The Case of the Greedy Lawyers

Sean NMI Sean is a private detective in Minneapolis. A mysterious visit from a woman starts a ball rolling that grows bigger and more dangerous as it rolls along city streets and alleys. The almost client says she was sent by a law firm where Sean is not exactly a welcome face. Who would have sent her? Before he can find out, the lady is found dead. True to traditional detective novels she was found with little else-but had Sean's business card with her. Now the P.I. feels a responsibility to find out whom she really is, who killed her, and why she was sent to him in the first place. While the beginning of this book makes you think Michael J. Fox has been hired to play Jim Rockford, who is doing his best James Bond impersonation, but once the push to be funny and cute in a Sam Spade kind of way is over-it's a really good story. Sean Sean is a human kind of detective. He pursues a woman, a masseuse, who he feels may just be a step above him. You connect with his feelings of fear of rejection. Brookins has written a solid detective novel-the literate, street-savvy investigator who understands the desire for the better things in life, but who knows his own limitations, and who won't give up the white-soled red Keds, regardless of their fashion statement. A woman with a problem keeps the story in motion and her death sets the spring for an entertaining tale. A smart, desirable woman who is also interested in the mystery investigation explores the human need for connection, and then there are greedy lawyers who may be more interested in practicing life's baser forms than law. Interesting characters, solid plotting, and excellent pacing make The Case of the Greedy Lawyers a fast, entertaining read. Armchair Interviews says: Quality writing you expect from Carl Brookins.

Sean Sean is short. He's a PI in Minneapolis, and seems to be competent in that field of endeavor; he can pay his bills and have some money left over. Magda Bryce approaches Mr. Sean for a possible job; she got his name from a firm of attorneys, Ephraim Harcourt Saint Martin, where her husband is an important partner. Sean had an unpleasant run-in with Mr. Saint Martin, and is rather surprised that the firm would have referred Ms. Bryce. The next time Sean sees Magda Bryce, she is dead and her body shows signs of recent possible torture. After some unpleasantries with local thugs, Sean hears from the another woman connected to the Bryce family. She asks Sean for help, but he arrives too late to save her life. He feels some guilt about this, which only reinforces his decision to ignore the warnings to stay off the case. Sean does have a personal life, a growing romantic relationship with a masseuse, Catherine Mckerney. She becomes involved in the Bryce case, which places her at some risk. Sean is not amused by this turn of events. Brookins has given Sean Sean that kind of self-deprecating humor that enables the reader to laugh with, rather than at, the character and the situations in which he finds himself. The plotting is complex enough for those readers who like a good puzzle. The setting is, for the most part, the gentler side of those "mean streets" the hard-boiled guys walk down. All in all, a gentle elbow in the ribs for those who can see the jokes and a good story for those who don`t.

You many not have been aware of it but Minneapolis is the home of Private Detective Sean "No Middle Initial" Sean. Yes, you read that right. His first name is his last, he has no middle name, and maybe that is why he looks at everything just a little differently than most would. He's short at just five foot three, known for wearing his red Keds even when wearing nothing at all, and is good at what he does no matter what the might be. He also has a sense of humor except when one of his clients gets murdered. Except she really wasn't his client. She drifted into his office one day, hardly said a word, told him she would have to give things some more thought and left. Sometime later she was found dead. For Sean, after being asked to identify the body, he isn't ready to let the police take over. He begins to investigate with all trails leading back to a huge law firm with a name that sounds like many publishing houses all put together. As he digs, violence begins to erupt and it becomes clear that his wise talking PI is being used as a pawn in someone's power game. This book is a very enjoyable read from short to finish on two different levels. On one, it is a send up of all the classic detective novels. With allusions to other books and characters and how they would react, the read is often very funny. The author clearly has a knack for puns and delights in naming so many things after various publishing houses. Many of them seem to be villains in one form or another which increases the amusement factor especially for those working in the writing profession. On another level, the read is a typical detective story with occasional violence, a beautiful woman in his life, and all the rest including a complicated and intriguing case that slowly becomes clear. The story line moves forward at a steady pace and features a character that is unique and entertaining. Misdirect ions are many and what appears obvious in the middle part of the novel is far from certain by the end. The result is an entertaining roller coaster of a ride and one very good novel. A fun fast read, one can only hope that more adventures are planned for the detective with no middle initial. Kevin R. Tipple (copyright) 2006

An upper class female visits Hennepin County, Minnesota private investigator Sean "NMI" Sean insisting that powerful attorney Ephraim Harcourt Saint Martin sent her to him because she needs his help. She tells him no more except that she will consider hiring him before leaving. The next day the police ask Sean to come to the morgue to identify a corpse of a woman carrying his business card. He recognizes her as his visitor who left without providing her name or her reason for seeing him. Not long afterward, someone attacks Sean at his home warning him to back off or else. Another woman calls pleading with him to help her; she too is murdered. Finally Sean also learns that a nameless detective (not Pronzini's) has made inquiries about him so he investigates why. This leads him to Lucinda the dominatrix and the knowledge of S & M behavior on the part of the legal class. Sean keeps digging as only he can to uncover who is snuffing out their bondage partners as Ephraim is now dead. Sean is terrific in what is a spoof on hard boiled detectives as the hero proves that tough sleuths can be small (5'3"), compassionate, caring and in your face as he refuses to accept crap. The story line is interesting as Sean is pulled into the world of bondage by not quite clients who end up dead. Private investigative fans will enjoy the entertaining tale wondering what is going on and tagging along with Sean as he ponders why homicide amongst the legal class has interrupted their sexual games. Harriet Klausner

Sean 'MNI' (No Middle Initial) Sean receives a visit from a 'classy' woman who tells him she desperately needs his help and that she was referred to him by her powerful attorney, Ephraim Harcourt Saint Martin. She doesn't, however, tell him her problems or hire him because she wants to think about it first. The next time Sean sees her, it is in the morgue. The police found his business card on Magda Bryce's body and want to talk to him. Following his trip to the morgue, Sean is attacked and warned to stay away from the Bryce family, or else. Then another woman from the Bryce household, needing Sean's help, is murdered and Sean begins to dig deeper for answers. And what he finds is bondage, more death and danger enough to go around. Armchair Interviews says this is a wonderful spoof of a hard-boiled 'dick.' He's a grand character, diminutive (5'3") for a man, but is truly someone that cares. You'll enjoy The Case of the Greedy Lawyers and anticipate the next Sean Sean mystery.