A FINALIST FOR THE 2013 SHAMUS, AUDIE, AND LCC ROCKY (LEFTY) AWARDS
“Greaves makes the most of his 25 years as a trial attorney in relating courtroom tactics. The combination of confident writing and a determined and ethical protagonist add up to a winner.”
—Publishers Weekly, Starred Review
“Trial lawyer Greaves’s delightful debut…cleverly intermingles equestrian show jumping, insurance claims, and high-tech science in this sunny California thriller.”
—Library Journal, Starred Review
“An auspicious debut. Jack would be welcome back in the winner’s circle any time.”
—Kirkus Reviews, Critics Pick
“Entertaining crime novel…MacTaggart is delightful company as he digs and digs, and a plot that seems to be running on predictable rails turns out to be full of surprises…[R]ecommend this one for the amiable hero and the slick sleuthing.”
—Booklist
“Greaves’ memorable debut introduces a wisecracking hero who gets his wit from his Uncle Louis. Fast-paced and inspired, written with an insider’s knowledge of the legal world, it’s a terrific addition to the genre, and one hopes there will be more Jack stories.”
—RT Book Reviews
“With its “whoa, boy!” central character, sharp dialogue, and hit-the-spot Southern California venues, this is a series with plenty of potential.”
—Yahoo! Shine
“Hush Money is a fast-paced, funny mystery and Jack MacTaggart is a delightful, wisecracking hero. I hope we see more of him.”
—Phillip Margolin, New York Times best-selling author of
Capitol Murder.
“Superbly written and paced, this sensational legal thriller reads like a polished jewel. Set in the Mercedes and Rolex horse show world, Greaves sports a smoking new voice in crime fiction . . . Hush Money‘s riveting characters and snappy dialogue round out a smashingly memorable first effort. Chuck Greaves has major writing chops.”
—Julia Spencer-Fleming, New York Times best-selling author of
One Was a Soldier.
“Take John D. MacDonald’s Travis McGee, Jonathan Kellerman’s Alex Delaware, and the best of John Grisham’s protagonists, shake and serve, and you’ll have the hero of Hush Money. Chuck Greaves has written a confident, cool and totally engrossing legal thriller with the pop and sizzle of some of the greats of the genre. It’s a hell of a debut.”
—Chelsea Cain, New York Times best-selling thriller writer
“Hush Money is one heck of a debut, and a welcome addition to the genre. Jack MacTaggart is a joy to root for, and there are enough twists and turns to keep the reader up past bedtime. A thoroughly enjoyable mystery.”
—Ira Berkowitz, Shamus award-winning author of Family Matters,
Old Flame and Sinner’s Ball.
“Chuck Greaves writes with style and an insider’s knowledge of the courtroom and the lawyer’s life. Hush Money is smart, entertaining and funny. And in Jack MacTaggart he has created a likeable, wise-cracking lawyer-detective — Jim Rockford with a law degree. A great read.”
—William Landay, New York Times bestselling author of
Defending Jacob
“Greaves’ debut mystery Hush Money sparks with snappy dialogue, rich imagery, and sarcasm sharp as a razor.”
—Sasscer Hill, author of Agatha and Maccavity Award finalist Full Mortality.
“Like a nicely-executed jumper ride. The rhythm flowed from the steadiness of a well-paced triple combination to the accurately frantic fun of a jump off. And let’s just say that Hush Money had a clean round with no time faults.”
—The Equestrian News
“Greaves proves he is a good observer of people, and his characters are the strongest feature of the book. The dialogue is crisp and smart, fresh and creative, witty and not clichéd.”
— San Diego Union-Tribune
“If you combine the horse-centered suspenses of Dick Francis with the legal thrillers of John Grisham you’ll have Chuck Greaves and his first novel, Hush Money.”
—The Chronicle of the Horse
“This is a first novel that promises much pleasure to come for a long time; the very likable lawyer central character will surely be the basis of a series.”
—Sullivan County Democrat
“A great debut novel.”
—Algona Upper Des Moines
“A sexy, funny, rollicking good show from start to finish.”
—Winnipeg Free Press