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Mahoney's Camaro: A Crime Novel
Racing to find a killer before he strikes again, an unlikely investigator is haunted by an even more unlikely source in this gripping crime novel “Clark writes well and has created some amusingly zany characters.” ― Publishers Weekly on Clean Sweep It’s the summer of 1985 and mechanic Steve Mahoney is dreaming big about owning his own shop. He’s getting there as slowly as possible, working one night shift at a time for a local towing company. One night, called to retrieve a car from the murky Red River, Mahoney finds the replacement body to his prized but damaged ’67 Camaro. There’s also a body inside the car, handcuffed to the steering wheel. Mahoney’s able to snap the Camaro up cheap at a salvage auction, but once he’s restored the car to its former glory, he discovers that its last driver is standard spectral equipment on his new ride, and she’s not leaving until she finds out who sent her to a watery grave. Mahoney’s Camaro is a gritty, fast-paced crime novel that will appeal to fans of Ron Corbett and Stuart MacBride. Combining expertise in the automotive world and a passion for storytelling, Michael J. Clark delivers an action-packed joyride that will grip you until the last page.
320 pages, Paperback
Published May 28, 2019
1 person is currently reading
24 people want to read
About the author
Michael J. Clark
3 books19 followersMichael J. Clark started his writing career in the field of automotive journalism, winning national awards in Canada for his writing and photography in both print and online publications. After retiring from reporting on all things car in 2015, Michael completed his first novel, Clean Sweep. He lives in Winnipeg with his wife, Carol.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
January 18, 2022
Michael J. Clark returns with another gritty Canadian crime novel, set in the heart of 1980s Winnipeg, where crack is as plentiful as mixed cassette tapes. When a tow truck driver is called to the edge of the Red River, he cannot believe what he’s seeing. A beautiful 1967 Camaro has been driven into the water and its owner is handcuffed to the steering wheel in an apparent suicide. After delivering the car to the impound lot, Steve Mahoney makes a play for the vehicle at auction, sure that it will help him restore his own Camaro. As Steve begins to use parts from the car, he soon realises that there is more to the vehicle than meet the eye. Now, Steve’s been sent on a mission to find a killer as he races through the streets of Winnipeg. Meanwhile, someone’s looking for him as well, hoping to silence any inquiries before they take flight. A nostalgic and humorous spin on the crime novel, Clark entertains throughout in this great piece of writing.
Steve Mahoney has dreams for himself in the summer of 1985. He wants to open his own mechanic shop, but does not have the money. Working as a tow truck driver, Mahoney trolls the streets of Winnipeg at night, waiting for calls to help unlucky motorists. When one call sends him to the edge of the Red River, Mahoney is shocked to see a ‘67 Camaro submerged in the murky depths. Pulling it out, Mahoney can only think about how this vehicle could be the answer to his prayers, or at least his parts dilemma of the Camaro he’s been trying to restore.
When the body of a young woman is found handcuffed to the steering wheel, Mahoney must wait for it to be cleared before he takes it to an impound lot. However, it would seem that the Winnipeg Police are sure this was a cut and dry suicide and they quickly release the vehicle. Mahoney snatches it up at auction, hoping that this will be a gift he never saw coming. What he discovers while removing parts will not only shock him, but really throw a wrench into things.
The ghost of Heather Price remains linked to the vehicle, more than the smell permeating from the seats. An accountant with some questionable practices, Price convinces Mahoney that she did not commit suicide, but was murdered for what she knew about a sketchy used car dealer. She vows to haunt the Camaro until Mahoney gets her the justice she feels is deserved. Turning into an amateur sleuth, Mahoney must piece things together in order to make sense of a crime that could have significant blowback, all while living life in the heart of Winnipeg. A great thriller that will entertain any reader with an open mind, Clark took me back to my childhood and memories of a simpler Winnipeg!
There’s something about reading a book set in your hometown, even more so when you can picture many of the locales. Michael J. Clark does a masterful job of bringing Winnipeg to life in the summer of 1985, adding a gritty story to keep readers on the edge of their seats. Without the need for complex legal or investigative analysis, Clark provides the reader with an entertaining piece of writing that never tries to be something it’s not.
As the title suggests, Steve Mahoney is the protagonist and has much to prove. While enjoying work as a tow truck driver, he aspires for more. The reader learns a little about him throughout the book, which provides a decent amount of backstory and some tidbits of character development. Mahoney is thrust into the middle of a mystery, all in the hopes of ridding himself of this apparition that has affixed itself to his Camaro. Now, he’ll have to face some of the rougher side of Winnipeg to provide justice to a woman who got caught up in it all.
Michael J. Clark has penned a few novels, all of which have made Winnipeg (or Southern Manitoba) their home base. While this may not matter much to most readers, being from the area, I found myself connecting with the narrative even more. Clark offers wonderful detail in his storytelling, such that the images from my youth re-emerged in my mind and left me feeling even more keen to move through the story. Gritty characters, many with their own backstories, offered a great flavour to the piece, giving the reader a variety of perspectives throughout. The story’s pacing and chapter lengths kept the momentum up throughout and left me feeling as though things were working to my advantage throughout the reading experience. I cannot wait for more by the author, particularly if he keeps close to home, being a Winnipegger.
Kudos, Mr Clark, for another great piece. I love the unique style and can only hope others will ‘get’ it.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
Steve Mahoney has dreams for himself in the summer of 1985. He wants to open his own mechanic shop, but does not have the money. Working as a tow truck driver, Mahoney trolls the streets of Winnipeg at night, waiting for calls to help unlucky motorists. When one call sends him to the edge of the Red River, Mahoney is shocked to see a ‘67 Camaro submerged in the murky depths. Pulling it out, Mahoney can only think about how this vehicle could be the answer to his prayers, or at least his parts dilemma of the Camaro he’s been trying to restore.
When the body of a young woman is found handcuffed to the steering wheel, Mahoney must wait for it to be cleared before he takes it to an impound lot. However, it would seem that the Winnipeg Police are sure this was a cut and dry suicide and they quickly release the vehicle. Mahoney snatches it up at auction, hoping that this will be a gift he never saw coming. What he discovers while removing parts will not only shock him, but really throw a wrench into things.
The ghost of Heather Price remains linked to the vehicle, more than the smell permeating from the seats. An accountant with some questionable practices, Price convinces Mahoney that she did not commit suicide, but was murdered for what she knew about a sketchy used car dealer. She vows to haunt the Camaro until Mahoney gets her the justice she feels is deserved. Turning into an amateur sleuth, Mahoney must piece things together in order to make sense of a crime that could have significant blowback, all while living life in the heart of Winnipeg. A great thriller that will entertain any reader with an open mind, Clark took me back to my childhood and memories of a simpler Winnipeg!
There’s something about reading a book set in your hometown, even more so when you can picture many of the locales. Michael J. Clark does a masterful job of bringing Winnipeg to life in the summer of 1985, adding a gritty story to keep readers on the edge of their seats. Without the need for complex legal or investigative analysis, Clark provides the reader with an entertaining piece of writing that never tries to be something it’s not.
As the title suggests, Steve Mahoney is the protagonist and has much to prove. While enjoying work as a tow truck driver, he aspires for more. The reader learns a little about him throughout the book, which provides a decent amount of backstory and some tidbits of character development. Mahoney is thrust into the middle of a mystery, all in the hopes of ridding himself of this apparition that has affixed itself to his Camaro. Now, he’ll have to face some of the rougher side of Winnipeg to provide justice to a woman who got caught up in it all.
Michael J. Clark has penned a few novels, all of which have made Winnipeg (or Southern Manitoba) their home base. While this may not matter much to most readers, being from the area, I found myself connecting with the narrative even more. Clark offers wonderful detail in his storytelling, such that the images from my youth re-emerged in my mind and left me feeling even more keen to move through the story. Gritty characters, many with their own backstories, offered a great flavour to the piece, giving the reader a variety of perspectives throughout. The story’s pacing and chapter lengths kept the momentum up throughout and left me feeling as though things were working to my advantage throughout the reading experience. I cannot wait for more by the author, particularly if he keeps close to home, being a Winnipegger.
Kudos, Mr Clark, for another great piece. I love the unique style and can only hope others will ‘get’ it.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
May 28, 2019
Mahoney’s Camaro was a great auction deal. Only a grand for a cherry 1967 that had only been in the river for a few hours. As with every good deal, this one had a few strings. First, Heather had been handcuffed to the steering wheel and drowned after being shoved into the drink. Now, she was haunting the car. Second, the murderer was desperate to get the car back to destroy any evidence linking him to Heather’s murder.
It’s 1985 in Canada. Mahoney works for a scuzzy towing firm but his passion is cars. After losing his mechanic job under the shadow of theft, he can’t find reputable work. He is forced to work in an ethically questionable tow yard driving a tow truck during the midnight shift. Despite his bosses entreaties, he doesn’t deal drugs, pimp woman, or steal cars.
Mahoney looks into Heather’s death just to get her out of his ride. What he finds is the 1980s drug of choice, Crack, and a widespread criminal enterprise.
As a car fan, the descriptions of cherry rides and engine parts was a fun throwback to my youth of car clubs and cruise nights. I’m not sure everyone will be as entranced by pages of description of how to move the shell of one car onto another. The mystery was told from both the criminals and the detective Mahoney’s point of view—like Columbo the killer is known from the beginning—so this is not a good choice for armchair detectives. But if you like muscle cars, this is the perfect crime thriller. For everyone else, 3 stars.
Thanks to the author, ECW Press, and LibraryThing for a copy in exchange for my honest review.
It’s 1985 in Canada. Mahoney works for a scuzzy towing firm but his passion is cars. After losing his mechanic job under the shadow of theft, he can’t find reputable work. He is forced to work in an ethically questionable tow yard driving a tow truck during the midnight shift. Despite his bosses entreaties, he doesn’t deal drugs, pimp woman, or steal cars.
Mahoney looks into Heather’s death just to get her out of his ride. What he finds is the 1980s drug of choice, Crack, and a widespread criminal enterprise.
As a car fan, the descriptions of cherry rides and engine parts was a fun throwback to my youth of car clubs and cruise nights. I’m not sure everyone will be as entranced by pages of description of how to move the shell of one car onto another. The mystery was told from both the criminals and the detective Mahoney’s point of view—like Columbo the killer is known from the beginning—so this is not a good choice for armchair detectives. But if you like muscle cars, this is the perfect crime thriller. For everyone else, 3 stars.
Thanks to the author, ECW Press, and LibraryThing for a copy in exchange for my honest review.
June 29, 2019
Steve Mahoney is the driver of Unit 36, a tow truck owned by Hook Me Up Towing. Steve, along with is gang of car aficionados and mechanics take on a suicide cover up, but will their own investigation derail his plans to open his own auto shop? This entertaining read is filled with colorful commentary, car humor and A LOT of car love.
This attempt at suspense makes for an otherwise disturbing, yet entertaining, ghost story as the reader falls into step with Mahoney’s quirks and passions. From the smell of the plant next door, to the odd car dealership employees, author Michael J. Clark paints a hilarious picture in this unconventional crime solving group of car lovers.
*Disclaimer: A review copy of this book was provided by the publisher. All opinions are my own.
This attempt at suspense makes for an otherwise disturbing, yet entertaining, ghost story as the reader falls into step with Mahoney’s quirks and passions. From the smell of the plant next door, to the odd car dealership employees, author Michael J. Clark paints a hilarious picture in this unconventional crime solving group of car lovers.
*Disclaimer: A review copy of this book was provided by the publisher. All opinions are my own.
August 14, 2019
This is probably the stupidest title for a book ever, but don't let it discourage you from reading this book. It's not literature--let's make that clear--but it's an interesting romp through an era that I remember with great fondness. Ah, youth!! I love cars and a good mystery, and while this isn't exactly the best mystery ever, it's enjoyable as Mahoney tries to rid his classic Camaro of a ghost while solving her murder and exposing a bunch of drug dealing bad guys. Quintessentially Canadian, this novel took me back to the past and I have to say I enjoyed the ride. Pop open a Molsons and enjoy!
July 21, 2019
When Michael Mahoney hauls a Camaro out of Winnipeg's Red River, he sees a chance to replace his old Camaro hot rod, destroyed when a tree dropped on it. The replacement wasn't quite a bargain, and it came with a ghost--the murdered woman who was disposed of by handcuffing to the steering wheel of a used car from the killer's work place. Mahoney just wants to get rid of the ghost; the killer wants to get rid of loose ends and as Mahoney tries to help the ghost depart, he might end up being very loose indeed. Nicely performed, and a fast paced and fun listen
November 7, 2020
A well-written story that draws you in. Clark provides excellent descriptive details about the city and the various locations so that you can easily picture the settings. The plot takes twists and turns and leaves you guessing as to how the story will be solved.
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March 14, 2019Netgalley
pub date May 28, 2019
ECW Press
CHANGE to Kindle
pub date May 28, 2019
ECW Press
CHANGE to Kindle
June 3, 2019
It was a pretty good book. It took me awhile to get into the story but once I did, it was worth reading. The story is suspenseful.
June 18, 2019
Thanks for ECW Press for letting me read and review this book.... l read the book all the way till the end but did not really enjoy this novel....
June 22, 2019
Great read..... takes me back to the 80's. I liked not only the music cues but also the cars from the 70's and 80's (love 'em or hate 'em.... Bricklin!).
June 3, 2019
Michael J. Clark’s latest thriller, Mahoney’s Camaro, (ECW Press) is a wild ride through 1980s Winnipeg belted into a 1960s muscle car. It’s a high-revving, nostalgia-fueled love story to all things automotive, to the brotherhood of gearheads and especially to the sights, sounds—and smells—of one of Canada’s more underappreciated cities.
Life hadn’t turned out as planned for Steve Mahoney, who pulls night shifts at a corrupt city towing company. Aside from some petty larceny, Mahoney has resisted pressure from his boss to engage in Hook Me Up Towing’s more lucrative sidelines: pimping and peddling this newfangled thing called crack cocaine.
His prospects are dim, his diet is awful, the job is a grind. He lives for the days when his motley crew of grease monkeys rip apart the beaters of an earlier era, turning them into snarling, overpowered road warriors.
Things take a turn when he yanks a submerged car out of the Red River, the body of a woman handcuffed to the steering wheel. The woman goes to the morgue; the waterlogged ’67 Camaro to a salvage yard. Mahoney snaps it up at auction, the largely intact shell a perfect fit for the damaged Chevy he’s restoring in his garage.
Unfortunately, the Camaro is accessorized with the smack-talking ghost of Heather Price, an accountant with issues. She isn’t leaving until Mahoney solves the mystery of how she ended up in the river.
A suspicious homicide detective, a venal car dealer, assorted fatalities, a dubious exorcist and a fraught relationship between haunted Heather and his randy new girlfriend complicate Mahoney’s once-simple life.
Throughout, former automotive journalist Clark peppers his story with mechanical detail, snide references to such design disasters as the Pinto and the Oldsmobile Toronado, and the streetscape of Winnipeg in the mid-1980s.
That said, you don’t need to hail from the ‘Peg or know a spark plug from a timing belt to appreciate Clark’s fast, fun thrill ride. This is as guilty a pleasure as laying down two strips of rubber on a hot summer’s night.
--Ken MacQueen
Life hadn’t turned out as planned for Steve Mahoney, who pulls night shifts at a corrupt city towing company. Aside from some petty larceny, Mahoney has resisted pressure from his boss to engage in Hook Me Up Towing’s more lucrative sidelines: pimping and peddling this newfangled thing called crack cocaine.
His prospects are dim, his diet is awful, the job is a grind. He lives for the days when his motley crew of grease monkeys rip apart the beaters of an earlier era, turning them into snarling, overpowered road warriors.
Things take a turn when he yanks a submerged car out of the Red River, the body of a woman handcuffed to the steering wheel. The woman goes to the morgue; the waterlogged ’67 Camaro to a salvage yard. Mahoney snaps it up at auction, the largely intact shell a perfect fit for the damaged Chevy he’s restoring in his garage.
Unfortunately, the Camaro is accessorized with the smack-talking ghost of Heather Price, an accountant with issues. She isn’t leaving until Mahoney solves the mystery of how she ended up in the river.
A suspicious homicide detective, a venal car dealer, assorted fatalities, a dubious exorcist and a fraught relationship between haunted Heather and his randy new girlfriend complicate Mahoney’s once-simple life.
Throughout, former automotive journalist Clark peppers his story with mechanical detail, snide references to such design disasters as the Pinto and the Oldsmobile Toronado, and the streetscape of Winnipeg in the mid-1980s.
That said, you don’t need to hail from the ‘Peg or know a spark plug from a timing belt to appreciate Clark’s fast, fun thrill ride. This is as guilty a pleasure as laying down two strips of rubber on a hot summer’s night.
--Ken MacQueen
June 3, 2019
If you are rebuilding your dream car, a 1967 Camaro, and discover happen to find a replacement body during a tow call, then of course it seems like fate. However, if there’s a dead body in the car, maybe it should give you second thoughts about buying it at a salvage auction. Tow driver Steve Mahoney didn’t heed this warning, so when he gets a ghost to go along with his new car body, he must help solve her murder so she can rest. Clark gives us an interesting cast of characters and a nice mix of mystery and paranormal touches to provide a long, thorough journey that’s exciting all the way to the end. If you’re interested in a mixture of genres, as well as a nice glimpse into automotive work, this is a great book for you!
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews