Jump: A Sam McGowan Adventure

What a great group of characters! The book has everything...mystery, humor and a little romance. I read it in one day and passed it along to my friends.

Reviewed by Danielle Feliciano for Reader Views (2/09) After reading the first sentence of "Jump," I groaned at what was in store. After finishing the first chapter, I nearly put the book down. I am glad I did not because after a bad start, this book turned out to be a tremendous thriller by author Tim Maleeny. While the beginning paragraph was bogged down by the overuse of poor similes and metaphors, the book quickly turned itself around and turned into one of those books I was unable to put down. "Jump" opens with Ed Lowry, despised landlord, taking a fatal leap from the top of the apartment building he owns. Police are unsure as to whether or not it is a murder or suicide, and recently-retired cop Sam McGowan finds himself drawn back in to investigate what happened. Sam, and the reader are treated to a wide variety of suspects, including Sam himself. This apartment building is inhabited by some of the most colorful and interesting characters I have read in quite a while. Each character has his or her own back story and that adds not only to the main storyline, but also adds interest on the part of the reader as to who these people are and how they end up becoming involved with each other. As Sam's investigation moves along the story quickly picks up pace. The writing was crisp and tight. A little detail that I loved is Maleeny's talent for blending the end of one chapter into the beginning of the next with the same theme or dialog, yet having turned the story over to another character. It was done so subtly that it honestly took me a few chapters to figure out that it was being done. I felt it was a personal "quirk" on the part of the author that I really appreciated. He also found a way to bookend the story without being obvious about it. The only downside of that bookend was the opportunity to use another over-exaggerated simile, but the rest of the book was so perfect that was easy to overlook. Tim Maleeny has written a true thriller in "Jump" and will keep you involved with the story until the very end.

I'm a Robert B Parker, Travis McGee, Harry Bosch type...and now I'll read whatever Tim Maleeny puts out. Today its so rare to find mysteries that balance action, plot and humor without selling out or going over the top. This book ( and his others) deliver. Get in now because there's no doubt Maleeny is going to be huge and soon.

I am a huge fan of author Tim Maleeny's "Cape Weathers Investigation" series so I was eager to read "Jump" and see what he could do with a new group of characters. I am here to say he doesn't disappoint. There are definite similarities between the Cape Weathers series of books and "Jump" with a San Francisco based story and a main protagonist that drives a classic Ford Mustang but that's about where the likeness ends. Like Alfred Hitchcock's "Rear Window", "Jump" primarily takes place in one fateful apartment building. Mr. Maleeny lets us be Jimmy Stewart and watch his characters intertwine and overlap as they all react to the opening scene of their not so lovable landlord's plunge off of the roof. Like players in a great stage play it was an absolute joy following the eccentric group of characters as they led me to the really fun surprise ending. Thank you Mr. Maleeny for another great read.