Select one of the keywords
King Maybe: A Junior Bender Mystery    by Timothy Hallinan Amazon.com order for
King Maybe
by Timothy Hallinan
Order:  USA  Can
Soho, 2016 (2016)
Hardcover, CD, e-Book
* * *   Reviewed by Bob Walch

There's no one quite like Junior Bender, Hollywood's most clever second story man, and the likable miscreant is the go-to person whenever someone in the nation's entertainment capital needs something stolen with no clues left behind.

In this latest Bender adventure, Junior sets out to obtain a rare stamp for a client but the break-in goes terribly wrong and Junior finds himself on the wrong side of a man who thinks violence is the best way of solving most problems. To mollify the individual who hired him (and save his own neck), Junior agrees to another project, breaking into the home of the most powerful man in Hollywood. The King of Maybe, as he is known, is a notorious studio mogul, lives in a virtual fortress and this will present one of the most challenging jobs the accomplished thief has ever attempted.

In this tale punctuated by Hallinan's brand of dry humor, his protagonist is going to encounter one obstacle after another but, with a little help from his friends, he'll eventually prevail.

Although he's not the typical central character that anchors a suspense series, the Junior Bender novels have garnered a lot of praise and a wide audience of fans. He may be on the wrong side of the law but this wisecracking burglar has a wonderful time shining a light on Hollywood's numerous foibles.

You'll never feel that following Junior's misadventures has been time wasted. These well crafted novels are not only entertaining but also offer a nice change of pace from the usual suspense/thriller fare available.

Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons.

Find more Mystery books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews