Synopses & Reviews
“Hush Money is a fast-paced,funny mystery and Jack MacTaggart is a delightful, wise-cracking hero. I hope we see more of him.” —Phillip Margolin
A newly minted member of Henley & Hargrove, Pasadenas oldest and snobbiest law firm, Jack MacTaggart is assigned to handle an insurance claim on behalf of socialite Sydney Everett. Hush Puppy, Sydneys champion show horse, has died unexpectedly, and attending veterinarian George Wells confides to Jack that the great horses death was anything but natural.
Jacks investigation leads him into the high-stakes world of professional show jumping and down a path to romance, intrigue, and an old blackmail scheme that further implicates his client. After Jack reports his findings, another body is discovered. And this one is human.
Framed for the murder, with his job on the line and with the police leading a rush to judgment, Jacks only hope for exoneration is to catch the killer himself. And with the help of an unlikely confederation of allies and enemies, victims and suspects, Jack races toward a final showdown where all the scores, both old and new, are finally settled.
Review
"
Hush Money is a fast-paced, funny mystery and Jack MacTaggart is a delightful, wise-cracking hero. I hope we see more of him."
—Phillip Margolin, author of Capitol Murder
“Superbly written and paced, this sensational legal thriller reads like a polished jewel. Set in the Mercedes and Rolex horse show world, Greaves sports a smoking new voice in crime fiction, reminiscent of John Hart. Hush Money's riveting characters and snappy dialogue round out a smashingly memorable first effort. Chuck Greaves has major writing chops.”
—Julia Spencer-Fleming, New York Times bestselling author of One Was a Soldier
“Take John D. MacDonalds Travis McGee, Jonathan Kellermans Alex Delaware, and the best of John Grishams protagonists, shake and serve, and youll have the hero of Hush Money. Chuck Greaves has written a confident, cool and totally engrossing legal thriller with the pop and sizzle of some of the greats of the genre. Its a hell of a debut.”
—Chelsea Cain, New York Times bestselling author
"One heck of a debut, and a welcome addition to the genre. Jack MacTaggart is a joy to root for, and there are enough twists and turns to keep you up way past bedtime. A thoroughly enjoyable mystery."
—Ira Berkowitz, author of 2010 Shamus Award-winning Sinners Ball
“Chuck Greaves writes with style and an insider's knowledge of the courtroom and the lawyer's life. Hush Money is smart, entertaining and funny. And in Jack MacTaggart he has created a likeable, wise-cracking lawyer-detective -- Jim Rockford with a law degree. A great read.”
—William Landay, author of Defending Jacob
“Greaves debut mystery, Hush Money, sparks with snappy dialog, rich imagery, and sarcasm sharp as a razor. Early in the book, the line, ‘…above the blooms, like a spider at the center of her web, floated the head and shoulders of a smallish woman, her darting eyes alert to the activity around her,” told this reader shed stumbled upon darn good writing.”
—Sasscer Hill, author of Agatha and Macavity Best First Mystery nominee, Full Mortality
"Greaves makes the most of his 25 years as a trial attorney in relating courtroom tactics. The combination of confident writing and a determined and ethical protagonist add up to a winner."
—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“Cleverly intermingles equestrian show jumping, insurance claims, and high-tech science in this sunny California thriller. Great readalikes for tone would be Jack Fredrickson and Spencer Quinn.”
—Library Journal (starred review)
"An auspicious debut. Jack [MacTaggart] would be welcome back in the winners circle any time."
—Kirkus Reviews
“With its "whoa, boy!" central character, sharp dialogue, and hit-the-spot Southern California venues, this is a series with plenty of potential.”
—Yahoo! Shine
“If you combine the horse-centered suspenses of Dick Francis with the legal thrillers of John Grisham youll have Chuck Greaves and his first novel, Hush Money.”
—The Chronicle of the Horse
“This is a first novel that promises much pleasure to come for a long time; the very likable lawyer central character will surely be the basis of a series.”
—Sullivan County Democrat
"A great debut novel."
—Algona Upper Des Moines
“A sexy, funny, rollicking good show from start to finish.”
—Winnipeg Free Press
“Fast-paced and inspired, written with an insiders knowledge of the legal world, its a terrific addition to the genre, and one hopes there will be more Jack stories.”
—RT Book Reviews
“Like a nicely-executed jumper ride. The rhythm flowed from the steadiness of a well-paced triple combination to the accurately frantic fun of a jump off. And lets just say that Hush Money had a clean round with no time faults. … An intelligent murder mystery played by actors unique and strong in character. Whatever the story that Greaves shares next, Jack will be welcome.”
—The Equestrian News
Review
"
Hush Money is a fast-paced, funny mystery and Jack MacTaggart is a delightful, wise-cracking hero. I hope we see more of him."
—Phillip Margolin, author of Capitol Murder
“Superbly written and paced, this sensational legal thriller reads like a polished jewel. Set in the Mercedes and Rolex horse show world, Greaves sports a smoking new voice in crime fiction, reminiscent of John Hart. Hush Money's riveting characters and snappy dialogue round out a smashingly memorable first effort. Chuck Greaves has major writing chops.”
—Julia Spencer-Fleming, New York Times bestselling author of One Was a Soldier
“Take John D. MacDonalds Travis McGee, Jonathan Kellermans Alex Delaware, and the best of John Grishams protagonists, shake and serve, and youll have the hero of Hush Money. Chuck Greaves has written a confident, cool and totally engrossing legal thriller with the pop and sizzle of some of the greats of the genre. Its a hell of a debut.”
—Chelsea Cain, New York Times bestselling author
"One heck of a debut, and a welcome addition to the genre. Jack MacTaggart is a joy to root for, and there are enough twists and turns to keep you up way past bedtime. A thoroughly enjoyable mystery."
—Ira Berkowitz, author of 2010 Shamus Award-winning Sinners Ball
“Chuck Greaves writes with style and an insider's knowledge of the courtroom and the lawyer's life. Hush Money is smart, entertaining and funny. And in Jack MacTaggart he has created a likeable, wise-cracking lawyer-detective -- Jim Rockford with a law degree. A great read.”
—William Landay, author of Defending Jacob
“Greaves debut mystery, Hush Money, sparks with snappy dialog, rich imagery, and sarcasm sharp as a razor. Early in the book, the line, ‘…above the blooms, like a spider at the center of her web, floated the head and shoulders of a smallish woman, her darting eyes alert to the activity around her,” told this reader shed stumbled upon darn good writing.”
—Sasscer Hill, author of Agatha and Macavity Best First Mystery nominee, Full Mortality
"Greaves makes the most of his 25 years as a trial attorney in relating courtroom tactics. The combination of confident writing and a determined and ethical protagonist add up to a winner."
—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“Cleverly intermingles equestrian show jumping, insurance claims, and high-tech science in this sunny California thriller. Great readalikes for tone would be Jack Fredrickson and Spencer Quinn.”
—Library Journal (starred review)
"An auspicious debut. Jack [MacTaggart] would be welcome back in the winners circle any time."
—Kirkus Reviews
“With its "whoa, boy!" central character, sharp dialogue, and hit-the-spot Southern California venues, this is a series with plenty of potential.”
—Yahoo! Shine
“If you combine the horse-centered suspenses of Dick Francis with the legal thrillers of John Grisham youll have Chuck Greaves and his first novel, Hush Money.”
—The Chronicle of the Horse
Synopsis
A Finalist for Private Eye Writers of America's Shamus Award for Best First P.I. Novel
A Finalist for Left Coast Crime's 2013 Rocky Award
When Hush Puppy, Pasadena socialite Sydney Everetts champion show horse, dies under suspicious circumstances, junior lawyer Jack MacTaggart is assigned to handle the insurance claim. But the case soon takes an unexpected turn, thrusting Jack into a spiraling web of blackmail and murder in which he finds himself both the prime suspect and the next likely victim.
In this acclaimed debut novel, the first in a series, former Los Angeles trial lawyer Chuck Greaves takes readers into the high-stakes worlds of big-firm litigation and professional equestrian show-jumping, where no one can be trusted, and where nothing is quite what it seems.
Synopsis
When Hush Puppy, Pasadena socialite Sydney Everetts champion show horse, dies under suspicious circumstances, junior lawyer Jack MacTaggart is assigned to handle the insurance claim. But the case soon takes an unexpected turn, thrusting Jack into a spiraling web of blackmail and murder in which he finds himself both the prime suspect and the next likely victim.
In this acclaimed debut novel, the first in a series, former Los Angeles trial lawyer Chuck Greaves takes readers into the high-stakes worlds of big-firm litigation and professional equestrian show-jumping, where no one can be trusted, and where nothing is quite what it seems.
Synopsis
A Finalist for Left Coast Crime's 2013 Rocky Award
When Hush Puppy, Pasadena socialite Sydney Everetts champion show horse, dies under suspicious circumstances, junior lawyer Jack MacTaggart is assigned to handle the insurance claim. But the case soon takes an unexpected turn, thrusting Jack into a spiraling web of blackmail and murder in which he finds himself both the prime suspect and the next likely victim.
In this acclaimed debut novel, the first in a series, former Los Angeles trial lawyer Chuck Greaves takes readers into the high-stakes worlds of big-firm litigation and professional equestrian show-jumping, where no one can be trusted, and where nothing is quite what it seems.
About the Author
CHUCK GREAVES was born in Levittown, New York. He is an honors graduate of both the University of Southern California and Boston College Law School and spent twenty-five years as a trial lawyer in Los Angeles. Hush Money, his first novel, was named by SouthWest Writers as the Best Mystery/Suspense/Thriller/Adventure Novel of 2010, and won SWWs Storyteller Award. He lives in the American Southwest.
Learn more at www.ChuckGreaves.com.