Cover Image: Who Killed Joe Italiano

Who Killed Joe Italiano

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Member Reviews

"Who Killed Joe Italiano" is Well written, action packed and definitely a page-turner. The story is original and explosively creative!

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Description
On a much needed vacation with his daughter Regan and close friend Oz, in Puerto Rico, John Bekker, the reluctant private investigator from the Nero Award winning mystery novel With 6 You Get Wally finds his vacation cut short when on a hot night he can’t sleep and takes some fresh air on the balcony of his hotel room. Bekker’s hotel is directly across the street from famed Luquillo Beach. The ocean is invisible in the dark, but street lights illuminate the sidewalks. A man is calmly smoking a cigarette on the sidewalk, seemingly minding his own business. After a few minutes, a second man joins the smoker. They speak for a few seconds and then walk down to the beach and into total darkness. The following morning, Bekker is surprised to see dozens of police officers on the beach. A newspaper story details the murder of one of Puerto Rico’s most famous and beloved businessmen and philanthropist, a man they call Joe Italiano. Bekker decides to speak with the detective in charge of the investigation, Gerardo Escalante, and tell him what he witnessed from his hotel room balcony. Bekker decides to stay in Puerto Rico and help Escalante with the investigation. He meets the governor who sheds some light on Joe Italiano’s political ambitions. Joe Italiano believed that Puerto Rico should achieve statehood and was a vocal member of an organization with the same goal.

My Review:

The sixth in the series, this book will not disappoint. This story is about John, his daughter and her friend Oz as they are on vacation. When John witnesses an exchange between two men in the wee hours of the night he thinks nothing of it. But when one of them turns up dead he provides what little information he knows.

The story is easy to follow and leaves you guessing until the very end. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and can’t wait for book 7. The characters and scenery are all nicely done.

I was provided this book for free in exchange for my honest opinion.

Therefore, please go and buy this book. In fact buy the entire series, you will not be disappointed.

Great Read!

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If you have not read any of the different series by Al Lamanda, then you are missing out on a talented author. In this sixth book of the “John Bekker” series, John, his daughter Regan and their friend Oz are vacationing in Puerto Rico. While there, John notices a meeting between two men, on the beach at 3:00 a.m. Later he will discover that one of the men, Joseph DeSousa, was murdered and he provides what information he can to the local police. John is a former special crimes detective who has found his way beyond the tragedy of his past. Bekker is hired, by DeSousa’s wealthy family, to find the person responsible for his death. Bekker is amazing at spotting clues that others may miss and finds himself wading through the details of DeSousa’s life. Was it a local man who killed him or did someone fly to the island for the purpose of eliminating him? Why would he meet with someone at 3:00 a.m. on a deserted beach? John Bekker’s character reminds me of Spenser in the Robert B. Parker novels as those he comes in contact with will only disregard his ability once before they realize their mistake. I would advise you to read the entire series, but you can feel comfortable reading this book without doing so as the author provides enough information about the characters so that you will not feel lost. I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (by paytonpuppy)

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Private Detective John Bekker is on vacation with his daughter, Regan, and good friend, Oz. One night when sleep wasn't coming easily, John walks out to the hotel balcony and watches two men meeting each other. Three AM is a unusual time for most meetings, but John didn't think much of it.....

until the next day when he read the newspaper headlines. A man called Joe Italiano was found, the victim of a stabbing .. one of the men that John saw. Italiano is a philanthropist, businessman, and seemingly well-liked by almost everyone.

John feels he needs to talk to the detective in charge as he was most probably the only witness. Detective Geraldo Escalante is not thrilled with John telling him what he needs to do .. until Escalente does some research and finds that Bekker is an amazing detective.

Bekker decides to stay in Puerto Rico and help Escalante with the investigation to learn who killed Joe Italiano... and why?

This is a well-written crime fiction with several twists and turns that are quite surprising. Things are not always as they seem, as Bekker finds out for himself. It's a fast read packed with action.

Many thanks to the author / Encircle Publications LLC / Netgalley for the digital copy. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

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