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Summary: Texas Monthly
Review: "HOT BOOK RECOMMEDATION, JUNE 1998. "The tough-guy template gets a Tex-Mex twist."
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Summary: Jan Burke, author of HOCUS
Review: "Rick Riordan is a fine storyteller--a talented writer who tells his tale with a just-right blend of humor, action and heart. THE WIDOWER'S TWO STEP is the real deal--if it doesn't make you a Tres Navarre fan out of you, check your pulse."
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Summary: The New York Times Book Review
Review: "Terrific Texas color. Finding a killer in the country-and-western music industry is a tricky and funny business, the way Rick Riordan handles it."
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Summary: Publishers Weekly (starred review)
Review: "The wide-open Tex-Mex atmosphere is right on target, as is the backdrop of the Austin-San Antonio music scene, where wannabes train for Nashville. The characters are well-defined and original, the dialogue is tough and sharp, and narrator Tres's wry observations make him even more simpatico than the first time around. Riordan showed real talent in BIG RED TEQUILA, but here, he's relaxed enough to make it look easy."
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Summary: Robert Crais, author of INDIGO SLAM
Review: "Tres Navarre is a fine, funny, interesting character, who is now my favorite of all the new investigators running around out there. A great story that moves faster than a drunk falling down stairs."
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Summary: READ THIS AUTHOR
Review: After years of illegally working without a license, Tres Navarre has been serving as an apprentice private investigator to Erainya Manos in an effort to become legitimate. His current assignment is to conduct a surveillance of fiddler Julie Kearnes, who allegedly swiped a demo tape of a rising musical newcomer, Miranda Daniels. However, as he becomes distracted, his mark is killed by a sniper. Though Eranya, the police, and his older brother tell him to drop the case, Tres cannot let go of it. He soon finds himself embroiled between two rival agents who want Miranda working for them. One of them, Les Saint-Pierre, has vanished and no one except his assistant Milo Chavez seems concerned. The other manager, Tilden Sheckly, has a reputation for eliminating anyone who gets in his way. As Tres continues to investigate the musical dealmaking engulfing Miranda, he realizes that he has placed himself into a dangerous situation in which one misstep could lead to his death. THE WIDOWER'S TWO-STEP is a wonderful who-done-it, starring an interesting and fun to read about lead character. The support cast adds depth, humor, and reality to a story line that does not miss a beat and Texas has never looked any better. Readers will enjoy this terrific tale and its predecessor, BIG RED TEQUILA. Rick Riordan has the talent o take him to the top on the express lane. Harriet Klausner
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Summary: Keep Reading
Review: Although not nearly as good as the Last King of Texas, my first introduction to the series, The Widower's Two-Step was a good addition. I'm not usually a mystery/cop novel lover but Tres Navarre is a great character, and I've liked every book with him so far. Some other reviews said that there were too many characters to keep straight, but I don't agree at all. This is a series with reoccurring characters, and all of the non- reoccurring ones have an important role in the mystery. Another reviewer said that this isn't award material, and I won't begrudge someone their opinion, but perhaps these books are just not for everyone. I personally find them funny and smart. A PI with an English Phd who practices Tai Chi? Can't you see the humor in that?
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Summary: Enjoyable Read
Review: Award-winning author who writes well with humor and great descriptions. First time read for this author, will definitely read additional titles in this series, like the protagonist, Tres Navarre - recommended !
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Summary: More like a slow waltz
Review: I really, really want to like the Tres character, after all, anyone who shares his home with a cat can't be all bad, right? However, after a pretty good start with "Big Red Tequila" this one took a giant leap backward. Mr. Riorden puts too many characters in his books, and then doesn't help the reader keep track of everybody. A woman we were barely introduced to in the first book, all of a sudden pops up as a sort of live-in in the second. Perhaps if I was able to read the books in one setting, I could keep everybody straight, but put it down for a couple days and I kept thinking I should have taken notes. The first book had an interesting storyline, what with his old girlfriend and the murder of his father to keep him busy, but the story line in Two-Step gets all jumbled up, and in the end, isn't all that intersting anyway. I am going to give Mr. Riorden another chance and I will read his third book in the series, but if the same problems persist, it may be my last. For me to enjoy a book, I have to like the character, and so far, I just haven't been able to care that much for Tres.
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Summary: Great characters but slow starting.
Review: I started out really liking this book because of the way Riordan creates characters. I liked the dialog and the way he built up a description of each person. Then, the character descriptions began to drag a little and the plot - well, there didn't seem to be enough of one and it didn't get going fast enough. I think Riordan has great promise, but I'd like to see a little less emphasis on character development and more emphasis on plot.
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