Mrazek's Dead Man's Bridge is full of suspense and thrills. Jake Cantrell and his dog Bug have faced danger in Afghanistan and now face challenges at home as Jake embarks on his job in security at an exclusive college. Murders, blackmail, and Jake's military experience collide as he works to solve the crimes despite opposition from his administration.

*3 Stars*

Copy kindly received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was an interesting mystery with an ending that I didn't see coming. I didn't really connect with any of the characters and I felt that Jake's Army background could have had a little more explaining. I felt that I was expecting Bug to be a bit more a central character. Otherwise though this was an intriguing book that was worth giving a go. There seemed to be many facets to the story and there are other characters that would be worth exploring more as well.

I would possibly be interested in reading more about this character if the series continues.

Dead Man’s Bridge is the first installment of the Jake Cantrell Mystery series and my first read by author Robert J. Mrazek. The story mainly takes place on and around the campus of St. Andrews College in upstate New York. This was a fast-paced mystery/thriller that took place over a period of a few days.

The main character, Jake Cantrell, is working as a campus security officer after being discharged and disgraced as an army officer in Afghanistan. He finds himself investigating a mystery concerning suicide/murder/blackmail. I felt Jake was a believable and flawed character as evidenced by his problem with alcohol. He declined mental health services after being discharged from the military even though he admits later he probably has PTSD. Also while he was deployed his wife decided to leave him for his former best friend/college roommate. Jake instead makes a poor choice to “self-medicate” with alcohol. Jake has a tough exterior but also a soft and gentle caring side.

Dead Man’s Bridge was a great novel. I hope there are more to come in the Jake Cantrell Mystery series. The author grabbed my attention at the very beginning and held it throughout the book. I would definitely read more from Robert J. Mrazek and recommend Dead Man’s Bridge to anyone who loves this genre. Four out of five stars for Dead Man’s Bridge!!!

Dead man's bridge by Robert J. Mrazek.
Disgraced former army officer Jake Cantrell and his pal, Bug, a wolf-dog he saved while in Afghanistan and the only friend he has left, try to put their bitter pasts behind them as Jake finds employment at the bottom rung of the campus security ladder of a small upstate New York college. But things only turn for the worse when the college’s richest and most powerful alumnus is found hanging from a campus footbridge on the eve of homecoming weekend.
This was a good read. Little slow but I read it. 3* netgalley and crooked lane books.

The story follows ex army Jake as he starts working as campus security. When someone is found hanged on campus know one believes Jake and his suspicions that this was murder. Faced with a race against time Jake struggles to solve the mystery before it’s too late.
I loved the fact that this book didn’t involve a email main character who was overcoming her past or a down and our cop in a struggling marriage. It was a brilliant refreshing change from a lot of thrillers out at the moment.
This was a fast paces plot with a great developing story, not your usual ‘whodunit’, it involved twists and turns, multiple murder and high stakes blackmail. Even better this is the first in a new series, and I love discovering a new series at the beginning.
I liked Jake and how rough around the edges he was, I mean there is nothing more attractive than an alcoholic, severely troubles ex army guy, am I right?
Although at times he was a tad indestructible and unbelievable at times, I’m definitely interested in seeing where JAke goes in the series.
And the highlight he has an aging dog as his best friend. I am there for that!! Dog companionship couldn’t be more up my street.

3.5 stars

Robert J. Mrazek is a new author to me and Dead Man's Bridge is a debut novel to a new cozy mysteries series. So I was quite excited at the chance of reading it. the book proves to be an compelling introduction to Mrazek's writing; it was hilarious, thought provoking, yet touching.

The story was told in first person from Jake Cantrell's POV. A former college football star and Army Ranger who took the fall for mission going awry, he now worked as campus police officer at his former campus. To say he's a man down on his luck was an understatement. The love of his live had deserted him to marry his best friend, his dog was on borrowed time with his doggy life, he didn't like his job, his superior and the local sheriff disliked him; he basically lived on alcohol to numb his feelings. But everything turned into disorder when the campus president being blackmailed and body counts start to rise on the campus homecoming weekend.

As the start to "Jake Cantrell's Mystery", this book gave a glimpse of Jake's background and the man's character. I liked his insouciant personality and loyalty to those he considers friends. The stance and expression he employed often had me hovering between mirth and exasperation. Mrazek truly gave life to his book with this character.

As for the mystery-solving, it's as good as can be expected from one with less than ideal authority and resources. While I wasn't too happy with the conclusion, it wasn't too out of left field either. Perhaps, considering the ending, some of this case's going to find a way to the next book. At least, if nothing else, I hope it cured Jake of his long infatuation. On another note, I didn't totally buy the superior's sudden change of heart other than it being convenient for Jake's benefit. That saying, overall I'm quite chuffed and entertained with Dead Man's Bridge and look forward to more of Jake Cantrell's adventures.


Advanced copy of this book is kindly provided by the author/publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Believe it or not, this is a buddy story as much as it is a well written mystery. Jake and Bug are quite a pair and for those of us who are suckers for dogs, he's a gem. Jake's determination to figure out what actually happened at St Andrew's College leads him to open a Pandora's box of secrets, lies, and yuck. It's well written and while a bit twisty, not implausible or overly complex - in fact, it's realistic and believable. Thanks to net galley for the ARC. Try this one for a quick, satisfying read. I'm curious where Mrazek will take this next.

Campus mysteries in upstate New York

Jake Cantrell's circumstances aren't the best. He's a campus security policeman at St. Andrews College in upstate New York. It's his old alma mater where he was a well-known football hero. He lives alone except for his 18 year old big white dog named Bug, who has cancer, who he rescued while in Afghanistan.

But after injuring his knee, playing football was out of the question and he became an officer in the Army. Later court martialed, he was given the campus police job by an old friend and he's been drowning his woes with alcohol ever since.

Well, now he has to perk up because it's alumni weekend and it seems that old vendettas are being played out.

There was a lot going on in this book - murder, blackmail, a hurricane - and I enjoyed the storyline very much.

Jake is a wounded character - both literally and figuratively speaking. He has a soft heart he shows to his dog and to friends but he's also tough. I'd like to read more stories about him.

I received this book from Crooked Lane Books through Net Galley in exchange for my unbiased review.

If there's a dog as a “character” in a mystery, you can bet your bottom dollar I'm going to read it. In this case, the dog is Bug, an 18 year old wolf dog rescued in Afghanistan by Jake Cantrell. Jake has since been dishonorably discharged and is back in the States working as a security guard for his alma mater. Jake has a problem with alcohol, using it to escape the guilt he feels. It's not believable that despite being what appears to be an alcoholic, he's able to go cold turkey without any repercussions. Bug doesn't figure into the book as much as I would have hoped.

This is a fast paced, straightforward mystery. I can't say that the ending is at all believable but it was a fun read. This is supposedly the start of a series and I would read the next book.

My thanks to netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for an advance copy of this book.

I am a fan of campus mysteries, and this one caught my eye. I was not familiar with the author, but after reading Dead Man's Bridge, I am a new fan. All the elements of a great mystery are here: an interesting and slightly mysterious protagonist with a past, an unusual crime, great dialogue, episodes of violence intermixed with logical procedural narrative, and of course, a dog! The side blackmail plot was also good, though a bit kinky. I will have no problem recommending this book to my mystery fans at the library! Great series debut, and I hope to read more Jake Cantrell mysteries in the future (but I worry about the dog - hope Bug makes it)!

Jake Cantrell was wrongly court-martialed from the army. His only companion is a wolf-dog named Bug that he found in Afghanistan. But now Bug is eighteen and suffering from cancer. Jake is working as a security guard at the upper New York college where he graduated and was a football star. His roommate Jordan Langford is now the college president. Jake is drinking too much and just sort of drifting. He is constantly at odds with the spit and polish Captain of Security.

The story begins with Jake being called out to a suspicious death. An alumnus is found hanging from a walking bridge over a gorge separating the college buildings from a residential area. Jake suspects murder but the Captain and the local police are quick to write it off as a suicide. Jake learns that the man was a very successful alumnus who had just gifted the college with $50 million when he is called in to talk to his friend Jordan.

Jordan has another problem: he is being blackmailed for $5 million. He either pays up or his sexual peculiarities will be exposed which will ruin his reputation. Jake agrees to investigate. He believes that the two things, the blackmail and the murder, are connected. He has about 24 hours to investigate which would be too short a time even without the fact that a hurricane is causing havoc with the weather too.

When the first murder victim's best friend is also found hanging on the same bridge, the tension escalates. And when the third best friend goes missing from his hospital room, the tension escalates further. Jake's investigations lead him to blackmailers, shady investigators, even shadier lawyers and a revenge plot.

This was a fast paced thriller with an engaging main character. I look forward to more mysteries starring Jake Cantrell.

This book struck me as condescending and a bit misogynistic within the first chapter. As I read on, I wasn't able to overcome the initial impression of this author's writing. I do thank the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of "Dead Man's Bridge", and will refrain from negative feedback via social media.

I requested this book because of its hero, Jake Cantrell, a former Army officer suffering from sense of guilt and PTSD, who owns a frail and very ill old dog, Bug. My interest in the thriller was subsidiary.
First off, I liked the author’s detached tone writing his hero, creating a certain contained intensity. In the initial scene the reader is shown, in this dispassionate tone, the opposite of detachement, the touching kindness of a man plagued by nightmares and guilt taking care of his cancerous dog.
Behind Jake Cantrell’s apparent aloofness there’s a world of unsaid compassion and caring; when the author describes Jake preparing meals for his sick dog and the animal frail condition we’re being shown the hero’s kindness (and, in a way, his solitude too).
I also liked how the author wrote the secondary characters, giving them depth too.
While I loved the hero, I missed a romantic plot (there’re some hints) and seeing how the hero would be as a lover, because he was a fascinating man with all that low-profile and self-deprecating attitude. And when other characters were speaking about him he became even more appealing (the fabulous football player, the intimidating man with a “strong aura”); even his detractors contribute to make him more attractive. So, I hope we’ll have that dimension in future stories.

Thank you to Net Galley, the publishers and the author for an ARC copy for an honest review.

Disgraced former army officer Jake Cantrell and his pal, Bug, a wolf-dog he saved while in Afghanistan and the only friend he has left, try to put their bitter pasts behind them as Jake finds employment at the bottom rung of the campus security ladder of a small upstate New York college. But things only turn for the worse when the college’s richest and most powerful alumnus is found hanging from a campus footbridge on the eve of homecoming weekend.

Jake is convinced the man was murdered, but with no honour to his name, no one agrees―at least not until a second body is found hanging from the same bridge. Unable to push aside his military training, Jake and Bug finds themselves working to bring justice to the small college town. But as a vicious hurricane sweeps up the Eastern seaboard and the college’s homecoming weekend rapidly unfolds, the clock is ticking and it’s only a matter of time before the killer strikes again.

My thoughts on the book my first read by this author.

Some good points, some not so good points but overall a reasonable thriller.

I am not keen on the "always" mentioned drinking problem.

An okay book, with an interesting story, easy to follow, not too many twists.

Not sure if I liked the main character or not, bit rough around the edges, not too believable.

The author uses his imagination with his main character a little too much, seems to survive everything.

But I still enjoyed the book and read through very quickly.

A three star book for me.

Wow one of the best books I have read in a while. I was hooked from the start and couldn't put it down. I have already told friends and family about this and encouraged them to read it. I hope this will become a series as I would certainly keep reading.

I loved this book, it held pre throughout, it was a different type of story, with a warm heart.
You had to relate to the main character and his poor dog.
I will enjoy reading more of this author, very good indeed.

I really enjoyed this book. There are several things going on that caught me up in the story. It had great plots running through it and some very memorable characters, This is a book of intrigue, guilt, betrayal, mystery and emotion. It is a good action thriller with Jake Cantrall racing around trying to beat the clock, solve a muder and protect a friend.

How can misconceptions about a person can alter how you work with them? What if those feelings hinder an investigation? Will that then put other lives at risk?

For a team of security officers at St Andrews College Campus in upstate New York, this becomes evident. When Jake Cantrell begins working for them. They consider him to be the lowest of the low, they don't like him, they don't respect him and they don't want him there.

This becomes obvious when attending the site of a suicide on the bridge spanning Fall Creek Gorge. Jake arrives before his colleagues and quickly assesses the scene, he tries to tell his Captain, Janet Morga, that he believes the Sheriff should be called in as he doesn't think it's a suicide. She really also should have paid heed when he warned her not to try to pull the dangling body up. They didn't know the full story of his military career, he wasn't going to tell them about it either.

Following Jake around as he tries to piece everything together was exhausting, you can then see why his best friend is Bug, his 18 year old dog he brought back from Afghanistan. I will look forward to more stories about Jake. I will definitley be recommended it. Links for my pages are included , though nothing will be posted until closer to date of publication.