Created by Gary Phillips From the creator of Ivan Monk comes a new hero, MARTHA CHAINEY. Okay, so she's not a P.I., and she's not exactly on the side of the angels. But she's a six foot, tough-talking, hard-as-nails African American ex-showgirl now working as a courier for some Vegas thugs, so you go ahead--you … Continue reading Martha Chainey
Tag: Las Vegas
Jack Morgan, Peter Knight, Dan Carter, Chris Schneider, Craig Gisto, Santosh Wagh, Joey Montague et al (Private)
Created by James Patterson, Maxine Paetro, Mark Sullivan, Mark Pearson, Michael White, Ashwin Sanghi, Rees Jones, Jassy Mackenzie et al I've heard so many bad and even cruel things from writers and readers whom I generally respect about James Patterson's writing--tempered by equally effusive but vague praise by diehard fans--that I really had little real … Continue reading Jack Morgan, Peter Knight, Dan Carter, Chris Schneider, Craig Gisto, Santosh Wagh, Joey Montague et al (Private)
Cricket West
Created by Fred Zackel Former federal agent and current Las Vegas private eye Cricket West, a "broken nose blonde on the dark side of thirty," is reeling with "euphoria" after getting her second shot of the COVID-19 vaccine, in 2021's Drunk in Blood. "Lockdown was a bitch," is the way she puts it. But that feeling … Continue reading Cricket West
Dicky Barrett (Vegas Dick)
Created by Rich Wilkes Vegas Dick was a UPN pilot, scheduled to air during the 2003-04 season, centering on DICKY BARRETT, a former con artist who attempts to go straight, and ends up scamming his way into a gig as the house detective at a swanky Las Vegas casino. His boss (played by Katherine Heigl) … Continue reading Dicky Barrett (Vegas Dick)
Trevor Oaks
Created by Percy Spurlark Parker Las Vegas P.I. TREVOR OAKS only appeared once, in Percy Spurlark Parker's 2009 novel, The Good-Looking Dead Guy. Trevor's a big guy, weighing in at somewhere around "two hundred and sixty pounds of black muscle," which means the former University of Nevada Las Vegas football player can handle the occasional bodyguard … Continue reading Trevor Oaks
Mark Foran
Created by W.T. Ballard (Willis Todhunter Ballard) Pseudonyms include P. D. Ballard, Harrison Hunt, Neil MacNeil, John Shepherd (1903-80) "Mark Foran, Newest of the Private Ops--out-Harpers Harper." -- the front cover blurb for the 1967 edition Los Angeles gumshoe MARK FORAN, plagued as he is with an "oversize bump of curiousity" appeared in only one … Continue reading Mark Foran
King Bennett
Created by Dean Davis "Every man has his vice. For some it's alcohol while for others it's gambling. Mine happens to be dames. They cost me enough. Why would I need another addiction draining my wallet?" -- from "Click", Said the Camera There's plenty to love about this legendary long-running series by Dean Davis, "the … Continue reading King Bennett
John J. MacShayne
Created by Michael Gleason Kenny Rogers as a P.I.? Some folks should really know when to fold 'em. In 1994, NBC unleashed the popular country singer as Las Vegas casino head of security guy JOHN J. MacSHAYNE, as part of the mixed bag of rejuvenated characters from the past and a few new ones to … Continue reading John J. MacShayne
Frank Corso
Created by Frederick Zackel "Her skirt was shorter than her hair." Once upon a time, FRANK CORSO was a scruffy, bar-hopping San Francisco private eye, rough around all the edges. Then he met a rich girl, got her pregnant, and married her. Against the wishes of her powerful, well-connected and very disapproving family. A son, … Continue reading Frank Corso
Julian “Digger” Burroughs/Devlin “Trace” Tracy/Daedulus Patrick Murphy
Created by Warren Murphy (1933-2015) "It's a bubble that's gonna break, it's Murphy's law..." --theme song lyrics, sung by Al Jarreau I'm sorry, but there's just no sense listing these guys separately. Warren Murphy wrote them all, and they're all basically the same guy, especially the first two, JULIAN "DIGGER" BURROUGHS and DEVLIN "TRACE" TRACY. … Continue reading Julian “Digger” Burroughs/Devlin “Trace” Tracy/Daedulus Patrick Murphy