A little lighter than the other Jack Stratton novels, this one focuses more on the relationship between the characters and less on solving complex mysteries. I found it to be an enjoyable entry in this well written series.

I loved, loved, loved this book - A definite hit!!!

Jack of Hearts by Christopher Greyson is a fun, hilarious, page-turning thrill ride from beginning to end!

Things take a deadly turn when Jack, Alice, and Lady their oversized dog, are in Florida visiting his parents. A small town thief, the "Orange Blossom Cove Bandit", is stealing from the retirement community where Jack's parents live. Jack's mother and the members of her retirement community book club enlist Jack to investigate the thefts. The mystery seems to be more than what it is - now Jack finds himself trying to stop a deranged killer. Can Jack save the day? On top of all this, Jack is still waiting for Alice to give him an answer to his marriage proposal. Will Alice finally say yes or will Jack end up with a broken heart?

This is the first book I have read by Christopher Greyson, and I can tell you, it definitely won't be the last. Highly recommend!

*I want to thank NetGalley and Greyson Media, LLC for the ARC.

This is the 2nd book of the series I have read (after And Then She was Gone), and I have to admit I pretty much laughed my way through this one! Between Lady (the dog), Jack's mother and the Book Club crew, the laughter kept coming. Living in the South, comments about the heat, mosquitoes and alligators were quite funny as they were so alien to Jack. But putting all that aside, you know who the suspect is from the beginning of the book, but you don't know the WHY, and that is the part that keeps you reading the book, until the spectacular ending. To be this book was different than the previous one, and I could really see this as TV series. I'd love for Jack's parents and their neighbors to come back into play into a future book, as I think Florida was a great setting!

So while this book doesn't come out for a couple of weeks, grab some of the earlier books in the series now, and set this one on the MUST read list!

Jack Stratton gets stuck flying his King Shepherd, Lady, to Florida with him when he and his human counter-part, Alice, head south for her to meet his parents. Lady wasn't happy with her airline accommodations (or lack thereof) and Jack feels it's obvious Lady will have her revenge. He is unable to warn his parents about the canine--and this is no ordinary lap dog.

According to what I read in Wikipedia, a female King Shepherd ranges from 90 lbs to 110 lbs--so poor Lady needs to lose a few pounds. The extra weight, however, doesn't seem to slow her down, thankfully. His parents reside in one of those senior communities with more rules than common sense and Jack's parents have the usual nosy neighbors that can't miss the over-sized fur ball.

Jack's mother is a member of a neighborhood book club and an unofficial member of a "neighborhood watch" and she asks her son to look into a thief they call the "Orange Blossom Cove Bandit," who is stealing small-time stuff in their quiet retirement community, additionally populated by a neighborhood alligator. Jack is understandably reluctant to become involved until the nature of the crime turns deadly. Jack's parents, their home and specifically his mother, become a target.

Mr. Greyson employs a deep sense of humor in dealing with the seniors of the community and if you've ever eavesdropped a senior's conversation, you'll readily recognize the dialogue. His plot moves with senior precision, involves bingo, Lady, Alice, and the paramedics in the expected order.

It's a clean, fun, and compelling novel and makes Jack a sympathetic character. Alice is manipulated by Jack's mother and that softens her earlier controlling personality, but I'm not sure why she'd meet his parents were she not serious about Jack. We'll just have to wait and see!

This book was offered by the author Christopher Greyson and Greyson Media LLC through NetGalley and it was my privilege to read and review. Part of the well received Detective Jack Stratton Mystery Thriller Series, this is sure to be a favorite. Recommended fun triumphant romp for people of all ages who appreciate a clean, topical read.

This is the first book I've read in this series, but when I had the opportunity to read an advance copy in exchange for an honest review, I checked out the description. That, and learning that all the books can be read as stand-alones in any order, convinced me to give it a go.

And by golly, I enjoyed it. It's got a solid plot with enough action to keep things interesting, although I'd describe it as much closer to a cozy mystery than a "thriller." There's the requisite cozy romance - this time between the hero, detective Jack Stratton, and the woman he wants to marry, investigator Alice - but I must say for two people who supposedly are in love, I sensed no real romantic vibe between the two of them. There's also a group of elderly ladies who can't keep their noses out of police business despite being told repeatedly that they'd just gum up the investigation (also a cozy requirement in some form or other). And inexplicably, Alice - supposedly a professional investigator herself - goes along with the hijinks they concoct. There's zero sex, no graphic violence even though murders happen and even the barest of hints of religion. All that said, the whole thing comes together in a fun, fast-paced adventure that made me look forward to reading the next one.

The story begins as Jack is taking Alice to Florida to meet his parents for the first time. They get stuck bringing Lady, his oversize King Shepherd, along for the ride (stuck in the cargo hold, where she's none too happy). Jack is a bit nervous, although mostly because when he popped the question to Alice recently, she didn't give him an enthusiastic response. Not surprisingly, Jack's parents welcome Alice with open arms - but notably, also with separate sleeping quarters. And immediately, they are taken to Lady as well (bless their hearts - I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be that welcoming to a brute the size of Lady in my house, no matter how sweet she is).

Soon, Jack and Alice learn of a series of petty thefts carried out by someone known in the retirement community as the "Orange Blossom Cove Bandit" and meet a group of ladies who belong to a book club who are determined to catch the perp. Meantime, another story line takes shape as Curtis Dixon, under the watchful eye of his evil elderly aunt, commits robberies that culminate in murder in the same community. Surely, I thought to myself, murder would be the first topic of discussion for Jack's parents and the other elderly folks who live here rather than trinkets like gone-missing solar-powered crowing roosters - but then that's just me; pink flamingos are the only non-living thing allowed to set foot in my yard, and who'd even consider stealing them? In the midst of all this isn't enough, unbeknownst to Alice, Jack has been trying to track down information on her family; her parents, it seems, were killed in an automobile crash many years ago that she alone survived.

So insistent are the book club ladies that Jack, a former policeman, find the garden thief that he just can't say no to their demands for help - especially since one of them is his mother, for goodness sake. He's got a week before he and Alice must return to their normal lives; can they solve the case in time? And will the robbery/murder incidents somehow tie into on their efforts, perhaps putting lives of people they love on the line? And maybe most important, is there anything Jack can do to convince Alice to say yes?

Like a jar of Prego spaghetti sauce, it's all in there - but you'll just have to open the jar and find it for yourself.

Another good cozy mystery with very believable characters. I love Lady- what a great dog.- in more ways than one! the story has a lot of twists and turns with good plot. As a senior citizen i love the spunk of the old folks .

This book is obviously part of a series that I’ve not yet had the pleasure of reading. However, after reading this, I will! This book is a whirlwind of ongoing drama and dismay…surprises everywhere! Detective Jack Stratton has asked his girlfriend, Alice, to meet his parents, which he is anxious about… not to mention he’s asked her to marry him, and she’s up in the air with her answer. Then, just as he’s planned to leave his huge dog, Lady, with the dog-sitter, he receives the worst news… His dog-sitter has cancelled, and now he will have to take Lady, on the plane! Once he makes it home, his mother and her book club members bombard him with a quest to catch a thief who’s stealing garden gnomes. However, this small mission turns out to be more than what meets the eye and Jack has to restore order to all the chaos surrounding him. What a delightful read!

14/8/17 Jack of Hearts

****

I would like to thank Netgalley and Greyson Media Associates for an advance copy of Jack of Hearts, the seventh novel featuring Jack Stratton.

Jack is in Florida introducing his girlfriend, Alice, to his parents. His mother and her seniors crime book club gradually inveigle him into helping them find The Orange Blossom Cove Bandit who has been stealing small items from the retirement community residents.

I enjoyed Jack of Hearts which is a fun, lighthearted read with plenty of action and laughs. Some of the slapstick scenes and one liners had me laughing out loud - "Golden Girl Commando Squad" and the events surrounding its usage were a particular favourite.

Laughs aside the novel is well plotted and paced. The plot itself isn't particularly deep but it's well thought out and fits the humour of the novel well. The pace is good - there's always something going on to keep the reader interested and turning the pages.

The characters, apart from the baddies, are all likeable from the zany retirees to Jack, Alice and their dog, Lady.

I have not read this series before so I was pleasantly surprised by the fun in it and would not be averse to reading more. Recommended.

If you are a person who reads a lot but few books have a funny side; then pick "Jack of Hearts" up. Love the way Greyson tells a tale of Mystery with amazing characters. This novel has a great deal going for it - - Humor, Amazing Characters, A Puppy, The bad guy, The Hero, Heart felt relationships. Addresses the fear of parents aging and the goal of new beginnings! This is not my first "Jack" book and look forward to the next one. Stands alone without cliff-hanger. "A copy of this book was provided to me by Greyson Media, LLC via NetGalley` with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read and my comments here are my honest opinion."