Dev Haskell Private Investigator by Mike Faricy

I read this book on holiday last week.  Actually, that's not strictly true.  I read most of this book before I went on holiday.  On holiday, however, I did finish the book, and continue to read books 2-14 in the series!

These books centre around Dev Haskell, a PI who I guess to be late 30s/40s (it may have said, I can't remember, but that's how I imagine him).  He's a bit of a ladies man to say the least, but not successful in love at all.  He shares his office with his lawyer, Louis, and together they spend much of their time in the pub opposite.  That said, he does keep getting employed for short-term contracts, which inevitably end up not being as easy as expected and he sometimes ends up on the wrong side of the law.  Whilst there are adult themes and violence, this isn't actually heavy or gruesome, but very enjoyable and funny in places.

The blurb reads:

The FIRST in the Dev Haskell series, Russian Roulette is an entertaining tale of intrigue, rank ineptitude and one night stands. Dysfunctional Private Investigator, Dev Haskell wakes up in bed with his latest client only to learn she's signed him up with the Russian mob. Their 'special' relationship quickly finds Dev at odds with the local police and an FBI task force. In the process Dev is forced to place one foot on both sides of the law.

The books are a very easy read, perfect for when relaxing by the pool, and were gripping and interesting enough for me to keep wanting more. If you want a serious(ish) insight into the life of a PI, these books are probably not for you, but if you want an enjoyable romp, then get yourself a copy.  As I said, I did read books 1-14 in less than a week, and thoroughly enjoyed them; I have put the next books (15 onwards) on my wishlist so that when I do start buying books again, I can continue to read about Dev's escapades. What I particularly liked is that some characters keep making an appearance, not only FWB Heidi or Detective Manning, but Swindle Lawless, Donna and Luscious, bit-parts who play key roles in helping (and hindering) Dev as he endeavours to solve crimes without ending up in jail himself.