Nicely done mystery featuring a strong female protagonist in Cass. I missed the first book but this was fine as a standalone. A good read.

Case Raines is back in her second mystery and this case involves the dead of a young man from a rich family. Police call it an accidental death by drowning while believing it was probably suicide. A friend hires Cass to prove it was murder. The police want her to stop and the family wants her to stop but the facts don’t add up. Why would a man knowing he was dying and planning his funeral with friends kill himself? Why did he wipe the entire boat down before going overboard and leaving no prints? Who most likely comes out ahead if he dies? With a little help from the good and the bad guys, Cass works this case.
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I wish I would have read the first book in the series (BROKEN PLACES) I think it would have added to my enjoyment of this story since it is referenced quite a bit throughout this book. However, I was still satisfied with the elements brought to the page. I liked Cass Raines as a protagonist and enjoyed getting to know her. I appreciated the fact that the author allowed the reader to catch a glimpse of Cass in both her work and personal environments. I've never been to Chicago, so I don't know if the descriptions are accurate or not, but they sure helped to give me an idea of where the story was taking place. I did find that there was a bit more action than I'm used to reading in a PI novel, but it all ultimately added to the story.

All in all, a good read. I will definitely be grabbing book one and the other books in the series.

This was a very captivating and engaging thriller! I love books that make it hard to put down and this one certainly fits with that! Definitely recommend it to any other mystery lovers!

PI Cassandra Raines spends most of her time on small crimes investigation, which can be quite boring for someone who once was a Chicago cop. However, Cass has found a way to pay the bills and feel like she's making a difference. In this book, Cass takes on a case for a young man that works at the diner she frequents. For the police, it is a closed case of a dying man who decided suicide was better than what awaited him in the remainder of his life. But, not everyone agrees with this conclusion. Because the deceased is from a very wealthy family, great control has been exercised to minimize the bad publicity of the family's "bad apple." Finally convinced that the death was a homicide, Cass doggedly searches for answers and is met with hostile resistance along the way. As she begins to put the pieces together, her life is endangered by those who want to keep their secrets hidden. It is a good plot with twists and turns that keeps you guessing about the ending. I hope there is another book about Cass and her motley crew.

Tracy Clark has developed a heroine with enough courage and bravery, not to mention being a sucker for an under dog, that we hope she will keep this series running for a long time. We readers need more great series to follow.

I liked the story, it had me laughing at times.
Tracy Clark knows this city well and the vibrations of the streets, and people that are throughout. The book cover was just as amazing as the story. The dialogue is witty, with a little extra zing thrown in there just because. It has some humor that hits you. It was a very satisfying read. I didn't read the first book in the series, which I need to. But I really enjoyed this book..

Borrowed Time by Tracy Clark follows Private Detective Cassandra Raines (Cass) as she is hired by Jung Bryson to look into the “suicide” of Tim Ayers, the son of a wealthy, local family.
As Cass looks into the “suicide”, the local police investigation doesn’t add up. Cass begins to uncover holes and cover ups that make her question Tims death being ruled a suicide. As she continues to dig deeper, she begins to believe that her client is right, that Tim was murdered, and the people who are covering it up will stop at nothing to cover their tracks. As she chases down leads, that the police turned a blind eye too, Cass begins to be threatened and her leads wind up dead themselves. Is she next?

Borrowed time is the second book in the Chicago mystery series. The first book is Broken Places. Many reviews state that the book can be read as a stand alone. I assure you that is not the case, as the book refers back frequently to what happened in the first book. I would highly recommend that you read Broken Places before you read Borrowed Time.
One of the things that I did like about the book was that Cass was a very strong, female lead. She didn’t take anyone’s crap and she didn’t back down when she was threatened. If anything it just spurred her on more. Also, she clearly felt strongly about protecting her loved ones from any further scars that could come by being associated with her, and she tried to distance herself to protect them. They would have none of it.
However, the story was very slow moving. It didn’t grab my interest like a good mystery should. I struggled to stay engaged in the book and as a result, I did put it down frequently. It took me a while to read it.

Borrowed Time is about Cassandra Raines, a former Chicago cop turned private-investigator who looks into a suspicious death as a favor to a friend. Cass is a bit aggressive which puts her on a risky path to catch the criminals. There are strong characters in this book, with a good plot which could be a bit unbelievable at times, but makes for a good read. Thank you to Net Galley for providing an advanced reader’s copy for review.

Super enjoyed this one! I loved book one and this one is, I daresay, even better. This is the 2nd book I've read with this plot line and I have to say I'm enjoying it... the idea that you can cash in early but what happens when you don't meet the qualifications of doing so? Fast paced, a LOT (maybe too much??) going on. A few heroics but overall a captivating and enjoyable read. I pretty much devoured it in one sitting and am already ready for the next Tracy Clark book.

Cassandra Raines is a former cop turned private investigator, her personal life is “complicated,” and she is blessed with having a lot of folks in her corner. Cass readily admits her working life can be dull, with days and nights peppered with persistence and guile, especially when dealing with lowlifes.

A PI’s life isn’t glamorous, not by a long shot. I spend half my time sitting in a cold car, watching people do the dumbest things, and the other half typing up reports about it. But that’s when business isn’t slow. When it is, like now, I, Cass Raines, PI, contract myself out for steady pay.

The symbiotic relationship between law firms and private investigators predates the win/win arrangement television PI Paul Drake had with attorney Perry Mason. Cass’s pay-the-bills assignment from a law firm is to serve a summons on Big Percy, a non-wife-supporting blues player. Operating under the rubric of keep it simple, stupid, Cass pretends to ask for an autograph.

Big Percy leered at me. “Now, where’d you get that sexy smile from?”



I grinned foolishly. Really, I should take to the stage. I was a natural. “It came with the ears.”



Prescott’s eyes clouded over, confusion wrinkling his piggish face. He was back quickly, though. “Everybody knows I got a soft spot for the ladies.” He took a long survey of me. It started high, lingered a bit in the middle, and stopped at my shoe tops. “And I like’em lean, leggy, and caramel colored, just like you.”

You think this flirtatious behavior from Mr. Piggy is going to end well for him? Nope. His assistant even supplies the pen that seals his doom.

Tracy Clark is good at showcasing the reality of a private investigator’s life—weaving the props and places (seedy diner, the cop shop, the Windy City in all its diversity)—seamlessly into the plot. Derek’s Diner is Cass’s go-to spot. She likes it because it’s never crowded.

People flocked to other diners, but they didn’t flock here and wouldn’t, even if Deek were giving away free bacon. That’s because Willis Deacon, Vietnam vet turned surly fry cook and unrepentant social pariah, would go down in the annals of history as the grumpiest black man this side of Hades.

Cass takes it all in stride. Since fictional PI’s often operate at the corner of legal and questionable, Cass’s friends run the gamut of cops to criminals. She’s brave, sometimes stupidly so, in the face of attackers and/or opposition, and she’ll tap anyone who can help in her quest for the truth. If Cass takes on your case, she’ll stick with it no matter how many noses she puts out of joint. It’s not a particularly well-hidden secret that she has marshmallow innards when it comes to wielding the sword of justice and standing up for what’s right.

But sometimes the most familiar paths can lead straight to danger—like at Cass’s go-to diner, where new delivery guy Jung Byson wants to enlist her expertise. Jung’s friend, Tim Ayers, scion of a wealthy Chicago family, has been found dead, floating in Lake Michigan near his luxury boat. And Jung is convinced there’s a murderer on the loose…



Cass reluctantly begins digging only to discover that Jung neglected to mention one crucial fact: Tim Ayers was terminally ill.

Cass can’t initially figure out why someone would want to murder a person who wasn’t long for this world. So she taps her former colleague Detective Marta Pena for some behind-the-scenes background. Marta says nothing hinky was revealed in Tim Ayers’s investigation, but Cass keeps pressing.

“You’re a pain in my ass, you know that?”



“Yes.”



“You’re working for Mr. Dippy Boots?”



“Marta, please, give me some credit. I told him straight out that if you were on the case, then you ran it like it should be run. But if Mr. Dippy … ugh … Jung can get a grip on what happened, he can start to put this whole thing behind him. Five minutes. Just the highlights, and I’m a ghost.”



“Until next time you want a favor,” Marta groused.



“Just remember, that door swings both ways,” I said.

Another staple in a private investigator series is a love interest who is intriguing but doesn’t distract from the main story. Meet Detective Eli Weber, a tall, cool, recently-divorced glass of water. Cass turns him down when he asks for a date, but Weber doesn’t seem deterred.

He backed up, headed for the car as smooth as anything, irritatingly unruffled, like he owned the street and every brick in it. “I’ll call. We’ll set something up for when you’re not so busy.”



“I didn’t say yes. Did you hear me say ‘yes’?”



He opened the driver’s door, held it. “You’re still standing there. That’s my ‘yes.’”

We haven’t seen the last of Eli.

A comparison that kept occurring to me was how much Weber’s series reminded me of Robert Parker’s famous Spenser books. The city of Chicago is a character in Cass’s story—she lives in Hyde Park, “a neighborhood and community area on the South Side of Chicago.” But more than that is Cass’s attitude. Her investigations lead her to a cross-dressers bar named Sophie’s, a joint that “hadn’t had a door open or fresh air circulating since the Capone era.” The bartender tells her that the patrons are staring at her and that’s she’s underdressed.

I looked down at myself, taking the survey. I looked fine to me, dressed in my usual knockabout PI uniform: jeans, shirt, Nikes, disarming smile. “But still as cute as a bug’s ear.”



“You also look like heat.”



I shook my head. “Not heat, and even if I were, I don’t see anything illegal going on here.”

Shades of Spenser. No doubt there are countless stories waiting to be told about crime and punishment in Chicago—and Tracy Clark’s PI Cassandra Raine is just the woman to bring them to life.

I thoroughly enjoyed this one! Tracy Clark's style reads like a very classic PI novel, and Cass Raines is definitely cementing herself as a new favorite PI in my heart. She's still holding onto some of the feelings she had in Broken Places, the series opener, and new, interesting characters were introduced in this one. This was one of the most interesting mystery plots I've read in awhile- while it seemed totally plausible, it was innovative and complex.
I'm hoping this series continues, as I definitely want more from these characters and from Tracy Clark!

Watch out for ladders. An unusual premise for murder. Lots of action and peril. Some quirky characters. This was my first, but certainly won't be the last book by Tracy Clark that I will read. I look forward to the next one in the series and plan to read the first one, too. This one is fine as a stand alone. There are laughs along the way.

Cassandra Raines - along with her assorted odd band of buddies - has quickly become one of my favorite PI's in the crime fiction world. Tracy Clark writes terrific characters that reach right out to her readers. Bravo!

3.5 stars. Lots of twists and turns. Having lived in Chicago, the city is written about very well. What is not to love? A Black leading woman, my second home city, murder, intrigue ❤️ Solid characters- though I will say that Cass’ “boss” is annoying. I don’t care who you are, no one is dumb enough to continually put their ass on the line, with the Chicago Police AND a killer. I get that they want to “help” but that seems excessive.

Also, I got this as an ARC so I haven’t read the first book about Cass Raines. Reading the first book is NOT necessary, but there are a few flashback scenes, which made me wish I had read the first book.

All in all, the book was good and I would definitely read another selection by this author. I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I wanted to love this one but I had such a hard time getting into this one compared to the first book. Cass is no nonsense and a female lead more than capable of handling her own but this story just seemed to drag and I felt like it could've been condensed. I liked reading about Chicago culture and all of Cass' favorite places to visited but I just couldn't get into the mystery.

In this second installment of The Chicago Mystery series we get to see former cop turned private eye Cass Raines really come into her own. She is trying to rebuild her life after several major blows and finds herself taking on small and safe cases just to pay the bills. Everything is fine and dandy in her world until the delivery guy from the local neighborhood restaurant asks her to look into his friends accidental death. Raines reluctantly takes on the case and if she has to break a law or two to get the job done, so be it. The greater good and all.

Raines is relentless. She is always on the move. There was never a dull moment in this one. Just like in real life Cass had to work for every single clue to figure out the case. Nothing came easy which made it all the more realistic. And Cass has such a good support system to back her up for those moments when she forgets that she is human and can die. I loved them all-Barb (the street smart nun), Weber (the potential love interest), Ben (the ex-partner) & Whip (the bodyguard). Raines knows they got her back so she can make some questionable decisions when it comes to her safety.You can’t help but love the team.

I didn’t want to leave this world and I’m still thinking about it days later because this book opens with one of the funniest scenes I’ve ever read. It was hilarious. I laughed so hard. Books that make me laugh will always be a favorite. You should definitely check out this series.

Borrowed Time is a fantastic suspense. I enjoyed the plot and the author’s writing. I definitely will be reading more books by this author.

Chicago PI Cass Raines is hired by quirky delivery boy Jung Byson to investigate the death of his friend Tim Ayers who had been found dead floating in Lake Michigan near his luxury yacht. Tim had been terminally ill and the police and his wealthy family are determined to have his death ruled as a suicide. So who would want to kill a dying man? Cass stubbornly continues her investigation despite legal action from the Ayres family and some violent threats involving her car and a grisly delivery sent to her office.

I received an eARC via Netgalley and Kensington with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book and provided this review.

Thank you to Kensington Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The premise is that of a classic detective/PI novel - a death classified as a suicide, but that turns out to be much more complicated (and of course not a suicide at all). The characters were well-drawn, and Tracy Clark does a good job of giving us a good feeling for the heroine's everyday life, circle of friends and back story, as well as for the city of Chicago. The plot is action-packed - and therein lies my problem. There's way too much action, the heroine is constantly dashing from one place to another, suffering beatings, immersion in freezing cold water, escaping from a burning building filled with noxious gases... way over the top, kind of the blockbuster cinema moves where the hero/heroine vanquishes the bad guys in spite of taking the kind of physical punishment no normal mortal could survive.