The Concise Cuddy: A Collection of John Francis Cuddy Stories

Rating:
Summary: Revisiting an Old Friend
Review: The Concise Cuddy is a great supplement to the fantastic series of Boston PI John Cuddy, by Jeremiah Healy. For those of us who have read the series, this is a way to stay in touch with an old friend, but readers who are new to the Cuddy will find this a great introduction (if not addicted). Healy is an excellent writer whose skills aren't just good for a detective writer but for any writer. His characters are developed even in short story form and the plots are well thought-out. I loved "Double Con" the best. A fantastic short story that keep you turning the pages and finding that all of your quessing is fruitless. Anyone who likes a good mystery will love this collection. And if you've never read a Healy novel, you'll be trying to find them all. You won't be able to put them down. As an avid reader of mystery/detective books, I highly recommend THE CONCISE CUDDY. Since this isn't a widely available publication, I suggest hanging on to it as well.

Rating:
Summary: Revisiting an Old Friend
Review: The Concise Cuddy is a great supplement to the fantastic series of Boston PI John Cuddy, by Jeremiah Healy. For those of us who have read the series, this is a way to stay in touch with an old friend, but readers who are new to the Cuddy will find this a great introduction (if not addicted). Healy is an excellent writer whose skills aren't just good for a detective writer but for any writer. His characters are developed even in short story form and the plots are well thought-out. I loved "Double Con" the best. A fantastic short story that keep you turning the pages and finding that all of your quessing is fruitless. Anyone who likes a good mystery will love this collection. And if you've never read a Healy novel, you'll be trying to find them all. You won't be able to put them down. As an avid reader of mystery/detective books, I highly recommend THE CONCISE CUDDY. Since this isn't a widely available publication, I suggest hanging on to it as well.

Rating:
Summary: A Deserved Award Winner
Review: Though I really enjoy Healy's John Francis Cuddy novels, I had never read any of his short stories until this week. It is rare that I see (or read) a writer who is so masterful of both the long and short story format...Healy is one! I'm now waiting for the next collection to come out, because I couldn't get enough, which should tell you something, because my first choice is a novel 99% of the time. Of course, most of the stories being set in Boston (my hometown) is nice, but there isn't quite as much of the Boston flavor as in Robert B. Parker's novels. Up to you whether that's a good thing.