Running Cold is the fourth, and my my reckoning, the best of the Mick Callahan novels by Harry Shannon. For the uninitiated, Mick Callahan is a former drunk, an ex-soldier, a minor league celebrity therapist, and a guy who often finds himself in a lot of hot water. The saying goes that no good deed goes unpunished, and it certainly holds true with Mick.
It's always best to read any series from the start, but it's not really necessary with Running Scared. Harry fills in the blanks well enough that no reader will have trouble understanding what goes on in the story.
So what has Mick Callahan gotten himself into this time? As usual, it's a long story.
One of Mick's clients is a guy down on his luck, with a yen for gambling and a taste for marijuana. The guy got himself in debt with some bad guys, and Mick agrees to try to intervene. But the client is brutally murdered. It seems like far too vicious for a delinquent loan. Mick is filled with guilt. Did he cause his client's death? And to make matters worse, the client's son, an Iraq War vet, thinks that Callahan had a hand in his father's death.
Callahan is in a bad way in Running Cold. His girl has dumped him and his old demons are tempting him once again. He has to keep his shaky like in balance and he feels beholden to discover the reason for his client's nasty death. But he has no clue that he is about to get further over his head than he has ever been before.
As the series progresses we gain further insight into the complicated world of Callahan's mind. In fact, I think the books would work even if there were no crime or danger in them. Callahan is such an interesting character that I'd be happy to read about the daily events in his life. The criminal aspects of the story only add spice to an already intriguing character.
It's always best to read any series from the start, but it's not really necessary with Running Scared. Harry fills in the blanks well enough that no reader will have trouble understanding what goes on in the story.
So what has Mick Callahan gotten himself into this time? As usual, it's a long story.One of Mick's clients is a guy down on his luck, with a yen for gambling and a taste for marijuana. The guy got himself in debt with some bad guys, and Mick agrees to try to intervene. But the client is brutally murdered. It seems like far too vicious for a delinquent loan. Mick is filled with guilt. Did he cause his client's death? And to make matters worse, the client's son, an Iraq War vet, thinks that Callahan had a hand in his father's death.
Callahan is in a bad way in Running Cold. His girl has dumped him and his old demons are tempting him once again. He has to keep his shaky like in balance and he feels beholden to discover the reason for his client's nasty death. But he has no clue that he is about to get further over his head than he has ever been before.
As the series progresses we gain further insight into the complicated world of Callahan's mind. In fact, I think the books would work even if there were no crime or danger in them. Callahan is such an interesting character that I'd be happy to read about the daily events in his life. The criminal aspects of the story only add spice to an already intriguing character.
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