Book ~ "Blond Cargo" (2014) John Lansing

From Goodreads ~ Jack’s son, Chris, was the victim of a brutal murder attempt and Vincent Cardona, a mafia boss, provided information that helped Jack take down the perpetrator of the crime. Jack accepted the favor knowing there’d be blowback.

In “Blond Cargo,” the mobster’s daughter has gone missing and Cardona turned in his chit. Jack discovers that the young, blond, mafia princess has been kidnapped and imprisoned while rich, politically connected men negotiate her value as a sex slave.

Jack, a former cop, is now a private detective.  Vincent Cardona, a mafia boss, helped Jack out when his son, Chris, was hit by a car and now Vincent is calling in the debt.  His daughter, Angelica, has disappeared and Vincent wants Jack to find her.  Two other women who resemble Angelica have turned up dead and Jack hopes he can find Angelica before she ends up with the same fate.  As Jack investigates, he suspects she may have been been kidnapped to be sold as a sex slave and everyone from the mayor, a cardinal, a land developer and a shah may be involved.

In the meantime in his personal life, he is having problems with his girlfriend, Leslie, and he is concerned about his son, Chris.

This is the second book I've read by this author ... it is the second in the Jack Bertolino series (I'd read the first one last year).  You don't have to have read the first one to read this one as it works well as a standalone.

It was an interesting story.  Though I liked the the writing style, I thought it could have been a bit tighter.  There was lots of action and never a dull moment.  It is written in third person, with the focus shifting depending on what was going on.  As a head's up, there is swearing and adult situations.

I liked Jack ... he was a good guy.  I found that there were a lot of characters, though.  I had a hard time keeping them straight sometimes.

Book ~ "The Devil's Necktie" (2013) John Lansing

From Goodreads ~ Retired inspector Jack Bertolino had strict rules when dealing with confidential informants. But Mia had the kind of beauty that could make a grown man contemplate leaving his wife, his job, and his kids. After a passionate night together, Mia is found murdered - and Jack is the lead suspect.

Facing threats from the LAPD, the 18th Street Angels and a Colombian drug cartel, Jack delves deeper into the seedy world of drug dealers and murderers and discovers that the top players knew Mia personally. And now Jack is torn between fearing for his life and seeking revenge for his slain lover … either way, the body count will rise.

Jack is a retired cop and was looking forward to doing nothing more than BBQing and growing tomatoes on his terrace.   He gets a call from Mia, a former informant, that she is in town.  He's always been attracted to her ... now that he's retired, there are no rules and he can't resist her.  Later he finds her brutally murdered ... a devils necktie is when your throat is slashed and your tongue is pulled through the slash (ewwww!).  Jack is the suspect in the murder.

Mia had ripped off a key member in the drug trade for millions of dollars ... was her murder ordered by him?  Or was she in the wrong place at the wrong time because someone wanted revenge on Jack for when he was a cop?

This is the first book I've read by this author and I liked it.

I liked the writing style .. it was well-paced.  There was lots of action and never a dull moment.  It is written in third person, with the focus shifting depending on what was going on.

I liked Jack ... he was a good guy.  He had a good solid support system of friends who were there for him when he needed them.  The bad guys are really bad ... not nice at all ... so I was cheering Jack on to give them what they deserved.  I found that there were a lot of characters, though.  I had a hard time keeping them straight sometimes and I had to keep going back to see who they were.

I would recommend this book.  I can see it being the first in a series.