Niklas Three brings us a gripping Gable & McLaren mystery in Roll. In June 1999, Gable and Gaffer arrive in Louisiana to meet with Angela Larqué of Les Trois Ls Ranch. It seems their PI skills come highly recommended for her particular problem. Angela’s most prized broodmare has gone missing in the strangest circumstances. This is a chance for Gable and Gaff to earn a much-needed income after some really bad publicity back home in Chicago involving a serial killer. It seems that in the glamorous world of horseracing and breeding, some people will do anything to reach the top. Can Gable keep his mind on the job? And in the process of finding a missing horse, what else will Gable and Gaff uncover in the swamps of Louisiana?

Author Niklas Three has opened a door into a world that will swallow you whole. Immerse yourself in an overload of sensory stimulation on all levels. From the humid atmosphere to the smell of horses and hay, this book will not disappoint. Dripping with Louisiana culture, the narrative is written in the first-person from Gable's perspective, which makes us privy to his most intimate emotions. I was not disappointed! This author certainly knows how to keep you glued to the pages. There is a cast of extraordinary characters with amazing personalities. I definitely had some favorites. This brilliant book ticks all the right boxes and is still polite with no real swearing. Roll is, however, filled with some violence and might not be suitable for sensitive readers.

“The job they needed done was to find a horse, a champion, missing from their thoroughbred breeding ranch, but here's the kicker - the nag was frozen solid.” For the protagonists in Roll: A Gable & McClaren Mystery by Niklas Three, searching for a dead, frozen horse is just another day at the office. The two private investigators are Tyrone Gable, an ex-Chicago cop, and Rinty McLaren, an ex-boxer. The job is to head down to Louisiana and meet Angela Larque, a bombshell beauty breeding thoroughbred horses. While the two P. I.s familiarize themselves with the case, they get to be part of a different social circle. However, affluence does not guarantee integrity, and the boys soon discover a very different crime from the one they were investigating. As the list of suspects grows, the two would-be heroes realize that “in for a penny, in for a pound” is more than just a saying.

Intricate, sophisticated, and polished, Roll by NiKlas Three is a top-notch mystery featuring plenty of action and adventure. The plot is a beautifully crafted masterpiece of detective work where the crime is more than what it seems at first glance. Character development is outstanding. Gable, Angela, McLaren, and Eugenio shine as examples of diverse and fascinating individuals, and reading this book will make you question preconceived notions about who is a criminal and who is not. A very well-researched novel set before the year 2000, Roll satisfies with a pace that induces flashbacks of James Bond. Overall, it is an excellent and immersive story featuring a high-stakes caper, alligators, horses, and mayhem. I can easily recommend it to fans of the genre.

Roll: A Gable & McLaren Mystery by Niklas Three is an old-fashioned private-eye novel that explores the high-powered and highly technical world of thoroughbred horse racing and breeding. It is 1999 and the world is focused on Y2K but for Chicago's private eyes, Gable and McLaren, 1999 is more about survival than anything else. With new jobs scarce and cash hard to find, a call out of the blue from celebrated Louisiana horse breeder Angela Larqué is the lifeline the pair needs. Someone has stolen the ranch’s prize breeding mare and this threatens to destroy the stellar reputation of Les Trois L’s Ranch. With the promise of a big payday, the pair trades the Chicago streets for the swamp-ridden bayous of the Gulf Coast of Louisiana. They soon discover a world of wealth and class that neither of them could have dreamt of. For Gable, though, it is the beauty and downright overt sexiness of the ranch’s owner, Angela Larqué, that takes his attention. What follows is an action-packed adventure that will have readers constantly turning pages.

Roll is one of those old-style, hard-boiled detective stories that I love. Gable and McLaren are the epitome of the big city private investigators. Niklas Three has created two wonderful characters in Gable and McLaren. Both have their weaknesses and foibles, plus plenty of strengths that are fully explored when they enter a world of glitz, glamor, and extreme wealth. I enjoyed the combative nature of Gable, especially when it came to his obsession with Angela and his need to express his feelings for her. Without a doubt, the trek through the bayous was one of the best arcs in the story. The author’s ability to create a realistic picture of the harsh environment, the animals, the utter isolation, and the sheer scariness of this almost impenetrable area kept me riveted. The action is non-stop and there are plenty of fight scenes and armed confrontations to keep the adrenaline junkie fully charged. This is a solid read that explores the talents of a descriptive author, something I always look for in action adventures to give the narrative breadth and depth. I haven’t read any other stories in this series or from this author but it is a sign of my appreciation of this story that I will seek out his work in the future. This was a wonderful read that I highly recommend.

Treat yourself to an action-packed sleuth mystery thriller with Niklas Three's Roll. It's 1999. Tyrone Gable and Rinty "Gaffer" Mclaren's private detective agency is in financial turmoil. So when Angela Larqué, owner of one of the world's premier thoroughbred ranches -- Les Trois Ls Ranch -- calls on their services, Gable is more than willing to take on the case. The dynamic duo travels to Louisiana to investigate the kidnapping of Angela's champion broodmare. Soon, Gable uncovers a sinister conspiracy that could see the reputation of Angela's ranch go up in flames. After a veterinarian's mysterious death, Gable follows the clues to Texas and New Orleans to expose the culprit pulling the strings while Gaffer's and Angela's lives are in grave danger. Now, with a Colombian drug lord, Gable must launch a desperate fight to save his friends.

Roll is an absolute belter of a novel filled to the brim with action, romance, and some hilarious one-liners. Niklas Three's gripping thriller plays out more like a Hollywood blockbuster than a novel. And by that, I mean it's entertaining and action-packed from beginning to end. There are so many things to like about this book, not the least of which is the snappy back-and-forth between Gable and Gaffer. Aside from the witty dialogue, the action sequences are gritty and realistic, and the author describes them in a way that makes you feel you're right there in the scene with the protagonist, especially the last action sequence in the swamp. The villains are intimidating, while the chemistry between Gable and Angela is palpable and genuine. Among the secondary characters, I loved Zuni, Philippe, and Eugenio. In conclusion, this is a fantastic novel for action/thriller fans, and I can't recommend it highly enough.