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Colleen Hayes #2
Tie Die
Back in London’s swinging '60s, Steve Cook was teen idol number one. But that changed when a sixteen-year-old fan was found dead in his hotel room bed. Steve’s career came to a crashing halt after he was dumped by his record company and arrested. Now, in 1978 San Francisco, Steve works construction, still dreaming of a comeback. Until his eleven-year-old daughter is kidnapped. Steve turns to one person for help: Colleen Hayes. She was quite a fan herself, back in the day. And she knows what it’s like to be on the wrong side of the law and live in judgment for the rest of your life. It doesn’t take Colleen long to realize something fishy is going on with the kidnapping of Melanie Cook. What transpires is a harrowing journey through a music industry rife with corruption and crime. Colleen’s search takes her through San Francisco’s underbelly and all the way to '70s London, where she discovers a thread leading back to the death of a forgotten fan in Steve’s hotel room.
320 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 16, 2020
52 people are currently reading
1916 people want to read
About the author
Max Tomlinson
13 books196 followersBorn in the wilds of San Francisco, with its rich literary history and public transport system teeming with potential characters suitable for crime novels, it was inevitable that Max Tomlinson would become a writer.
He is also kindred spirits with a dog named Floyd, a shelter-mix who stops and stares at headlights as they pass by at night. There's a story there, too. If only Floyd could talk. Then again, maybe not.
His work to date includes SENDERO (listed as one of the top 100 Indie novels of 2012 by Kirkus), WHO SINGS TO THE DEAD, LETHAL DISPATCH, THE CAIN FILE (selected by Amazon’s Kindle Scout program) and the follow-up – THE DARKNET FILE. A new three-book mystery series set in 1970s San Francisco debuted in 2019 with Oceanview Publishing. The first book, VANISHING IN THE HAIGHT, features ex-con Colleen Hayes, on the hunt for her long-lost daughter. TIE DIE, book #2, releases August 2020.
Max also writes under the pen name “Max Radin” when he’s not being purely mysterious or suspenseful. Check out ROCK 'N' ROLL VAMPIRE for his comedy debut.
He is also kindred spirits with a dog named Floyd, a shelter-mix who stops and stares at headlights as they pass by at night. There's a story there, too. If only Floyd could talk. Then again, maybe not.
His work to date includes SENDERO (listed as one of the top 100 Indie novels of 2012 by Kirkus), WHO SINGS TO THE DEAD, LETHAL DISPATCH, THE CAIN FILE (selected by Amazon’s Kindle Scout program) and the follow-up – THE DARKNET FILE. A new three-book mystery series set in 1970s San Francisco debuted in 2019 with Oceanview Publishing. The first book, VANISHING IN THE HAIGHT, features ex-con Colleen Hayes, on the hunt for her long-lost daughter. TIE DIE, book #2, releases August 2020.
Max also writes under the pen name “Max Radin” when he’s not being purely mysterious or suspenseful. Check out ROCK 'N' ROLL VAMPIRE for his comedy debut.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews
June 7, 2023
Colleen Hayes is back in "Tie Die", which takes place not too long after "Vanishing in the Haight". Having been paid well for her work in the previous book, she's moved out of an old warehouse to a living space with all the amenities of an old San Francisco apartment.
Colleen has a new job, helping a former rock 'n roller to deliver the ransom for his kidnapped daughter. The rock 'n roller, Steve Cook, was a rising up the charts eighteen year old, twelve years ago, when a sixteen year old dead girl was found in his bed and he escaped England and legal consequences. Since then Steve has married, become a father, moved to San Francisco, divorced and barely scrapes by financially. Now someone wants $20,000, money he doesn't have, for the safe return of his spoiled brat of a daughter. Colleen had a crush on Steve, from afar, twelve years ago and now she's getting to crush on him in person.
Once again, we are treated to the vehicles, clothing, and music of the 60s and 70s. Colleen is as tough as ever, using all kinds of illegal maneuvers to get her job done but trying not to hurt innocent people along the way. Characters from the last story return and are proof that Colleen knows how to make friends, even if she's led a very hard life. I've gotten attached to Colleen, her humor and her outlook on life, even if I want to cover my eyes when she puts her life on the line, more often than not. Now I need to wait for book #3 so that I can read more about her.
Pub: Sept 8, 2020
Thank you to Oceanview Publishing/Independent Publishers Group and Edelweiss for this ARC.
Colleen has a new job, helping a former rock 'n roller to deliver the ransom for his kidnapped daughter. The rock 'n roller, Steve Cook, was a rising up the charts eighteen year old, twelve years ago, when a sixteen year old dead girl was found in his bed and he escaped England and legal consequences. Since then Steve has married, become a father, moved to San Francisco, divorced and barely scrapes by financially. Now someone wants $20,000, money he doesn't have, for the safe return of his spoiled brat of a daughter. Colleen had a crush on Steve, from afar, twelve years ago and now she's getting to crush on him in person.
Once again, we are treated to the vehicles, clothing, and music of the 60s and 70s. Colleen is as tough as ever, using all kinds of illegal maneuvers to get her job done but trying not to hurt innocent people along the way. Characters from the last story return and are proof that Colleen knows how to make friends, even if she's led a very hard life. I've gotten attached to Colleen, her humor and her outlook on life, even if I want to cover my eyes when she puts her life on the line, more often than not. Now I need to wait for book #3 so that I can read more about her.
Pub: Sept 8, 2020
Thank you to Oceanview Publishing/Independent Publishers Group and Edelweiss for this ARC.
March 27, 2021
3.5 ⭐️
Colleen Hayes (and her alter ego, Carol Aird) is back for more investigating-the old fashioned way!
Before cell phones and the internet, you had pay phones and reading old newspaper articles on the library’s microfiche.
This time, she is hired by Steve Cook, who was a British teen idol on the rise back in 1966, until a 16 year old girl was found nude, and dead in his hotel room bed. Now, living in San Francisco, in 1978, he works construction and doesn’t have the money to pay the ransom when his eleven year old daughter is kidnapped!
His annoying ex wife, Lynda and her father have money but if they provide it, it comes at a price. Lynda is a perfect example of “money cannot buy class” with every other word out of her mouth being an expletive, or a threat of violence.
But, although Steve doesn’t have any money to pay Colleen yet either, she cannot say no to this former rock star who is now calling her “love” or allow his daughter to be held captive. The fact that he just may be flirting with her, doesn’t hurt either and they may or may not even share a Lady Gaga-Bradley Cooper “Shallow” like moment!
Colleen is fearless and savvy, and if you enjoyed book one, you will get more of the same in this installment along with more late 70’s nostalgia!
Waterbeds and Lava Lamps, anyone?
This can be read as a standalone or catch up now before book #3-(Bad Scene) is released in August 2021 and book 4 (Line of Darkness) is released in August 2022!
Colleen Hayes (and her alter ego, Carol Aird) is back for more investigating-the old fashioned way!
Before cell phones and the internet, you had pay phones and reading old newspaper articles on the library’s microfiche.
This time, she is hired by Steve Cook, who was a British teen idol on the rise back in 1966, until a 16 year old girl was found nude, and dead in his hotel room bed. Now, living in San Francisco, in 1978, he works construction and doesn’t have the money to pay the ransom when his eleven year old daughter is kidnapped!
His annoying ex wife, Lynda and her father have money but if they provide it, it comes at a price. Lynda is a perfect example of “money cannot buy class” with every other word out of her mouth being an expletive, or a threat of violence.
But, although Steve doesn’t have any money to pay Colleen yet either, she cannot say no to this former rock star who is now calling her “love” or allow his daughter to be held captive. The fact that he just may be flirting with her, doesn’t hurt either and they may or may not even share a Lady Gaga-Bradley Cooper “Shallow” like moment!
Colleen is fearless and savvy, and if you enjoyed book one, you will get more of the same in this installment along with more late 70’s nostalgia!
Waterbeds and Lava Lamps, anyone?
This can be read as a standalone or catch up now before book #3-(Bad Scene) is released in August 2021 and book 4 (Line of Darkness) is released in August 2022!
September 4, 2020
Colleen Hayes is back, and even more of a badass than I previously thought!
The year is still 1978, and Colleen finally has some money to rent a legitimate apartment. A man named Steve Cook gets ahold of her when his 11-year old daughter is kidnapped. Steve was the lead singer of a popular band in London in the 60’s, and has his own reasons for going to a PI for help, as opposed to the police. Despite the fact that she’s still waiting for her PI License, Colleen takes the case...but soon realizes there are many fishy elements that don’t add up. She also realizes what a dangerous situation she’s gotten herself into.
I loved reading this back to back with THE VANISHING IN THE HAIGHT (the first Colleen Hayes mystery), and loved seeing the returning characters, as well as some new ones. Colleen is a tough cookie with a heart of gold. Everything I love about the first one is still relevant here: old school detective work, intriguing and suspenseful story, wonderfully written characters, atmospheric reading. I could go on and on...but I’ll try not to.
It’s gritty and feels real...definitely not a warm and cozy story. I appreciate the humor that comes through in Colleen’s thoughts, and out loud. Ugh, I just love everything about this series.
I’m (im)patiently awaiting book three in the series!
The year is still 1978, and Colleen finally has some money to rent a legitimate apartment. A man named Steve Cook gets ahold of her when his 11-year old daughter is kidnapped. Steve was the lead singer of a popular band in London in the 60’s, and has his own reasons for going to a PI for help, as opposed to the police. Despite the fact that she’s still waiting for her PI License, Colleen takes the case...but soon realizes there are many fishy elements that don’t add up. She also realizes what a dangerous situation she’s gotten herself into.
I loved reading this back to back with THE VANISHING IN THE HAIGHT (the first Colleen Hayes mystery), and loved seeing the returning characters, as well as some new ones. Colleen is a tough cookie with a heart of gold. Everything I love about the first one is still relevant here: old school detective work, intriguing and suspenseful story, wonderfully written characters, atmospheric reading. I could go on and on...but I’ll try not to.
It’s gritty and feels real...definitely not a warm and cozy story. I appreciate the humor that comes through in Colleen’s thoughts, and out loud. Ugh, I just love everything about this series.
I’m (im)patiently awaiting book three in the series!
September 21, 2020
3.5 stars
Steve Cook was on his way to fame, fortune, and a lifestyle he couldn't even imagine as lead singer and composer of his group, However the dream is soon to end when a naked sixteen year old was found dead in his bed. This occurrence happened in the sixties and Steve fled, finding himself in the seventies in California, working in construction and still dreaming of the day he will achieve his heart's desire. Then the horrible happens and his daughter is abducted and a ransom is demanded.
To the rescue comes Colleen Hayes, no neophyte when it comes to the dark side of human nature, herself having served time for the murder of her husband. Colleen is smart, tenacious and is hot on the trail of both the kidnappers and the reason behind the abduction.
Things move along and there is a huge deception put forth by Steve's ex wife and her father. Then things take a very sinister turn and Colleen must once again figure out the devious plan and path of the kidnapper, all with being attracted to Steve.
This was a fine story, a bit convoluted at times, but a quick and easy read.
Thank you to Max Tomlinson, Oceanview Publishing, and Net Galley for a copy of this book
Steve Cook was on his way to fame, fortune, and a lifestyle he couldn't even imagine as lead singer and composer of his group, However the dream is soon to end when a naked sixteen year old was found dead in his bed. This occurrence happened in the sixties and Steve fled, finding himself in the seventies in California, working in construction and still dreaming of the day he will achieve his heart's desire. Then the horrible happens and his daughter is abducted and a ransom is demanded.
To the rescue comes Colleen Hayes, no neophyte when it comes to the dark side of human nature, herself having served time for the murder of her husband. Colleen is smart, tenacious and is hot on the trail of both the kidnappers and the reason behind the abduction.
Things move along and there is a huge deception put forth by Steve's ex wife and her father. Then things take a very sinister turn and Colleen must once again figure out the devious plan and path of the kidnapper, all with being attracted to Steve.
This was a fine story, a bit convoluted at times, but a quick and easy read.
Thank you to Max Tomlinson, Oceanview Publishing, and Net Galley for a copy of this book
June 25, 2020
Sex, booze and rock ‘n roll.
It’s 1966, London, and 18 year old Steve Cook is riding the wave of stardom as the lead singer of a hot new band. Until a dead girl is found in his hotel room one morning after a gig. Steve is still drunk and cannot remember even going to bed the night before. He is still only a person of interest, not a murder suspect, but he flees the country regardless, his music career in tatters
Fast forward to 1978, Steve is living in San Francisco and his daughter has just been kidnapped. He contacts Colleen Hayes, a private investigator, to find her. Colleen has a troubled past of her own. Pregnant and married at 16, she killed her husband 8 years later for abusing their daughter. After spending 9 years in prison she is now the sole owner and operator of Hayes Confidential (her PI agency). Steve gets a ransom demand but Colleen’s years in prison have taught her a lot. She believes something about the whole set-up smells fishy. She might be right! Then things get very complicated very quickly.
This was a fun trip down memory lane. How quickly you forget there was a time before mobile (cell) phones and the internet. So there are no google searches to help Colleen. She must do things the old-fashioned way. The first half of the book was a bit pedestrian. I really enjoyed the second half though where things got dicey for both Colleen and Steve and where old secrets and enemies are unearthed to throw a dark pall over the present. I also really liked Colleen’s character, she is tough and fearless. I suppose hard time will do that to you. If the author starts the next book like he finished this one he will be onto a winner. 3 ½ stars rounded to 3.
It’s 1966, London, and 18 year old Steve Cook is riding the wave of stardom as the lead singer of a hot new band. Until a dead girl is found in his hotel room one morning after a gig. Steve is still drunk and cannot remember even going to bed the night before. He is still only a person of interest, not a murder suspect, but he flees the country regardless, his music career in tatters
Fast forward to 1978, Steve is living in San Francisco and his daughter has just been kidnapped. He contacts Colleen Hayes, a private investigator, to find her. Colleen has a troubled past of her own. Pregnant and married at 16, she killed her husband 8 years later for abusing their daughter. After spending 9 years in prison she is now the sole owner and operator of Hayes Confidential (her PI agency). Steve gets a ransom demand but Colleen’s years in prison have taught her a lot. She believes something about the whole set-up smells fishy. She might be right! Then things get very complicated very quickly.
This was a fun trip down memory lane. How quickly you forget there was a time before mobile (cell) phones and the internet. So there are no google searches to help Colleen. She must do things the old-fashioned way. The first half of the book was a bit pedestrian. I really enjoyed the second half though where things got dicey for both Colleen and Steve and where old secrets and enemies are unearthed to throw a dark pall over the present. I also really liked Colleen’s character, she is tough and fearless. I suppose hard time will do that to you. If the author starts the next book like he finished this one he will be onto a winner. 3 ½ stars rounded to 3.
November 9, 2020
For those of us who were too young to experience adult life in the late 1970s, setting a series in San Francisco during this time period has a nice sense of nostalgia. I enjoyed the author’s first book in his Colleen Hayes mystery series (Vanishing in the Haight). I found private detective Colleen Hayes a very appealing and complicated character and was looking forward to the next book in the series. Tie Die, book #2, did not disappoint. Once again, Colleen uses her incredible street smarts to help her client.
Steve Cook, a rock star from the mid 60’s London music scene is now living in San Francisco. His once thriving career was cut short after a young fan was found dead in his hotel room after one of his concerts. While periodically singing in a dive bar, Steve’s days of glory are long gone. Now divorced, his eleven year old daughter has been kidnapped and he needs help but doesn’t want the police involved. Unlicensed PI Colleen, with an interesting backstory herself, is brought in to find his daughter. Turns out Colleen had been a big fan of Steve’s and had harbored a big crush on the former star. And this is not an ordinary abduction case.
Tie Die is a good, old-fashioned style mystery which is authentic to the time period. Fast-paced and enjoyable from start to finish. You can read this book as a standalone but go back and read the first book too. Happy to have discovered the author and this series.
Many thanks to Edelweiss, Oceanview Publishing and author Max Tomlinson for a copy of this atmospheric, gripping book.
Rated 4.25 stars.
Review posted on MicheleReader.com.
Steve Cook, a rock star from the mid 60’s London music scene is now living in San Francisco. His once thriving career was cut short after a young fan was found dead in his hotel room after one of his concerts. While periodically singing in a dive bar, Steve’s days of glory are long gone. Now divorced, his eleven year old daughter has been kidnapped and he needs help but doesn’t want the police involved. Unlicensed PI Colleen, with an interesting backstory herself, is brought in to find his daughter. Turns out Colleen had been a big fan of Steve’s and had harbored a big crush on the former star. And this is not an ordinary abduction case.
Tie Die is a good, old-fashioned style mystery which is authentic to the time period. Fast-paced and enjoyable from start to finish. You can read this book as a standalone but go back and read the first book too. Happy to have discovered the author and this series.
Many thanks to Edelweiss, Oceanview Publishing and author Max Tomlinson for a copy of this atmospheric, gripping book.
Rated 4.25 stars.
Review posted on MicheleReader.com.
May 2, 2020
This is my favorite kind of mystery - crackling with action right out of the gate, with a literal rock star main character. Steve Cook is a character I liked immediately, and so is unlicensed PI Colleen Hayes. I loved the 70s San Francisco backdrop. This book was clearly written by someone who knows San Francisco rather than someone who just read a lot about the era.
Colleen is a great character and I had a lot of fun reading a gritty Virginia Slim-smoking female PI novel set in SF in the 70s with a fun sense of humor about itself. (A random of $20,000 is described as “twice what most people make in a year.”) Having worked in criminal law in SF myself (though not in the 70s) I was very pleased that this book felt very authentic as well as fun. All the right elements are here at the right times: kidnapping, sex, murder, the hero who might be the killer...and yet it’s not predictable.
If you like your crime novels dark and hard boiled and full of action, but also with a sense of humor, this is a great little find. Tomlinson’s book masters the hard boiled 70s detective style without ever feeling forced. You can tell he had as much fun writing it as I had reading it. will definitely be reading more Max Tomlinson books. 4.5 stars rounded up to 5!
Thanks to NetGalley, Max Tomlinson and Oceanview Publishing for this fun read. I will read more of Colleen Hayes!
Colleen is a great character and I had a lot of fun reading a gritty Virginia Slim-smoking female PI novel set in SF in the 70s with a fun sense of humor about itself. (A random of $20,000 is described as “twice what most people make in a year.”) Having worked in criminal law in SF myself (though not in the 70s) I was very pleased that this book felt very authentic as well as fun. All the right elements are here at the right times: kidnapping, sex, murder, the hero who might be the killer...and yet it’s not predictable.
If you like your crime novels dark and hard boiled and full of action, but also with a sense of humor, this is a great little find. Tomlinson’s book masters the hard boiled 70s detective style without ever feeling forced. You can tell he had as much fun writing it as I had reading it. will definitely be reading more Max Tomlinson books. 4.5 stars rounded up to 5!
Thanks to NetGalley, Max Tomlinson and Oceanview Publishing for this fun read. I will read more of Colleen Hayes!
October 27, 2022
Tie Die, the second novel in Tomlinson's Colleen Hayes private eye series, again links a murder from the Sixties with current events in 1978, the time of the story, and is set primarily in San Francisco. Hayes, as you might recall, is an unlicensed investigator out on parole for killing her child molester husband with a screwdriver. She is not your usual private eye, particularly since she doesn't where a fedora.
This one starts with brilliant cover art and opens with a scene gone wrong out of swinging London and a rockstar on the run after finding an underage naked corpse in his hotel bed and no ideas about what happened after the concert the night before. Quickly, the story segues to San Francisco and that singer on the run is now facing another crisis - his daughter has been kidnapped. Hayes steps up to handle the ransom handover, which all goes horribly south.
Tomlinson once again dies a masterful job of bringing to life the unique character of Colleen Hayes and her dogged determination to do the right thing.
This one starts with brilliant cover art and opens with a scene gone wrong out of swinging London and a rockstar on the run after finding an underage naked corpse in his hotel bed and no ideas about what happened after the concert the night before. Quickly, the story segues to San Francisco and that singer on the run is now facing another crisis - his daughter has been kidnapped. Hayes steps up to handle the ransom handover, which all goes horribly south.
Tomlinson once again dies a masterful job of bringing to life the unique character of Colleen Hayes and her dogged determination to do the right thing.
July 16, 2020
This was a great romp! Beginning in the 60's rock-n-roll singer Steve has plenty of fans and a voice of gold. But when a young groupie ends up dead in his bed, he flees believing his life is over. Fast forward to 1968 and his ex-wife tells him their young daughter Melanie has been kidnapped and he must pay $20,000 to get her back so he hires Colleen an investigator he finds. But little does he know that she's an ex-con and a take-no-prisoners kind of sleuth who will stop at nothing to help him, recover Melanie, and find out the truth as things go awry. Of course things get dicey and there are many puzzles to solve but Colleen is hell-bent on getting to the bottom of this scandal. I eagerly await the next book in this series!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!
June 18, 2020
To begin with, I wondered if this would be a DNF (did not finish) for me. Why? The choppy writing style drove me to distraction.
A knock on the door. Answered it. Sat down. Not a direct quote, but that type of thing.
Thankfully, once I settled into the story, it became less noticeable.
Colleen Hayes is one of my all-time favourite heroines. Although this is the first book I've read in the series, I believe it can be read as a standalone. With that said, I'm looking forward to backtracking to find out more about our heroine.
Steve's story was compelling, as was Colleen's amateur sleuthing. There was only one instant I questioned, and that was her need to find out what Steve had done all those years ago when his ex just had a rant stating as much...in Colleen's presence.
Minor quibbles aside, I loved the era this story was set in. The '70s. The mention of a teen idol from that time, Leif Garret, brought back memories.
If you enjoy a good mystery with leading characters you'll be rooting for, you can't go wrong here.
Copy provided by the publisher, Ocean Publishing, via NetGalley
A knock on the door. Answered it. Sat down. Not a direct quote, but that type of thing.
Thankfully, once I settled into the story, it became less noticeable.
Colleen Hayes is one of my all-time favourite heroines. Although this is the first book I've read in the series, I believe it can be read as a standalone. With that said, I'm looking forward to backtracking to find out more about our heroine.
Steve's story was compelling, as was Colleen's amateur sleuthing. There was only one instant I questioned, and that was her need to find out what Steve had done all those years ago when his ex just had a rant stating as much...in Colleen's presence.
Minor quibbles aside, I loved the era this story was set in. The '70s. The mention of a teen idol from that time, Leif Garret, brought back memories.
If you enjoy a good mystery with leading characters you'll be rooting for, you can't go wrong here.
Copy provided by the publisher, Ocean Publishing, via NetGalley
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July 2, 2020It doesn’t get much better than this if you’re looking for a classic summer page-turner. Max Tomlinson’s Tie Die (Oceanview) hits all the right notes as a fast-paced thriller with high stakes and explosive action, each red herring or next reveal perfectly timed to keep the reader rapt.
Read our full review here:
https://booktrib.com/2020/06/search-f...
Read our full review here:
https://booktrib.com/2020/06/search-f...
October 24, 2020
Terrific follow up to the debut novel about 70's private detective Colleen Hayes, one of my favorite new protagonists. Here, Colleen helps out a former famous 60s British rock n roll star after his daughter is kidnapped. Great depth to this one, love Max Tomlinson's writing style! Can't wait for the next chapter.
October 30, 2020
We are back in time, to the 1960s-1970s - a perfect picture of that world as it were. The songs, the cars, the burnt-orange kitchens, 501 Levis, thirty cents a gallon gas - nostalgia for my generation, and a worthy lesson for the youngsters. I received a free electronic ARC of this historical novel - boy, that hurts my self-image! - from Netgalley, Max Tomlinson, and Oceanview Publishing. I have read this novel of my own volition, and this review reflects my honest opinion of this work. Max Tomlinson writes a tight, compelling story with a fast pace and sympathetic characters. This is the second in a series but completely stand-alone.
Stevie Cook is the 18-year-old songwriter and lead singer in a British boy band, the Lost Chords, in 1966. They have paid their dues and finally - finally! have a hit on their hands and all the bonus attention that goes with that. An Album deal and booze and screaming girls and drugs and maybe even free sex. This is their first taste of the big-time, a show at the Hammersmith Odeon Theatre in London, and a screaming sell-out crowd that makes all the lean meals and disappointed mamas seem minor. But that adage,' Easy Come, Easy Go' falls too true for the boys. This is also their last show. Anywhere. Stevie held them together, and now he is running from the law In several countries.
In 1978, in San Francisco, we encounter Steve again, singing lead in a band with no name at The Pitt, a little neighborhood bar in Mission. He still has it, whatever 'it' is, but chooses to stay out of the limelight, not content by any means but able to handle his life in pieces. Long after a very contentious divorce, he is the non-custodial father of Melanie, a spoiled, 11-year-old horse-crazy daughter, and Steve has all he can do just to get through the days. Ex-wife Lynda is a real piece of work and makes his relationship with Melanie difficult. And then Melanie is kidnapped.
Colleen, with the help of retired Homicide Officer Moran, is a fairly new private investigator, recently released after a 9-year plus stretch in prison for killing her husband. On probation, she is having difficulty obtaining a proper PI license, and cannot carry a gun. Steve can almost afford to hire her to help him find his daughter. Colleen would help for nothing - her own teenaged daughter Pam is a voluntary prisoner with a cult in Northern California and all Colleen can do is wait for her to see the light. Collie actually recognizes Steve but missed the turmoil that killed his career in England. One of the songs on side B of the Lost Chord's only album was a favorite of hers when she was a young wife and mother. And she has time on her hands - she and her clapped-out Torino are available to help him find and pay the $20,000 ransom to free Melanie. His ex-wife's father would loan him the money - Mellie IS his granddaughter - but only if Steve signs over the Lost Chords catalog of copy-written songs. Not as collateral, but as a sale. And the 20 k would be repaid, with interest. The copy-writes have been in contention for about ten years so he has yet to make a cent off of them, but they are all Steve has to show for his life. He finds the money with a gangster but needs someone to deliver it while he retrieves his daughter. Once they figure out where she is, of course. Colleen has a difficult time getting him to understand that now before the money changes hands is the only time he will have any leverage and he must demand proof of life and work out transfer details before he hands over his grey athletic bag of cash. And something about the whole situation strikes Collie as wonky. She has trouble believing how naive Steve is but does her best to steer him in a direction that will keep his daughter safe while she tries to track down the protagonists and suss out Melanie's location. But it would all be a lot easier if Steve weren't so appealing. And if she could count on her Torino to start every time she needs it to... Even at just 30 cents per gallon -and Ethel is double that - gas is expensive if you have to leave that big V-8 running all the time or walk back to town from Olema or Point Reyes or even Sheep's Hole...
Pub date June 16, 2020
received Sept 9. 2020
Reviewed on October 30, 2020, at Goodreads, Netgalley, Amazon, Barnes&Noble, BookBub, Kobo, and GooglePlay.
Stevie Cook is the 18-year-old songwriter and lead singer in a British boy band, the Lost Chords, in 1966. They have paid their dues and finally - finally! have a hit on their hands and all the bonus attention that goes with that. An Album deal and booze and screaming girls and drugs and maybe even free sex. This is their first taste of the big-time, a show at the Hammersmith Odeon Theatre in London, and a screaming sell-out crowd that makes all the lean meals and disappointed mamas seem minor. But that adage,' Easy Come, Easy Go' falls too true for the boys. This is also their last show. Anywhere. Stevie held them together, and now he is running from the law In several countries.
In 1978, in San Francisco, we encounter Steve again, singing lead in a band with no name at The Pitt, a little neighborhood bar in Mission. He still has it, whatever 'it' is, but chooses to stay out of the limelight, not content by any means but able to handle his life in pieces. Long after a very contentious divorce, he is the non-custodial father of Melanie, a spoiled, 11-year-old horse-crazy daughter, and Steve has all he can do just to get through the days. Ex-wife Lynda is a real piece of work and makes his relationship with Melanie difficult. And then Melanie is kidnapped.
Colleen, with the help of retired Homicide Officer Moran, is a fairly new private investigator, recently released after a 9-year plus stretch in prison for killing her husband. On probation, she is having difficulty obtaining a proper PI license, and cannot carry a gun. Steve can almost afford to hire her to help him find his daughter. Colleen would help for nothing - her own teenaged daughter Pam is a voluntary prisoner with a cult in Northern California and all Colleen can do is wait for her to see the light. Collie actually recognizes Steve but missed the turmoil that killed his career in England. One of the songs on side B of the Lost Chord's only album was a favorite of hers when she was a young wife and mother. And she has time on her hands - she and her clapped-out Torino are available to help him find and pay the $20,000 ransom to free Melanie. His ex-wife's father would loan him the money - Mellie IS his granddaughter - but only if Steve signs over the Lost Chords catalog of copy-written songs. Not as collateral, but as a sale. And the 20 k would be repaid, with interest. The copy-writes have been in contention for about ten years so he has yet to make a cent off of them, but they are all Steve has to show for his life. He finds the money with a gangster but needs someone to deliver it while he retrieves his daughter. Once they figure out where she is, of course. Colleen has a difficult time getting him to understand that now before the money changes hands is the only time he will have any leverage and he must demand proof of life and work out transfer details before he hands over his grey athletic bag of cash. And something about the whole situation strikes Collie as wonky. She has trouble believing how naive Steve is but does her best to steer him in a direction that will keep his daughter safe while she tries to track down the protagonists and suss out Melanie's location. But it would all be a lot easier if Steve weren't so appealing. And if she could count on her Torino to start every time she needs it to... Even at just 30 cents per gallon -and Ethel is double that - gas is expensive if you have to leave that big V-8 running all the time or walk back to town from Olema or Point Reyes or even Sheep's Hole...
Pub date June 16, 2020
received Sept 9. 2020
Reviewed on October 30, 2020, at Goodreads, Netgalley, Amazon, Barnes&Noble, BookBub, Kobo, and GooglePlay.
September 13, 2020
San Francisco, 1978. Premium gasoline costs almost 70 cents per gallon. Armistead Maupin’s pop culture phenomenon, TALES OF THE CITY, takes the country by storm. And novice, unlicensed private investigator Colleen Hayes takes on the case of kidnapped Melanie Cook, the 11-year-old daughter of former British teen rock star Steve Cook.
The thing is, Cook can’t file a police report. He fled the UK 12 years before, leaving the nude body of underaged Brenda Pike in his hotel bed, dead from a drug overdose. Moreover, quasi PI Hayes skirts legal boundaries, convicted of murdering her husband. He “had wound up with a screwdriver in his neck, on the kitchen floor, thanks to Colleen” --- a flashback eerily reminiscent of Stephen King’s DOLORES CLAIBORNE, in which the title character’s daughter, Selena, is abused by her father. (Selena’s repressed memory involves what she thought was a screwdriver in her dad’s pocket.)
“It’s not easy to lie to an investigator.” Hayes discerns that Cook has “been set up like a bowling pin” by ex-wife Lynda and her father, Rex. Both are film and recording moguls. They scheme to exchange the $20,000 ransom demand for Cook’s song catalog, which is worth millions. Cook has “the ex from hell…a thoroughbred ratbag.” The payoff goes horribly wrong; Lynda is murdered in her home, and Melanie is missing. “What had been a hoax was now the real thing,” the ante upped an additional $30,000.
The presumptive PI jets to London, where she unravels threads tied to Cook’s former manager, Sir Ian Ellis, and “roadie” Everett Cole --- and Brenda Pike’s recalcitrant parents. There are enough threads to knit a chain leading to the scoundrels who absconded with the ransom and Melanie.
An explosive conclusion that rivals the shoot-’em-up scene from Gunfight at the O.K. Corral catapults Colleen Hayes into the PI Hall of Fame. As one character correctly assesses her...um, chutzpah: “Cojones, lady. You’ve certainly got ’em.”
Plot twists that rival gnarled Joshua Tree branches will intrigue noir detective readers, and Kinsey Millhone fans will find this a thrilling mystery “tie die” for.
In addition to the series launch, VANISHING IN THE HAIGHT, Max Tomlinson --- who was born in San Francisco --- has penned six novels, including those in the Sendero series; LETHAL DISPATCH, a stand-alone title; and the Agency series.
Reviewed by L. Dean Murphy
The thing is, Cook can’t file a police report. He fled the UK 12 years before, leaving the nude body of underaged Brenda Pike in his hotel bed, dead from a drug overdose. Moreover, quasi PI Hayes skirts legal boundaries, convicted of murdering her husband. He “had wound up with a screwdriver in his neck, on the kitchen floor, thanks to Colleen” --- a flashback eerily reminiscent of Stephen King’s DOLORES CLAIBORNE, in which the title character’s daughter, Selena, is abused by her father. (Selena’s repressed memory involves what she thought was a screwdriver in her dad’s pocket.)
“It’s not easy to lie to an investigator.” Hayes discerns that Cook has “been set up like a bowling pin” by ex-wife Lynda and her father, Rex. Both are film and recording moguls. They scheme to exchange the $20,000 ransom demand for Cook’s song catalog, which is worth millions. Cook has “the ex from hell…a thoroughbred ratbag.” The payoff goes horribly wrong; Lynda is murdered in her home, and Melanie is missing. “What had been a hoax was now the real thing,” the ante upped an additional $30,000.
The presumptive PI jets to London, where she unravels threads tied to Cook’s former manager, Sir Ian Ellis, and “roadie” Everett Cole --- and Brenda Pike’s recalcitrant parents. There are enough threads to knit a chain leading to the scoundrels who absconded with the ransom and Melanie.
An explosive conclusion that rivals the shoot-’em-up scene from Gunfight at the O.K. Corral catapults Colleen Hayes into the PI Hall of Fame. As one character correctly assesses her...um, chutzpah: “Cojones, lady. You’ve certainly got ’em.”
Plot twists that rival gnarled Joshua Tree branches will intrigue noir detective readers, and Kinsey Millhone fans will find this a thrilling mystery “tie die” for.
In addition to the series launch, VANISHING IN THE HAIGHT, Max Tomlinson --- who was born in San Francisco --- has penned six novels, including those in the Sendero series; LETHAL DISPATCH, a stand-alone title; and the Agency series.
Reviewed by L. Dean Murphy
June 25, 2020
Nicely done!
Goodreads giveaway. Finished in one night. A very interesting plot with a somewhat predictable conclusion, but still an entertaining read. I kinda figured there’d be more to the story when the original plan was uncovered about halfway through. But it still left enough holes to fill to keep my interest. Would have liked to known more about Colleen’s past, but I suppose that was covered in Book 1. A true “good read”.
Goodreads giveaway. Finished in one night. A very interesting plot with a somewhat predictable conclusion, but still an entertaining read. I kinda figured there’d be more to the story when the original plan was uncovered about halfway through. But it still left enough holes to fill to keep my interest. Would have liked to known more about Colleen’s past, but I suppose that was covered in Book 1. A true “good read”.
April 28, 2020
A colorful location, a tantalizing puzzle, and an abundance of San Francisco lore.
This will please a wide variety of mystery readers.
I was hooked to this book the entire time.
**Thanks to Netgalley and publisher for providing me a free copy of this book in exchange for a honest review**
This will please a wide variety of mystery readers.
I was hooked to this book the entire time.
**Thanks to Netgalley and publisher for providing me a free copy of this book in exchange for a honest review**
October 12, 2020
Terrific follow-up and can't wait for the next
July 18, 2020
Stevie Cook was the lead singer of an up-and-coming band—The Lost Chords—living the high life with his bandmates and rubbing elbows with the likes of the Stones in London. All of eighteen years old, he’d been swept from a normal life, to a crazy whirlwind of swinging 1960s excess, with all the booze, drugs, fancy clothes and gear, and female companionship he could lay his hands on.
Until one morning, that is, when he woke up, hung-over after a big show, with a naked young girl stone-cold dead in the bed next to him… and everything changed, again. Only this time, for the so-much-worse.
Stevie fled Great Britain, fearing arrest, and vanished, and The Lost Chords disbanded, with only one album under their collective low-slung belts.
Cut to more than a decade later, 1978 San Francisco. A new-to-the-job private investigator, one Colleen Haynes, gets a call from a prospective client, whose daughter has been kidnapped. After accepting the usual “don’t-tell-the-police-or-else” instructions, she agrees to meet, to see if she can be of help.
Imagine her surprise when the father turns out to be none other than Steve Cook—the lead singer of a long-ago band (which mysteriously disbanded), whose music she briefly listened to during a rough patch in her long-ago marriage—all grown up.
Colleen still feels strongly that the police should be involved, but both her younger self and her mid-30s, seen-it-all self feel compelled to help Steve, who turns out to be a pretty nice, regular (albeit waaaay down-on-his-luck) guy. And Colleen, well… she has a pretty dark secret of her own, in the past, that she’s none-too-anxious to share with her new client, either.
After the first attempt at delivering the ransom money gets botched big-time, though, Colleen and Steve gradually come to realize it may not be possible for either of them to keep their secrets hidden from each other… because those very secrets could make the difference between a father ever seeing his eleven-year-old daughter again… or not.
_______________
Tomlinson is a new author to me—and Colleen Hayes, a new character (although it turns out this is actually her second appearance, after his earlier Vanishing in the Haight, which I’ll definitely be going back to read, soon)—and, it turns out, a real find. I couldn’t put Tie Die down; it was that good.
Full of delightful bits of color, I ate up Tomlinson’s depiction of both the rock scene in Swinging ‘60s London (before I was born, so really fun to read about), as well as 1978 San Francisco (and Los Angeles, which was an extra highlight for me). From the soundtrack he provides—well worth pausing one���s reading and YouTubing, at each mention—to the vivid descriptions of places, hairstyles, clothing, and cars (seriously, I have an ex who would be thrilled that Colleen drives a Torino), Tomlinson puts you in the moment and anchors you there… and it’s these touches that really take Tie Die to another level for me.
Too often, stories set in the not-that-distant past read as more wistfully-nostalgic, than compelling, entertaining, and fresh; Tie Die definitely falls under the latter style, and is not to be missed.
Until one morning, that is, when he woke up, hung-over after a big show, with a naked young girl stone-cold dead in the bed next to him… and everything changed, again. Only this time, for the so-much-worse.
Stevie fled Great Britain, fearing arrest, and vanished, and The Lost Chords disbanded, with only one album under their collective low-slung belts.
Cut to more than a decade later, 1978 San Francisco. A new-to-the-job private investigator, one Colleen Haynes, gets a call from a prospective client, whose daughter has been kidnapped. After accepting the usual “don’t-tell-the-police-or-else” instructions, she agrees to meet, to see if she can be of help.
Imagine her surprise when the father turns out to be none other than Steve Cook—the lead singer of a long-ago band (which mysteriously disbanded), whose music she briefly listened to during a rough patch in her long-ago marriage—all grown up.
Colleen still feels strongly that the police should be involved, but both her younger self and her mid-30s, seen-it-all self feel compelled to help Steve, who turns out to be a pretty nice, regular (albeit waaaay down-on-his-luck) guy. And Colleen, well… she has a pretty dark secret of her own, in the past, that she’s none-too-anxious to share with her new client, either.
After the first attempt at delivering the ransom money gets botched big-time, though, Colleen and Steve gradually come to realize it may not be possible for either of them to keep their secrets hidden from each other… because those very secrets could make the difference between a father ever seeing his eleven-year-old daughter again… or not.
_______________
Tomlinson is a new author to me—and Colleen Hayes, a new character (although it turns out this is actually her second appearance, after his earlier Vanishing in the Haight, which I’ll definitely be going back to read, soon)—and, it turns out, a real find. I couldn’t put Tie Die down; it was that good.
Full of delightful bits of color, I ate up Tomlinson’s depiction of both the rock scene in Swinging ‘60s London (before I was born, so really fun to read about), as well as 1978 San Francisco (and Los Angeles, which was an extra highlight for me). From the soundtrack he provides—well worth pausing one���s reading and YouTubing, at each mention—to the vivid descriptions of places, hairstyles, clothing, and cars (seriously, I have an ex who would be thrilled that Colleen drives a Torino), Tomlinson puts you in the moment and anchors you there… and it’s these touches that really take Tie Die to another level for me.
Too often, stories set in the not-that-distant past read as more wistfully-nostalgic, than compelling, entertaining, and fresh; Tie Die definitely falls under the latter style, and is not to be missed.
October 15, 2020
"She wore her most comfortable stakeout outfit: acid-washed bell-bottom jeans, soft as chamois, white V-neck T-shirt, her white Pony Topstars with the blue stripes, and her brown bomber jacket to keep her warm, despite what they said about global warming. Little traffic had gone by. A beer truck, about half an hour ago. Now the odd car appeared in the opposite direction, the start of commuters into San Francisco. Callers into KCBS were currently venting about the rampant descent of San Francisco, thanks to the influx of gay men from all over the country. Guys dancing with each other all night at the Trocadero to Donna Summer didn’t sound very dangerous to Colleen."
TIE DIE treads in the well-worn shoe leather of the traditional private-eye novel, but in a subtle way it inverts some of the genre's tropes while making the reader comfortable in them. As with its predecessor, VANISHING IN THE HAIGHT, it's 1978 in San Francisco, and Colleen Hayes, convicted killer, is still establishing herself as a finder of lost souls and and a flatfoot with a knack for dispersing the fog over past malfeasance.
Here, she's hired by Steve Cook, a down-and-almost-out 1960s British pop star with a shadowy past, to deliver a ransom for the return of his kidnapped preteen daughter. But was Melanie Cook really kidnapped? Or is an elaborate ruse staged by his ex-manager ex-wife and her movie-dealmaker father to snatch away the suddenly valuable rights to an old song that may be used in a major movie? No ransom drop in any P.I. novel ever goes the way it's supposed to, and it's fun to watch the twists pile up on one another as the path to resolution takes Colleen all over the Bay Area, to L.A., and even to London and back before things come to a head in the Southern California high desert.
Colleen is a winner of a central character, a Kinsey Millhone with a darker past and a prison-roughened shell, whose cynical head is sometimes undermined by her hopeful heart and sometimes heated body in a way that makes her appealingly human and vulnerable. She's no stereotypical knight-errant; she's got issues, she makes mistakes, she doesn't always understand why she's doing what she's doing, but there are worse things in the world than trusting your instincts even if those instincts lead you into the darkest trouble.
TIE DIE isn't flashy, as the fashions of its time but it's a sturdy entry in a sometimes stale genre, and it's got plenty of Easter eggs for those of us who miss the Seventies and enjoy the little details for those nostalgic for a San Francisco that real people could once afford to live in. Max Tomlinson is an old pro who delivers comfortable, comforting goods.
TIE DIE treads in the well-worn shoe leather of the traditional private-eye novel, but in a subtle way it inverts some of the genre's tropes while making the reader comfortable in them. As with its predecessor, VANISHING IN THE HAIGHT, it's 1978 in San Francisco, and Colleen Hayes, convicted killer, is still establishing herself as a finder of lost souls and and a flatfoot with a knack for dispersing the fog over past malfeasance.
Here, she's hired by Steve Cook, a down-and-almost-out 1960s British pop star with a shadowy past, to deliver a ransom for the return of his kidnapped preteen daughter. But was Melanie Cook really kidnapped? Or is an elaborate ruse staged by his ex-manager ex-wife and her movie-dealmaker father to snatch away the suddenly valuable rights to an old song that may be used in a major movie? No ransom drop in any P.I. novel ever goes the way it's supposed to, and it's fun to watch the twists pile up on one another as the path to resolution takes Colleen all over the Bay Area, to L.A., and even to London and back before things come to a head in the Southern California high desert.
Colleen is a winner of a central character, a Kinsey Millhone with a darker past and a prison-roughened shell, whose cynical head is sometimes undermined by her hopeful heart and sometimes heated body in a way that makes her appealingly human and vulnerable. She's no stereotypical knight-errant; she's got issues, she makes mistakes, she doesn't always understand why she's doing what she's doing, but there are worse things in the world than trusting your instincts even if those instincts lead you into the darkest trouble.
TIE DIE isn't flashy, as the fashions of its time but it's a sturdy entry in a sometimes stale genre, and it's got plenty of Easter eggs for those of us who miss the Seventies and enjoy the little details for those nostalgic for a San Francisco that real people could once afford to live in. Max Tomlinson is an old pro who delivers comfortable, comforting goods.
February 3, 2021
Colleen Hayes is an unlicensed private eye in San Francisco in 1978. She's also on parole after serving nine years for killing her husband, who was molesting their daughter. She's contacted by Steve Cook, a former rock star who fell on bad times and now works construction, a man she happened to be gaga over back in the day. Cook's daughter has been kidnapped and he doesn't want police on the case. Hence the call to Colleen.
The plot is solid and the action just about right - not too little, not too much. Much of what Colleen does is very much believable and what a real P.I. would do based on my experience in law enforcement. I say much, not all, because that statement rings less true as the case develops. I'm giving it a solid four stars because the book did its job in keeping me entertained. Having lived through the 60s and much of the 70s in the Bay Area, the retro nostalgic touch was fun for a while, too.
Having said that, there are problems. The author overdoes the retro stuff by a long way. The first time he mentions Colleen's Princess phone and flared pants, it's a bit of fun. Buts it wears thin with constant repetition. Wide belts, wide lapels, tie dye T-shirts, ad nauseam. Okay, we get it. It's 1978. It's your shtick. You don't have to call the answering machine a "one of those fancy new answering machines" or mention putting a dime in the pay phone a dozen times or explain how Colleen calls the operator and asks to be connected to the police instead of dialing 9-1-1 or every time she crosses legs mention the flared jeans. It's clunky and distracting. More important than that, though, is that all the characters, Colleen and the kidnap victim included, are not very likeable. They mostly seem to be heavy boozers who smoke constantly and dump their butts all over the ground among other unpleasant traits. I'd have been happy if they all died in a plane crash at the end. There's also a plethora of plot problems, like how does Colleen, a convicted homicide felon on parole, on one day's notice hop on a plane to England on what is said to be her first international flight? How is it she has a valid passport and visa coming out of prison and never having traveled abroad, and isn't she violating parole? How is she even listed as a private eye without a license? I could pick at it some more, but don't lose sight of the fact that it did keep me reading and keep me guessing. I can recommend it mildly.
The plot is solid and the action just about right - not too little, not too much. Much of what Colleen does is very much believable and what a real P.I. would do based on my experience in law enforcement. I say much, not all, because that statement rings less true as the case develops. I'm giving it a solid four stars because the book did its job in keeping me entertained. Having lived through the 60s and much of the 70s in the Bay Area, the retro nostalgic touch was fun for a while, too.
Having said that, there are problems. The author overdoes the retro stuff by a long way. The first time he mentions Colleen's Princess phone and flared pants, it's a bit of fun. Buts it wears thin with constant repetition. Wide belts, wide lapels, tie dye T-shirts, ad nauseam. Okay, we get it. It's 1978. It's your shtick. You don't have to call the answering machine a "one of those fancy new answering machines" or mention putting a dime in the pay phone a dozen times or explain how Colleen calls the operator and asks to be connected to the police instead of dialing 9-1-1 or every time she crosses legs mention the flared jeans. It's clunky and distracting. More important than that, though, is that all the characters, Colleen and the kidnap victim included, are not very likeable. They mostly seem to be heavy boozers who smoke constantly and dump their butts all over the ground among other unpleasant traits. I'd have been happy if they all died in a plane crash at the end. There's also a plethora of plot problems, like how does Colleen, a convicted homicide felon on parole, on one day's notice hop on a plane to England on what is said to be her first international flight? How is it she has a valid passport and visa coming out of prison and never having traveled abroad, and isn't she violating parole? How is she even listed as a private eye without a license? I could pick at it some more, but don't lose sight of the fact that it did keep me reading and keep me guessing. I can recommend it mildly.
July 17, 2020
A Riveting Trip down Memory Lane
Colleen Hayes is the sole proprietor of a PI agency in San Francisco. The story is set in the late 70s with flashbacks to the music scene in London in the 1960s. Steven Cooke, who had been a rising music star in 60s London, fled London after a dead fan was found in his hotel room after a performance one might. He ended up in South America and subsequently ended up in San Francisco, doing singing gigs around town.
When the story opens Steve contacts Colleen Hayes because his daughter has been abducted. After meeting him she agrees to take on the case. A ransom demand has been made. Colleen, having spent several years in prison, is suspicious and and probes into the backstory of Steve and his ex-wife who is the daughter of a music producer. A ransom drop is arranged, supposedly the daughter in exchange for the money. Against her instincts Colleen decides to handle the drop which goes off the rails as the money is snatched from her but the daughter is not there.
A trip to London and interviews with some of Steve's band members reveal that he was set up to take the fall for the dead fan in his room. Colleen discovers a connection between Steve's former manager and and the music industry in California. Eventually Colleen unravels that the abduction is a scam. This leads her on a path to rescue the "kidnapped" daughter.
This was my first encounter with Max Tomlinson and Colleen Hayes. I am cueing up the first book to learn more about Colleen's background. A very promising new PI series. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this novel which I thoroughly enjoyed.
Colleen Hayes is the sole proprietor of a PI agency in San Francisco. The story is set in the late 70s with flashbacks to the music scene in London in the 1960s. Steven Cooke, who had been a rising music star in 60s London, fled London after a dead fan was found in his hotel room after a performance one might. He ended up in South America and subsequently ended up in San Francisco, doing singing gigs around town.
When the story opens Steve contacts Colleen Hayes because his daughter has been abducted. After meeting him she agrees to take on the case. A ransom demand has been made. Colleen, having spent several years in prison, is suspicious and and probes into the backstory of Steve and his ex-wife who is the daughter of a music producer. A ransom drop is arranged, supposedly the daughter in exchange for the money. Against her instincts Colleen decides to handle the drop which goes off the rails as the money is snatched from her but the daughter is not there.
A trip to London and interviews with some of Steve's band members reveal that he was set up to take the fall for the dead fan in his room. Colleen discovers a connection between Steve's former manager and and the music industry in California. Eventually Colleen unravels that the abduction is a scam. This leads her on a path to rescue the "kidnapped" daughter.
This was my first encounter with Max Tomlinson and Colleen Hayes. I am cueing up the first book to learn more about Colleen's background. A very promising new PI series. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this novel which I thoroughly enjoyed.
November 10, 2020
The second Colleen Hayes mystery has Colleen trying to solve the kidnapping of a former rock star's eleven-year-old daughter. She's still working on getting her PI license which isn't easy for an ex-con who is still on parole when she gets a call from Steve Cook. Steve was the lead singer and songwriter for The Lost Chords.
Colleen was once a fan of Steve and The Lost Chords but complications in her own life kept her from hearing the story when they dropped off the charts. She is surprised to find Steve in San Francisco, doing construction, and fighting with his ex. She is immediately sympathetic when she learns that his daughter has been kidnapped. After all, she is struggling to rebuild her relationship with her own daughter who has become a Moonie.
It doesn't take long for Colleen to realize that something strange is going on. The plot twists back to those days when The Lost Chords had their troubles. The only thing Steve has of any particular value is his music catalog but it has been tied up in lawsuits with the band's former agent for years. But now, someone wants the right to one of those songs and there are people who will do anything to get those rights.
I liked the story. I really liked the 1960s San Francisco setting with all the fashions, cars, and music I remember. I also really like Colleen who has a soft spot for kids in trouble and a firm sense of justice.
Colleen was once a fan of Steve and The Lost Chords but complications in her own life kept her from hearing the story when they dropped off the charts. She is surprised to find Steve in San Francisco, doing construction, and fighting with his ex. She is immediately sympathetic when she learns that his daughter has been kidnapped. After all, she is struggling to rebuild her relationship with her own daughter who has become a Moonie.
It doesn't take long for Colleen to realize that something strange is going on. The plot twists back to those days when The Lost Chords had their troubles. The only thing Steve has of any particular value is his music catalog but it has been tied up in lawsuits with the band's former agent for years. But now, someone wants the right to one of those songs and there are people who will do anything to get those rights.
I liked the story. I really liked the 1960s San Francisco setting with all the fashions, cars, and music I remember. I also really like Colleen who has a soft spot for kids in trouble and a firm sense of justice.
August 15, 2024
Ok the positives are that the plot and writing were enticing and I didn’t feel bored or anything reading it. If I turned my brain off and just read, it was enjoyable!
But there are so many problems with this book that I just cannot overlook.
First things first. Why is it ALWAYS raining? Literally every single mention to weather in SF is about the rain. I live in SF. It does not rain that often. Maybe it did rain more in the 70s but not every single day.
Second. Colleen is a felon on parole. How the hell did she just suddenly up and go to London as part of her investigation?
Third. Her investigations feel like she’s mostly in the right place at the right time. I don’t get the sense that she’s good at her job while reading this series I just get the sense that she gets lucky in dangerous situations.
Fourth. This is the second book in a row that she gets into a precarious romantic relationship with her client. Boundaries? It’s also annoying to me that the author makes it incredibly clear that Colleen is queer but then makes all of her romantic encounters in this book with men anyway. Not to say that queer women aren’t queer if they’re in heterosexual relationships, it’s more me being confused why the author makes it a point to mention her attraction to women whenever Colleen gets intimate with a man. Like no one asked.
Also, “Tie Die.” Why is it called that. No mentions in the book.
Lastly, what is the deal with Pamela.
Ok that’s all. Despite my complaints I will probably continue the series.
But there are so many problems with this book that I just cannot overlook.
First things first. Why is it ALWAYS raining? Literally every single mention to weather in SF is about the rain. I live in SF. It does not rain that often. Maybe it did rain more in the 70s but not every single day.
Second. Colleen is a felon on parole. How the hell did she just suddenly up and go to London as part of her investigation?
Third. Her investigations feel like she’s mostly in the right place at the right time. I don’t get the sense that she’s good at her job while reading this series I just get the sense that she gets lucky in dangerous situations.
Fourth. This is the second book in a row that she gets into a precarious romantic relationship with her client. Boundaries? It’s also annoying to me that the author makes it incredibly clear that Colleen is queer but then makes all of her romantic encounters in this book with men anyway. Not to say that queer women aren’t queer if they’re in heterosexual relationships, it’s more me being confused why the author makes it a point to mention her attraction to women whenever Colleen gets intimate with a man. Like no one asked.
Also, “Tie Die.” Why is it called that. No mentions in the book.
Lastly, what is the deal with Pamela.
Ok that’s all. Despite my complaints I will probably continue the series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 13, 2020
I received this book from GoodReads for an honest review.
Tie Die’s mystery story blasts back from the past. Being old enough to remember the 70’s, I vividly recall the clothing, cars, and music, so I amusingly relate to Colleen Hayes on many levels. The multiple references and descriptions created laughter and head shakes that lasted for hours. With my viewpoint established, I thoroughly enjoyed Tie Die. The plot twists and history were perfect.
Colleen is a private investigator with a regrettable past. She is hired to find a kidnapped girl but discovers that it’s all a plot to steal a song he wrote 10 years earlier. Lots of plot twists and history uncover a dangerous man who will do anything to get what he wants.
Kudos to Max for a good story, well written and perfectly placed in time. (When I finished Tie Die, I immediately started reading Vanishing in the Haight.)
Tie Die’s mystery story blasts back from the past. Being old enough to remember the 70’s, I vividly recall the clothing, cars, and music, so I amusingly relate to Colleen Hayes on many levels. The multiple references and descriptions created laughter and head shakes that lasted for hours. With my viewpoint established, I thoroughly enjoyed Tie Die. The plot twists and history were perfect.
Colleen is a private investigator with a regrettable past. She is hired to find a kidnapped girl but discovers that it’s all a plot to steal a song he wrote 10 years earlier. Lots of plot twists and history uncover a dangerous man who will do anything to get what he wants.
Kudos to Max for a good story, well written and perfectly placed in time. (When I finished Tie Die, I immediately started reading Vanishing in the Haight.)
August 29, 2020
Steve and Colleen both had it all (at least in the eyes of others) and lost it all (again, at least in the eye of others). He was a 1960s rock idol until a young woman was found dead in his bed. Colleen killed her abusive husband. They've both remade their lives in 1970s San Francisco, except someone thinks Steve still has a lot of money. His 11 year old daughter Melanie has been kidnapped for $20,000 ransom. He hires Colleen, who was a fan, to find her. Tomlinson takes the reader on a tour of 70s San Francisco, complete with grit and noir. Not everything is as it seems (except Colleen, who is one though and thoughtful PI). No spoilers from me. Don't worry if you didn't read the first one- you'll get enough of the back story (but not too much for those who did). Thanks to Edelweiss for the ARC. A good read.
June 8, 2020
*5 Stars*
Copy kindly received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This was a really good read with interesting characters. I was satisfied with what happened to some of the characters.
Copy kindly received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This was a really good read with interesting characters. I was satisfied with what happened to some of the characters.
June 18, 2020
I’m a big Harlan Coben fan.. and, after reading the first, and now 2nd of the Colleen Hayes series, I am also a big Max Tomlinson fan. The setting and the era adds to the allure of this story. This one is truly a page turner! Can’t wait for #3!
June 23, 2020
Tie Die, the second of the Colleen Hayes series, is as much of a page turner as the first in the series, Vanishing In The Haight. The author is descriptive of the locales and the time frames in a way that evokes memories of those places in the reader. Colleen’s character as well as the victims and villains are well developed and present as real people. My only complaint is that there is not a 3rd in the series I could pick up today and continue on with the adventures of Ms. Hayes.
June 26, 2020
A good mystery, well written and gripping.
I loved the well crafted plot and the excellent characters.
The mystery is solid and kept me guessing.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine
I loved the well crafted plot and the excellent characters.
The mystery is solid and kept me guessing.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine
July 21, 2020
This is my first novel to read by Max Tomlinson, and I am already looking to pick up more! The story is well rounded, enthralling, and so very well articulated on the page! The characters all came to life and I felt each and every emotion while reading! I could not put this down!
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