947 books
—
1,587 voters
Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read.
Start by marking “Whiskey Sour (Jack Daniels Mystery, #1)” as Want to Read:
Whiskey Sour
(Jacqueline "Jack" Daniels Thrillers #1)
by
Lieutenant Jacqueline 'Jack' Daniels is having a bad week. Her live-in boyfriend has left her for his personal trainer, chronic insomnia has caused her to max out her credit cards with late-night home shopping purchases, and a frightening killer who calls himself 'The Gingerbread Man' is dumping mutilated bodies in her district. Between avoiding the FBI and its moronic pro
...more
Paperback, 292 pages
Published
June 1st 2005
by Hyperion Books
(first published May 12th 2004)
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Reader Q&A
To ask other readers questions about
Whiskey Sour,
please sign up.
Be the first to ask a question about Whiskey Sour
Community Reviews
Showing 1-30

Start your review of Whiskey Sour (Jack Daniels Mystery, #1)


INGREDIENTS
1. Two ounces
2. One-Half Cup
3. Two-thirds ounce of
4. One-half ounce

Find all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/
Ack. I’m really far behind on reviewing. I read this a month and a half ago! I also just discovered this morning that I’m a library failure as well since I’m currently accruing late charges on this and my privileges at the porny library have been suspended until I prove that I still am a resident of the metropolitan area (and yes, I’m getting ready to get the DTs due to the lack of smut readily available to me at the present time).
So ...more
Ack. I’m really far behind on reviewing. I read this a month and a half ago! I also just discovered this morning that I’m a library failure as well since I’m currently accruing late charges on this and my privileges at the porny library have been suspended until I prove that I still am a resident of the metropolitan area (and yes, I’m getting ready to get the DTs due to the lack of smut readily available to me at the present time).
So ...more

Mr. Konrath is good at what he does. Even though this was a light read - not taking away all the cringe-worthy things mentioned - it was enjoyable and fun.
Jacqueline "Jack" Daniels is a lieutenant with issues - most of which she can admit to herself. During a really bad week where she was left by her boyfriend for another woman, chronic insomnia and maybe a tad too easy on the bottle, a serial killer who calls himself "The Gingerbread Man" decides to make her a target because she is investigatin ...more
Jacqueline "Jack" Daniels is a lieutenant with issues - most of which she can admit to herself. During a really bad week where she was left by her boyfriend for another woman, chronic insomnia and maybe a tad too easy on the bottle, a serial killer who calls himself "The Gingerbread Man" decides to make her a target because she is investigatin ...more

Dec 28, 2009
Danielle The Book Huntress
rated it
really liked it
Recommends it for:
Suspense/Mystery fans
Recommended to Danielle The Book Huntress by:
Action Aficionados Group Read
Whiskey Sour is the first book in the Jack Daniels mystery series. Lieutenant Jack Daniels of the Chicago Police Department is an insomniac workaholic who is on the case of a brutal serial killer at work in Chicago. He goes by the name of the Gingerbread Man, and his favorite hobby is taking lives in the most brutal ways possible. Jack has made police work her life, at the expense of her marriage and peace of mind. And now, she’s too set in her ways to change. That same determination has attract
...more

Whisky Sour by J.A Konrath is the first in the series For Lieutenant Jack Daniels AKA Jacqueline I really enjoyed this read Jack is a really well written character, loved her spunk but she is married to her job the series is set in Chicago. Her partner Detective Herb Benedict was also well written & had a bit of a quirky humour about him, but is dedicated to his job.
The plot had me from the get go & The Gingerbread Man was a well crafted villain who I liked even though he was one evil sadistic S ...more
The plot had me from the get go & The Gingerbread Man was a well crafted villain who I liked even though he was one evil sadistic S ...more

I finished this a couple of days ago and am just now getting around to reviewing it. In many ways I'd like to give the book more than 3 stars. I like the writing overall and the characters are easy to get to know and have a "real folks" feel that I think can sell a book or series.
Unfortunately there are a few problems with the book that "bug" me personally. The biggest and worst (for me) of these are the extremely graphic murder scenes from the point of view of the killer. (I don't believe this ...more
Unfortunately there are a few problems with the book that "bug" me personally. The biggest and worst (for me) of these are the extremely graphic murder scenes from the point of view of the killer. (I don't believe this ...more

Story 5/5
Narration 5/5
If you enjoy a suspenseful story , with a strong female sergeant , chasing an egomaniac sociopathic serial killer ? Read this book !
I liked it !
Jack(Jacqueline) Daniels is a great character. She’s smart, strong, confident but she’s not a cliché. The writer did a good job.
The serial killer is charismatic too. His voice was awesome I had a crush on him.😆 But he would have killed me after hours of torture. This guy can only feels emotions when he kills and tortures people. So… ...more
Narration 5/5
If you enjoy a suspenseful story , with a strong female sergeant , chasing an egomaniac sociopathic serial killer ? Read this book !
I liked it !
Jack(Jacqueline) Daniels is a great character. She’s smart, strong, confident but she’s not a cliché. The writer did a good job.
The serial killer is charismatic too. His voice was awesome I had a crush on him.😆 But he would have killed me after hours of torture. This guy can only feels emotions when he kills and tortures people. So… ...more

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.

Wow! Impressive Crime Thriller!
A small backstory:
Jacqueline Daniels nicknamed "Jack" is a lieutenant in the Chicago PD. Jack and her partner, Herb are on a case of a serial killer that calls himself the "Gingerbread Man". Women are being killed and Jack and Herb cannot figure out how they are all connected, but what becomes eerie for Jack is when the serial killer sets his eyes on her as the killer starts stalking her.
Who is the Gingerbread Man? Does Jack and Herb connect the dots of all the wo ...more
A small backstory:
Jacqueline Daniels nicknamed "Jack" is a lieutenant in the Chicago PD. Jack and her partner, Herb are on a case of a serial killer that calls himself the "Gingerbread Man". Women are being killed and Jack and Herb cannot figure out how they are all connected, but what becomes eerie for Jack is when the serial killer sets his eyes on her as the killer starts stalking her.
Who is the Gingerbread Man? Does Jack and Herb connect the dots of all the wo ...more

This is a 4.5 star read.
A surprisingly great find on Kindle Australia, this is an exceptional murder mystery that kept me riveted to the page. Written in a very "blokey" style, our protagonist, Jack, is a female given more than her fair share of ribbing due to her name. There are amusing moments woven throughout the story and I especially liked the author's and protagonist's obvious disdain for the F.B.I.'s profiling unit. Highly recommended. ...more
A surprisingly great find on Kindle Australia, this is an exceptional murder mystery that kept me riveted to the page. Written in a very "blokey" style, our protagonist, Jack, is a female given more than her fair share of ribbing due to her name. There are amusing moments woven throughout the story and I especially liked the author's and protagonist's obvious disdain for the F.B.I.'s profiling unit. Highly recommended. ...more

'Whiskey Sour' by J.A. Konrath is a muscular mystery, Book One in a series. There is a huge current of cynical dark humor throughout the story, and it is omnipresent in almost every character. In my opinion, while the humor inserts a common tone to the book and it is very entertaining, too many characters possess this single voice. The exceptions, the psychopath serial killer and the FBI, have extreme voices as well, so it would be fair to say this writer is not nuanced.
'Whiskey Sour' is not ov ...more
'Whiskey Sour' is not ov ...more

I can't believe I waited so long to start this series. This was my kind of book. I loved the character of Jack, being both flawed and funny. The book was fast paced and easy to read. The chapters had an alternating POV which I like and the sections written from the Gingerbread Man were tense and suspenseful. I can't wait to read the next book in the series.
...more

Aug 05, 2012
Derrick
rated it
it was amazing
Recommends it for:
People who like tough chicks, police procedurals, or thrillers
Five Stars for what it is: A fine, fast-reading hard-boiled pulp detective novel starring a tough female cop.
Jacqueline "Jack" Daniels is a 40-something Detective Lieutanant in Chicago's Violent Crimes unit. She has a hard time with relationships, can't sleep, holds her own in a bar fight, and works herself to the bone. Fans of Kinsey Milhone and her compatriots will recognize Jack. The supporting cast are a bit cardboard, but that's to be expected. You have the goofy FBI agents, the overweight ...more
Jacqueline "Jack" Daniels is a 40-something Detective Lieutanant in Chicago's Violent Crimes unit. She has a hard time with relationships, can't sleep, holds her own in a bar fight, and works herself to the bone. Fans of Kinsey Milhone and her compatriots will recognize Jack. The supporting cast are a bit cardboard, but that's to be expected. You have the goofy FBI agents, the overweight ...more

Book Club Selection for the J.D. Robb group.
Another wonderful "new to me" detective discovery. I very much like "Jack" Daniels. She's got a great attitude and sense of humor. It was an interesting format going back and forth from Jack's to the killer's POV. At one point, it was gritty and dark and violent, and, then, we're back to Jack's pov which is at turns detecting and police procedural and then also action and comedy.
I can't wait to move on in the books. ...more
Another wonderful "new to me" detective discovery. I very much like "Jack" Daniels. She's got a great attitude and sense of humor. It was an interesting format going back and forth from Jack's to the killer's POV. At one point, it was gritty and dark and violent, and, then, we're back to Jack's pov which is at turns detecting and police procedural and then also action and comedy.
I can't wait to move on in the books. ...more

I had shifted the focus from thrillers and after a stuttering start with experimenting with Fantasy books, I came to the conclusion that maybe I should halve my reading time and do other things. I mean if the biggest names in the genre were not doing much for me, maybe thrillers or Fantasy are simply not my cup of tea.
Despite all this, I had a hunch that Whiskey Sour would be a good enough read. See, I've been a visitor to J.A. Konrath's blog, and I thought, if he could devote his lampooning a ...more
Despite all this, I had a hunch that Whiskey Sour would be a good enough read. See, I've been a visitor to J.A. Konrath's blog, and I thought, if he could devote his lampooning a ...more

Dec 30, 2016
La Tonya Jordan
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Mystery Lovers
Recommended to La Tonya by:
Mystery Book Club Carmel, IN
Shelves:
good-read
Jack Daniels is short for Jacqueline. Lieutenant Jack Daniels is chasing a serial killer by the name of "The Gingerbread Man". His murders are becoming more deadly and sadistic at each turn. The entire Chicago Police Department is looking for him as well as the feds.
Lieutenant Jack Daniels and her partner Detective Herb Benedict are following up each lead with precise. But, "The Gingerbread Man" starts to have an obsession with killing Jack and will stop at nothing to make sure she dies with pa ...more
Lieutenant Jack Daniels and her partner Detective Herb Benedict are following up each lead with precise. But, "The Gingerbread Man" starts to have an obsession with killing Jack and will stop at nothing to make sure she dies with pa ...more

WHISKEY SOUR (Police Procedural-Chicago-Cont) – VG
Konrath, J.A. – 1st in series
Hyperion, 2004- Hardcover
Lt. "Jack," short for Jacqueline, Daniels can't seem to sustain a relationship. Her partner, Herb, will eat anything, anytime. Together, they are on the hunt for "The Gingerbread Man," a serial killer who tortures women before killing them. Oh, and the FBI profilers think it's a hunchback who likes horses.
*** This was great! The characters are marvelous, the dialogue is crisp and funny, and ye ...more
Konrath, J.A. – 1st in series
Hyperion, 2004- Hardcover
Lt. "Jack," short for Jacqueline, Daniels can't seem to sustain a relationship. Her partner, Herb, will eat anything, anytime. Together, they are on the hunt for "The Gingerbread Man," a serial killer who tortures women before killing them. Oh, and the FBI profilers think it's a hunchback who likes horses.
*** This was great! The characters are marvelous, the dialogue is crisp and funny, and ye ...more

I gave this 4 stars, although it's probably only a 3 star book. It's an entertaining thriller - serial killer tracked by Lt. Jack Daniels, a cop. She's as tough & gritty as any I've read about. The action scenes are well done, dialogue is good & the plot is ample.
I gave this book an extra star because I got it for free from Konrath's site:
http://www.jakonrath.com
I think that's a great way to introduce a series. I've already bought the next 2 books & they're on their way, so the freebie got the ...more
I gave this book an extra star because I got it for free from Konrath's site:
http://www.jakonrath.com
I think that's a great way to introduce a series. I've already bought the next 2 books & they're on their way, so the freebie got the ...more

This book was not light and funny as I expected it to be. It had some humor, mostly funny banter, but it was also more graphic and gory than I expected it to be. The parts told from the perspective of the killer were a bit much at times. If you have difficulty reading anything with abuse, torture, animal and child abuse/torture, murder, sexual assault, etc, then you want to avoid this one.
The story was decent and I enjoyed the characters of Jack and Herb. Harry drove me crazy, as I guess he's s ...more
The story was decent and I enjoyed the characters of Jack and Herb. Harry drove me crazy, as I guess he's s ...more

"A potent mix"
That's the thing with a Jack Daniels; one can lead to several when they're so easy to digest. I could imagine myself finishing the series in a few sessions. All the ingredients are here. A rich mix of characters on the right side of the law. A sick psychopath to rival any villain in modern literature. Everything is laced with acid sharp dialogue and irreverent humour. Sit back and let the concoction tickle your taste buds. It's not an award-winning red wine of a book perhaps, but i ...more
That's the thing with a Jack Daniels; one can lead to several when they're so easy to digest. I could imagine myself finishing the series in a few sessions. All the ingredients are here. A rich mix of characters on the right side of the law. A sick psychopath to rival any villain in modern literature. Everything is laced with acid sharp dialogue and irreverent humour. Sit back and let the concoction tickle your taste buds. It's not an award-winning red wine of a book perhaps, but i ...more

It was good. A little cookie cutter when it came to the villian but he was one sick puppy. Jack and her partner were done very well. I liked how flawed they both were but how supportive of each other they were. Friends and allies. I liked the angle of having Jacks mother having been a cop who worked her way up the ladder in a male job as well. It's a series that took me a little by surprise and one I am looking forward to fallowing.
...more

This is the first book of this series. it was good but I've read them out of order these books really need to be read in order due to the same character in them.
...more

This is the debut of a substantial series by J. A. Konrath featuring a female Chicago police lieutenant, Violent Crimes division, named Jack Daniels. She's in her mid-forties, rarely hears her birth name Jacqueline, and has been solitary for years after a failed marriage; she's also highly intelligent, obviously competent, matter-of-fact, and virtually married to her job with only occasional forays into a pool hall. I think her first-person narration of systematic police procedure, with a bit of
...more

Such a fun mystery book!
Whiskey Sour has always been on my mind. Every time I scrolled through KU books. Never had the guys to take the toe dip into the book until now. Let me tell you, I wasn't disappointed one bit. Ever since I met Jacqueline, I was in love. It also doesn't hurt that I like Whiskey either..
The mystery was what kept me alive. I was exhausted when I dove into this and it somehow woke me up (even after having a cup of coffee).
BRB gotta jet home and then I will finish the review. ...more
Whiskey Sour has always been on my mind. Every time I scrolled through KU books. Never had the guys to take the toe dip into the book until now. Let me tell you, I wasn't disappointed one bit. Ever since I met Jacqueline, I was in love. It also doesn't hurt that I like Whiskey either..
The mystery was what kept me alive. I was exhausted when I dove into this and it somehow woke me up (even after having a cup of coffee).
BRB gotta jet home and then I will finish the review. ...more

Solid, cornerstone-of-the-genre detective novel. There's nothing new under the sun in this book; Whiskey Sour is your stereotypical crime cocktail with all the expected ingredients: troubled cop, alcohol, slew of hacked up bodies, alcohol, groan worthy puns, alcohol, two dimensional characters, and comedic relief partner. And alcohol.
While nothing mind-blowing happens in terms of plot and twists, the familiar tropes are comfortable and entertaining. I'd consider reading the next book in the ser ...more
While nothing mind-blowing happens in terms of plot and twists, the familiar tropes are comfortable and entertaining. I'd consider reading the next book in the ser ...more

Whiskey Sour
4 Stars
Lieutenant Jacqueline “Jack” Daniels (yes, yes that’s her name), is a seasoned Chicago detective investigating a series of horrific murders of young women committed by a killer calling himself the Gingerbread Man. Once Jack takes over the case, the killer becomes obsessed with her and things become a lot more personal.
***Beware: short rant ahead***
The only strike against this book is the derisive and dismissive attitude toward the FBI. Whether the author likes it or not (and h ...more
4 Stars
Lieutenant Jacqueline “Jack” Daniels (yes, yes that’s her name), is a seasoned Chicago detective investigating a series of horrific murders of young women committed by a killer calling himself the Gingerbread Man. Once Jack takes over the case, the killer becomes obsessed with her and things become a lot more personal.
***Beware: short rant ahead***
The only strike against this book is the derisive and dismissive attitude toward the FBI. Whether the author likes it or not (and h ...more

Book 1 of Jacqueline "Jack" Daniels series
I kind of went all-in on Konrath before really reading anything beyond his short stories. While I currently have fourteen of his novels already purchased and on my To Be Read list, this is really the first one I read. Yes, technically I did read AFRAID but he wrote that as Jack Kilborn, his not-so-secret pen name. Kilborn is supposed to author the scarier novels while Konrath writes everything else. Or at least that's how I understand it. Anyway, WHISKEY ...more
I kind of went all-in on Konrath before really reading anything beyond his short stories. While I currently have fourteen of his novels already purchased and on my To Be Read list, this is really the first one I read. Yes, technically I did read AFRAID but he wrote that as Jack Kilborn, his not-so-secret pen name. Kilborn is supposed to author the scarier novels while Konrath writes everything else. Or at least that's how I understand it. Anyway, WHISKEY ...more

Nov 21, 2014
Lisa Kay
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Recommended to Lisa Kay by:
Rebecca NJ
★★★★✩ (This is a review of the audiobook.) Nicely narrated by Susie Breck (female voices) and Dick Hill (male voices). I liked this method, as it worked well with the book, since we get the female detective's first person POV and the villain's thoughts. The psycho was a little too sick for me, so I skim-read some of those chapters instead of listening; however, I'll continue with the series. Fast listen and well paced. It kept me up until the wee hours reading and listening.
...more
topics | posts | views | last activity | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Play Book Tag: Whiskey Sour by J.A. Konrath - 4* (Poll Ballet Tally) | 2 | 14 | Jan 20, 2020 06:57PM | |
YA Buddy Readers'...: Whiskey Sour, by J.A. Konrath - starting May 15th, 2018 | 9 | 17 | May 31, 2018 02:10PM | |
Challenge Corner: Whiskey Sour, by J.A. Konrath - starting May 15th, 2018 | 3 | 4 | May 23, 2018 02:29PM | |
Goodreads Librari...: 9781401300876 | 4 | 32 | Sep 19, 2012 07:00PM | |
Action/Adventure ...: January Group Read: Whiskey Sour | 89 | 41 | Jan 14, 2012 10:59AM |
Joe Konrath has written over a dozen novels in the Lt. Jacqueline "Jack" Daniels thriller series. They do not have to be read chronologically to be enjoyed, but the order is: Whiskey Sour, Bloody Mary, Rusty Nail, Dirty Martini, Fuzzy Navel, Cherry Bomb, Shaken, Stirred, Rum Runner, Last Call, White Russian, Shot Girl, and Chaser. More coming soon.
If you love Jack Daniels and her cast of supportin ...more
If you love Jack Daniels and her cast of supportin ...more
Other books in the series
Jacqueline "Jack" Daniels Thrillers
(1 - 10 of 16 books)
News & Interviews
Here’s a challenge: Before you scroll down, make a mental list of what you think are the biggest books of the past decade, in terms of...
5 likes · 3 comments
No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »
“Sorry to hear about your Dad."
He shrugged. "He was seventy, and we always told him fast food would kill him."
"Heart attack?"
"He was hit by a Pizza Express truck.”
—
29 likes
He shrugged. "He was seventy, and we always told him fast food would kill him."
"Heart attack?"
"He was hit by a Pizza Express truck.”
“I wish I was like that. More carefree."
"Anyone can be. People aren't carved out of marble. We're all works in progress. The trick is to define ourselves, rather than let outside influences define us.”
—
9 likes
More quotes…
"Anyone can be. People aren't carved out of marble. We're all works in progress. The trick is to define ourselves, rather than let outside influences define us.”