Reader reviews

• dagon12

  (4/5)

  Book 1 of Jacqueline "Jack" Daniels seriesI kind of went all-in on Konrath before really reading anything beyond his short stories. While I currently have fourteen of his novels already purchased and on my To Be Read list, this is really the first one I read. Yes, technically I did read AFRAID but he wrote that as Jack Kilborn, his not-so-secret pen name. Kilborn is supposed to author the scarier novels while Konrath writes everything else. Or at least that's how I understand it. Anyway, WHISKEY SOUR is a great start to what is obviously a fun yet at-times gruesome series.Jacqueline "Jack" Daniels is a Chicago police detective with a limited personal life and a serious bout of insomnia. She's dedicated to her job and not just because she has been assigned a major case on "The Gingerbread Man" killer. And while her partner, the F.B.I., and others are trying to help, Jack won't be able to rest until the case is solved.After reading this book, I understand why Konrath and Jeff Strand are so often compared and grouped together. Humor is used extensively through the book to lighten some of the graphic and intense scenes. I've seen multiple reviews talking about how funny the book is; while I enjoyed the humor, it wasn't THAT funny. Which is also fine. I really enjoyed the mystery and suspense and graphic nature of the book. To be honest, the death scenes will stick with me longer than the bad but funny puns. I did find myself wishing that Konrath hadn't made the F.B.I. so inept. They are there to add some humor but not too much more. Hopefully the same agents will be present in future books but will be accurate in their profile. Or at least helpful instead of window dressing. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the Jack Daniels series.
• ameise1

  (4/5)

  This is the first book in the Jacqueline "Jack" Daniels Mystery series. The story was very exciting. The dead on the way but were killed in a very bestial way. In between I suffered with Jack, since she herself became the target of the killer and her watch was not exactly excellent. It was funny how she met her ex-colleague again, who on the one hand put obstacles in her path but on the other hand was also there when things got hot. I also smiled when the FBI profiler agents came into play. They were portrayed as if they were idiots.Various women were killed and long lacked the common background. Jack and her current colleague fight on all fronts to find out the commonality of the victims, so they can take the killer. It is very dangerous for Jack.
• tvnerd95

  (3/5)

  I really wish I could give this book 4 stars instead of 3 because it isn’t a 3-star book but there are so many items that bothered that I couldn’t bring myself to rate it higher. Most of this I think rests with the description that got me to want to read the book. I felt kind of betrayed by the book. This isn’t light hearted at all and most of the humor is stupid jokes at the expense of overweight people.
  
  The main character is my biggest issue and that doesn’t bode well for me wanting to continue reading the series. She seems to just exist to make smart ass comments and insult everyone. The reveal of the killer is a little too easy which lead to a finale between cop and killer that is not well written and drags on way too long. There are so many problems with the final confrontation but it would be giving too much of the story away to discuss more.
  
  The only reason I will probably continue the series is because of Harry Benedict who is by far one of the best supporting characters ever written. I loved it every time he was part of the story and wanted Jack to show him a little more respect. Also, the mystery was so captivating I was hooked from the first body. The murderer is an excellent adversary for Jack and you can sense his intelligence and understand why he would be so hard to catch. I loved how the book rotated points of view between cop and killer. The only issue I have with the killer is that his is a little too omnipotent.
  
  I also really enjoyed the duel narration of Susie Breck and Dick Hill. They really brought the book to life with the dual point of views of cop and killer. Not only did they do good a great job of the two main point of views but also brought all the other characters life with such talent that you never doubt who is speaking.
• itsbookishme

  (4/5)

  Successful. I say successful because if the author wanted to make me squirm and completely creep the hell out of me, then he was truly successful in my opinion. Being in the head of a psychopath is not a place I want to be as experienced from the hair-raising writing of Mr. Konrath's. I've watched many a procedural crime shows but was never privy to the killers sociopathic mindset. I was not only thoroughly frightened but angry. Angry that there are actually monsters like this out there. Such a believable character, unfortunately.
  
  Lieutenant Jack Daniels came across as a real life cop, bad-ass and sarcastic. Loved the sarcastic dialogue, something you would expect from cops, especially working in such a macabre work environment. A little humor goes a long way. The supporting characters also added to the believability of the story as well. From the over eating partner to the dumber and dumberer FBI agents. A cast of characters that are very likable and equally hateable.
  
  Being in the head of the killer was so frightening it definitely added to the intensity of the story. It made me more anxious to see the killer caught. I felt like I was there along with Jack and Herb as they investigate the case step by step. Suspensefully spine-chilling and believable.
  
  A truly heart-stopping read that really gave me that on the edge of my seat feeling I normally only get from watching. I really felt like I was seeing the story unfold like a movie in my head.
  
  
• davewilde-1

  (5/5)

  Whiskey Sour was a top-notch police story that I give a high recommendation for. It is well written and is easy reading. The biggest fault I can find with this book is that once you start it, you
  can't put it down. It is a story about a Chicago police detective and a serial killer. Jack ( short for Jacqueline) is a tough hardheaded
  detective that you cant help but like. This book fits well in the
  hardboiled tradition. It is a fun read and I am ready to read another Jack Daniels thriller, but who is going to play her in the movies?
  
• lostkiwi-1

  (5/5)

  I have really enjoyed the whole series to date. A fun read.
• mrsbaty

  (4/5)

  This is the first Jack Daniels novel I've read and my first by J.A. Konrath. I very much enjoyed the style of writing, the humour, the mystery, the detective work, but it was a bit more graphic than I normally like. It wasn't enough to put me off from the series which I will definitely continue to read.
  
  I'm familiar with Chicago so I enjoyed the talk about the scenery and geography. I'll be starting the next in the series right away!
• mrslee_1

  (2/5)

  Jack (Jacqueline) Daniels is a police detective in Violent Crimes. I guess that should have been the tip-off for me, but since I don't read books about bloody, descriptive, torture, serial killers, I couldn't finish this book.I liked the police characters, and Jack herself, but the subject is not one I want my mind to dwell on.
• lovejoy_rat

  (4/5)

  This was a fun little mystery, action packed and funny but with a nice creepy edge from the serial killer's perspective. Jack Daniels is a butt-kicking heroine that was a blast to root for. Only gripe I had was how unrealistic the injuries were - people tended to bounce back with no problem from some pretty serious hits. I know stuff like that comes with the territory when reading a mystery, but with everything else being pretty much realistic in this book, I felt myself getting pulled out of the story when characters took pretty serious hits and kept on going with almost no issues. These small gripes aside, recommended.
• joybee_1

  (4/5)

  Fast paced, serial killer, crime novel with a humorous female lead. The gingerbread man is torturing and killing women by stabbing. Jack is on the case, while doing her job she becomes a target for the gingerbread man. Will she find his identity before he kills again, or kills her?
• maddiebloom

  (4/5)

  Jack Daniels is a cool lead character in this debut chiller by J. A. Konrath. Promises to be the first in a new cop series set in Chicago. The detective story is solid, though the tension and gore level is higher than a standard mystery. Literally couldn't put it down until I'd read it from cover to cover. I'll definitely be looking for the next in the series, Bloody Mary.
• ahs7wolfy

  (4/5)

  When Jacqueline Streng married Alan Daniels she became Jack Daniels. The name may have stuck but the marriage is long gone. Now a Lieutenant working in the Violent Crimes Unit of the Chicago Police Dept., she and her partner Herb pick up a new case when the body of a twenty-something woman is found with multiple stab-wounds with a note attached from the killer calling himself the Gingerbread Man. It's not long before a second body turns up and so they realise they may be dealing with a serial killer. Can they find him before he kills again?This is no fluffy police procedural, the murder scenes are grisly as is the gallows-like humour of the banter between the investigating teams. Light relief comes in the shape of the two FBI agents who specialise in behavioural science. The profiles of the killer that they come up with are quite laughable and it's no wonder the police treat them with contempt. Every now and then the story will flip from Jack's investigation to the killer's perspective so it's not exactly a mystery as to who he is and what he's doing. The only thing that remains clouded are his motivations for selecting his victims. Jack's character is not of the fluffy variety either. She's not the flash her pretty green eyes and get a confession type of cop but one that's worked her ass off to get where she is and though it has cost her her marriage and pretty much any kind of social life as well as providing the cause of insomnia she suffers from she's far from discontent with her life and how it's turned out. But will she still be the same when the Gingerbread Man turns his attentions on her?This is a fast paced thriller of a book that while quite gruesome in parts is also quite likeable in others and kept me turning the pages until the end. I'll certainly be on the lookout for the next book in the series.I should add a warning for graphic violence. There are details of torture and animal killings involved and though it doesn't linger on these scenes they do exist. So if any of these things might put you off then it's probably best to avoid this one.
• josephlyoung

  (4/5)

  Super tough police Lieutenant Jacqueline (Jack) Daniels and her side kick and big eater Herb, work to find and put away evil serial murder (A.K.A The Gingerbread Man) who ends up targeting and nearly killing Jack. Another support character is Pool Playing terminal cancer patient who tempers the downer affects of pain meds with large amounts of cocaine, Phineas Trout. The serial killer is a psycho who has a life history of killing and maiming, starting with insects and small animals as a child. The action is constant and Jack is missing sleep trying to prevent another senseless brutal murder (maybe her own). Prepare yourself for missing a little sleep yourself while trying to get to the exciting ending!
• cyndavaz

  (4/5)

  This was a fun book and I look forward to listening to the other installments in the series. This author knows how to blend humor/suspense in a compelling way that I appreciate. I especially enjoyed his portrayal of the two FBI agents. The narrators also did an excellent job.
• patrickjiv_1

  (4/5)

  Weird, but "stayed on the edge of the seat" thriller. Like the way this guy writes!
• allthesedarnbooks

  (4/5)

  This is the first in a mystery series starring Jacqueline "Jack" Daniels, Chicago PD detective. Jack is full of one liners, has no love life, gets in brutal bar fights, and suffers from severe insomnia. In short, just the kind of tough-as-nails heroine I like in my crime novels. The mystery itself is okay and the action scenes are heart-pounding. My only problem with the book is that it is very, very grisly, especially the parts that are narrated from the killer's POV. I read a lot of serial killer fiction, and I almost put the book down at several points, saying, "Really? Really? Gross. I can't believe he went there." I'm glad I persevered through to the end, though, because Jack is a great lead. I will definitely be looking for more of this series. Recommended, but not for those who have a weak stomach or delicate sensibilities. Three and a half stars.
• mauveberry

  (4/5)

  The story was entertaining and fast paced. I did wish the FBI agents were portrayed as more intelligent. I also wish the book was longer.
• darrol_1

  (2/5)

  Entertaining. Cannot put it on the level of better police/detective fiction. The FBI episodes are too satirical. But I do like "Jack" Daniels. The hard eating side-kick is a little to stereotypical; I wonder how many of these exist. I do not see why so many people object to the gruesome elements. This seems to be standard anymore.
• cyderry

  (3/5)

  The heroine of this tale is named Jack Daniels so when I was looking for a book that would give me the "Cocktails" for my Full Course Meal, I thought this would be perfect. It fit the category but was not particularly palatable for me. The story is set in Chicago and tells of a serial killer who targets "sluts".This mystery wasn't really a mystery because the reader knows right from the beginning who the bad guy is and what he is thinking and doing. He is vicious and sadistic. The descriptions of his crimes are graphic and frightening. He went after Jack without any real provocation other than the fact that she was in charge of the investigation into the brutal crimes he committed. Character development left something to be desired.I have ready many murder mysteries but these murders are among the most grisly that I've read, (and I have read about the BTK murders). It was sickening to read about the sexual assault of his victims both alive and dead. It truly was frightening so much so that at times I had to put the book away because I couldn't bare anymore. Thriller, yes...entertaining, no. I definitely will not be continuing this series.
• ronrose1

  (5/5)

  Whiskey Sour is a great debut novel featuring, Lt Jacqueline "Jack" Daniels. This forty-six year old, divorced, detective is carrying some baggage, but she is hot on the case of a serial killer. What she doesn't realize is that he is suddenly hot on her trail, with bloody results. This nonstop, action tale is no Shirley Temple!
• lg4154

  (5/5)

  great book, love this series!
• mzkitty570

  (5/5)

  Lieutenant Jacqueline Daniels is having a bad week. Her live-in boyfriend has left her for his personal trainer, chronic insomnia has caused her to max out her credit cards with late-night home shopping purchases, and a frightening killer who calls himself "The Gingerbread Man" is dumping mutilated bodies in her district.The first novel in the Lt. Jack Daniels series, cleverly combines laugh-out-loud humor and edge-of-your-seat suspense. Jack is a fun, fully drawn heroine in the grand tradition of Kinsey Milhone, Stephanie Plum, and Kay Scarpetta-and the cast of oddball characters surrounding her is worthy of an Elmore Leonard novel.I LOVED THIS BOOK!! I guess I'm getting into the mystery/thriller genre now, but only if there's some humor in them. This was a real page turner for me and I hope one for you too. This author comes in 2nd to Carol Higgins Clark. ENJOY!!
• debavp

  (3/5)

  Not great for a first in series. Left a lot to be desired with character development and too much gruesome details.
• phantasma_1

  (4/5)

  Jack Daniels is a kick ass and take names kinda gal. And amazingly real. She's so very human it makes her incredibly likable, yet a little grating (in a good way, if you can imagine that). The jokes are funny and pace is quick. I'm looking forward to reading the next one.
• cathyskye

  (4/5)

  Protagonist: Lt. Jack DanielsSetting: present-day Chicago, IllinoisSeries #1Whiskey Sour is the first mystery featuring Lt. Jacqueline "Jack" Daniels of the Chicago Police Department. Jack finds herself up against a devious serial killer called the Gingerbread Man, who likes to spend hours torturing and killing his victims. I won't tell you what his "signature" is because I'm still getting strong sympathy pains (and that was the only really gross bit in the book). Problem is, the Gingerbread Man is looking longingly at Jack, so she'd better find out who he is PDQ.This book is fast-paced and attention-grabbing. Jack is a well-drawn likeable character as is her partner, Herb. The Gingerbread Man is in the upper echelons of serial killers, too. I will be on the lookout for the next mystery featuring Jack Daniels (although I think it's called Bloody Mary).
• kmartin802_1

  (5/5)

  This was an entertaining mystery which combined thriller level suspense and some humor, including some really bad puns, in an engaging mystery. Lieutenant "Jack" Daniels of the Chicago Police Department's Violent Crimes division is having a bad week. Besides her live-in boyfriend deciding to leave her for his personal trainer and raging insomnia, I serial killer who calls himself the Gingerbread Man is leaving bodies in 7-Elevens in her district.Things go from bad to worse when two FBI Agents are assigned to help with the case and try to help by using profiling to identify the killer. Jack doesn't think it is likely that the killer is a Canadian bed-wetter who rides a horse and has scoliosis though. She and her partner Detective Benedict, who seems to be constantly eating, are busy following their own clues to the killer.When the killer seems to develop a crush on Jack, things get even worse. And her partner's suggestion that she sign up with a dating agency to find someone to care for outside of the police force could have come at a better time.I enjoyed the many quirky characters in this story and look forward to reading more of Jack's adventures.
• gigisiriereads

  (4/5)

  Successful. I say successful because if the author wanted to make me squirm and completely creep the hell out of me, then he was truly successful in my opinion. Being in the head of a psychopath is not a place I want to be as experienced from the hair-raising writing of Mr. Konrath's. I've watched many a procedural crime shows but was never privy to the killers sociopathic mindset. I was not only thoroughly frightened but angry. Angry that there are actually monsters like this out there. Such a believable character, unfortunately.
  
  Lieutenant Jack Daniels came across as a real life cop, bad-ass and sarcastic. Loved the sarcastic dialogue, something you would expect from cops, especially working in such a macabre work environment. A little humor goes a long way. The supporting characters also added to the believability of the story as well. From the over eating partner to the dumber and dumberer FBI agents. A cast of characters that are very likable and equally hateable.
  
  Being in the head of the killer was so frightening it definitely added to the intensity of the story. It made me more anxious to see the killer caught. I felt like I was there along with Jack and Herb as they investigate the case step by step. Suspensefully spine-chilling and believable.
  
  A truly heart-stopping read that really gave me that on the edge of my seat feeling I normally only get from watching. I really felt like I was seeing the story unfold like a movie in my head.
  
  
• pamkaye

  (5/5)

  I found Whiskey Sour thoroughly engrossing and thoroughly gross. Not for the weak stomach. Jack Daniels reminds me of Stephanie Plum (of Janet Evanovich's One for the money series), but with a lot more edge. There are many humorous moments, and many moments of graphic violence. Jack has to deal with her glutton of a partner, her crazy mother, show stealing ex-partner, and cheating boyfriend. All while hunting the Gingerbread Man, possibly the city's worst serial killer.I loved this book. Can't wait to read the rest of the series.
• bookconcierge

  (3/5)

  An exciting new series for me - "Jack" Daniels, Lt Detective, Vicious Crimes unit in Chicago - goes up against serial killer "The Gingerbread Man." He gets close to her a few too many times, but it's tightly written and moves fast! I'll read more of this series.
• nospi-2

  (4/5)

  Enjoyable police mystery. Read through immersion reading - excellent audiobook