Mike Shayne’s 50th Case by Brett Halliday
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Imagine walking into a bookstore, seeing a Mike Shayne book and something about a 50th case. Then the book is opened, Mike Shayne can hardly be found and there’s no other reference to a 50th case. You’d have to wonder if the wrong cover was attached to the book or the publisher is desperate to milk a series for it’s every dime by sticking any story written and placing a Mike Shayne cover around it. The latter would best explain this book.

Making matters worse, the style of writing in this book is so much like so many authors use today. Extreme over writing. Especially involving descriptions of characters. As the book starts and goes on and on and on about a character that by 10 pages in of this short novel, I knew I was in trouble. More than half way in and a call is placed to Shayne asking for help. Shayne is written to accept, with no mention of Shayne’s obsession with financial exchange. As Shayne is plugged in the last sixth of the book, the ending is as obvious as it was within the first ten pages.

The story is badly plotted and thought out. The writing is strongest of the book. But how it is all put together. It is all too obvious.

About Florida setting: This ghost writer knows little of Florida and so keeps setting details to a minimum.

Bottom line : I Don’t recommend this book. 3 out of 10 points.

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