Walking Money

Bill Tasker #1

by James O. Born

State police officer Bill Tasker faces the toughest case of his career when he is framed for a crime involving more than a million dollars of stolen money, a corrupt FBI agent, and a murdered key witness. A first novel. 35,000 first printing.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Crime, Humor, Thriller, Suspense

272 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

James O. Born is a Special Agent with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE). He has been involved in investigations in such areas as organized crime, violent crimes, economic crimes, drug cartels, and public corruption. It has now been fourteen years since Born started writing, and ironically, he has the same editor as W E B Griffin and Tom Clancy - the very authors he spent his time reading during those long surveillances years ago. Born currently lives in suburban Palm Beach County with his wife Donna, and two children, John and Emily.

Series:
* Bill Tasker
* Alex Duarte

Reviews

[Lizabeth Tucker · Rating 3 out of 5]

This mystery book is written by a real South Florida cop who knows just how strange a place we Floridians live in. His main character is Bill Tasker, a decent man who wound up suspected by some people of criminal activities when a cop friend of his is killed while Tasker tried to arrest him. Although his bosses at FDLE (Florida Department of Law Enforcement) didn't believe he was dirty, he was still forced to move from his home in West Palm Beach to the stranger Miami.

Tasker is in deep again when some money goes missing during another riot in Overtown and he is fingered as being nearby. Cops are all sniffing around for the money, from the FBI agent who should've been fired years ago to Tasker's newest girlfriend. Everyone wants a piece of the pie in this farce of a novel.

Funny it is, and you might recognize some of the participants as slightly skewed versions of our real crooks. A fun and quick read. I might check more of the Tasker series out in the future.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

Where's the money? That's the question that will keep you wondering as you enjoy this crime novel. Some of the characters are not fully developed, but the plot is airtight, and the description of Florida is as colorful as the culture itself. Fun.

[Roger Scherping · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was not funny enough to be a comedy and not serious enough to be a drama.

[Aaron Anderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't like that the main character seemed a bit too clueless and thinking with his hormones. I don't like perfect main characters, but the way this one was written you almost wanted to hold him in contempt. If you only saw things from the main character's perspective as if often the case in books like this, you wouldn't know how stupid the main character was being and might have given him more of a pass.

Now, the stuff I liked about the book. It was truly hilarious how many times the money changed hands. At one point I counted it up in my head and it was at least 7 times the money had shifted. The book almost became a comedy/action thing.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great twist, characters and lots of action -

I enjoyed reading this book because I can imagine everything that occurs in it to be a true story. The main character is down to earth, trying to do his best and someone in what should be a trusted position frames him for a crime. Lots of realistic plot twist.
A lot of authors write unrealistic situations where the main character gets beat down but always gets back up and I have grown tired of these types of books. You can only be shot, kidnapped, and left to die so many times…

This is the second book I have read of James O. Born and he is now one of my favorite authors.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG!! Was EVERYONE except the main character morally bankrupt when it came to money???

Since the author is retired from law enforcement & he writes from his experience, is this what law enforcement is really like? I really enjoyed the book & had to laugh as each character was involved in such underhanded dealings. One would hope that they wouldn't be so tempted by large sums of money to throw their lives away so recklessly. Guess they don't believe in karma or reincarnation to experience the consequences of ill deeds. Am looking forward to more books from this author.

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this book is very well written and very suspenseful. Walking Money is about how a cop, Bill Tasker, is framed for a bank robbery that he didn't do, and he tries to unravel the mystery of who set him up. The book has a very interesting plot and characters, but at times it can be very controversial and push some people away. So if you like mystery and suspense I would recommend his book to you.

[mary bright · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where's the money

I couldn't put this book down but of course had to do other activities......like eat, sleep, cook, etc. Just when I thought where the money was someone else had it. Loved Bill Tasker....your good guy who of course gets set up for the fall. The money switched hands numerous times. Won't say more. Read the book!!

[Sheldon · Rating 5 out of 5]

The bill Tasker series begins slowly, but picks up speed. The best thing about it besides, the mystery is the humor it contains in the dialogue. The Miami and southeast Florida authors give a lot of joy to their readers born
continues that tradition. My only regret is that my library has no more of his books on tape.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the first book of James O Born I've read in a very long time. I really enjoyed all the South Florida references. However, I thought the story line was a little slow at times.
Overall I enjoyed the read. I will definitely read the other two books in the Tasker series.

[Tom Stadler · Rating 2 out of 5]

Characters are pretty thin. For a writer who comes from law enforcement his officers seem poorly informed about legal procedures.

[Kara Jorges · Rating 5 out of 5]

This aptly-titled book centers around a satchel filled with $1.5 million. This was money collected by the Committee for Community Relief, run by the Reverend Al Watson and his attorney, Cole Hodges. Naturally, they’ve been skimming quite a lot of money and hiding it in a safe deposit box at a little bank in a disreputable neighborhood. Right around the time each of them decides it’s time to abscond with the cash—alone, an FBI agent decides he’s going to use local riots as cover so he can rob safe deposit boxes at the bank. The bank manager, who has been spying on Hodges over the months as he filled the safe deposit box with cash, also decides to use the riots as cover for his opportunity to get rich. The bank manager, Hodges, and the FBI agent, Tom Dooley, converge on the money, but only one of them walks away with it, and the bank manager winds up dead. Dooley decides the best way to get away with taking the cash is to cast suspicion elsewhere, and almost randomly picks FDLE agent Bill Tasker to take the rap. When Tasker realizes he’s being framed and it could cost him his career and his freedom, he decides to investigate the missing money himself, especially since the feds don’t seem to be looking at any other suspects. Tasker has allies in the FDLE and even the FBI agent investigating him doesn’t seem to think he’s guilty, but someone is sabotaging him and feeding stories to the media. Meanwhile, the satchel full of money keeps changing hands, sometimes winding up in surprising places, while Tasker unravels the mystery of who set him up and why.

Born’s first Florida crime novel is excellent. He has a wonderful talent for changing the point of view, giving all of the characters a voice and keeping the action moving. Mystery lovers will find something to like, the mystery being not who took the cash but what will become of it. Florida crime fans can rejoice, for we have a new writer to enjoy, and his work is top notch. His sense of humor is as finely honed as that of Hiaasen or Dorsey, but he’s definitely got his own style, and quite obviously, no respect for the FBI. If you haven’t read Jim Born yet, you’re really missing out.

[Ellen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bill Tasker, Miami cop, has been working with the FBI on a robbery task force. When a highly controversial court case is settled, demonstrations break out all over the city. An unscrupulous group of people decide this would be a great diversion for the theft of money that had been been embezzled from the Committee for Community Relief and deposited in a run-down bank with low security. The bank manager, a shady FBI agent, the CCR minister and his ex-con lawyer, all want the money. Unfortunately for Bill Tasker, one of the robbers points the finger at Tasker and he suddenly becomes suspect number one in the theft. As the thieves constantly steal the loot from one another, the bodies begin to pile up and Tasker is either headed for prison or the cemetery.

This was a pretty good story with a really fast moving story line. It did get a bit confusing at times but Tasker is a very likeable character so it's worth the muddle. I think this would make a better movie than it did a book because the visual of the constantly disappearing money would be rather comical. Just a thought.

[J.E. · Rating 4 out of 5]

So, I heard James Born speak at the Key West Mystery Fest in June, 2016, about his work as a cop and as a writer. Compelled to explore his writing, I purchased this first entry in the Bill Tasker series. It's a quick police procedural read, laced with insider information, profanity and humor. Although the initial chapters made me suspicious about where the story was going, I quickly found myself rooting for Tasker, framed for a crime, and the hapless (or brilliant) way he resolved each problem that arose. Since he's basically a decent guy, you can't help but feel for him. Frequently, just like at the movies, I wanted to shout, "No, don't do that!" but he never listened. With all the books on my shelf waiting to be reviewed, I might not get back to Bill and his adventures for a time, but I suspect I will read more of Born's work. Like watching a train wreck, you can't look away...;)

[Jeffrey · Rating 2 out of 5]

A crook decides to steal money swindled from a city group and deposited into a safe deposit box at a bank during a riot. He is not the only one with designs on the money. There is the bank manager, the preacher, the dirty FBI agent, three cops and a stripper. The only one who doesnt seem to want the money is a cop who is being framed for stealing it and killing the bank manager. In the end a sort of justice is served as the money is recovered and seemingly given to a rightous community leader, who may or may not be as righteous as believed.

The book suggests that very few people can walk away from a big score.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bill Tasker is a state cop in southern Florida. His whole life was wrecked by scandal a few years ago and he is just starting to get his professional reputation back. He is working on a robbery task force. In the chaos of rioting, a safe deposit box is robbed and the bank manager killed. A fake community activist wants to start a new life, a bad cop wants to retire early, and Tasker's new love interest even gets involved. The FBI suspect Tasker and every new piece of evidence points to him. The stolen money keeps changing hands and people are getting killed. Tasker must find the money, thief, and killers on his own because the FBI are looking only at him.

[Bryan Thomas Schmidt · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to love this. The writing, setting, and main character are so strong but the ending and endless run of scumbag characters left me disappointed. Very pessimistic view of law enforcement and the world. Disappointing.

[Shirley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book, and most surprised that I did because generally I don't like "cop" books, but this was a treat.

[Sylvia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Modern

[Laurie Stoll · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy reading and entertaining.

[Bo Frazer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent, better than expected. Good cop story, but an Elmore-Leonard-ish comedy of idiots driven by greed.

[Gerd Mueller · Rating 1 out of 5]

terrible, one cliche after the other, boring :-( stopped reading after about 30 Pages, which I very, very rarely do, normally I work my way through even if I dont like the book that much.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bloody, but clever and farcical

[Jeffrey Philips · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good read and entertaining.

[Stephen Boiko · Rating 5 out of 5]

corruption, greed and a million dollars!