King of Paine by Larry Kahn

The Legal Times hailed Kahn's first novel, The Jinx, as a "remarkably well-crafted book," and he has delivered another intricately-plotted whodunit that will keep readers turning pages into the wee hours. More than just a mesmerizing story, King of Paine offers fully-rendered characters who grapple with a range of intriguing end-of-life issues while everything they care about is at stake. Readers who liked The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo or the novels of Greg Iles will enjoy settling in with King of Paine for a sexy, thought-provoking ride.

A desperate patient. A rumored cure. How far would you go to find the fountain of youth?

Frank Paine is not your prototypical FBI agent. He's an ex-Hollywood stud with a kinky past, an irreverent wise ass who craves forgiveness from the woman he loves. When a ruthless stalker uses Frank's indiscretions to ensnare him in an erotic cat-and-mouse death match, his investigation points toward a missing biochemist. His hunt for her secret haven takes one tragic turn after another, until he finds himself facing an impossible dilemma. Someone will die as a result of his decisions, and it may be his soulmate. Or him.

Goodreads Summary

I was a little skeptical that this book was that similar to The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, but I found that I enjoyed it just as much as that book and it is a little similar. 

One of the more dynamic, and consequently, main character is Frank.  Frank kept my attention throughout the book.  He wasn't the typical FBI or Hollywood actor type at all.  He has kinky secrets in his closet, ones he doesn't like to advertise and more often than not leads him to ask for forgiveness from the current woman of his dreams. 

Jolynn is another character the reader will meet who figures greatly into the plot.  She is also Frank's dream girl.  She is portrayed as practical, intelligent, and imaginative.  She will appeal to female readers of the story while Frank will appeal to male readers. 

Jolynn and Frank work together to uncover the plot of this story and potentially take down the antagonist.  I liked that the antagonist seemed both real and elusive; the author did a wonderful job with the sometimes gloomy and dark undertones that drift within the book.  The ending was perfect, wouldn't change a thing.  This book is recommended for adult readers.

4 Stars

Find this book:

Amazon
Barnes and Noble
The Book Depository