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The Flip-Flop Detective Series #1
Strait Over Tackle
Rule #1 - Only be where flip-flops can be worn.
Former deputy Sam Strait lives his life by a particular set of rules. They provide him freedom to do the things he wants where he wants with whom he wants. For a single man in his mid-thirties, things couldn’t get any better. Then why isn’t he happier?
When Sam returns home for the summer, he discovers a stranger dead in his boat. With cops and reporters crawling over his property, gone are the usual plans of soaking up the sun and whiling away the days in the arms of a beautiful woman. Instead, Sam embarks on journey to solve the mysterious death.
Soon, he’s being followed, harassed, and assaulted by figures demanding the return of something he had no idea he possessed. Sam would have been better to stay away for the summer, but he couldn’t have. He had to return home. The rules demanded it.
Strait Over Tackle is the first book in an exciting new series from the author of the 509 Crime Stories and the co-author of the Charlie-316 series.
If you like your crime fiction with a dose of humor, then pick up this book today!( The Flip-Flop Detective occurs in the same world as the 509 Crime Stories. The first book in that series is The Side Hustle.)
Former deputy Sam Strait lives his life by a particular set of rules. They provide him freedom to do the things he wants where he wants with whom he wants. For a single man in his mid-thirties, things couldn’t get any better. Then why isn’t he happier?
When Sam returns home for the summer, he discovers a stranger dead in his boat. With cops and reporters crawling over his property, gone are the usual plans of soaking up the sun and whiling away the days in the arms of a beautiful woman. Instead, Sam embarks on journey to solve the mysterious death.
Soon, he’s being followed, harassed, and assaulted by figures demanding the return of something he had no idea he possessed. Sam would have been better to stay away for the summer, but he couldn’t have. He had to return home. The rules demanded it.
Strait Over Tackle is the first book in an exciting new series from the author of the 509 Crime Stories and the co-author of the Charlie-316 series.
If you like your crime fiction with a dose of humor, then pick up this book today!( The Flip-Flop Detective occurs in the same world as the 509 Crime Stories. The first book in that series is The Side Hustle.)
304 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 20, 2021
138 people are currently reading
193 people want to read
About the author
Colin Conway
81 books133 followersAre you on BookBub? You can follow Colin there at: www.bookbub.com/profile/colin-conway
Colin Conway is the creator of the 509 Crime Stories, a series of novels set in Eastern Washington with revolving lead characters. They are standalone tales and can be read in any order.
He also created the Cozy Up series which pushes the envelope of the cozy genre. Libby Klein, author of the Poppy McAllister series, says Cozy Up to Death is “Not your grandma’s cozy.”
Colin co-authored the Charlie-316 series. The first novel in the series, Charlie-316, is a political/crime thriller that has been described as “riveting and compulsively readable,” “the real deal,” and “the ultimate ride-along.”
He served in the U.S. Army and later was an officer of the Spokane Police Department. He's owned a laundromat, invested in a bar, and ran a karate school. Besides writing crime fiction, he is a commercial real estate broker.
Colin lives with his beautiful girlfriend, three wonderful children, and a codependent Vizsla that rules their world.
Colin Conway is the creator of the 509 Crime Stories, a series of novels set in Eastern Washington with revolving lead characters. They are standalone tales and can be read in any order.
He also created the Cozy Up series which pushes the envelope of the cozy genre. Libby Klein, author of the Poppy McAllister series, says Cozy Up to Death is “Not your grandma’s cozy.”
Colin co-authored the Charlie-316 series. The first novel in the series, Charlie-316, is a political/crime thriller that has been described as “riveting and compulsively readable,” “the real deal,” and “the ultimate ride-along.”
He served in the U.S. Army and later was an officer of the Spokane Police Department. He's owned a laundromat, invested in a bar, and ran a karate school. Besides writing crime fiction, he is a commercial real estate broker.
Colin lives with his beautiful girlfriend, three wonderful children, and a codependent Vizsla that rules their world.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
July 18, 2021
Strait Over Tackle by Colin Conway
A Flip-Flop Detective Novel #1
We meet Sam Strait flying home from Hawaii with his flip-flops on. He seems a bit aloof and standoffish with his list of rules and ability to keep his shoulder cold too others. That said, he was an intriguing and different character with a bit of the bumbling Colombo minus the raincoat, the attractiveness of Magnum PI but not as lethal, and a bit of someone that is just true to himself and at times a bit of an odd duck.
What I liked:
* The book made me smile – it was a murder mystery, detective yarn, and yet good fun.
* Sam’s list of rules and how he had a hot-cold relationship with those rules.
* The hot-cold relationship with his sometimes girlfriend, Sonja.
* The compulsion Sam seemed to feel and follow even when they might get him into trouble.
* That Sam was not a macho martial arts black belt.
* Sam’s backstory
* The way Sam chose to live his life – not something I would choose but I can see why he chose it.
* The way the story was told with a bit at a time coming to light until the big picture finally emerged.
* The reasoning behind Sam’s inability/choice not to settle down.
* Dominic – his friend – a bit of a hound dog of a man that didn’t use his noggin
* Detective McAfee – brighter than the average bear/detective
* The small town vibe
* Sam’s grandparents
* That the thug-like people were more or less regular people
* That a minor league football club was mentioned…had no idea they existed or at least have not read about them in a book – so a first.
* That I did not guess who the killer was or the motivation till near the end.
* That I grew to like and care about Sam and wonder what will happen next.
What I didn’t like:
* Being reminded of the ease with which one person can take the life of another.
* Feeling that Sam was a bit untethered – I kind of hope he can eventually get his act together but if/when he does the series will probably end so would rather wait awhile for that to happen.
Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more in this series? Definitely
Thank you to the author for the ARC – This is my honest review.
4-5 Stars
A Flip-Flop Detective Novel #1
We meet Sam Strait flying home from Hawaii with his flip-flops on. He seems a bit aloof and standoffish with his list of rules and ability to keep his shoulder cold too others. That said, he was an intriguing and different character with a bit of the bumbling Colombo minus the raincoat, the attractiveness of Magnum PI but not as lethal, and a bit of someone that is just true to himself and at times a bit of an odd duck.
What I liked:
* The book made me smile – it was a murder mystery, detective yarn, and yet good fun.
* Sam’s list of rules and how he had a hot-cold relationship with those rules.
* The hot-cold relationship with his sometimes girlfriend, Sonja.
* The compulsion Sam seemed to feel and follow even when they might get him into trouble.
* That Sam was not a macho martial arts black belt.
* Sam’s backstory
* The way Sam chose to live his life – not something I would choose but I can see why he chose it.
* The way the story was told with a bit at a time coming to light until the big picture finally emerged.
* The reasoning behind Sam’s inability/choice not to settle down.
* Dominic – his friend – a bit of a hound dog of a man that didn’t use his noggin
* Detective McAfee – brighter than the average bear/detective
* The small town vibe
* Sam’s grandparents
* That the thug-like people were more or less regular people
* That a minor league football club was mentioned…had no idea they existed or at least have not read about them in a book – so a first.
* That I did not guess who the killer was or the motivation till near the end.
* That I grew to like and care about Sam and wonder what will happen next.
What I didn’t like:
* Being reminded of the ease with which one person can take the life of another.
* Feeling that Sam was a bit untethered – I kind of hope he can eventually get his act together but if/when he does the series will probably end so would rather wait awhile for that to happen.
Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more in this series? Definitely
Thank you to the author for the ARC – This is my honest review.
4-5 Stars
May 15, 2021
2.5 stars
Sam Strait is a former deputy who now lives by several rules.
Rule #1 Only be where flip-flops can be worn.
The character is a laid back guy who spends his time b/w his lake home in Spokane County, WA and other warm weather locales.
I thought this sounded like an interesting character detail.
He returns home to a dead girl in his home. Will he let it go or will he use those innate cop skills & investigate?
I did like Sam. I liked Sonja too. You go girl!!! You ain't crazy...you're just making him work for it.
But the mystery was interesting.. there were a lot of suspects & clues.
Unfortunately, I thought the resolution was anti-climactic.
I enjoyed this writer's other series and this is his newest one.
I was intrigued by the character detail of the protagonist wearing only flip-flops.
You soon learn why & about his lifestyle in the first few chapters. But it was an interesting character detail to make the usualy ex-cop mystery stand out.
Sam Strait is a former deputy who now lives by several rules.
Rule #1 Only be where flip-flops can be worn.
The character is a laid back guy who spends his time b/w his lake home in Spokane County, WA and other warm weather locales.
I thought this sounded like an interesting character detail.
He returns home to a dead girl in his home. Will he let it go or will he use those innate cop skills & investigate?
I did like Sam. I liked Sonja too. You go girl!!! You ain't crazy...you're just making him work for it.
But the mystery was interesting.. there were a lot of suspects & clues.
Unfortunately, I thought the resolution was anti-climactic.
I enjoyed this writer's other series and this is his newest one.
I was intrigued by the character detail of the protagonist wearing only flip-flops.
You soon learn why & about his lifestyle in the first few chapters. But it was an interesting character detail to make the usualy ex-cop mystery stand out.
June 16, 2021
Very funny
Sam is a guy who doesn't want to settle down. He returns to Spokane for the summer after a sojourn in Hawaii and becomes embroiled in a murder.
Sam is a guy who doesn't want to settle down. He returns to Spokane for the summer after a sojourn in Hawaii and becomes embroiled in a murder.
June 22, 2021
I'm only going to give this three stars, because I know that Mr. Conway can do much better. After reading a few of his other books, this was almost a let-down.
That said, it was still an OK book. Sam Strait is a decent sort, kind of bumbling through life, stumbling into trouble no matter how hard he works to avoid it.
His love life gets far more complicated than he wants, but it's mostly his own fault because he lets himself be drawn into the "drama".
Which leads me to another point. In his books, Colin Conway works hard to keep things "family friendly", no excessive bad language, no overly violent action, and no on-page sex. And, often, none at all. It's kind of his thing.
But this series, which so far has no bad language or extraordinary violence, does push the sex a little further than usual. Several allusions to nude women, and more than a few scenes that dissolve off page just before becoming inappropriate.
One highlight is how Sam's fighting technique is described. "Combat Turtle"? That made me laugh out loud. And there is enough of this scattered throughout the book to keep it light and fun.
If you're looking for a serious book, with serious characters, well, this ain't it. But it is fun to read, without taxing the gray matter too much. Perfect airplane or beach material.
That said, it was still an OK book. Sam Strait is a decent sort, kind of bumbling through life, stumbling into trouble no matter how hard he works to avoid it.
His love life gets far more complicated than he wants, but it's mostly his own fault because he lets himself be drawn into the "drama".
Which leads me to another point. In his books, Colin Conway works hard to keep things "family friendly", no excessive bad language, no overly violent action, and no on-page sex. And, often, none at all. It's kind of his thing.
But this series, which so far has no bad language or extraordinary violence, does push the sex a little further than usual. Several allusions to nude women, and more than a few scenes that dissolve off page just before becoming inappropriate.
One highlight is how Sam's fighting technique is described. "Combat Turtle"? That made me laugh out loud. And there is enough of this scattered throughout the book to keep it light and fun.
If you're looking for a serious book, with serious characters, well, this ain't it. But it is fun to read, without taxing the gray matter too much. Perfect airplane or beach material.
August 2, 2023
In this thrilling mystery novel, Sam Strait is a laid-back former sheriff’s deputy who loves the sun. He spends his summer in the house he grew up in, the same house his father grew up in, on a lake in Washington. He lives his life by a set of rules. One of which is don’t eat where you can’t wear flip flops. Another is no drama. He breaks one of those rules this summer.
Trouble finds him when he returns from his winter getaway and discovers a dead girl on his boat. Against his better judgment, he gets drawn into the investigation of the young woman’s death, putting himself in harm’s way as he crosses paths with her dangerous associates. The author crafts a suspenseful plot that keeps the reader guessing until the end, with twists and turns that will keep you on the edge of your seat. The only flaw in this otherwise enjoyable book is the character of Sam’s girlfriend, who seems too dramatic and clingy for someone as relaxed and independent as Sam. This is a minor issue, however, and does not detract from the overall quality of this fun summer read.
Read
July 4, 2023he was a cop, but got falsely accused, got paid off and left
he goes to hawaii or other places for winter, then back to his grandparents cabin at the lake in OR where he was raised after his parents died. his grandparents are dead now too
he gets home and finds the cabin broken into, beer cups and bottles all over and a dead girl in his boat
he calls the police and tries to figure out who did it. hes got 2 men after him, he found drugs in the fridge but by the time he told the police someone broke in and stole them. they tested his vacuum when he cleaned up what he dropped, but it tested neg
there is a girl who wants to be his girlfriend but he told her no, he just seems to want the benefits. she spent the night and left mad
he wears flip flops , even on the plane , he has a list of rules for himself
he goes to hawaii or other places for winter, then back to his grandparents cabin at the lake in OR where he was raised after his parents died. his grandparents are dead now too
he gets home and finds the cabin broken into, beer cups and bottles all over and a dead girl in his boat
he calls the police and tries to figure out who did it. hes got 2 men after him, he found drugs in the fridge but by the time he told the police someone broke in and stole them. they tested his vacuum when he cleaned up what he dropped, but it tested neg
there is a girl who wants to be his girlfriend but he told her no, he just seems to want the benefits. she spent the night and left mad
he wears flip flops , even on the plane , he has a list of rules for himself
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 19, 2022
A former deputy that was booted then exonorated (from what it was never explained) but he got a settlement and spends his time now living months on end in different places only wearing flip flops. He comes home summers to an inherited cabin and finds a dead girl in his boat.
Then he decides to find out who killed her because it was his boat. There are two women and two men who take turns beating him up and his response to that is to lay on the floor with his feet in the air kind of like a turtle- really - it wasn't even funny.
It was tedious, not funny and wish I would have read something else.
Then he decides to find out who killed her because it was his boat. There are two women and two men who take turns beating him up and his response to that is to lay on the floor with his feet in the air kind of like a turtle- really - it wasn't even funny.
It was tedious, not funny and wish I would have read something else.
June 19, 2021
Fabulous crime drama
Rules to live by cracked me up, the antagonist/ protagonist(s) kept me interested and the fact that at 93% read, I still hadn’t figured out who committed the crime- these facts all kept me from putting the book down until I read the last page.
Good read. I’ll look up his other books and likely devour them as well.
Then I realized the author lives in Spokane, Wa- close to my hometown of Sandpoint. That connection keeps me interested too. I loved from home 5 years ago, and this book brought back the small town connections for me.
Thank you, Colin.
Rules to live by cracked me up, the antagonist/ protagonist(s) kept me interested and the fact that at 93% read, I still hadn’t figured out who committed the crime- these facts all kept me from putting the book down until I read the last page.
Good read. I’ll look up his other books and likely devour them as well.
Then I realized the author lives in Spokane, Wa- close to my hometown of Sandpoint. That connection keeps me interested too. I loved from home 5 years ago, and this book brought back the small town connections for me.
Thank you, Colin.
January 7, 2022
Sam is a former policeman, returning to the house where he grew up. He spends summers there, then goes away for 8 to 9 months doing whatever. This last time was Hawaii. The house has been partied in while he was gone, and someone is sitting in his boat down at the dock. He decides to go down there and see why they aren't responding to his yells. There are boats out, it is a little noisy. Then he stops. It's a dead person on his boat.
I enjoyed this story. Think female body builders, cops, friends, lovers, lake life, amateur football teams, Spokane, and just enjoy the story.
I enjoyed this story. Think female body builders, cops, friends, lovers, lake life, amateur football teams, Spokane, and just enjoy the story.
December 27, 2021
The beginning of another good series by Colin Conway. I really enjoy the books by this author. A former Sheriffs Deputy who had some issues comes back to his hometown for the summer each year and is a “snowbird” for the winter. This time he returns home to a dead body and the adventure begins. Look forward to reading the next book in this series.
June 21, 2021
This was a fun story. And yes it's a murder mystery. Sam gets into some crazy situations trying to find out why a woman was killed on his boat. Alot of quirky characters. It's an enjoyable, easy read.
January 8, 2022
Living by a few simple rules leads to a very funny novel. The author did show a lack of understanding of the semi-pro football life. Most of them still live with the dream that they can make it and live in past glory. However the plot moved along well and in the end was beliviable.
May 28, 2023
Pretty Good Mystery
Lightweight and a great beach read. Meant to be “fun” and there are some funny moments. Overall enjoyable and perfect for going back in after being diverted by life.
Lightweight and a great beach read. Meant to be “fun” and there are some funny moments. Overall enjoyable and perfect for going back in after being diverted by life.
June 18, 2023
Sam and his rules
Sam returns to his home on the lake for his usual summer retreat. He finds a dead girl in his boat and the mystery begins. A fun read with a bunch of quirky characters and plot twists.
Sam returns to his home on the lake for his usual summer retreat. He finds a dead girl in his boat and the mystery begins. A fun read with a bunch of quirky characters and plot twists.
December 18, 2023
Whimp
Sam is a wimpy man, and can't fight or be a real man, choices, decisions, consequences, but he can't decide and why doesn't he use the money!!???!! He lets people walk all over him, why?!?!?! Sonja is a clingy jerk! His grandparents' cabin needs the money, hello!!
Sam is a wimpy man, and can't fight or be a real man, choices, decisions, consequences, but he can't decide and why doesn't he use the money!!???!! He lets people walk all over him, why?!?!?! Sonja is a clingy jerk! His grandparents' cabin needs the money, hello!!
February 7, 2024
Good murder mystery
This story kept you on your toes until the end. The main character Sam was quite a quirky character. It was a good twist who the killer ended up being. Good read!
This story kept you on your toes until the end. The main character Sam was quite a quirky character. It was a good twist who the killer ended up being. Good read!
June 23, 2021
Review
Have it a 5. It kept my interest from start to finish!likeable main characters but certainly not average. Enjoyable and several twists and turns.
Have it a 5. It kept my interest from start to finish!likeable main characters but certainly not average. Enjoyable and several twists and turns.
November 16, 2021
Why Sonja?
I could never figure out what her purpose was in book...Colin. you are a better writer than to dump her into book. Plot could have been more interesting without sideshow
I could never figure out what her purpose was in book...Colin. you are a better writer than to dump her into book. Plot could have been more interesting without sideshow
June 7, 2022
Solid read. Fun to the end. Enjoyed Sam and Sonia. Looking forward to the next in series.
dnf
July 8, 2023The prose is not great, and this guy rubbing his bare feet all over the plane carpet makes me want to hurl.
May 29, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews