Sunday, November 17, 2013

Baton Rouge Bingo by Greg Herren





Reviewer: Bob Lind, Echo Magazine
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books
Pages: 192


When Scotty Bradley’s father is kidnapped by unknown bad-guys, he and his ex-FBI lover Frank suspect it may have something to do with the theft of LSU’s tiger mascot by a militant animal-rights group. On a hunch that they might find either of them, Scotty and his strong-willed mother go to a secluded cabin in the bayou north of New Orleans, and discover the body of the organizer of the group, who was a close friend of Scotty’s mom. Suspicion falls on the organizer’s estranged daughter, who was one of the veterinary students taking care of the tiger at its campus compound. Meanwhile, Scotty and Frank also need to deal with Taylor, Frank’s gay teen nephew, who was sent to live with him by his homophobic parents. A ransom note provides a clue that the kidnapping may be related to a “deduct box” related to the misdeeds of a former Louisiana governor.

Greg Herren is a master storyteller, using colorful, relatable characters in diverse relationships, in order to spin a unique and entertaining story that keeps the reader intrigued through the last page. This is his sixth in the series about private investigator Scotty Bradley, and I hope he keeps them coming. Don’t miss this one. Five stars out of five. 

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