Deader by the Lake: A Reno McCarthy Thriller

Rating:
Summary: Deader by the Lake
Review: A wonderfully fast-paced read. The writing is tight and highly descriptive, with a marvelous sprinkling of humor thru-out the whole mix. Cummings obviously knows his stuff, with the end result being a totally believable yet incredibly intriguing thriller. As a tour of the Chicago area, it's irresistable -- he takes us effortlessly from one WOW to the next. Bring back Reno! -- I'm hooked.

Rating:
Summary: Pulse Quickening Mystery!
Review: Cummings' skillfully written descriptions were so realistic that I felt like I was right there along Reno's side. For example, when Reno was punched I felt the whack. The book drew me in deeper, the more I read. I had a hard time putting it down. Without being predictable, Cummings left me craving more info to solve the mystery. Totally action packed, from the very first chapter. With the turn of each page, I was excited to discover the next dilemma Reno would need to work his way out of. This book is filled with surprises!

Rating:
Summary: Deader by the Lake
Review: Deader By the Lake is a great first novel! Doug Cummings' portrayal of the symbiotic, often love/hate, relationship between the media & law enforcement is dead-on! This book is chock-full of Chicago details: people, places & events. It's cheaper than an airline ticket & lot's warmer! Cummings has struck a nice balance between exposition & action. The plot is believeable & Reno McCarthy is my kind of hero - not too smart, but doggedly determined, with a strong sense of justice! I hope another Reno McCarthy book is in the works. Buy this one - you won't regret it!

Rating:
Summary: Cheaper than a trip to Chicago!
Review: Deader By the Lake is a great first novel! Doug Cummings' portrayal of the symbiotic, often love/hate, relationship between the media & law enforcement is dead-on! This book is chock-full of Chicago details: people, places & events. It's cheaper than an airline ticket & lot's warmer! Cummings has struck a nice balance between exposition & action. The plot is believeable & Reno McCarthy is my kind of hero - not too smart, but doggedly determined, with a strong sense of justice! I hope another Reno McCarthy book is in the works. Buy this one - you won't regret it!

Rating:
Summary: Cheaper than a trip to Chicago!
Review: Deader By the Lake is a great first novel! Doug Cummings' portrayal of the symbiotic, often love/hate, relationship between the media & law enforcement is dead-on! This book is chock-full of Chicago details: people, places & events. It's cheaper than an airline ticket & lot's warmer! Cummings has struck a nice balance between exposition & action. The plot is believeable & Reno McCarthy is my kind of hero - not too smart, but doggedly determined, with a strong sense of justice! I hope another Reno McCarthy book is in the works. Buy this one - you won't regret it!

Rating:
Summary: Engrossing
Review: From the first page, this exciting mystery set in Chicago grabs the reader and does not let go. It's intricately plotted, meaty and satisfying. As a Chicago area resident, I found that the detailed description of the neighborhoods really added to my enjoyment of the book. Although the plot becomes a little overly complicated towards the end and the reporter protagonist is somewhat over the top, this book is well worth experiencing. An excellent read.

So many novels written by well known people (Cummings is a reporter on Chicago radio) end up a disappointment. It seems some get publishing contracts only because of their name. But, this is definitely not the case here. This is better than most mysteries I've read recently. I'm happy to say that this book is more than a pleasant surprise and I hope it's the start of a first rate series.

Rating:
Summary: I'll never watch TV news the same way again.
Review: I couldn't put this book down! It is fast-paced and full of surprises. The character's sense of humor is engaging. The plot's twists and turns kept me on my toes and while Cummings did a fantastic job of wrapping it all up in the end, he left me wanting more. I anxiously await the next in the Reno McCarthy series!

Rating:
Summary: Excellent!
Review: I couldn't put this book down! It is fast-paced and full of surprises. The character's sense of humor is engaging. The plot's twists and turns kept me on my toes and while Cummings did a fantastic job of wrapping it all up in the end, he left me wanting more. I anxiously await the next in the Reno McCarthy series!

Rating:
Summary: This Book Rocks!
Review: Reno McCarthy isn't your usual detective. He's a TV reporter fired because he had ethics. Or because he had a hooker for a girlfriend, take your pick. Now another hooker he's been looking for is dead and he feels responsible enough that he's going to track down her murderer. There's some great pacing, and some even better shootem ups, one of which involves a Chicago landmark. Cummings has created a likeable and realistic hero in Reno who I hope to see in future works. In an interesting twist, he has a tough female partner and they work well together. A good first effort by a guy who really seems to know the "mean streets."

Rating:
Summary: I'll never watch TV news the same way again.
Review: Right from the start, I knew Reno McCarthy was going to get into trouble. Most people know better than to return to an old job. Sure enough, while doing some investigative work for his old boss, McCarthy busts in on a murder and things go downhill from there. Cummings gives us an inside look at broadcast media, exposing some of its foibles while letting us share McCarthy's frustrations with himself and his situation.

"Deader" is fast and fun, a great adventure in a great city with great characters. I look forward to seeing more of them in future books.