Reviews and Comments
Reviews and Comments
Reviews and Comments
Bank Shot REVIEWS
Review from Jim Napier
(Mr. Napier is a professional crime-fiction reviewer.
Since 2005 more than six hundred of his book reviews and author interviews have been featured in several.
Canadian newspapers and on multiple websites.)
The fifth in Michael Kent’s entertaining Detective Robert Beaudry series, Bank Shot will appeal to fans of the hard-boiled school: a stylistic amalgam of Mickey Spillane, Dashiell Hammett, and Robert B. Parker. It is a colorful, fast-paced action tale, set in some of the grittier areas of Montreal. It is the story of a good cop who lives life on his own terms, and is a cracking good read, one that does not disappoint. 5.0 out of 5 stars. The story of a good cop who lives life on his own terms, and a cracking good read!
In the tradition of hard-boiled novels about the mean streets of the 1950s, Montreal author Michael Kent delivers a contemporary tale reminiscent of that era, when hard-working cops went about their job without worrying about being politically correct or polishing the police department’s public image. Kent calls it like it is his protagonists is a straight shooter in the literal sense of the word.
The story opens in June of 1986, with two lowlifes discussing a bank job gone wrong. A woman had died. Her name was Eva Beaudry. The case had never been solved.
Fast forward to today, and Homicide Detective Robert Beaudry, the woman’s son, has been called on the carpet – not for the first time – by his boss, Captain Jean O’Neill. He’d just collared a murderer in a fight that involved tearing up a restaurant in Chinatown. The Captain is mulling over the expenses of that affray, and he isn’t amused. But life is complex, and seldom pretty: His partner’s wife has diagnosed with cancer, and Beaudry has been assigned a new partner: Carol Curran, CC for short. One of only three female officers on the Major Crimes squad, and an old flame of Beaudry’s, he knows his current lover won’t be pleased.
They move on to their first case. The previous night a man drove into his garage where someone was waiting for him. Three gunshots later the perp closed the garage door behind him. No one saw or heard anything. The easy money was an attempted carjacking of the victim’s expensive Tesla. Beaudry isn’t so sure.
The case will lead Beaudry and his partner to Fancy Fong, a financier of dubious honesty, and to some hardened criminals who preferred to do their banking after hours. Before it is over, the streets of Montreal will be a little emptier.
Homicide Detective Robert Beaudry is a wisecracking street cop with an eye for women and shady contracts who can supply information that more orthodox sources can’t. He gets to the bottom of cases that would defeat a lesser man. The hard-boiled narrative is leavened by the author’s quirky humor:
Review from Steve Shrott (Writer for many Hollywood comedians such as Joan Rivers and Phyllis Diller.)
Michael Kent, a retired international management and coaching consultant, has written many books and short stories–several of which have won awards. I recently read his fifth book in the Lieutenant Beaudry series, entitled, Bank Shot, and found it to be a delight. It’s a terrific mystery with engaging and realistic characters as well as plot twists that you won’t see coming. In addition, Kent has infused the book with some wonderful humor. The story really took off for me when Beaudry checks out a store, owned by a recently murdered man. There, behind a two-foot-thick wall, he discovers 300,000 dollars. This leads Beaudry to some very bad people. Robert Beaudry is a unique character who tells it like it is to everyone from the Captain down to his lover (who’s concerned about his new attractive partner.) In lesser hands, this could make Beaudry unlikeable, but Kent turns him into a charming character that you enjoy following throughout the story. I look forward to reading more books in the series. Keep them coming Michael!
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Review from Del Chatterson (Mystery author, regional director for Crime Writers of Canada)
Classic crime thriller, fast-paced, intriguing tale & you’re going to love Lieutenant Beaudry!
An entertaining read, classic crime thriller with mystery, engaging characters, and surprising plot twists. Hard not to like the charming and cheeky, unconventional rascal, Lieutenant Beaudry. Tangled up in competing love interests and unhappy memories of his own family history, Beaudry still manages to nail the bad guys and avoid getting killed himself. A fast-paced, intriguing tale that will have you asking for more in the Lieutenant Beaudry Series.
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Review from R. J. Krzak (Award-winning thriller author)
5.0 out of 5 stars A Riveting Story!
As with all of Michael Kent’s stories, an action-packed plot and realistic characters join together for a riveting story.
Beaudry’s reputation is heading south, and he has problems in his personal life as well when an ex-lover is tasked to work with him on a new case. Will he be able to juggle the weighty issues dragging him down and solve the latest crime? Well worth the read and I look forward to more from Michael Kent
DEAD RUN REVIEWS
Review by Jim Napier
(For the OTTAWA REVIEW OF BOOKS)
In his latest novel, Dead Run, Montreal author Michael Kent further chronicles the exploits of Lieutenant Luc Beaudry, a Montreal homicide detective. No doubt about it, Beaudry is old school, both his mouth and his gun frequently getting him into trouble—and just as frequently, getting him out of it.
Beaudry’s boss, Captain Jean O’Neil, runs interference for him whenever his Lieutenant’s headstrong actions or public pronouncements threaten to derail the detective from his investigations. But it is something of a losing battle, and not even O’Neil can win them all.
The story opens during the waning hours of a routine day in Montreal when Lieutenant Beaudry is summoned to a large, wooded area on the hiking and jogging trails of Mont Royal, a major green area overlooking the city of Montreal. The body of a jogger, a young black woman, has been found, and it’s not long before Beaudry concludes that she’s been murdered. The forensics team has arrived, but not yet undertaken its work, so Beaudry leaves the crime scene awaiting the results. It is clear that his boss, normally not given to casual conversations with Beaudry, wants to talk, and soon the pair are deep in discussion over a couple of single malts about O’Neil’s wife Irene. She’s just been diagnosed with breast cancer. But before they can make much headway, O’Neil is interrupted by a call from the forensics technician at the crime scene: the body of another woman has been found further up the mountain. Also, a jogger, her body is badly decomposed. It appears that they have uncovered a multiple murderer’s dumping ground.
The next morning Beaudry reviews the case. So far, the evidence is sparse. The one piece of physical evidence he has so far is a driver’s license taped to one of the young black victim’s socks. The name on the permit is Pavela Diankha, and it lists her residence as an apartment building on Pine Avenue. Beaudry makes his way there, hoping to shed light on the woman and what lead to her death. The doorbell button is under the name Diankha-Venn, but when he presses it he gets no answer. Undaunted, Beaudry seeks out the concierge, who tells him that Diankha worked as a lab researcher and that her boyfriend, Pierre Venn, had been physically abusing her. It had all come to a head one day when Pavela asked the concierge, Mik, to help evict Venn. Pierre Venn at first angrily resisted, but a little physical persuasion applied by Mik had helped him see the error of his ways, and he disappeared in a taxi, his worldly possessions gathered in a few plastic garbage bags.
So begins Luc Beaudry’s quest to unravel the mystery of the young woman murdered in a wilderness in the heart of Montreal. Before it ends, the mystery expands to include other women, and men as well, all caught up in a sordid tale that is sadly very much of our times; it takes all the resources that Beaudry can marshal—including some that are less than official—to solve the nexus of crimes that have destroyed far too many people’s lives.
Dead Run is an energetic, fast-paced portrait of an endangered species: an honest, dedicated cop who relies on street-smarts and personal connections to get things done. Not especially in tune with the times, and definitely not politically correct, Luc Beaudry is nonetheless an engaging figure, a knight-errant who is committed to maintaining justice and to looking out for those who cannot look out for themselves. Beaudry knows that all the book-learning and procedural rules in the world cannot equal common sense and tried-and-true practice when it comes to prevailing over the vermin that prowl the streets, looking for half a chance to make them their own. Think Dirty Harry with a French accent. A cracking good read with a relevant social theme.
(Jim Napier is a professional crime-fiction reviewer. Since 2005 more than six hundred of his book reviews and author interviews have been featured in several Canadian newspapers and on multiple websites)
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Review from Booklover (TOP 1000 AMAZON REVIEWER)
4.0 out of 5 stars
Reviewed in the United States on August 4, 2020
Lieutenant Beaudry is a lone wolf. He has the best closed record in his department … ever. He also had had the most interviews with Internal Affairs for gun related incidents.
A woman’s body is found along a mountain trail. Once identified, main suspect becomes her boyfriend. And in another connected case, a ten-year-old girl is abducted, what he finds is more horrifying than first thought.
He has friends and contacts on both sides of the law, and in order to save this child, it’s going to take both sides helping.
Although 6th in the series, this one can easily be read as a stand-alone. Short read but Jam-Packed with Action. It’s well written and filled with memorable characters. Beaudry, himself, is a character … he has a sense of humor, sometimes bordering on the brink of sarcasm, but usually always merits a grin if not an out loud hee-haw.
Tainted Evidence REVIEWS
Review from Deborah Lloyd (Reader’s Favorite) 5 stars
Many intriguing elements – the murder of a good friend’s cousin, Aldo DiLallo; Mascara Man, an international hitman; a cold case; the murder of a judge; and more – are interwoven throughout the storyline to comprise an exciting murder mystery novel. Lieutenant Robert Beaudry of the Montreal police force works through the evidence, deceit, and lies to solve the mysteries. At the same time, he is juggling his relationship with Pat. She seems distant at times, and he fears she may be ready to break up with him. Her job presents many challenges. Although Pat is forging her independence after a failed marriage, she is willing to give love another chance. In Tainted Evidence: A Lieutenant Beaudry Novel, written by Michael Kent, a fascinating tale unfolds.
The book has a realistic, authentic tone – the reader can easily picture the settings and the characters. The traffic jams caused by Montreal’s ongoing street construction annoys the lieutenant on a daily basis. The local French bistro, as well as other restaurants, are delightful. Characters, such as personnel in the police department, the witnesses, and the DiLallo family, have distinctive and often complicated personalities, adding to the credibility of the story. The book is written in a fast-paced, entertaining style, engaging the reader from the first page to the last. Author Michael Kent has penned the fourth story in the Lieutenant Beaudry series in Tainted Evidence. While it is a stand-alone book, readers will want to read the entire series to capture the full story of these enticing characters. A captivating book.
In Praise of “TAINTED EVIDENCE” (Literary Titan) 5 stars
The description of scenes is so detailed that even my imagination played it in my head with vivid clarity. Michael Kent is able to offer picture-perfect scenes for his superb character to inhabit. This is a good example of Michael Kent’s writing. He always plays to a character’s strengths. Interesting characters aa fascinating murder mystery will give any fan of the mystery crime genre plenty to enjoy.
Review from Jack Magnus (Reader’s Favorite) 5 stars
Tainted Evidence: A Lieutenant Beaudry novel, 4th book in the series, is a murder mystery/ police procedural. Novel written by Michael Kent. Lieutenant Robert Beaudry still has two days left of his vacation with Pat, his significant other, and they were enjoying the views of the lake when his boss, Captain Jean O’Neil, called his cellphone. Aldo DiLallo, a cousin of Beaudry’s good friend Nico, had been killed the night before. The family reached out to Nico before calling the authorities, and his actions had gotten him suspended. Crucial evidence in the case was also deemed tainted by his behavior. O’Neil did not Beaudry involved, however. The Captain was still steaming over the pool hall incident the week before, witch had Beaudry headlining in the news and under investigation by Internal Affairs. Nico and Beaudry were good friends since they were in the academy together. Beaudry was determined to do what he could without becoming “officially involved,” but he would have his hands full with cold cases that the Captain dumped on him to keep him busy and away from the case.
Michael Kent’s Tainted Evidence is a fast-paced and enthralling police procedural story that kept me engaged and involved through to the end of the book. While this is the fourth book in the Lieutenant Beaudry Series, Kent provides enough background information to allow it to be read as a standalone. I enjoyed following Robert Beaudry as he juggled the murder mystery, handled the cold cases, and investigated a hitman while still making time to visit the gym and interact with Pat. Kent’s plot is well-crafted and clever, and his characters are complex and believable. Tainted Evidence is well-written, thought-provoking, and utterly enjoyable, and it’s most highly recommended.
Review from Trudi LoPreto (Reader’s Favorite) 4 stars
Lieutenant Beaudry is working on a cold case, a murder, and tracking down an assassin all at the same time. He’s going into dangerous situations alone and taking chances without calling for backup, which often gets him hauled over the coals, but it also gets the job done. As he tries to track down a man who is a known assassin, it becomes more and more difficult as the assassin is an expert at disguises and all of his kills are made to look like accidents. Beaudry keeps getting close but just not close enough to catch his man. There are many who help him along the way, an autistic young boy and his mother, the internal affairs officer, a bikers’ group, and others. Beaudry still finds time to work on his cold case and help his cousin’s family solve a murder case. His girlfriend Pat is always there for support, as the two plan on moving in together.
Tainted Evidence: A Lieutenant Beaudry novel, Book 4 is a murder mystery that was realistic and up to date. Tainted Evidence is a relatively short book, but each page is action-packed and exciting. This is the first book I have read in the series and while I may not have had all the information, I had no trouble with the characters or plot. Tainted Evidence is a book that all murder mystery fans will enjoy reading and they will want to read more of author Michael Kent’s Lieutenant Beaudry books.
Blood Tail REVIEWS
Review from Hungry Monster Reviews (Editorial review)
5 Stars for Blood Tail. The plot dives deeper than just who killed who and the twists keep adding up all the way to the end of the book.
This novel is the start of an engaging series.
Blood Tail is suspenseful and well-written, with a grand cast of characters. Kent’s body-builder lieutenant is everything a mystery lover could ask for in a police detective, The plot is exciting and filled with twists, turns and red herrings. Blood Tail is most highly recommended.
Review from Michelle Stanley (Readers favorites)
There is lots of action and stirring drama as Beaudry tries to sort out his own personal life and the case. He has a very wry sense of humor and a caring personality; I find his character strong and impressive great for the Kent mystery series.
Review from R.J. Krzak (The Next Big Writer author site)
If you like murder mysteries, grab a copy and enjoy a fantastic read set in Montreal. The writing is superb just when I had it figured out, something new would pop up and keep me guessing. I’m definitely adding Michael Kent to my list of favorite authors.
Review from Jessica Foley (Professional top reviewer)
This story is the first in the Lieutenant Beaudry series. The crime drama plays out well on the streets of Montreal, and the story is quite captivating. Beaudry’s ex-wife has just left him but that doesn’t stop him from finding a lady friend to entertain and be entertained by throughout this book.
The crimes are gristly, just how they should be in a hard-boiled mystery novel. The descriptive writing is very good. I felt like I was right there with them. That is a feature of a well-written story. There’s a shoot-out scene close to the end of the story that really pulled me in.
Twice Dead REVIEWS
Review from R. J. Krzak, (Award-Winning Author)
5.0 out of 5 stars Michael’s Done It Again–Another Great Story!
Reviewed in the United States on November 27, 2016
Part of the Lieutenant Beaudry series, it’s another great story, full of action, with a fast pace. We find Lt. Robert Beaudry embroiled in a mix of murder, narcotics, and even on a hit list. Someone is killing gays in Montreal and Robert’s boss gives him the task to find the killer.
Once again Michael works his magic and Robert works with a narcotics detective named Nico to sort out the pieces to this puzzle. Every time you think you’ve uncovered the identity of the killer; a twist will reveal new information pointing elsewhere. An excellent read!
Review from Mike Jackson author (The Best New Writer Site)
5.0 out of 5 stars Top-notch storytelling!
Reviewed in the United States on February 6, 2017
I’m very familiar with Michael Kent’s writing and storytelling abilities and I can honestly say he can tell a great story! He knows exactly what makes a story work: plenty of action, lots of suspense, humor, irony, pacing, plotting – you name the skill, Michael’s got it. I’m reading his novel, Twice Dead and I’ve consumed enough to highly recommend it!
