Private Heat: An Art Hardin Mystery

Rejoice! The hard-boiled school of mystery fiction is alive and well and roiling over in...Grand Rapids, Michigan? Yep. That's the beat of Art Hardin, tough, smart, wise-cracking PI who takes the kind of unglamorous, gritty cases that pay the rent and put food on the table. Insurance fraud, industrial theft, maybe the odd missing person or philandering spouse are the usual bills of fare. But not this time. For what begins as an ostensibly simple, straightforward two-day assignment involving protecting a divorcing woman from her potentially violent, soon-to-be ex(who happens to be a vice squad cop), rapidly mushrooms into something very much bigger, nastier and a whole lot deadlier. In "Private Heat," author Robert Bailey reveals himself to be a writer of exceptional talent and a master storyteller of uncommon skill. He has managed to create a cast of fascinating, 3-dimensional characters with whom the reader immediately identifies, an intriguing plot-line of Chandleresque complexity, and does it all with dead-on, wry social observation, pithy dialogue and occasional side splitting humor. It's a great read that I recommend wholeheartedly. Can't wait to start "Dying Embers!"

It's tough to find a contemporary first book by an author--and a mystery, at that--as compelling and entertaining as PRIVATE HEAT by Robert Bailey. What a pleasant surprise. A gut-wrencher one moment, the reader laughs out loud the next. On top of it all, Bailey's experience as a private investigator lends the book a believability that pulls the reader right into the action. The plot moves along quickly, as Bailey masterfully builds his characters. The reader cannot help but identify with the not-quite-smug protagonist, Art Hardin, and his sidekick, as well as the entire Hardin family--especially his wife, Wendy. Throw in his dead partner's widow, who holds the business pursestrings, and a few cops who don't take to a PI who continually gets ahead of them , and Bailey has woven a great setting for a dynamite murder case. PRIVATE HEAT is loaded with the irony that underscores real life. In one scene, Hardin's wonderful "rotor"-tailed dog careens across a vehicle's hood to catch a frisbee while the cops, called to check out a shooting at Hardin's house, cheer him on. Bailey's polished, well-turned phrases give the book impact. It's a damned good read, and the last page is the best. But don't cheat. You'll miss out on a great ride if you do.Note: I hear the next book in the series, DYING EMBERS, is due out any time now.

Authenticity is hard to come by in the world of fiction, but this first novel offers plenty. The back of the dust jacket says the author is a military veteran as well an experienced private investigator. I have no doubt of this, for as I read 'Private Heat', it was obvious to me that Mr. Bailey has personally experienced the events which enabled him to craft and plot this excellent story. His first hand experience not only allows him to accurately portray the technical details of a detective story, but, he is also able to strike the elusive and delicate balance between fiction and reality. IE, "Private Heat" is not a 'true crime' novel, but it's entertaining and REAL at the same time. "Private Heat" offers excellent dialogue and a well crafted plot. Highly recommended. Collectors should grab their own first printing of Mr. Baileys first novel while they still can. I'm looking forward to the next installment.

I haven't read a lot of mystery novels, but when I happened to run into Robert Bailey while he was speaking at a local bookstore, I decided to buy his first book and give it a shot. He was a genuinely nice guy, and you could tell that he really, really liked what he had written. That sold me right there. It took me a couple of chapters to get into the book, but after that I was completely hooked. Art Hardin, the main character, is very believable detective, and I liked the fact that he's a family man and not the typical gumshoe that you see in the movies. I loved that he kept getting arrested, and I loved that he was always on top of every situation. The story moves along at a whirlwind pace, the action unfolding in a way that keeps you wanting more and more right up until the end. This book is addictive! The characters are real, the author has a great sense of humor, and the plot is both well thought out and well presented. I laughed out loud a few times while reading the book, which was a surprise.I might be a bit partial, because the book is set in my home town. As a matter of fact, Art's office is located a mile and a half from my house! Robert Bailey has depicted the adventures of a detective in Grand Rapids in a way that I would have never imagined possible, and it was a thrill to see so many of the places with which I'm familiar in print.This novel will appeal to readers of all types. I know that for certain, because I myself am more into SF and dark fantasy than anything else, and I loved this book. I'll be recommending it to others, and I can't wait for the second book in the series, which, according to Mr. Bailey, is set to be published soon.Great job!!

I read Private Heat on a friend's recommendation and I'm glad I did. The book is well plotted, moves quickly, and is, quite frankly, hard to put down. I read several first novels each year, and an author's lack of experience is usually easy to spot. Not so in this case. The protagonist is believable (imagine, a private eye with a family instead of a harem). The bad guys are believable (a carefully constructed scam). The supporting characters are believable. The action quickly moves from one believable situation to the next. A good novel creates the willing suspension of disbelief, and this book does just that. I look forward to Robert Bailey's next novel, as Private Heat will surely lead to a string of successes.