This recent attempt at story telling by Earl W. Emerson suffers from the basic malady found in both his series of murder mysteries featuring the male characters Mac Fontana and Thomas Black (as well as the insipid female, Kathy). Enjoyment of these works is greatly impared by a pervasive macho stupidity. All of the stories convey "...a false sense of charisma" (Morons and Madmen. Earl Emerson. 1993:156) embodied in the male protaganists. An obsession with female breasts and sexual conquests bring a derisive burden to an otherwise interesting story. Insensitive, sexist commentary from a supposed studly point of view mars otherwise accomplished writing skills. The conflict always seems to revolve around men "...whose macho territory has been invaded by women" (ibid, page 175).

Earl Emerson's mystery the "The Dead Horse Paint Company" was a novel that caught me off guard. This being the first of Mac Fontana novels that I have purchased, I was a little disappointed at what I found. I expected a novel similar to a forensic medicine novel, only with a firefighter taste. What I got was another middle of the road murder mystery.

The story is about Mac Fontana fire chief in a small Seattle suburb. Fontana formally worked in Seattle when the disasterous Paint Company Fire occured, killing nine other firefighters. Years later the fire chief who botched up the Paint Company fire is found dead in a burning car in Fontana's new hometown. Fontana investigates and finds many past enemys of the former chief. The characters that make up the list suspects are the best thing of the book.

In total this is a good mystery, but don't expect anything too deep. Emerson's writing style is choppy, as the stories pace is not very fluid. Emerson also has a tendency to throw to much masculinity throughout the book. Not for everyone.

Just like Thomas Black, Mac Fontana is a character I--a macho-disliking female--love! I'm wondering if some people miss the irony in Earl's books. I started reading him because I was with a friend on vacation and she could hardly put "Dead Horse" down. I ordered one of his books off Amazon, devoured it in about 2 hours, then went out the next day and ordered every other single title of his I could get my hands on, and read them one per day.

Dead Horse is my favorite of his books, next to "The Portland Laugher". It's Mac at his finest--uncertain, a little vulnerable, but determined to do the right thing. Even if he doesn't always know what that should be...

Yes, his writing can be a little choppy at times, but that's a style thing. I'm used to it, and I like it. I don't think it's a good idea to ever come in at the end of a series, particularly when so much of the character groundwork has already been laid. It begs the comment "....

The only bad thing I can say about this book is that it's been far too long without a sequel. Earl! Please! The suspense is killing me!

I've read all of Emerson's books, and this one just wasn't quite as great as the rest of them. It's hard to find fault with this writer since his protagonist is such a likeable character, living and working in my favorite city, but this was just kind of a downer for me. Eagerly awaiting Earl's next effort. Where in the damp Northwest will Thomas have his next (mis)adventure? I'd like to write Mr. Emerson personally, but don't know how. Please keep us up to date on coming books.

PI Thomas Black, an ex-Seattle cop, is asked by his old partner, Luther, for help finding Luther's daughter. The daughter had been driving a car later found turned over in a ditch with a dead body in the back seat. Did she kill him? Is someone trying to kill her? Is she already dead? This was an exciting and very well-written mystery. The tunnel scene at the end had me so riveted I missed my bus stop. Now that's something! Highly recommended!

This was the first of the Thomas Black mysteries that I have read and I am hooked. Emerson keeps the action going in each chapter and the ending was unpredictable. The charcaters were well established and so was the atomsphere around the city.

Another good addition to the Thomas Black series. A light, entertaining book - and series - which keeps you laughing, thinking and turning the pages to the final chapter. A fun read.

"Deviant Behavior" is the fifth Thomas Black novel by Earl Emerson. Seventeen-year-old Todd Steeb has run away from home, and his parents hire Black to investigate. Thomas and Todd's brother, Buzz, travel to Seattle's Chinatown and the old Milwaukee hotel in search of Todd, whom Buzz thinks is investigating the suicide of their uncle Jan. The plot is somewhat convoluted. It involves murder, suicide, missing money, and the author of a cult classic novel. All this said, "Deviant Behavior" was entertaining and is another fine addition to the Thomas Black series.

"Deviant Behavior" was the first novel in the Thomas Black P.I. series that I have read. I am a huge P.I. fiction fan, and on the basis of this novel I would place Earl W. Emmerson's hero only a notch or so below masters like Raymond Chandler, Lawrence Block and Loren Estleman. Black is not as quick with a metaphor as the best P.I.s, nor is he as world weary or cynical. And Emmerson leaves a lot of the details of his story a little fuzzy around the edges. But the central mystery in "Deviant Behavior" held my interest and it raises some interesting points about the human capacity for guilt and mistrust. The ending may stretch credibility a bit, but overall the novel is a good one for P.I. fiction fans. I guess the best recommendation I can give is that I do plan to spend some more time with Mr. Black in the future.

In this fourth volume of the Mac Fontana series, Earl Emerson offers up an entertaining cast of offbeat characters and fast paced storyline. This time around the story revolves around a copy-cat arsonist who is setting fires in Staircase. Nearby Seattle also has an arsonist on their hands. Mac has to solve this mystery whilst protecting his own son, battling small time politics, romancing a celebrity in hiding, catching dog killers, keeping an eye on power hungry safety directors and putting out fires in and around town, including false alarms at the local nudist colony.

This Mac Fontana is good, but not as good as Morons and Madmen, or even Black Hearts and Slow Dancing. However, it is still a lot of fun and Emerson has once again written another winner.

Poverty Bay is a solid enough mystery wrapped in a depressing ambiance. In this second book in the series, Thomas Black is hired to locate a missing man, Lance. Lance failed to meet his black girlfriend at the marriage license bureau. It turns out that Lance is the sole heir to a 15 million dollar fortune who has lived as a street person for the last few years. Hence, Thomas follows a trail through both the homeless life of Seattle and the black sub-culture as he seeks Lance.

This was a pretty good read. The clues, while sometimes pretty improbable, turn up regularly. Still, there's no glamour in this tale or humor.

Very tiresome reading of this one since it got so many holes from the very beginning without any appropriate logic and explanation. Trying very hard to create a cool p.i. sometimes might only left bad taste for a thinking reader. Gulping up blindly without thinking while reading a detective story would not good for your health, at least not for your brain.

This is the second novel in the Thomas Black series by Earl Emerson. This book has a strong plot and Emerson describes the atmosphere of Seattle to perfection in this book. Lance Tyner is the heir to his grandfather's fortune of $15 million. When Tyner diappears, Black investigates, and goes to some dreary places where the dregs of humanity struggle to stay alive. This is a strong addition to the series which began with "The Rainy City." Black and his friend, Kathy Birchfield, are likeable and believeable characters.

Mr. Darell Y. Hamamoto wrote a review that Mr. Black had copped the title from one of his book. The funny thing is that Mr. Emerson's book was written in 1986 and Mr. Hamamoto's was written in 1989. Seems like Mr. Hamamoto should make an apology to Mr.Emerson rather than the other way around. This a fine addition to the Thomas Black series.

Nervous Laughter is the third novel in Emerson's Thomas Black series, set in Seattle. Black is asked to follow Mark Daniels to find out if he is having an affair. When Black finds the lovers, they are dead, both Daniels and his teenage lover, Bea Hindenburg. The police rule it a murder-suicide, but Daniels' widow doesn't think so. Black finds quite a few suspects along the way in solving this case. Earl Emerson is one of the finest writers of mysteries today, and Nervous Laughter is one of the best of the series.

When I started to look at Emerson's reviews, I was startled that "Nervous Laughter" only got a "2 star" ranking. One reviewer obviously had something else in mind and probably didn't read the entire book. PI Thomas Black is following a rich man who is suspected of cheating on his wife. As he stakes out the site of the supposed tryst, he discovers that the rich man and his teenage lover are dead. Black must find out if it's murder or suicide. Earl Emerson is one of the best mystery writers working today. He paints a perfect picture of Seattle, and his 2 main characters, Thomas Black and Kathy Birchfield, are 2 of the most likeable characters in the mystery genre.

This is the first Thomas Black mystery I read. The book is well plotted and reads fast. The action scenes are hardboiled. I almost gave this four stars but I didn't really like any of the characters. Would it have killed the author to put in at least one normal character and some normal human emotions. Perhaps Seattle has an unusually high percentage of mentally ill and/or deranged people but I doubt it. On page 1 Black's dog is killed. Black doesn't shed a tear but rather he gives us a gardening tip--plant roses over a dog's grave--what's with that?

Emerson's Thomas Black Mysteries are all great BUT, up until Thomas Black finally marries Kathy, he is overly obsessed with women (including Kathy). You know what I mean. Every time a woman (kathy included) appears (not just in her initial introduction but EVERY time she steps on the page) Emerson drools over how perfectly gorgeous, sexy etc. etc. her eyes are and her hair is and her legs are. Over and over. Hey I don't need to be told over and over the color of someones eyes, hair, skin. I mean what is this? Emerson trying to fill-up the pages or is he just a shallow sexist jerk. And naturally most all the women in his books are stunning beauties all hot to trot or they are sick pathetic gutter dogs. The men are usually ugly, potbellied freaks.

Out side of that, Emerson's Thomas Black Mysteries are superior to most of what's out there. Full of fun and wit. Interesting plots that have depth and breadth. Highly recommended.

Now, his Mac Fontana Mysteries are not very good. In fact it's hard to believe Emerson wrote them.

Thomas Black Mysteries: in order, first to last The Rainy City, Poverty Bay, Nervous Laughter, Fat Tuesday, Deviant Behavior Yellow Dog Party, The Portland Laugher, The Vanishing Smile, The Million-Dollar Tattoo, Catfish Café.

Mac Fontana Mysteries: in order, first to last Black Hearts and Slow Dancing, Help Wanted: Orphans Preferred, Morons and Madmen, Going Crazy in Public, The Dead Horse Paint Company

"The Rainy City" is the debut novel from Earl Emerson and his character, private eye, Thomas Black. The atmosphere is very realistic; the series is set in Seattle. Black and his friend (in this book), Kathy Birchfield are entertaining and totally believable. The plot is good, and for anyone contemplating reading the entire series, this is the one to begin the journey. The character development throughout the entire series (the last being "Catfish Cafe") is excellent and a lot of fun to watch.