Whiskey Sour

From the depths of my endless TBR pile, I finally tackled J.A. Konrath’s debut novel in the Jack Daniels series, and let me tell you, it was a great read! This book had me hooked right from the start with its fast-paced, heart-pounding thriller vibe. The killer plays a suspenseful cat-and-mouse game with our feisty, sarcastic protagonist and her array of quirky sidekicks.

The story unfolds through both the killer’s and Jacqueline “Jack” Daniels’ points of view, pulling me to the edge of my seat. Despite being published in 2004, it offers a captivating cocktail of grit, dark comedy, and suspense that feels refreshingly modern.

Lieutenant Jack Daniels is a force of nature. She’s a no-nonsense detective with a sarcastic wit and show more an unwavering sense of justice for her victims. But her dedication comes at a cost; she sacrifices personal happiness, including her marriage, for her work. Jack encounters a fair share of misfortunes, yet she takes every hit and perseveres. You go, girl!

Now, let’s talk about the killer, The Gingerbread Man. He has a rather twisted fixation on Jack, which leads to some nail-biting moments as she narrowly dodges his frighteningly sinister plans. The character development on the killer’s end is downright disturbing but utterly gripping. There were definitely times I found myself hesitant to dive into his headspace because his thought process is as horrifying as it is fascinating.

The supporting cast really uplifts the story, too. From Detective Herb Benedict’s atrocious eating habits (which gets him in trouble) to PI Harry McGlade’s desperate need for both a personality overhaul and a good bath, each character adds their own flair that keeps the story lively.

If you’re in the mood for psychological suspense sprinkled with humor and girl power, then you need to grab this book, preferably while sipping on a whiskey sour (Jack’s signature drink), which conveniently has a recipe at the beginning. Yum! Trust me, it’s a perfect pairing for this thrilling read.

For more of my reviews, visit The Eclectic Review. show less

This one surprised me. I mean, I always expected to like it - it's your typical crime fiction and that rarely disappoints. But I really enjoyed this and I was surprised by just how much I loved it. Jack was a funny character and the plot was interesting and kept me riveted. There were some really great life quotes in here too. Little gems that just made it that extra bit worthwhile. One thing that did get me - I think the hate for the FBI was a little over the top - like looking for a horse really? Oh and I loved Jack's mum - she was awesome - can't wait to see more of her. And I liked Phin - and I was excited to see that he gets his own series. I thought he was going to be a love interest but doesn't seem to be the case. And Harry show more seems like a jackass but that's what makes him loveable.

So yeah, I'll be picking up the rest of the series asap. show less

RECOMMENDED!

A sadistic killer calling himself The Gingerbread Man is dumping bodies all over Chicago and taunting the police with his messages. Lieutenant Jacqueline ‘Jack’ Daniels is hot on the killer’s trail, even though the rest of her life is in chaos. Her boyfriend has left, her credit cards are maxed and continued insomnia is preventing her from getting any rest. However, all of that becomes unimportant when the killer turns his sights on her. The Gingerbread Man will stop at nothing to finish his killing spree with Jack as his grand finale.

Whiskey Sour is the first installment of J.A. Konrath’s detective series featuring Chicago PD Lieutenant Jacqueline Daniels. Going in, I was hoping for a quick, fun read after the show more labor of my last book. Lucky for me, Konrath treated me to something ever better. His writing is very straight forward and loaded with laugh-out-loud lines.

“Sorry to hear about your Dad."
He shrugged. "He was seventy, and we always told him fast food would kill him."
"Heart attack?"
"He was hit by a Pizza Express truck.”

But don’t be fooled, this story isn’t slapstick and cheesy. At its core, Whiskey Sour is rock-solid storytelling. The plot isn’t revolutionary, but it is well constructed and doesn’t fall prey to a lack of believability. Intertwined with the humor are moments that will make you squirm uncomfortably in your chair. (The candy scene had me doing that a lot). There are several good twists in the plot, but nothing seems contrived. The story feels like it could have been pulled right out of the headlines.

What really sets Whiskey Sour above so many other potboiler detective novels are the characters. Beginning with Jack Daniels, Konrath pulls you deep into their lives. They are brought to life with the deft touch of a master storyteller. Jack is so real – bruises and all – I expected her to walk into the room at any moment. It doesn’t stop there. From the killer, to Jack’s partner to the other supporting characters, they are all very interesting and well defined. The FBI agents may have been a little cartoonish, but for the most part Konrath breathes life into everyone in the story – at least until he kills them off.

On its own, the plot of Whiskey Sour would warrant a 3.0 or 3.5 star rating. But the vivid character development and sharp dialog pushes it into another level. I am happy to recommend this book to anyone who likes a good detective story. I can honestly say I will be picking up the rest of the books in this series. It was a very enjoyable reading experience. show less

Successful. I say successful because if the author wanted to make me squirm and completely creep the hell out of me, then he was truly successful in my opinion. Being in the head of a psychopath is not a place I want to be as experienced from the hair-raising writing of Mr. Konrath's. I've watched many a procedural crime shows but was never privy to the killers sociopathic mindset. I was not only thoroughly frightened but angry. Angry that there are actually monsters like this out there. Such a believable character, unfortunately.

Lieutenant Jack Daniels came across as a real life cop, bad-ass and sarcastic. Loved the sarcastic dialogue, something you would expect from cops, especially working in such a macabre work environment. A show more little humor goes a long way. The supporting characters also added to the believability of the story as well. From the over eating partner to the dumber and dumberer FBI agents. A cast of characters that are very likable and equally hateable.

Being in the head of the killer was so frightening it definitely added to the intensity of the story. It made me more anxious to see the killer caught. I felt like I was there along with Jack and Herb as they investigate the case step by step. Suspensefully spine-chilling and believable.

A truly heart-stopping read that really gave me that on the edge of my seat feeling I normally only get from watching. I really felt like I was seeing the story unfold like a movie in my head. show less

Book 1 of Jacqueline "Jack" Daniels series
I kind of went all-in on Konrath before really reading anything beyond his short stories. While I currently have fourteen of his novels already purchased and on my To Be Read list, this is really the first one I read. Yes, technically I did read AFRAID but he wrote that as Jack Kilborn, his not-so-secret pen name. Kilborn is supposed to author the scarier novels while Konrath writes everything else. Or at least that's how I understand it. Anyway, WHISKEY SOUR is a great start to what is obviously a fun yet at-times gruesome series.

Jacqueline "Jack" Daniels is a Chicago police detective with a limited personal life and a serious bout of insomnia. She's dedicated to her job and not just because show more she has been assigned a major case on "The Gingerbread Man" killer. And while her partner, the F.B.I., and others are trying to help, Jack won't be able to rest until the case is solved.

After reading this book, I understand why Konrath and Jeff Strand are so often compared and grouped together. Humor is used extensively through the book to lighten some of the graphic and intense scenes. I've seen multiple reviews talking about how funny the book is; while I enjoyed the humor, it wasn't THAT funny. Which is also fine. I really enjoyed the mystery and suspense and graphic nature of the book. To be honest, the death scenes will stick with me longer than the bad but funny puns. I did find myself wishing that Konrath hadn't made the F.B.I. so inept. They are there to add some humor but not too much more. Hopefully the same agents will be present in future books but will be accurate in their profile. Or at least helpful instead of window dressing. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the Jack Daniels series. show less

Successful. I say successful because if the author wanted to make me squirm and completely creep the hell out of me, then he was truly successful in my opinion. Being in the head of a psychopath is not a place I want to be as experienced from the hair-raising writing of Mr. Konrath's. I've watched many a procedural crime shows but was never privy to the killers sociopathic mindset. I was not only thoroughly frightened but angry. Angry that there are actually monsters like this out there. Such a believable character, unfortunately.

Lieutenant Jack Daniels came across as a real life cop, bad-ass and sarcastic. Loved the sarcastic dialogue, something you would expect from cops, especially working in such a macabre work environment. A show more little humor goes a long way. The supporting characters also added to the believability of the story as well. From the over eating partner to the dumber and dumberer FBI agents. A cast of characters that are very likable and equally hateable.

Being in the head of the killer was so frightening it definitely added to the intensity of the story. It made me more anxious to see the killer caught. I felt like I was there along with Jack and Herb as they investigate the case step by step. Suspensefully spine-chilling and believable.

A truly heart-stopping read that really gave me that on the edge of my seat feeling I normally only get from watching. I really felt like I was seeing the story unfold like a movie in my head. show less

When Jacqueline Streng married Alan Daniels she became Jack Daniels. The name may have stuck but the marriage is long gone. Now a Lieutenant working in the Violent Crimes Unit of the Chicago Police Dept., she and her partner Herb pick up a new case when the body of a twenty-something woman is found with multiple stab-wounds with a note attached from the killer calling himself the Gingerbread Man. It's not long before a second body turns up and so they realise they may be dealing with a serial killer. Can they find him before he kills again?

This is no fluffy police procedural, the murder scenes are grisly as is the gallows-like humour of the banter between the investigating teams. Light relief comes in the shape of the two FBI agents who show more specialise in behavioural science. The profiles of the killer that they come up with are quite laughable and it's no wonder the police treat them with contempt. Every now and then the story will flip from Jack's investigation to the killer's perspective so it's not exactly a mystery as to who he is and what he's doing. The only thing that remains clouded are his motivations for selecting his victims. Jack's character is not of the fluffy variety either. She's not the flash her pretty green eyes and get a confession type of cop but one that's worked her ass off to get where she is and though it has cost her her marriage and pretty much any kind of social life as well as providing the cause of insomnia she suffers from she's far from discontent with her life and how it's turned out. But will she still be the same when the Gingerbread Man turns his attentions on her?

This is a fast paced thriller of a book that while quite gruesome in parts is also quite likeable in others and kept me turning the pages until the end. I'll certainly be on the lookout for the next book in the series.

I should add a warning for graphic violence. There are details of torture and animal killings involved and though it doesn't linger on these scenes they do exist. So if any of these things might put you off then it's probably best to avoid this one. show less