Status
Available
Call number
Series
Publication
Multnomah (2011), Edition: First Edition, 340 pages
Description
Fiction. Mystery. Suspense. HTML:A violent crimes investigator and author of the Christy-nominated The Night Watchman offers up the second Ray Quinn mystery. When an alcoholic private detective investigates the theft of a high profile company's sensitive documents, things get complicated when the perpetrator is found dead. Quinn has a burly -- but green -- sidekick Crevis, who learns things the hard way. Mynheir cooks up a number of satisfying subplots and backstories: Crevis gets into police academy despite family and personal adversity; Quinn has a personal life, and loves, and even success in luring and nabbing an e-mail con by posing as a rich elderly woman. Funny exchanges between partners ( "I said look 'angry and crazy,' not deranged.".) "Mark Mynheir is one of my new favorite authors. As a homicide detective, he knows his stuff and his characters reflect it. I'll be one of the first in line for his next book!". HTML:"Because of the Night Watchman series, Mynheir has joined my short list of detective novelists I anxiously await new releases from, along with Connelly, Riordan, and Landsdale. After a great start with The Night Watchman, The Corruptible takes things up a notch. If you demand both great plots and great characters from your thrillers, you need to spend some time with Ray Quinn and The Night Watchman Detective Agency. It's like opening a bag of potato chips--you can't stop with just one chapter. I read the whole thing in twenty-four hours, through lunch, dinner, and breakfast. Be forewarned.". HTML:"In The Corruptible we find Mynheir at his best, providing a true insider view on the gritty world of the private investigator. Mynheir's made up world first whispers, then scratches its way to life with great characters. He mixes delicious evil and the slap of addiction with an even rarer ingredient in the world of crime fiction: the hope of redemption. I want more.". HTML:"Mark Mynheir knows how to deliver crime fiction with a punch--a terrific setup, strong characters, sparkling wit, crisp dialogue, and viable suspects that keep you guessing right up to the arrest. I'm thrilled that Mark has followed up The Night Watchman with another action-packed Quinn novel. Put this one at the top of your 'must read' list.". HTML:"With The Corruptible, Mark Mynheir scores a home run. This book is the perfect package of a broken hero to root for, a murder that spirals into so much more, and a tangled web of suspects and motives that literally kept me guessing to the bitter end-- a rarity! A perfect follow-up to The Night Watchman that stands fully on its own. I loved it!". "Rich with realism and wit, Ray Quinn grips the crime scene and doesn't let you go until the murder is solved. Hold onto your seat!". HTML: How much money would it take for you to betray the truth? Ex-homicide detective Ray Quinn never had glamorous thoughts of the life of a private investigator--but being cornered in a bathroom stall by the enraged philandering husband of a client? That's something he could live without. Retired from homicide and living with a painful disability, Ray's options are limited. Stick to the job, keep impetuous sidekick Crevis alive, and spend quiet evenings with trusted pal Jim Beam, that's about the best he can hope for. As a new client emerges, Ray finds himself in an impossibly large boardroom holding a check with enough zeros to finally lift him from his financial pit. The job seems easy enough: find Logan Ramsey, an ex-cop turned security officer who's taken off with sensitive corporate information. But few things are easy in Ray's world, regardless of the amount of zeros in the check. In what should be an open-and-shut case, Ray stumbles across Logan Ramsey in a seedy motel room. Only Ray wasn't the first to find him. Now Logan's dead, the client's information is nowhere to be found, and Ray's employer is less than forthcoming with the details. Suddenly the line between the good guys and bad guys isn't so clear. With a foot in both worlds and an illuminating look at an unhappy ending that could well be his own, which will Ray choose? From the Trade Paperback edition..… (more)
Language
Original language
English
Physical description
340 p.; 8.24 inches
ISBN
9781601420749
User reviews
LibraryThing member AnnieMod
Second in the series about Ray Quinn, The Corruptible finds Ray into the private investigation business with his unlikely sidekick Crevis. If someone missed the first book, some of the jokes and explanations might sound weird but the book is very much readable even without the first one.
The book
The major failure of the book is on the technical side -- when a body is found and the weapon is there but something just do not match, you don't have everyone (police, private detectives, the lab people) just accept that this is something weird and then get them all surprised with the results of the autopsy. The while scene was screaming that something was off... Despite this though - the book is enjoyable - for a lazy afternoon with nothing else to do (although it might be a bit too brutal if someone is not used to the way the PI novels are written these days - I really want to read a few books where the PI does not get beaten on a regular basis).
I am not sure where Mynheir is going with Ray... the end of the book sounded a bit too Christian-y for my tastes in the genre but... the future will show where all this leads.
The book
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is an improvement over the first one in a lot of ways - Ray and his surrounding are a bit more believable, the few different plots actually work together much better instead of forming their own islands in the book and the author finally got the hang of how to get the Christian content he wanted to into the book without it sounding as if somewhere in the middle of the paragraph he had remembered that he wanted to add this as well. Which does not mean that some parts don't have a preachy tone - it's just part of the story this time. The major failure of the book is on the technical side -- when a body is found and the weapon is there but something just do not match, you don't have everyone (police, private detectives, the lab people) just accept that this is something weird and then get them all surprised with the results of the autopsy. The while scene was screaming that something was off... Despite this though - the book is enjoyable - for a lazy afternoon with nothing else to do (although it might be a bit too brutal if someone is not used to the way the PI novels are written these days - I really want to read a few books where the PI does not get beaten on a regular basis).
I am not sure where Mynheir is going with Ray... the end of the book sounded a bit too Christian-y for my tastes in the genre but... the future will show where all this leads.
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LibraryThing member johnfgaines
Ray (don't you dare call him Raymond) Quinn is a former Orlando cop who has become a private detective after being shot and disabled. Ray's ship seems to have come in when he is summoned to the office of a wealthy financier who gives him an eye-stoppingly large retainer to recover a missing
But nothing is what it appears. The presumed thief turns up dead, but that leads to many more questions than it answers. Quinn still has good connections to the Orlando Police Department so the private detective and the police detectives work together to eventually solve both the data theft and the murder.
Mark Mynheir, a recently retired police officer and detective, demonstrates that he has considerable talent as an author. The Corruptible is a well-written page turner that any fan of crime fiction should enjoy reading. Several subplots are expertly interwoven so they add interest and color, but do not detract from the main story.
This work was my introduction to a genre I did not know existed -- Christian crime fiction. Religious aspects are brought into the story primarily through the subplot of Quinn's friend and part-time coworker helping him deal with a drinking problem. However, discussion about God is handled adroitly and never becomes heavy-handed. The most noticeable indicator that this book is Christian fiction comes from the total absence of vulgar language and sex. That difference comes as a blessed relief to readers who cringe at having to deal with the rough language and explicit sexuality that permeates much contemporary fiction.
Readers who are not bothered by salty language may find some of the dialog a little awkward as Mynheir tries to find the vocabulary to realistically depict how biker gang members and other criminal types talk while avoiding profanity in his writing.
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computer drive that contains vital corporate financial data. But nothing is what it appears. The presumed thief turns up dead, but that leads to many more questions than it answers. Quinn still has good connections to the Orlando Police Department so the private detective and the police detectives work together to eventually solve both the data theft and the murder.
Mark Mynheir, a recently retired police officer and detective, demonstrates that he has considerable talent as an author. The Corruptible is a well-written page turner that any fan of crime fiction should enjoy reading. Several subplots are expertly interwoven so they add interest and color, but do not detract from the main story.
This work was my introduction to a genre I did not know existed -- Christian crime fiction. Religious aspects are brought into the story primarily through the subplot of Quinn's friend and part-time coworker helping him deal with a drinking problem. However, discussion about God is handled adroitly and never becomes heavy-handed. The most noticeable indicator that this book is Christian fiction comes from the total absence of vulgar language and sex. That difference comes as a blessed relief to readers who cringe at having to deal with the rough language and explicit sexuality that permeates much contemporary fiction.
Readers who are not bothered by salty language may find some of the dialog a little awkward as Mynheir tries to find the vocabulary to realistically depict how biker gang members and other criminal types talk while avoiding profanity in his writing.
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LibraryThing member RDHawk6886
A well intended mystery with not much else to recommend. Admittedly, I may not have been the book's intended audience. It is a mystery with Christian overtones. But that is not what holds the book back. The writing is inferior; the plot, in most instances, telegraphed; the characters and dialogue
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hackneyed at best. There needed to be more textured development of the morally-flawed but sincere central character, Ray Quinn. The Christian overtones, although not distracting, were ham- handed. I am rooting for the author's development, as he has a background that should produce some good material. Some of the investigative details, although short- shifted, seem authentic. For right now, however, I will continue with Graham Greene for entertainments with a religious element to them. This work is lacking in moral nuance. Show Less
LibraryThing member satchmo77
Ray Quinn is a disabled ex-policeman who is running a private detective agency struggling to learn the ropes. He is smart,and tough,well he used to be. but the cane gets in the way. His new case is to find some missing computer files. The case leads to murder. Very enjoyable read. Mr Mynheir has a
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way with words. Show Less
LibraryThing member ToddGerber
I received this as an ARC, and I unfortunately figured it out halfway through the book, as one line at this point stood out just a bit too far and revealed more than was likely intended. Regardless, it is a pretty decent mystery involving private eye Ray Quinn who uses a cane, drinks too much Jack,
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and is attempting to mentor his colleague Crevis into a police career. He's hired by a corporation to find an employee who had taken off with confidential files, an employee who used to be an undercover cop and who was struck from the force for malefactions of his own. As the story emerges, all is not quite as it seems, and Ray is stuck between a client with deep pockets and a moral choice to pursue the true criminals. Again, not a bad book, but I'll not likely seek out the first book in the series anytime soon. Show Less
LibraryThing member GaryKbookworm
It took me a little while to get into this book but once I did I found it to be an enjoyable read. Not having read the first Ray Quinn mystery put me at a little disadvantage but once I put the pieces together it was a good book. Mr. Mynheir's writing does not seem to be as polished as some other
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mystery/detective writers but I actually believe that it improved as the story went along. It did not bother me that it is a so-called Christian crime fiction book and quite frankly I enjoyed the fact that there was no foul language in the book which proves that you can write a good book without all of that. I would buy the next book in the series and I will purchase the first book when I am in the right frame of mind for a good detective story. I believe we will be hearing more from Mr. Mynheir in the future. Show Less
LibraryThing member btuckertx
Mark Mynheir’s new Ray Quinn mystery The Corruptible is a novel that is easy to pick up and read even if you’ve not read Mynheir’s previous book The Night Watchman, the first Ray Quinn mystery.
The Corruptible has a whodunit plot that is easily followed, a series of crimes that are easily
The Corruptible has a whodunit plot that is easily followed, a series of crimes that are easily
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solved, and while it does have slightly Christian overtones, it never becomes preachy. The Corruptible might make a good book to take along to the beach or on your next vacation. Show Less
LibraryThing member CharlesBoyd
Because Mark Mynheir is a former police detective I assume he knows police work and is a solid citizen. Reading his acknowledgements page, the large number of people he thanks and the apparent sincerity with which he thanks them, I’d guess he’s a nice guy. So I wanted to like The Corruptible.
It reads smoothly and is a quick read for 340 pages. And I did learn things about police work that I hadn’t known, ways to track someone down by cell phone calls for example, and how much of police work is tedious rather than exciting.
But, for this reader there are problems:
The tedious part of police work, talking over and over to the same people for instance, shows through. Unfortunately this tediousness is shown so well that it is tedious itself.
For a mystery novel there’s surprisingly little action. In the open scene Ray Quinn is attacked in a public restroom. We learn his pelvis and hip were destroyed in a shooting eighteen months before. Later, he and the young man he’s training and who is a sort of bodyguard to Ray, are shot at. If there’s any other real action I don’t remember it. There are many instances where the story tiptoes up to action, but backs away.
Ray Quinn is hard to like, being way too self-absorbed. And he torments the rich, admittedly bad man who hires him. Armon Mayer is the head of a major corporation and very like Monk on the television series of the same name in that he’s a germaphobic. Because Ray doesn’t like Mayer, he makes a point of coughing a lot around him, of pretending to sneeze and wanting to shake hands right after. Juvenile stuff.
The biggest problem, however, is the sometimes cartoonish dialogue and narrative. In the first scene, Keith Wagner, the thug wanting to beat the crap out of Ray, is described a “Magallia Gorilla.” (The novel is in first person, so it’s Ray telling the tale.) While Wagner is kicking open stall doors searching for Ray, he says such things as “Where are you, you gumshoe, rat?” and “You wanna stick your face into other people’s business?” and “Thought you could hide, did you--Ray Quinn, private eye?” People don’t talk like that, especially in a violent situation, especially the last line of dialogue quoted. Fortunately after two or three chapters it isn’t quite so bad. If you like such dialogue, such narrative, then you might like this novel. Otherwise, read a mystery by someone really good like James Lee Burke, Lawrence Block, or James Sallis.
With apologies to Mark Mynheir.
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But my endorsement of this mystery novel will have to be lukewarm at best.It reads smoothly and is a quick read for 340 pages. And I did learn things about police work that I hadn’t known, ways to track someone down by cell phone calls for example, and how much of police work is tedious rather than exciting.
But, for this reader there are problems:
The tedious part of police work, talking over and over to the same people for instance, shows through. Unfortunately this tediousness is shown so well that it is tedious itself.
For a mystery novel there’s surprisingly little action. In the open scene Ray Quinn is attacked in a public restroom. We learn his pelvis and hip were destroyed in a shooting eighteen months before. Later, he and the young man he’s training and who is a sort of bodyguard to Ray, are shot at. If there’s any other real action I don’t remember it. There are many instances where the story tiptoes up to action, but backs away.
Ray Quinn is hard to like, being way too self-absorbed. And he torments the rich, admittedly bad man who hires him. Armon Mayer is the head of a major corporation and very like Monk on the television series of the same name in that he’s a germaphobic. Because Ray doesn’t like Mayer, he makes a point of coughing a lot around him, of pretending to sneeze and wanting to shake hands right after. Juvenile stuff.
The biggest problem, however, is the sometimes cartoonish dialogue and narrative. In the first scene, Keith Wagner, the thug wanting to beat the crap out of Ray, is described a “Magallia Gorilla.” (The novel is in first person, so it’s Ray telling the tale.) While Wagner is kicking open stall doors searching for Ray, he says such things as “Where are you, you gumshoe, rat?” and “You wanna stick your face into other people’s business?” and “Thought you could hide, did you--Ray Quinn, private eye?” People don’t talk like that, especially in a violent situation, especially the last line of dialogue quoted. Fortunately after two or three chapters it isn’t quite so bad. If you like such dialogue, such narrative, then you might like this novel. Otherwise, read a mystery by someone really good like James Lee Burke, Lawrence Block, or James Sallis.
With apologies to Mark Mynheir.
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LibraryThing member mikedraper
Ray Quinn is a former homicide detective who had to retire due to injury. He uses a cane while walking and sometimes lets the cane become a weapon. He runs the Night Watchman Detective Agency.
Ray is hired by Anton Mayer to find es-cop Logan Ramsey who has stolen some of Mayer's clinet's personal
Ray works with his young assistant, Crevis, who Ray is training to become a cop. Ray's part time employee, Pam, is teaching Crevis enough grammar to pass the written test for the police academy, which he's failed twice.
Ray is able to pull in some favors and is appointed as a consultant on the case. Not long after this, he's told that Ramsey's body has been found. Now Ray needs to know who killed Ramsey and what happened to the information he is supposed to have stolen.
Ray is a somewhat interesting character. However, it's difficult to see him going into hazardous situations with his injury and cane. One example of this is when he and Crevis go to the club house of a gang of bikers without police backup.
I enjoyed the story but found the writing style lacking and some of the plot too convenient.
Ray is hired by Anton Mayer to find es-cop Logan Ramsey who has stolen some of Mayer's clinet's personal
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and investment information. Mayer wants it back without publicity.Ray works with his young assistant, Crevis, who Ray is training to become a cop. Ray's part time employee, Pam, is teaching Crevis enough grammar to pass the written test for the police academy, which he's failed twice.
Ray is able to pull in some favors and is appointed as a consultant on the case. Not long after this, he's told that Ramsey's body has been found. Now Ray needs to know who killed Ramsey and what happened to the information he is supposed to have stolen.
Ray is a somewhat interesting character. However, it's difficult to see him going into hazardous situations with his injury and cane. One example of this is when he and Crevis go to the club house of a gang of bikers without police backup.
I enjoyed the story but found the writing style lacking and some of the plot too convenient.
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LibraryThing member dsoj84
I have to say that i expected more from the book. I was really hopeful that this book would be better than it is. The story seems fine but the writing style leaves you wondering if something is wrong. it make it hard for me to understand and visualize the events taking place. After working my way
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through half the book i had to give it up, the writing style was just not for me. I would suggest that you pick it up and read a few pages in the bookstore before buying it or just look it over in your public library. If the writing style does not bother you, as it did me, then i am sure that you will at least be entertained by the book. Hope you all have better luck than i did with the book. Show Less
LibraryThing member Ronrose1
Ray Quinn, currently a Private Investigator, is an ex-homicide detective formerly with the Orlando Police Department. He retired from the OPD after being shot in the leg while tracking down a murderer. Now he has to rely on a cane and a bottle of Jim Beam to get him through the pain everyday. In
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addition to his friends on the force, his support staff consists of his partner-in-training, Crevis, who provides the muscle, while learning the ropes. Also, helping is Pam Winters, whose murdered brother's case was solved by Ray in his last investigation. Pam, the steadying factor in this rocking boat, is now helping Crevis study for the entrance exam to the police academy, which he has failed twice. Ray is hired by the wealthy head of an investment firm to recover a computer hard drive that contains sensitive information on the firms clients. Quinn was picked for the job because of his close connections with the OPD and the fact that the suspected thief was an ex-cop named Logan Ramsey. The client doesn't want the police involved, but thinks Ray's connections could be useful. Logan was an undercover cop,a bit of a loose cannon, who inadvertently leaked information that resulted in putting some of his fellow policeman in danger. Ramsey, an old acquaintance of Ray's from the OPD, turns up murdered and the case starts to develop a bad smell. It will take more than the client's fat paycheck to keep Ray from using every means at his disposal to find the killer and the truth behind the missing hard drive. This is a solidly written, good P. I. mystery with a touch of the police procedural, but it lacks the spark or quirkiness to make it a standout. This book was provided for review by the well read folks at Library Thing and Multnomah Books. Show Less
LibraryThing member WillyMammoth
Mark Mynheir's "The Corruptible" is the second in the Ray Quinn series of mystery novels. Quinn, a crippled ex-cop and now-private investigator, is hired by an eccentric millionaire businessman to recover information stolen from the company. As with any good P.I. tale, not everything is as it
It just so happened that I read this book while I was in Orlando on a business trip, which may have contributed to my enjoyment of the book. At any rate, I found the story to be quite entertaining, if not especially memorable or innovative. Quinn's character is different than most P.I.s, but the individual facets of his character are familiar enough. He's an ex-cop, cripped from a shooting incident on the force. He's damaged goods, not only from the shooting, but also from his upbringing in foster care. So let's just say he's got enough baggage to fill up an entire cargo liner. But he's also a wise-cracking, hard-drinking SOB with a heart of gold, which is something we all have come to expect from our P.I.s. But Mynheir also updated this P.I. for the 21st century, making him more technologically apt than your prior P.I. archetypes. My main disappointment was that Quinn never really made use of the gadgetry at his fingertips. Most of his investigation techniques were standard fare (the type of thing you would see in an episode of Law and Order). Quinn mostly talked about all the cool stuff he had, but didn't really use most of it.
The story was pretty good, and the first person narration made for quite an entertaining read. Mynheir made use of some clever imagery and metaphors, which makes for a more mentally engaging read--for this reader, at least. But the mystery plot and the context clues that went along with it were a bit too see-through. Things that should have set a seasoned homicide detective's spidey-senses ringing on overdrive were missed, ignored, or rationalized away, only to come up again later in the narrative. In this respect Mynheir "plays fair" with his readers, but it's slightly frustrating when the reader picks up on an important clue fifty pages before the seasoned detective in the story does.
In addition (and this may be my fault for not having read the first book in the series beforehand) the primary characters were unique enough to set them apart and make them interesting, but I felt as though I didn't get the chance to actually get to know them--as if Mynheir didn't develop them enough to give me a true sense of their characters. There were surely enough opportunities, lots of sub-plots to the characters and the story in general that could have been developed further. But we never get more than a taste of them. It seemed as if [author] came to the precipice of the truly deep character development, but never really made the leap. Perhaps the fault of a meddling editor? I can't pretend to know for sure, but it makes me wonder.
But to Mynheir's credit, these foibles do not make the novel bad. If anything, they're a testament to his ability as a mystery writer because, despite the shortcomings, he still manages to spin a very enjoyable tale. There are spots where the narrative gets a bit preachy about finding salvation through God (The main character has massive abandonment issues, guilt, and a drinking problem. The math isn't hard to do), but I didn't mind them, and the instances were infrequent enough so that they didn't interfere with the primary goal of the novel--which was telling an interesting who-dunnit story.
With all these things considered, I gave the story three and a half stars. Quinn is a good mystery writer, and I did enjoy his book, but there a few shortcomings that I felt held it back. Just about any mystery fan will enjoy the book, but it's not necessarily the best of the genre either.
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seems, and of course some one manages to wind up dead in the course of the investigation. Set in Orlando, FL, "The Corruptible" is a worthy successor to the south Florida crime novel (such as those of Brett Halliday and John D. McDonald). Not to say that Mynheir is as good as the aforementioned masters, but he's still pretty decent. It just so happened that I read this book while I was in Orlando on a business trip, which may have contributed to my enjoyment of the book. At any rate, I found the story to be quite entertaining, if not especially memorable or innovative. Quinn's character is different than most P.I.s, but the individual facets of his character are familiar enough. He's an ex-cop, cripped from a shooting incident on the force. He's damaged goods, not only from the shooting, but also from his upbringing in foster care. So let's just say he's got enough baggage to fill up an entire cargo liner. But he's also a wise-cracking, hard-drinking SOB with a heart of gold, which is something we all have come to expect from our P.I.s. But Mynheir also updated this P.I. for the 21st century, making him more technologically apt than your prior P.I. archetypes. My main disappointment was that Quinn never really made use of the gadgetry at his fingertips. Most of his investigation techniques were standard fare (the type of thing you would see in an episode of Law and Order). Quinn mostly talked about all the cool stuff he had, but didn't really use most of it.
The story was pretty good, and the first person narration made for quite an entertaining read. Mynheir made use of some clever imagery and metaphors, which makes for a more mentally engaging read--for this reader, at least. But the mystery plot and the context clues that went along with it were a bit too see-through. Things that should have set a seasoned homicide detective's spidey-senses ringing on overdrive were missed, ignored, or rationalized away, only to come up again later in the narrative. In this respect Mynheir "plays fair" with his readers, but it's slightly frustrating when the reader picks up on an important clue fifty pages before the seasoned detective in the story does.
In addition (and this may be my fault for not having read the first book in the series beforehand) the primary characters were unique enough to set them apart and make them interesting, but I felt as though I didn't get the chance to actually get to know them--as if Mynheir didn't develop them enough to give me a true sense of their characters. There were surely enough opportunities, lots of sub-plots to the characters and the story in general that could have been developed further. But we never get more than a taste of them. It seemed as if [author] came to the precipice of the truly deep character development, but never really made the leap. Perhaps the fault of a meddling editor? I can't pretend to know for sure, but it makes me wonder.
But to Mynheir's credit, these foibles do not make the novel bad. If anything, they're a testament to his ability as a mystery writer because, despite the shortcomings, he still manages to spin a very enjoyable tale. There are spots where the narrative gets a bit preachy about finding salvation through God (The main character has massive abandonment issues, guilt, and a drinking problem. The math isn't hard to do), but I didn't mind them, and the instances were infrequent enough so that they didn't interfere with the primary goal of the novel--which was telling an interesting who-dunnit story.
With all these things considered, I gave the story three and a half stars. Quinn is a good mystery writer, and I did enjoy his book, but there a few shortcomings that I felt held it back. Just about any mystery fan will enjoy the book, but it's not necessarily the best of the genre either.
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LibraryThing member debavp
Again, Mynheir is light handed with the religion, but now I can't help but feel he's saving up to do some "saving" and so hope that's not the case. While Quinn has moved on quite a bit in this second installment of the series, he still can be a bit whiney and the love affair with Jim Beam is
actually carries on the way Mynheir portrays Quinn as doing. Crevis is coming along nicely, but needs a bit more work and will hopefully have a much larger role in upcoming works. While the plot was a bit dull with this one, the character development has come a good distance and balances it out. I look forward to seeing whether Quinn evolves but still keeps some of his actually redeeming dark qualities or becomes too saintly in the future.
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getting old. I don't know of any alcoholics that romanticize their condition. Rationalize, even deny, but no one actually carries on the way Mynheir portrays Quinn as doing. Crevis is coming along nicely, but needs a bit more work and will hopefully have a much larger role in upcoming works. While the plot was a bit dull with this one, the character development has come a good distance and balances it out. I look forward to seeing whether Quinn evolves but still keeps some of his actually redeeming dark qualities or becomes too saintly in the future.
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LibraryThing member dearheart
Ray Quinn had been a Homicide Detective when he and his co-worker/fiancé were gunned down. The doctors patched up his hip and leg as best they could, but it’s painful and he relies heavily on a cane, as well as his good friend Jim Bean. His fiancé didn’t survive. He creates the Night Watchman
He’s just barely getting by when given a large check by Armon Mayer of Mayer Holdings to find Logan, an ex-cop who had been working for him in the security department. Logan is accused of breaking through a firewall and downloading private information about their very high profile clients and leaving the building with the hard drive in a satchel. They’ll pay anything to get it back. Ray works with the police when Logan is found murdered in a hotel room. The mystery takes a number of directions and there are plenty of layers for Ray and the police to wade through.
The author, a retired detective, keeps the story interesting with the ‘hows and whys’ of police procedure and interviewing without bogging us down in technicalities. Even though the mystery has complex layers, the story flows at a good pace and I consider it an easy enjoyable read. Much of the outcome took me by surprise. Ray’s issues with mental and physical pain don’t in anyway hijack the story or his abilities to do his job.
The one thing that bugged me is that we don’t know a whole lot about the two people closest to Ray who he met in the first book. Crevis had been working as a night watchman along with Ray and helped on that case. He’s now working for Ray while living on his couch for the past six months. The other person, Pam, is the sister of the minister whose name Ray cleared. But Ray has kept himself emotionally apart from everyone since his shooting, and apparently we don’t know much because Ray doesn’t. That seems to be changing as the story progresses. We still have a great deal to learn about Ray.
I was lucky enough to read the ARC of The Night Watchman and had planned on purchasing this second book. So I was thrilled when the ARC for this book became available to me. After reading this second book I’ve just purchased all three books in his Truth Chasers series.
Note: One character is obviously Christian, but it's only a very small part of the story and there is no preaching.
Read as an ARC for Amazon Vine Voice
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Detective Agency after solving what turned into a high profile case that the police thought had been a murder suicide, while working as a night watchman in the building the murder took place; the first book in the series. He’s now got consultant status with his old police unit.He’s just barely getting by when given a large check by Armon Mayer of Mayer Holdings to find Logan, an ex-cop who had been working for him in the security department. Logan is accused of breaking through a firewall and downloading private information about their very high profile clients and leaving the building with the hard drive in a satchel. They’ll pay anything to get it back. Ray works with the police when Logan is found murdered in a hotel room. The mystery takes a number of directions and there are plenty of layers for Ray and the police to wade through.
The author, a retired detective, keeps the story interesting with the ‘hows and whys’ of police procedure and interviewing without bogging us down in technicalities. Even though the mystery has complex layers, the story flows at a good pace and I consider it an easy enjoyable read. Much of the outcome took me by surprise. Ray’s issues with mental and physical pain don’t in anyway hijack the story or his abilities to do his job.
The one thing that bugged me is that we don’t know a whole lot about the two people closest to Ray who he met in the first book. Crevis had been working as a night watchman along with Ray and helped on that case. He’s now working for Ray while living on his couch for the past six months. The other person, Pam, is the sister of the minister whose name Ray cleared. But Ray has kept himself emotionally apart from everyone since his shooting, and apparently we don’t know much because Ray doesn’t. That seems to be changing as the story progresses. We still have a great deal to learn about Ray.
I was lucky enough to read the ARC of The Night Watchman and had planned on purchasing this second book. So I was thrilled when the ARC for this book became available to me. After reading this second book I’ve just purchased all three books in his Truth Chasers series.
Note: One character is obviously Christian, but it's only a very small part of the story and there is no preaching.
Read as an ARC for Amazon Vine Voice
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LibraryThing member hoosiers80
The Corruptible by Mark Mynheir is the second book in the Ray Quinn Mystery Series. It is the story of Ray Quinn, former detective turned private investigator, as he tries to solve the case of his current client. The man he is searching for turns up dead, but the stolen property he possessed is
This book, while not a can’t put down type of read, was still enjoyable. The story was engaging using power, money, a slew of criminal characters and an interesting sidekick named Crevis to hold the attention of the reader. There were never any dull spots in the book, at the same time there never seemed to be to many really gripping the moments that had me eagerly waiting to turn the page. Character development was lacking on some of the minor characters who played major roles in the book. The ending had me guessing until the very end, but lacked the satisfying climax I had hoped for. As far as being in the christian market, this book contains only passing references to anything christian. It seemed to be setting up the possibility of bigger presence of a christian character further into the series. I hope this is the case. While I would not rate this book as great, I would say that is was good.
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nowhere to be found. In an attempt to find the stolen property, Quinn comes in contact with a list of unsavory characters. But which ones, if any, are involved in the death and removal of the stolen property?This book, while not a can’t put down type of read, was still enjoyable. The story was engaging using power, money, a slew of criminal characters and an interesting sidekick named Crevis to hold the attention of the reader. There were never any dull spots in the book, at the same time there never seemed to be to many really gripping the moments that had me eagerly waiting to turn the page. Character development was lacking on some of the minor characters who played major roles in the book. The ending had me guessing until the very end, but lacked the satisfying climax I had hoped for. As far as being in the christian market, this book contains only passing references to anything christian. It seemed to be setting up the possibility of bigger presence of a christian character further into the series. I hope this is the case. While I would not rate this book as great, I would say that is was good.
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LibraryThing member prosfilaes
The Corruptible was an interesting mystery novel staring PI Ray Quinn. Ultimately, however, the underlying religious content and continuing lectures from Mrs. Perfect provided a somewhat grating aspect to the book. Judged strictly as a mystery, I felt the overall story stepped a bit outside the
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bounds of coincidence that I could accept; there were too many players of independent games who just happened to be there at the right time for realism, even in a mystery novel. Show Less
LibraryThing member Bumpersmom
The Corruptible is a standard police procedural, although the main character is a private investigator, former police officer who acts like he is still working for the police department. It is an easy read and very predictable who dun it type story. This is the 2nd book in a new series by this
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author, and it has potential for several more stories with this character. I wasn't super impressed, nor was I disappointed, but this was just too much like so many other books with the names and locations changed as the only difference. Show Less
LibraryThing member SandyLee
Ray Quinn is a former homicide detective retired after a shooting left him disabled. He is now running his own P.I. firm, and with most literary P.I.s, he lives pay check to pay check. When multi-guzzionnaire Armon Mayer hires him to recover a hard drive stolen from his company’s computers, Ray
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is shocked to learn the suspected thief is a former undercover cop and friend of Ray’s. Logan Ramsey had always straddled the law, what Ray feels staying undercover for too long can do to a cop. When the police find Logan dead in a seedy motel, not only does Ray have a murder to solve but the missing hard drive isn’t anywhere to be found. Ray reminds me of TV’s House with a badge. Where House medicates the pain in his leg with pills, Ray looks to his friend, Jim Beam. He is aided by Crevis, a sidekick who wants to be a cop, and Pam, the sister of a man killed in a previous book. The action in the book is more like real P.I. work…slow and a bit of a yawn. Ray has a wry sense of humor and is a likeable enough guy. The author’s knowledge of the ins and outs of police work shows. There are a number of suspects to choose from…a biker gang, drug addict ex-girlfriend, former collars of Logan’s, but Ray feels there is more to the case than the guzzionnaire is letting on. Show Less
LibraryThing member jennyrosewriter
The Corruptible by Mark Mynheir is a cop driven mystery. Ray Quinn is a former cop turned Private Investigator/Detective. He is coming off a case investigating a cheating husband when Armon Mayer calls. Mayer owns Mayer Holdings—a company with a lot of money, but no one really knows what it does,
Though I figured out who the killer was before the end of the book, there were several unexpected twists and turns that kept the story interesting. It was a fairly clean read with maybe a few questionable words. I think the style is similar to Parnell Hall. Though Ray Quinn is the main character, he is not a Christian in this storyline which made for an interesting angle for a Christian murder mystery. I am interested in reading more Ray Quinn mysteries by Mark Mynheir.
I received this book free through the Blogging for Books program from WaterbrookMultnomah to read and give an honest review.
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only that it has high profile clientele. Mayer hires Quinn to find a former security guard who has hacked into Mayer Holdings systems and downloaded sensitive information and then disappeared. Logan Ramsey, the former security guard, had many enemies and few friends. Quinn worked with him briefly in narcotics, but Ramsey was known to go undercover a little too deep. He seemed to go rogue, getting lost in the undercover world. Things get complicated when Ramsey turns up dead but the satchel containing the stolen information is nowhere to be found. Though I figured out who the killer was before the end of the book, there were several unexpected twists and turns that kept the story interesting. It was a fairly clean read with maybe a few questionable words. I think the style is similar to Parnell Hall. Though Ray Quinn is the main character, he is not a Christian in this storyline which made for an interesting angle for a Christian murder mystery. I am interested in reading more Ray Quinn mysteries by Mark Mynheir.
I received this book free through the Blogging for Books program from WaterbrookMultnomah to read and give an honest review.
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LibraryThing member lchav52
Ray Quinn is a former Orlando PD cop, now a private investigator, having been wounded in the line of duty and partially crippled. In this, the second book of the series, Quinn and his fledgling agency are called on to recover some sensitive information allegedly stolen by a former OPD colleague.
I guess my problem with the book is that nothing really stands out. It is decent enough in its plotting but has little spark. I also had some questions about the relative ease with which the OPD homicide sergeant turned over aspects of the investigation to a private detective.
Not a bad read, just not a great one.
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When he finds the suspect stabbed to death in a seamy motel, Quinn realizes the case goes far beyond its original commission, and proceeds to work with the police to solve it.I guess my problem with the book is that nothing really stands out. It is decent enough in its plotting but has little spark. I also had some questions about the relative ease with which the OPD homicide sergeant turned over aspects of the investigation to a private detective.
Not a bad read, just not a great one.
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LibraryThing member reannon
The Corruptible is the second of Mark Mynheir's Ray Quinn series, following Night Watchman. Ray was a police detective until a gunman fire two shots at him, leaving him crippled, and another shot that killed his partner and fiance. Since then he has worked as a security guard and now has opened his
One of Orlando's richest businessmen hires Ray to find an employee who has stolen valuable client data from him. The thief is a former cop, one Ray knew, who had worked undercover and been fired for unethical and illegal conduct. Can Ray find him and who is worse, the thief or the businessman who hired Ray?
I've enjoyed both of the Ray Quinn books. Ray's character is believable. He struggles with the losses he has gone through, his constant pain, with alcoholism which is his way of dealing with the pain. He is a good investigator, thorough and rational in his approach, and still has good relationships with some of his former colleagues. The character of his assistant, Crevis, is more problematical. When first introduced he seems a comic character, a total goof. Now he is developing as more simply young, impulsive, and poorly educated, and that transition doesn't always feel real.
Overall, though, this is a good solid series with good plots and characters one can like and want to read more about.
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own private investigation firm.One of Orlando's richest businessmen hires Ray to find an employee who has stolen valuable client data from him. The thief is a former cop, one Ray knew, who had worked undercover and been fired for unethical and illegal conduct. Can Ray find him and who is worse, the thief or the businessman who hired Ray?
I've enjoyed both of the Ray Quinn books. Ray's character is believable. He struggles with the losses he has gone through, his constant pain, with alcoholism which is his way of dealing with the pain. He is a good investigator, thorough and rational in his approach, and still has good relationships with some of his former colleagues. The character of his assistant, Crevis, is more problematical. When first introduced he seems a comic character, a total goof. Now he is developing as more simply young, impulsive, and poorly educated, and that transition doesn't always feel real.
Overall, though, this is a good solid series with good plots and characters one can like and want to read more about.
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LibraryThing member destinyisntfree
First off, let me start by saying that Orlando, Florida is less than an hour away from where I currently live, and I thought it was really cool that I recognized some of the street names and places that were mentioned in the book. That made it easier for me to connect with the story on an even more
This is the first book I have read by Mr. Mynheir, and you can be sure that it will not be the last. The characters and storyline were realistic and believable, which can be difficult for a writer to accomplish sometimes. You can clearly tell from the writing that the author had been a police officer for some time, and that colored the writing in a very positive way.
I really liked the fact that, without having read the first book in this series, The Night Watchman, I was able to jump right into this one and not feel like I had missed anything. In fact, I only learned this was part of a series when I reached the end of the book! To me, that is the sign of an excellent writer. I felt as though I was experiencing everything with the characters and seeing what they were seeing. This is something that I strive to accomplish in my own writing, so to me, this is huge.
I kind of laughed at myself a little bit, because as I was reading, when they got to the medical examiner's office, I almost expected him to be talking to Dr. G from the show on Discovery Health.
Overall, I found the story enjoyable and easy to read. I really was not able to find much of anything negative to say. If I had to pinpoint a negative, I would say that maybe the chapters should not have been broken up into such tiny bits. Every time the scenery changed, the author changed chapters. Some view this as a good thing and some will not.
Overall, I give this book a 4.5 star rating, and thoroughly enjoyed reading it and am very glad that I took a chance on it. I hope you will feel the same way.
**DISCLAIMER** I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review. I was not compensated in any way or swayed in any manner to provide a positive review, and the opinions expressed above are my own.
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personal level, because it was close to home, so to speak.This is the first book I have read by Mr. Mynheir, and you can be sure that it will not be the last. The characters and storyline were realistic and believable, which can be difficult for a writer to accomplish sometimes. You can clearly tell from the writing that the author had been a police officer for some time, and that colored the writing in a very positive way.
I really liked the fact that, without having read the first book in this series, The Night Watchman, I was able to jump right into this one and not feel like I had missed anything. In fact, I only learned this was part of a series when I reached the end of the book! To me, that is the sign of an excellent writer. I felt as though I was experiencing everything with the characters and seeing what they were seeing. This is something that I strive to accomplish in my own writing, so to me, this is huge.
I kind of laughed at myself a little bit, because as I was reading, when they got to the medical examiner's office, I almost expected him to be talking to Dr. G from the show on Discovery Health.
Overall, I found the story enjoyable and easy to read. I really was not able to find much of anything negative to say. If I had to pinpoint a negative, I would say that maybe the chapters should not have been broken up into such tiny bits. Every time the scenery changed, the author changed chapters. Some view this as a good thing and some will not.
Overall, I give this book a 4.5 star rating, and thoroughly enjoyed reading it and am very glad that I took a chance on it. I hope you will feel the same way.
**DISCLAIMER** I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review. I was not compensated in any way or swayed in any manner to provide a positive review, and the opinions expressed above are my own.
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LibraryThing member destinyisntfree
First off, let me start by saying that Orlando, Florida is less than an hour away from where I currently live, and I thought it was really cool that I recognized some of the street names and places that were mentioned in the book. That made it easier for me to connect with the story on an even more
This is the first book I have read by Mr. Mynheir, and you can be sure that it will not be the last. The characters and storyline were realistic and believable, which can be difficult for a writer to accomplish sometimes. You can clearly tell from the writing that the author had been a police officer for some time, and that colored the writing in a very positive way.
I really liked the fact that, without having read the first book in this series, The Night Watchman, I was able to jump right into this one and not feel like I had missed anything. In fact, I only learned this was part of a series when I reached the end of the book! To me, that is the sign of an excellent writer. I felt as though I was experiencing everything with the characters and seeing what they were seeing. This is something that I strive to accomplish in my own writing, so to me, this is huge.
I kind of laughed at myself a little bit, because as I was reading, when they got to the medical examiner's office, I almost expected him to be talking to Dr. G from the show on Discovery Health.
Overall, I found the story enjoyable and easy to read. I really was not able to find much of anything negative to say. If I had to pinpoint a negative, I would say that maybe the chapters should not have been broken up into such tiny bits. Every time the scenery changed, the author changed chapters. Some view this as a good thing and some will not.
Overall, I give this book a 4.5 star rating, and thoroughly enjoyed reading it and am very glad that I took a chance on it. I hope you will feel the same way.
**DISCLAIMER** I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review. I was not compensated in any way or swayed in any manner to provide a positive review, and the opinions expressed above are my own.
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personal level, because it was close to home, so to speak.This is the first book I have read by Mr. Mynheir, and you can be sure that it will not be the last. The characters and storyline were realistic and believable, which can be difficult for a writer to accomplish sometimes. You can clearly tell from the writing that the author had been a police officer for some time, and that colored the writing in a very positive way.
I really liked the fact that, without having read the first book in this series, The Night Watchman, I was able to jump right into this one and not feel like I had missed anything. In fact, I only learned this was part of a series when I reached the end of the book! To me, that is the sign of an excellent writer. I felt as though I was experiencing everything with the characters and seeing what they were seeing. This is something that I strive to accomplish in my own writing, so to me, this is huge.
I kind of laughed at myself a little bit, because as I was reading, when they got to the medical examiner's office, I almost expected him to be talking to Dr. G from the show on Discovery Health.
Overall, I found the story enjoyable and easy to read. I really was not able to find much of anything negative to say. If I had to pinpoint a negative, I would say that maybe the chapters should not have been broken up into such tiny bits. Every time the scenery changed, the author changed chapters. Some view this as a good thing and some will not.
Overall, I give this book a 4.5 star rating, and thoroughly enjoyed reading it and am very glad that I took a chance on it. I hope you will feel the same way.
**DISCLAIMER** I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review. I was not compensated in any way or swayed in any manner to provide a positive review, and the opinions expressed above are my own.
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LibraryThing member bitsy08
He had me at Hello. The action started on the first line and kept going throughout. The dialogue was real and I had a few laughs. I'll be looking for his next one. Really enjoyed it.
LibraryThing member SharronA
I received this book from the publisher through LibraryThing's Early Review program. Always on the lookout for a good new mystery series, I enjoyed giving this one a try. The writing is good, and the characters distinctive. The plot was fair, perhaps a few too many sub-plots and definitely too many
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bad guys diffusing the focus. The more I read, the less I liked it, persevering only to learn "whodunnit." With a disappointing and rather pointless ending for this story, I definitely won't be reading any more in this series. Show Less