Keeper of the Flame

A Crang Mystery #6

by Jack Batten

When his popular hip-hop artist client blackmailed, Crang stumbles on a porn operation and an unexpected case of murder.

Crang loves vodka, jazz, and his girlfriend Annie, and not necessarily in that order. He’s also the kind of smart-talking criminal lawyer who doesn’t mind chasing down unorthodox cases. That makes him just the guy to represent a famous hip-hop performer who’s on the wrong end of a blackmail scheme. It doesn’t strike Crang as a confounding case, but in no time, he finds himself confronting an organized gang that deals in porn, stock swindles, and murder. Things get so messy that Crang decides he’ll have to bend the laws and try a couple of break-and-enter jobs of his own. This turns out to get Crang and Maury, his retired burglar pal, in more hot water than they counted on. It’s a dilemma that would cause other lawyers to back away, but not Crang, the nervy attorney with the fast mouth.

Genres: Mystery

328 pages, Paperback

First published April 2, 2016

About the author

Jack Batten, after a brief and unhappy career as a lawyer, has been a very happy freelance writer for many years. The author of thirty-five books, Batten writes the weekly Whodunnit column in the Toronto Star, has reviewed jazz for the Globe and Mail, and has reviewed movies on CBC Radio for twenty-five years. He has written over thirty books on subjects that include biography, crime fiction, law and court cases, and sports. Not surprisingly, jazz, movies, and crime turn up frequently in Crang’s life. He lives in Toronto.

Reviews

[Murder in Common · Rating 3 out of 5]

An old-school style story. Criminal lawyer in Toronto with great mentions of city streets and businesses to add flavour.

A rap star is being blackmailed and the leads bring Crang to the porn business and religion. Some very fun characters and enjoyable read.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.something stars rounded up to four because I generally enjoyed the read and because this is one of the better books in the series.

So long as the series keeps moving along, I will keep reading these books (though, unfortunately, it looks like the next book is currently the last of the Crang Mysteries).

[Marnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this character. Each book is a fun read.

[Edwin Howard · Rating 3 out of 5]

KEEPER OF THE FLAME by Jack Batten is the story of criminal lawyer Crang who is dragged into a criminal scheme that is evolving and progressing as Crang is trying to learn what is going on and what has happened. A famous rapper, who goes by the moniker Flame, is being blackmailed, but everyone evolved with Flame as well as the blackmailing party have more going on than they are willing to admit to. Crang acts more like a PI than a lawyer and uses his wits to find out the hidden truth behind it all.
We follow along the story with Crang, who seems to enjoy the danger is he encountering along the way. The story is written in first person (Crang) and the reader learns more about Crang from how others react to him and than from Crang's own musings. More time than I wanted to was spent on little things that had no real purpose, like the directions from one address to another didn't need to be spelled out all the time and how many cups of coffee Crang has had each day seemed pointless. I was entertained by some of the turns the story took and I enjoyed how Crang adapted to the revelations of new information along the way. I did like some of the supporting characters, particularlyJerome, Flame's assistant/bodyguard/friend. Some characters were a little stereotypical and unoriginal, but still likable and functional to the story. The subplot involving the porn industry seemed forced and also just kind a throwaway that was forgotten by the end of the book.
KEEPER OF THE FLAME was a little uneven and clumsy, but still brought an entertaining climax and satisfying ending to the book. It reminded me a couple of times of a Harlan Coben book, but unfortunately it wasn't quite at the same level. I would try another book by Batten, but I'm not sure I would recommend the author to anyone, at least not yet.
Thank you to Dundurn, Jack Batten, and Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

[Cathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Can't help but like Crang and his legal escapades. This thriller is clever and quick, nice short chapters full of some kind of twist, turn and mayhem in our fair city of Toronto. Light on his feet, smart talking 50'ish criminal lawyer Crang guns for the underdog and takes on those cases others would dismiss. This one involves a rising hip hop star, no, not Drake, but Drake-like, called Flame, some unexpected porn filming, no, not Flame, 8 baddies, a regular group of, and a front, the Heaven's Philosophers and so much more like 8 million bamboozled from Flame's earnings by his manager (to cover a bad investment) which leads to the death of the Philosopher's Reverend. And this, plus some song lyrics that do not need to see the light of day, is what Crang is hired to find out, who did it, why, what have the 8 guys plus Mgr got to do with it all...All sorts of good baddies known to Crang step up to help out in various locales around town like the Beach, mid-town, and Markham. Good fun all around, great characters, dialogue and fabulous gals like Crang's Annie who is on the book promo circuit with her newest celeb bio. Crang loves his two cups of coffee daily, pretty healthy eats and a good nosh from his local cultural eateries in his 'hood, and finding the end piece to every criminal puzzle. Dialogue moves along nicely in a Crang mystery: "The collegial approach to our relationship doesn't seem to be working any better than the argumentative style", I said. Crang speaking to Arthur, Squeaky and Roger near the end of the book, a crucial bit, actually. A great read for a winter afternoon.

[Bonnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good read..... I just realized, I don't know the main character's first name! He's just Crang, a criminal lawyer who is not above taking "interesting" cases! This one (& I will be adding others to my to-read) involves a hip-hop singer about to crossover & make a movie.... But he wrote some Really Crude lyrics as a teenager & now is being blackmailed. The "Heaven's Philosopher's" group has some unusual characters. I don't giveaway plots in reviews, but you will enjoy the twists & turns that keep you thinking! Thanks for the opportunity to read this giveaway book, I thoroughly enjoyed it!

[Irene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Received this book from Goodreads Give Away program.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It was very easy reading, light-hearted and fun to read. It was great to read a mystery without a lot of explicit sex.

This was my first Crang Mystery, but it will not be my last.

Also enjoyed some of the other characters, especially Jerome.

[Kathleen Gray · Rating 3 out of 5]

Suspect I would have enjoyed this more if I'd read the preceding books in the series. That said, it's well written and funny. While it wasn't my favorite book of the week, it's entertaining enough. Thanks to Edelweiss for the ARC.

[Elisabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

A rather complicated and implausible mystery-- though I enjoyed all the Toronto references.

In searching for the book on goodreads, I was astonished to see how many other books there are with the same title! Must be couple of dozen. Don't authors/publishers try to have unique titles?

[Margaret Bryant · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hard-boiled with humour!

[Jaclyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Gail O'Connor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy flowing style of writing that captivates the readers attention and keeps you riveted

[Stephanie Bryant · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed it. It's crazy, but fun. I loved the setting in Toronto and the mention of many spots I know. Lighthearted and I'm going to go r ad the other Crang mysteries.

[Wendy Hearder-moan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick entertaining read, especially if you know Toronto (local colour). Is Crang Jack Batten's alter ego, I wonder?