Fuzzy Navel

A fast paced criminal procedure, with a lot of shooting, and dodging bullets. It is my first book by Konrath, read out of line in the Jack Daniels series. It can stand alone, there is some background given so the reader is not completely in the dark to previous incidents. I liked the characters well enough to continue. I expected this to be along the lines of the Stephanie Plum series by Evanovich, but unlike that series, this is more graphically depicted in violence. The Evanovich series is a lighter read, with a ditzier main character. Jack (Jacqueline) has a more serious and capable side to her. One of the bad characters in this one, \”Alex\” a female bad-guy, escapes from prison and has come after Jack, who put her there. She is very scary, cold and heartless. There is a lot of drama going on, bleeding and horrific injuries, things you don\’t see coming. The author somehow balances it with some humor and makes it work. I loved Jack\’s Mom\’s \”grit\” and her partners loyalty, and especially the private eye who comes to her aid …well, I won\’t tell you what he becomes to Jack, just read it. Yes, there is a big cliff-hanger at the end, as most other reviewers have said. Fortunately we can download a sample of the next in line at the kindle store, so we can find out which character got the ax. The sample of \”Cherry Bomb\” clears that up first thing. There are a lot of books in this series, so I\’m looking forward to more enjoyable reads.

The Jack Daniels series is intense and fast-paced, filled with psychotic killers, and a hodgepodge of flawed characters with redeeming qualities. Throughout the intensely stressful situations Konrath inserts witty and stress-relieving, wise cracking dialogue that also serves to provide insight into the characters. This is written in first person for the protagonist (Jack) and antagonist (Alex), but in third person for the other characters. It can be a little confusing if you don\’t pay attention to the chapter title, but I gather this transitioning assists the author in fleshing out the main characters, especially psychos like Alex. Reading can be a crapshoot like traveling, fun and exciting experiences, or plodding, problematic and cheesy. I very much enjoy this series and consider these books reliable entertainment if I\’m in mood for an author and book I can depend upon to provide just that.

Yet another amazing book in this series. Yes, it had some flaws, but those are easily enough overlooked for heart pounding action, I think. I know that Jack took A LOT of hits and still kept right on going, but when adrenaline is coursing through your body, you may be able to do super human things. I loved the action in this book. I didn\’t even care that you find out right away who all 4…yes 4…bad guys are. Normally that would bother me, but there was so much action going on, and so much suspense that I didn\’t miss the surprise of not knowing until later. I really enjoy the fact that each of his books so far has been different. Mr. Konrath doesn\’t write using a standard formula, and that really makes his books exciting. The thing you can count on with every book though…and especially with this one…is that you\’re going to want to have the next book on hand so you can dive right in! One more thing about these books…they are, I think, made to be read in order. And I highly recommend reading them in order. If you don\’t, you\’re not going to understand in the same way as you would if you read in order.

That title is a bit dramatic, but I can\’t help it – this was the first story in the Jack Daniels series I actually liked (I gave Shot of Tequila a whopping five stars, but that\’s not a part of the official chronology of the original series because it\’s a prequel). I find these \’misadventures\’ of Jack Daniels passively entertaining and for the life of me can\’t ever seem to give one more than three stars, but this one – Fuzzy Navel – actually did it and made me give it four. From the start I was really intrigued. I was curious to see how this story was going to play out. This book gave us a firsthand account of what happens when good intentions go bad. The vigilante group, the TUHC ,or The Urban Hunting Club, was started by Greg Swanson to assassinate perverts and rapists after his own wife\’s harrowing experience. Unfortunately for Greg, he had to recruit two loonies obsessed with warfare and firearms. After that, things just sort of get out of hand and before they know it, the actions of James Munchel now labels them as cop-killers. After the frenetic actions of Munchel shooting at Jack Daniels and company at the scene of one of TUHC\’s latest murder victims, unsatisfied that Jack Daniels saw him, he suckers his cohorts, Paul Pessolano, and Swanson, to stake out Jack\’s house to snipe them from a distance. Oh, and throw in Alex Kork – who stages her own suicide and escapes the correctional facility – into the mix and its one big blender of hell bursting wide open on earth. At least for Jack. This might have been the first and probably only time I ever rooted for Jack to get the upperhand. If you\’ve ever read any of my reviews of the previous books in this series, you\’ll know I detest this woman to the fullest. Oh, and don\’t get me wrong – that hasn\’t changed. For the life of me, I can\’t understand why everyone – except for maybe her mother, who she acts just like – is so crazy about Jack. Why the hell does a woman as selfish and ungrateful as Jack Daniels inspire so much loyalty from the people she continues to put in danger time and time again? But not to get myself started on that, it just means that in this scenario, Jack was the more likeable person – and that\’s saying much because I REALLY can\’t stand her. The whole time I was reading, I just couldn\’t wait to see how they got out of this nightmarish scenario. With Alex Kork keeping them hostage on the inside and then the TUHC keeping all of them hostage from the outside – I just couldn\’t see how anyone would win. One word about the cliffhanger at the end – for me, at least, there\’s no contest about who was done in. Unfortunately, before I ever got into the Jack Daniels series, I read Stirred as the conclusion to the Andrew Thomas trilogy by Mr. Blake Crouch. The collaboration between the two authors also served to be the conclusion of the Jack Daniels series as well. Back then I swore to never read another Jack Daniels book because I hated her character so bad. But somehow I went back on my word and now here I am leaving another review on fifth book in the series. Anyway, I\’m bringing this up because I know what characters were left by the last book. There are two characters in particular that there are no mention of by the time the events in Stirred occurred. And now going back to read these books, I was always wondering in the back of my head what eventually happened to them. This cliffhanger is probably concerning one of them. Frankly, given Jack\’s reaction, it isn\’t too hard to figure out what happened. It\’s just too bad I can\’t leave a rant about it because it would be a spoiler. Congratulations, Konrath – you\’ve done the impossible with this biased reader. You made me like Jack Daniels in this story – even if it was for just two seconds.

Fuzzy Navel is the fifth book in the Jack Daniels series/books. TBH would suggest reading other 4 before hand so you can actually get a good feel for the characters. Jack(Jackeline)Daniels is a cop working with her partner Herb putting the bad men and women behind bars. Well, one escapes, a rather nasty one called Kork, (X Marine(ess) Psychopath) who seeks out Jack for vengence…Vendetta Vendetta! And before you start yawning and thinking,been seen and done, nope you have not, until you have read and digested this little gem of a book! Jack is already on a case, a group of snipers are targeting the naughty peeps in life and killing them off, but Jack gets more than she bargained for as the snipers turn their sights onto her. Add to that Jacks pschotic cat, Latham her fiance, Harry McGlade (PI) and Phin, throw in the mix a group of snipers and a rather peeved off psychotic killer and the fun begins in one house! Its fast paced, very very funny banter between the characters and a few bumps, scratches, bullets and bites that follow. This HAS to be the best Jack Daniels Novel Ive read yet! The humor and dialect kept me glued to each page, not to mention the bullet popping, chainsaw swinging lunatics! Fav part is when the psycho cat starts using Harry as a scratching post……Would recommend this!!! TY JA Konrath! Enjoyed!

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