When Somebody Kills You

Eddie G and Big Jerry are back in "When Somebody Kills You", the eighth installment in the Rat Pack Mystery series by Robert J. Randisi. This time somebody wants Eddie Gianelli dead and will pay ten grand to the first hitter that gets it done. Frank Sinatra wants Eddie to help Judy Garland but can Eddie stay alive long enough to do it? What will Momo do when Eddie G confronts him? Will Jerry eat another stack of pancakes? Bullets fly and blood flows in this sometimes lighthearted but always tightly written page-turner.

I enjoyed this book. There is not really much of a mystery but it is a fun romp through 1960's Las Vegas and Los Angles with some real and not so real characters. There is a hit out on Eddie so he leaves for LA to help Judy Garland with a problem. Frank S. also pops in and out of the story with a few other famous faces. I really enjoyed the relationship between Eddie and Jerry. Enjoy this quick fun read.

Eddie G. has just been promoted from his job as a pit boss at the Sands and is trying to get used to his new position of “Casino Host”. He doesn’t mind catering to the high rollers coming into the casino, but it feels strange to him to be getting paid for just sitting around at the hotel bar. Eddie doesn’t have much time to think about things because he soon finds out, the hard way, that somebody is trying to kill him. Eddie would have helped him anyway, but when he gets a request from his friend Frank Sinatra to help Judy Garland with a problem in Los Angeles, it’s the perfect reason to temporarily leave Las Vegas!

I really enjoy reading the books in the “Rat Pack” series. The atmosphere and characters are perfect and the books transports you to 1960s Vegas, and in this case, old LA as well. There isn’t as much involvement in the book by Frank and Dean, but I enjoyed “getting to know” Judy Garland. Although the book is fictional, I learned some things that actually happened in Ms. Garland’s life that I never knew before. The fictional characters in his series are just as appealing as the real ones. Eddie is a tough guy, but an honest person and a loyal friend. His part-time bodyguard Jerry is a great mixture of toughness and vulnerability and he and Eddie make a unique and likeable pair. I enjoy seeing them get into scrapes, dodging danger, and helping their famous friends.

This installment of the series has an intriguing beginning and is action-packed throughout the book, wrapping up with a touching ending. There are other books in this series that I’ve liked more, but it’s still a fast-paced, fun read that will make you feel like you’ve taken a step back in time and spent some time with the real Rat Pack.

I received this book from NetGalley, through the courtesy of Severn House Publishers. The book was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.