John Baker (1) (1942–)

Sam Turner is a recovering alcoholic who keeps himself busy going to whatever meeting he can get into in the evenings. At a meeting for substance abusers the leader goes around the circle asking what each person does. Sam isn't doing anything but he doesn't want to look like a loser so he says he's a P.I. Later he gets a phone call from Terry Deacon, another man attending the class, and Terry wants Sam to do a job for him. Deacon thinks his wife is having an affair and wants proof. At that show more moment the Sam Turner detective agency is born.

The job tailing Deacon's wife becomes considerably more difficult when Deacon is murdered. Turner, trained by his favorite living writer Elmore Leonard (he only reads class stuff), gets a murder investigation and antagonizes the police that fast. It won't be long before Turner realizes a serial killer is on his inexperienced hands but that doesn't stop him.

This is the first book in the Sam Turner Mystery series but he's already at the top of my favorite P.I. list. When he hires help one of them is a "Hameless and Hungry" teen he's keeps seeing on the streets and can't forget. His office manager is an older woman he meets during his investigative interviews and she also takes on tutoring the homeless teen, so that he can write his own reports. There are others, and if this was a movie the reviews would say it has a great ensemble cast. show less

John Baker’s series featuring British PI Sam Turner is one of my favourites and King of the Streets didn’t let me down. This is the third entry that continues on with the story of Sam Turner, a recovering alcoholic and the motley crew that work with him. This time we find them tackling a couple of murder cases, that they slowly come to realize are connected.

What I love most about these books are the characters. There’s world-weary Sam constantly having to battle his demons, loveable show more Geordie who was a homeless youth that Sam took under his wing, the over-educated yet street smart Celia who acts as receptionist and mother figure and of course Barney, the dog. These characters are filled with heart, wit and a strong sense of caring for each other.

Of course, the plot itself is important and in this case our crew find their investigations lead to the tough, gritty side of town and introduces them to a world of fear and pain. While not shirking from picturing the violence and sleaze, the author writes in a dark and humorous way that moves the story along at a brisk pace. King of the Streets is another winner. show less

The Meanest Flood by John Baker is the 6th in his series about private detective Sam Turner. Unfortunately it is also the last of the series. I have enjoyed every one of the Sam Turner books and I will miss this series a lot. This particular book is a fast moving thriller that has Sam being blamed for a series of murders. The victims are all women from Sam’s past, and someone is deliberately making it look like Sam is the murderer.

This has been an unique series, full of wonderful show more characters that were carefully developed into genuine individuals. They communicate with each other through a mix of banter and philosophy that is fresh and unique. The group of characters that work for Sam all have a deep caring and respect for each other. So in this book, when Sam must work outside the law to protect the women in his life, they are all there is help.

The Meanest Flood does not shy away from depicting the horror and violence of murder. Set against the backdrop of the city of York as it is being ravaged by flooding rivers, this book has a grim and dark side. The author keeps the book from descending into despair by touches of humor and with his warm characters. All these books are more than simple action driven thrillers, the characters and their dialogue as well as the finely crafted plots put these book in a class of their own and I am going to miss this consistently excellent series. show less

Shooting in the Dark by John Baker is the fifth book in one of my favourite series. A band of misfits have joined together and formed almost a family while they work as private investigators. In this outing they are helping the two Falco sisters who claim that someone is following them, watching their every move. Sam Turner, the leader and erstwhile father figure, is quite taken with Angeles Falco who is exotically beautiful and blind. When the other Falco sister, Isabel, goes missing and show more then is found brutally murdered, the group realizes they are pitched against a intelligent, serious murderer whose motive remains hidden.

Sam believes the answer lies in finding out why the sisters are targets. The story ramps up as they are battling both time and this mysterious killer, who appears to be driven by revenge and practically unstoppable. The plot moves along at a fast pace and builds to a exciting finale.

These books are full of action and are page turners but for me the main draw is the characters that I have gotten to know and like to keep current with. Along with Sam’s infatuation with Angeles, another storyline concerns young Geordie and his street-smart beyond her years mate, Janet, as they adapt to being new parents and having Geordie’s long absent brother show up on their doorstep. This is a group of people who work together, care about each other and are always there to cover each other’s back. The author writes about dark crime but his characters are so full of heart that these books are a joy to read. show less