There are some books we love and others we can even read past the first few chapters. Unfortunately, this is one of the “can’t read” ones.

After reading the first few chapters, I couldn’t enjoy the read. While the writing was clear and understandable, the story was definitely written from the point of a black character, including all the stereotypical language.

IQ or Isaiah Quintabe is someone who takes on cases the police won’t handle. He is looking for his next case that actually pays him money. May times he takes cases where the payment is Sweet Potato Pie or having his house cleaned. Now he needs one that will actually pay the bills.

If you like a book with this stereotypical writing, this may be one you enjoy.

This was an unexpected book for me, and one I enjoyed. I love the backstory for IQ, particularly how he overcomes his rocky childhood (and the fact that he's a high school dropout) to become a brilliant investigator. Cool story.

This book had way too many swear words, I just couldn't get around them. I like a good mystery, and this one had great reviews, but mine isn't one of them. I found it impossible to finish, just did not like where it was going. Felt sorry for Isiah, but on the whole, didn't care that much. I love character driven books, but this wasn't. Writer needs more writing tips.

A fresh take on Sherlock, which is brilliant. In this case the main character is black, lives in a bad neighborhood with a pet chicken, and has as a sidekick a guy from the 'hood with whom he has a convoluted relationship. The writing is crisp and funny. Great resolution. Loved this book.

I read of some references to Sherlock Holmes in the praises but there is more of Dickens also, who wrote about poverty and the rich, and pursuit of happiness.
There is a real potent voice created by the capable author Joe Ide has crafted a tale about the alternative American dream the other side of the fences tale, a tale of poetic justice in ways, in pursuit of happinesses and what people in the concrete jungle will do for it.
These characters within the pages are all about second chances, they come at your with right hooks not straight down barrel punches types the ones you can see so well, street smarts, witty dialogue he’s not your average detective sipping on alcohol he's a expresso drinker.
A Sherlock Holmes tale could be in the theatres, on stage, this tale could be in the fight ring.
Isaiah would be Ali with his one liners and metaphors that has you laugh many a time in this tale and his opponent would be ideally Sonny Liston but in this tale its more like Primo Carnera except he’s on all fours in this tale commanded by a real bad one.
The main protagonist Isaiah Quintabe (I.Q) is a likeable and memorable character who keeps it real, a real deal detective, his life described right from his beginnings with his tumbles and falls to his making it right having a second chance as a detective with some poetic justice.
Joe Ide raised in South Central LA must have had plenty of material around him to incorporate upon the page and may have plenty to write giving his voice and works original and fresh to the detective genre.
His writing is like that of Joe Lonsdale creator of duo Hap and Leonard and some Don Winslow.
The same sharp writing with potent prose, the same bang on dialogue and clear scenes, that has you being there in the thick of of it all and the same social commentary.
Isaiah Quintabe is one that the reader will love to hear more of and thats not far off as another chapter in his life comes in Righteous an IQ novel in 10/17/17. I caught this one late but not too late so that i can have I.Q fresh in my mind to read the next book soon.

IQ is a great character! And the plot is just as good!

See the review by East Coast Don in menreadingbooks.blogspot.com - a highly favorable review of a "must read" novel.

Isiah Quintable is IQ, an extremely intelligent an unexpected private detective; or maybe helper is better, as he has unconventionally been put in that role, a matter of necessity more than desire. But he is good at it, and it is better than the alternative.

When an old friend comes to Isiah with a job, his first instinct was a flat "no". But desperation overcomes his better judgment, and IQ takes the case to help a famous rap star learn who is threatening him. The book then goes back and forth between the history of Isaiah and his opportunistic friend and the current case, resulting in the complete picture that is Isiah Quintable.

Author Joe Ide has provided a well developed character who can serve as a hero to many of us. A hero who has so far overcame too many obstacles to the American dream to find a type of success, for one. And a solid mystery as well written as any other in the genre. If most authors get better over time, we should all expect very good things from Joe Ide.

Disclaimer: I want to say up front that I did not finish this book. It is well-written and I think will have great appeal to certain audiences, but I am not that audience. I'm not much into rap culture or popular culture for that matter, so while I gave the book a solid three stars, I think other will find it rates better than that. It's got a solid premise, interesting characters and a good story. I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in return for a fair and honest review.

First line: Boyd parked his truck across the street from the school and waited for the bell to ring.

Summary: IQ is Isaiah, a high school dropout with a backstory. He’s brilliant, and when the LAPD can’t , or won’t, solve the crimes in his neighborhood, one of the toughest in LA, Isaiah takes them on. His clients usually can’t pay much, so he only charges them what they can afford. However, his latest client is a rap mogul and Isaiah finds a whole host of suspects who might want the rapper dead.

Highlights: This book is really well written and the story line is probably quite engaging. There’s a nice cast of characters, some who you empathize with and others you can’t stand, which makes for a good book. There’s action and interest, and the setting is easy to visualize.

Lowlights (or what could have been better): I did occasionally have trouble following which character was which.

FYI: This book is set in a rough neighborhood in LA and the language explicitly reflects that.

If you are into the 'rap scene' I guess you would like this book. I just found it bumped up against the logic of being smart enough to solve crime but not smart enough to change your circumstances. I am probably just too old to get the meanings here.

Isaiah (IQ) Quintabe is a kid from the streets in a tough part of town. Early in his life he, like many other kids his age, would shoplift from local stores and then sell his items on eBay. But IQ discovered he had another talent. A talent for solving problems. He straightens out his ways and just by word of mouth develops a clientele asking for his help. Today, IQ is hired to find out who is threatening the rapper "Black the Knife." It's going to take all his street smarts and all his sleuthing skills to figure this one out.

I was really eager for this book, and it's a relatively quick read, but by the end, I was terribly underwhelmed.

While this is one book about Isaiah Quintabe, it's two stories, jumping back and forth. Sometimes we're in his early days watching him discover and develop his skills, and then sometimes we're in 'today' as he gets hired by Black the Knife and he faces off against some pretty tough costumers.

Switching timelines is not a new literary device, and author Joe Ide doesn't do anything new with the idea. The chapters clearly tell us which time period we are in and the 2013 years are pretty linear and easy to follow along. But the 2005/2006 years don't offer us quite the same consistency. Simply...the switching of narrative was annoying. And pointless. I think it would have been smoother to have one story to tell, with some sub-plot and red-herrings, and then in a different book tell IQ's back story. But doing it all at once in this first novel was rather muddy. It's like we got a novella, and the author's notes on how the character began.

I liked Isaiah well enough but I wasn't but I wasn't truly drawn to the character. He was interesting to observe but I never felt involved. In large part this was because of the jumping around stories. I could have gotten involved in either one of the stories but they really were different enough that it was difficult to stay connected. Given a preference, I enjoyed the 2013 story. It wasn't important to me how IQ got to this stage in his life. Not yet.

Over all, not a bad first novel, but not quite the home-run that I was hoping for.

Looking for a good book? <em>IQ</em>, by Joe Ide, is an interesting social mystery, but skips around the timelines too much to be really involving.

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

This book was incredible, but also a difficult read. Books are often a way for me to escape the aspects of my life that I'm not pleased with, but this book kicks you down in the dirt and won't let you back up. It WORKS though. IQ is a very interesting character, with an excellent supporting background. His genius is not unbelievable, as so many Sherlockesque characters are. Overall, a great read.

Isaiah IQ Quintabe, the ghetto detective. Unable to resist Sherlock comparisons, thought I'd check this one out. Objectively, Sherlock he isn't. Nowhere near. What he is...is a smart kid made to look all the more so by the intellectually challenged individuals around him. A smart kid with good reasoning powers and a good heart, who after a questionable past, straightens out to become something of a neighborhood hero in the quest for justice. The book alternates timelines to give Isaiah a backstory and showcase him solving a semi present day case involving an assassination attempt on a popular rapper. I must say the setting (some of LA's less desirable neighborhoods) and the side characters really didn't endear themselves to me, not quite my thing, there's enough of ghetto outside to enjoy it in books, etc. Interesting glimpse into a morally bankrupt culture at best. The mystery aspect wasn't particularly compelling either. What I did enjoy was the writing, very energetic, very dynamic, and the protagonist, who just genuinely seems like a nice guy and a good person in a world that's neither good nor nice. So a pretty quick read and plenty entertaining for what it was. Nicely done for a debut. Thanks Netgalley.

This was a really good book. I got through it pretty quickly. Highly recommended (Amazon reviewed).

Isaiah Quintabe also known as IQ is a modern day Sherlock Holmes living in LA. His initials are most appropriate as he uses his superior intellect to the benefit of his neighbors. A well-written book with a good plot and quirky characters.

Interesting story that is well written. The writing is at times uneven but overall I enjoyed the tale.

Loved this mystery. Was set of guard in most of the storyline. I thought it was one thing and end up being something totally different. Thank you for putting me on the edge of my seat. Great writing style. Kept the story more along at a fast pace. Leaving me wanting more.

How does a bright kid from the bad part of town get involved in helping a successful rap singer figure out who is out to kill him? That's actually two different stories and we get both of them told in alternating chapters in this book. This is a neat trick to pull off. And it is extra remarkable in those moments in the earlier timeline that remain suspenseful even though you know the main character survives.


IQ is a thoroughly original version of Sherlock Holmes for a modern generation.

Utterly enjoyable! Those were the words that came to mind when I finished reading this impressive debut as I starting googling to see when the next book in the series will be released.

I will admit that it is the main character in a mystery series that keeps me coming back and if the flawed character is a fresh take in this popular genre I am even more intrigued. Isaiah Quintabe, aka IQ, meets that criteria and then some. As a brilliant high school student with a promising future, IQ’s world collapses when his older brother/surrogate parent dies, leaving him on his own to survive. This is when IQ temporarily hooks with frenemy, Dodson doing petty crimes until his brother’s voice and values instilled in him speak louder than Dodson’s ill-gotten promises. Now IQ has a reputation in his neglected neighborhood of getting justice done using his exceptional intellectual skills. Despite his success rate, his social conscience allows his “clients” to pay what they can often leaving IQ in a financial shortfall. But, when Dodson comes to IQ with a lucrative opportunity to investigate who has a hit out on a rap mogul, hesitantly IQ agrees to team up once again. IQ, whom I call, “Sherlock Holmes in South Central Los Angeles” because of his deductive reasoning skills, and Dodson, a colorful Watson, who provides the comic relief made an unusual but enthralling duo. Flashbacks are used throughout the storyline, at times with a little too much information as I like the character’s flaws to be revealed more slowly over a series, but in the end this did not take away from my reading experience.

This book is well-written, provocative in just the right ways and the quirky and compelling characters, delightfully snarky humor makes for an exhilarative and entertaining read.

Joe Ide has carved out his own unique space in the mystery genre and I look forward to future books.

Joe Ide wrote a wonderful detective story in the vernacular he knows. The author grew up in the same streets that his book is set in and portrays the setting and the manner of speech exquisitely. East Long Beach is so bad that the cops can't keep up. "IQ" takes it upon himself to help the people of his neighborhood to solve crimes the cops won't touch by becoming a private detective charging his clients only what they can afford. However, he also has to take on clients who can pay to keep his bills paid.His latest client is a rap mogul whose life is threatened. The case opens up all kinds of unsavory challenges for IQ.
This is a very inventive, imaginative and enjoyable debut novel.