After one of the best opening chapters I've read in quite a while, Shrier's story borders on tedious for a few chapters before picking up steam (and violence) and coming to a rousing but sobering conclusion. The book doesn't paint a flattering picture of Montreal, especially not its drivers and road conditions. Perhaps I've been lucky with the drivers, but I can certainly attest to the potholes. I've never read a book with so many street names that wasn't an atlas. In his quest for authenticity, Shrier goes a bit too far on occasion, and his descriptions are sometimes over-detailed. But the story of a murdered Jewish journalist and the detective who knew him long ago in summer camp and is hired by the journalist's dying uncle to find his murderer is very well done, though complex--just like real life. I would have definitely benefited from having read the previous entries in this series, as the detective, narrating in the first person, is constantly referring to the dire incidents that took place in Boston during the previous story. It would have also helped to have some background on the detective and his very capable team, so I guess I'll have to go back to the beginning of the series to appreciate it all. In any case, there is a little bit of everything here. Good police, bad police, good immigrants, bad immigrants--and at least one good sandwich. The places Shrier talks about are usually real, so perhaps I can partake of the sandwich, too. I certainly wouldn't want to partake of most of the other events of the story! Definitely recommended for anyone who likes their mysteries on the realistic side.

[UPDATE: I did go back and read the first three books in the series. Any reader will definitely benefit from reading them in order. It is an exceptional series that you won't want to miss. Not one of those action stories you forget as soon as you start your next book.] ( )

Miss Montreal is the fourth book in Howard Shrier's series featuring private investigator Jonah Geller and his associates; here, Geller is asked by a dying man to investigate the gruesome death of the man's grandson in Montreal: the man, a Jewish magazine columnist known as Slammin' Sammy, was beaten to death in a primarily Muslim part of the city and the assumption of the police in Montreal is that it was a hate crime, but one they have little interest in solving. Geller happens to have known the man as a boy, when both attended a summer camp and he gave Sammy his nickname, but they lost touch shortly thereafter. When he arrives in Montreal with his sidekick, ex-assassin Dante Ryan, in tow, Geller learns that Slammin' Sammy was working on two articles at the time of his death, one involving the new lives of an immigrant family from Afghanistan and the other a profile of a father-daughter team of right-wing, anti-immigrant politicians running for office; how the two stories inter-connect and what they have to do with Sammy's death are the focuses of Geller's investigation, but other forces want him out of the way before he learns too much.... I thought this would be an interesting entry into a well-regarded Canadian series by this Toronto-based but Montreal-born author, but unfortunately I found it a bit too hard-boiled for my tastes. There is a lot of violence and a lot of talk about various types of guns and various types of cars, none of which mean anything to me, and the portrayal of the French-English divide in Montreal, while accurate, just tended to rile me - having an outsider comment with such vitriol was annoying somehow. Others might enjoy this series, particularly if they like the tough-detective style of novel, in that it's well-written and the characters and motivations are well described, but it's just not my cup of mystery, even when it's set in a city I know. ( )

After three cases in the United States, PI Jonah Geller is heading back to his childhood home of Montreal. The case itself is also rather closer to home than he would like; he's investigating the death of an old friend, newspaper columnist "Slammin'" Sammy Adler, at the behest of Sammy's grandfather. Sammy was found beaten to death and had a Star of David carved into his torso. Was it a hate crime or was there a different motivation? The truth is not what you would imagine.

This was my first experience with the Jonah Geller series and I enjoyed it very much. Montreal is one of my favourite cities for mystery settings, and Shrier brings it to life. The chapter where Jonah and his associate Dante go for smoked meat sandwiches contains such a delicious description of the sandwiches that I nearly ran out to get the fixings to make my own, and Jonah's descriptions of driving around the city will ring true for anyone who's ever sat behind the wheel on the Island of Montreal. Jonah himself is a very likeable protagonist and has an amusing rapport with Dante and his detecting partner, Jenn, who is on leave but still manages to find a way to help with the case. And the very last page nearly made me burst into song -- it quotes a song by one of my favourite bands.

I would definitely recommend this to those who like to read about Montreal, especially mysteries set there, and those who have followed Jonah's adventures since the beginning. ( )

Miss Montreal is the fourth book in Howard Shrier's series featuring Private Investigator Jonah Geller.

I only discovered this wonderful series with the last book Boston Cream (my review) but I loved it and have been eagerly awaiting Jonah's next case.

Now persona non grata in the US, Jonah takes on a new case in Montreal. His childhood friend Sammy has been brutally murdered - and after many weeks, the police seem no closer to finding the killer. Sammy's grandfather is dying and he wants to see justice done. He hires Jonah to investigate. And with his regular partner Jenn Raudsepp sidelined, Jonah brings along reformed hit man Dante. Reformed, but still lethal.

Sammy was a respected English speaking, Jewish journalist living and working in Montreal. His body was beaten, mutilated and left in a Muslim neighbourhood of the city. Was he working on a story that got him killed? Was it someone he knew or someone from his past? Or was it just a random hate crime?

What Jonah and Dante find is much more insidious than even they could imagine.......

Howard Shrier has done a fantastic job with the setting. Descriptions of Montreal, the inhabitants and the current atmosphere are all detailed and ring true. (Shrier has lived in the city himself) The plotting was excellent and frighteningly believable. Simmering racial and cultural tensions on many fronts, the separatist movement, political machinations, terrorism and more populate this fast-paced novel.

The play between the two main characters is excellent - Jonah usually thinks before acting. Dante - well, not so much. They are polar opposites with a focus on the same goal. Shrier also gives each a personal storyline that brings depth to the character and is a nice continuance from novel to novel. They play off each other nicely and bring Spenser and Hawk to mind.

Fans of the crime genre, I encourage you to discover this award winning Canadian series. (Also being developed as a television show by a producer of Law & Order) I'll definitely be watching for number five. ( )