Max Folsom has created a most likable heroine in former cop turned private investigator Baker. From her unusual name to her often humorous gut reactions and reflections to what she encounters as she tries to figure out why and how a dead body landed in her office doorway, to her relentless pursuit of how this death might be connected to an unsolved kidnapping case in her past, Baker’s musings become ours. What Baker and her wonderful team uncover has business, financial, and military connections. In short, One Bad Day After Another is about greed and crime on an international scale.

It’s rare for me to write a review immediately after reading a book: it takes me a few days to decide on the most memorable aspects of that book. As I pondered One Bad Day After Another by Max Folsom, it was easy to home in on the key positives: a very clever plot with enough twists to keep any reader guessing; good plot pacing; excellent use of dialogue; a smooth writing style and above all, the enjoyable interplay between the characters. But there was one takeaway that outshone the others: the engaging and winning personality of the protagonist, Baker Somerset. She is what I will most remember about One Bad Day After Another. She is often downright funny, sometimes frightened to death, but ever curious. Readers identify closely with Baker: she is just so human! The plot facts as they evolve are unexpected, convoluted, and intriguing. But it’s Baker herself that makes us want to solve this mystery as much as she does. For lack of a better word, this novel ends up being a lot “larger” than just another simple murder mystery.