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Repossession Is 9/10ths of the Law
Alan Baxter barely scrapes by working as a deejay in suburban Detroit. To make ends meet, he takes a job as an automobile repossession agent, and discovers his very first assignment is a car owned by his drug dealer ex-boyfriend. On top of that, a body is discovered in the trunk...by a cop. Soon Alan's life is completely upturned as he is pulled into a mystery involving more bodies, a highly lethal new street drug, a mysterious man with a top hat and cane, raging dwarves, a house fire, a cranky police detective, and his even crankier cat!
342 pages, Paperback
First published July 30, 2014
About the author
Hank Edwards
86 books238 followersHank Edwards (he/him) writes MM romance and MM paranormal fiction, blending supernatural suspense, humor, and heart across more than fifty novels and dozens of short stories. His series include the spooky-comic, GFY, best friends to lovers “Critter Catchers,” the historical horror romance “Venom Valley,” the suspenseful FBI/civilian “Up to Trouble” novels, and the small-town, contemporary warmth of “Williamsville Inn.” A Michigan native, Hank writes queer characters navigating extraordinary circumstances with biological and found family beside them on their journey to true love.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
September 10, 2014
What can I say about Repossession is 9/10ths of the Law? I love finding little gems like this. Not only is it a mystery, but it’s a comedic one at that, a fun romp with an “anything that could go wrong did" plot, because when it came to repossessing cars, Alan Baxter made Murphy’s Law look like it was written just for him.
I didn’t think it’d be possible for each repossession to be funnier than the one before, but the final one had me in stitches! Every time Alan’s friend Gus said he had an easy repo for him, I probably had the same wary look on my face that Alan managed to have, and when the bodies started piling up, poor Alan always seemed to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Personally, I’d have loved to have read Repossession is 9/10ths of the Law without the blurb info, so I won’t be revealing anything more about it because I don’t want to spoil it for you. I’ll just say there are no lulls in the storyline; something always seemed to be happening throughout Repossession is 9/10ths of the Law, and I’ll also give a mention to the secondary characters, who were all memorable, especially Mrs. Colonoscopy and her squirrels.
This is a first time Hank Edwards read for me, and it won’t be the last. I was excited to see that I have a couple of his works on my bookshelf which I intend to delve right into. I’m giving this one a high 5 Star rating. Highly recommended if you have a craving for a comical, “no smex” mystery.
Mr. Edwards, if you ever decide to turn Repossession is 9/10ths of the Law into an audiobook, I have some strong recommendations on who could do justice to the narration.
I didn’t think it’d be possible for each repossession to be funnier than the one before, but the final one had me in stitches! Every time Alan’s friend Gus said he had an easy repo for him, I probably had the same wary look on my face that Alan managed to have, and when the bodies started piling up, poor Alan always seemed to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Personally, I’d have loved to have read Repossession is 9/10ths of the Law without the blurb info, so I won’t be revealing anything more about it because I don’t want to spoil it for you. I’ll just say there are no lulls in the storyline; something always seemed to be happening throughout Repossession is 9/10ths of the Law, and I’ll also give a mention to the secondary characters, who were all memorable, especially Mrs. Colonoscopy and her squirrels.
This is a first time Hank Edwards read for me, and it won’t be the last. I was excited to see that I have a couple of his works on my bookshelf which I intend to delve right into. I’m giving this one a high 5 Star rating. Highly recommended if you have a craving for a comical, “no smex” mystery.
Mr. Edwards, if you ever decide to turn Repossession is 9/10ths of the Law into an audiobook, I have some strong recommendations on who could do justice to the narration.
July 2, 2014
I'm fairly certain that if I were Alan, by the time I'd finished getting soaking wet in the rain, ruining new shoes and a new sweater, running into my ex-lover the drug dealer while repossessing his car, hitting a pothole and having to change the tire, finding a dead body in the trunk, and having a cop stop to help only to then find myself with a gun in my face and spread eagled on the wet concrete…well, I might have just curled into the fetal position and cried. So begins Hank Edwards's newest release 'Repossession is 9/10ths of the Law' and seeing that this was my maiden voyage into this author's writing, I was intrigued.
Alan has to have the worst luck of any person I've ever known. At thirty-seven he's now working as a deejay in a gay bar since his financial manager cleaned out his accounts and absconded with all of his money. Hence the job as a repo man since deejaying doesn't pay a hefty amount. He does own his home which is actually partitioned into two separate apartments and his best friend, Sabrina, rents the lower half. Alan's other friend, Gus, is the drag act at the bar and his cousin owns the repo company. Alan's dad is still alive and at seventy-two he's quite spry, particularly when it comes to clipping coupons and catching the sales. It's been two years since Alan kicked Jason out and then proceeded to get clean from his cocaine addiction which Jason introduced him to. Alan never thought he'd see him again until the night he repo'd Jason's car. You know, the one with the dead body in it? Now Jason is hunting Alan down all while evading the police. Could this get any worse? Why, yes, yes it can!
Things start to get pretty scary when someone sets Alan's place on fire, with him in it. I have to say, I admired him wanting to save his cat, but then trying to find all of his fun outfits to take with him, while his place us burning down? Hmm. A little silly. Finding Jason dead in his garage really puts the bow on that night. Well that, and then having to move back to his dad's and share a room with Sabrina. He does two more repo jobs with Gus and neither goes easily. Remember? Bad luck. The first one Alan inadvertently opens the car door into the SUV parked next to it and the owner of that car goes ballistic and tries to chase Alan down. The second one Alan slides in the damp grass and lands in dog poo resulting in him having to remove his clothes and shoes before getting into the car. That doesn't sound so bad, except Alan went commando that night. *grins* The best part? Alan decides it's up to Sabrina, Gus, and him to figure out what is going on because the cops aren't moving fast enough. Huh. Probably not what I would've decided....
This was an interesting and fun story that I enjoyed. I liked the twists and turns throughout and the cast of secondary characters were certainly fun. Overall, I would say that if you're looking for a romance, this is not it. But if you're looking for a funny, quirky, story about a guy with the worst luck in history who manages to turn Detroit on its ears, then this would be the story for you.
NOTE: This book was provided by the publisher for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
Alan has to have the worst luck of any person I've ever known. At thirty-seven he's now working as a deejay in a gay bar since his financial manager cleaned out his accounts and absconded with all of his money. Hence the job as a repo man since deejaying doesn't pay a hefty amount. He does own his home which is actually partitioned into two separate apartments and his best friend, Sabrina, rents the lower half. Alan's other friend, Gus, is the drag act at the bar and his cousin owns the repo company. Alan's dad is still alive and at seventy-two he's quite spry, particularly when it comes to clipping coupons and catching the sales. It's been two years since Alan kicked Jason out and then proceeded to get clean from his cocaine addiction which Jason introduced him to. Alan never thought he'd see him again until the night he repo'd Jason's car. You know, the one with the dead body in it? Now Jason is hunting Alan down all while evading the police. Could this get any worse? Why, yes, yes it can!
Things start to get pretty scary when someone sets Alan's place on fire, with him in it. I have to say, I admired him wanting to save his cat, but then trying to find all of his fun outfits to take with him, while his place us burning down? Hmm. A little silly. Finding Jason dead in his garage really puts the bow on that night. Well that, and then having to move back to his dad's and share a room with Sabrina. He does two more repo jobs with Gus and neither goes easily. Remember? Bad luck. The first one Alan inadvertently opens the car door into the SUV parked next to it and the owner of that car goes ballistic and tries to chase Alan down. The second one Alan slides in the damp grass and lands in dog poo resulting in him having to remove his clothes and shoes before getting into the car. That doesn't sound so bad, except Alan went commando that night. *grins* The best part? Alan decides it's up to Sabrina, Gus, and him to figure out what is going on because the cops aren't moving fast enough. Huh. Probably not what I would've decided....
This was an interesting and fun story that I enjoyed. I liked the twists and turns throughout and the cast of secondary characters were certainly fun. Overall, I would say that if you're looking for a romance, this is not it. But if you're looking for a funny, quirky, story about a guy with the worst luck in history who manages to turn Detroit on its ears, then this would be the story for you.
NOTE: This book was provided by the publisher for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
November 28, 2014
In Repossession is 9/10th’s of the Law by Hank Edwards, protagonist Alan Baxter is a dee-jay at a popular gay night club in Detroit, and barely getting by financially (his former money-manager ran off with money left to Alan by a boyfriend who died of AIDS) when offered a part-time job repossessing cars with good friend and hilarious drag queen, Gus. The first repo job happens to be the car of Alan’s ex-boyfriend and druggie, Jason. Things quickly turn south when Alan is stopped for speeding and the cop finds a body in the truck of the vehicle Alan had just repossessed.
Things get crazier when a mysterious man in a “top hat” with a cane is attacked in the parking lot where Alan works and he’s given three small packets of what appear to be drugs before the man can tell Jason who had attacked him. Soon, Alan is the one receiving threating calls, more bodies turn up, and Alan's house is firebombed with him in it. He escapes with his beloved cat before it burns to the ground.
Throughout the novel, Alan seems to always get caught in the wrong place at the wrong time, at least where hard-nose police Detective Treadwell is concerned. There is enough mystery and page-turning thrill to keep the reader engaged and lots of hilarity and antics to keep one in stitches. Toss in a highly toxic new street drug, ranging dwarfs, a drag queen in wooden clogs, Alan's old-fashioned seventy-something father and penny-pinching best friend, and Repossession is 9/10ths of the Law becomes one hysterical “beach read” in the manner of Victor J. Banis' Deadly Nightshade“Deadly” mystery series or Mark Abramson’s “Beach Reading” Beach Reading series.
Things get crazier when a mysterious man in a “top hat” with a cane is attacked in the parking lot where Alan works and he’s given three small packets of what appear to be drugs before the man can tell Jason who had attacked him. Soon, Alan is the one receiving threating calls, more bodies turn up, and Alan's house is firebombed with him in it. He escapes with his beloved cat before it burns to the ground.
Throughout the novel, Alan seems to always get caught in the wrong place at the wrong time, at least where hard-nose police Detective Treadwell is concerned. There is enough mystery and page-turning thrill to keep the reader engaged and lots of hilarity and antics to keep one in stitches. Toss in a highly toxic new street drug, ranging dwarfs, a drag queen in wooden clogs, Alan's old-fashioned seventy-something father and penny-pinching best friend, and Repossession is 9/10ths of the Law becomes one hysterical “beach read” in the manner of Victor J. Banis' Deadly Nightshade“Deadly” mystery series or Mark Abramson’s “Beach Reading” Beach Reading series.
August 3, 2015
So funny - loved this book, literally laughed out loud! The characters are excellent & very well developed. The story was long, but it didn't really drag. I felt bad for Alan, he was such a sweetheart hopefully something will work out for him with Tim.
The supporting characters were great, all very well written. I would definitely recommend this book for a fun and easy read.
The supporting characters were great, all very well written. I would definitely recommend this book for a fun and easy read.
September 26, 2014
This was so much fun! Alan is having a run of bad luck - although not as bad as all those people who keep turning up dead in his vicinity! He needs to earn some money to cover his bills so he's taken a job as a car repossession agent, working for his best friend's uncle. His first assignment goes very badly wrong and things go steadily downhill from there. There's a great cast of characters in this story and I particularly couldn't help falling in love with Everly, Alan's dad, who is quite possibly the sweetest man alive. I didn't guess the baddie before the big reveal but then again I hardly ever do! This is primarily a mystery with a tiny thread of romance woven through the story but I'm hopeful there's more to come from Alan and we might get to see the development of his crush into something more.
September 27, 2021
I loved Everly and Sabrina. The comedic spin kept this story moving at a good pace. The ending was great and the cast of characters made me laugh. Well done!
June 1, 2020
Allan Baxter’s way to long streak of bad luck seems to have come to stay. After been left completely broken by his accountant, he tries to make some money by repossessing cars for a company, only to find his first assignment is repossessing the car of his ex-boyfriend, who he is completely over… or almost. To make things worse, there is a dead woman in the boot. And that’s only the first corpse of a series that takes Allan, his dad, and his two best friends, out of the frying pan and into the fire… quite literally!
This was a really funny, crazy story. I loved the characters, the fast pace, the music I could hear playing in my head during the whole story. I laughed aloud several times reading Allan’s crazy adventures, and I could not put the book down from the very first page.
Beware, no romance or traditional HEA. This is, all in all, a crazy cross between comedy of errors, mystery and humour.
Very entertaining.
This was a really funny, crazy story. I loved the characters, the fast pace, the music I could hear playing in my head during the whole story. I laughed aloud several times reading Allan’s crazy adventures, and I could not put the book down from the very first page.
Beware, no romance or traditional HEA. This is, all in all, a crazy cross between comedy of errors, mystery and humour.
Very entertaining.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 24, 2025
To some extent this is my fault for not reading the description. I’m familiar with the author’s critter catcher series and seeing the title and the cover I thought this was a paranormal novel instead of tedious riff on Repo Man.
And it is tedious. The main character is a dull Luddite surrounded by a cast of thousands, all of them the quirky neighbor/best friend/cop/fill in the blank. It’s both too much and not nearly enough.
And it is tedious. The main character is a dull Luddite surrounded by a cast of thousands, all of them the quirky neighbor/best friend/cop/fill in the blank. It’s both too much and not nearly enough.
August 25, 2014
4 star review by Colette
Alan has taken to repossessing cars to help make ends meet, unfortunately for him, he is horrible at it. His first attempt at it gets him involved with crazy drug dealers, a deadly new street drug, murder and mayhem.
Alan Baxter is having a rough night, he is soaked, he had a sad uncomfortable run-in with his ex, he has a flat tire, oh and yeah the cops found a dead body in his trunk. In fact things haven’t been going so well for Alan lately: his job as a deejay at a gay club in Detroit barely covers his bills, the money his longtime lover left him was stolen by a crooked advisor, he has gone through rehab – his car owning ex got him hooked on coke, and he has just been hauled in to the precinct because the cops found a dead body in the car he was driving – the one he repossessed from his druggy ex, the one he got a flat tire on, in the rain – yeah, that car.
Repossession is 9/10th of the Law is basically a screwball comedy. There is a cast of colorful secondary characters: Sabrina, his friend and tenant, Gus aka Marishka Bountiful, his drag queen best friend, Detective Treadwell, the cranky cop assigned to the case, Don, the seedy owner of club where Alan works and Tim, a bar tender and his maybe love interest. There is the crap (literally) Alan gets into every time he tries to repossess a car, there are the crazy situations he gets himself and his friends into, throw in a house fire, a kidnapping and a cat named Baxter and what you have is a light, funny romp.
Overall, I enjoyed this book, there were a few laugh out loud moments, only a little angst, and the mystery gets wrapped up neatly at the end with a happy ending for all involved. I would have enjoyed a little more romance, but that is just me.
A copy of this book was provided in exchange for an honest review. The book was reviewed by www.lovebytesreviews.com!
Alan has taken to repossessing cars to help make ends meet, unfortunately for him, he is horrible at it. His first attempt at it gets him involved with crazy drug dealers, a deadly new street drug, murder and mayhem.
Alan Baxter is having a rough night, he is soaked, he had a sad uncomfortable run-in with his ex, he has a flat tire, oh and yeah the cops found a dead body in his trunk. In fact things haven’t been going so well for Alan lately: his job as a deejay at a gay club in Detroit barely covers his bills, the money his longtime lover left him was stolen by a crooked advisor, he has gone through rehab – his car owning ex got him hooked on coke, and he has just been hauled in to the precinct because the cops found a dead body in the car he was driving – the one he repossessed from his druggy ex, the one he got a flat tire on, in the rain – yeah, that car.
Repossession is 9/10th of the Law is basically a screwball comedy. There is a cast of colorful secondary characters: Sabrina, his friend and tenant, Gus aka Marishka Bountiful, his drag queen best friend, Detective Treadwell, the cranky cop assigned to the case, Don, the seedy owner of club where Alan works and Tim, a bar tender and his maybe love interest. There is the crap (literally) Alan gets into every time he tries to repossess a car, there are the crazy situations he gets himself and his friends into, throw in a house fire, a kidnapping and a cat named Baxter and what you have is a light, funny romp.
Overall, I enjoyed this book, there were a few laugh out loud moments, only a little angst, and the mystery gets wrapped up neatly at the end with a happy ending for all involved. I would have enjoyed a little more romance, but that is just me.
A copy of this book was provided in exchange for an honest review. The book was reviewed by www.lovebytesreviews.com!
July 19, 2014
Alan is trying to stay clean after losing a boyfriend to AIDs, the money he was left to an unscrupulous money manager(what he and an ex didn’t blow through on drugs) and going to rehab after kicking out his drug dealing using boyfriend. He is a disc jockey at a gay nightclub that is a bit on the shady side. The owner is a bit perverted and turns a blind eye to drug dealing and stuff as long as he brings in the bucks. Alan’s already crazy life gets a little crazier when he takes on a repo job to make enough money to pay bills. Alan has his aging father he spends time with A drag queen best friend and a loyal yet odd female friend. Does this sound like a crazy cast of characters and whacky story? Wait it gets worse… I mean better. Worse for Alan, better, for us readers.
On Alan’s first repo job, everything possible goes wrong. First off, he finds out it is said ex-boyfriends car, he is still harbouring feelings for the ex and to make matters worse he has a flat goes to fix and a cop finds a dead body in the car. From here, it gets crazier page by page. SO what are you waiting for go get a copy!
I laughed my butt off from the beginning to the wacky but fun ending. The characters are crazy, fun, the plot is silly and hilarious, and it’s a thrill ride to the end.
If you are looking for a good laugh, a fun story to escape the doldrums of real life and a plain good read this is for you!
* I received a copy of this book free-of-charge from MMgoodbookreviews http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com/ in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own*
On Alan’s first repo job, everything possible goes wrong. First off, he finds out it is said ex-boyfriends car, he is still harbouring feelings for the ex and to make matters worse he has a flat goes to fix and a cop finds a dead body in the car. From here, it gets crazier page by page. SO what are you waiting for go get a copy!
I laughed my butt off from the beginning to the wacky but fun ending. The characters are crazy, fun, the plot is silly and hilarious, and it’s a thrill ride to the end.
If you are looking for a good laugh, a fun story to escape the doldrums of real life and a plain good read this is for you!
* I received a copy of this book free-of-charge from MMgoodbookreviews http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com/ in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own*
July 21, 2015
****Reviewed for Prism Book Alliance®****
4.25 Stars
What a wacky, vibrant cast of characters in an unbelievable tale of bad luck! Repossession is 9/10ths of the Law was lots of fun. The mystery kept me guessing and I felt so bad for poor Alan and his troubles.
Though I kept expecting a romantic aspect to the story, there really wasn’t one at all. Alan does express his feelings for his ex-boyfriend and those for the bartender, but nothing happens and no real connections are made. However, it is a great story about a gay man trying to get by in some extraordinary circumstances.
Sabrina and Gus brought extra life to the book and were the perfect sidekicks. I loved the banter they provided. Alan’s dad was a great character as well, and I loved how he tried to take care of people.
There are some silly and unrealistic parts, but if you take everything with a grain of salt, you will enjoy it. Repossession is 9/10ths of the Law would make a great cult comedy movie!
4.25 Stars
What a wacky, vibrant cast of characters in an unbelievable tale of bad luck! Repossession is 9/10ths of the Law was lots of fun. The mystery kept me guessing and I felt so bad for poor Alan and his troubles.
Though I kept expecting a romantic aspect to the story, there really wasn’t one at all. Alan does express his feelings for his ex-boyfriend and those for the bartender, but nothing happens and no real connections are made. However, it is a great story about a gay man trying to get by in some extraordinary circumstances.
Sabrina and Gus brought extra life to the book and were the perfect sidekicks. I loved the banter they provided. Alan’s dad was a great character as well, and I loved how he tried to take care of people.
There are some silly and unrealistic parts, but if you take everything with a grain of salt, you will enjoy it. Repossession is 9/10ths of the Law would make a great cult comedy movie!
September 10, 2014
I really enjoy when I find a new author that I can definitely go back to for more, and Hand Edwards didn't disappoint me in Reposession is 9/10th of the Law.
The characters were highly believable, down to earth, contemporary folks we can all relate to, who find themselves in a situation we could relate to - not outlandish, and the way Mr. Edwards wrote it quite funny - I found myself laughing out loud at several points in the book.
I actually think a sequel could be made out of Al and Tim's budding relationship and a nice, second comedy could come out.
All in all, I recommend this for a pleasant distraction from all the angst out there - a definite, tasty, enjoyable palate cleanser.
The characters were highly believable, down to earth, contemporary folks we can all relate to, who find themselves in a situation we could relate to - not outlandish, and the way Mr. Edwards wrote it quite funny - I found myself laughing out loud at several points in the book.
I actually think a sequel could be made out of Al and Tim's budding relationship and a nice, second comedy could come out.
All in all, I recommend this for a pleasant distraction from all the angst out there - a definite, tasty, enjoyable palate cleanser.
April 1, 2020
Alan is a man who things....not good things, happen to all the time. He loses his inheritance by dating Jason who gets him into drugs and takes his money and him for a ride, the rest goes into the pockets of his investment broker. Now not enough money gets him a job as a car repo worker. That takes him to his ex-boyfriend, a body in the trunk, being arrested, arson, life-threatening experiences, more dead bodies and solidifying his friendships and parental love. Vague mentions of m/m love, no sex, but a possibility of a new romance in the making. Excellent, entertaining story.
April 15, 2021
A wonderful romp!
This book was just what I needed! Mystery, suspense, best friends, a father who is proud of his gay son and a wonderful drag queen! Everything I truly love is in this book! Very well written, amazing characters and a fantastic storyline. Hank Edwards is now one of my favorite authors. Highly recommended
This book was just what I needed! Mystery, suspense, best friends, a father who is proud of his gay son and a wonderful drag queen! Everything I truly love is in this book! Very well written, amazing characters and a fantastic storyline. Hank Edwards is now one of my favorite authors. Highly recommended
July 2, 2021
Hank Edwards has a talent for adding humor and fun times to a scary and thrilling book. Repossession is 9/10ths of the Law has more humor and fun than scary dark moments. There are some sensitive subjects like drug addiction, recovery, murder and all but overall it's written with Hank's unique style. I really enjoyed reading this and my only regret was discovering the book now.
October 29, 2016
This is not a romance but I enjoyed it anyway--Gus, Sabrina and Alan had some laugh out loud moments. Recommend!
July 25, 2017
This isn't a romance and that's my fault for not reading reviews. Automatic 3 stars.
August 10, 2014
This title kind of tickled my fancy and since it appeared to be a first book in a mystery series, I thought why not? I like mystery stories, especially if I can get them in the beginning when the characters are being fleshed out and defined. Also, this story takes place in and around Detroit, Michigan. Someplace I am somewhat familiar with so I thought it would aid in putting me into the story.
Did it help? Not really. Though some of the towns and streets rang a bell, some of the actual locations and jobs were a bit out of my experience. I have dated a guy who repossessed cars at one time, but he did it before I knew him. Add to that, he was this huge, mean looking, biker type dude that was nothing like our hero, Alan Baxter. Actually, Alan sounds like the least likely guy you would find in the repo business. “. . . I weigh in at a hundred and sixty pounds. Granted I am only about five foot ten . . .” He is a deejay at a dance club for Pete’s sake and he is going to repossess cars? Well, I guess everyone has to make a buck where he can and since he seems to have had a bunch of really bad stuff come down in the past few years, he is in need of the extra bucks.
Alan is a “weird” character, even according to several other characters in this story. I have to agree. Of course being raised by his unusual, but lovable and single father, Everly Baxter, had to have contributed to that. Throw in best friend and house mate Sabrina and friend Gus, and well you have a most interesting cast of misfit characters.
Repossessing a car isn’t supposed to be too complicated, or so Gus tells Alan. But finding bodies in the trunk isn’t usually on the agenda either. Being caught literally red handed by the police further complicates the job. Oh and did I mention, the car being repossessed belonged to Alan’s ex, Jason? Now doesn’t that just scream motive?
All of this does sound like it should have been a totally fascinating read. But the first part of the book kind of dragged for me. Probably the character development and back story that was happening. It was also written in first person present which is not a favorite of mine and there was more telling than showing going on during the development. Fortunately the plot was good enough to peek my interest so I continued reading.
Oh my goodness. The outlandish things that happen to poor Alan every time he attempts to repossess a car are not only weird, but funny too. One begins to wonder if good luck will ever find Alan. Add the mystery of the dead bodies that continue to mount up, and it was really a good plot. Once things started to happen, I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough.
I think now that I have gotten to know these unique and interesting characters, I would like to visit with them again. I liked them. They each have their own unique way of looking at the world, but they complement each other well. They love each other, and argue and fight like only best friends can, but will do just about anything for each other. It is a beautiful dynamic. I hope the author has the next book for this hapless bunch of misfits on the drawing board. I think I would like to read more of them.
Did it help? Not really. Though some of the towns and streets rang a bell, some of the actual locations and jobs were a bit out of my experience. I have dated a guy who repossessed cars at one time, but he did it before I knew him. Add to that, he was this huge, mean looking, biker type dude that was nothing like our hero, Alan Baxter. Actually, Alan sounds like the least likely guy you would find in the repo business. “. . . I weigh in at a hundred and sixty pounds. Granted I am only about five foot ten . . .” He is a deejay at a dance club for Pete’s sake and he is going to repossess cars? Well, I guess everyone has to make a buck where he can and since he seems to have had a bunch of really bad stuff come down in the past few years, he is in need of the extra bucks.
Alan is a “weird” character, even according to several other characters in this story. I have to agree. Of course being raised by his unusual, but lovable and single father, Everly Baxter, had to have contributed to that. Throw in best friend and house mate Sabrina and friend Gus, and well you have a most interesting cast of misfit characters.
Repossessing a car isn’t supposed to be too complicated, or so Gus tells Alan. But finding bodies in the trunk isn’t usually on the agenda either. Being caught literally red handed by the police further complicates the job. Oh and did I mention, the car being repossessed belonged to Alan’s ex, Jason? Now doesn’t that just scream motive?
All of this does sound like it should have been a totally fascinating read. But the first part of the book kind of dragged for me. Probably the character development and back story that was happening. It was also written in first person present which is not a favorite of mine and there was more telling than showing going on during the development. Fortunately the plot was good enough to peek my interest so I continued reading.
Oh my goodness. The outlandish things that happen to poor Alan every time he attempts to repossess a car are not only weird, but funny too. One begins to wonder if good luck will ever find Alan. Add the mystery of the dead bodies that continue to mount up, and it was really a good plot. Once things started to happen, I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough.
I think now that I have gotten to know these unique and interesting characters, I would like to visit with them again. I liked them. They each have their own unique way of looking at the world, but they complement each other well. They love each other, and argue and fight like only best friends can, but will do just about anything for each other. It is a beautiful dynamic. I hope the author has the next book for this hapless bunch of misfits on the drawing board. I think I would like to read more of them.
July 24, 2014
Reviewed on Hearts on Fire
The characters and their relationship with each other stands out in this murder mystery. Alan Baxter is an ex addict who’s recently lost his fortune to a crooked accountant and is barely making ends meet as a Detroit DJ. He’s got expenses he can’t cover and bad luck in the romance department.
His friend Gus, who’s a drag queen at the club where Alan works, offers him a moonlighting gig. Things start to go wrong when Alan discovers that the vehicle he’s repossessing belongs to his ex drug dealing boyfriend who he may still be attracted to and turns worse when he, and the police, find a body in the trunk.
Alan spends most of the rest of the book attracting all of the wrong kinds of attention from the wrong kinds of people and getting into one goofy scrape after another. Despite all the criminal activities, the book is lighthearted and humorous even if occasionally crude. We get some discussion on gross pimples and what’s inside Alan’s cat Baxter’s litter box. All that aside, the humor is warm and bittersweet with a touch of slapstick.
It’s clear Alan’s friends care for him. Besides his friend Gus, he also has a bouncy auburn haired friend named Sabrina. We’re also introduced to Alan’s sweet if rather ineffective father. There’s no overt romance in this story although Alan enjoys a mild flirtation with a hunky bartender in the club.
The mystery itself depends on a series of coincidences and bad luck. It’s fun. It’s aim seems to be doing for car repossession what Stephanie Plum did for bondswomen. This is not quite as hilarious even if they do share some similarities. They both have bad luck with cars anyways.
I enjoyed the characters and the light mystery and think there’s more stories to tell here including finding out if Alan can ever move beyond the flirting stage.
The characters and their relationship with each other stands out in this murder mystery. Alan Baxter is an ex addict who’s recently lost his fortune to a crooked accountant and is barely making ends meet as a Detroit DJ. He’s got expenses he can’t cover and bad luck in the romance department.
His friend Gus, who’s a drag queen at the club where Alan works, offers him a moonlighting gig. Things start to go wrong when Alan discovers that the vehicle he’s repossessing belongs to his ex drug dealing boyfriend who he may still be attracted to and turns worse when he, and the police, find a body in the trunk.
Alan spends most of the rest of the book attracting all of the wrong kinds of attention from the wrong kinds of people and getting into one goofy scrape after another. Despite all the criminal activities, the book is lighthearted and humorous even if occasionally crude. We get some discussion on gross pimples and what’s inside Alan’s cat Baxter’s litter box. All that aside, the humor is warm and bittersweet with a touch of slapstick.
It’s clear Alan’s friends care for him. Besides his friend Gus, he also has a bouncy auburn haired friend named Sabrina. We’re also introduced to Alan’s sweet if rather ineffective father. There’s no overt romance in this story although Alan enjoys a mild flirtation with a hunky bartender in the club.
The mystery itself depends on a series of coincidences and bad luck. It’s fun. It’s aim seems to be doing for car repossession what Stephanie Plum did for bondswomen. This is not quite as hilarious even if they do share some similarities. They both have bad luck with cars anyways.
I enjoyed the characters and the light mystery and think there’s more stories to tell here including finding out if Alan can ever move beyond the flirting stage.
September 4, 2014
3.5*
A black comedy of the trouble one man can get into without trying!
Al, a DJ, tries to earn more money by joinng a repo firm - and so starts a series of unfortunate events - amusing because it isn't happening to you!
I loved Everly, what a great character description of a Dad!
Sabrina and Gus were good side kicks and foils to Al, though all three may be dangerous if they ever got a common idea! There was a few red herrings on the way to identifying the real culprit, including one that could be a romantic entanglement for Al.
i enjoyed the story, it moved quickly along, it was fun in the way that you hope it never happens to you. For example, in the fire, I found Al's reaction in the fire quite funny (whilst obviously dangerous), and the scene ith the dg poo was disgustingly hillarious!
Yes, I'm sure in real life lots would be done differently, but they made the story enjoyable.
A black comedy of the trouble one man can get into without trying!
Al, a DJ, tries to earn more money by joinng a repo firm - and so starts a series of unfortunate events - amusing because it isn't happening to you!
I loved Everly, what a great character description of a Dad!
Sabrina and Gus were good side kicks and foils to Al, though all three may be dangerous if they ever got a common idea! There was a few red herrings on the way to identifying the real culprit, including one that could be a romantic entanglement for Al.
i enjoyed the story, it moved quickly along, it was fun in the way that you hope it never happens to you. For example, in the fire, I found Al's reaction in the fire quite funny (whilst obviously dangerous), and the scene ith the dg poo was disgustingly hillarious!
Yes, I'm sure in real life lots would be done differently, but they made the story enjoyable.
September 20, 2014
This book will intrigue you from the very beginning. You start out in a gay nightclub where our main character, Alan, works as a deejay. We meet his two besties (one of which whom also performs at the club as a drag queen) and then get to go on a repossession with him. Everything in Alan’s life starts to fall apart from there on.
While this book has plenty of action it tends to get almost tedious and repetitive in the middle as you approach the end. I was satisfied with the ending and therefore was happy with the book overall, I just believe it needed to have a few scenes cut from the middle.
This book will keep you guessing who the villain is until the very end! Overall this book is an unfortunate, and deadly in some cases, comedy of errors. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes suspense and angst in their dramas and won’t mind the extra length.
While this book has plenty of action it tends to get almost tedious and repetitive in the middle as you approach the end. I was satisfied with the ending and therefore was happy with the book overall, I just believe it needed to have a few scenes cut from the middle.
This book will keep you guessing who the villain is until the very end! Overall this book is an unfortunate, and deadly in some cases, comedy of errors. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes suspense and angst in their dramas and won’t mind the extra length.
January 31, 2015
This book was hilariously wonderful. Alan, Gus and Sabrina are like a fun house Three Musketeers. As another reviewer says the secondary characters are terrific and some of the scenes can only be described as out loud belly laughing funny. There are bats, dog poo and squirrel funerals. I could go on and on. Again, just wonderful.
September 3, 2015
3.5 Stars
August 3, 2014
3.5 Stars - Review to follow on Love Bytes
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