Murder Takes a Break

Truman Smith Private Eye #5

by Bill Crider

Galveston p.i. Truman Smith, as reluctant as ever, takes on the search for a missing college student, even though Smith has bad memories of his missing persons cases. Still, when Dino asks, Tru listens.The missing person is a boy who went on spring break and never came home. Right now it appears that he's the lucky one, because as Truman discovers -- after he accepts the case, of course -- other student isn't just missing...she's dead

"For pure fun and sheer entertainment, it doesn't get much better than Crider's Tru Smith stories. Highly recommended". -- Booklist

"Crider turns out finely crafted, engaging mysteries". -- The Armchair Detective

Genres: Mystery

184 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 1997

About the author

Taught English at Howard Payne University in Brownwood, Tex., and went on to become the chair of the Division of English and Fine Arts at Alvin Community College in Alvin, Tex.; prolific writer of mystery, science fiction, western, horror, and children's books, not to mention short stories, articles, reviews, and blog posts; perhaps best known for his Sheriff Dan Rhodes mystery series.

Reviews

[Ronald Koltnow · Rating 4 out of 5]

Truman Smith doesn't like to leave the house much. He works at home, accompanied mostly by the cat with whom he shares the place . The cat doesn't even have a name. The one thing Truman knows for sure is that he will never go back to being a P. I. Dino, who leaves the house less frequently than Truman does, keeps getting Smith involves in cases. In this, the fifth (and I believe last) of the Truman Smith series, our reluctant investigator agrees to search for a missing college lad who disappeared at Spring Break in Galveston. Then a dead body shows up. This series is recommended for its characters. It is no surprise that I, a hermit, loves a series of books about men who share my antipathy to going out of the house. I do leave the house looking for missing cats, not for missing people, and I never played football, as Truman did before an injury (caused by his friend Dino) ruined his career, but Truman Smith is my new hero. He knows fear but acts anyway. He believes in justice. And he loves to curl up with a good book and talk to his apathetic cat. I enjoyed this series.

[Ellen White · Rating 4 out of 5]

Galveston, Texas Truman doesn’t like missing person cases, as a personal favor he takes. Spring break, a student went missing nine months ago, from a party , another one was found dead. Good narration added to the story, the plot was good, and the final book in the series. Given audio for my voluntary review

[Dave · Rating 5 out of 5]

The last in the Truman Smith series, which is a shame. I really enjoyed the series and the characters.
Once again, Truman reluctantly agrees to help his friend Dino. This time around a college student-a son of on of Dino's friends is missing. Truman soon discovers all is not as it seems.
A wonderful series.

[Kevintipple · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this fifth and final Truman Smith mystery, Galveston Private Investigator Truman Smith still has no interest in looking for anyone. Dino wants him to quit trying to figure why alligators and birds get killed and get back to finding people. Because of the backstory that series readers are familiar with, Truman is not remotely interested. Dino has pushed this same idea before, but this time he swears things will be different and wants Truman to trust him.

Truman knows better than that having heard the “trust me” line before. Instead of looking for folks, these days Truman works as a freelance contractor of sorts running a credit check or background on folks. It is the middle nineties and he can easily accomplish both from home when he is not reading a book. But, Randall Kirbo had come to Galveston back in March for spring break and vanished. Nine months later the son of Jack Kirbo, who used to play football at the same time Truman and Dino did back in day, is still missing and Galveston PD has gotten nowhere. Jack and Dino were friends on the football team and still are as well and have had some business dealings that have worked out well for both parties. Because of all that and more, Dino wants Truman to see if he can find the kid.

December on the island means it is time for the annual “Dickens on the Strand” and the accompanying throngs of tourists and traffic. Certainly not two of Truman’s favorite things and neither are Mr. and Mr. Kirbo. Definitely not the boorish Jack Kirbo. His wife is devastated and just needs some sort of answer as to what happened to her son. It is because of her that Truman agrees to investigate the situation. That investigation will lead him to the underground party scene, a murder, and a lot more in Murder Takes A Break: A Truman Smith Mystery.

Fifth in the series that began with Dead on the Island, the character of Truman Smith is pretty well fleshed out as is his occasional sidekick, Dino. Readers know what makes Truman tick and what demons continue to haunt him. That leaves the book to be about the mystery and several are at work here in this complicated tale. As expected regarding anything from Texas legend and author, Bill Crider the book works on all levels. The twists and turns are many, the humor is occasional, the action is frequent, and the read is mighty good from start to finish.

Murder Takes A Break: A Truman Smith Mystery
Bill Crider
http://www.billcrider.com
Walker And Company
http://www.bloomsbury.com
October 1997
ISBN# 0-8027-3308-5
Hardback (also available in audio and e-book formats)
184 Pages
$21.95



Material supplied by the good folks of the Plano Public Library System.



Kevin R. Tipple ©2015

[David · Rating 2 out of 5]

There's some really good flavor offered in this mystery. Truman Smith is an interesting private eye, and the book is full of interesting characters. Dino, loves to watch infomercials on his big screen television and rarely leave home. Truman loves read out-of-print books and drink Big Red soda. Big Al (a woman by the way) and Henry J. dabble in criminal activity and wear T-shirts with pro-gun logos, etc.

At moments, Truman is as clever as Robert Parker's "Spenser" and about as fast with the wise-cracks. Instead of dogs, Crider gives Smith a cat named "nameless." And while Smith isn't much of an eater, A Plate of Enchiladas play a prominent part in the story. So there are similarities.

However, this mystery was not very motivating!! I stumbled through it, waiting for it to become exciting or looking for a nice and shcoking twist.. but I did not run into anything that offered me any real enthusiasm. In other words, this book was intersting, but not a page-turner. Crider writes well enough, and the point of view offered along with some of the thinking of his hero is interesting. The characters were broadly drawn with some innovative qualities and quirks.

I won't look for anymore Crider novels. While this was okay, as a read.. it wasn't exciting enough. It was very easy to lay this by my bedside each night instead of trying to read one more chapter through blurry eyes. I want to read compelling fiction, and this wasn't it.

[Ed Napiorkowski · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable read (listen actually as I had the audiobook version) however in my opinion not as intriguing or compelling a page turner as the earlier books in this series. Nevertheless I still enjoyed the story as it unfolded and our regular characters stumbled their way through the case in question. Not so much of a plot to sleuth your way through however the style remains faithful to the earlier books as does the portrayal of the repeat characters. Only three stars from me on this one but still worth the read.

[Karen Field · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting characters with exceptionally descriptive setting in Galveston, Texas. The author's love of the region is apparent through the beautifully detailed descriptions of Galveston as he weaves some historical facts into the novel seamlessly.

[Jacque · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book. Just started to get back into reading books again and liked this one.

[Hailey]

It was an okay book nothing special. Just the average crime book.

[Drew_poolehotmail.com]

11/11

[Bill Potter · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good effort, button his best. It was pretty good though