Tin Men

A Crime Novel

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Pub Date 10 Apr 2018 | Archive Date 09 Jan 2018

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Description

Three crooked cops going straight after a murderer

Woody was working on getting high when the phone rang. Dennis was on a date — it was a date he paid for, but a date all the same. Os had blood on his hands from a little extracurricular law enforcement. All three men picked up their phones because they were cops, and cops are never really off-duty — not even when they’re crooked.

Detective Julie Owen was savagely killed in her own bed, and the unborn child she was carrying is nowhere to be found. The grisly crime has the brass breathing down the necks of the three detectives tasked with finding Julie’s killer. Woody, Dennis, and Os each shared a bond with Julie that went deeper than the blue of their uniforms and have their own reasons to want to find the person responsible for her murder. Secrets drive the investigation — secrets that need to stay buried long enough to solve the case.

Three crooked cops going straight after a murderer

Woody was working on getting high when the phone rang. Dennis was on a date — it was a date he paid for, but a date all the same. Os had blood on...


A Note From the Publisher

Mike Knowles lives in Hamilton with his wife, children, and dog. He has written six novels in the critically acclaimed Wilson series: Darwin’s Nightmare, Grinder, In Plain Sight, Never Play Another Man’s Game, The Buffalo Job, and Rocks Beat Paper.

Mike Knowles lives in Hamilton with his wife, children, and dog. He has written six novels in the critically acclaimed Wilson series: Darwin’s Nightmare, Grinder, In Plain Sight, Never Play Another...


Available Editions

EDITION Other Format
ISBN 9781770414228
PRICE $15.95 (USD)
PAGES 300

Average rating from 4 members


Featured Reviews

Woody, Dennis and Os are police detectives in Hamilton, ON. Each has their own issues. Woody is dealing with his personal grief by becoming a junkie. Dennis pays for female companionship who have extra parts. Os is big and angry and has his own way of bringing criminals to justice.

A fellow police officer is found brutally murdered in her own bed. She was pregnant and her unborn child is missing. Partners Woody and Os are assigned to the case, as is Dennis. No one likes Dennis but he has a knack for solving crimes quickly. Their boss is putting pressure on them to get this crime solved quickly which adds to the tension they are already feeling. They go off investigating this case using their own styles.

This is the sixth book I've read by this author, the first other than his Wilson series (which I like). It's written in third person perspective with a focus on wherever the action is. I liked the writing style ... it was blunt and to the point. As a head's up, there is swearing and violence. Initially I found Woody, Dennis and Os unlikable but became more sympathetic towards them as I got to know them better.

I'd recommend this book.

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A big thanks to ECW Press and NetGalley who provided this book in exchange for my fair and honest review.

This is a dark, crime-fiction novel set in Hamilton, Ontario that tells the story of three morally ambiguous cops and the murder that binds them together. Woody is the most likeable of the trio who turns his anger at the injustice of the world in on himself. Damaged, likely from his time in the military, Oswald turns his anger outward and uses vigilante justice to punish criminals at every opportunity. Dennis, brought up by a single parent father who was over-bearing, misogynistic and critical of his more sensitive son, is constantly out to prove himself to his fellow cops and deludes himself into believing that the only reason he isn’t liked is because he is so good at his job.

Overall, a pretty unlikeable team. What makes this book interesting however is the subtle connection that each of them has to the murder victim, a fellow officer who was 8 months pregnant at the time of her death.

As a Canadian, I also love stories that are set in Canada so I wish that the story spent a little more time providing more details about the surrounding city as the mystery played out. Hamilton is an interesting city, the ninth largest in Canada and the producer of sixty percent of Canada’s steel. Canada’s version of “steel town" has been the focus of much redevelopment in the recent past with new building in the downtown core generating an interesting and vibrant mix of artistic and blue collar.

The story was fast-paced, the writing good and as I note above, the mystery kept me engaged. The ending felt a bit rushed to me and while the characters were difficult to like, I cared enough about them to want to know “what happens next” with each of them.

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About a year ago I picked up “Rocks Beat Paper” by this author. It was the first time I’d read his stuff & I was struck by his ability to create characters that live & breathe in your head from the moment you’re introduced. That continues in this dark & gritty tale.

Os, Woody & Dennis…3 cops who couldn’t be more different but must work together to solve the grisly murder of one of their own. When the body of colleague Julie Owen is found in her home, all 3 get the call. Os & Woody are partners & not happy about being saddled with Dennis, the precinct pariah. But a cop has been killed & that means all hands on deck.

It’s an atmospheric read that is not for the faint of heart. Noir-ish & leaning toward hardboiled, Knowles takes no prisoners. The prose is stylish but lean with just enough description to set the scenes. Yes, it’s hard core crime but what elevates it are the characters. As the story unfolds we learn about the MC’s & the secrets they’re struggling to hide. They have one thing in common. Although none of them knew Julie well, each has a deeply personal reason to avenge her death.

Os is a big, intimidating man of few words. Usually cool & focused, he’s like a coiled spring with tendencies barely held in check by his badge. But now Os is angry which means everyone else is scared. He’s an ill-fated figure shaped by his past & as the story progressed I got knots in my stomach as I just couldn’t see any way this could possibly end well for him. By coincidence I was reading “MacBeth” at the same time & couldn’t help thinking Os would have been right at home in Nesbo’s take on Shakespearean tragedy.

Woody has his own issues that he keeps at bay with a drug habit. He’s the chatty half of the partnership, a rumpled Columbo-like man who excels at interrogation while Os does the heavy lifting.

And then there’s Dennis, a legend in his own mind. He’s loud & never tires of regaling anyone who’ll listen of the cases he’s closed. He yearns for the old days when he could have been a cop like his father & resents the lack of respect from his colleagues.

These are your tin men….all badge & no heart on the job. But as we learn each has a trigger that threatens to release emotions that have been simmering below their professional facade. The search for Julie’s killer pushes all the right/wrong buttons, resulting in some shocking events before all the answers are delivered. If you’re looking for a story of redemption with an HEA, move along. Nothing to see here. But if you enjoy spending time on the dark side, give this a shot.

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