Arts
Every goodhearted detective needs a loathsome nemesis. Mike Faricy is a prolific author and has several mystery series on the go. Today we focus on his Dev Haskell series with book #27, Alley Katz. Readers describe Dev as a 'likeable rogue' and I think that's the perfect description. In our interview I mention to Mike that Dev made me think of a cross between Lawrence Block's Bernie Rhodenbarr and Robert B. Parker's Spenser. And I love how deliciously nasty Dev's nemesis/employer, Tubby Gustafson, is. If you like what you hear when Mike reads to us, there are two Dev Haskell novellas available at Mike's website for free, Twinkletoes and Dollhouse. You can sign up to receive those books here. In case you missed it, I shared the first part of one of my monthly short stories yesterday here on the blog. You can read that here. Today's show is supported by my patrons at Patreon. Thank you! When you become a patron for as little as $1 a month you receive a short mystery story each and every month. And the rewards for those who love mystery stories go up from there! Learn more and become a part of my community of readers at www.Patreon.com/alexandraamor This week's mystery author Mike Faricy was born and raised in St. Paul, Minnesota. He developed his love for books from his parents reading to him at an early age. He currently has written seventy-five books in four crime fiction series; The Dev Haskell series, the Corridor Man series, the Hotshot series, and the Jack Dillon Dublin Tales series. Mike is the winner of the 2019 Crime Master’s of America Poison Cup Award and the winner of the 2020 Crime Master's of America Poison Cup Award for the Best Selling series. Mike lives in St. Paul, Minnesota and Dublin, Ireland, which makes me the most boring guy in two towns. To learn more about Mike and all his books visit MikeFaricyBooks.com Press play (above) to listen to the show, or read the transcript below. Remember you can also subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts. And listen on Stitcher, Android, Google Podcasts, TuneIn, and Spotify. Excerpt from Alley Katz I hurried out of Annette’s house and sped toward Tubby’s palace. Every time the wheels turned, I seemed to dread the meeting just a little bit more. The drive went all too quickly, and before I knew it, I was climbing out of my car and pressing the button on the intercom at Tubby’s front gate. “Well, Haskell, back for more. Good luck with that,” the voice answered, laughed, and the gate suddenly began to open. Apparently, everyone had been alerted to my pending arrival. They’d probably set up some way to tape my beheading and use it as a warning to anyone who even thought of crossing Tubby in the future. I drove up the circular drive to the parking area. The usual two thugs were leaning against the house. By the time I parked, placed my pistol in the glove compartment, and climbed out, one of them was standing at the rear of my car. “You must be a glutton for punishment, Haskell. Suit yourself. Assume the position,” he said. I leaned over the trunk, and he patted me down, twice. “Okay, you’re good to go,” he said. I walked over to the front door, where his partner patted me down. “Lucky you. You get to go inside,” he said and laughed. He opened the door, and I stepped inside. Squiggy was reading a comic book. Probably the same one he was reading the last time I was here. He looked at me, shook his head, and pushed his bifocals on the bridge of his nose.“You know, Haskell, I’d normally tell you this is your lucky day, but you know better than that. Follow me,” he said and set off across the entryway. He was knocking on Tubby’s office door a moment later. “It’s about damn time. Send him in here,” Tubby growled as Squiggy opened the door. “Good luck,” Squiggy half-whispered as I hurried past and headed into Tubby’s office. I’d seen Tubby in this situation before, his massage hour.