Although he suspects a local dentist has murdered two women, retired detective Jake Barnes health may be in jeopardy if he pursues the case. Does he have a case and if so, can he bring the culprit to justice?
If you like murder mysteries, you'll enjoy In the Game, the story of a retired police detective who ignores his personal health issues to pursue a man he believes has gotten away with two murders and now may be responsible for a third.
Jake Barnes was forced to retire from the Albany (NY) police department due to health issues, but he is reluctant to sit home and take care of his dog, especially when he reads in the local paper about the death of the third young woman who dated a local dentist.
Is Jake overcompensating for having been forced to retire? Will ignoring his bad heart put him in an early grave? Does he have a case, and if so, can he bring the culprit to justice?
Excerpt
“Can’t you move any faster?”
Bernard looked back, slowing down even more. “It’s not good to get over-heated, Jo,” he replied.
She gave him a dirty look. He forgot she hated being called ‘Jo’.
“Fine,” she said. “Let’s keep moving.”
Bernard winced. He knew that Joanne was a superior athlete when he suggested cross-country skiing, but he hoped his taking the initiative would change her attitude towards him. He should have realized that it was hopeless. After their third date, she had started measuring him, telling him in not-so-subtle ways where he came up short. She was hypercritical; it was probably why she chose law as a profession––which begged the question why he was attracted to women like Joanne in the first place!
After a while, Bernard slowed down again. “Ready for lunch? There are some picnic tables up ahead.”
Joanne nodded and gave him one of her thin smiles. That had been the first clue. He remembered when he first noticed her pretending. He taken her to his favorite restaurant. He prided himself on his cooking skill and was planning to cook a meal for her, which he hoped would lead to intimacy, but she seemed miles away when he started describing his version of one of the dishes on the menu. Her smile feigned attention while her eyes roamed the room. Was she looking to see if she recognized anyone? Maybe she was rehearsing what she’d say about having been seen out with a divorced dentist. Instead of throwing in the towel, he tried to win her over. He stopped talking about his cooking prowess and asked her what she liked to cook.
Professional Reviews
Fun return to good old fashioned PI mysteries!!
Jake Barnes is a retired Albany, NY police officer. Not that he really wanted to retire. A less than terrific heart sent him packing. His wife just recently died after a long bout with cancer, and his daughter and young grandson have moved in with him since she divorced her husband. Jake loves doing things with his grandson and has tried the golf game route, but he still has too much time on his hands.
When he sees a newspaper article about an untimely death of a woman traveler, he also recognizes a familiar name. One of the travelers in this trip was Dr. Bernard Johns, who was a suspect in an unsolved case involving another women's untimely death. At that time, Jake was still a policeman and had been convinced that Dr. Johns was guilty. Now Jake will do whatever it takes to get back IN THE GAME.
This is a refreshingly documented case that follows Jack's getting back into action. Getting his PI's liscence, convincing someone to fund his search, and following all his actions to find clues, evidence, and witnesses to solve this case, makes for a terrifically driven read. Along the way, he picks up a young helper who could be a liability or a real help. It was great fun following along with Jake's discoveries and thought processes. Reminded me of the good old fashioned, straight forward mystery books that begin with a Private Investigator and a seemingly simple case, that turning into tense drama. Could be the beginning of a great series---let's hope!!
Hard book to put down
Mr. Pollak keeps you on the edge of your seat with stories hat resonate with real people dealing with extraordinary circumstances. We travel the path of Jake Barnes, a retired police officer from Albany, New York as he uncovers the link to several murders. As always with Pollak's books, there are unanticipated turns and twists. Hard book to put down. Would recommend this read and his preceding books.
5Pollak's "In the Game" Is a Winner!
Peter Pollak is a colleague and friend. This is the first of his novels that I have read; but won't be the last. I liked "In the Game" a lot! Loved the Capital Region (Albany, NY) tie-ins. I found the central character, PI Jake Barnes, to be very likeable and wonder if Peter Pollak has this same character in mind for other mysteries - along the lines of Nelson DeMille's John Corey. As to the plot, the three dead women shared enough in common to advance the story without a lot of complication. The ending might annoy some readers who prefer a tidier finale; but it kept me thinking about the circumstances way after I traded the book for one my husband is reading. I really liked the simplicity, lack of descriptive violence and, of course, the absence of the use of the "F Bomb!"
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