King Maybe

(Paperback)

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Description

Los Angeles burglar Junior Bender is in the middle of burgling a house when the job goes terribly wrong. After barely escaping, he sets off a chain reaction of blackmail, strong-arming and escalating crime. To pay off his underworld debts, Junior is forced to break into the house of the most powerful man in Hollywood; the shadowy, widely feared studio mogul known as King Maybe. This is the fifth in Timothy Hallinan's Junior Bender Mystery series.

Reviews

Praise for King Maybe

ASeattle TimesBest Mystery of 2016
A BooklistBest Crime Novel of 2016

"The tricky plot is plenty funny and packed with colorful characters."
Marilyn Stasio, The New York Times Book Review

"[Hallinan] proudly carries the banner of the late Donald Westlake, whose books are the gold standard of antic capers. The resultlucky usis a hoot and a half."
The Seattle Times

Hallinan crafts a denser, darker, and more complex novel that doesnt lose any of the seriess charm. Hallinan manages to orchestrate the tension masterfully while keeping the humor sharp and biting . . . Smart, refreshing and never dull, King Maybe sees an author at the top of his game and a series in full, magnificent swing.
Alex Segura,Los Angeles Review of Books

"[Hallinan] is a gifted writer with a knack for blending vivid settings, exciting plots, dynamic characters and clever humor to create captivatingly complex stories. From a lively description of a low-rent hotel room to the insightful development of Junior and Ronnie's relationship,King Maybeis distinctive and refreshingly original. It would probably be fitting to crown Hallinan the caper king."
Shelf Awareness, Starred Review

"Smart and spritely, full of wry humor."
Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine

"There was a time when I thought thatLawrence Blocks character Bernie Rhodenbarrwas the definitive fictional housebreaker, but that title has been surrendered by unanimous decision (mine) to Timothy Hallinans cat burglar extraordinaire, Junior Bender."
Bruce Tierney, BookPage

"The curlicuing plot is itself the source of much of the appeal here, which is not to shortchange either the ever-quirky cast of bent but delightful characters or Hallinans dazzling style . . . Are there too many lovable crooks in contemporary crime fiction Well, maybe, but one things for sure: theyre all chasing Junior."
Booklist,Starred Review

"Twists and turns abound . . . A rare man of integrity in a world of tinsel anddust, Junior may steal for a living, but he has scruples and will do anything to protect hisloved ones."
Library Journal, Starred Review

"Hallinan is one of our best, andKing Maybedemonstrates why."
Bookreporter.com

"A breath of fresh air."
Reviewing the Evidence

"[Junior Bender] walks the line between Dortmunder and Westlakes more hard boiled creation, Parker.King Maybehas made me realize that line is more of a fissure that Hallinan drops into like a literary spelunker, going deeper and deeper with each book. From the looks of things, he has a long way to go before hitting bottom."
Scott Montgomery, MysteryPeople

"Tinsel Town glitters triumphantly once again . . . guaranteed to entertain all types of mystery fans."
Gumshoe Review

"[Hallinan has] earned a well-deserved reputation for writing smart and heartfelt stories about clever and cunning people who, when presented with two or more bad options, play all sides against one another to get through."
Jim Tremlett, Schuler Books

"If youhave a fondness for cat burglars with hearts of gold (like I do) and mysteries with wonderful stories and characters, Iurge you to become acquainted with Junior."
Kittling Books

"Thanks, Tim Hallinan, for great entertainment and the best of twists and conclusions. And PSI wish Donald Westlake could be reading your books now."
Kingdom Books

"Smart and sardonic . . . An undeniable page-turner."
Publishers Weekly

"[Fans] will eat up [Junior's] adventures among Hollywood types whose moral senses are even more primitive than his."
Kirkus

"What a romp!"
Popcorn Reads

"There's no one quite like Junior Bender."
BookLoons

Praise for the nationally bestselling Junior Bender mysteries

Benders quick wit and smart mouth make him a boon companion on this oddball adventure.
The New York Times Book Review

A smart, cynical comic mystery . . . The best burglar in Los Angeles.
Minneapolis Star Tribune

Donald E. Westlake[s] spirit clearly lives on in Timothy Hallinan . . . Swift, sure-footed and awfully funny.
The Seattle Times

Dangerously outrageous.
Associated Press

"A modern-day successor to Raymond Chandler."
Los Angeles Daily News

Author Bio

Timothy Hallinan has been nominated for the Edgar, Nero, Shamus, and Macavity awards. He is the author of seventeen widely praised books, including The Fear Artist, For the Dead, The Hot Countries, Crashed, Little Elvises, The Fame Thief, and Herbie's Game, which won the 2015 Lefty Award for Best Humorous Mystery. After years of working in the television and music industries, he now writes full-time. He divides his time between California and Thailand.