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Earl Town #2
Killing Influence
PI Earl Town returns in Killing Influence.
Two vivacious social media stars die just days apart. Both worked for Boom Productions, a self-described “arms dealer in the platform wars”—they create online content that generates billions of clicks. The timing of the seemingly unsuspicious deaths worries an aging mafia don whose granddaughter is a standout among Boom’s talent stable, so he hires PI Earl Town to investigate and Earl soon finds himself looking for clues among self-absorbed social media starlets, their fanatical parents, young social media entrepreneurs, rock stars, and gangsters.
The sleuth finds a potential ally in a hard-nosed police detective assigned to the deaths. But it sure would help if Earl could remember just what he and she got up to on their first meeting at a boozy New Year’s Eve bash a few months prior. Then an old lawyer friend ropes Earl into looking for a dancer who disappeared while on the verge of a large payout. Working two cases is a problem when Earl’s clients are paying for his full attention, but issues magnify when the granddaughter is put in harm’s way and the don assigns his wet-behind-the-ears grandson to shadow Earl’s every move. The kid seems a simple-minded doofus at first, but Earl gradually comes to realize the heir didn’t fall far from the sociopathic family tree. Keeping his associate from killing witnesses, or being killed by them, adds to Earl’s burden as he uncovers a blackmail plot and races to prevent a killer from escaping justice.
A gripping mystery, Killing Influence is also a story of power and persuasion, loyalty and betrayal, and, of course, la familia.
Two vivacious social media stars die just days apart. Both worked for Boom Productions, a self-described “arms dealer in the platform wars”—they create online content that generates billions of clicks. The timing of the seemingly unsuspicious deaths worries an aging mafia don whose granddaughter is a standout among Boom’s talent stable, so he hires PI Earl Town to investigate and Earl soon finds himself looking for clues among self-absorbed social media starlets, their fanatical parents, young social media entrepreneurs, rock stars, and gangsters.
The sleuth finds a potential ally in a hard-nosed police detective assigned to the deaths. But it sure would help if Earl could remember just what he and she got up to on their first meeting at a boozy New Year’s Eve bash a few months prior. Then an old lawyer friend ropes Earl into looking for a dancer who disappeared while on the verge of a large payout. Working two cases is a problem when Earl’s clients are paying for his full attention, but issues magnify when the granddaughter is put in harm’s way and the don assigns his wet-behind-the-ears grandson to shadow Earl’s every move. The kid seems a simple-minded doofus at first, but Earl gradually comes to realize the heir didn’t fall far from the sociopathic family tree. Keeping his associate from killing witnesses, or being killed by them, adds to Earl’s burden as he uncovers a blackmail plot and races to prevent a killer from escaping justice.
A gripping mystery, Killing Influence is also a story of power and persuasion, loyalty and betrayal, and, of course, la familia.
267 pages, Paperback
First published January 23, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
May 29, 2020
Book Reviewed on www.whisperingstories.com
Private Investigator Earl Town is asked to look into the deaths of two social media stars by a Mafia Don as their deaths seem suspicious to him and they were both represented by the same firm, Boom Productions, that represents his granddaughter and he’s worried for her safety.
Earl is out of his league with all these social media starlets, computers, internet, etc as he’s very old school but if he wants to get paid he has to keep digging.
Killing Influence is the second book in the Earl Town Series. I haven’t read the first and whilst I believe it can be read as a standalone, this is only the case if you don’t mind not knowing Earl’s backstory or much about him.
The writing took some getting used to as it is told from Earl’s point of view and reads like an old detective television series where the detective narrates everything that is happening and his thoughts on every little aspect of what is going on in his head. He’s very sarcastic and often opens his mouth before he engages his brain, but this worked for him and the book.
The plot was bang up to date given that it involved the world of social media and the darker side of it. It was refreshing to actually see a detective struggle rather than have all the answers all the time and need help from others with some of his investigations.
The storyline is filled with mystery which is what I would expect from a PI novel and it was intriguing to watch the pieces of the puzzle come together. If you enjoy private detective novels then I would recommend this book to you.
Private Investigator Earl Town is asked to look into the deaths of two social media stars by a Mafia Don as their deaths seem suspicious to him and they were both represented by the same firm, Boom Productions, that represents his granddaughter and he’s worried for her safety.
Earl is out of his league with all these social media starlets, computers, internet, etc as he’s very old school but if he wants to get paid he has to keep digging.
Killing Influence is the second book in the Earl Town Series. I haven’t read the first and whilst I believe it can be read as a standalone, this is only the case if you don’t mind not knowing Earl’s backstory or much about him.
The writing took some getting used to as it is told from Earl’s point of view and reads like an old detective television series where the detective narrates everything that is happening and his thoughts on every little aspect of what is going on in his head. He’s very sarcastic and often opens his mouth before he engages his brain, but this worked for him and the book.
The plot was bang up to date given that it involved the world of social media and the darker side of it. It was refreshing to actually see a detective struggle rather than have all the answers all the time and need help from others with some of his investigations.
The storyline is filled with mystery which is what I would expect from a PI novel and it was intriguing to watch the pieces of the puzzle come together. If you enjoy private detective novels then I would recommend this book to you.
March 25, 2020
Wow...
I finished the book in one day. I couldn't put it down. Just the right combination of humor and suspense. Very well done.
I finished the book in one day. I couldn't put it down. Just the right combination of humor and suspense. Very well done.
March 10, 2020
I won this kindle version on Goodreads. Interesting story line, good dialogue, plenty of action, GREAT twist at the end. I didn't read the first book in the series, so I was a little lost with Earl Town's situation at times, probably missed some of the backstory coverage. FBI interaction with local police and Town didn't seem quite right, but that could have been based on agents I knew and how they operated versus the Robert Mueller director's newer crop of agents.
March 3, 2020
Goodreads Kindle Copy Win
When two social media stars suddenly die, days apart a mafia don worries that all is not all as it seems. He worries that his granddaughter who also uses the same promo company will end up in the same situation as he hires a PI to investigate.
The PI teams up with a hardnosed female detective who is assigned to the murder cases. Er case with a Toss in a missing dancer that will keep him busy as he tries to uncover clues. As the granddaughter’s life becomes endangered the don assigns his newbie grandson to shadow the PI moves. He appears simple minded at first but as the more time shows his sociopath side starts coming out.
A rather uneven read that left me uneven.
When two social media stars suddenly die, days apart a mafia don worries that all is not all as it seems. He worries that his granddaughter who also uses the same promo company will end up in the same situation as he hires a PI to investigate.
The PI teams up with a hardnosed female detective who is assigned to the murder cases. Er case with a Toss in a missing dancer that will keep him busy as he tries to uncover clues. As the granddaughter’s life becomes endangered the don assigns his newbie grandson to shadow the PI moves. He appears simple minded at first but as the more time shows his sociopath side starts coming out.
A rather uneven read that left me uneven.
April 26, 2022
Killing Influence
Really good read. Like Earl Town and his wild adventures. The story is a non stop convoluted mystery that makes you wonder. Then it all comes together and he gets the job done.
Really good read. Like Earl Town and his wild adventures. The story is a non stop convoluted mystery that makes you wonder. Then it all comes together and he gets the job done.
January 18, 2021
Great series
I sure hope to read more of Town's exploits. Good writing and great characters. I loved both books. Keep them coming.
I sure hope to read more of Town's exploits. Good writing and great characters. I loved both books. Keep them coming.
November 2, 2021
Pretty good story. Same hero, new problems. The pace is good. This is not a classic, but a good read.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews