Jack Kyle

Created by Richard Abshire

JACK KYLE is an ex-cop turned Dallas gumshoe, who served in Vietnam as a sniper and seems to know way more than he should about explosives. During his cop days he earned the nickname “Turnaround Jack” for his ability to “turnaround” a case. But he’s pretty much your typical hard-boiled operative: middle-aged, divorced, broke and — surprise, surprise — more than a little cynical.

Still, while not breaking any new ground, the series did get compliments for its dialogue and characterization. The relationships between Kyle and his associates (Della, his teenage secretary, and Speed and Joe, his two “assistants”) are particularly well-handled.

The author, Richard Abshire, was, in fact, a real Dallas cop, working with the Dallas Police Department for twelve years. He also worked as a private investigator for a couple of years, according to the jacket of Turnaround Jack (1990). Under the joint pseudonym of Terry Marlowe, he also co-wrote the Charlie Gants series, a couple of well-received novels with supernatural overtones, with William Clair, another Dallas officer,

THE EVIDENCE

• “The thing is I don’t have a hell of a lot. In the realm of material possessions. What I do have is more along the line of what they call intangibles. Piece of mind…..no, that I don’t have. Let’s see, honor. No not so much of that anymore either. Uh, what it is…. Jesus, this is depressing.”“Reputation?” She offered, trying to help.“Not really. You can hear all kinds of things about me if you ask the wrong people.”“I heard your word is good.” Yeah that’s true. I have my word. That’s my bond. You can bank on my word. Thanks.”“You’re welcome.”

  “And….. I don’t know, kind of a professional pride, I guess you’d say. Yeah, I do still take pride in doing my job, you know, doing it right. “

  “I haven’t seen the videos, Jack, but from what I hear you did a good job on me.”
  — from Turnaround Jack

UNDER OATH

• “While stylish and well-paced… Dallas Drop is very much the same old yarn.”
  — Publisher’s Weekly

NOVELS

• Dallas Drop (1989) | Buy this book | Kindle it!
• Turnaround Jack (1990) | Buy this book
• The Dallas Deception (1992) | Buy this book | Kindle it!

Report respectfully submitted by Eric Chambers and Kevin Burton Smith. Special thanks to Gina Clair Burrage for her invaluable assistance.

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