If you like hard-boiled detective fiction.... If you like the Spenser books of Robert B. Parker.... If you like good mysteries.... If you like good, solid storytelling.... Then you really should read David Housewright's <em>Like To Die</em>.

Rushmore "Mac" McKenzie is a former St. Paul police detective who retired early after collecting the reward money for solving a a case while still on the force. Now he works as a PI and helps out his friends from time to time. It is helping out friends that brings him to his next case when a poker buddy asks Mac to help a friend.

Erin Peterson is the owner of Salsa Girl Salsa, made locally and rising in popularity. But someone doesn't seem too happy with her success. The sabotage has been simple but effective ... locks around the building and on the delivery trucks have been filled with superglue. It doesn't seem like much, but even a single day late on deliveries could mean significant losses in income for a small business trying to go big. Is it a rival business trying to keep Salsa Girl Salsa small? Is it a jealous lover? A left-in-the-cold partner? McKenzie, who takes a liking to Erin Peterson, takes on the case, but what he finds is bigger than anyone expected and Mac is going to call in a lot of favors just to stay alive.

I found this to be a really great hard-boiled detective story. McKenzie comes across as the classic tough-guy PI in this book. He gets beat up pretty hard and almost seems to enjoy it. But we have brutish thugs, car chases, explosions, and snipers in the middle of a well-plotted who-dunnit mystery. I was reminded of the Spenser novels of Robert B. Parker - tough, intelligent, with connections on the police force, connections outside the law, and a beautiful girlfriend with an unbelievable amount of trust.

This is one of the better, more exciting mysteries I've read in awhile now, but I did have one small issue with the a plot point. As wise as McKenzie is, he has just a little too much trust in his client. He admits he doesn't know anything about her, and we are reminded by another character in the book that he doesn't know anything about her, yet he continues to work blindly for her. Even the first time it came up it raised a red flag for me, and a very clear warning when it was brought up another time.

Still, this has made me want to read all the Rushmore McKenzie novel I can get my hands on now.

Looking for a good book? If you like hard-boiled detective fiction, with tough protagonists and bad-as-can-be villains, then you really should read <em>Like to Die</em> by David Housewright. It's wonderful.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

In a Flutter: McKenzie is a riot!
Fluttering Thoughts
Worldbuilding: Twin Cities setting. I loved the blend of worlds, his life as a cop and his non-cop pursuits xD
Characters: McKenzie is an ex detective. He’s smart and efficient, and can operate somewhat outside of the law since he’s not a detective anymore – pretty cool, cop skills, not so many cop limitations. Of course, he has his moral code and a very sharp sense of right and wrong, as you would expect. But there’s this flexibility about his thinking that just won my heart from like page 1. The awesome sense of humor really helped, too xDD
Plot: The mystery starts out seeming pretty cozy and light, but it gets more and more nuanced and fun as the story unfolds. Loved the tempo and structure of the story, and the ending was very satisfying.
Writing: First person, past tense narrative, MC POV. Loooooooove his voice, very conversational and super funny.
Curb Appeal: Cool cover, hooking blurb, impulsive buy material for my fun Mc mystery books.

I recommend Like to Die to fans of colorful and charismatic MCs and twisty stories that are very entertaining.

A great book that is part of a series. I have not read the other books in the series and didn't feel lost, so it is ok to read without reading the books prior to this one. The author grabbed me at page 1 and never let me go! I am definitely going to read the other books in the series.

An enjoyable read, with good characters and snappy dialogue. I actually “felt” for the “damsel in distress.”
I’m grateful for the opportunity to have read this book, and my opinion is solely my own.

This is a page Turner, too graphic for me, however, very well written, good mystery about Salsa Girl. This is like a film noir in Old Hollywood style, pretty , smart woman, trouble when she was young, then it catches up with her! Mackenzie is a heart thob, I don't understand why his girlfriend puts up with his dangerous activity? Why aren't they married?For people who like shafy characters, mobsters, and deceit everywhere, this book is for you. I could not like the Salsa girl, she made bad choices, caused horrific problems, when all she should have done was get a job to pay off her debts, like the rest of us do!
Carolinthallahassee.com

Wow! Read in less than a day! Forgot to take down notes!!!

Like to Die by David Housewright begins with a poker game - this way the reader is quickly drawn into the characters.
Erin's Salsa Girl company is in trouble - someone super glued her locks. Ian, her supposed boyfriend, calls on McKenzie to help out. McKenzie is the main character, a millionaire ex-cop with (too much?) time on his hands. He becomes involved with the Salsa Girl business. Alice, Erin's right hand gal, thinks there is more to this than the prank Erin said that it was. Eventually, Erin purchases a security system for the business. This to be installed the evening when McKenzie and Erin are attending the rich investor's house party.

Later, Erin admits that she wants to get away from the rich investors - Bignell and Sax - and go with a larger corporation, Central Valley Distributers. After not so subtle warnings from a number of people, McKenzie finds himself in the hospital after a bomb goes off in the Salsa Girl parking lot. But this doesn't deter him! He gets a call from Alice and finds her with Randy Bignell (grandson of "the" Bignell family) who is beat up and cut up. Randy was cut off from family money and acts as a go-between for heroin runners! Wowee, McKenzie is stymied. Randy told his drug supplier that Erin was trying to sell her business, also. McKenzie calls in a few old favors and manages to spend 40K on their assistance. Who is Christine Olson and what is Erin hiding? McKenzie and Erin go on the run and then...

What an enjoyable read !!! Held my interest throughout. Forget to take notes on this book! Impressive use of character development, twists and conclusions. Highly recommend!!!!! Many thanks to NetGally and St. Martin's Press for the thrill ride.

I love all the McKenzie books, but I have to admit this one is special! I actually felt a little fear this time, and was kept guessing, which I loved! I was sad to finish and looking forward to the next one.

I started this book and wasn’t exactly thrilled. The first chapter or two had me thinking it wasn’t my cup of tea. After that I began to like it and got into the style of writing the author was using with lots of dialogue, including the inner dialogue of the main character. I know that this is one of a series of 14 books but I didn’t end up feeling that I was missing anything by reading this one first even though it is not one of the early books. The setting of the Twin Cities is charming and helps this book stand out as different from other PI series. If another one of the Mac Makenzie books came my way I would definitely read them and greet them as an old friend. #netgalley #liketodie

Mac has a cadre of friends who sometimes has seemingly benign problems. At a poker frame one mentions a friend, Salsa Girl, was having small issues at her plant. Mac checks it out and is drawn in as the issues explode.....rat feces, super glued truck locks, and vehicle explosion. There is more to Salsa Girl than she tells and Mac must uncover it all before he ends up dead. Great story. Good pacing.