Black Jack Point

Rating:
Summary: TERRIFIC
Review: Abbott's second outing as Whit Mosley, and this one is just as good as the first one. Worth the read!

Rating:
Summary: exhilarating crime thriller
Review: Crooks don't make good partners because they almost always try to cheat each other. Jimmy Bird and Alex are digging for treasure on Patch Gilbert's land in Black Jack Point, Texas. Patch and his significant other return early surprising the thieves. When Patch's niece Lucy reports him missing, the police drive over to his home and unearth their remains.

Also dug out of the grave is older bones and parts of a treasure chest. Lucy's boyfriend Judge Whit Mosley tries to console his lover especially when the police zero in on her as a suspect since she is the sole beneficiary to Patch's estate. While Whit deals with one aspect of the crime, his friend police detective Claudia Salozar and her boyfriend are hijacked and held for ransom. The thugs want Ben's brother Alex to turn over the treasure, especially the famous emerald once belonging to Jean Lafitte, otherwise the hostages are going to be killed.

BLACK JACK POINT is an exhilarating crime thriller that is an exciting read because one really doesn't know who are the good guys or the villains. Their actions are designed to confuse the evidence and enables Jeff Abbot to show he is an expert at his craft. This fast paced story line has a shocking climax that the readers will never figure out until it's over. The crime thriller genre has a winner with this strong novel from Mr. Abbott, a rising star.

Harriet Klausner

Rating:
Summary: exhilarating crime thriller
Review: Crooks don't make good partners because they almost always try to cheat each other. Jimmy Bird and Alex are digging for treasure on Patch Gilbert's land in Black Jack Point, Texas. Patch and his significant other return early surprising the thieves. When Patch's niece Lucy reports him missing, the police drive over to his home and unearth their remains.

Also dug out of the grave is older bones and parts of a treasure chest. Lucy's boyfriend Judge Whit Mosley tries to console his lover especially when the police zero in on her as a suspect since she is the sole beneficiary to Patch's estate. While Whit deals with one aspect of the crime, his friend police detective Claudia Salozar and her boyfriend are hijacked and held for ransom. The thugs want Ben's brother Alex to turn over the treasure, especially the famous emerald once belonging to Jean Lafitte, otherwise the hostages are going to be killed.

BLACK JACK POINT is an exhilarating crime thriller that is an exciting read because one really doesn't know who are the good guys or the villains. Their actions are designed to confuse the evidence and enables Jeff Abbot to show he is an expert at his craft. This fast paced story line has a shocking climax that the readers will never figure out until it's over. The crime thriller genre has a winner with this strong novel from Mr. Abbott, a rising star.

Harriet Klausner

Rating:
Summary: Fun Read
Review: I am rating this book based on the genre and what I expected when I purchased it. Whit is a very likeable character. The various quasi-villians were believable and kept the book moving at a good pace. This is my first Jeff Abbott read and the author did not go overboard in attempting to create the ultimate sinister villians. The background and ties to the pirate history of the area gave the story the extra edge it needed.

Rating:
Summary: Fun Read
Review: I am rating this book based on the genre and what I expected when I purchased it. Whit is a very likeable character. The various quasi-villians were believable and kept the book moving at a good pace. This is my first Jeff Abbott read and the author did not go overboard in attempting to create the ultimate sinister villians. The background and ties to the pirate history of the area gave the story the extra edge it needed.

Rating:
Summary: Realistic Enough To Scare Me
Review: I got this book when Jeff Abbott came to Rockport, TX and did a book signing. So, my book is a signed edition. This book takes place in a fictional town between Rockport and Aransas Pass, TX called Port Leo. Living in this area, myself, made the book come to life in way that was beyond other books. I stayed up late finishing this book and actually thought that someone was tailing me when I drove somewhere the next morning. The book was so real that it was as though I was part of the action. Once I got over my paranoia, I decided that I wanted to read more about Whit Mosely in Port Leo and hope that Jeff Abbott keeps writing these books. It's so neat that the characters go to places that I visit and even read our crappy newspaper, the Corpus Christi Caller Times.

Rating:
Summary: Realistic Enough To Scare Me
Review: I got this book when Jeff Abbott came to Rockport, TX and did a book signing. So, my book is a signed edition. This book takes place in a fictional town between Rockport and Aransas Pass, TX called Port Leo. Living in this area, myself, made the book come to life in way that was beyond other books. I stayed up late finishing this book and actually thought that someone was tailing me when I drove somewhere the next morning. The book was so real that it was as though I was part of the action. Once I got over my paranoia, I decided that I wanted to read more about Whit Mosely in Port Leo and hope that Jeff Abbott keeps writing these books. It's so neat that the characters go to places that I visit and even read our crappy newspaper, the Corpus Christi Caller Times.

Rating:
Summary: Deserves the accolades!
Review: Jeff Abbott's "Black Jack Point" is a well-deserved PBO nominee for both the Edgar and Anthony.

Justice of the Peace Whit Mosley is a laid back, low key type who is honest, straightforward and to the point---he does not suffer fools.

His sidekick Gooch is easily one of the most colorful cronies in print. Gooch's penchant for violence and inclination to work outside the law gets results.

The crooks have committed a double murder in their search for treasure buried along the Texas coast by privateer Jean Laffite.

One of the vics is the uncle of Whit's gal pal---turns out she is sole heir to his valuable waterfront property.

The arrogance of the villains leads to their eventual undoing. They make lousy partners, as they do not trust one another and are busy double-crossing each other as they engage in hijacking, kidnapping and ransom.

It is an exciting, suspenseful crime thriller---where it is impossible to tell the good guys from the bad guys and the bad guys from the really bad guys. Lots of wonderful misdirection.

The finale is a total shocker.

The research into Laffite and his escapades is extensive and an eye opener.

Rating:
Summary: Can no one be trusted?
Review: Lots of action, but stretches credibilty more than the last episode. Whit Mosley is an interesting character and is going to be fun to continue with. Pirates and betrayal enough for all.

Rating:
Summary: Lengthy and clunky
Review: Whit Mosley is a judge- locally elected with no legal background, as well as, coroner in a small Texas coastal community. Whit's girlfriend, Lucy, is distraught over the deaths of her uncle and his girlfriend. They were murdered and their bodies were found on the uncle's property at Black Jack Point. Buried with the bodies were old bones and rusted hinges dating back almost two hundred years. Whit thinks the murders may have had something to do with the buried treasure of Jean Laffite, the Pirate King.
Meanwhile, Claudia Salazar, a police detective, is kidnapped at sea with her boyfriend, Ben. When a ransom is demanded from Ben's brother, the brother refuses to pay and places Claudia directly into harm's way. The question is why? Eventually, Whit and Claudia cross paths as they pursue the same criminals.
Jeff Abbott has written five previous well received novels. A problem with this one is the lack of realism in the characters, of which few are likable. For example, the kidnappers of Ben and Claudia discuss their plans directly in front of the victims allowing them to plan their escape. The plot is clunky in that near the conclusion numerous expositions are required and, of course, the overused stock device of the villain holding the hero captive with a gun while divulging all. The plot is too lengthy as interest wanes near the end. A tighter effort in the future may make the next work by the talented Jeff Abbott truly excellent as this one most definitely is not.