Rusty Nail (Jack Daniels #3) in SSG: Spy/Spec-Ops Group

Feb 16, 2012 Mike (the Paladin) rated it liked it

Well, I've been through 3 of these now and I came closer to dropping the rating on this one than any of the others. Don't worry, I'll say why later. I have a record of saying I like books pretty well and then doing several paragraphs on what I don't like.

Still what I do like and the reason I'm saying with somewhat mediocre 3 star rating is I like the character. Konrath has in his books several things that drive me up the wall, annoy me, and even do what my mom would have called "putting me off" Well, I've been through 3 of these now and I came closer to dropping the rating on this one than any of the others. Don't worry, I'll say why later. I have a record of saying I like books pretty well and then doing several paragraphs on what I don't like.

Still what I do like and the reason I'm saying with somewhat mediocre 3 star rating is I like the character. Konrath has in his books several things that drive me up the wall, annoy me, and even do what my mom would have called "putting me off". BUT I must say over all I like the way he writes Jack. Her humor, her completeness as a character has so far carried a series of books that have other things in them that would have caused me to completely discard the entire series after the first chapter of the first book.

So, what bugs me so much? Primarily I don't care for the detailed descriptions of what the maniac of the moment is doing to the given victim. I read police procedurals and some mysteries. I understand that you need a murder to have a murder mystery. What I don't need is a tutorial on how to skin a human or instruction on how to work my hand between the skin of the scalp and the skull...you get the idea. I skim a lot of this.

As noted I like Jack, but I'm getting heartily sick of her love life and emotional angst...just me. I'm here for the story, the action and the mystery, not the romance.

There is also the obvious fact that we've found a formula and all we did here was expand on it, not move away from it. I mean how many cops have become the personal, individual target of the serial murderer they're investigating? I don't mean once. I mean every maniac they go after!!!

Then there's harry. I hate Harry. Please put him in his own books if you must so I can avoid him, but don't clutter up the Jack Daniels books with him...please. He's freaking annoying.

There's also the lack of research or at least attention to detail. Jack constantly ignores police procedure and does things a police officer (and she's a lieutenant) would never do...

And just a word or two Mr. Konrath...women have colonoscopies as well as men. I don't where you get the idea that only men have to have them, but women are subject to intestinal polyps and colon cancer to. And really...I've had to go through this...you never start the "cleaning out process at work...never.

Oh, and the liquid you drink for that purpose isn't, chalky. Honest.

Still with all that I like the character and think I'll go on to at least one more. So that being said, if I'm going to follow the series I can't very well rate the book below3 stars. The books are flawed, but the writing has a flavor of humor and Jack manages to came across as very real. Thus, 3 stars flawed but very readable...in most places. Though...if you're like me you may need to skim through the graphically insane scenes. ...more

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