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The Zen Detective
On the road to Zen enlightenment, homicide detective Will Mansion takes a seductive detour down the path to perdition. When a bust goes terribly wrong, Paradise City detective Will Mansion nearly dies while saving his partner. On leave, Will seeks relief from post-traumatic stress disorder through Zen meditation and abstinence. He responds to the plea of the cryptic Sister Clyde to find a man missing from her soup kitchen, a man who may provide a lead to the vicious drug dealer who nearly killed Will. The search seduces Will away from the healing he seeks and he finds himself on the smarmy Miracle Mile. Alcohol, sex, and the potent drug “Nearvana” numb Will’s pain better than his infant Zen practice. He slips further and further into an underworld of the lost and hopeless only to find himself facing death—again.
- GenresMystery
252 pages, Paperback
Published December 2, 2016
About the author
Devorah Fox
40 books134 followers"What if?" Those two words all too easily send Devorah Fox spinning into flights of fancy. Best-selling author of award-winning books including The Bewildering Adventures of King Bewilliam literary historical fantasy series and several thrillers, she also penned Mystery Mini Short Reads and contributed short stories to popular fantasy anthologies. Born in Brooklyn, New York, she now lives on the Texas Gulf Coast with rescued tabby cats ... and a dragon named Inky. Visit the “Dee-Scoveries” blog at http://www.devorahfox.com.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
January 5, 2019
After being injured while on duty, as a homicide detective in Paradise City, Will Mansion tries his hand at Zen meditation to combat his PTSD along with a detox to help him back to a healthy mind and body. Will is on leave but soon gets itchy feet when Sister Clyde tells him that someone may be able to point him in the direction of the guy who shot him. The only problem is that the guy is missing.
Will starts on a downward spiral of everything not Zen, a golden mile of places that abuse mind and body in the most pleasurable, desirable and addictive ways possible.
The story is told through Will who at times is a little out of it and sees the world a little different. I loved the colourful, outrageous and bizarre characters that increased as the story entered this Miracle mile of unpredictable avenues. It wasn’t long before Will was really up to his neck in it but there were moments of humour where I found myself laughing then seconds later feeling quite sober at what he was facing. There is a ton of captivating characters all caught up in this Miracle mile where you can’t imagine anyone ever being the same again once they entre.
This was pure entertainment from the first to last page, with a real who the heck is behind it all in between. Very cleverly written and a joy to read.
Thank you to the author for supplying me with an e-copy of this book, which I have reviewed honestly
Will starts on a downward spiral of everything not Zen, a golden mile of places that abuse mind and body in the most pleasurable, desirable and addictive ways possible.
The story is told through Will who at times is a little out of it and sees the world a little different. I loved the colourful, outrageous and bizarre characters that increased as the story entered this Miracle mile of unpredictable avenues. It wasn’t long before Will was really up to his neck in it but there were moments of humour where I found myself laughing then seconds later feeling quite sober at what he was facing. There is a ton of captivating characters all caught up in this Miracle mile where you can’t imagine anyone ever being the same again once they entre.
This was pure entertainment from the first to last page, with a real who the heck is behind it all in between. Very cleverly written and a joy to read.
Thank you to the author for supplying me with an e-copy of this book, which I have reviewed honestly
April 22, 2017
Modern Crime Drama with a Classic Vibe. Zen Detective - Devorah Fox
I pictured a dark seedy, alleyway, a misty night in a black & white "Bogie" movie. In the background were the strains of a lonely jazz horn. I saw hurting and tawdry people, and a detective recovering from PTSD. It could be set in the 1930's with Al Capone and his ilk speeding around the corners, but it is set in the present day.
Will Mansion (the Zen Detective) tells his story in first person. This excellent and engulfing tale starts, grabs your attention and pulls you in. It doesn't let go. You walk with Will, suffering beatings, chases, drug withdrawal and meditation attempts to calm his agony as he meets a plentiful cast of well developed characters. Some may or may not be what they seem, as he discovers the answers to a mystery of a missing jeweler. Devorah Fox, the author, writes in the terse character of the beleaguered detective as if she channels him. Once you start reading, you'll want to finish! Great job!
I pictured a dark seedy, alleyway, a misty night in a black & white "Bogie" movie. In the background were the strains of a lonely jazz horn. I saw hurting and tawdry people, and a detective recovering from PTSD. It could be set in the 1930's with Al Capone and his ilk speeding around the corners, but it is set in the present day.
Will Mansion (the Zen Detective) tells his story in first person. This excellent and engulfing tale starts, grabs your attention and pulls you in. It doesn't let go. You walk with Will, suffering beatings, chases, drug withdrawal and meditation attempts to calm his agony as he meets a plentiful cast of well developed characters. Some may or may not be what they seem, as he discovers the answers to a mystery of a missing jeweler. Devorah Fox, the author, writes in the terse character of the beleaguered detective as if she channels him. Once you start reading, you'll want to finish! Great job!
December 20, 2016
(I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.)
BLURB
On the road to Zen enlightenment, homicide detective Will Mansion takes a seductive detour down the path to perdition.
When a bust goes terribly wrong, Paradise City detective Will Mansion nearly dies while saving his partner. On leave, Will seeks relief from post-traumatic stress disorder through Zen meditation and abstinence. He responds to the plea of the cryptic Sister Clyde to find a man missing from her soup kitchen, a man who may provide a lead to the vicious drug dealer who nearly killed Will. The search seduces Will away from the healing he seeks and he finds himself on the smarmy Miracle Mile. Alcohol, sex, and the potent drug “Nearvana” numb Will’s pain better than his infant Zen practice. He slips further and further into an underworld of the lost and hopeless only to find himself facing death—again.
CHARACTERS
Will Mansion, our Zen Detective is a really interesting character to read about and I personally enjoyed his narrative. There was a dark humor in his narrative that was very appealing to me as a reader. I enjoyed looking at the other characters through his eyes.
Other characters like Sister Clyde, Grady and others add so much dimension to the story. There is so much you learn about the characters that leaves you dumbfounded.
PLOT
It's intricate and quite intense. It is quite dark and much different from the author's other works I've read. While the book starts with a single main plot, I was intrigued by the various mysteries that present themselves to the protagonist and reader as the book goes on. The plot is taken at a perfect pace. The story starts right at the beginning but the pace is slow. Then there are these adrenaline pumping scenes as the story moves forward that were highly interesting. The ending is quite unexpected and I loved the fact that the mystery element stayed till the very end. I must point out though that the plot is quite gritty and deals with dark elements like drug addiction and such.
WRITING
I've always enjoyed the author's writing. She gives the reader all the details without making them feel overwhelmed. There is no info dumping and the emotions of the characters are well conveyed. I enjoyed hearing the story from Will's perspective as he is a really good protagonist.
WHAT I LIKED ABOUT THE BOOK
-The characters
-The plot
-The writing
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE ABOUT THE BOOK
-Nothing
CONCLUSION
If you like dark gritty novels with suspense and mystery around every corner, The Zen Detective is for you.
BLURB
On the road to Zen enlightenment, homicide detective Will Mansion takes a seductive detour down the path to perdition.
When a bust goes terribly wrong, Paradise City detective Will Mansion nearly dies while saving his partner. On leave, Will seeks relief from post-traumatic stress disorder through Zen meditation and abstinence. He responds to the plea of the cryptic Sister Clyde to find a man missing from her soup kitchen, a man who may provide a lead to the vicious drug dealer who nearly killed Will. The search seduces Will away from the healing he seeks and he finds himself on the smarmy Miracle Mile. Alcohol, sex, and the potent drug “Nearvana” numb Will’s pain better than his infant Zen practice. He slips further and further into an underworld of the lost and hopeless only to find himself facing death—again.
CHARACTERS
Will Mansion, our Zen Detective is a really interesting character to read about and I personally enjoyed his narrative. There was a dark humor in his narrative that was very appealing to me as a reader. I enjoyed looking at the other characters through his eyes.
Other characters like Sister Clyde, Grady and others add so much dimension to the story. There is so much you learn about the characters that leaves you dumbfounded.
PLOT
It's intricate and quite intense. It is quite dark and much different from the author's other works I've read. While the book starts with a single main plot, I was intrigued by the various mysteries that present themselves to the protagonist and reader as the book goes on. The plot is taken at a perfect pace. The story starts right at the beginning but the pace is slow. Then there are these adrenaline pumping scenes as the story moves forward that were highly interesting. The ending is quite unexpected and I loved the fact that the mystery element stayed till the very end. I must point out though that the plot is quite gritty and deals with dark elements like drug addiction and such.
WRITING
I've always enjoyed the author's writing. She gives the reader all the details without making them feel overwhelmed. There is no info dumping and the emotions of the characters are well conveyed. I enjoyed hearing the story from Will's perspective as he is a really good protagonist.
WHAT I LIKED ABOUT THE BOOK
-The characters
-The plot
-The writing
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE ABOUT THE BOOK
-Nothing
CONCLUSION
If you like dark gritty novels with suspense and mystery around every corner, The Zen Detective is for you.
January 21, 2019
After a bust gone wrong leaves him almost dead, detective Will Mansion turns to Zen meditation to try to recover and overcome his PTSD. But when he gets pulled into doing a favor for a mysterious nun, he gets plunged back into the world of fear and desire--and drugs. Will his desire for the drug Nearvana overcome his desire to achieve Nirvana, or will enlightenment win out in the end?
"The Zen Detective" is a hardboiled mystery with a twist. Will is pretty much your typical hardbitten, cynical detective battling his personal demons, but his exploration of Zen Buddhism sets him apart. Zen dilettantes (such as myself) are likely to enjoy the discussions of meditation and enlightenment, and fans of hardboiled/noir mysteries are likely to enjoy the gritty setting and fast-paced plot. And no spoilers, but there's a big surprise at the end. For fans of contemporary mysteries, and people who enjoy reading about Zen Buddhism.
"The Zen Detective" is a hardboiled mystery with a twist. Will is pretty much your typical hardbitten, cynical detective battling his personal demons, but his exploration of Zen Buddhism sets him apart. Zen dilettantes (such as myself) are likely to enjoy the discussions of meditation and enlightenment, and fans of hardboiled/noir mysteries are likely to enjoy the gritty setting and fast-paced plot. And no spoilers, but there's a big surprise at the end. For fans of contemporary mysteries, and people who enjoy reading about Zen Buddhism.
August 5, 2019
This book reads like an old-time smokey detective agency story, but with all mod cons. Marvellous!
Will was injured, well killed, on duty. Understandably, PTSD ensued. He's not undead or anything, by the way. They saved him; he just died for a moment.
A mysterious woman seeks him out as he's on sick leave, and thus begins a most intriguing case.
Full of peril, drugs, a smidge of violence, prostitutes, mystery, cops...it's all here in wonderful detail.
Really well written. The author has really honed their craft in the making of this tome. Rounded characters that I felt invested in. Fab plot.
A 4.5* from me, along with a definite recommendation.
Will was injured, well killed, on duty. Understandably, PTSD ensued. He's not undead or anything, by the way. They saved him; he just died for a moment.
A mysterious woman seeks him out as he's on sick leave, and thus begins a most intriguing case.
Full of peril, drugs, a smidge of violence, prostitutes, mystery, cops...it's all here in wonderful detail.
Really well written. The author has really honed their craft in the making of this tome. Rounded characters that I felt invested in. Fab plot.
A 4.5* from me, along with a definite recommendation.
January 14, 2024
Classic defective noir that keeps you guessing from start to finish. The writing style was such that you felt like you were with the main character, Will Mansion through his whole experience. Fantastic secondary characters also screamed for the reader’s attention, leaving you guessing until the end who was good, and who wasn’t.
Deborah’s writing style is sublime, atmospheric and descriptive enough to make the reader visualise the story taking place, without being too descriptive. I found myself emerged in the world Will lives, going down the rabbit hole with him and desperate to solve the mystery that threatens to take everyone down.
Please Devorah, a sequel would be great.
Deborah’s writing style is sublime, atmospheric and descriptive enough to make the reader visualise the story taking place, without being too descriptive. I found myself emerged in the world Will lives, going down the rabbit hole with him and desperate to solve the mystery that threatens to take everyone down.
Please Devorah, a sequel would be great.
January 2, 2019
Good book
Funbook, as far as i 'm concerned. Easy, sometimes funny. Handsome, as far as women are concerned. No noir here.
Funbook, as far as i 'm concerned. Easy, sometimes funny. Handsome, as far as women are concerned. No noir here.
December 17, 2016
Normally, I don't give my own books five stars and write a review. But I am really proud of this one and hope you'll give it a read.
May 2, 2017
The Zen Detective
This novel was enjoyable and definitely fun! I adored the intricacies of the plot and entangled mysteries within, and I would absolutely recommend this to anyone else to read! The writing was clever and the addition of Zen techniques (though not as many as expected due to the title) were enjoyable and educational. I also have to give credit for myself not guessing the final murderer until right before the end!
I have only two concerns, which do contain spoilers:
First, at the risk of sounding too PC, the content of the book requires a trigger warning for anyone who may be struggling with current or past addiction. I received the book as a gift, so I haven't had the pleasure of reading the summary, but even if it is mentioned, a quick note in the back or front of the book about where and how to find help for addiction would be ideal (especially due to the pleasurable descriptions of the drug use).
Secondly, the ease of which Will weans himself off of Nearvana -even with the use of meditation and Zen- was frustrating and somewhat insulting. Having known many classmates and coworkers who have died or been imprisoned due to the incredibly real near-impossibility of breaking a heroin habit, this bit of the story definitely seemed the most unrealistic and hardest to wrap my brain around.
This novel was enjoyable and definitely fun! I adored the intricacies of the plot and entangled mysteries within, and I would absolutely recommend this to anyone else to read! The writing was clever and the addition of Zen techniques (though not as many as expected due to the title) were enjoyable and educational. I also have to give credit for myself not guessing the final murderer until right before the end!
I have only two concerns, which do contain spoilers:
First, at the risk of sounding too PC, the content of the book requires a trigger warning for anyone who may be struggling with current or past addiction. I received the book as a gift, so I haven't had the pleasure of reading the summary, but even if it is mentioned, a quick note in the back or front of the book about where and how to find help for addiction would be ideal (especially due to the pleasurable descriptions of the drug use).
Secondly, the ease of which Will weans himself off of Nearvana -even with the use of meditation and Zen- was frustrating and somewhat insulting. Having known many classmates and coworkers who have died or been imprisoned due to the incredibly real near-impossibility of breaking a heroin habit, this bit of the story definitely seemed the most unrealistic and hardest to wrap my brain around.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews