Rating: 
Summary: Good Read
Review: Ordered this on the advice of a friend. Good blurbs, great cover. The story did not disappoint. Ron Shade's a believable hero. A man's man. He solves the death of the illegal with good pacing and plenty of action. Never a dull moment. Enjoyed the kickboxing. Interesting characters. I'll pick up the next Ron Shade when it comes out. Good writing. I recommend it.
Rating:
Summary: The Return of The Two-Fisted PI
Review: Some of the finest memories of my youth involve the arrival of the latest novel from Mickey Spillane. I knew, from repeated experience, that the next couple of days were going to be great.I still enjoy the hardboiled PI genre --I've even been tempted to try my hand at writing one, though my own books tend toward a different direction entirely. But in recent years, the Mike Hammer school of private detective has been supplanted by a series of popular but... well, overly genteel gumshoes. Somewhere along the line, things got a little too politically correct, a touch too enamored of fern bars and gourmet cooking. I missed the grittier, more darkly complicated PI hero. Well, he's back. In the deft hands of author Michael Black, the noir flavors I remember from my oft-misspent youth have been resurrected in the person of Ron Shade. A KILLING FROST is the first of what we can only hope is a new series by Black featuring his Windy City toughman-with-a-heart. In it, we rediscover that an intelligent mind and a wicked right hook are not mutually exclusive; nor are cracked heads of the bad guys and a tough-but-tender touch with the requisite beautiful ladies who populate Shade's world. Author Black himself is a journeyman writer, a cult favorite among authors-in-the-know. Go to any writers' conference, mention Black's name, and be prepared for the rave comments from writers whose names regularly populate the best-seller lists. With A KILLING FROST, Black reaches a wider audience. My guess is that they will be equally appreciative of the talents of this hard-working, hard-hitting writer and the stories that he tells so well. --Earl Merkel
Rating:
Summary: A Killer Read
Review: You know how it goes: most times when a friend or relative or coworker raves about a new book (or movie or TV show), it doesn't add up to the expectations built up around all the hype. But sometimes it is as good as you've heard, and it's those special times that keep you going back for more, searching the new talent pool that will amaze and delight you. A KILLING FROST by Michael A. Black is one of those even rarer treats, a book that's even BETTER than you've heard. Simply put: I couldn't put the book down. Will Private Eye Ron Shade discover what happened to Carlos? Will the relationship with Maria blossom into something more? Will Shade regain his kickboxing title? And will Shade survive the breathtaking climax to reveal the murderous political corruption underlying everything about Space Oddities? The plots and subplots are woven so seamlessly and intricately that it simply isn't possible to set the book aside without wondering what will happen next. And so you find yourself saying, "Oh, I'll just read one more chapter," until you suddenly realize you've read the whole thing. It's that good. One of my favorite things about the novel is Shade's relationship with Maria. I can't tell you how tired I am of reading PI novels where the "dolls" exist only to gush "My hero" or the sexy dame turns out to be the true murderer. Black sweeps all that silliness aside by showing Maria as a complex woman with her own identity and life. Their relationship is wonderfully romantic while still being true to each of their own issues and concerns of real life. Best of all, Black reminds us that a car is just a car and a kickboxing title is just a title, but making the best of what you have and being true to yourself and your ideals in the search for truth and justice is what truly makes a man. And when all is said and done, the only question remaining at the end of the novel is: "When's the next one coming out?!"
Rating:
Summary: A Killer Read
Review: You know how it goes: most times when a friend or relative or coworker raves about a new book (or movie or TV show), it doesn't add up to the expectations built up around all the hype. But sometimes it is as good as you've heard, and it's those special times that keep you going back for more, searching the new talent pool that will amaze and delight you. A KILLING FROST by Michael A. Black is one of those even rarer treats, a book that's even BETTER than you've heard. Simply put: I couldn't put the book down. Will Private Eye Ron Shade discover what happened to Carlos? Will the relationship with Maria blossom into something more? Will Shade regain his kickboxing title? And will Shade survive the breathtaking climax to reveal the murderous political corruption underlying everything about Space Oddities? The plots and subplots are woven so seamlessly and intricately that it simply isn't possible to set the book aside without wondering what will happen next. And so you find yourself saying, "Oh, I'll just read one more chapter," until you suddenly realize you've read the whole thing. It's that good. One of my favorite things about the novel is Shade's relationship with Maria. I can't tell you how tired I am of reading PI novels where the "dolls" exist only to gush "My hero" or the sexy dame turns out to be the true murderer. Black sweeps all that silliness aside by showing Maria as a complex woman with her own identity and life. Their relationship is wonderfully romantic while still being true to each of their own issues and concerns of real life. Best of all, Black reminds us that a car is just a car and a kickboxing title is just a title, but making the best of what you have and being true to yourself and your ideals in the search for truth and justice is what truly makes a man. And when all is said and done, the only question remaining at the end of the novel is: "When's the next one coming out?!"
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