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Kind Hearts and Martinets #1
Cause And Effect
A self-labeled enigma, Detective Inspector Jack Austin is at once miserable and amusing, melancholy and motivated. Running the Community Police Unit from his deck chair, D.I. Austin is known for his ability to solve crimes out of the blue.
Trying to work cases while struggling with his mental issues, Austin deals with a variety of major crimes, including bicycle theft. But when the case of an executed police officer lands on his desk, he accidentally uncovers a malevolent scheme.
Can he discover who is behind it all - and keep what's left of his sanity?
Trying to work cases while struggling with his mental issues, Austin deals with a variety of major crimes, including bicycle theft. But when the case of an executed police officer lands on his desk, he accidentally uncovers a malevolent scheme.
Can he discover who is behind it all - and keep what's left of his sanity?
568 pages, Paperback
First published February 14, 2013
61 people are currently reading
67 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
February 15, 2021
Cause and Effect: Vice Plagues the City is one of five books in a series called 'Kind Hearts and Martinets' being published this year from author Pete Adams and publisher Next Chapter. I read a review from someone I follow and thought if they liked it so much, perhaps I should read it too. Today, I'm sharing my thoughts and feedback on the first one in the series, also the first book I've read from this author.
Detective Inspector Jack Austin is our protagonist in the British police force. The two things I found the most memorable and fun about him are: (1) he has a nickname (or multiple) for everyone and (2) the man can be almost killed or hurt more times than I can count, yet he always survives. Now there's a hero for you! Jack's experience makes him an unrelenting yet real-life detective. He's used to less severe crimes recently... things like bike theft. After a murder of a fellow officer hits a little too close to home, it's a game-changer. Jack must solve this case and solve it quickly. Of course, he does, but only after many shenanigans, 'romps in the hay,' and several near-death experiences.
I enjoyed reading the book... to me, as an American reader, it shows an entirely different approach or outlook on writing style and imagining police forces. At first, it was a bit of a shock to get adjusted to the tone and humor. I've read other British police procedural novels, but they hadn't prepared me for this one. I suspect this must be quite authentic on multiple levels, humorous and intentionally over-the-top on others. It makes for a good balance, as you're never quite sure what to expect. Author Adams creates vibrant characters who stick out in your mind long after finishing the book. There are tons of pop references, some of which I easily understood, others which seemed more British and unfamiliar to me. I looked up a few to stay glued to the story, but that's just me. I like to know everything I'm reading about.
Key things to know about Jack: He's widowed and back out on the market. He always gets his criminal. He lives and breathes by his humor and relationships. His colleagues are rowdy and banter a lot, providing levity in the murder, missing people, and bike story line, so readers aren't always stuck in an intense chase the killer trap (always a good thing!). If you like something more authentic with an edge, tons of pop culture and wicked jokes, and a curious mystery, you will enjoy this one. Kudos to the author for the new release!
Detective Inspector Jack Austin is our protagonist in the British police force. The two things I found the most memorable and fun about him are: (1) he has a nickname (or multiple) for everyone and (2) the man can be almost killed or hurt more times than I can count, yet he always survives. Now there's a hero for you! Jack's experience makes him an unrelenting yet real-life detective. He's used to less severe crimes recently... things like bike theft. After a murder of a fellow officer hits a little too close to home, it's a game-changer. Jack must solve this case and solve it quickly. Of course, he does, but only after many shenanigans, 'romps in the hay,' and several near-death experiences.
I enjoyed reading the book... to me, as an American reader, it shows an entirely different approach or outlook on writing style and imagining police forces. At first, it was a bit of a shock to get adjusted to the tone and humor. I've read other British police procedural novels, but they hadn't prepared me for this one. I suspect this must be quite authentic on multiple levels, humorous and intentionally over-the-top on others. It makes for a good balance, as you're never quite sure what to expect. Author Adams creates vibrant characters who stick out in your mind long after finishing the book. There are tons of pop references, some of which I easily understood, others which seemed more British and unfamiliar to me. I looked up a few to stay glued to the story, but that's just me. I like to know everything I'm reading about.
Key things to know about Jack: He's widowed and back out on the market. He always gets his criminal. He lives and breathes by his humor and relationships. His colleagues are rowdy and banter a lot, providing levity in the murder, missing people, and bike story line, so readers aren't always stuck in an intense chase the killer trap (always a good thing!). If you like something more authentic with an edge, tons of pop culture and wicked jokes, and a curious mystery, you will enjoy this one. Kudos to the author for the new release!
October 8, 2019
Detective Jack, aka Jane, is a character full of sass and witty comebacks. He’s also a magnet to disaster, the kind of guy who’s always meeting an accident or another.
He’s also a kind, humorous widow with a big heart and a teenager’s attitude.
The topics covered in this book are hard, dramatic and heavy – not for the faint hearted – going as far as child abuse.
Detective Jack is determined to get to the bottom of his cases, and he doesn’t care who he’ll have to cross to get there.
Along the way we have some romance, which was a nice addition and somewhat a mood lifter from all the darker aspects of the story.
The writing style is unique and it took me a few chapters to get used to it, but once in, my cynic heart was amused. There are a lot of references to Mary Poppins and other classics, mostly used to humor some other character.
All in all it was a complex, great book. I recommend it to those who enjoy witticism, sarcasm, and heavy and hard British detective work.
He’s also a kind, humorous widow with a big heart and a teenager’s attitude.
The topics covered in this book are hard, dramatic and heavy – not for the faint hearted – going as far as child abuse.
Detective Jack is determined to get to the bottom of his cases, and he doesn’t care who he’ll have to cross to get there.
Along the way we have some romance, which was a nice addition and somewhat a mood lifter from all the darker aspects of the story.
The writing style is unique and it took me a few chapters to get used to it, but once in, my cynic heart was amused. There are a lot of references to Mary Poppins and other classics, mostly used to humor some other character.
All in all it was a complex, great book. I recommend it to those who enjoy witticism, sarcasm, and heavy and hard British detective work.
May 18, 2020
4.5 stars. More in my next Good Reads blog at www.sandiwallace.com/blog/.
Read
August 15, 2019This was completely a different novel with British humor and slang. A police procedural, the story showed the workings of an investigative team, quite a change from what is normally shown. Jack was the DI in charge who was somewhat of an idiot savant and was known to solve crimes which seemed unsolvable.
My first book by Pete Adams, he has written a larger than life, yet quite real, main character Jack as the DI was quite a decent chap with a wicked sense of humor. He was not terribly coordinated so accident prone was his middle name perhaps. He was strong and vulnerable. A good team he led which made the book read fast.
I was initially completely overwhelmed with the writing. The characters took time to settle down in my mind. Too many nicknames given to them by Jack didn't help too. Once the pages turned, the glimmer of the story soon was revealed and the missing kids made for a great plot arc.
The book had politics and investigation, fun and romance, buckets of British humor and a main character who was strong and not afraid of departmental politics well supported by his team and dog, Austin Martin.
Recommended for those who enjoy a wicked British humor.
My first book by Pete Adams, he has written a larger than life, yet quite real, main character Jack as the DI was quite a decent chap with a wicked sense of humor. He was not terribly coordinated so accident prone was his middle name perhaps. He was strong and vulnerable. A good team he led which made the book read fast.
I was initially completely overwhelmed with the writing. The characters took time to settle down in my mind. Too many nicknames given to them by Jack didn't help too. Once the pages turned, the glimmer of the story soon was revealed and the missing kids made for a great plot arc.
The book had politics and investigation, fun and romance, buckets of British humor and a main character who was strong and not afraid of departmental politics well supported by his team and dog, Austin Martin.
Recommended for those who enjoy a wicked British humor.
August 30, 2019
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
I almost DNF'ed this one. I'll talk more about that in a little bit, but I want that stated upfront. I hope some readers will decide to give this a try, but I want to warn some (I'm thinking of fellow citizens of the U.S. here) that it might take a little work. I also want to stress that I do recommend this book, because I think it'd be easy to walk away from what I'm about to say with a different impression.
Detective Inspector Jack Austin is the kind of cop that can make Jake Peralta look like Joe Friday. He's undisciplined, offensive, easily distracted, far too concerned about coming on to women and joking around when he should be focusing on work. Yet, within the police, he's (almost) universally loved and deferred to. The citizens he polices may love him more. That "almost" will prove hazardous to his career, but he can't seem to be bothered by that.
The title (and marketing) would lead you to believe this is Crime Fiction—and it is, to a degree. But this tale about a multifaceted crime wave running through this city has several issues. My main problem with this storyline is how little police work we got to see. Jack would make some guesses, which would prove to be unerringly correct, but most of the actual work (including, testing those guesses) was done by his team off-screen. Sure, there's some intimidation of suspects and a lot of heroics by Jack. But, it rarely seemed that Adams was all that interested in the investigation—there were heinous crimes, some horrific human costs—but those frequently took second place to Jack goofing around. This is only something I've realized as I was writing this post, in the moment, you get caught up in the story and don't realize that this near-super cop doesn't actually do much. Suddenly, that joke I made about Jake Peralta doesn't seem as funny. Jack really has a lot in common with Jake, for both of them, despite their juvenile antics, they're beloved, and seem to solve a decent number of crimes.
I actually liked the story around the crimes and thought some of what was used there was pretty ingenious. But in retrospect, I realize that it's pretty meager as storytelling goes.
There were two other things the novel focused on more (and better) than the criminal investigation. The first is a romance for the out of shape (and not all that attractive) widower, Jack Austin. Things finally click for Jack and a woman he'd been interested in for years since his wife died. This is a sweet story, and I quickly became interested in it, and my interest only waned (and then only a bit) when I was starting to notice how much space the book was spending on it.
What Adams seems most interested in is talking about (or having his characters talk about) Jack Austin—what kind of man he is, what was his life (professionally and personally) before this book ended. The amount of space devoted to off-duty Jack Austin is a lot greater than you might expect going into this book, but it's the heart and soul of the book. The latter chapters of the book are very intent on teasing this out via challenges to his new romance and his career—but a lot of that doesn't seem like it should be present, I think it would've felt more natural in books 3 or 4. It's laudatory enough to make you wonder about the way the novel works, it doesn't feel earned (as it would coming up later in the series), so that rather than letting the reader discover what a swell guy/great cop he is over the course of a series, we're just told it. However, Austin's character and qualities are not only is this what Adams seems interested in talking about more than anything else, but it's also pretty compelling and interesting—moreso than anything else in the book. So take my hesitation about it with a large grain of salt.
The emotions are real, and will get you dragged in—there's a lot of pretty moving material here in a book that seems to think it's a comedy (it's light-hearted, but I don't think actually ever funny). I appreciated the heart and emotion in every scene and it's this kind of thing that won me over.
So what was my problem with the book? Jack's so intent on being eccentric that he intentionally misspeaks, uses nicknames for characters (so you have to learn the nickname as well as the actual name for a whole lot of characters from the starting gate). Throw in some nigh indecipherable Cockney rhyming slang (and a little bit that was more easily decipherable) and you've got a real challenge to read. But because I'd agreed to do this Book Tour (and ones for the next four books in the series), I had to press on when I really wanted to set (throw?) the book aside. Instead, I went with the immersion approach to learning a foreign language, trusting that eventually something would click for me with the phrasing and everything would make sense. By the 45% point, I'd grown accustomed to his Jack's idiosyncratic dialogue and thinking (probably sooner, but I didn't notice for a little bit.
I mention this only to be forthcoming for potential readers. This isn't a book to read casually but to plod through with all your critical faculties operating. So, yes, I had to work a lot harder to get through this book than I'm typically inclined to, but I'm glad I did. Not only was it worth the effort, I'm curious and invested enough to look forward to what happens next. Hopefully, you're smarter than I am and don't have any problems for the first half (or not that many), so you can enjoy the whimsical and amusing book at an earlier stage than I did. At the end of the day, however, it's a fun book and worth the effort.
My thanks to damppebbles blog tours for the invitation to participate in this tour and the materials (including a copy of the novel) they provided.
---
I almost DNF'ed this one. I'll talk more about that in a little bit, but I want that stated upfront. I hope some readers will decide to give this a try, but I want to warn some (I'm thinking of fellow citizens of the U.S. here) that it might take a little work. I also want to stress that I do recommend this book, because I think it'd be easy to walk away from what I'm about to say with a different impression.
Detective Inspector Jack Austin is the kind of cop that can make Jake Peralta look like Joe Friday. He's undisciplined, offensive, easily distracted, far too concerned about coming on to women and joking around when he should be focusing on work. Yet, within the police, he's (almost) universally loved and deferred to. The citizens he polices may love him more. That "almost" will prove hazardous to his career, but he can't seem to be bothered by that.
The title (and marketing) would lead you to believe this is Crime Fiction—and it is, to a degree. But this tale about a multifaceted crime wave running through this city has several issues. My main problem with this storyline is how little police work we got to see. Jack would make some guesses, which would prove to be unerringly correct, but most of the actual work (including, testing those guesses) was done by his team off-screen. Sure, there's some intimidation of suspects and a lot of heroics by Jack. But, it rarely seemed that Adams was all that interested in the investigation—there were heinous crimes, some horrific human costs—but those frequently took second place to Jack goofing around. This is only something I've realized as I was writing this post, in the moment, you get caught up in the story and don't realize that this near-super cop doesn't actually do much. Suddenly, that joke I made about Jake Peralta doesn't seem as funny. Jack really has a lot in common with Jake, for both of them, despite their juvenile antics, they're beloved, and seem to solve a decent number of crimes.
I actually liked the story around the crimes and thought some of what was used there was pretty ingenious. But in retrospect, I realize that it's pretty meager as storytelling goes.
There were two other things the novel focused on more (and better) than the criminal investigation. The first is a romance for the out of shape (and not all that attractive) widower, Jack Austin. Things finally click for Jack and a woman he'd been interested in for years since his wife died. This is a sweet story, and I quickly became interested in it, and my interest only waned (and then only a bit) when I was starting to notice how much space the book was spending on it.
What Adams seems most interested in is talking about (or having his characters talk about) Jack Austin—what kind of man he is, what was his life (professionally and personally) before this book ended. The amount of space devoted to off-duty Jack Austin is a lot greater than you might expect going into this book, but it's the heart and soul of the book. The latter chapters of the book are very intent on teasing this out via challenges to his new romance and his career—but a lot of that doesn't seem like it should be present, I think it would've felt more natural in books 3 or 4. It's laudatory enough to make you wonder about the way the novel works, it doesn't feel earned (as it would coming up later in the series), so that rather than letting the reader discover what a swell guy/great cop he is over the course of a series, we're just told it. However, Austin's character and qualities are not only is this what Adams seems interested in talking about more than anything else, but it's also pretty compelling and interesting—moreso than anything else in the book. So take my hesitation about it with a large grain of salt.
The emotions are real, and will get you dragged in—there's a lot of pretty moving material here in a book that seems to think it's a comedy (it's light-hearted, but I don't think actually ever funny). I appreciated the heart and emotion in every scene and it's this kind of thing that won me over.
So what was my problem with the book? Jack's so intent on being eccentric that he intentionally misspeaks, uses nicknames for characters (so you have to learn the nickname as well as the actual name for a whole lot of characters from the starting gate). Throw in some nigh indecipherable Cockney rhyming slang (and a little bit that was more easily decipherable) and you've got a real challenge to read. But because I'd agreed to do this Book Tour (and ones for the next four books in the series), I had to press on when I really wanted to set (throw?) the book aside. Instead, I went with the immersion approach to learning a foreign language, trusting that eventually something would click for me with the phrasing and everything would make sense. By the 45% point, I'd grown accustomed to his Jack's idiosyncratic dialogue and thinking (probably sooner, but I didn't notice for a little bit.
I mention this only to be forthcoming for potential readers. This isn't a book to read casually but to plod through with all your critical faculties operating. So, yes, I had to work a lot harder to get through this book than I'm typically inclined to, but I'm glad I did. Not only was it worth the effort, I'm curious and invested enough to look forward to what happens next. Hopefully, you're smarter than I am and don't have any problems for the first half (or not that many), so you can enjoy the whimsical and amusing book at an earlier stage than I did. At the end of the day, however, it's a fun book and worth the effort.
My thanks to damppebbles blog tours for the invitation to participate in this tour and the materials (including a copy of the novel) they provided.
August 16, 2019
Fast-paced action and a new and very unusual hero
I chose this book from an Amazon 'you might like' email, and I'm thoroughly glad I did. I hope the central character, Detective Inspector Jack Austin, (known affectionately as Jane) is in no way an autobiographical representation of the author, because if he is, Pete Adams is a lucky man to be alive.
Our hero has been stabbed, shot, blown-up, and yet always bounces back to continue his quest to rid the world, (his own portion of it, at least), of crime and criminals.
Along the way he falls in love with his boss, Mandy, who luckily for him, reciprocates his feelings. There's so much happening in this book that I sometimes had to stop reading and take a breather.
The author has a wicked sense of humour which is brilliantly conveyed through his characters, and I literally laughed out loud at a couple of pieces of particularly hilarious dialogue.
I don't want to give away any of the plot, (it's too complex to do that, anyway), but I can wholeheartedly recommend it as a smashing and entertaining read, well worth 5 stars.
I chose this book from an Amazon 'you might like' email, and I'm thoroughly glad I did. I hope the central character, Detective Inspector Jack Austin, (known affectionately as Jane) is in no way an autobiographical representation of the author, because if he is, Pete Adams is a lucky man to be alive.
Our hero has been stabbed, shot, blown-up, and yet always bounces back to continue his quest to rid the world, (his own portion of it, at least), of crime and criminals.
Along the way he falls in love with his boss, Mandy, who luckily for him, reciprocates his feelings. There's so much happening in this book that I sometimes had to stop reading and take a breather.
The author has a wicked sense of humour which is brilliantly conveyed through his characters, and I literally laughed out loud at a couple of pieces of particularly hilarious dialogue.
I don't want to give away any of the plot, (it's too complex to do that, anyway), but I can wholeheartedly recommend it as a smashing and entertaining read, well worth 5 stars.
November 25, 2020
This brilliantly written story made for confusion at first due to the scattered fashion in which the main character speaks and applies nicknames to all his colleagues and friends. The references to works of literature, movies, and pop culture sometimes escaped me but most of the time was delightful. "Close your mouth we are not a codfish." I confess I'm not clever enough to catch all the nuances in this cleverly written book. It's part of a series and promises to be good fun, compassionately written, and replete with references to the political scene in Britain for those who are interested in the current situation in Britain.
Contains references to pedophilia rings and really nasty stuff, but a lot of compassion and of course, fun. Also food for thought. Ends on a bit of a cliff hanger but as I said, it IS a series! Although the author is male he is obviously sympathetic to the plight of all women including feminist women as well as Lesbians without being too political about it, but with much taste and understanding. I found the book tasteful and very, very clever.
Contains references to pedophilia rings and really nasty stuff, but a lot of compassion and of course, fun. Also food for thought. Ends on a bit of a cliff hanger but as I said, it IS a series! Although the author is male he is obviously sympathetic to the plight of all women including feminist women as well as Lesbians without being too political about it, but with much taste and understanding. I found the book tasteful and very, very clever.
October 13, 2020
This book captures your attention from page one. Detective Inspector Jack Austin, (who his colleagues call Jane), immediately jumps off the page and draws you into his story, whilst wearing baggy shorts and with a toe bandaged with tissue and sellotape! The characters of this book are beautifully written with such wit and charm and the main character, Jack, manages to get himself into all sort of predicaments that often leave him physically hurt in some way. Throughout this, there is love, romance, power plays and plenty of crime between the pages of this gripping read, along with some strong and fiesty female characters, which I loved.
If you are looking for a crime novel that is written with humour and style, then this is the book for you. I've already ordered book 2 in the series and am looking forward to finding out what happens to Jack next.
If you are looking for a crime novel that is written with humour and style, then this is the book for you. I've already ordered book 2 in the series and am looking forward to finding out what happens to Jack next.
October 31, 2021
Detective Inspector Jack Austin is a refreshingly lively and a fascinating character as is this magnetic story.
To say DI Austin is a complicated man is an understatement. Struggling with mental health issues, grief and volitivity, he continues not only to function, but cut his way through a complicated web of crime that begins with bicycle theft.
Cause and effect is an outstanding police procedural thriller. Expertly written and entwining emotion, violence and humour in a package that’s entertaining and compelling. A must read!
To say DI Austin is a complicated man is an understatement. Struggling with mental health issues, grief and volitivity, he continues not only to function, but cut his way through a complicated web of crime that begins with bicycle theft.
Cause and effect is an outstanding police procedural thriller. Expertly written and entwining emotion, violence and humour in a package that’s entertaining and compelling. A must read!
September 1, 2019
*I received a free copy of this book with thanks to the author and to Emma Welton of damppebbles blog tours. The decision to review and my opinions are my own.*
Top tip here is to persevere, because this is a cracker of a book, but I spent the first few chapters wondering what the Mary Poppins I was reading!
Things you need to know about the main character, DI Jack ‘Jane’ Austin:
He gives everyone a nickname, often a few degrees removed from the original inspiration, in the same way that ‘arse’ turns into ‘bottle and glass’, turns into ‘Aristotle’, turns into ‘Aris’. You have no chance of guessing these and just have to roll with them. Some people have more than one nickname. Everyone else instantly uses the nicknames forevermore.
He uses Cockney rhyming slang and, as per standard practice, often drops the rhyming word. This is obviously more familiar to many readers and merely forms a small part of the overall pattern of incomprehension.
He uses malapropisms frequently in speech and thought. These can usually be reasonably deciphered. I initially mistook these for textual errors.
Similarly, there are numerous occasions when other character answered Jane’s thoughts, which I thought was a text error. It isn’t. Jane speaks his private thoughts aloud and is never sure when he has done so.
He uses a consistent reference table of literary, media and historical quotations as inside jokes, bonding and allusions. His favourites are Mary Poppins (‘Close your mouth, we are not a codfish’) and Pride and Prejudice (designated PP: ‘Your family, they are well?’)
The result of all of these stylistic quirks happening simultaneously is utter gibberish. At first.
Once you have deciphered ‘the code’, you are suddenly an insider – one of the team – and all of a sudden the story snaps into proper focus. And what a story it is!
Packed with action, affection and amusement, with some genuinely touching moments and plenty of eye-rolling, the plot takes us from nicking Bombay (Mumbai) Mix and bikes locally, to abused children and a major crime ring, and finally an evil mastermind at work behind the scenes: the dreaded Norafarty… or something like that.
Again, at first, I fretted about the rampant sexism, racism, ageism, ableism, heterosexism, and so on and so on ad infinitum. Until, again, the obvious point finally dawned on me. Jane is equally obnoxious about everyone and everything. Equally. Also, his words don’t match his actions. He actually cares about everyone and everything and almost all of his clownish antics are aimed at helping, protecting and cheering people up. Also, he doesn’t miss a trick and likes to hide his perceptive intelligence under a veneer of buffoonery and oafishness.
So that’s more than 400 words just about the main character! The other characters are real, flawed, human, warm, silly and with baggage and hangups of their own. The author skilfully coaxes out their personalities from under the protective forcefield of Jane’s shenanigans and allows them to shine in their own right, so the reader becomes just as attached to Pumps, Nobby, Biscuit, Springs, KFC, Good-and-Bad and the rest of them as Jane himself. Even on-and-off characters like Kipper or Keanu are interesting and memorable.
Cause and Effect is like no other book I have read. It is a well-constructed police procedural thriller, masquerading under the guise of a zany comedy, with a slowly-developed and deeply-felt romance at the heart. I thoroughly recommend this book and cannot wait to get my teeth into the sequel – especially thanks to the cliffhanger ending! Just endive to perspirate past the first few chapters, let go of your pride and your prejudices, and you will find yourself excessively diverted.
The cab tooted. ‘Okay, tooting back,’ which only he knew referred to Totting Bec in London, but that didn’t matter, not to Jack in his event garden world, and he rushed out into the rain.
Michael called from the kitchen, ‘Avant-garde, Dad?’
The cab dropped Jack roadside. ‘I’ll walk the rest of the way, it’s not like its pissing down or anything,’ but the subtlety of Jack’s sarcasm was lost on the cabbie. Jack paid and ran to the reception doors, ‘Feckety Feck.’
‘Cats and Dogs, Jane,’ Hissing Sid remarked.
‘Cod and chips twice.’
‘Heard you the first time.’
‘Your family, they are well?’
‘Tolerably so.’
– Pete Adams, Cause and Effect
Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
https://bookshineandreadbows.wordpres...
Top tip here is to persevere, because this is a cracker of a book, but I spent the first few chapters wondering what the Mary Poppins I was reading!
Things you need to know about the main character, DI Jack ‘Jane’ Austin:
He gives everyone a nickname, often a few degrees removed from the original inspiration, in the same way that ‘arse’ turns into ‘bottle and glass’, turns into ‘Aristotle’, turns into ‘Aris’. You have no chance of guessing these and just have to roll with them. Some people have more than one nickname. Everyone else instantly uses the nicknames forevermore.
He uses Cockney rhyming slang and, as per standard practice, often drops the rhyming word. This is obviously more familiar to many readers and merely forms a small part of the overall pattern of incomprehension.
He uses malapropisms frequently in speech and thought. These can usually be reasonably deciphered. I initially mistook these for textual errors.
Similarly, there are numerous occasions when other character answered Jane’s thoughts, which I thought was a text error. It isn’t. Jane speaks his private thoughts aloud and is never sure when he has done so.
He uses a consistent reference table of literary, media and historical quotations as inside jokes, bonding and allusions. His favourites are Mary Poppins (‘Close your mouth, we are not a codfish’) and Pride and Prejudice (designated PP: ‘Your family, they are well?’)
The result of all of these stylistic quirks happening simultaneously is utter gibberish. At first.
Once you have deciphered ‘the code’, you are suddenly an insider – one of the team – and all of a sudden the story snaps into proper focus. And what a story it is!
Packed with action, affection and amusement, with some genuinely touching moments and plenty of eye-rolling, the plot takes us from nicking Bombay (Mumbai) Mix and bikes locally, to abused children and a major crime ring, and finally an evil mastermind at work behind the scenes: the dreaded Norafarty… or something like that.
Again, at first, I fretted about the rampant sexism, racism, ageism, ableism, heterosexism, and so on and so on ad infinitum. Until, again, the obvious point finally dawned on me. Jane is equally obnoxious about everyone and everything. Equally. Also, his words don’t match his actions. He actually cares about everyone and everything and almost all of his clownish antics are aimed at helping, protecting and cheering people up. Also, he doesn’t miss a trick and likes to hide his perceptive intelligence under a veneer of buffoonery and oafishness.
So that’s more than 400 words just about the main character! The other characters are real, flawed, human, warm, silly and with baggage and hangups of their own. The author skilfully coaxes out their personalities from under the protective forcefield of Jane’s shenanigans and allows them to shine in their own right, so the reader becomes just as attached to Pumps, Nobby, Biscuit, Springs, KFC, Good-and-Bad and the rest of them as Jane himself. Even on-and-off characters like Kipper or Keanu are interesting and memorable.
Cause and Effect is like no other book I have read. It is a well-constructed police procedural thriller, masquerading under the guise of a zany comedy, with a slowly-developed and deeply-felt romance at the heart. I thoroughly recommend this book and cannot wait to get my teeth into the sequel – especially thanks to the cliffhanger ending! Just endive to perspirate past the first few chapters, let go of your pride and your prejudices, and you will find yourself excessively diverted.
The cab tooted. ‘Okay, tooting back,’ which only he knew referred to Totting Bec in London, but that didn’t matter, not to Jack in his event garden world, and he rushed out into the rain.
Michael called from the kitchen, ‘Avant-garde, Dad?’
The cab dropped Jack roadside. ‘I’ll walk the rest of the way, it’s not like its pissing down or anything,’ but the subtlety of Jack’s sarcasm was lost on the cabbie. Jack paid and ran to the reception doors, ‘Feckety Feck.’
‘Cats and Dogs, Jane,’ Hissing Sid remarked.
‘Cod and chips twice.’
‘Heard you the first time.’
‘Your family, they are well?’
‘Tolerably so.’
– Pete Adams, Cause and Effect
Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
https://bookshineandreadbows.wordpres...
August 25, 2019
Drama with Humor, Unique Storytelling
In my opinion, Cause and Effect, by Pete Adams, contains some of the best humor I’ve read in ages. Yes, the author is from the UK. I have watched British crime shows. One I thoroughly enjoyed was Happy Valley (2014-2016). The reason I mention this TV drama was because the plot of Cause and Effect would make an incredible TV series. Where Happy Valley was all drama and personal problems of the characters’ lives, Pete Adams mixes outrageous humor with the drama in his story. This comedic relief creates a better balance overall.
Pete Adams’s writing in this volume of humorous drama is much akin to Stream of Consciousness writing as I’ve seen in a long time. Written this way, we learn what’s in the main character’s mind, though it’s unspoken. Sometimes, as well, we learn what he perceives or second guesses of other characters’ thoughts and actions, like always being one step ahead of the next person. Too, at times, the Point of View is Omniscient, which means we get to see other parts of the story through characters other than the protagonist. The Stream of Consciousness and sometimes Omniscient Point of View moves the story along at a fast clip. Unless, like me, you have to stop and re-read sections because the humor is just too funny, too good, to simply skip over.
About the story: We follow the life, antics, near death experiences and loves and loss, as the main character, Detective Inspector Jack Austin, a magnet for trouble and harm, and the rest of his team at a Community Police Unit. Yet, this is no ordinary police procedural. It’s laced with British humor in nearly every paragraph, to start with, thanks to D.I. Jack Austin’s habit of nicknaming others. Surprisingly, this helps make the members of the team a cohesive and unique group of crime solvers. There are vicious crimes to solve, but the humor gives comedic relief and this, too, keeps the story flowing. It’s because of the comedic relief that I believe this story and subsequent stories in the series – this author’s writing capabilities - would make an immensely popular TV drama. Ha! This book alone contains enough material for one whole season of TV drama. It’s not straight drama. It’s life, with all its human foibles, something to which we can all relate.
If you’re looking to read a police drama, with real people and all their shortcomings – and humor – I highly recommend Cause and Effect. But be forewarned: This is British humor, that tended to cause this reader to gasp, then have a laughing fit. And this is only the first book in the series.
In my opinion, Cause and Effect, by Pete Adams, contains some of the best humor I’ve read in ages. Yes, the author is from the UK. I have watched British crime shows. One I thoroughly enjoyed was Happy Valley (2014-2016). The reason I mention this TV drama was because the plot of Cause and Effect would make an incredible TV series. Where Happy Valley was all drama and personal problems of the characters’ lives, Pete Adams mixes outrageous humor with the drama in his story. This comedic relief creates a better balance overall.
Pete Adams’s writing in this volume of humorous drama is much akin to Stream of Consciousness writing as I’ve seen in a long time. Written this way, we learn what’s in the main character’s mind, though it’s unspoken. Sometimes, as well, we learn what he perceives or second guesses of other characters’ thoughts and actions, like always being one step ahead of the next person. Too, at times, the Point of View is Omniscient, which means we get to see other parts of the story through characters other than the protagonist. The Stream of Consciousness and sometimes Omniscient Point of View moves the story along at a fast clip. Unless, like me, you have to stop and re-read sections because the humor is just too funny, too good, to simply skip over.
About the story: We follow the life, antics, near death experiences and loves and loss, as the main character, Detective Inspector Jack Austin, a magnet for trouble and harm, and the rest of his team at a Community Police Unit. Yet, this is no ordinary police procedural. It’s laced with British humor in nearly every paragraph, to start with, thanks to D.I. Jack Austin’s habit of nicknaming others. Surprisingly, this helps make the members of the team a cohesive and unique group of crime solvers. There are vicious crimes to solve, but the humor gives comedic relief and this, too, keeps the story flowing. It’s because of the comedic relief that I believe this story and subsequent stories in the series – this author’s writing capabilities - would make an immensely popular TV drama. Ha! This book alone contains enough material for one whole season of TV drama. It’s not straight drama. It’s life, with all its human foibles, something to which we can all relate.
If you’re looking to read a police drama, with real people and all their shortcomings – and humor – I highly recommend Cause and Effect. But be forewarned: This is British humor, that tended to cause this reader to gasp, then have a laughing fit. And this is only the first book in the series.
August 17, 2019
Opening Cause and Effect and reading the prologue, the reader is confronted with a disturbing scene of youth violence in the normally quiet, middle-class enclave of East Cosham, Portsmouth. How is Chas at Bazaar Bikes connected to the event? And what of the Pakistani couple and their missing son? And Meesh, who witnesses the murder of her mother. Enough there to fill an episode of Vera. Although Pete Adam’s narration is more in the vein of No Offence meets Pride and Prejudice and the tone is distinctly southern British.
What unfolds is an earthy police procedural laced with British humour and wit. There is a sense that the bumbling team headed by Detective Superintendent Amanda Bruce, couldn’t manage to solve a theft with the culprit standing before them holding the stolen goods, but that first impression is soon dashed as protagonist DI Jack Austin sets out to investigate a child kidnapping. The storytelling is taut, the novel artfully plotted. There’s a great cast of supporting characters, including if not especially Jack’s dog, Austin Martin. Add to that an acutely observing eye on the descriptive details, a punchy tone and a gripping finish and there is nothing not to love about this tale.
What unfolds is an earthy police procedural laced with British humour and wit. There is a sense that the bumbling team headed by Detective Superintendent Amanda Bruce, couldn’t manage to solve a theft with the culprit standing before them holding the stolen goods, but that first impression is soon dashed as protagonist DI Jack Austin sets out to investigate a child kidnapping. The storytelling is taut, the novel artfully plotted. There’s a great cast of supporting characters, including if not especially Jack’s dog, Austin Martin. Add to that an acutely observing eye on the descriptive details, a punchy tone and a gripping finish and there is nothing not to love about this tale.
May 1, 2021
Brilliantly crafted
Cause and Effect by Pete Adams is a bit of a rollercoaster ride. Detective Jack Austen is a complicated man, with a surprising past, and stunningly funny way of solving crimes. I do mean funny. I took a bit longer to get through this first of the series because it took a while to absorb the language difference between England and America. Once accomplished, this reader appreciated the sometimes not so subtle humor of the character. Jack Austen is a once-in-a-lifetime character, a superlative "copper", a mix of emotions, and a courageous man. You can find the story line elsewhere, or better yet, read it for yourself. If you like crime thrillers, don't miss this one. And there are more after. Looking forward to them.
Cause and Effect by Pete Adams is a bit of a rollercoaster ride. Detective Jack Austen is a complicated man, with a surprising past, and stunningly funny way of solving crimes. I do mean funny. I took a bit longer to get through this first of the series because it took a while to absorb the language difference between England and America. Once accomplished, this reader appreciated the sometimes not so subtle humor of the character. Jack Austen is a once-in-a-lifetime character, a superlative "copper", a mix of emotions, and a courageous man. You can find the story line elsewhere, or better yet, read it for yourself. If you like crime thrillers, don't miss this one. And there are more after. Looking forward to them.
May 20, 2020
Detective Jack Austin, aka Jane, had not been the same since his wife had died, but that wasn't going to stop him. With a great team and close friends he finds himself at the brunt of light-hearted jokes, and amidst an extensive support network. But when a fellow officer is murdered he is set on a path of investigation that will shake him to his core and beyond as he uncovers a scheme of the likes he had never imagined.
Pete Adams' Cause and Effect: Vice Plagues The City is a crime drama with a healthy dose of British humour, violence, and threat. Romance, explosions, twists, turns, and humour combined with a strong cast of characters make this an engrossing read with a very real feel to the emotions and coping mechanisms in place. I found the humour a great release to the tense and sometimes dark plot and I loved watching how seemingly unconnected separate events came together in an interesting way. Clear attention has been paid to the complex plot to ensure it works. The characters are well developed and possess a very real to life feel, just like the atmosphere created in the book. This is a must for people who enjoy a combination of British humour and drama in a police setting.
Pete Adams' Cause and Effect: Vice Plagues The City is a crime drama with a healthy dose of British humour, violence, and threat. Romance, explosions, twists, turns, and humour combined with a strong cast of characters make this an engrossing read with a very real feel to the emotions and coping mechanisms in place. I found the humour a great release to the tense and sometimes dark plot and I loved watching how seemingly unconnected separate events came together in an interesting way. Clear attention has been paid to the complex plot to ensure it works. The characters are well developed and possess a very real to life feel, just like the atmosphere created in the book. This is a must for people who enjoy a combination of British humour and drama in a police setting.
February 25, 2022
When I started to read this book, I wondered what I had got myself into, but I persevered and the deeper I got, the more fascinating the writing became. Set in Portsmouth – Pompey to the indigenous inhabitants- the story is a combination of three things.
The first is a character examination of the main protagonist.
The second is a romance between two people.
The third is a complex police investigation.
I am inclined to believe that the first of the three is the most important, as the author slowly peels the layers from his main character, who eventually emerges as a decent, caring human being with a deep social conscience, laudable political views and a professional attitude to his work.
Each character has a unique personality and a nickname. It is the latter that gives the book some of its distinctiveness, for this is not a run-of-the-mill police story. It is the product of an untrammelled mind, a writer not bound by any convention of style, who translates the world as he sees it. The police investigation is intriguing, with twists, turns, action and revelations. It is a story in itself, as is the romance between two senior police officers, neither of them youngsters and each with a slowly unveiled history.
Would I recommend this book?
Yes.
Five stars.
The first is a character examination of the main protagonist.
The second is a romance between two people.
The third is a complex police investigation.
I am inclined to believe that the first of the three is the most important, as the author slowly peels the layers from his main character, who eventually emerges as a decent, caring human being with a deep social conscience, laudable political views and a professional attitude to his work.
Each character has a unique personality and a nickname. It is the latter that gives the book some of its distinctiveness, for this is not a run-of-the-mill police story. It is the product of an untrammelled mind, a writer not bound by any convention of style, who translates the world as he sees it. The police investigation is intriguing, with twists, turns, action and revelations. It is a story in itself, as is the romance between two senior police officers, neither of them youngsters and each with a slowly unveiled history.
Would I recommend this book?
Yes.
Five stars.
February 1, 2023
Cause and Effect by Pete Adams is a cracking read. I worked in industry, and I worked (and lived) in Portsmouth, where every man and his dog has a nickname - as does our hero detective Jane (Jack) Austin and his dog Austin Martin.
Jack, for all his many, many, faults, has a nose for the good in people, and a nose for bad people. He is side stepped (demoted) from serious crimes to volume crime community policing, but does not let that stand in the way of his enthusiasm to fight cop killers, far right skinheads, drug dealers, bike thieves, and thugs cruel to animals, at every opportunity - across his adopted town of Portsmouth.
It can be an uphill battle, especially on the lower slopes of Portsdown Hill, but Jack will not give up - even when his own well-being is jeopardised.
With the backing of wholesome urchins, press ganged jobs worths, and members of the city’s underbelly - Jack gives his all.
Hilariously funny, cleverly witty, literary, poignant, and one-hundred miles per hour - this is pure entertainment all the way.
Jack, for all his many, many, faults, has a nose for the good in people, and a nose for bad people. He is side stepped (demoted) from serious crimes to volume crime community policing, but does not let that stand in the way of his enthusiasm to fight cop killers, far right skinheads, drug dealers, bike thieves, and thugs cruel to animals, at every opportunity - across his adopted town of Portsmouth.
It can be an uphill battle, especially on the lower slopes of Portsdown Hill, but Jack will not give up - even when his own well-being is jeopardised.
With the backing of wholesome urchins, press ganged jobs worths, and members of the city’s underbelly - Jack gives his all.
Hilariously funny, cleverly witty, literary, poignant, and one-hundred miles per hour - this is pure entertainment all the way.
March 2, 2024
Cause and Effect by Pete Adams is a fast paced comedy police crime thriller, I think. It is certainly a crime thriller, set in my old stomping grounds of Portsmouth and Cosham. It is certainly of a fast pace - like dizzyingly fast. It is incredible funny - laugh out loud. It is both zany and down to earth at the same time.
The comedy is brilliant - from slapstick and farce, through sarcasm, to very clever word play and observational humour, often all in the same line. Why would your dog’s Tupperware lunchbox be smaller than yours? Because dogs aren’t really keen on salad, obviously. The more you think about it, funnier it gets until you can barely continue reading - and that wasn’t even crucial to the plot!
And there are some quite sad and tearjerker moments.
First in the series, I’m hooked already! Brilliant.
The comedy is brilliant - from slapstick and farce, through sarcasm, to very clever word play and observational humour, often all in the same line. Why would your dog’s Tupperware lunchbox be smaller than yours? Because dogs aren’t really keen on salad, obviously. The more you think about it, funnier it gets until you can barely continue reading - and that wasn’t even crucial to the plot!
And there are some quite sad and tearjerker moments.
First in the series, I’m hooked already! Brilliant.
March 2, 2024
I have just finished reading the 5 books which make up the Kind Hearts and Martinets series.
Pete Adams has created a fictitious Portsmouth, a city I know very well, but will now look upon with different eyes!!
These labyrinthine books demand your concentration as you are introduced to the characters who also have nicknames, but once you've 'mastered' that you are lured into a police drama like no other: politics, romance, violence, family, humour are all woven together to both entertain and make us question our reality, with a lot of wordplay thrown in. But the most abiding element for me is the empathy and compassion he has for the marginalised and the downtrodden
I will soon embark on the next series IE The Dada Detective Agency, but need a break to recuperate from all the laughing
Pete Adams has created a fictitious Portsmouth, a city I know very well, but will now look upon with different eyes!!
These labyrinthine books demand your concentration as you are introduced to the characters who also have nicknames, but once you've 'mastered' that you are lured into a police drama like no other: politics, romance, violence, family, humour are all woven together to both entertain and make us question our reality, with a lot of wordplay thrown in. But the most abiding element for me is the empathy and compassion he has for the marginalised and the downtrodden
I will soon embark on the next series IE The Dada Detective Agency, but need a break to recuperate from all the laughing
March 24, 2023
This is a surreal, humorous romp of a book. The style can take a bit of getting used to as it seemed, initially, looking for gag after gag but when the storyline starts to emerge you start to really unveil who the author is which is a pleasure to see. The book, in my opinion, could be in the ilk of the BBC productions of the late 70s and early 80s and would go amiss. Well worth a read and persevere as the story really starts to reveal itself, along with the characters.
August 9, 2021
This is a little unusual from my usual reading. But, I really liked it. The only derogatory thing I have to say is there were a lot of references to the Britsh series that I had no idea what they were referring to because, I have never heard of any of the series. I think the only one I recognized was Benny Hill, besides that I enjoyed this very much.
September 11, 2023
It took a while to sort out all the characters and their nicknames, but it was well worth sticking with the story. I like the dark humour which is very typical of the police and the services. This is a well written tale with a strong political message and believable characters. Look forward to reading more in the series.
January 21, 2025
Not sure anyone bothered to proofread this. 2 typos in the first chapter, incomplete sentences, stupidly long sentences, way too jarring, gave up
June 21, 2022
Magnetic Read!
What a tantalizing story in Cause And Effect: Vice Plagues The City by Pete Adams. I am a definite fan of this author! Whatever this author writes, I want to read. Jack Austin is a very unique character, not only a detective with great abilities, but he also suffers from mental illness, which not only adds to his personality, but can hinder how others perceive him. Insert a mysterious death of a police officer, and the secrets behind the death. This book deserves a second read! (and maybe more). It’s definitely un-put-downable! It is always an honor to read this author's books. This author is a great storyteller. The story brings the reader on a superb journey. The story brings the reader on a superb journey. This is a magnificent story that kept this reader turning the pages. A definite attention grabber, so much I couldn't put it down. A reader can get lost in the story. I liked that there was a balance of the story with the dark and light, and the light contained humor, which made it feel more real. How do some deal with what seems like the impossible is happening, but with humor. I hope to read more books by this author. This author not only tells the story but shows it with words as well. Cause And Effect: Vice Plagues The City is a definite recommendation by Amy's Bookshelf Reviews. Amy's Bookshelf Reviews recommends that anyone who reads this book, to also write a review.
What a tantalizing story in Cause And Effect: Vice Plagues The City by Pete Adams. I am a definite fan of this author! Whatever this author writes, I want to read. Jack Austin is a very unique character, not only a detective with great abilities, but he also suffers from mental illness, which not only adds to his personality, but can hinder how others perceive him. Insert a mysterious death of a police officer, and the secrets behind the death. This book deserves a second read! (and maybe more). It’s definitely un-put-downable! It is always an honor to read this author's books. This author is a great storyteller. The story brings the reader on a superb journey. The story brings the reader on a superb journey. This is a magnificent story that kept this reader turning the pages. A definite attention grabber, so much I couldn't put it down. A reader can get lost in the story. I liked that there was a balance of the story with the dark and light, and the light contained humor, which made it feel more real. How do some deal with what seems like the impossible is happening, but with humor. I hope to read more books by this author. This author not only tells the story but shows it with words as well. Cause And Effect: Vice Plagues The City is a definite recommendation by Amy's Bookshelf Reviews. Amy's Bookshelf Reviews recommends that anyone who reads this book, to also write a review.
August 30, 2019
This is #1 in the Kind Hearts and Martinets series featuring DI Jack Austin.
The prologue has four seemingly unrelated events, a street battle, Chas in the bike shop, Osama’s son is missing and a woman is murdered, her hidden daughter has witnessed it.
Then we meet Jack and his team and for a little while I was unsure how this was going to read, with the constant nicknames and bizarre randomness, but it then starts to come together.
Jack’s constant juvenile humour really builds a sense of this melancholic man, he’s still grieving for his wife and hides this with his sense of fun. For all that Jack is an astute and almost uncanny detective, which his insights and ability to stay one step ahead.
The crimes he and the Community Police unit are investigating are violent and brutal and this humour helps them all deal with it and builds a rare camaraderie. Will they solve their investigation? Will Jack survive? Will he dance again?
A fast paced, violent and dark police procedural with a difference, a main character with a sense of humour that just will not stop….I’ll be looking out for the next in the series that’s for sure.
Thank you to Damppebbles Blog Tours for the opportunity to participate in this blog tour and for the promotional materials and a free copy of the ebook. This is my honest, unbiased review.
The prologue has four seemingly unrelated events, a street battle, Chas in the bike shop, Osama’s son is missing and a woman is murdered, her hidden daughter has witnessed it.
Then we meet Jack and his team and for a little while I was unsure how this was going to read, with the constant nicknames and bizarre randomness, but it then starts to come together.
Jack’s constant juvenile humour really builds a sense of this melancholic man, he’s still grieving for his wife and hides this with his sense of fun. For all that Jack is an astute and almost uncanny detective, which his insights and ability to stay one step ahead.
The crimes he and the Community Police unit are investigating are violent and brutal and this humour helps them all deal with it and builds a rare camaraderie. Will they solve their investigation? Will Jack survive? Will he dance again?
A fast paced, violent and dark police procedural with a difference, a main character with a sense of humour that just will not stop….I’ll be looking out for the next in the series that’s for sure.
Thank you to Damppebbles Blog Tours for the opportunity to participate in this blog tour and for the promotional materials and a free copy of the ebook. This is my honest, unbiased review.
September 2, 2019
3 - 3.5*
This is the first in a series of five books in the Kind Hearts and Martinets Series which has Jack Austin as the lead character. The rest of the series comes out in the next few months so do keep your eyes peeled for them.
Jack Austin is a seemingly chauvinistic, weird and somewhat scarred DI who deals with his mental issues by bringing his dog to work with him – it has official approval; giving people nicknames and referring to old films, TV series and characters often confusing his colleagues many of whom are too young to remember them.
I felt like one of them as I smiled at those I remembered, raised an eyebrow, or two, at some of his rather bawdier remarks and laughed at much of what was happening. This is a book with upfront and in your face humour. The style of writing is unique which many readers will love and will be eager for more.
Within all of this is a terrific storyline and whilst yes it is funny it is also quite hard hitting in places. It is Jack’s reaction to what happens that makes the story engrossing and I really enjoyed that. This is a book that may take a little settling into but I felt it was well worth it.
Thanks
My thanks to Emma at Damppebblesblogtours for the invite to the Cause and Effect Blog Tour along with the author and Next Chapter Publishing for a copy of the eBook.
This is the first in a series of five books in the Kind Hearts and Martinets Series which has Jack Austin as the lead character. The rest of the series comes out in the next few months so do keep your eyes peeled for them.
Jack Austin is a seemingly chauvinistic, weird and somewhat scarred DI who deals with his mental issues by bringing his dog to work with him – it has official approval; giving people nicknames and referring to old films, TV series and characters often confusing his colleagues many of whom are too young to remember them.
I felt like one of them as I smiled at those I remembered, raised an eyebrow, or two, at some of his rather bawdier remarks and laughed at much of what was happening. This is a book with upfront and in your face humour. The style of writing is unique which many readers will love and will be eager for more.
Within all of this is a terrific storyline and whilst yes it is funny it is also quite hard hitting in places. It is Jack’s reaction to what happens that makes the story engrossing and I really enjoyed that. This is a book that may take a little settling into but I felt it was well worth it.
Thanks
My thanks to Emma at Damppebblesblogtours for the invite to the Cause and Effect Blog Tour along with the author and Next Chapter Publishing for a copy of the eBook.
September 12, 2022
Purchase Verified Format: Kindle Version
Absorbing and entertaining
This an extraordinary story. It starts off low-key Introducing Detective Inspector Jack Austin (known affectionately as Jane) who gives everyone a nickname and appears to run a Community Police Unit from his deckchair whilst struggling with mental health issues. Underneath it all, he is busily absorbing all the curious events that start to build up on his patch, supported by a devoted team ranging from Superintendent Amanda ‘Mandy Lifeboats’ Bruce to Dolly the ancient cleaning lady, not forgetting Martin his dog.
During the course of his investigations he is knocked out, stabbed, shot and blown up and yet he manages to pick himself up and find time to fall in love with his boss, Mandy, along the way which she privately encourages. As a catalogue of disasters face him, involving the murder of a close police officer colleague and a string of bicycle thefts that test his abilities to the limit and despite a personal tirade of abuse from a certain Captain Pugwash, he manages to survive and win his true love. I found the characters and situations entirely believable and thoroughly enjoyed the entertaining style of the narrative in which it was written. Without doubt, a totally absorbing and recommended read.
Absorbing and entertaining
This an extraordinary story. It starts off low-key Introducing Detective Inspector Jack Austin (known affectionately as Jane) who gives everyone a nickname and appears to run a Community Police Unit from his deckchair whilst struggling with mental health issues. Underneath it all, he is busily absorbing all the curious events that start to build up on his patch, supported by a devoted team ranging from Superintendent Amanda ‘Mandy Lifeboats’ Bruce to Dolly the ancient cleaning lady, not forgetting Martin his dog.
During the course of his investigations he is knocked out, stabbed, shot and blown up and yet he manages to pick himself up and find time to fall in love with his boss, Mandy, along the way which she privately encourages. As a catalogue of disasters face him, involving the murder of a close police officer colleague and a string of bicycle thefts that test his abilities to the limit and despite a personal tirade of abuse from a certain Captain Pugwash, he manages to survive and win his true love. I found the characters and situations entirely believable and thoroughly enjoyed the entertaining style of the narrative in which it was written. Without doubt, a totally absorbing and recommended read.
December 29, 2019
Cause and Effect: Vice Plagues the City: by Pete Adams
Detective Jack – nicknamed Jane, is a wisecracking, sassy, uncoordinated character who seems to get himself into a fix whatever he is doing and wherever he goes. This is a complex storyline. Jack seems to be dealing with four seperate incidents, which all eventually relate to one another and pull the story together. The plot is dark and covers certain topics which are rarely written about but Jack´s eventual romance with Mandy helped to lighten the reading.
The book is littered with British humour, slang and references to old movies and television series. That, coupled with the fact that all Jack´s co-workers have nicknames, took me a while to remember who was who and to get into the storyline but, in the end, it was well worth the read.
Detective Jack – nicknamed Jane, is a wisecracking, sassy, uncoordinated character who seems to get himself into a fix whatever he is doing and wherever he goes. This is a complex storyline. Jack seems to be dealing with four seperate incidents, which all eventually relate to one another and pull the story together. The plot is dark and covers certain topics which are rarely written about but Jack´s eventual romance with Mandy helped to lighten the reading.
The book is littered with British humour, slang and references to old movies and television series. That, coupled with the fact that all Jack´s co-workers have nicknames, took me a while to remember who was who and to get into the storyline but, in the end, it was well worth the read.
August 15, 2019
Fast-paced action and a new and very unusual hero
I chose this book from an Amazon 'you might like' email, and I'm thoroughly glad I did. I hope the central character, Detective Inspector Jack Austin, (known affectionately as Jane) is in no way an autobiographical representation of the author, because if he is, Pete Adams is a lucky man to be alive.
Our hero has been stabbed, shot, blown-up, and yet always bounces back to continue his quest to rid the world, (his own portion of it, at least), of crime and criminals.
Along the way he falls in love with his boss, Mandy, who luckily for him, reciprocates his feelings. There's so much happening in this book that I sometimes had to stop reading and take a breather.
The author has a wicked sense of humour which is brilliantly conveyed through his characters, and I literally laughed out loud at a couple of pieces of particularly hilarious dialogue.
I don't want to give away any of the plot, (it's too complex to do that, anyway), but I can wholeheartedly
I chose this book from an Amazon 'you might like' email, and I'm thoroughly glad I did. I hope the central character, Detective Inspector Jack Austin, (known affectionately as Jane) is in no way an autobiographical representation of the author, because if he is, Pete Adams is a lucky man to be alive.
Our hero has been stabbed, shot, blown-up, and yet always bounces back to continue his quest to rid the world, (his own portion of it, at least), of crime and criminals.
Along the way he falls in love with his boss, Mandy, who luckily for him, reciprocates his feelings. There's so much happening in this book that I sometimes had to stop reading and take a breather.
The author has a wicked sense of humour which is brilliantly conveyed through his characters, and I literally laughed out loud at a couple of pieces of particularly hilarious dialogue.
I don't want to give away any of the plot, (it's too complex to do that, anyway), but I can wholeheartedly
July 20, 2020
Inspector Jack Austin, known as Jane to the rest of the team, is by no way a normal detective. He tends to make up the rules as he goes along. He thinks through a case, from a deck chair in his office, before rushing out to get involved and he never minces his words. He has given all his team nicknames. Therefore, from the moment you start reading this book, you know that it is going to be different from the usual police novels.
During the course of this novel, Jane is stabbed, shot and blown up, while working on a case that has really got to him. Yet he brushes all that aside, insisting that he wants to get back to work.
There is also romance involved, as the inspector has taken rather a liking to Superintendent Amanda Bruce, nicknamed Mandy, but does she feel the same way about him.
I am not going to say anymore as I don't want to spoil the story.
This is a great read and I am sure you will enjoy it immensely. Highly recommended.
During the course of this novel, Jane is stabbed, shot and blown up, while working on a case that has really got to him. Yet he brushes all that aside, insisting that he wants to get back to work.
There is also romance involved, as the inspector has taken rather a liking to Superintendent Amanda Bruce, nicknamed Mandy, but does she feel the same way about him.
I am not going to say anymore as I don't want to spoil the story.
This is a great read and I am sure you will enjoy it immensely. Highly recommended.
December 19, 2020
4.5, completely charming.
I thought the kindhearted idiot protagonist would start to wear on me, but actually, somehow it didn't.
I even laughed out loud, twice.
The characters were reasonably well developed and strangeky likable. It was such a nice change to read a procedural with cops that aren't hardend, grim loose cannons. Or like, hard right wing flavored.
It was an exceedingly entertaining, engrossing story. Pleasantly surprised.
But the malapropisms did get to me, haha.
Ok, one more thing. There's one scene where a pretty nasty ethnic slur about Indigenous women is used a half dozen times, and that really bothered me. I get that it's set in England, but seriously, even the English should know better.
I thought the kindhearted idiot protagonist would start to wear on me, but actually, somehow it didn't.
I even laughed out loud, twice.
The characters were reasonably well developed and strangeky likable. It was such a nice change to read a procedural with cops that aren't hardend, grim loose cannons. Or like, hard right wing flavored.
It was an exceedingly entertaining, engrossing story. Pleasantly surprised.
But the malapropisms did get to me, haha.
Ok, one more thing. There's one scene where a pretty nasty ethnic slur about Indigenous women is used a half dozen times, and that really bothered me. I get that it's set in England, but seriously, even the English should know better.
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