Fans of Robert B. Parker's Spenser books should try this one. Hallinan, a 2011 Best Novel Edgar finalist, began his six-book Simeon Grist series with this white-knuckle mystery. Simeon Grist knows L.A. inside and out--the sex for sale, the chic seductions, every rip-off from City Hall to Venice. So when he's hired by a Hollywood recording company to shadow one Sally Oldfield, suspected of embezzlement, Grist discovers she's entangled in The Church of the Eternal Moment--a million-dollar religious scam built around a 12-year-old channeler and the voice of a man who has been dead for a millennium. When Sally turns up dead, Simeon knows he's become the next target of a very flesh-and-blood entity waiting in the back alleys of sin and salvation to give him a brutal look at the four last things: death, judgment, heaven and hell--revelations he could definitely live without...From Publishers Weekly:"Simeon Grist, former professor of English at UCLA and fledgling L.A. private eye, makes his debut in this clever mystery. To propel his plot, Hallinan adroitly depicts a new religion with avaricious leaders, New Age channeling and an overlay of California kookiness. Hired by the head of security of Monument Records to follow employee Sally Oldfield, suspected of selling information to competitors, Grist develops a liking for the woman. Then she is brutally murdered, and Grist is shocked to find that an impostor assigned him to the case. Investigating on his own, he follows leads to the Church of the Eternal Moment, with its child oracle Angel Ellspeth, her oh-so-smooth personal physician Dick Merryman and its crew of Listeners to whom the faithful confess all. As Grist searches for clues, aided by a former girlfriend, Eleanor Chan, now writing for the Los Angeles Times, he is threatened, beaten and involved in another murder. Televangelism, brainwashing, research into the early 19th-century diaspora of new American religions and a most unusual ally lead Grist to the denouement of this very satisfying mystery."Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.“Terrific, well-crafted, thoroughly satisfying . . . updates Raymond Chandler's vision of life in Los Angeles through Grist's sardonic, often hilarious observations . . . leaves one looking forward to Hallinan's future endeavors.” (Los Angeles Herald-Tribune)“It's rare to find a first novel in the mystery genre that boasts a smoothly plotted story, crisp dialogue, and excellent characterizations . . . This exciting tale accomplishes all three . . . The book never falters, sustaining suspense and interest throughout . . . a sure winner.” (Booklist)Hallinan has a genuine ability to write effective prose, engaging repartee, sharp and witty characterizations . . . this laudable first effort could become a notable series.” (The Washington Post Book World)“Wonderful . . . you gotta love a novel that starts with the hard-drinking private eye sighing about the dame he's been following.” (West Coast Review of Books)“Hallinan neatly maximizes his gift for offbear characters and clever pacing . . . Simeon Grist, the sleuth he created, is in a class by himself.” (Inside Books)From Publishers WeeklySimeon Grist, former professor of English at UCLA and fledgling L.A. private eye, makes his debut in this clever mystery. To propel his plot, Hallinan adroitly depicts a new religion with avaricious leaders, New Age channeling and an overlay of California kookiness. Hired by the head of security of Monument Records to follow employee Sally Oldfield, suspected of selling information to competitors, Grist develops a liking for the woman. Then she is brutally murdered, and Grist is shocked to find that an impostor assigned him to the case. Investigating on his own, he follows leads to the Church of the Eternal Moment, with its child oracle Angel Ellspeth, her oh-so-smooth personal physician Dick Merryman and its crew of Listeners to whom the faithful confess all. As Grist searches for clues, aided by a former girlfriend, Eleanor Chan, now writing for the Los Angeles Times , he is threatened, beaten and involved in another murder. Televangelism, brainwashing, research into the early 19th-century diaspora of new American religions and a most unusual ally lead Grist to the denouement of this very satisfying mystery. Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc. From Library JournalSoon after the alleged head of security for a record company hires Simeon Grist to watch Sally Oldfield, a nasty man kills her and then the so-called security head. Grist's investigation (he liked Sally from afar) leads to predictably questionable goings-on at the Church of the Eternal Moment. Hallinan delivers these somewhat muffled connections in mostly flat, charmless prose, so that Hollywood settings and Grist's quirks do little to relieve the boredom. Not recommended.-- REKCopyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.

When a wealthy man is set ablaze by the "incinerator"--a deranged pyromaniac who is stalking the homeless of L.A.--professor-turned-private investigator Simeon Grist is determined to catch the killer. Reprint. AB. From Publishers WeeklyTiresome hero and narrator Simeon Grist duels with a homicidal pyromaniac, while willfully alienating his lady love, his best friend and the LAPD. Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. From Library JournalAfter the serial murderer who immolates skid-row bums torches her father--an Alzheimer's sufferer who disappeared from Chicago--ultra-rich Annabelle Winston hires LA investigator Simeon Grist ( The Four Last Things , LJ 5/1/89) to track down the villain. When she splashes the story across the front page of the Sunday paper, the "Incinerator" contacts Grist, the police realize they must act, and Grist dubiously coordinates a plan to entrap the ubiquitous villain. Quite different from Fyfield in style and setting, but just as vital and full of conflict. Highly recommended.Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

JUNIOR BENDER UNTANGLES ONE OF THE WEIRDEST MYSTERIES IN TINSELTOWN  LA burglar Junior Bender has (unfortunately) developed a reputation as a competent private investigator for crooks. The unfortunate part about this is that regardless of whether he solves the crime or not, someone dangerous is going to be unhappy with him, either his suspect or his employer.Now Junior is being bullied into proving aging music industry mogul Vinnie DiGaudio is innocent of the murder of a nasty tabloid journalist he'd threatened to kill a couple times. It doesn’t help that the dead journalist’s widow is one pretty lady, and she’s trying to get Junior to mix pleasure with business. Just as the investigation is spiraling out of control, Junior's hard-drinking landlady begs him to solve the disappearance of her daughter, who got involved with a very questionable character. And, worst news of all, both Junior's ex-wife and his thirteen-year-old daughter, Rina, seem to have new boyfriends. What a mess.From the Hardcover edition.ReviewPraise for *Little Elvises*"Hallinan introduces us to a drugged-out, pain-impervious hit man, a nonagenarian puppet master who rules the L.A. underworld, a tabloid reporter who uses his job as a cover to blackmail the rich and the famous, and a host of other characters as dangerously outrageous as the murderous crew obsessed with obtaining the black bird in Hammett's 1930 masterpiece."—*Associated Press"Every now and then a writer comes along with the imagination and skill to make the whole thing feel fresh and new again. That's what veteran crime novelist Timothy Hallinan has accomplished."—*Washington Post*"The first book in the series, 'Crashed' (2012), was great fun. The new one, 'Little Elvises,' is even better."—*San Francisco Chronicle*"An intricate high-stakes plot [and] a compelling subplot."—*Miami Herald*"Heart-pounding."—*Salon*"As the story opens, Junior is in a fix, or rather, a bunch of them..."—*Huffington Post*"Featuring Junior Bender, full-time Los Angeles burglar and part-time private eye-style fixer for the city's criminal element."—*Seattle Times*"If Carl Hiaasen and Donald Westlake had a literary love child, he would be Timothy Hallinan. The Edgar nominee's laugh-out-loud new crime series featuring Hollywood burglar-turned-private eye Junior Bender has breakout written all over it... A must-read."—Julia Spencer-Fleming, New York Times bestselling author of *One Was a Soldier*"Hugely,splendidly entertaining... Full of delightful characters, and dialogue that provides at least one good laugh on every page, the book is so hard to put down you’ll swear it’s been glued to your hands."—Booklist, STARRED Review“Hallinan’s characters and dialog are top-notch, with a lively plot full of witty banter and comic scenes that will keep readers laughing.”—*Library Journal*"Little Elvises begs comparison to Tom Doresey or Carl Hiaasen novels: It's quirky and hip, and often laugh-out-loud funny."—BookPage, TOP PICK"One thing that immediately hits you about Timothy Hallinan’s writing is the clarity and snap of his prose. Junior Bender isn’t a gumshoe, but the cadence of his voice and his observations harken back to other great detectives who were expert at landing a crucial, devastating remark, as well as using their fists or a pistol. It’s a cliché, of course, to bring up Raymond Chandler’s Marlowe, but the similarities are nevertheless present in fitting ways."—Derek Hill, *Mystery Scene*Praise for the Junior Bender Series"Junior Bender is today’s Los Angeles as Raymond Chandler might have written it. Tim [Hallinan] is a master at tossing out the kind of hard-boiled lines that I wish I thought of first."—Bruce DeSilva, Macavity & Edgar Award-winning author of *Rogue Island*"Timothy Hallinan's The Fame Thief has everything I've come to expect in a Hallinan novel: indelible, complex characters, fantastic plot, and moments of hold-your-breath suspense."—Charlaine Harris, author of the New York Times bestselling Sookie Stackhouse series"Timothy Hallinan’s affable antihero, an accomplished thief but inept sleuth named Junior Bender, makes a terrific first impression in Crashed.... Bender’s quick wit and smart mouth make him a boon companion on this oddball adventure."*—New York Times* Book Review“This is Hallinan at the top of his game. It's laugh-out-loud funny without ever losing any of its mystery. It’s a whole new style and I love it. Junior Bender—a crook with a heart of gold—is one of Hallinan's most appealing heroes, rich with invention, and brimming with classic wit. I can’t recommend it highly enough.” —Shadoe Stevens, Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson"This is one of those books you long for, wait for, and find once or twice a year"—Beth Kanell, proprietor of Kingdom Books, Vermont“Timothy Hallinan does everything a writer should do whose goal is to keep a reader entertained from the first sentence to the last.”—Tzer Island (blog)“The writing is intelligent, relaxed, and fun to read. Crashed is a pleasurable outing, without the personal risk, to the criminal underbelly of Los Angeles, where moral ambiguity fills the air.”—Read Me Deadly (blog)“If you're in the mood for a mystery that's just plain fun, this is the one for you... Timothy Hallinan knows how to write a smart aleck main character who has his own set of morals and a heart of gold.” —Kittling Books (blog)Praise for Timothy Hallinan “Hallinan has a genuine ability to write effective prose, engaging repartee, sharp and witty characterizations.” —*Washington Post Book World “Hallinan is a stunning talent.” —Gregg Hurwitz, author of *They're WatchingAbout the AuthorTIMOTHY HALLINAN is the Edgar - and Macavity Award - nominated author of over a dozen widely praised books, including the 'Poke Rafferty' Bangkok thrillers and the 'Junior Bender' series. In 2010 Hallinan conceived and edited an e-book of original short stories by twenty mystery writers, Shaken: Stories for Japan, with 100 percent of the proceeds going to Japanese disaster relief.

When a wealthy man is set ablaze by the "incinerator"--a deranged pyromaniac who is stalking the homeless of L.A.--professor-turned-private investigator Simeon Grist is determined to catch the killer. Reprint. *AB. * ### From Publishers Weekly Tiresome hero and narrator Simeon Grist duels with a homicidal pyromaniac, while willfully alienating his lady love, his best friend and the LAPD. Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. ### From Library Journal After the serial murderer who immolates skid-row bums torches her father--an Alzheimer's sufferer who disappeared from Chicago--ultra-rich Annabelle Winston hires LA investigator Simeon Grist ( The Four Last Things , LJ 5/1/89) to track down the villain. When she splashes the story across the front page of the Sunday paper, the "Incinerator" contacts Grist, the police realize they must act, and Grist dubiously coordinates a plan to entrap the ubiquitous villain. Quite different from Fyfield in style and setting, but just as vital and full of conflict. Highly recommended. Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

When Poke Rafferty first went to Bangkok to write a travel guide, some of the old-timers in the Expat Bar on Patpong Road helped him make sense of the city. Now these men--many of whom have been living in Southeast Asia since the Vietnam War--are growing old and, in some cases, frail. When a talkative stranger named Arthur Varney turns up, they accept him without suspicion, failing to see that he's actually using them to get to Poke Rafferty. Varney wants two things: money Poke doesn't have and a person whom Poke is unwilling to hand over. It becomes apparent quite quickly that there's nothing Varney won't do to secure his goal. As his actions threaten the foundation of Poke's life in Thailand, the withered men of the Expat Bar discover that they might still be a force to reckon with.From the Hardcover edition.

Robert B. Parker and Robert Crais fans will enjoy 2011 "Best Novel" nominee Hallinan's overeducated private eye, Simeon Grist. In the second book in Hallinan's cult series, originally published in the 1990s, Grist takes a case, that leads him to the phantom neighborhoods of L.A.'s lost children.Missing thirteen-year-old Aimee Sorrell, who ran all the way from Kansas to be a star. But Aimee's trail soon leads Simeon to the city morgue, the first stop on a perilous journey to find out what happens to America's lost children when they go looking for love in all the wrong places.*From Publishers WeeklySimeon Grist, seen before in The Four Last Things , is an up-to-date private eye, a hip survivor of the Woodstock Generation bemused by current L.A. life. He's also a bit seedy, drinking too much and backsliding into cigarette smoking, with a wry outlook and heart of gold that keep him squarely in the hardboiled Hammett-Chandler tradition. Hired to find a 13-year-old runaway who left Kansas to become a Hollywood star, Simeon soon finds himself mired in L.A.'s seamy underworld of teenage hustlers, pimps and all-around losers. Using as decoys his teenage godchild Jessica and a young computer whiz smitten by her, Simeon uncovers a vast interstate ring involving a talent agency, a bent cop and high-tech kiddy-sex. While providing a nasty new meaning for a computer "menu" and some scenes not for the squeamish, Hallinan employs skillful pacing, L.A. color and Simeon's attractive persona to grip readers right through the gory climax and somewhat reassuring ending. Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc. *From BooklistHallinan's first novel, The Four Last Things, introduced Southern California professor-turned-private-eye Simeon Grist and was notable for its superior plot, dialogue, and characterizations. The second Grist novel is as entertaining as the first, although its subject matter – child prostitution – is hardly light. Hired to find Aimee Sorrell, a 13-year-old runaway from Kansas City who has been kidnapped, Grist attempts to get a lead by hanging out with the young hookers and pimps who frequent the area between Sunset and Fountin Boulevards in Hollywood. His discoveries lead, first, to a strange alliance with the bizarre Mountain (a self-appointed guardian angel who tries to convince the runaways to go home) and, next, to the recruiting of Grist's goddaughter, Jessica, and her computer-nerd friend, Morris, to assist in the hunt for Aimee. Hallinan once again supplies a riveting story, and Grist continues to be one of the most intriguing of the new private eyes. Be forewarned, though: the denoument is grim indeed.*From Library JournalSimeon Grist, persistently hard-nosed private eye, searches the draggy side of Los Angeles for a little lost rich girl. The 12-year-old's mother has received obscene pictures and a ransom note of sorts, so Grist, disgusted and enraged, dives into a graphic world of teenage prostitution, drug abuse, instant violence, colorful street people, and odious exploitation. By treating a grimly fascinating subject matter and location with sharp-voiced style and verve, Hallinan rises far above his first effort, The Four Last Things .Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc. “Squeal combines high-octane action, baroque violence, humor, and pathos in a self-assured manner that marks Mr. Hallinan as a capable practitioner of the private eye tale. (Tom Nolan, The Wall Street Journal)From Publishers WeeklySimeon Grist, seen before in The Four Last Things , is an up-to-date private eye, a hip survivor of the Woodstock Generation bemused by current L.A. life. He's also a bit seedy, drinking too much and backsliding into cigarette smoking, with a wry outlook and heart of gold that keep him squarely in the hardboiled Hammett-Chandler tradition. Hired to find a 13-year-old runaway who left Kansas to become a Hollywood star, Simeon soon finds himself mired in L.A.'s seamy underworld of teenage hustlers, pimps and all-around losers. Using as decoys his teenage godchild Jessica and a young computer whiz smitten by her, Simeon uncovers a vast interstate ring involving a talent agency, a bent cop and high-tech kiddy-sex. While providing a nasty new meaning for a computer "menu" and some scenes not for the squeamish, Hallinan employs skillful pacing, L.A. color and Simeon's attractive persona to grip readers right through the gory climax and somewhat reassuring ending. Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc. From Library JournalSimeon Grist, persistently hard-nosed private eye, searches the draggy side of Los Angeles for a little lost rich girl. The 12-year-old's mother has received obscene pictures and a ransom note of sorts, so Grist, disgusted and enraged, dives into a graphic world of teenage prostitution, drug abuse, instant violence, colorful street people, and odious exploitation. By treating a grimly fascinating subject matter and location with sharp-voiced style and verve, Hallinan rises far above his first effort, The Four Last Things .Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Simeon Grist knows the City of Angels inside and out--the sex for sale, the chic seductions, the clientele of every bar from downtown L.A. to Venice. So when he's hired by a Hollywood recording company to shadow one Sally Oldfield, suspected of embezzlement, Grist discovers she's heavily invested in something far more lucrative than CDs--namely the Church of the Eternal Moment--a million-dollar religious scam built around a 12-year-old channeler and the voice of a man who has been dead for a millennium. Though he tails Sally all the way to a seedy motel and a date with a murderer, he's too late to save her. And now he knows snooping has gotten him in way too deep, for he's become the next target of a very flesh-and-blood entity waiting in the twisted back alleys of sin and salvation to give him a brutal look at the four last things: death, judgment, heaven and hell--revelations he could definitely live without...

EDITORIAL REVIEWSPRODUCT DESCRIPTIONFor a fee so big he can't turn it down, LA private eye Simeon Grist is hired to watchdog the kind of guy he'd usually prefer to throw through the nearest window. Toby Vane is the golden boy of prime-time TV, whose gee-whiz smile and chiseled features are worth hundreds of millions of dollars in the lucrative syndication market. But Toby has a dark side that would take the shine off for his millions of adoring female fans: every now and then he beats up a woman, and almost any woman will do. When some of the women around Toby begin to turn up dead, Simeon has to figure out whether he's protecting a murderer – or whether one of Toby's multitude of enemies wants to put him away forever. And when Simeon meets the beautiful Nana, the whole situation becomes very personal, very fast. PRAISE FOR “SKIN DEEP” AND THE SIMEON GRIST NOVELS“Gutsy, vibrant . . . a sharp noir L.A. Portrait.” – Kirkus Reviews“Riveting, action-packed . . . Hallinan's best yet.” Library Journal“A genuine, hard-boiled whodunit with plenty of motives, cagey suspects, and secret past lives.” BooklistA welcome visit from an old, tough friend . . . Hallinan does a great job . . . Excellent!” Chicago Tribune“The third . . . Simeon Grist makes me eager to go back and catch up on the first two.” The Indianapolis News“A modern successor to Raymond Chandler.”– Los Angeles Daily NewsFrom Publishers WeeklyLos Angeles private detective Simeon Grist, seen before in The Four Last Things , stumbles through the smoke-and-mirrors world of television production in his third case. After stopping popular TV series star Toby Vane from beating up his date, Nana, in a bar, Grist is hired by Vane's producer to keep an eye on the actor until the syndication deal for the series goes through. Grist learns that Vane has a history of beating and mutilating women, a past being hushed up to save the deal--and the pots of money for everyone involved. When a friend of Nana's is found dead after being seen with Vane, Grist must determine if Vane is a sadistic killer or the victim of a set-up. Hallinan, partner in a Los Angeles public-relations firm, writes with an insider's authority of such Hollywood mores as name-changing and drug-taking in this tale that seems more an episode from a TV series than a novel. Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. From Library JournalHallinan ( Everything but the Squeal , LJ 3/1/90) bids his strong suit again as Simeon Grist, Hollywood detective, embarks on another riveting, action-packed adventure. Protecting a handsome and popular TV star (with a sadistic penchant for young women) from adverse publicity until the series producer can sell syndication rights almost provides Grist with more than he can handle. Forced to hang out on location with Toby Vane or at a drug-infested club featuring nude dancers, Simeon soon supsects Toby of vicious, bone-snapping murder. Full of intricacies, changed identities, and hidden indiscretions, the plot--probably Hallinan's best yet--never flags.Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Timothy Hallinan brings his critically acclaimed Poke Rafferty thriller series set in Thailand into the Soho Crime family. An accidental collision on a Bangkok sidewalk goes very wrong when the man who ran into Rafferty dies in his arms, but not before saying three words: Helen Eckersley. Cheyenne. Seconds later, the police arrive, denying that the man was shot. That night, Rafferty is interrogated by Thai secret agents who demand to know what the dead man said, but Rafferty can't remember. When he's finally released, Rafferty arrives home to find that his apartment has been ransacked. In the days that follow, he realizes he's under surveillance. The second time men in uniform show up at his door, he manages to escape the building and begins a new life as a fugitive. As he learns more about his situation, it becomes apparent that he's been caught on the margins of the war on terror, and that his opponent is a virtuoso artist whose medium is fear.

Junior Bender may be L.A.'s smoothest operator but when he breaks one of the cardinal rules of burglary (don't take scores that you're being paid way too much for) he finds himself once again on the wrong side of, well, the wrong side. Los Angeles burglar Junior Bender has a rule about never taking a job that pays too well: in the criminal underworld, if you're offered more money than a job is worth, someone is going to end up dead. But he's bending his rule this one time because he and his girlfriend, Ronnie, are in desperate need of cash to hire a kidnapper to snatch Ronnie's two-year-old son back from her ex. The whole thing is pretty complicated and has Junior on edge. The parameters of the job do nothing to calm his nerves. A nameless woman in an orange wig has offered Junior fifty grand—twenty-five up front—to break into the abandoned house of a recently deceased 97-year-old recluse, Daisy Horton, and steal a doll from her collection. Junior...

In Bangkok, Thailand, an American travel journalist and his Thai family find themselves inadvertently entangled in a web of dirty cops and far-reaching corruption when their daughter's ill-gotten cell phone displays photographs of some very crooked cops, all of them thoroughly dead.Poke Rafferty is happier than he's ever been. He's financially solvent, his family is about to grow larger, and his adopted Thai daughter, Miaow, seems to have settled in at junior high school. All that is endangered when Miaow and her boyfriend, Andrew, buy a stolen iPhone from a shady vendor and discover photographs of two dead police officers on it--disgraced officers, violently murdered to avenge the long-dead. Surrounding the murder investigation is a conspiracy that reaches the highest reaches of Bangkok law enforcement, and perhaps beyond. It soon becomes apparent that Miaow's discovery threatens the entire family--and if that's not enough, in order to survive, they may ultimately...