy of this book through Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours. My comments are an independent and honest review.
September 3, 2017
This was the first David Burnsworth book I have ever read. He is a good author. He makes his books interesting, easy to read and they flow very well. Blu Carraway is a PI living in Charleston SC. He is hired by a local society matron to find her son who has not dipped into his trust fund in weeks. The advance she gives Blu is very tempting and will definitely get him out of his current financial slump. Blu's partner Cromer shows up and the two team up to find this young man. Local television personalities soon offer a helping hand. But pretty soon this seemly benign job turns much darker. Those that like mysteries should enjoy this book.
August 29, 2017
Part of the Henery Press Mystery Collection
The character of Blu first showed up in another one of the author's books, set in Charleston low country also. I'm glad he got his own book.
He has a little slice of heaven on his little island off Charleston. Horses roaming free and all the privacy he wants. But to keep it, he does have to work every so often.
He has a reputation for getting the difficult stuff done, so of course Cynthia Rhodes hires him to find her wayward son Jeremy.
The supporting characters in this book are lots of fun. Chrome, the motorcycle riding hard ass, Blu's daughter, his girlfriend and some gorgeous reporters who are very good at getting information.
But right from the start, this isn't an ordinary missing person case. It seems a lot of people want Blu dead and he has no idea why.
A very fast paced read. There was never a lull in the action. I am hoping there will be much more with Blu and his quirky but loveable cast of characters.
Netgalley/Henery Press Release Date: September 12th, 2017 www.piratepatty.wordpress.com
The character of Blu first showed up in another one of the author's books, set in Charleston low country also. I'm glad he got his own book.
He has a little slice of heaven on his little island off Charleston. Horses roaming free and all the privacy he wants. But to keep it, he does have to work every so often.
He has a reputation for getting the difficult stuff done, so of course Cynthia Rhodes hires him to find her wayward son Jeremy.
The supporting characters in this book are lots of fun. Chrome, the motorcycle riding hard ass, Blu's daughter, his girlfriend and some gorgeous reporters who are very good at getting information.
But right from the start, this isn't an ordinary missing person case. It seems a lot of people want Blu dead and he has no idea why.
A very fast paced read. There was never a lull in the action. I am hoping there will be much more with Blu and his quirky but loveable cast of characters.
Netgalley/Henery Press Release Date: September 12th, 2017 www.piratepatty.wordpress.com
September 1, 2017
I love a great southern mystery, and this book did not disappoint! Dru Carraway is an interesting character with a heart! David Burnsworth spun an interesting tale that was engaging and believable, with enough twists & turns to keep me fully engaged! Will definitely read future books in this series!
Disclaimer-I received this ARC from Henery Press and this review is unbiased.
Disclaimer-I received this ARC from Henery Press and this review is unbiased.
July 2, 2017
I have been a Fan of David Burnsworth for some time now, so when I got the chance to get this book through NetGalley in exchange for a review I jumped on it. This is the start of a new series that features Blu Carraway, and I think it was a promising start. I love the characters and the storyline, it had plenty of action and mystery, a great sidekick Crome, I want to get to know him better, and some romance as well. The pacing and writing was good and I can't wait to see what will happen in the next book, I hope that there will be many more to come. Very entertaining read.
August 8, 2018
In It For The Money, is the first book in the Blu Carraway Mystery Series by author David Burnsworth.
Set in the sultry lowcountry setting of Charleston, SC, the reader follows ex-Desert Storm Army Ranger turned Private Investigator Blu Carraway as he embarks on a Southern noir/mystery investigative adventure.
Three years have passed since Blu Carraway's last paying investigative case, and the bills are piling up including the outstanding taxes on Carraway Island, his private 9-acre family-owned island paradise. With no phone or means to get his investigative agency any business, Cynthia Rhodes, a wealthy Charleston socialite tracks Blu down at his island home and requests his services to find her missing son, Jeremy. Cynthia and Jeremy have an estranged relationship, and when Cynthia notices that Jeremy hasn't made any recent withdrawals from his trust account for the past two weeks, she becomes worried. Blu takes the case thinking it will be a quick high money paying job, but he quickly realizes that Cynthia hasn't told him everything, especially when the investigation suddenly turns into something more than just a missing twenty-something son, there are missing drugs and money, contract hits, and dead bodies added into the mix! Blu's investigation gets ramped up when his MIA best friend/business partner Mick Crome comes riding in on his Harley, so they team up with a motley crew of friends and engage in a dangerous game of cat and mouse with a son who apparently doesn't want to be found.
Author David Burnsworth weaves a fast-paced and suspenseful tale that follows Blu and Mick's investigative journey as it takes them all over Charleston in search of Jeremy Rhodes. The reader is easily drawn into this well-written story with its richly descriptive plot and setting, it is filled with enough action and unsuspecting twists and turns that takes the reader on one hell of a thrilling roller coaster ride.
As a fan of Southern fiction, I loved the richly descriptive Charleston setting and the surrounding lowcountry SC areas, especially Blu's private Carraway Island that features a free-roaming herd of Carolina Marsh Tackey horses that include the lovable Dink and Doofus.
With an intriguing cast of characters; witty dialogue and dramatic interactions; a complicated romantic relationship; and a richly descriptive setting that makes a person want to visit the picturesque city of Charleston, its historic landmarks, and the surrounding lowcountry areas; In It For The Money is an intriguing tale that will entice fans of classic Southern noir mysteries to follow along on Blu's investigative adventures!
Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author/publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
https://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspo...
Set in the sultry lowcountry setting of Charleston, SC, the reader follows ex-Desert Storm Army Ranger turned Private Investigator Blu Carraway as he embarks on a Southern noir/mystery investigative adventure.
Three years have passed since Blu Carraway's last paying investigative case, and the bills are piling up including the outstanding taxes on Carraway Island, his private 9-acre family-owned island paradise. With no phone or means to get his investigative agency any business, Cynthia Rhodes, a wealthy Charleston socialite tracks Blu down at his island home and requests his services to find her missing son, Jeremy. Cynthia and Jeremy have an estranged relationship, and when Cynthia notices that Jeremy hasn't made any recent withdrawals from his trust account for the past two weeks, she becomes worried. Blu takes the case thinking it will be a quick high money paying job, but he quickly realizes that Cynthia hasn't told him everything, especially when the investigation suddenly turns into something more than just a missing twenty-something son, there are missing drugs and money, contract hits, and dead bodies added into the mix! Blu's investigation gets ramped up when his MIA best friend/business partner Mick Crome comes riding in on his Harley, so they team up with a motley crew of friends and engage in a dangerous game of cat and mouse with a son who apparently doesn't want to be found.
Author David Burnsworth weaves a fast-paced and suspenseful tale that follows Blu and Mick's investigative journey as it takes them all over Charleston in search of Jeremy Rhodes. The reader is easily drawn into this well-written story with its richly descriptive plot and setting, it is filled with enough action and unsuspecting twists and turns that takes the reader on one hell of a thrilling roller coaster ride.
As a fan of Southern fiction, I loved the richly descriptive Charleston setting and the surrounding lowcountry SC areas, especially Blu's private Carraway Island that features a free-roaming herd of Carolina Marsh Tackey horses that include the lovable Dink and Doofus.
With an intriguing cast of characters; witty dialogue and dramatic interactions; a complicated romantic relationship; and a richly descriptive setting that makes a person want to visit the picturesque city of Charleston, its historic landmarks, and the surrounding lowcountry areas; In It For The Money is an intriguing tale that will entice fans of classic Southern noir mysteries to follow along on Blu's investigative adventures!
Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author/publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
https://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspo...
August 26, 2017
This is a new series about a somewhat unconventional Pi, Blu Carraway. Blu is an ex-Army Ranger, who now runs his own PI business, except that things are not going as well as they should. Blu lives on an island that has been in his family for years. Though there are probably no mortgage payments, there are general, overall expenses, taxes that come due, phone bills, car expenses, etc. that demand Blu’s attention. Since his cash flow is not good, Blu accepts a job to find the missing son of a wealthy, old money Charleston matron, Cynthia Rhodes. Cynthia claims her son is missing because he has not drawn money from his trust fund, as he routinely does. Blu accepts the case because her price is right, and he really needs the money. Along with his somewhat irregular biker friend and sometimes partner, Mike Crome, Blu sets off to find the missing boy. However, soon things begin to fall apart in the case. The story is full of guns, violence, strippers, a suitcase with money, drugs and an odd assortment of shady characters who only make the tale more interesting. The story reads well. The characters are well developed. The plot is okay, but nothing spectacular. I enjoyed reading about the unconventional Blu and his even more unconventional buddy Crome. The author wanted to show the reader a different sort of PI team who works in ways that are a bit beyond the norm we usually see in books, and has definitely succeeded. It was refreshing to find a new, different sort of character, though some of what went on in the story was a bit outlandish. I was captured by the tale from the beginning, and the many twists and turns throughout kept me interested. If you enjoy a lot of violence and are interested in a different sort of PI team, this one will be perfect for you. If you enjoy and are looking for something a little bit different, this also will suit you. I received this from NetGalley to read and review.
October 5, 2017
Blu Carraway is an ex-Desert Storm Ranger. He resides in his family’s house on an island off Charleston. Although he doesn’t have to make mortgage payments, he still has to pay for taxes, phone, and food. But work as a PI is really slow. So, when societies Cynthia Rhodes shows up on his door step, offering him a large amount of money to find her son of course he is going to jump.
Jeremy Rhodes has not touched his trust fund in a while and Cynthia is worried something has happened to him. Blu agrees and calls in his partner Mick Crome to help him. But things quickly escalate and it seems everyone is not after Blu. There is more to this mystery than just finding an errant rich kid.
This is my first book from David Burnsworth and I have to say that I picked one heck of a thrill ride. Blu is a retired Ranger that has no problem stepping up and taking care of business. He quickly gets wrapped up with drug dealers, hookers, and a lot of bad people.
This book is filled with lots of action, a great mystery, and one heck of a lead character. Crome is a great partner for Blu although he is a lot rougher around the edges. There is a lot happening in this story but I loved every minute of it.
If you like action packed thrillers you have to check out In It For The Money. I can’t wait to read other books by David Burnsworth.
I received In It For The Money from Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours for free. This has in no way influenced my opinion of this book.
Jeremy Rhodes has not touched his trust fund in a while and Cynthia is worried something has happened to him. Blu agrees and calls in his partner Mick Crome to help him. But things quickly escalate and it seems everyone is not after Blu. There is more to this mystery than just finding an errant rich kid.
This is my first book from David Burnsworth and I have to say that I picked one heck of a thrill ride. Blu is a retired Ranger that has no problem stepping up and taking care of business. He quickly gets wrapped up with drug dealers, hookers, and a lot of bad people.
This book is filled with lots of action, a great mystery, and one heck of a lead character. Crome is a great partner for Blu although he is a lot rougher around the edges. There is a lot happening in this story but I loved every minute of it.
If you like action packed thrillers you have to check out In It For The Money. I can’t wait to read other books by David Burnsworth.
I received In It For The Money from Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours for free. This has in no way influenced my opinion of this book.
May 22, 2017
David Burnsworth has created an entirely new series with characters that are rich, diverse, and beg to be explored.
We first meet Blu Carraway in the cross-over novella, Blu Heat: A Blu Carraway Novella, where Brack Pelton and Blu join forces, but Blu really comes into his own in this series. He's a hard working private detective living alone, except for the ponies, on an island in an old house without AC. And things are just fine. Except bills are coming due and he doesn't have any new clients. Fate, and old cases, bring money and an invigorated detective back in the game.
I don't believe in spoilers, so I'll just say that Blu, Crome, and Billie are nothing short of fully developed, multi-layered characters that I can't wait to get to know even better.
If you love face-paced, character rich, sweaty southern story-telling with a side of murder, this is the series for you.
We first meet Blu Carraway in the cross-over novella, Blu Heat: A Blu Carraway Novella, where Brack Pelton and Blu join forces, but Blu really comes into his own in this series. He's a hard working private detective living alone, except for the ponies, on an island in an old house without AC. And things are just fine. Except bills are coming due and he doesn't have any new clients. Fate, and old cases, bring money and an invigorated detective back in the game.
I don't believe in spoilers, so I'll just say that Blu, Crome, and Billie are nothing short of fully developed, multi-layered characters that I can't wait to get to know even better.
If you love face-paced, character rich, sweaty southern story-telling with a side of murder, this is the series for you.
September 11, 2017
This was an interesting story that centers around Blu, a private detective suffering from under-employment. When a missing person case comes his way, he jumps at the chance to pay his bills. However, he case turns out to be more complicated than expected, and he is soon joined in his efforts by his mostly absentee partner, Crome. Although both men are macho ex-military types, Blu has a more sensitive side to him and is definitively more likeable than Crome. The story was well written, however, it did take time for me to get into it. Once the pace picked up, I enjoyed reading about Blu's efforts to find the kid and connect the dots between the various plot points.
As someone who hasn't visited the low country, I also enjoyed the touch of southern charm and the description of Blu's island and his semi-tame horses. Sounds like a place worth visiting some day.
FTC Disclosure: I received an advance review copy of this book. This has not affected the content of my review in any way
As someone who hasn't visited the low country, I also enjoyed the touch of southern charm and the description of Blu's island and his semi-tame horses. Sounds like a place worth visiting some day.
FTC Disclosure: I received an advance review copy of this book. This has not affected the content of my review in any way
September 12, 2017
This the first of Burnsworth's books that I've read -- but it definitely won't be the last! Living in the South, I appreciated his accuracy on the descriptions of places, personalities of the people, etc. The book starts out a little slower that I typically like with a mystery but with a good base, the story really had good traction on the ground it'd been laid. Blu has a bit of quirkiness that I like and it's enough to balance out the serious, tough, rogue side that he has as an investigator. Money has a way of driving us to do things - no matter what the risk - and Blu lives up to every part of the risk! Burnsworth created a nice twist of a mystery here because I couldn't put it down as I got through about a third of the book. He didn't play out the mystery in a generic manner. It really made me think!
I received a complimentary copy of the book for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own.
I received a complimentary copy of the book for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own.
October 10, 2017
Former Army Ranger turned Lowcountry PI Blu Carraway is almost broke and needs a new client to pay his bills and property taxes on his island home. Luckily, a rich client Cynthia Rhodes shows up and gives Blu a huge retainer to find her missing son Jeremy. But it's not so easy to find Jeremy and soon Blu finds himself dealing with contract hits, nosy and sexy newspaper reporters and plenty of bullets and punches. With the help of his errant business partner Mick Crome, Blu eventually finds a trail leading to a beat-up minivan, dead strippers, and a missing briefcase filled with money and cocaine that the owner wants back at all costs.
This book is filled with lots of action and an intriguing lead protagonist. The Lowcountry setting is also well portrayed.
I received an eARC via Netgalley and Henery Press with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book and provided this review.
This book is filled with lots of action and an intriguing lead protagonist. The Lowcountry setting is also well portrayed.
I received an eARC via Netgalley and Henery Press with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book and provided this review.
October 21, 2017
Blu Carraway has a new case and most possibly there will be action, gunshots and a lot of lies. Ready for Blu?
Blu has a new case, a rich young artist has disappeared... or has he been kidnapped? There's no trace of him for a week, and very few clues to follow him. And of course everyone has something to hide or omit something quite important about the case... so, what's really behind Jeremy disappearance?
While we enter in a quite difficult case, we will meet Blu, his girlfriend and his ex partner (and future partner again) Crome. They all have their own character and will make this case more personal and interesting, seeing how Blu can balance a dangerous life with a new relation with her younghood love, it would not be easy, of course.
This is the first book of the Blu Carraway Mystery series, but after seeing Blu in action, I can assure you we will see more of his cases soon! ;)
Ready for a non-stop book?
Blu has a new case, a rich young artist has disappeared... or has he been kidnapped? There's no trace of him for a week, and very few clues to follow him. And of course everyone has something to hide or omit something quite important about the case... so, what's really behind Jeremy disappearance?
While we enter in a quite difficult case, we will meet Blu, his girlfriend and his ex partner (and future partner again) Crome. They all have their own character and will make this case more personal and interesting, seeing how Blu can balance a dangerous life with a new relation with her younghood love, it would not be easy, of course.
This is the first book of the Blu Carraway Mystery series, but after seeing Blu in action, I can assure you we will see more of his cases soon! ;)
Ready for a non-stop book?
September 4, 2017
I got to exactly 50% in this book. The story was OK, but I just couldn't take anymore of Blu and the two news women. It felt like the author expected us to applaud every time Blu doesn't sleep with one of them!
"But they're also young and attractive. You've got to make sure nothing happens to them."
"I'm trying," he said, although he wasn't sure if he believed it.
"while Tess hitched a ride with Blu. His spider sense told him this was about as bad an idea as he could have, what with just trying to get things right with Billie. Still, the attractive, high-profile news correspondents were fun to be around. Or maybe he was just a pitiful middle-aged man caught up in the presence of younger women."
Huh. Ya think?
It was OK the first few times, but it just got too old. I liked the story OK, but can't take juvenile Blu anymore.
"But they're also young and attractive. You've got to make sure nothing happens to them."
"I'm trying," he said, although he wasn't sure if he believed it.
"while Tess hitched a ride with Blu. His spider sense told him this was about as bad an idea as he could have, what with just trying to get things right with Billie. Still, the attractive, high-profile news correspondents were fun to be around. Or maybe he was just a pitiful middle-aged man caught up in the presence of younger women."
Huh. Ya think?
It was OK the first few times, but it just got too old. I liked the story OK, but can't take juvenile Blu anymore.
September 11, 2017
A simple missing person job is anything but simple when Blu Carraway is hired by a wealthy socialite, Cynthia Rhodes, to find her missing son Jeremy.
Violence and multiple murders made this a fast paced investigation in the diverse locale of Charleston SC as Blu and his partner Mick Crome reconnect.
There is a prequel to this first in the series novel and I would recommend reading it first.
If you enjoy a hard-boiled, tough guy hero, you should enjoy this series. Though not my cup of tea it was well written.
I volunteered to read an ARC through Net Galley.
Violence and multiple murders made this a fast paced investigation in the diverse locale of Charleston SC as Blu and his partner Mick Crome reconnect.
There is a prequel to this first in the series novel and I would recommend reading it first.
If you enjoy a hard-boiled, tough guy hero, you should enjoy this series. Though not my cup of tea it was well written.
I volunteered to read an ARC through Net Galley.
September 13, 2017
This is a man’s man story which will appeal to those who prefer their detectives hardboiled. There’s certainly an audience for this, and I expect Burnsworth will be selling Blu Carraway books for a long time. Recommended. See https://itsallaboutthebook.org/2017/0... for the full review.
October 22, 2017
The setting was marvelous with descriptions that captured the feel of Lowcountry South Carolina. The characters were well flushed out though were a bit cliché. The action and twists in the plot were interesting but rhythmic. I look forward to the second installment in this Series as I found that authors often relax and write a far more enjoyable read as a series progresses.
October 30, 2018
IN IT FOR THE MONEY: A Blu Carraway Mystery by David Burnsworth: A fast paced cozy mystery with nonstop action from beginning to end. These quirky Lowcountry characters are delightful. Eagerly awaiting the next volume of this four-star- read.
October 15, 2017
aka. SherleyB.
Not too bad a storyline, a bit of action her and there,
Some of the characters where good,
maybe the next book will be just as fun to read?!
Not too bad a storyline, a bit of action her and there,
Some of the characters where good,
maybe the next book will be just as fun to read?!
November 18, 2018
I liked it well enough that I will read the next in the series...3.5 stars.
October 17, 2017
I was introduced to this writer when I read the prequel, BLU HEAT, where the reader meets Blu Carraway P.I. I also read BIG CITY HEAT, a Brack Pelton, P.I., series.
Blu Carraway is running out of money to pay his bills so the timing couldn’t have been better when a very wealthy socialite drives up wanting to hire him to find her son. She has been estranged from him but monitors his activity by his withdrawals of his trust fund but there has been no activity in 2 weeks.
How hard can this case be trying to locate a young man with purple hair and many piercings? Blu realizes a lot harder when bodies start to pile up, he is being set up and a hit is now out on him!
David Burnsworth, as in the previous books I have read by him, constructs a story that grabs the reader from the first page and doesn’t let go until the final word! The energy and turmoil in the story is perceptible. I found myself having to read “just one more chapter” because I wanted to know how this was going to end. And the ending didn’t disappoint.
Another tense read by Mr. Burnsworth! Can’t wait for what’s next!!!
Blu Carraway is running out of money to pay his bills so the timing couldn’t have been better when a very wealthy socialite drives up wanting to hire him to find her son. She has been estranged from him but monitors his activity by his withdrawals of his trust fund but there has been no activity in 2 weeks.
How hard can this case be trying to locate a young man with purple hair and many piercings? Blu realizes a lot harder when bodies start to pile up, he is being set up and a hit is now out on him!
David Burnsworth, as in the previous books I have read by him, constructs a story that grabs the reader from the first page and doesn’t let go until the final word! The energy and turmoil in the story is perceptible. I found myself having to read “just one more chapter” because I wanted to know how this was going to end. And the ending didn’t disappoint.
Another tense read by Mr. Burnsworth! Can’t wait for what’s next!!!
June 2, 2018
I was gifted a signed copy by the Author, David Burnsworth. I will update once read.
February 22, 2018
I wanted to love this book but wasn’t a fan of the plot or the main character. The writing was well done and the plot while well crafted was not for me.
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