Dick McNabb, Private Dick

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Summary: n/a
Review: Disregard Larry Bourbon's review; it was entered by mistake.

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Summary: n/a
Review: Even though he's in his mid-60s, don't ever refer to Dick McNabb as an old geezer to his face. Besides being smart-he's a retired teacher and journalist-he's still a man to be reckoned with physically, tough enough to make you eat your words if you catch him in one of his moods. He certainly isn't your average senior citizen. He's a bull of a man, still has a passion for the ladies, and has a consummate appetite for life which is matched only by his ravenous appetite for hot Mexican food and cold Mexican beer. And when he gets on the trail of the bad guys, he's as tenacious as a junkyard dog patrolling for intruders. Watch out.

The story is riveting, with fast-paced action that at once appeals to the intellect and the gut. First -rate."

Rating:
Summary: Nab "Dick McNabb: Private Dick" by John McCafferty
Review: If you want something different and entertaining in mystery/detective novels, nab a copy of "Dick McNabb: Private Dick" by John McCafferty. Don't expect a Spenser-type or a Sam Spade. What McCafferty gives us is a new breed of private eye. And who would have thought it? A retired school teacher who drinks too much and seems to have eating and sex on his mind? McCafferty creates an interesting elder character in McNabb and hands out some witty dialogue wrapped aound a murder mystery he solves almost in spite of himself.

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Summary: A jogging senior private detective
Review: John McCafferty presently lives with his wife, who is also a writer and journalist, in Santa Barbara. He writes fiction, travel stories and newspaper features as a freelance writer. He has taught high school and junior college English and has worked as an editor for the Los Angeles Times.

Dick McNabb is a fairly recent widower and retired teacher. He has come out of his funk, and decides that being a private investigator sounds like an exciting and dangerous thing to do. His libido is also slowly being awakened by the women surrounding him. Between the two, he suddenly finds that he is enjoying life again. That is, until he discovers that chasing after the "bad guys" involves nasty things like guns and sleazy stakeouts. He is also driving his cop friend, Pal, crazy with his own quirky techniques in chasing after criminals:

McCafferty employs a breezy stream of consciousness style of writing to pull the reader into this zany and entertaining misfit detective novel. McNabb is a lovable character, who is fairly (randy) (yeah, baby!). He is a sixty-something retiree who is looking for a good time, but actually wants to make a go of being a private (detective). We get a glimpse of his world of teacher friends, who each have their own skeletons to hide. McCafferty does a nice job of stepping into the mystery fray with this unusual and very funny look at a bumbling private eye who actually helps the police solve a murder. No doubt McCafferty is setting us up for a reprise of Dick McNabb, jogging senior private detective.

Shelley Glodowski
Reviewer