Royal Flush

(A Crag Banyon Mystery)

Fiction - Fantasy - General
Kindle Edition
Reviewed on 10/07/2013
Buy on Amazon

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    Book Review

Reviewed by Lit Amri for Readers' Favorite

In Royal Flush, private investigator Crag Banyon’s latest job is to be the bodyguard of the Queen of Albion, who’s visiting the town. Yet the seemingly easy job takes a twist when someone tries to kill the royal. Banyon tries to get out of the job, but the client has put a curse on his special payment. The only way to end it is to complete the task at hand. A third installment in A Crag Banyon Mystery series, this humorous detective tale is written by James Mullaney.

Royal Flush is an entertaining detective story, expertly combined with fantasy elements by author James Mullaney. The writing style is strong and flawless, coupled with well-developed characters. It has the noir element that I love very much, and protagonist Crag Banyon is the classic cranky, sarcastic but lovable private eye who is always short on money and drinks a lot. I like his assistant elf Mannix, who I believe keeps Banyon on the line more than he realized. I even like Doris, Banyon’s elusive secretary who’s on vacation throughout the story. The well-timed jokes and sarcasms make the dialogue sharp. The plot is clear, tightly written, and well-paced from beginning until the end.

All in all, a highly entertaining and funny read. My only regret is that I should have read this great series sooner. Not only the story has depth but Mullaney’s distinctive creativity is evident. The potent combination of a thrilling mystery crime and fantasy facets will delight readers, regardless of their favorite genre.