Family Values (Leo Waterman, #10) by G.M. Ford

Family Values (Leo Waterman, #10) Reviews

• 
  Paromjit

  Leo Waterman, retired PI, is back in this latest installment of this terrific series set in Seattle. Leo is back early on Valentine's Day in Seattle, armed with surprise flowers and chocolates for Dr Rebecca Duvall, forensic examiner and girlfriend. Its raining heavily and on entering Rebecca's home, Leo finds it reeking of gas and a barely alive Rebecca with a syringe full of heroin stuck in her. A shocked and desperate Leo manages to turn off the gas and collapses with Rebecca outside. It turns out Rebecca has been suspended for corrupt practices with the loss of vital files whilst Leo was away. This is assumed by the police to be a suicide attempt because she could no longer cope. Leo is having none of it, he knows Rebecca, it is not possible for her to be guilty of such actions. His instincts seem to be right as he finds his home broken into and trashed, and another brash murderous attack taking place that could have left Rebecca for dead misfiring at the hospital. Taking no chances, Leo hires Rebecca the best bodyguard available, which leads to the entry of the brilliant gender ambiguous Gabe, a fascinating and eccentric character.
  
  Leo investigates, with the help of his high tech wheelchair bound buddy, Carl, below the radar unexpected help from the SPD, the madcap quirky elderly drinking trio of George, Ralph, Harold and friends, and the deadly skills and expertise of Gabe. A shell shocked Rebecca recovers and illicitly accesses the missing files whilst acknowledging the gaping security holes in her department courtesy of the shocking budget cuts. There seems to be no apparent connection with the men whose files are missing, and no one seems to be gaining from their loss. As Leo digs deep, he uncovers the sexual abuse and exploitation of South Korean children, which Leo being Leo, he has to expose, and a trail that leads to a powerful family and the murder of Sidney's daughter, for whom their appears to be an unsafe murder conviction. As the bodies pile up, Leo and Gabe face mounting dangers and a ruthless, amoral killer prepared to do anything to remain undiscovered.
  
  I was so thrilled to read this tense, suspense filled, and action driven addition to one of my favourite series. The author's most able expertise lie in the great characterisations, done with such skill. Leo with his wonderful background of a corrupt father, despised by so many, but with a tight knit circle of oddballs and eccentrics for support. The addition of Gabe is a masterstroke, I thought she is a wonderful creation, making great impact and continues the development of this superb series. By contrast, Rebecca seems to be the only normal one, but she has her fanciful expectations of a just world crack into pieces, which only makes her a more compelling and more human character. Fantastic, gripping and highly entertaining read. Many thanks to Thomas and Mercer for an ARC.
• 
  Antigone

  Valentine's Day is dying cold and wet in Seattle. Leo Waterman, a retired private detective, arrives home from a business trip to surprise his girlfriend with roses and candy. Upon reaching her house he discovers her unconscious on the bathroom floor, the air thick with gas. Some are content to call this a suicide attempt. Some don't know Rebecca.
  
  G.M. Ford's rough-around-the-edges investigator sweeps us up like dice for a tumble through the bureaucracies of the city's medical examiner's office, police department, the D.A.'s dubious court docket, and the stealthy manipulations of those with some fairly deep pockets who would prefer to let sleeping dogs lie. It's a fast and furious slide through subcultures high and low, peopled by characters replete with distinctive voices, motives, and methodologies - including the rather impressive introduction of some gender-fluid muscle. Twists lead to turns only to twist once more as the tale grows increasingly complex, and the adversaries more desperate. I couldn't discern a single hitch in Waterman's loping stride to the finish; no posturing or pretention; no poke of a flaw to lift me, even for a moment, out of the action.
  
  Should you find yourself in need of an excellent 280-page distraction, you just might consider this.
  
• 
  Kathy

  Entertaining mix of muscle, brains, tenacity and faithful support of friends colored by humour, liberally applied wherever possible. The action takes Leo and his hired hand to the bottom of the Puget Sound among other assorted hard knocks somehow survived in support of Rebecca and her job as Medical Examiner. The book has one heck of an explosive start and it just keeps going.
  Along the way we visit some prime Seattle spots, another plus.
• 
  Robin

  Ford's Leo Waterman series is such a great series it deserves to be more widely read. He is especially adept at using Seattle as his backdrop for Leo's investigations.
  
  I wrote the following for another of his books and repeat it here as my feelings haven't changed:
  
  Read these if you are a fan of Sue Grafton (Leo has the smarts and heart of Kinsey Millhone), Janet Evanovich (Leo is not nearly as inept as Stephanie Plum but gets himself in some interesting situations and his "operatives" are very colorful), and Lee Child (Leo is a tough manly man but not at all chauvinistic). Ford also infuses his mysteries with a lot of snort-worthy snark and humor.
  
  This can be read without reading the others but I highly recommend starting with the first, "Who the Hell is Wanda Fuca?" and bingeing on the rest.
• 
  Greg Tymn

  What is it about G M Ford's novels that make them worth reading? Aside from fairly well-crafted plots and interesting characters, it's the low viscosity wordsmithery. Within a few pages, one becomes oriented. A few more pages and you are standing at Leo's side watching the action or, if you are imaginative enough, skirmishing with Leo and Gabe against genocidal Croatians. The original Augmented-Reality mode without the need for electronics or software.
  
  One other point. Some people like puns. Others like limericks. I enjoy unusual similes and metaphors. Mr. Ford is the king of "Striking Simile": a few words put together that you haven't seen before providing a description that is unusual, visual and sometimes humorous. This novel is worth the price if solely judged on the value of those utterances.
• 
  Donna Davis

  “They were standing inside the door when I came out of the bathroom. Two of them. Matching gray suits, milling around like they owned the joint. Something about carrying a gun in one pocket and the power of the state in the other changes the way a person relates to the universe. For as long as I could remember, that particular sense of privilege has always pissed me off.”
  
  Leo Waterman is a solid citizen now, no longer the scruffy Seattle PI that he was when our series began. But now that he has a lovely home and a good woman—well, sometimes anyway—he also has more to defend, and is less fettered by economic constraints. Those that have loved this series from the get-go should go go go to their nearest book seller or favorite website and get get get this book. New readers can jump right in, but likely as not, you’ll want to go back and get the rest of the series once you’ve seen this one. Lucky me, I read it free thanks to Net Galley and Thomas and Mercer, but it’s worth the full jacket price. It is for sale now.
  
  Leo returns from vacation to find Rebecca Duvall, the love of his life, on the bathroom floor with a needle in her arm. Her reputation has been damaged by a suggestion of corruption, but Leo knows this is no suicide attempt. Her job as medical examiner is on the line now, and so Leo enlists the help of his boisterous investigative squad to untangle the mystery of who wants Rebecca not only fired, but dead. Ford tells the story with the gut-busting edgy humor for which he is known. He takes a playful jab or two at gender fluidity; at times this part feels a little excessive, but that’s not where the story lingers. There are a million twists and turns as our impulsive PI goes where everyone tells him he should not:
  
  “’ I went out to see Patricia Harrington today.’
  “’Don’t fuck with those people, Leo.’”
  
  There are some arrhythmia-worthy attack scenes, and the plot is wholly original and free of formulaic gimmicks. The streets and alleys of Seattle and the hinterlands beyond are all rendered immediate and palpable.
  
  Ultimately the heart of the tale is revealed by Leo’s regard for Seattle’s homeless men and women, some of whom were once friends of his late father. It is to them he turns for extra eyes in a difficult situation:
  
  They were great for stakeouts, as long as it was somewhere downtown. They could hang around
  all day and nobody paid them any mind because society has trained itself not to see the
  poor and the destitute. That way, we don’t have to think about how the richest society on
  earth allows so many of its citizens to live in the streets like stray dogs.
  
  The snappy banter between Waterman and Seattle cops is always delightful. It’s even better once we add a pair of fake UPS guys, some thugs known as the Delaney brothers, local ruling scions, and poor Rebecca as the straight character representing all that is sane and normal: “Oh Jesus…what now? Locusts?” The narrative is fresh, funny, and entirely original, avoiding all of the formulaic foolishness that makes old lady schoolteachers like this reviewer peevish.
  
  The ending will make you want to sing.
  
  Altogether, this novel is an unmissable treat.
• 
  Valerie

  Until I had won a Kindle version of this book from Goodreads, I had never read any of G.M. Ford's books. This is number ten in his private investigator series featuring Leo Waterman, and I thoroughly enjoyed it; so much so that I made a mental note to myself to read some of the other books in this series and the other books he has written. Leo Waterman is quite the character, and has a dark sense of humor about human behavior. Underlying that though is the feeling I get that the character has a very optimistic view of life, no matter what is going on around him. In this particular book, Leo comes home early from a meeting in Arizona (he lives in Seattle, WA) and decides to bring flowers and candy to his girlfriend, Rebecca Duvall, the medical examiner for the area. He finds the condo she lives in closed up and there is no answer at the door when he knocks, although he can hear her cell phone ring when he calls the number. He kicks the door in, and is almost overwhelmed by huge amounts of gas from her stove, and finds her unconscious on the floor with a syringe sticking out of her arm. He then calls 911, and it is determined that she has huge amounts of heroin in her system. The law enforcement people think it is a suicide attempt on her part because she had been suspended from her job due to five missing files; one of which was going to be re-examined due to possible errors in procedure. It, of course, was not a suicide attempt and she had 'help' with her predicament. Leo starts to investigate the background of all that is involved in the five cases, and finds that behind it all, there is a man who is married to a very wealthy woman, who grudgingly agreed to let his two children from previous marriages move in with them, at his wife's insistence. One of them ends up a murder victim; thus the reason why at least one of the files is missing. I really enjoyed this story very much and thought it was well written with the author doing a superb job of making his characters unforgettable. I found myself laughing at some of the humorous parts of the book, and I am looking forward to reading more by this author.
• 
  Ann

  This is at least book 9 or 10 in the Leo Waterman Mystery series. Set in Seattle, Leo is coming home on Valentine's Day to celebrate with Rebecca when he finds her unconscious in their home filled with gas. Doctors rule it attempted suicide but Leo knows better. Together with his friends, the retired PI investigates claims that Rebecca botched her job as medical examiner and is facing charges. Good mystery to solve and lots of suspense. This is the first book in the series that I've read and it stands alone well.
• 
  Jon

  A very ironic title for a book that centers on an extremely wealthy family whose values are highly questionable. Written with Ford's usual wit and panache. I've read almost all of this series now, and my sense is that the books have been improving as they go along, even though I've given them all similarly favorable reviews.
• 
  Michele

  Disclaimer: I received this book for free when I won it thru Goodreads Giveaway.
  
  I have not previously read any of G.M. Ford books; therefore this book was the first introduction for me into his writing, story lines and the Leo Waterman series. I liked that the book was a quick and easy read as the story line flowed easily and smoothly, although I must say there was not much of a "mystery". It was pretty easy to figure out the "who done it" and was definitely confirmed about 3/4 through the book. I would of like a few twists and turns and maybe an unexpected plot line to develop but there was none of this in this particular book. I am wondering if all of the Leo Waterman series may have the same type of story lines and "mystery" that are pretty straightforward which brings me to the decision of trying another book in the series. I am on the fence about whether to continue to read other books in the Leo Waterman series. Although I really did like the easy read for when I am looking for a quick story line, I am not sure if any of the other story lines are going to be really interesting enough to continue because I personally prefer a little more twists and turns in my mystery books.
  
  I did enjoy the fact that the reader did not have to read the other books in the series in order to get to know the characters beforehand. The setting and descriptions of places in Seattle were enjoyable to read.
  
  I gave the book three stars as I was not entirely enthusiastic regarding the mystery plot.
  
• 
  Lisa

  I am so glad that Leo is back, as well as Rebecca and new character Gabe! The wait was well worth it. Fast paced story with a touch of the old gang, as well as Leo's luck! I stayed up all night to finish this, and now look forward to the next story! Fantastic new character in this book that garners attention and interest without poking you in the face. Just enough background to keep you guessing and wanting to know more. Highly recommend this book, and if you haven't read Mr. Ford's other stories, well get with it!! You are missing out on a great series!
• 
  Jim A

  Another very good story from G.M. Ford. One of the trademarks of a Leo Waterman story from Ford is Ford's use of unusual characters in assisting Waterman's cases. In this story Ford introduces Gabe as a body guard hired to protect Rachel after an attempt on her life. In this case, Gabe is transgender. Ford doesn't use the character for a political statement, it just follows along with his earlier use of street derelicts as his eyes and ears.
  
  Worth the read. If one is an Amazon Prime member, this book is part of the Kindle/Prime Lending Library.
• 
  Mary

  Leo Waterman had been in Arizona wrapping up loose ends on some property that he had sold. He managed to complete his errands early, and being that it was Valentine's Day, he decided to came home a day early and surprise his girlfriend, Dr Rebecca Duvall. Dr Duvall is the Seattle Medical Examiner.
  
  True to typical Seattle weather, it's pouring as he is trying to make his way from the parking lot to her door with the flowers and chocolates that he was carrying. Two burly men dressed in UPS uniforms brushed past him. He approaches the door. and there is no answer. He tries her phone. No answer. this is very rare for her because she is always on call for her job. He looks through the window and sees the lights are on. More knocking. Finally, he breaks down her door, but is almost immediately engulfed in a ball of blue gas. He Makes his way to the kitchen and is able to turn the gas off. Crawling now to find Rebecca who is clinging to life, and has a needle stuck in her arm. He manages to get her outside just as the police and paramedics are arriving. Thankfully, the paramedic recognized the taste of heroin and immediately administered narcan.
  
  The police are calling it attempted suicide. Apparently, Rebecca had been suspended from her job on Friday because several files had gone missing. To add insult to injury, after he was released from the hospital, he discovered his home had been ransacked. He received a message from the doctor in the ER that he needed to come see him. Rebecca had been moved to another floor after his release, but the patient that occupied her room after her was not so lucky. Someone had come in to the ICU and stabbed the orderly and killed the patient. Leo had not wanted to fall back in to his private investigator routine just yet, but he had not choice. He called on favors from some old friends and colleagues and they set out to get this taken care of once and for all.
  
  He paid a visit to one of Rebecca's co-workers, who had also been suspended until the investigation was over. Shortly after the visit, this co-worker was killed in a hit and run. The next day Leo stopped by the co-worker's house to see if he could help with anything. The wife didn't speak much English, and there was a caseworker there. The caseworker and the wife had gone into another room because the youngest child was crying. Leo saw a stack of bills on the table and was looking through them. That's when the oldest daughter whispered to Leo about 'daddy's secret place' and gave him a key to a storage unit. Conveniently the bill for the storage place was in the bills.
  
  Leo set out to the storage place, taking all sorts of photos for evidence. In the Storage unit, was a large red tub with the missing files.
  
  Ahhh.. You're thinking case closed, end of story, right? Well, not quite. Rebecca and the rest of her team were reinstated to their jobs, but Leo couldn't let it rest. He wanted to know why this co-worker had taken the files. The rest of the book takes a further look at the real story taking place. I'm not going to tell you what that it. You'll have to read the book to find out.
  
  The book is well-written, but if I were to make one change, it would be to have shorter chapters, in the event a reader is someone who is someone who says, 'I'll take a quick break from reading after this chapter' or in the event they are reading the book on their commute to or from work. All in all, I'd recommend this book to others. It is a good read.
• 
  Cathy Ryan

  4.5*
  Retired PI Leo Waterman returns to Seattle a day earlier than he expected. It’s Valentine’s Day and he plans to surprise his girlfriend, forensic examiner Dr Rebecca Duvall, with chocolates and flowers. There’s no answer at Rebecca’s house but Leo can hear her phone ringing inside when he tries to contact her. Realising something must be wrong, Rebecca is always on call, he breaks down the door to be hit with an overpowering smell of gas. He finds Rebecca unconscious with a needle dangling from her arm. Desperate, Leo manages to get Rebecca outside before he’s overcome by the fumes.
  
  Rebecca has been suspended from her job and is under investigation. The police suspect it’s a suicide attempt because Rebecca can’t face the outcome of her actions, but Leo doesn’t believe that for a moment. But who not only wants Rebecca fired, but also killed. The events which follow only confirm his previous suspicions that Rebecca, and by association himself, are now being targeted.
  
  Leo, together with ‘the boys’ – his unconventional back-up surveillance group of ageing homeless misfits, a couple of helpful friends and ably assisted by Gabe’s lethal expertise, uncovers more than he bargained for in his quest to clear Rebecca’s name.
  
  The narrative is written in the first person from Leo’s perspective. Over the course of this very enjoyable series (narrated excellently by Patrick Lawlor) Leo has developed in keeping with the passing of time and I love that he still looks out for his homeless pals. He’s good-hearted, more than slightly cynical and has mostly managed to work his way from under the cloud of his father’s corruption. Once a powerful politician, Waterman senior wasn’t averse to underhand dealings. Leo can be tough when the situation warrants and he gets into some attention grabbing situations, particularly when someone advises him not to do something.
  
  A well crafted, action driven plot filled with tension, suspense, skilful characterisations and snappy dialogue. I was immediately transported to rain drenched Seattle by wonderfully descriptive prose – The rain was charging across the pavement in silver sheets; overhead, the wind roared through the treetops like a bullet train. (Sounds like our summer!) Gabe is an inspired addition, ‘they’ are intriguing and I hope will feature in future books. There are enough twists to keep me guessing and even when one mystery is solved it leads straight into another. A solid series which stands the test of time.
• 
  Mike

  Fun characters and great writing elevate a mediocre plot to near greatness.
  
  Family Values is hard-boiled crime fiction in the classic P.I. tradition with modern sensibilities. Full of great characters, witty dialogue, and sly humor ( " ...this thing was gnawing at my insides like a bulimic beaver."). Add a gender fluid bodyguard named Gabe and a group of happy-go-lucky derelicts who serve as Waterman's version of the Baker Street Irregulars and hold on tight because things really get good.
  
  For some reason this one had been on my digital reading pile for quite some time, getting shuffled down every time something got added, then I read one other book in the series (Chump Change: Leo Waterman #8) and remembered I had this one and put it right at the top of my list. I've enjoyed this so much I've already bought the other books in the series.
  
  Family Values is the tenth book in the Leo Waterman Mystery Series, I've only read one other so I feel confident in saying that you don't need to be familiar with the series at all to be able to enjoy this as a standalone.
  
  Highly recommended to anyone who enjoys a good P.I. story. I suspect fans of Donald E. Westlake would really enjoy it. Fans of Joe R. Lansdale's Hap & Leonard series might also appreciate the somewhat skewed sensibilities.
  
  ***I received a free digital copy of this title through NetGalley
• 
  Krystal

  This is the first time I've picked up a novel in the Leo Waterman series, so from that standpoint, I can honestly say I don't feel like you need to read from the beginning in order for this one to make sense. I was easily able to follow the characters, and the story even though I'm sure at least a couple of them have made appearances in other stories as well.
  
  This was an ok story. The writing seemed solid enough, even if the story-line was at times, nearly painfully obvious. The pace was pretty steady as well, with only a few twists and turns to shake things up. One thing I had somewhat of an issue with is how one element of this story was solved. Sure, photos and evidence are good to have, but I feel like the prosecuting attorney would not have let certain things go as easily as they did. There still should have been questions, and maybe thoughts of a conspiracy, but there wasn't. And that was a little disappointing.
  
  Overall, I am sure this story will still appeal to long-time fans of the series, and may still appeal to those who enjoy a good thriller novel.
  
  DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.
• 
  Grace Koshida

  Returning to Seattle after a business trip in Arizona, retired PI Leo Waterman is shocked to find his coroner girlfriend Rebecca Duvall unconscious in her house which is filled with gas. The police and District Attorney think Rebecca tried to commit suicide since she was under investigation for dereliction of duty. But Leo knows Rebecca too well and wants to prove her innocence and clear her name. Leo goes to visit Rebecca's co-workers who have also been suspended from work. But when one of them becomes a victim of a hit-and-run, Leo visits the family and gets access to the victim's storage unit where he finds the missing files. With the help of his ragtag team of homeless friends and bodyguard Gabe, Leo investigates the five men in the stolen files. The trail leads to the exclusive Heights area and a family wanting to do anything to get closure on the death of their daughter.
  
  Although it was great to see Leo Waterman return after a prolonged absence but this book was not one of the best.
  
  I received this book for free from Netgalley and Thomas and Mercer in exchange for an honest review.
• 
  Susan

  Retired Seattle P-I Leo Waterman has been out of town on business and returns a day early. As it is Valentine's Day, Leo, with flowers and Seattle's best chocolates in hand, decides to surprise his lady but gets the surprise of his life. He finds her unresponsive in her condo and it's filled with gas from the stove. The police say attempted suicide due to accusations of destroying files, etc. as a medical examiner. Leo knows it can't be true and sets about to get his contacts from his "past life" to help him sort it all out.
  This is the 10th Leo Waterman mystery and it is just as enjoyable as the very first one. If you haven't read any of the series, do yourself a favor and line them all up and binge read the lot of them. The mysteries are very well crafted, the tone has just the right amount of humor, the characters are well developed and his turn of a phrase is perfect. He plays fair with the Seattle landscape and with the mystery.
  My thanks to the publisher Thomas & Mercer and to NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.
• 
  Wanda

  Leo Waterman finds his medical examiner girlfriend, Rebecca, on the floor of her condo with the gas on. She is being indicted for tampering with evidence and the cops think she tried to kill herself. Leo doesn't belive it and sets out to clear her. He ends up digging into the cases she supposedly tampered with which leads him into a lot of trouble.
  Along the way he is nearly killed several times, teams up with a bodyguard to protect Rebecca and search for the attempted killers. He finds a guy was convicted of a murder he may not have committed and it is all tied to the case he is working. He comes up against wealthy powerful people and some scumbags. He also helps being down a child prostitution ring. He uses his homeless friends for surveillance and does his usual jib of wisecracking his way thru a case.
  Enjoy the sense of humor mixed in with the who dunnit. Like how Leo can moves around the city so easily between the high society and the down and out. A fast paced entertaining read.
• 
  One Thrifty Reader

  I’ve read and and enjoyed all the books in this series. I’d call them traditional mysteries with a lot of humor and heart. The writing is engaging and colorful, the language is funny, and Leo is a great character. They’re set in Seattle, and the local descriptions are terrific.
  
  As the book opens, it’s Valentines Day and Leo has come home to Seattle a day early to surprise his girlfriend. When he arrives at her condo, he finds her passed out on the floor and her apartment full of gas. He manages to save her, only to discover she’s had a major career problem while he was out of town and the cops assume she tried to commit suicide. She didn’t, and Leo is determined to find out who is after both her career and her life.
  
  If you like traditional mysteries with humor and heart and/or mystery novels set in Seattle, you might want to give this book a try. I liked it a lot.Full disclosure: I received a digital advance readers copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
• 
  Sue Kelso

  GM Ford gets better with every book. Way back when I read Who the Hell is Juan De Fuca..It was sort of light and quirky. As his writing has progressed it has become darker and even better.
  Leo comes home early from a business trip to surprise Rebecca for Valentines Day. Instead he finds her passed out on the floor of her apartment. The authorities say it was a suicide attempt since she had just been suspended from her job but Leo knows she would never do that.
  What I really liked about this book is that the first part concerning Rebecca is wrapped up halfway through the book leading to a bigger picture of why.
  2 concerns. The story never goes back to Ibrahams family, I was hoping Leo would help them out. Maybe in the next book we'll get an update.
  I don't like it when the cops are portrayed as stupid and always taking the quickest route to close a case.
  That said, the next one can't come fast enough!
• 
  Patricia Ann

  I haven't read any of the previous books in the series, so perhaps the "holes" or gaps I see aren't relevant to those that have read the series. The parts I find hackneyed are that Leo (a retired PI) has inherited a large amount of money from his father who operated on either the edge or the other side of the law. This allows him to hire a $1000 a day bodyguard for his girlfriend Rebecca who has been left for dead once and and then another person killed when it was supposed to be her. The storyline is intricate, they discover sexual exploitation of children, integrate the homeless as "invisible" people who can watch and not be noticed AND for the best part... when you think the mystery, the murders have been solved , It's not. Leo continues to investigate and brings them all down. A good book that will keep you reading...and reading... and not being able to put it down. Thanks GoodReads.
• 
  MisterLiberry Head

  Mister Liberryhead has said it before, and here it is again: I miss the ‘old’ Leo Waterman (our hero as depicted prior to Book #7 in this series). The wealthy, gunned-up, indolent grump of FAMILY VALUES is becoming both a boor and a bore. While acknowledging that he had experienced “a misspent youth that lasted well into middle age” (p27), Leo hasn’t grown up at all in terms of making good decisions and valuing the lives of others. Even the return of level-headed longtime girlfriend Dr. Rebecca Duvall further stretches credulity by affording a humiliating scandal in the M.E.’s office as a clunky plot device. Car-wise, Leo has wracked up “three total losses in the past four years” (p175) – which is about the same loss rate for readers of G.M. Ford and his previously amiable PI.
• 
  David C Ward

  Not bad, a decent continuation of the long running Seattle series. The first plot is a smokescreen to mask the real plot and it's foiled rather too easily by accident. As usual the bad guys would get away with it if they would just sit tight instead of starting to kill people. It's also hard to believe that tbe Seattle PD is quite as inert as is suggested. Finally, Ford, like a lot of mystery/suspense writers, tends to overdescribe non essential plot elements in order to pad things out.
• 
  ReneE

  Happy to have a new Leo Waterman book; unhappy that I read it and now have to wait so long for another! Hope he's working on the next one! His books are entertaining, with good mysteries. I have read the whole series, and the only one I didn't care much for was the first one -- Who in Hell is Wanda Fuca. Glad I tried the next one! A great series (with the one obvious exception for me); highly recommend.