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Jamaica Blue
Jamaica Blue

 enlarge 		Author: Don Bruns
Publisher: St. Martin's Minotaur
Category: Book

List Price: $24.95
Buy New: $2.83
You Save: $22.12 (89%)



Avg. Customer Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars 8 reviews
Sales Rank: 292932

Media: Hardcover
Edition: 1st
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 320
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.1
Dimensions (in): 8.8 x 6.3 x 1.1

ISBN: 0312304900
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.6
EAN: 9780312304904

Publication Date: October 10, 2002
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: NEW NEVER READ CLEAN AND TIGHT NO MARKS
Editorial Reviews:

Product Description
When successful and charming rock journalist Mick Sever goes to Jamaica to see the 'next big thing', a reggae/rap band with a flare for hypnotic beats and violent lyrics, he finds that there's more than just sun, sand and music on the island of Jamaica. Danger, lies, sex and murder abound in the tropical paradise.

Led by front man Derrick Lyman, a talented and captivating performer with a radical political message, the band seems set for instant stardom. But then a young girl is savagely murdered at an afterparty celebrating the band's first American concert in Miami. Roland Johnson, the band's security guard is caught, with a knife in his hand at the crime scene. Roland is arrested and charged with murder. For all involved the case is closed - all except Mick Sever.

Sever, a relentless and charming sleuth, isn't convinced that the simple guard is the cold-blooded killer everyone thinks he is. Stories of other murders and violence that follow the band lead Sever to believe there is more to the story than meets the eye. Threatened by the band, the police, and dangerous unknown assailants, Sever with the help of his beautiful and intelligent ex-wife Ginny, is determined to learn the truth.

In the world of music, with double deals, beautiful women and sexy sounds, nothing is as it seems. Set against the exotic backdrops of Florida and Jamaica, this is an edgy, atmospheric, edge-of-your-seat mystery that will keep you guessing right up to the shocking ending.


Customer Reviews:   Read 3 more reviews...

4 out of 5 stars Fast Paced Read Though Somewhat Improbable Plot   July 19, 2008
 1 out of 1 found this review helpful

Free lance rock & roll critic and author Mick Sever is drawn into the world of reggae and Rastafarian culture. A charismatic singer who sings provocative lyrics is on the way to quick stardom. Sever had written a book on sex, drugs, rock and murder previously finds himself headed down a similar path as female concertgoers are murdered. He could well be a private investigator as well as writer. Surprisingly good read.



4 out of 5 stars Debut author hits a home run!   March 3, 2004
 0 out of 1 found this review helpful

Mick Sever, a rock journalist and best selling author, is invited by a promoter to see the latest hot act-- a reggae/rap band led by an angry young man named Derrick Lyman. The band impresses Sever, however, there appears to be a problem. At two previous concerts, young women who attended the concert were later found murdered. The band travels to Miami where they will open the Brandy concert and, hopefully, get a lucrative recording contract.
Unfortunately, at a party on a boat, a young woman is not only found stabbed to death but one of the band's security guards is found holding the knife. When the guard is arrested, Sever feels the wrong man was arrested. He tries to prove that he is correct.
Amateur PI books can be a bit problematic. To be successful, they must be believable. Just as important, the characters have to be engaging enough to allow the reader to accept the necessary suspension of reality and overlook the fact that, say, a rock promoter as a PI is highly unlikely. Don Bruns succeeds in his first effort. Not only is Mick Sever a believable character, but, being a rock promoter allows him to reveal many interesting facets of the recording industry. Of course, Don Bruns, the author, can supply us with much of the information given that he is a songwriter, musician and ad executive. Mr. Bruns has done his homework well in creating this very, very good mystery by working well within the formulaic genre. He breaks no new ground. The novel is paced well and is kept to a reasonable length. Problems include weaknesses in the more minor characterizations. I never truly got a good feel for many of the suspects. However, Don Bruns deserves a lot of credit for hitting a homer his first time at bat.


5 out of 5 stars Sex, drugs, Reggae and suspense!   November 22, 2002
 2 out of 3 found this review helpful

Derrick Lyman, the leader of a Jamaican Reggae and Hip-hop group, Derrick Lyman and The Laments, is hailed as the new Bob Marley. A veteran rock journalist, Mick Sever, is invited by the group's manager to write about their rising fame and emergence as superstars. However, two women have been found murdered after their concerts. This arouses curiosity in Sever, who begins to ask questions about the murders. The trail leads to another murder after the band's appearance in Florida, and a dangerous investigation by the rock journalist-sleuth ensues. This is a solid debut by Mr. Bruns, who intricately weaves suspense within the backdrop of a music superstar culture. The author is a musician, songwriter, and advertising executive...


5 out of 5 stars Murder in the music biz   November 18, 2002
 0 out of 1 found this review helpful

Mick Sever is the most intriguing character to hit the whodunit genre in a long time. A freelance rock and roll journalist, Sever is brought to Jamaica to review the hottest Reggae band since the Wailers. The leader, Derrick Lyman, is a charismatic Rastafarian who mixes violent political lyrics with intense tunes and has a cult following. Unfortunately, young, attractive, female members of that following keep turning up dead after his concerts. Mick decides the real story is in the murders not the music and begins a pursuit of the guilty parties that puts him in as much jeopardy as the victims.

With his ex-wife Ginny along for support he draws ever closer to the truth, while deftly negotiating the seamy underbelly of the music industry. Bruns does this sort of thing far better than Kinky Friedman, Greg Kihn or others who have gone before. Mixing tidbits about real rock legends with fictional ones gives this first novel a sense of realism and urgency that keeps pages turning. The relationship between Sever and ex-wife is a highlight of the book-how many slueths work with an ex?

If you are into music at all, or if you just like a good mystery, this book will scratch your itch. Hopefully there is a sequel around the bend as Mick Sever deserves a long run.


4 out of 5 stars Good feel for egotism of rock and roll   November 13, 2002
 0 out of 1 found this review helpful

When an old friend asks him to check out a new band, rock and roll reviewer Mick Sever drops his book tour and heads for Jamaica. It looks like Sever's friend, promoter Bobby Vane has hit the jackpot. Derrick and the Laments is magical--and Sever writes a complimentary review. Surely the two murders that happened after the band's shows are just coincidence. But when a third woman is killed--and one of the band's roadies accused of the murder, Sever knows he's got to look more closely. He's sure he saw confusion, not guilt in the accused man's eyes.

Author Don Bruns writes convincingly about the music business and the power, money, drugs, and sex that surround it. His descriptions of the charismatic band leader Derrick ring true. JAMAICA BLUE is a well written first novel for Bruns. I would have liked to see more attention to potential red herrings, however. Although Sever identified several potential suspects early on, he never seemed to get around to investigating them--surely a top journalist would have tracked down these loose ends.

JAMAICA BLUE isn't a perfect novel but it marks a promising first mystery. I'll be looking for more novels by Don Bruns.


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