Gerry Boyle

Hard Line is sadly the final book in the terrific Jack Mc Morrow series. I've been devouring each book since the first volume came out in 1993. Each book painted a vivid picture of small town Maine and how its problems mirrored those of its nearby bigger towns: drugs, domestic abuse, crime, corruption, and all sorts of mischief and mayhem Jack found himself in. Hard Line is a follow-up to Robbed Blind with many of the same characters and final resolution on cases Jack was following. There show more was a sadness throughout the book as Jack reflected on his past experiences, many life threatening, current dangerous situations needing a solution so he can move on, and anxiety as he and close friends Louis and Claire come under siege from a motorcycle gang. Jack and Claire's wives also come to the forefront as both simply want a "normal" life devoid of outside forces disrupting their small town lives and putting their lives in danger. Gerry Boyle does a masterful job of wrapping up the Jack McMorrow series in an unexpected but satisfying way that surprised me but was in keeping with Jack's moral character. Jack will be missed. show less

This is the final book in a series of novels involving Jack McMorrow, an investigative reporter in rural Maine, who always seems to get himself in trouble. I have never read the last book in a series without reading previous ones, but overall I still understood the character and where he is coming from. There seems to be some unresolved issues form previous stories, but it didn’t affect this story or my take on it. I really enjoyed it and will go back and read the previous installments. show more This one was certainly thrilling and suspenseful. show less

From the publisher: This first book in a new series is set in and around the Portland, Maine, waterfront. It introduces Brandon Blake, a loner who lives on his old wooden cruiser. Raised by his alcoholic grandmother after his mother was lost at sea, Blake learned to depend on himself. During an assignment for a law-enforcement class, Blake gets involved in a fight and is marked for payback by a soon-to-be-released convict. Meanwhile, questions surface about his mother's disappearance.(from show more the publisher)
Port City Black and White" but only got around to reading this 1st in the series when the paperback edition was offered through LibraryThing's Early Reviewer program. This is a very well done police procedural series with lots of room to grow. I especially like how Boyle shows us the early motivations that bring Blake to his career in the Portland police department.

I've gotten to know the city a bit more than I did when I read the previous volume and was very comfortable reading this. The crime story was especially well-plotted and I didn't see the end until it was upon me. I don't do spoilers, but there was plenty of action, romance, and lots of clues to keep the reader interested. I did see that we were going to solve the crime, but I didn't realize what the crime was!!! A great story, and I'll definitely keep my eyes out for the next one in the series. show less

I'd forgotten how good a writer Gerry is. This is a pedal to the metal police tale set in Portland. Brandon's off the force due to a shooting that should have been by the book in terms of investigation, but he didn't have his body camera activated, raising questions about whether or not his shots were justified. Add in sketchy behavior by the dead boy's parents, escalating protests, and a pretty nasty TV reporter, not to mention someone taking shots at him. In addition, there's a diary that show more leads to a completely different case and you have a dandy mystery set in a Maine city. show less