by Sharlan Douglas
Sue Grafton really painted herself into a corner with the Kinsey Milhone books: 26 and she’s done. J.A. Konrath has no such problem. His six books featuring Chicago cop Jacqueline (Jack) Daniels are named for cocktails and my Mr. Boston Deluxe Official Bartender’s Guide lists more than 1,700 possibilities.
I read the first, Whiskey Sour, and I liked the wise-cracking heroine, who shoots pool and perps and also has a tendency to shoot herself in the foot. In the latest, Bloody Mary, I’ve grown a little tired of Jack’s bungling. Whenever Konrath needs to create some action, he just has her do something stupid. How’d she get to be such a hot shot in the CPD? When he needs cheap comic relief he trots out Jack’s oafish ex-partner. And I was hard-pressed to believe that the serial killer in Bloody Mary had gotten away with so much for so long.
Tags: Bloody Mary, Books, first editions, J.A. Konrath
