Random Act: A Jack McMorrow Mystery #12 - Softcover

Gerry Boyle began his writing career in newspapers, an industry he calls the "best training ground ever." After graduating from Colby College, Boyle knocked around, working as a roofer, a postman, and then as a manuscript reader in New York. However, he soon realized he preferred rural northern Maine to the bustle of Manhattan. His first reporting job was in the paper mill town of Rumford, Maine, before he moved on to the (Waterville) Morning Sentinel, where editors learned quickly that he worked best when left to his own devices. And Boyle learned that the line between upstanding citizen and outlaw is a fine one, indeed. His experiences as a reporter inspired his first novel, Deadline, in 1993. He continues to write gritty, authentic mysteries featuring his signature character, Jack McMorrow.

Well-developed characters and convincing dialogue propel Boyle's solidly plotted 12th mystery featuring Maine freelance journalist Jack McMorrow . . . Readers will enjoy spending time in Jack's head as he thinks through the murder case. --Publishers Weekly

I'll go out on a limb and say that this may be the best installment in the series I've read thus far, and that's saying a lot. Mr. Boyle continues to let his characters, such as Jack, Roxanne and their neighbor Clair grow freely; their development has not been hurried along from book to book. Outstandingly, Mr. Boyle's storytelling and particularly the dialogues are as crisp and sharp as ever . . . If you haven't read any of the eleven previous Jack McMorrow Mystery Series, don't worry. Random Act would be a good place to get initiated into Jack's world. Five stars for a first-rate, fast-paced yet intelligent murder-suspense-mystery. Add it to your summer reading list.
Booklist --The Miramichi Reader

It is exceptionally well done, as are the points he raises about the price of friendship and loyalty. Random Act is a book of two threads, each of which holds its own. This may be the most insightful book Boyle has written. It may also be his best. --LJ's Mystery Reviews