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Amos Walker #18
Nicotine Kiss
Sometimes friendship is the only thing you can count on. Just before Thanksgiving, an old friend, cigarette smuggler Jeff Starzek, saved private detective Amos Walker's life by getting him to the hospital when he was shot. After New Year's, Walker gets a frantic call from Starzek's sister. Jeff's missing; hasn't been in touch for weeks. It's just not like him.
Now Walker, still gimpy and rehabbing, is trying to find Starzek. All he has to go on is his knowledge of Starzek's territory--the Lake Huron shore north of Detroit--and a tip from Homeland Security agent Herbert Clemson. Clemson, who is also looking for Starzek, says the missing man might be connected to counterfeiters with ties to terrorists.
Walker can't really see Starzek getting involved in a scheme so different from his usual line of work. When he visits the man's brother, a minister of an evangelical church, Walker finds a huge stack of treasury paper perfect for printing $20 bills--but Starzek's brother is also missing. The counterfeiters are damn serious--serious enough to make Starzek's brother disappear, and serious enough to try and kill Walker when he pokes around their operation. Hell of a way to protect an investment.
But Walker, gimpy, in pain, cold and tired, can't give up on Starzek. It's a matter of friendship, and he won't let down a friend. He just hopes his loyalty doesn't get him killed.
Now Walker, still gimpy and rehabbing, is trying to find Starzek. All he has to go on is his knowledge of Starzek's territory--the Lake Huron shore north of Detroit--and a tip from Homeland Security agent Herbert Clemson. Clemson, who is also looking for Starzek, says the missing man might be connected to counterfeiters with ties to terrorists.
Walker can't really see Starzek getting involved in a scheme so different from his usual line of work. When he visits the man's brother, a minister of an evangelical church, Walker finds a huge stack of treasury paper perfect for printing $20 bills--but Starzek's brother is also missing. The counterfeiters are damn serious--serious enough to make Starzek's brother disappear, and serious enough to try and kill Walker when he pokes around their operation. Hell of a way to protect an investment.
But Walker, gimpy, in pain, cold and tired, can't give up on Starzek. It's a matter of friendship, and he won't let down a friend. He just hopes his loyalty doesn't get him killed.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published December 31, 2005
5 people are currently reading
88 people want to read
About the author
Loren D. Estleman
317 books282 followersLoren D. Estleman is an American writer of detective and Western fiction. He writes with a manual typewriter.
Estleman is most famous for his novels about P.I. Amos Walker. Other series characters include Old West marshal Page Murdock and hitman Peter Macklin. He has also written a series of novels about the history of crime in Detroit (also the setting of his Walker books.) His non-series works include Bloody Season, a fictional recreation of the gunfight at the O.K. Corral, and several novels and stories featuring Sherlock Holmes.
Series:
* Amos Walker Mystery
* Valentino Mystery
* Detroit Crime Mystery
* Peter Macklin Mystery
* Page Murdock Mystery
Estleman is most famous for his novels about P.I. Amos Walker. Other series characters include Old West marshal Page Murdock and hitman Peter Macklin. He has also written a series of novels about the history of crime in Detroit (also the setting of his Walker books.) His non-series works include Bloody Season, a fictional recreation of the gunfight at the O.K. Corral, and several novels and stories featuring Sherlock Holmes.
Series:
* Amos Walker Mystery
* Valentino Mystery
* Detroit Crime Mystery
* Peter Macklin Mystery
* Page Murdock Mystery
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
April 29, 2019
Years ago, A cigarette smuggler saved Amos Walker's life. Now the smuggler has disappeared, and Amos goes to find him in the rural corruption of Lake Huron. The Feds get involved, to everyone's dismay, to find counterfeit money paper. Walker is still injured from a recent incident, but he tries not to let that slow him down too much.
Not bad, some pretty good action.
Not bad, some pretty good action.
October 21, 2011
This is another installment in Loren Estleman's excellent series featuring Amos Walker. Walker, a Detroit P.I., is a throwback both in literary and literal terms. He prowls the mean streets in a souped-up Oldsmobile Cutlass, but he has a lot more in common with Sam Spade and Philip Marlowe than with Elvis Cole, Spencer or Patrick Kenzie. He refuses to own a cell phone, doesn't use computers, and prefers to do his investigative work the old-fashioned way, knocking on doors, talking to people and taking their measure. He also gets beat up a lot.
Walker also has a strong moral code, reminiscent of Samuel Spade. So when a cigarette smuggler named Jeff Starzek saves his life, Walker feels indebted. Several months later, Starzek goes missing and his sister begs Walker to find him. Starzek appears to be in the crosshairs of the Department of Homeland Security and those of a lot of other bad actors as well. But a man's gotta do, etc., and so Walker wades into the breach and begins searching for the missing smuggler. More accurately, he hobbles into the breach; did I mention that Walker gets beat up a lot?
Before long, Walker is up to his neck in snow and in trouble. But that's par for the course for Walker, who won't let down a friend, no matter the personal cost. Those who've read Walker's earlier exploits will enjoy this book a lot; those who haven't yet made his acquaintance will likely read this book and wind up searching through the used book stores for the earlier novels in this series.
Walker also has a strong moral code, reminiscent of Samuel Spade. So when a cigarette smuggler named Jeff Starzek saves his life, Walker feels indebted. Several months later, Starzek goes missing and his sister begs Walker to find him. Starzek appears to be in the crosshairs of the Department of Homeland Security and those of a lot of other bad actors as well. But a man's gotta do, etc., and so Walker wades into the breach and begins searching for the missing smuggler. More accurately, he hobbles into the breach; did I mention that Walker gets beat up a lot?
Before long, Walker is up to his neck in snow and in trouble. But that's par for the course for Walker, who won't let down a friend, no matter the personal cost. Those who've read Walker's earlier exploits will enjoy this book a lot; those who haven't yet made his acquaintance will likely read this book and wind up searching through the used book stores for the earlier novels in this series.
June 14, 2017
I'm a fan of Estleman's western fiction, but I thought I'd try one of his Amos Walker novels. Very pleasing, funny and entertaining; and extremely well written..
August 14, 2023
Solid modern noir. Interesting if slight plot, strong characters and setting and briskly paced. But of a trite ending, but the ride (pun intended for those who read it) was worth it.
September 5, 2008
Great escapist fun. This is the first Amos Walker private eye book that I've read and I enjoyed Estleman's clever way with words. He's also a Michigan resident that uses the local geography for his work. Walker is an older, grumpy kind of guy who's not above a little criminal activity himself. The good guys and bad guys in this book also don't stay within expectations. Highly recommended for those of us who need a break from reality now and then.
July 23, 2015
#18 in the Amos Walker series. Walker is a hard-boiled Detroit PI.
Amos Walker is shot while seeking a deadbeat dad and his life is saved when a smuggler acquaintance speeds him to a hospital. The smuggler's sister hires Walker to find her brother; his brother disavows any information, then winds up dead; and, a Homeland Security agent claims the smuggler is tied to a counterfeiting activity benefiting terrorist activity.
Amos Walker is shot while seeking a deadbeat dad and his life is saved when a smuggler acquaintance speeds him to a hospital. The smuggler's sister hires Walker to find her brother; his brother disavows any information, then winds up dead; and, a Homeland Security agent claims the smuggler is tied to a counterfeiting activity benefiting terrorist activity.
August 10, 2016
Great Amos Walker show.
Outside of Detroit this time on Lake Huron
The Feds are the bad guys again.
Gritty with lots of throw away humor: Can 3 month old babies have nightmares? They are born naked into a room filled with people wearing masks. Think about it!!!
Outside of Detroit this time on Lake Huron
The Feds are the bad guys again.
Gritty with lots of throw away humor: Can 3 month old babies have nightmares? They are born naked into a room filled with people wearing masks. Think about it!!!
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December 28, 2007An Amos Walker Novel
January 27, 2009
Amos Walker this time out tangles with counterfieters in cold Detroit and walks with a cane. Lots of action and great, hardboiled prose, as always.
March 1, 2009
I enjoyed the Michigan settings for this story, but didn't like it as much as Whiskey River, by the same author. If you like James Ellroy this would be right up your alley.
April 23, 2011
Never got past the first few chapters. I didn't care for the tone or use of language (lots of references I didn't get), so I gave up.
July 14, 2012
As far as hard-boiled detectives, Amos Walker is as good as they come. Loren Estleman's narration is quick-witted and cliche-free. Estleman is a Michigan original.
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August 11, 2012
A pretty forgettable entry in the series.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews