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Review: Dirty Job – TA Moore

Review: Dirty Job – TA Moore

Genre: Suspense

LGBTQ+ Category: Gay

Reviewer: Maryann

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About The Book

All Grade Pulaski wanted was a quiet life, a few low-profile murders to clean up after, and his hometown in the rear view as he headed back to LA. Simple, attainable goals. All he had to do was keep his nose down and everyone else’s hands clean…as far as the law was concerned…and he’d been able to show Sweeny his heels sooner rather than later.

Problem was that Grade’s ‘thing’ with local mob boss Clay Traynor—currently somewhere between a one-night stand and a bad idea—was a lot of things, but it wasn’t quiet or simple.

For example, Judge Charity Parker was the last person in Sweeny who needed to know Grade’s name. Yet here he was in her basement after midnight, cleaning up a mess that could derail a couple of political careers in one fell swoop. All because Clay owed Judge Parker a favor… or three.

Grade should have known better than to go along with it. Amateurs always made a job messy, and politicians didn’t have a grateful bone in their bodies. Now the only chance he had of seeing LA again meant he had to break his professional code of conduct.

He needed to get his client caught.

The Review

Grade Pulaski knows it’s a “bad idea,” like Clay Traynor, to take on and emergency cleaning job.

Catfish mobster Ezra Adams – Clay’s partner in crime – thinks by offering the clean up service, he can have a judge in his pocket.  

If it wasn’t for the money and a hope of returning to Los Angeles, Grade wouldn’t take the job. Grade is used to the clientele in LA. They schedule what they want they want cleaned, and there’s no surprises.  But getting involved with Ezra and Clay has him doing more than the usual clean up. Grade needs to come up with a way to relocate the bodies and stage some crime scenes.

Everything gets crazy! Grade, Clay and Ezra find themselves being followed, threatened and beat up – but by who and for who? The Judge, or Mafioso Fisher? The Judge learns who Grade really is and that’s information that Grade has tried hard to hide. The Judge also wants the laptop of one of the victims, but why?

Clay is holding back. He knows why Fisher wants Grade. And Grade holds a bombshell secret of his own!  But first they have to get out of this chaos alive!

Moore once again outdoes herself with Dirty Job, the second installment in the “Dirty Deeds” series. She delivers a fast-paced read, full of danger, “edge of your seat” suspense, and all the twisted craziness that just seems to follow Grade around. It’s got the three g’s too: gritty, gruesome and gory. The detail is relayed step by step as Grade goes through his cleaning process, and nothing is held back.  

Moore also brings clear precision and detail to the fights and torture scenes, and especially with what happens on the motorcycle. 

The relationship between Clay and Grade vaccilates between “date” and “not a date” and “boyfriend” and “not a boyfriend,” and they both stay true to their snark! Except sometimes it’s hurtful for Grade as Clay doesn’t seem to know how much Grade cares for his family.

As for Clay, he is still dealing with flashbacks and PTSD, which is a danger in itself.

The supporting cast is great too. There’s Grade’s family: mother Susie, sister Dory, and nephew Cody. Rounding out the cast are Harry, who works for Ezra; Deputy Jones, who’s crooked; Deputy Paul Martin, who was apparently Ezra’s ex – could be a story there!  

I highly suggest reading Dirty Work first to introduced yourself to Grade Pulaski and Clay Traynor.

After reading book one, I thought it couldn’t get any better, but it did! Sometimes I just want a fast, fun story bursting with quirky chaos, grit and danger, and Dirty Job is all of those things.  I can’t even begin to guess what Moore has planned next for Grade and Clay, but I will waiting for the next shocker with bated breath.

The Reviewer

Hi, I’m Maryann, I started life in New York, moved to New Hampshire and in 1965 uprooted again to Sacramento, California.  Once I retired I moved to West Palm Beach, Florida in 2011 and just moved back to Sacramento in March of 2018.  My son, his wife and step-daughter flew out to Florida and we road tripped back so they got to see sights they have never seen.  New Orleans and the Grand Canyon were the highlights. Now I am back on the west coast again to stay! From a young age Ialways liked to read.

I remember going to the library and reading the “Doctor Dolittle” books by Hugh Lofting. Much later on became a big fan of the classics, Edgar Alan Poe, Mary Shelley, Bram Stoker and as time went by Agatha Christie, Ray Bradbury and Stephen Kingand many other authors.

My first M/M shifter book I read was written by Jan Irving the “Uncommon Cowboys” series from 2012.  She was the first author I ever contacted and sent an email to letting her know how much I liked this series.  Sometime along the way I read “Zero to the Bone”by Jane Seville, I think just about everyone has read this book! 

As it stands right now I’m really into mysteries, grit, gore and “triggers” don’t bother me. But if a blurb piques my interest I will read the book.

My kindle collection eclectic and over three thousand books and my Audible collection is slowly growing.  I have both the kindle and audible apps on my ipod, ipads, and MAC. So there is never an excuse not to be listening or reading.

I joined Goodreads around 2012 and started posting reviews.  One day a wonderful lady, Lisa Horan of The Novel Approach, sent me an email to see if I wanted to join her review group.  Joining her site was such an eye opener.  I got introduce to so many new authors that write for the LGBTQ genre. Needless to say, it was heart breaking when it ended.

But I found a really great site, QRI and it’s right here in Sacramento. Last year at QSAC I actually got to meet Scott Coatsworth, Amy Lane and Jeff Adams.