Rating: 
Summary: New blood...
Review: I'm very excited to have discovered Rick Riordan's new series! It reminds me of Robert Crais's Elvis Cole, and it may even be better. The atmosphere Riordan creates does so much to color in the plot, and his characters ring true to their South Texas roots.
Rating: 
Summary: The Widower's Two-Step
Review: I've enjoyed Tres from his outing in "Big Red Tequila". The Widower's Two-Step left a lot to be desired. The murder in the beginning and the investigation was interesting but peters out. As the book progresses the story looses steam. It seems the editors rushed the ending and the book leaves a number of loose ends hanging. Hopefully The Last King of Texas will be the better go-round.
Rating:
Summary: The Widower's Two-Step
Review: I've enjoyed Tres from his outing in "Big Red Tequila". The Widower's Two-Step left a lot to be desired. The murder in the beginning and the investigation was interesting but peters out. As the book progresses the story looses steam. It seems the editors rushed the ending and the book leaves a number of loose ends hanging. Hopefully The Last King of Texas will be the better go-round.
Rating: 
Summary: Tres Navarre and his friends still have me hooked!
Review: Immediately after finishing Big Red Tequila which I loved, I dived right into this continuing saga of Tres Navarre, his cat, his mom, his friends and his adversaries! Too much fun...I don't know much about the music business, but I do know about being an English major and teaching. Rick Riordan understands it, too. As he writes more and more about Tres Navarre, the reader gains even more understanding of this very self-sufficient but vulnerable character. Tres is all bound up in his past, but unafraid to face the present. He didn't have as much opportunity to use his tai che skills in this book...maybe the bad guys have heard about his prowess in the martial arts and just give him more space. It's fun to experience Tres as he interacts with friends from high school who have chosen questionable career paths--but they all seem to have particular talents that Tres can take advantage of as he works to solve whatever mystery has captured his attention. Everyone in this book has vulnerabilities so they are very believable characters. The plots twists and turns and keeps the reader wondering just how much more can happen. I loved this book. I can hardly wait for the Last King of Texas...it will be fun to see what happens to Tres and Robert Johnson, the cat. I know one thing--it will be thrilling and it will be fun!
Rating:
Summary: Starts slow, speeds up, but can't quite equal the first book
Review: In this second book in Rick Riordan's Tres Navarre series, PI-in-training Tres gets off to a bad start when the person he is tailing dies before his eyes (murder? suicide?). From there, our hero finds himself pulled into the worlds of drug dealing, family politics, and -- most deadly of all -- country music.This title, like 'The Last King of Texas' (the third book in the series) starts off with a literal bang. But I found both 'Big Red Tequila' and 'Last King' easier stories to get into than this one was. Once the story starts moving, 'Widower's Two-Step' bears all the hallmarks of the Tres Navarre series: a plot that twists and turns, lots of characters (most with complex and hidden motivations), dramatic fights and confrontations, and truckloads of South Texas character. This book also introduces the Manos Detective Agency -- the employees of which have become regular characters in the Navarre series. Devotees of the series will definitely want to read this title. I would recommend newcomers start with the first book ('Big Red Tequila') instead of dropping into the middle of the series, like I did. But even on its own merits, this interesting and atmospheric mystery is definitely worth a read or two.
Rating: 
Summary: worried about Texas
Review: Living in the Northwest,I had some trouble following some of the local Texas language,brands,and places.The unlicensed PI, with a PhD in English Literature is at times hard to believe.Tres Navarre has to keep a country western singer's career on track,find the killer of a band member,and bed the women in the story.During the course of crime solving he gets drunk and practices tai chi frequently.There is plenty of local South Texas color,characters, crime,and crazies.The craziest being the hero's brother.This is a good read,good story,not too likeable hero for a man of the 90's.Maybe the author is trying to hard to make him tough and brainy,sexy and sophisticated. Loraine of Olalla
Rating:
Summary: Tedious
Review: Reminded me of a UT student on the 7 year plan. A great 200 page story that is told in 380 pages. Hope the next is better.
Rating:
Summary: good locally, mediocre globally
Review: Rick is really strong in his representation of characters, situations, and scenes, and Tres is a very compelling protagonist. His representation of the San Antonio and Austin cultures is wonderful. However, the "mystery" part of this book is a bit weak. Still, it's a very worthwhile read, and I look forward to the softcover release of the third book in the series. Dan
Rating:
Summary: good locally, mediocre globally
Review: Rick is really strong in his representation of characters, situations, and scenes, and Tres is a very compelling protagonist. His representation of the San Antonio and Austin cultures is wonderful. However, the "mystery" part of this book is a bit weak. Still, it's a very worthwhile read, and I look forward to the softcover release of the third book in the series. Dan
Rating:
Summary: Award winning?
Review: Riordan has created an interesting and original character in Tres Navarre, and I will trust other reviewers' claims that the local color--an important part of any private eye series--is right on the money; however, I find it difficult to believe that this book and its predecessor, Big Red Tequila, won awards for anything. The plots, as other reviewers have noted, are suspect at best, fouled by loose ends that never really get resolved. Many of the secondary characters blur together. Often Tres's motivation is difficult to fathom. And the dialogue is the weakest part of the series (if Ralph, Tres's Hispanic sidekick, said "vato" one more time, I was prepared to douse my paperback copy in gasoline and set it afire). Did this novel really enjoy the attention of a professional editor? I've read much better--how are these "awards" determined, anyway?
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