Mark Coggins

This was a highly entertaining collection of memoir short stories from throughout the author's life. With self-deprecating humor and occurrences that I thought could only ever happen to me, this book was definitely a breath of fresh air. It's so nice to know that I'm not the only crazy, hapless person on this planet. Although I'm not sure that I would dress up like a chicken when greeting my significant other at the train station...yes, the author did that, and even included a photograph as show more proof!! On the other hand, the story he told about working at his grandfather's "ranch" was totally a situation that I would find myself in. Just like the author, if I'm told to fix something or if I manage to break something (in his case it was a giant tractor), then I do everything in my power to get it done any way that I can...even if with hindsight, the methods used were completely ridiculous and possibly even death-defying... I'm definitely not one to be told that I'm not capable of doing something. Basically, he used tools that were never meant to be used on a machine of that size and had to use quite a bit of elbow grease to make it all work - of course it did in the end. Never doubt the power of belief that you can accomplish a crazy feat with only a few flimsy materials to work with...lol. Oh yeah, and accidentally setting an entire open weed and thorn infested field on fire...very akin to a certain thing that happened a few years ago to me...and...my brother...that...well...I just don't talk about it... Anyway, Mark's stories range from tales of love gone terribly wrong (can definitely relate there), stupid ill-thought out ideas (once again, sounds familiar), and, as I just mentioned, death-defying determination to pull off crazy stunts. There's something for everybody in this collection and I highly recommend it!
As to the author himself, I received a hardcopy in the mail that was signed by him right before he mailed it off and had a hand written note placed between the pages. He even responded very thoughtfully to a question I posed on LibraryThing's author chat. It's such a cool thing to actually interact with the authors of books you read!!

Note: I won this book as part of a Member Giveaway on LibraryThing, but all the comments above are 100% honest. show less

This was a good evening's entertainment. Written in the voice of Watson, it captured the feel and spirit of the original tales.

I have a bit of a quibble with the assumption that this case proves certain things about Sherlock's sexuality, but that would be spoilers. Despite the content, it is handled in the way I would imagine an author from the late 1800s would speak of such a subject, if they spoke of it at all.

I will check out some of the author's other stories, this seems like one show more written for a collection of short stories, or on a dare from some friends or perhaps a writing exercise to see how close one could mimic the original author. Whatever reason, it was a fun read for me. show less

Fourth in the August Riordan series, featuring a number of classic PI features (a gal Friday, smart aleck dialog, a fair amount of gunplay and fisticuffs) as well as a very timely topic, election fraud through electronic voting machines. The evocative photographs at the start of each chapter add an unusual and pleasing visual element.

he fiasco of the presidential election in Florida was a heads up for both election officials and the public on the dangers of the voting booth. Runoff by Mark Coggins takes the warnings to the next level. In this forth book starring PI August Riordan, he is hired to see if someone interfered in San Fransico's mayoral election by interfering with the new touch screen voting machines.

Lenora Lee hires August to investigate an election that is a run off between two candidates. As the leader of show more the Chinatown scene, she feels it is odd that her candidate did not even win the vote in her community. August's job is to determine of there is any way the election's new voting machines could have been tampered with. The allure of Lenora's daughter is not an unwelcomed bonus to the job either. But as the bodies start to appear August realizes there may be more danger to this one than he expected. In a secondary but interwoven plot line he also takes it upon himself to try to solve the mystery of the ATM thefts occurring through out the area. The story is of course more in depth than this summary but read it to find out. Seriously, read this book.

Mark Coggins has taken us back into the world of the strong PI fiction. He has created a character that can hold his own in the long tradition of private investigators. August Riordan has the attitude and both the desire and backbone to do the right thing. Justice for all, damn the consequences. Coggins is able to write the required dialogue that sizzles with the tongue in cheek humor expected in such a novel.

The setting of Chinatown adds the appeal of a strong place identity and the ability to add different characters and events. Cleavers do make a fun, albeit unusual, warning. Lenora Lee, her daughter and all their surrounding allies and enemies are fleshed out acknowledgments to the classic Asian villain characters. The author walks the fine line between over done stereotypes and fresh faces with a finesse that is a tribute to the genre without ever becoming trite.

As another classic hallmark of the crime noir he also examines a current issue that should alarm all citizens who appreciate the right to elect officials. The twist of the touch screen voting machine brings this ageless classic genre into the modern times, smack into the 21st century.

Coggin takes the hard boiled egg of the classic novel and fries it lightly to perfection. show less