While tracking a drug shipment in Savannah, surveillance expert Mack Abbott gets tangled up in a deadly underworld filled with ruthless smugglers who will stop at nothing to protect their product. Abbott's one connection in town is an exotic dancer named Avery Calloway, who has questionable motives and a taste for the smugglers' product. Their relationship deepens as the smugglers close in around them.
For fans of Josh Boldt's fiction, Moneymaker offers a glimpse into the early years of a familiar character in Mack Abbott. Set in 1997, Moneymaker takes place two decades before the events of Slurry. Discover the origins of Abbott’s journey and unravel the mysteries that shaped his future in this gripping tale of intrigue and suspense.
Assessment:
Plot/Idea: Moneymaker, a lively and engrossing Southern mystery/thriller about Navy vet Mack Abbott, a "freelance surveillance expert" trying to readjust to civilian life. When his mysterious client hires him to track a drug shipment, all hell predictably breaks loose. He teams up with exotic dancer Avery Calloway (stage name Ava Applebottom) and the pair set out to puzzle together the case as his employer exposes him to lethal danger and leaves him almost literally holding the bag.
Prose: Boldt's prose is peppered with clever observations and well-placed humor that sets the tone. He does a fine job capturing Mack's struggles to adjust post-Navy and the boredom that comes with being a freelance surveillance expert, while tight action moves the story along at a clipped pace.
Originality: Boldt tells an undeniably thrilling story, albeit one that embraces classic private eye tropes.
Character/Execution: Moneymaker's characters have big personalities and make a splash on the page. Despite their occasional predictability, richly humorous dialogue provides energy and likability.
Date Submitted: June 16, 2024
“An all-consuming and exhilarating read…highly recommend.”
"A heart-pounding, action-packed novel filled with suspense, drama and twisty turns...[with] a well-crafted storyline."
