Rating: 
Summary: Amos Goes Over the Top
Review: "Sinister Heights" is the 16th novel in the Amos Walker series. I've read them all, and unfortunately have to report that it is one of the lesser in the series. That's a shame, because it feels like a key turning point in the the Walker saga. Estleman brings back many of the memorable supporting characters from past novels (and in one case, the son of a supporting character) that really enhance the plot for any longtime fan. The part with the former hooker Iris, who first appeared in the very first Walker novel, "Motor City Blue" is particularly poignant. Walker also revisits the infamous Iroquois Heights, the corrupt town that has tromented him in previous novels (hence the title).Unfortunately, the plot that all of this is in service of strains credibility to the breaking point. It also goes over the top with the violence, a first in a Walker novel. Estlemen uses the old "talking killer" ploy no less than THREE times, a key indicator of the weaknesses within with the story. Overall, the Amos Walker series remains among the absolute best private dectective series currently ongoing. But even an ace can take a bit of a stumble once in awhile.
Rating:
Summary: Amos Goes Over the Top
Review: "Sinister Heights" is the 16th novel in the Amos Walker series. I've read them all, and unfortunately have to report that it is one of the lesser in the series. That's a shame, because it feels like a key turning point in the the Walker saga. Estleman brings back many of the memorable supporting characters from past novels (and in one case, the son of a supporting character) that really enhance the plot for any longtime fan. The part with the former hooker Iris, who first appeared in the very first Walker novel, "Motor City Blue" is particularly poignant. Walker also revisits the infamous Iroquois Heights, the corrupt town that has tromented him in previous novels (hence the title). Unfortunately, the plot that all of this is in service of strains credibility to the breaking point. It also goes over the top with the violence, a first in a Walker novel. Estlemen uses the old "talking killer" ploy no less than THREE times, a key indicator of the weaknesses within with the story. Overall, the Amos Walker series remains among the absolute best private dectective series currently ongoing. But even an ace can take a bit of a stumble once in awhile.
Rating:
Summary: Vengence
Review: After fifteen episodes, Loren Estleman's tough private investigator Amos Walker is still a very unpredictable and interesting character. He has the mind of a scholar, the fists of a prizefighter, the wit of a comedian, and the heart of a Saint. You never know just what he might do but you're sure that it will be the right thing. Sinister Heights takes us to the world of billionaires who built their fortunes on the backs of American labor. Leland Stutch, the last remaining pioneer of Detroit's auto industry and over a century old, just died leaving his vast fortune in the hands of his very young widow. Rayellen Stutch has hired Walker to trace the illegitimate offspring of her late husband so that she can settle any claims against the estate before they become a legal issue. It should be a simple assignment, handled in a day or two and then forgotten. But things get complicated in a hurry when Walker discovers that Stutch's illegitimate daughter now has a son of her own and is on the run from an abusive husband. The closer the detective gets to heirs, the more dangerous his mission becomes. It is soon obvious to Walker that someone would rather kill him than let him discover the truth. A high speed encounter on an Interstate Highway results in the death of an old friend of Walkers and the abduction of Leland Stutch's young grandson. Circumstances force Walker to make a bold and unique move to rescue the young boy and uncover the identity of the killer. I won't reveal any more of the plot but I highly recommend this novel. It's characters are lifelike, the dialog clever and fresh, and the story is told with Estleman's magic use of the language. It seems like the terms, Noir and Hard-Boiled were created to describe a story like this.
Rating: 
Summary: A very durable private eye
Review: After fifteen episodes, Loren Estleman's tough private investigator Amos Walker is still a very unpredictable and interesting character. He has the mind of a scholar, the fists of a prizefighter, the wit of a comedian, and the heart of a Saint. You never know just what he might do but you're sure that it will be the right thing. Sinister Heights takes us to the world of billionaires who built their fortunes on the backs of American labor. Leland Stutch, the last remaining pioneer of Detroit's auto industry and over a century old, just died leaving his vast fortune in the hands of his very young widow. Rayellen Stutch has hired Walker to trace the illegitimate offspring of her late husband so that she can settle any claims against the estate before they become a legal issue. It should be a simple assignment, handled in a day or two and then forgotten. But things get complicated in a hurry when Walker discovers that Stutch's illegitimate daughter now has a son of her own and is on the run from an abusive husband. The closer the detective gets to heirs, the more dangerous his mission becomes. It is soon obvious to Walker that someone would rather kill him than let him discover the truth. A high speed encounter on an Interstate Highway results in the death of an old friend of Walkers and the abduction of Leland Stutch's young grandson. Circumstances force Walker to make a bold and unique move to rescue the young boy and uncover the identity of the killer. I won't reveal any more of the plot but I highly recommend this novel. It's characters are lifelike, the dialog clever and fresh, and the story is told with Estleman's magic use of the language. It seems like the terms, Noir and Hard-Boiled were created to describe a story like this.
Rating:
Summary: Another Excellent Entry In This Series!
Review: Although the cover art on this book looks like a 1950's sci fi, mad scientist movie poster, the story is really another wonderful hard boiled, noir, down to earth detective story in the Amos Walker series. For language, style and atmosphere they don't come any better. Even a twist of an ending!
Rating:
Summary: Vengence
Review: Being a huge noir detective fiction fan I found it a little difficult to muddle through this installment in the Amos Walker series. The plot starts out in typical fashion and then goes on to become Walker out for revenge, sort of like Walking Tall or something along those lines. The ending went back to a typical hard-boiled style of ending with the detective confronting the person behind the mayhem which was nice. Unfortunately this one just didnt do it for me. Estleman is definitly an accomplished author and all the other reviewers of this novel are right on target with most of their reviews but the revenge angle just didnt work for me.
Rating:
Summary: As great as Chandler
Review: It's an overworked phrase to be sure but Loren Estleman really is 'the legitimate heir to Raymond Chandler'. And even that's an injustice because Estleman is no mere imitator. His voice is his own - tough, poignant, as gritty as the streets he writes about, and with a killer ear for dialogue. The Amos Walker series has matured over sixteen novels from it's breezier, almost pulpish beginnings to one of the finest detective series in print. The sheer skill of his writing and his deftness of phrasing makes you gasp in wonder. I find myself constantly re-reading sentences just to savor them. Other reviewers have gone into the plot of Sinister Heights in some detail so I won't bother repeating it. The real magic here is the writing. This may not be the best Walker novel (Never Street and Sugartown are possibly better) but then I can't think of a bad one either. While other good PI writers have seen their glory days Estleman goes from strength to stregth with each new book. For those that still wish there were more Philip Marlowe novels, who've given up on Spenser and his clones or who just like the best in PI fiction available, don't go past Estleman and Walker. And, as other reviewers have noted, his western novels bout Marshall Page Murdock are well worth picking up too. They're really PI novels of the old west. Or his Sherlock Holmes pastiches. Hell, anything the man writes. Have I made my point? Don't miss Estleman. He's the real deal.
Rating: 
Summary: wild joy ride around Detroit
Review: Rayellen Stutch, beautiful widow of deceased Michigan industrial millionaire Leland, hires Amos Walker to find the illegitimate child of her late husband. Though years ago Leland had a paternity case thrown out of court, he quietly paid child support until the child turned eighteen. Rayellen fears DNA testing would prove the offspring is Leland's and erode her estate much more than a benevolent gift of a million or so would.
Amos figures the case is an easy one. He immediately proves himself right when he finds Leland's daughter Carla Witowski. That leads him to Carla's daughter Constance Glendowning and her grandson Matthew at a battered woman's shelter run by Amos' former girlfriend Iris. However, the case takes a strange spin when a Dodge rams Amos' car. Iris is decapitated, Constance lands in a coma, and Amos is left unconscious, while Matthew is abducted. When Walker recovers he revises his assignment as he has some butt to kick while trying to rescue Matthew.
The latest Amos Walker case is a wild joy ride around Detroit as the hero accepts a simple case that leads him to one confrontation after another. Amos retains his hard-boiled with a mouthy retort to anyone persona as expected by fans of this "dance instructor". However, Amos and his renowned propensity for ending up in violent situations overwhelm the investigation. SINISTER HEIGHTS is for fans of the series who know what to expect from Loren D. Estleman and get that and two or three rounds more of violent action. Harriet Klausner
Rating:
Summary: wild joy ride around Detroit
Review: Rayellen Stutch, beautiful widow of deceased Michigan industrial millionaire Leland, hires Amos Walker to find the illegitimate child of her late husband. Though years ago Leland had a paternity case thrown out of court, he quietly paid child support until the child turned eighteen. Rayellen fears DNA testing would prove the offspring is Leland's and erode her estate much more than a benevolent gift of a million or so would.
Amos figures the case is an easy one. He immediately proves himself right when he finds Leland's daughter Carla Witowski. That leads him to Carla's daughter Constance Glendowning and her grandson Matthew at a battered woman's shelter run by Amos' former girlfriend Iris. However, the case takes a strange spin when a Dodge rams Amos' car. Iris is decapitated, Constance lands in a coma, and Amos is left unconscious, while Matthew is abducted. When Walker recovers he revises his assignment as he has some butt to kick while trying to rescue Matthew.
The latest Amos Walker case is a wild joy ride around Detroit as the hero accepts a simple case that leads him to one confrontation after another. Amos retains his hard-boiled with a mouthy retort to anyone persona as expected by fans of this "dance instructor". However, Amos and his renowned propensity for ending up in violent situations overwhelm the investigation. SINISTER HEIGHTS is for fans of the series who know what to expect from Loren D. Estleman and get that and two or three rounds more of violent action. Harriet Klausner
Rating:
Summary: My favorite Amos Walker book yet
Review: Sinister Heights by Loren Estleman In Sinister Heights, the 15th Amos Walker book, Mr. Estleman has surpassed himself. It's not just hardboiled, It's rock hard. Full of short bursts of Detroit and the auto industry's history. Enough to educate, but not long enough to bore. Estleman's love of this city and surrounding area are very evident. This book is crime literature at it's finest. Amos is hired by the widow of a Detroit industrialist to clear up some old family business. Along the way he gets tangled up with the steel haulers union, dirty cops, shady politicos, and the intrigue of a strange plan for extortion. Also along for the ride is his old friend Iris, who is running a shelter for abused women. Caught in the middle, a young boy. Walker handles this case like all his others, with the style of by gone era, making it timeless. The book has a fast pace and never slows down. Walker's way of dealing with obstacles is as ever, down and dirty. I can safely say that this is by far my favorite in the series so far. Amos Walker at his best. And that's saying a lot, because Estleman is one the finest mystery writers writing today. And the finish will knock your socks off. Jon Jordan
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