A Turkey Danced Death

Santa Lacrimosa, Book 2

By: Whiskey Leavins

Narrated by: Duffy P. Weber

Early morning. A wooded clearing. The body surrounded by a conga line of head-bobbing wild turkeys. Then, Detective Rock Cobbler’s Thursday really starts to get weird.

Before he can begin to dig into this turkey-murder, his attention is diverted by a soft-spoken young woman filing a run-of-the-mill missing person report. Santa Lacrimosa PD’s crack detective knows he should focus on the murder, but unexplainably finds his interest being drawn towards the routine case.

The dual investigations will lead Cobbler through seedy residential motels, close encounters with local burlesque royalty Caramel Slice, and interactions with a bizarre mountain cult, its charismatic leader, and his bulldog-like henchman. Will the bourbon-loving Cobbler get to the bottom of both cases? Will he figure out the turkey angle? Or will he wind up getting stuffed?

A Turkey Danced Death combines equal parts Chandler, Christopher Moore, Carl Hiaasen, and a dash of Jim Jones into a quirky, tawdry, whiskey’d up cocktail.

©2023 Whiskey Leavins (P)2024 Whiskey Leavins

Good Listen

I was given this book for free,

This is a good listen, and narration is fine as well.

Good listen, but book one in the series was better

I really enjoyed this book and the first in the series, Murder in Greasepaint, by Whiskey Leavins. No only does he write well, but the drink they named after him is quite tasty!
This story, which I will not expand on because of spoilers, was just as unique as the first in the series, but I found I didn't like it as much. Not sure why. Anyway, you follow along with Rock Cobbler, police detective as he makes his way through a murder which involves...TURKEYS. Yes, turkeys...and it isn't even Thanksgiving! Got you interested, right?
Lots of zany characters, good dialogue, well paced flow, and did I mention his name is WHISKEY?

And as with the first installment of the series, the book was superbly narrated by Duffy P. Weber. His name isn't as cool as Whiskey, but wasn't there a DUFF beer on the Simpsons? So maybe, it's kinda, almost as cool...no, not really. BUT, he is good at narration, so he has that going for him.

Remarkable Noir

Leavins and Weber deliver a heart-pounding, action-packed second Rock Cobbler case. The story unfolds with Detective Cobbler and a flock of wild turkeys surrounding a lifeless man and Trish the Dish. If that’s not enough to set your heart racing, prepare to meet a seductive stripper, the enigmatic leader of a religious sect, a coroner with arcane knowledge, a timid citizen on a quest for her missing brother, and a police captain who's a champion ballroom dancer. Whiskey Leavins paints vivid portraits of these characters in the hard-boiled mystery, each unique and compelling, with no single word wasted.

Rock may not follow protocol and procedures, but he knows how to play the game while investigating the various leads. Life in Santa Lacrimosa isn’t glamorous per se, but our hard-drinking detective can sit on his patio, enjoy the ocean, and routinely walk to his favorite bar. A bartender who pours a perfect drink and provides insight on cases is a treasure. It doesn’t hurt that a way-bubbly librarian from Murder in Greasepaint is added to the cast of A Turkey Danced Death. Our hero follows the trails of the two cases from the seedy side of town to the mountain retreat with a holy turkey named Melchizedek and a notable strip club. Each stop provides our detective with a piece of this complex puzzle and places him in danger from the killer.

Duffy P. Weber's narration is a tour de force, keeping listeners spellbound from beginning to end. His voice-acting deftly captures the unique rhythm and tone of each character, elevating the already exceptional dialogue exchanges. Listeners will savor the impeccable quality and delivery of this expertly crafted tale.

Fans of fast-paced, hard-boiled, noir crime stories will fall in love with Rock Cobbler. Perfect as a standalone, listeners and readers of A Turkey Danced Death will also thoroughly enjoy Murder in Greasepaint. Please bring on more Rock Cobbler, Whiskey Leavins.

Just As Good As the First

I enjoyed this book like the first in the series, Murder in Greasepaint. The writer paints an excellent picture and this novel was just as good as the first. Crazy characters, well-paced and enjoyable!