Troublemaker

The Dave Brandstetter Mysteries, Book 3

By: Joseph Hansen

Narrated by: Keith Szarabajka

Joseph Hansen's groundbreaking investigator Dave Brandstetter delves into the suspicious death of a gay entrepreneur.

Rick Wendell's ranch is far from town. A remote, dusty hideaway, its only inhabitants are Rick, his aging mother, and her horses. One night, Rick's mother returns from the movies to find Rick lying on the floor, stark naked and with a gaping bullet wound in his chest. Standing over him is his lover, a mustachioed hippie, who swears he did not fire the gun that he's holding. The case seems open-and-shut, but Dave Brandstetter is not satisfied.

An insurance investigator with an unusually keen sense of detection, Dave is openly gay and professionally skeptical. Something about the murder causes him to trust the alleged killer - and seriously doubt Rick's mother.

©1975, 1981, 2019 Joseph Hansen (P)2019 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Hard to distinguish the characters

Unfortunate narration. Hard to distinguish which character is taking, an old woman? A middle-aged man? Gay patois for a couple fey characters is realistic. But overall, unfortunate.

5

It fascinates me - just listening to Dave talking with all these characters - the mesmerizing way the author's skill leads all around a case and then - boom! no gore, forensics, car
chases, internet, trama dramas, it is just ended. i am so pleased that
Audible picked up Joseph Hansen's
really fine mysteries. Lked them when the first appeared, still like 'em.
The skillful work of the narrator adds the final polish to this body of work.

Meh

Read the first one, wasn’t terribly impressed but I’m a sucker for a series and thought I’d try book 2. Got about half way through chapter 13 and just called it. The story itself is interesting but it’s pretty dry and tricky to follow. The narrator is part of the problem- he sounds all scratchy, which I like, but it’s far too monotone to keep my interest. I won’t be trying the rest of the series unless it’s a different narrator, which I doubt, and even then it will be a hard sell.

Great second book.

This was really good story and very complicated so you don’t know who did it until the end. I had to hear the last 4 chapters 2xs. Just because I enjoyed it soo much.

A good book spoiled

I read Troublemaker years ago and liked it very much. Hansen’s writing is evocative and original. I think Audible found this narrator at a third-class saloon. The job description must have read, “Seeking male who can read very fast, maintain a monotone throughout and always talk through his nose.” Read this book on Kindle or find a paperback copy.

straight up 1970s' So. Cal. noir

While set in a gay milieu, the plot and the detective's character make this a classic noir detective story set in seventies a so. Cal. beachfront community.