Good Reads review

Dianne 5 STAR 

There’s a hidden gem of a mystery out there, thanks to Eddie Owens and his entertaining and creative writing style. Not too dark, a bit quirky and definitely clever, THE ROAD TO LARKIN ST is rich with quirky characters, a serious accusation and one determined Private Investigator with a gay motorcycle club as her back-ups. 

Teddy Grant, an unlikeable old cop has been accused of sexual assault, but he claims his innocence and hires Caitlin “Red” Raeburn, former cop to dig up the truth. Does Caitlin believe the coarse cop? She isn’t even sure she likes him, but there does seem to be something more to his story and she is determined to find out where the truth lies and why someone is lying. 

Moments of humor, danger and certainly a pretty big mystery, Red is a completely likeable and believable character with some pretty fascinating connections. Loved the motorcycle club and I have to say, even Teddy had his moments! 

Sometimes edge-of-the-seat, sometimes cozy, but always entertaining, this one makes a great read to curl up with to make that great reading escape! 

I received a complimentary copy from Eddie Owens! This is my honest and voluntary review. 

JK 5 STAR 

Owens gives us another rip roaring story in The Road to Larkin St. I first met Red in Transfer from Alcatraz , and I fell in love with her and the The San Francisco 69ers, an LGBT motorcycle club. I was delighted to see he’d written another in the series, and that I’d be able to read more of Red and her merry band of bloodthirsty yet kindhearted bikers. 

This time, Red takes on a client charged with sexual assault. Adamant he’s innocent of any wrongdoing, he hires Red to prove the woman making the allegations is trying to set him up. It all seems very ‘her word against his’ for a time, until Red uncovers a whole load of timebombs in the form of gangsters and politicians, and the whole thing goes off. 

Accusations of sexual assault, truthful or not, are difficult to discuss. I’m a strong believer in always accepting the victim’s account, but we still need to be mindful that false allegations are still made. To write a novel about a wrongful accusation, you have a duty to strike the right kind of balance, and I feel Owens has done well here with his tone and morality. It’s (sadly) quite refreshing to see a male crime novelist who isn’t employing sexist tropes, and I loved to see it. 

Again, the pace is perfect for the plot. Despite about a thousand things happening at once, Owens inserts sections which allow us to take a breath and gather our thoughts, before dragging us back into the foray with him. As desperate as we are to resolve the overarching mystery of the allegations, we pick up other conundrums as we go along, all to be deliciously solved by the end. 

I still love these characters, and I have warm feelings for them. I enjoyed some further exploration of Red’s relationship with her daughter, and some of the commentary on Emma’s autism was particularly uplifting, and perfect. 

Another stellar story from Owens - I truly believe he has found his niche here in crime fiction, and especially the Red series; I can’t wait to read more of her escapades. 

Jane Blanchard 4.5 STARS 

In The Road to Larkin St by Eddie Owens, private eye “Red” Raeburn tries to save a kidnapped witness and solve the mystery as to why she was taken and how her abduction was connected to a “she said, he said” sexual harassment case. I love this sassy, badass character. Red is a strong female protagonist who confronts the villains and yet is tender with her daughter, art students, MC club members, and friends. 

The only reason I gave the book 4 stars instead of 5 is that the gang killings seemed unrealistic without police involvement and repercussions. If you can overlook that aspect and enjoy a quick and suspenseful read, then I recommend this The Road to Larkin St.