The Big Brush-off

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By Michael Murphy

Publisher Description

The irresistible Jake & Laura return in Michael Murphy’s witty, fast-paced mystery series—perfect for readers of Dorothy Cannell and Christopher Fowler. In The Big Brush-off, the charming and indomitable duo heads to the Midwest to solve a chilling cold case of a young girl’s murder.

Blackie Doyle is dying. That’s what Jake Donovan’s literary agent tells him. Sales are falling, and the rough draft of Jake’s latest Blackie novel doesn’t look promising. Maybe Jake has been distracted by a recent barrage of real-life homicides, or by his marriage to the beautiful up-and-coming actress Laura Wilson, now slated for a part opposite Clark Gable himself. Whatever the reason, Jake decides to return to his roots. Which is why he and Laura hop the next train to the small town in Pennsylvania where Jake once worked as a Pinkerton detective.

Ten years ago, the murder of a teenage girl interrupted life in quiet, God-fearing Hanover. The unsolved case has always gnawed at Jake, and it seems no coincidence that as soon as he starts digging up old ghosts, he’s once again writing like a dervish. Nor is it surprising that some townfolk would rather see the truth stay buried—and maybe even Jake and Laura with it. But the glamorous crime-solving pair refuse to leave before sorting through a bevy of suspects—and at long last nailing the one who almost got away with the not-so-perfect crime.

Praise for The Big Brush-off

“This entry in the series is every bit as much fun as the previous books.”—Reading Reality

“If you like clever repartee mixed with a fun historical whodunit and a bit of glamour mixed in, then this series is going to make your day.”—Popcorn Reads

Praise for Michael Murphy’s Jake & Laura mysteries

“Glittering with a hint of Nick and Nora, Michael Murphy’s 1930s Manhattan provides a witty setting for murder and mayhem.”—Mary Daheim, bestselling author of The Alpine Yeoman, on The Yankee Club

“[Jake and Laura] are fun, witty, and charming, and [All That Glitters] is filled with the same kind of 1930s Hollywood glamour that made the film of The Thin Man such a classic.”—Popcorn Reads

“The third installment in Murphy’s series is just as much fun as the first. The mystery is full of twists with an ample amount of red herrings, suspects, and action.”—Mystery Please!, on Wings in the Dark

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3 Reviews

3.0

Phantom

Created almost 9 years ago

“I received The Big Brush-off as an ARC from Netgalley. I requested the book based on the description. The Big Brush-off is a murder mystery novel. It takes place in New York and Hanover in 1935 during the depression. Newlyweds Jake and Laura are staying at the Waldorf Astoria while Laura finishes shooting her latest film and Jake goes to meet with his editor. Jake and Laura are well off due to Laura being a Hollywood actress and Jake a bestselling author of the Blackie Doyle novels. At the beginning of the novel Jake gets told by his editor that he's lost touch with his roots and that his literary career is suffering as a result. She gives him one more chance to get his act together and write a better story, otherwise she's going to let him go. The same day a priest and an old lady visit him at the hotel to plead with him to solve a ten year old mystery. He feels conflicted, he should be salvaging his career but he feels guilty for not solving the murder back in the day. Eventually Jake and Laura decide to spend some time in Hanover, the place of the murder, to attend a memorial service for the victim but they do end up trying to solve the murder. Problem is that some important people in town whom others depend on for jobs are suspects so many people don't want Jake and Laura snooping around. I found myself puzzled why this was set in 1935 as I really didn't feel the period through the book. It could just as well have been 1955 or 1975, it really didn't add anything to the story other than people being scared for their jobs. I think the period could have been portrayed more strongly as well as the hardships people faced in those times but then, Jake and Laura, being a well off Hollywood couple are quite far removed from the ordinary Joe during that time, a point that is highlighted by the townspeople of Hanover in the book. I have to admit that I found the story slow to get of the ground. Jake spends an awful lot of time moaning about his career and his problems while admitting that he certainly has it better than most everybody else in depression era USA. I think that's the biggest reason why he started to annoy me. The guy barely has any problems and yet he manages to moan. His biggest problem is that he's not writing as well as he used to and two days later he sits down with his typewriter and churns out several awesome chapters of his book like it's no problem. I like Laura much better, she's funny and much more relatable. If I had read the other books perhaps I'd like Jake better and care more about their relationship but as it is I would have preferred a Laura mystery rather than a Jake and Laura mystery. The mystery was interesting but like I said, I felt the book took a long time getting to it and I think it could have been presented better. That being said, I was sure I had the murderer pegged but it happened to be someone else so that was a plus for the book. All in all, the story didn't really grab me and at times I found myself bored because the story wasn't progressing or slightly annoyed because of the narrative style. I doubt I'll pick up any of the prequels.”

Tammy H

Created almost 9 years ago

“New to me author who instantly became a new favorite. If you love Old Time Radio mysteries or the writing of Raymond Chandler, then run to devour this series. My full review can be found here: https://protagonistspub.wordpress.com/2016/04/27/the-big-brush-off-by-michael-murphy/”

rretzler

Created about 9 years ago

“The Big Brush-Off is the fourth book in the Jake & Laura series by Michael Murphy. The story takes place in 1935 and is written in a noir style a la Dashiell Hammett with a hard-boiled detective. Jake Donovan, formerly a Pinkerton detective, is now the author of a hugely successful mystery series featuring Blackie Doyle. He is married to rising movie star, Laura Wilson. Success may have gone to Jake’s head, as his last Blackie Doyle novel was only so-so and his editor, Mildred Hawthorne, will not offer him a new contract unless his next book brings back the original “charm and appeal” of his first three novels. Mildred tells Jake that he needs to get away from the glamor that is his current lifestyle to get back to his roots and write his next successful novel. While Jake is contemplating his next move, he is visited by Mary Caldwell, a dying woman whose daughter, Katie, was murdered. Katie’s murder was Jake’s last case as a Pinkerton detective, and the case was left unsolved as Jake rushed to his dying father’s bedside, leaving Pinkerton soon after his father’s death. Jake decides to go to Hanover, PA, the small town where Katie was murdered to get a start on his new book. As Laura is between movies, she decides to come with Jake, so that they can concentrate on his career instead of hers. Hanover has no lack of suspects, but Laura soon gets drawn into the mystery, and together both Jake and Laura trap the killer into a confession. This is the first book in this series that I have read. Although it is part of a series, it can easily be read as a stand-alone novel. There may have been references to things that happened in the past, but they were not essential to this story. I enjoyed the hard-boiled detective style of this book, which also had a bit of humor. One “Bogey-esque” line in the book, in particular, made me chuckle – “She’d regret it. Maybe not now, but soon and forever.” The historical aspects of the book seem accurate, and the dialogue rings true for that time. Although Jake is the main detective, Laura’s investigations are essential to the plot, and I felt that the author did a convincing job of portraying their relationship as an equal partnership. He also did a fairly good job of letting the reader get to know the main characters and their motivations. This book would be enjoyable to anyone who likes a cozy mystery and would also likely be enjoyable to those who like Dashiell Hammett style mysteries, although it is a more “tongue-in-cheek” version of a Hammett novel. I will be putting the first three books in this series on my “to read” list. I received an advance reader’s copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.”

About Michael Murphy

Michael Murphy is a part-time urban chicken rancher and the author of The Yankee Club, All That Glitters, and Wings in the Dark. He lives in Arizona with his wife of more than forty years and their five newly adopted children. He’s active in several local writers’ groups and conducts novel-writing workshops at bookstores and libraries.