Little Elvises

A Junior Bender Novel, Book 2

By: Timothy Hallinan

Narrated by: Peter Berkrot

Length: 9 hrs and 46 mins

Publisher's summary

Junior Bender is back to untangle 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 business with pleasure. Just as the investigation is spiraling out of control, Junior's hard-drinking landlady begs him to solve the disappearance of her daughter, who has gotten involved with a very questionable character. And, worst news of all, both Junior’s ex-wife and his 13-year-old daughter, Rina, seem to have new boyfriends. What a mess.

©2012 Timothy Hallinan (P)2013 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Hallinan’s second Junior Bender mystery sends the LA burglar/PI on a journey into pop music’s supposedly innocuous 1950s past, mixing light and dark humor… The skewed, Runyonesque Southern California setting, epitomized by Junior’s home, the seedy but festively Yule-themed Marge 'n Ed’s North Pole motel, promises much for further outings." ( Publishers Weekly)

"In Hallinan’s Los Angeles, where everyone leans on everyone else, investigator/thief Junior Bender gets leaned on good. Versatile Hallinan provides a wealth of seamy types, past and present, and a thousand hard-boiled similes for his second-string Philip Marlowe." ( Kirkus Reviews)

Very fun

Great characters, great settings, great humor & a lot of interesting history. Well-written, with a noir slant and appropriate jargon.

What a performance

So in order for me to really follow these stories I have to listen to them at least twice. I’ve downloaded all of The Junior Bender series. The performance is off the chain, I find myself repeatedly looking at who is narrating because it’s hard to believe it’s only one person! Peter Berkrot is a master of voices, this is a huge reason I love the stories. He can actually do a female voice. I HATE FOR MEN TO WOMEN’s VOICES! So hats off Peter Berkrot!

Perfect Audio "Page Turner"

I blindly bought this book knowing nothing about the author or the character and was delighted with my choice. The narration is excellent and I prefer it to the other narrator of Hallinan's books, though both are good, Berkrot gets the feel of the books just perfect.

The story is fun, face paced and filled with likable, outrageous characters. It is gritty but almost in a fun way like a James Bond film or good comic book. I'd say this is perfect summer or road trip reading. The story keeps you engaged and the plot just complex enough without being difficult to follow when heard aloud. (I often find books I'd otherwise have no difficulty with are harder to follow on a road trip.)

the plot follows two mysteries, the one about the "Little Elvises" and a side plot about a serial killer and a missing daughter of a friend. The "Little Elvises" mystery ends up being a little absurd but the serial killer side plot finishes off the book in an entirely satisfying manner.

So many authors write page turners that torture their main character, dragging you across emotional gravel until you come out bruised and exhausted at the end only to find a character you love has died and the book ends with the hero in limbo until the next absurdly long and tortuous book. I of course read the heck out of these as well but it is immensely satisfying to find a book that is compelling, without being tortuous, fun and that has a satisfying ending.

Just as much fun and just as little depth as a classic Bond film.

More.

Enjoying this one the most in the series. Well written. Junior us a hoot.

Tangled Mystery Well Solved by Junior Bender

I loved this book. Junior Bender is a wise-ass who knows all the burglars in Los Angeles, so scary, some funny. He is a burglar by trade and often a fixer for others who live outside normal conventions. Read the series in order so you don’t miss anything.

Junior Bender #2

A very entertaining mystery with lots of humor along the way. Great narration! Loved it.

New Favorite!

What did you love best about Little Elvises?

I didn't think could love a series more than Timothy Hallinan's Poke Rafferty books, but I have two new loves- Junior Bender and narrator Peter Berkrot. The humor, the snapping dialog, the fresh and zany characters- they're all here. Junior reminds me of Tim Dorsey's Serge Storms, smart and funny, but without the psychotic tendencies.

What did you like best about this story?

It had characters from Junior's first story, Crashed, and built from there so that you start to really care about them. The storyline was good, and you can't beat Timothy Hallinan's humor.

What about Peter Berkrot’s performance did you like?

Everything- I'm a connoisseur of narrators, and he's a great one. I love narrators who act out the story, not just read it.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes- and I can't wait to tear into the others!

Any additional comments?

If you like well-written (and well narrated!) dialog that makes you laugh out loud please give it a try!

A new favorite!!

Junior Bender may just be my new favorite PI! Where have you been all these years? Very fun, very entertaining.

Totally hooked

After the first book I was impressed. Now after the second one I'm totally hooked. Upon completing this review I'm adding the whole series to my library. Great story telling with fun characters and twists with some great humor worked in to complete the package.

Mags or magazines, NOT CLIPS!

Ok, it's petty. Why do SOOOOO many authors, especially in this genre, constantly misuse "clip" instead of "magazine" or "mag"? There is a huge difference and it drives people that know that insane.

Secondly, why do so many authors feel it necessary to throw in politically correct jabs, and some sort of racial issue into a story that has no rhyme or reason? The pot shots towards wealth, men, and the "am I a closet racist or just a bigot" line in this story was cheap pandering and isn't woke or witty.
With out it that, and my silly obsession with clips v. mags, this would have a four possibly five star story.

Oh! And Mr. Berkrot, a cholla is cactus, a chola is a Hispanic female gang member! 😆