I couldn't find the first entry in the Sharon McCone series, Edwin of the Iron Shoes so I tried this one, the 22nd installment published in 2004. I liked it, but not enough to think I'll really get around to reading more in the series. On the irritating side, McCone complains about California stereotypes, without seeming to realize she's a walking caricature of how much of the country perceives San Francisco, where this book is mainly set. McCone, a private investigator, started out working for a law coop with the word "poverty" in it and now owns an agency where employees are "family" and resemble a rainbow coalition. A liberal do-gooder, McCone rants against "tax cuts for the rich." She's also something of a Mary Sue--beautiful, exotic looking (she's half-Shoshone), she can kick ass a la Buffy, is an expert shooter and a pilot. She has a nephew who is a computer "genius," an ex-brother-in-law who is a rock star, a friend with a new novel praised by the New York Times and a significant other who is a hostage negotiator. On the other hand, I really liked that this surrounded a detective agency rather than the usual PI loner, and it was refreshing to see an idealist rather than the usual cynic. Other than that, I wouldn't say this novel stood out in style (the usual first person, though soft-boiled in tone) or plot. No twist or turn that makes it memorable.
Another great story in this series - fast paced, holds your interest, good storyMarcia Muller's beloved heroine Sharon McCone is back to investigate a personal betrayal by one of her operatives that has put her business and reputation on the line. The future's looking bright for Sharon McCone and the staff of McCone Investigations-until one of the firm's operatives, Julia Rafael, is arrested for major credit card fraud. A former juvenile delinquent, Julia was a risky hire, but by all accounts had been turning her life around. Banking on her innocence, Sharon goes to work looking for the real thief-only to discover a cache of illegal merchandise stashed in Julia's apartment. Is it the damning evidence that will seal her employee's fate, or the key to a larger conspiracy? Sharon must find out the truth....or lose her firm and reputation in the process.
What do You think about The Dangerous Hour (2005)?
In the 22nd installment of Marcia Muller's Sharon McCone PI series, The Dangerous Hour, Sharon returned to tackle another one of her toughest cases. This time, we've found Sharon investigating one a personal betrayal of her own operatives that might put her career on the line. When one of her ops, Julia Rafael, was arrested for credit card fraud, she knew she was a risky hire when she'd turned her troubled life around. While she believed her innocence, she went investigating for the real thief. And then they've found a cache of illegal merchandise in her apartment. Now it was up to Sharon to clear her name and find out who set Julia up for the fall.
—Kristen
Every time I buy a novel by a well-known author I haven’t read before, I soon realize that the book is already well into a series. Guess I’m a sucker for a great cover and tantalizing blurbs and, so far, I haven’t been disappointed. This is especially true for my first (and I’m a little embarrassed to admit this) Sharon McCone novel.The adventure opens with Sharon feeling pretty good about her expanding PI practice. So good that she’s about to celebrate with her staff when the police show up and arrest her newest operative, Julia Rafael. Julia’s allegedly stolen a credit card from former client, Alex Aguilar. The situation worsens when a complaint’s filed against Sharon, prompting a rep from the Investigations Bureau of the Dept. of Consumer Affairs to want to scrutinize her files.Neither Sharon or Julia’s lawyer believe Julia stole the card, so it’s a matter of finding who set her up, and why? The more Sharon digs, the more dangerous things become for her and her staff.The Dangerous Hour is an entertaining, suspenseful read filled with twists and turns, plus an interesting subplot about her strained relationship with her lover, Hy. Although Hy doesn’t appear until midway through the book, he’s an interesting guy, and I’m looking forward to going back and starting this series from the beginning. It should be quite a ride.
—Debra
