Shaken

Okay, so I\’ve read J.A. Konrath\’s Jack Daniels series since Hyperion first brought it out in paperback, way back in 2004. Whiskey Sour, Bloody Mary, Rusty Nail – all the way up to Cherry Bomb. Only I haven\’t got around to reading some of the later Jack Daniels. Mostly, because I am financially-challenged, and I tend to pack my Kindle with a lot of freebies and the occasional review item. But dang it, this was J.A. Konrath, and I really wanted to see what he had been up to with Jack Daniels. I\’ve always admired the way that Konrath has bounced along through the paradigm shifts of the publishing industry, getting knocked down when his publisher decided that between the juicy brutal fiction of his Jack Daniels series and the no-holds barred horror of his Jack Kilborn alter-ego that they didn\’t want to be seen at the prom with him anymore. Only Konrath didn\’t let that stop him. He raised his arm up from the literary mat, shaking a keyboard in the air like a Hulk Hogan death match and then got back up to his feet and published a billion other books indie-style. A while ago I picked up SHAKEN and I decided to give it a go. Wow. First off, Konrath shook me with that messed-up Tarantino time-line he had going in this book. There were about three different stories from as far back as twenty years before – all centering around this one serial killer that Jack had been drinking with. And yes – I meant that pun about \”shook\”. I held on through the wibbly-wobbly time-wimey stuff. I had to hold on. The story – or stories – were that good. I mean, it held me. It\’s tougher than the early Jack Daniels novels. I can feel the way that Jack has aged a little as a character. I can see the scars and the hard lessons. That makes her believable, as a character. She isn\’t all glitzy and glib. She\’s hardcore and hard fought the whole way home. So I enjoyed the heck out of this novel and I am definitely going to pick up the last few books of the series. Grab it, and read it in one single swallow. Yours in storytelling, Steve Vernon

I\’m a fan of the series, but this one took me by surprise with the moving timeframes. I liked the background into Jack\’s initial partnership with Harry, then the case that lead to her eventual move to Homicide with Herb. Going back was a good lead into the Mr. K case and Jack\’s past with Brotsky, and how they come full circle from 1989 to 2010 and Jack\’s closest brush with a seriously insane serial killer. It just wasn\’t what I was expecting and I must have really forgotten where Cherry Bomb left off because I did not realize her and Phin\’s relationship had progressed that far. I may need to re-read that one. It is fun to read a series based in Chicago, where I grew up and many of the streets and neighborhoods are ones I myself am familiar with. Seeing Jack\’s struggle with becoming a detective, her first brushes with evil, and the decision to follow her dream at the sacrifice of relationships and family are real for many women breaking into roles that were predominantly male. At the end, all though this was different from the past books, I liked it a great deal.

It wasn\’t too bad for awhile thought he frequent time jumps were annoying right from the beginning. This is not a long book but I was still finding myself wanting to wrap up more quickly. The last 5 chapters were tortuous with long descriptions of nothing consequential. It really felt like the author thought the book was too short and compelled to just fill with anything. This is the first I read of the Jack Daniels series and I had big hopes that it would be good. When I find an author to latch onto I read everything I can get my hands on but I won\’t be reading another of these especially considering it is Book 7. I could maybe try another if this were book 1 but if this is their craft after 7 no thanks.

This one was interestingly written. Each chapter switches to a different time in Jack\’s life where she was dealing with the killer Mr. \”K\”. One is in 1989. Jack is still a beat cop working with Harry McGlade and Dt. Herb Benedict has offered her to work undercover as an escort to help find the killer. The next timeframe is 2007. Jack and Herb are partners and they are this close to catching the guy. The last is present day (2010). Jack has left the force and has been working with McGlade again as a PI. She wakes up bound and gagged, watching a clock count down to her torture and eventual death. It was actually easy to follow along with the switching back and forth and forth and it was interesting seeing the beginnings of Jack\’s relationship and career. As always, I love this series and look forward to the next one.

Any book by J A Konrath goes on my must read list and this was no exception. Seems like Jacqueline \”Jack\” Daniels gets better with each book. Do yourself a favor and start reading them. If you want to begin in order get Whisky Sour. That\’s what I did and I recommend that approach as you\’ll get the full flavor of Jack\’s developing character as the books progress (as well as the other characters).

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