Heather’s Bookshelf: The Ballad of the Great Value Boys
Author: Ken Harris
Released: 02/06/25
Genre: Adult Crime Fiction
“‘So now is it your circus and your monkeys?’
‘Best three rings in town. Friend in need, will travel. Meet you at the office in thirty.’”
“The Ballad of the Great Value Boys” is book 4 of the Case Files of Steve Rockfish. Private Investigators Steve Rockfish and Jawnie McGee are called upon to rescue a friend, Raffi, after he was detained in a seemingly middle-of-nowhere town, Grindsville.
Raffi was falsely arrested while in the middle of a ruse to flip expiring MREs to a local militia. Rockfish and Jawnie rush to intervene and it doesn’t go exactly as planned. Their friend Dan Decker goes missing and they soon find themselves in the middle of a domestic terrorism plot.
Compelled to stop the deadly plan, their intervention almost goes south. But a little bit of luck along with a lot of planning and some team work lead them down a path that continues to get even more dangerous.
Will Rockfish and team find their friend and stop the terror threat before it’s too late?
Trigger Warning: violence, racist language, kidnapping, murder, sexual references, political issues, adult language
Overall, I enjoyed this story. I read this as a stand alone and had no difficulty jumping in. It was clear there was some history between some of the characters, but with little explanation needed it was easy to follow. The story focuses on Rockfish and Jawnie McGee, two PI partners with very different styles and personalities. Both are well developed characters who shine in different portions and capacities within the story. Rockfish leaned into his loyalties and often threw safety (of himself and others) out the window to defend, save, or support his friends. This book hit a bit close to home regarding the political climate and divide with the US currently. There’s a couple of other ancillary characters that add to both pushing the plot forward and supplying characterization for the two leads. Dan Decker adds a lot of heart while Raffi adds…well…one giant pain in the ass. What an uber-annoying character! Just one poor decision after another… The pacing felt a bit like a roller coaster. It was slow at times and then very quick. The multiple POVs also seemed uneven and distracting at times without smooth transitions and with some questionable need. This story included very clear and realistic world building focused on a found family and including aspects of investigation- clearly set up for future stories.
I received a copy of this story in exchange of a fair and honest review.
OVERALL REVIEW:
A crime fiction sequel featuring a found family PI investigation with realistic political consequences and strong dual protagonists.
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