SW Lauden offers readers a lot of unique elements in his Greg Salem mystery series. This is the first I've read, but it won't be the last (in fact I've already started HANG TIME, book three).

GRIZZLY SEASON is the second of Lauden's tales starring Greg Salem, a So-Cal surfer and private eye who's past resume includes Los Angeles cop and punk rock frontman. The follow-up to BAD CITIZEN CORPORATION (the first in the series as well as the name of Salem's punk band), GRIZZLY SEASON begins with Salem and his friend and former BCC drummer Marco hanging out at a cabin in Angeles National Forest backcountry, decompressing after some high-intensity scrapes.

The pair can't stay out of trouble, however, and step right in the bear-shit when they're out hiking and stumble into a marijuana crop run in a cult-like manner by a man who calls himself Magnus Ursus. That's just the beginning of the nightmare, as Salem tries to extricate them from Magnus - a very dangerous proposition - as well as trying to help with the son of an old friend heading off the rails, manage a private eye case digging dirt for another friend, and deal with a new relationship.

Lauden packs a lot into what is a quick, fun read. GRIZZLY SEASON is full of action and excitement. Told in straightforward fashion - Lauden's talent is for the interesting characters and situations he crafts rather than being a prose stylist - the book fair tears along with barely a pause. Readers are dipped into several different subcultures, as Salem's worlds interconnect and collide.

We hurtle around southern California, from forested mountain trails to the lapping waters of the Pacific, from dingy biker bars to high-end mansions. Salem's notoriety and fists-first attitude opens doors (or breaks them down, where necessary) all over the place, even as he tries to hold off the machinations of his former police bosses and gossipy journalists, as well as plenty of bad guys who have him in their sights. Can Salem save Marco, among many others, and himself?

An exciting read that offers something a little different.

I tried to read this book, and did not like the author's writing style.

I hate to do this but this book was a DNF (did not finish). I could not get past the layout and extra spaces of the book when I first started. Then the tone and narration of the book just did not capture my attention. I love mysteries but this book was just too slow moving and the characters just were not interesting to me.