Change of Address

by Rick Polad

Spencer Manning decides not to follow in his Dad's police footsteps and instead gets a PI license. Tracking down an unknown father involves him in murder and drugs as his first case leads him to a Chicago racetrack and the mayor's house.

Genres: Mystery, Crime

304 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 23, 2012

About the author

With degrees in English and Earth Science, I have spent the last 20 years as an Environmental Geologist, college Earth Science Instructor, Editor, and author. After many years of 12-hour days in 95 or 10 degree weather, I hung up my hard hat and concentrated on teaching and writing for fun. For 15 years, I put in almost as many hours volunteering with the Coast Guard Auxiliary at Station Wilmette on Lake Michigan… a lot more rewarding and fun than digging holes! I also started working in 2019 at Fermilab, the countries largest particle accelerator, as an educator. I have read mysteries all my life and wrote the first Spencer Manning story about 10 years ago. Back then I wondered if I could write another. There are now 8 , and I wake up every morning wondering what's happening with my characters. Thanks to all who have read and enjoyed my books as much as I have writing them.

Reviews

[pdmc64 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I very much enjoyed reading Change of Address, and especially liked Spencer Manning, the detective. The story kept me wanting to read more and the clues kept me guessing right until the end. Being from Chicago, I enjoyed the historical references to my beloved home town. This story provided a pleasing blend of mystery, humor, surprise, and yes...a little romance. I found it to be entertaining and clever...the perfect combination. I look forward to more Spencer and am excited that there is another on the way!

[James Georger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty solid detective debut. Plot was engaging, with the right amount of mystery and plausibility.
A few things seemed out of the parts bin. I would like to see a struggling PI without an independent source of wealth. The classic car has a familiar ring to it. A major disconnect for me was his discovery of a deep, exciting, romantic partner, who occupied a good portion of the narrative. Not a cloud in the sky for this heavenly match. In the end, this strong, talented, independent woman just goes home on the last page, because daddy told her to. The emotionl impact on our hero was on a par with " bummer...oh well". A clinker, it felt like a throw away to keep the door open for continued romance in the next books. Reading next volume now.

[Evelyn Grabas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Was pleasantly surprised to find a PI that was not bad-assed, heavy drinking and oversexed. I found the story very interesting, characters good and continuity excellent. My only problem was that I figured out the perps long before I would have wanted to. But, it was a good story, enjoyed it immensely and look forward to reading more of Spencer Manning mysteries.

[Peggy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book, I have not read Polad before but I do enjoy his writing, the story kept me guessing and I was not sure where it was going, it ended great and I love the way it kept me wondering who done it. I was surprised.

[denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spencer

I have been reading a different type of book, thought I needed a break from them. Picked up this book, glad I did. Interesting, good story line, enjoyed this book a lot. Will be checking out his other books.

[Michele Roosa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spencer is cool

I enjoyed getting to know Spencer Manning in this first book in a series. Let's hope there are many more!

[Rob Paczkowski · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun read. He has 8 books, no big following I can see. I loved it. If you are from Chicago area, this is even a more cool story.

[Dawn Ireland · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story, but the dialog could use some help.

[Kerry Reis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Six months after his parents died in an auto accident, Spencer Manning has turned away from following his father's career in the Chicago police force and become a private investigator, looking for his first case, which comes when the owner of a local diner asks him to find out the biological father of his young niece whose mother was murdered months earlier. His investigation brushes up against the stalled police investigation of the murder, riles the activities of a drug operation based at a local racetrack, uncovers dark secrets in the Mayor's mansion and unexpectedly discovers a darker shadow over his parent's accident. This detective mystery has a well-crafted back story that will leave many readers guessing as the pieces are uncovered and put together by our hero. For those like me who see where the path is turning, the journey is still nicely told with strong characterizations. I noted an Amazon review that railed against multiple spelling and grammar errors, but my Kindle copy was very well edited with very few errors. However, I sense that this recently published debut novel has been sitting in a drawer for awhile, waiting for a chance to strut itself, based on clues like Spencer’s ’65 Mustang originally owned by his father, the tape-driven answering machine and pager that are Spencer’s main communication tools, and the Wrigley Field home game Spencer and a lady friend attends with Bill Buckner in the Cubs lineup (1989-1994).

[Raymond Vogel · Rating 5 out of 5]

To be clear, this book’s genre was a step outside the box for the author of Matter of Resistance, a YA science fiction novel. But, in the spirit of reading outside my niche’ to avoid literary stagnation, I gave it a shot. And I was pleased to find myself caught up as easily as I would my own genres.
Change of Address has great imagery, hot dames, hotter weather, and a P.I. getting mixed too deeply into bad circumstances. The details may not be exactly what you expect, but the “feel” absolutely is. Rick Polad takes you through the streets of Chicago with a solid first person detective adventure. His writing was spot-on for an easy read, with just the right amount of imagery interspersed with dialogue and down time between action sequences.
Though I’m not an editor, I noted some consistent places I thought commas needed to be. However, they were consistent and easily ignored after I caught the pattern of them.
Requisite caveat: I was provided a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Mooneen · Rating 5 out of 5]

When given the chance to read this book and review it for Richard Polad himself, I was beside myself. I must say this was a very good book. I have never really read a book where the main person is a private detective. It takes place in Chicago area with parts in Wisconsin as well. Spencer Manning has no idea what it takes to be a private investigator but soon figures out that this is what he was meant to do. With dealing with the recent death of his parents, he is given a case to help a little girl. What he wasn't prepared for was what he finds out about his parents death that throws the reader for a loop.

This book was definitely a rollercoaster ride and with the wide variety of characters in this book, it will draw you in and keep you guessing til the very end. Once I picked this book up, I didn't want to put it down. Very well written. I encourage anyone who wants to read a good mystery, I definitely recommend this book. It is an easy read and I can't wait until the next Spencer Manning mystery to see what is in store for him.

Mystery Moon

[Alysia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spencer Manning is a man with a strong love of old PI noir stories. He has a family history of police work... so naturally he becomes a PI in chicago. This is his first case (That turns into three) and he is a likeable PI. The story isn't rambly, it moves at a regular pace, the characters are fleshed out enough to give me opinions on each, and I enjoyed the mystery. Once certain details are revealed, it isn't hard to put together the 'who-dun-its'... but it was still worth reading. If you like mysteries, I'd recommend this one.

I found it free on my AMazon Kindle. The editing was pretty decent, except that for some reason it repeated the last five-ten chapters. I'm not sure if that was a glitch in my download or a glitch in the book itself. no gratuitous scenes or language, but there is some language. The setting is pre-cell phone, so that was kinda fun to read. The PI had a pager.

[Darren Darker · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this. It kind of reminded me of a classic Marlowe novel. It was quite descriptive and I could easily visualise what the writer was trying to convey. It had some wonderful turns of phrase throughout. It started out with Spencer being asked to solve a peculiar mystery – who was the father of an orphaned little girl and ends up in some strange places through a series of twists and turns. I liked some of the side characters especially the heart of gold hooker.
I personally love to figure out the ending before the big reveal but I genuinely didn’t know till the end. Overall it was well done and I look forward to reading the next one!

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

21st Century Noir

A tough guy private detective with a soft heart who, never the less, gets things done that the cops can't is the star of this novel.
I enjoyed the Chicago setting and Polad's descriptions, especially of the heat and humidity. Sometimes we Houstonians forget others deal with that too! The characters are well drawn and there are many that I hope to see again in later books in the series.
All in all, it was just an enjoyable read that took me to a place where I could feel involved in finding the bad guys and helping the good guys, which is what I love about a good detective story. This is DEFINITELY a good detective story!
5 STARS!!!

[Michael Polad · Rating 5 out of 5]

This first mystery novel by my brother, Rick Polad, is his first novel, and I love it! It features detective Spencer Manning, and is set in Chicago, where Rick has spent most of his life, and he adds a lot of local color that makes it interesting. The plot is intriguing, with several twists and turns that keep you involved. The ending will surprise you also. The dialog is entirely believable; I don't know how Rick became fluent in "detective" and "low-life", but he's done a great job. And the next Spencer Manning mystery is nearly ready to go, so give this one a try--you'll really like it.

[Mike Bove · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed Rick Polad's first Spencer Manning Mystery. What I look for in the books I read are vivid descriptions, natural and meaningful dialogue, characters to care about, and an intriguing story. Those are all here. The narrative is straightforward and engaging, sometimes humorous, and it shows a knowledge and understanding of many aspects of society. I recommend "Change Of Address" as a best new novel about a best new Chicago PI, by one of my favorite best new authors. Well done, Rick Polad.

[Henry Brandt · Rating 4 out of 5]

We have liftoff! Good job, Rick! Bring on the next one... I haven't read a book this fast in a long time. (That's a good thing.) I liked the characters. (Including the city of Chicago.) The plot was neat. Intriguing. Nicely twisted(!) You are set to take him and his friends a long way. Now, when can I get my book signed?l

[Miranda Nading · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding characters. Very well written and believable. Each was well-balanced with vices and virtues, colorful yet believable. Just when I thought I had the Who Dunnit figured out, Polad threw me a curve ball. The scenes were set perfectly. The Blue Note is a place I'd love to sit, have a beer, and feel the music. Looking forward to reading the rest of the series.

[Karen Bedore · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love mysteries, but many are so…serious. The combination of mystery and light-heartedness in Rick’s writing style was quite refreshing and kept me wanting more, and I was quite excited that a few more adventures were in the works. Spencer Manning is most definitely a character worth knowing, and one that seems real–I felt like I knew him personally.

[Suki Korp · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a well-written book with a very good plot, well-drawn characters. They are believable and I liked the main character, Spencer Manning and his way of handling things very much. I've never been to Chicago, but the descriptions were marvelous. Looking forward to the next book by Rick Polad!

[Jackie]

I rarely read fiction. I'm not a big fan; much prefer non-fiction. So my 3 stars is actually high praise for a piece of fiction.

I really enjoyed this book and found it to be quite the page turner. Great job for a first novel. Looking forward to more Spencer Manning Mysteries.

[Mary Spanabel-weber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! Reading the book, Change of Address, was like peeling a savory onion, finding layers on layers of characters and subplots! I especially liked the ending. I look forward to more of Rick’s books!

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

'Change of Address' was a great read. Full of action, suspense, thrills and mystery. The storyline was well thought out and well written. The characters were great. Spencer was a good lead. I liked how the whole story played out. A great add to your tbr list.

[Marguerite Czajka · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this mystery - both for the story itself, and its setting in Chicago.

[Miles · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked reading this book, ya got a PI with police background, Chicago area Real Estate, 5 stars for a great first book ! ! !

[Heaether · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great noir detective novel. The writing and story flow well and the pace is quick. I would definitely read more in this series!

[Chip Luonuansuu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rick Poland knows how to write a good mystery. I look forward to reading the other novels in this series.

[Monica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic....though, "Roger" Petty should be RICHARD Petty, all in all, this book had me hooked from first chapter to last!

[Shelley]

Author's guest post at my blog:
https://bookfare.blogspot.com/2019/05...