Official Review: Stained Fortune by Joe Perry Calderwood

Anon_Reviewer · Post by **Anon_Reviewer** » 17 Apr 2020, 05:48

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Stained Fortune" by Joe Perry Calderwood.]

3 out of 4 stars

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Clint Kennedy did not bank on ending up in jail, again. But that comes with the territory when one makes a deal with the bull-fighting, drug-smuggling Alvaro, who has police officers on his payroll. Clint, an ex-banker and ex-con, is no stranger to being on the wrong side of the law, though. Will getting tangled up in a money-laundering scheme involving some of Mexico's ruthless drug kingpins get the better of Clint, or will it satiate his adrenaline addiction and consequently aid his friend's ailing family business?

Stained Fortune is the debut thriller novel by Joe Calderwood. It is the first installment in the three-part Clint Kennedy series. Written in the first person, from Clint Kennedy's point of view, the book moves along at a brisk pace. The plot jumps between the clean streets of Mérida in Mexico and the traffic-laced ones of Miami, Florida.

I enjoyed Calderwood's writing style. His words flowed effortlessly on the pages, making for an entertaining read. His incredible use of imagery allowed me to imagine the people and places he described. The book was also impeccably edited. I came across only two minor errors.

Given the notorious reputation of Mexico's drug cartels, I expected a lot of heart-pounding, toe-curling action from this book. Unfortunately, it did not fully deliver on that. Details of Clint overseeing money transfers, having meals with different characters, and traveling back and forth between Mérida and Miami dampened the book's buzz. The pages only really started turning about halfway through the book, when blood started spilling.

Despite the book's sedate beginning, I couldn't put it down. It had a healthy dose of plot twists and fleshed out characters. I found Clint Kennedy fitting as the main character. At first, his relatively loose morals and willingness to sleep his way to the top were unsavory. However, as the story progressed, his flaws helped transform him into a formidable and unforgettable character.

As a result, I rate Stained Fortune 3 out of 4 stars. A lower rating would be unfitting, given the book's incredible delivery and its memorable characters. However, as entertaining as the book was, I found it incredibly tame for a thriller. I was also put off by the excessive use of profanity throughout the book. The author also speaks of sexual acts explicitly, making the book inappropriate for a younger and more sensitive audience. Nonetheless, I would recommend this book to fans of fast-paced and character-driven novels.

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Stained Fortune
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Post by **Ngozi Onyibor** » 17 Apr 2020, 18:07

This sounds like quite a read. I wonder what sort of incident Clint experienced to prompt a dramatic personality change. Your review has me all eager to read the book. Thanks for the review.

Anon_Reviewer · Post by **Anon_Reviewer** » 18 Apr 2020, 02:06

Michelle Fred wrote: ↑17 Apr 2020, 18:07 This sounds like quite a read. I wonder what sort of incident Clint experienced to prompt a dramatic personality change. Your review has me all eager to read the book. Thanks for the review.

You will have to read to find that out. I am glad you found my review useful. Thanks for dropping by!

Miller56 · Post by **Miller56** » 18 Apr 2020, 09:17

This sounds like an exciting and interesting book once you made it past the beginning. This seems like a book I would enjoy reading. Thanks for the review.

Samantha Simoneau · Post by **Samantha Simoneau** » 18 Apr 2020, 15:12

If it weren't for language and explicit content, your thorough review would have sold me on this book!

MrsCatInTheHat · Post by **MrsCatInTheHat** » 18 Apr 2020, 15:14

It sounds like the author was able to develop characters that despite bad choices were relatable.

Anon_Reviewer · Post by **Anon_Reviewer** » 19 Apr 2020, 00:37

Miller56 wrote: ↑18 Apr 2020, 09:17 This sounds like an exciting and interesting book once you made it past the beginning. This seems like a book I would enjoy reading. Thanks for the review.

For sure - a little perseverance always goes a long way. Thanks for dropping by and commenting!

Anon_Reviewer · Post by **Anon_Reviewer** » 19 Apr 2020, 00:39

SamSim wrote: ↑18 Apr 2020, 15:12 If it weren't for language and explicit content, your thorough review would have sold me on this book!

Those two aspects usually get in the way of one's enjoyment of a book. I appreciate you dropping by, thank you.

Anon_Reviewer · Post by **Anon_Reviewer** » 19 Apr 2020, 00:40

CatInTheHat wrote: ↑18 Apr 2020, 15:14 It sounds like the author was able to develop characters that despite bad choices were relatable.

Spot on. And he did so pretty well. Thanks for coming along and leaving a comment!

FABIAN_BATS · Post by **FABIAN_BATS** » 19 Apr 2020, 03:56

Interesting review, I am curious to read about the main character. He seems to have been developed quite nicely. Great review.

Anon_Reviewer · Post by **Anon_Reviewer** » 19 Apr 2020, 04:52

FABIAN_BATS wrote: ↑19 Apr 2020, 03:56 Interesting review, I am curious to read about the main character. He seems to have been developed quite nicely. Great review.

His growth definitely took me by surprise. I appreciate your kind comment. Thanks!

NetMassimo · Post by **NetMassimo** » 19 Apr 2020, 04:58

Despite its flaws, this seems an intriguing thriller with well-developed characters that takes off after a slow start. Thank you for your informative review!

Anon_Reviewer · Post by **Anon_Reviewer** » 19 Apr 2020, 11:21

NetMassimo wrote: ↑19 Apr 2020, 04:58 Despite its flaws, this seems an intriguing thriller with well-developed characters that takes off after a slow start. Thank you for your informative review!

That is quite true and it is my pleasure.

Thanks for dropping by!

Falconcrest · Post by **Falconcrest** » 21 Apr 2020, 06:22

Excellent delivery, this book sounds like it has a lot of great elements in it. My favourite part of your review was ' The pages only really started turning about halfway through the book, when blood started spilling." Thanks for the fantastic review, you knocked it out of the park.

Anon_Reviewer · Post by **Anon_Reviewer** » 21 Apr 2020, 10:01

Falconcrest wrote: ↑21 Apr 2020, 06:22 Excellent delivery, this book sounds like it has a lot of great elements in it. My favourite part of your review was ' The pages only really started turning about halfway through the book, when blood started spilling." Thanks for the fantastic review, you knocked it out of the park.

This is one of the nicest comments I've gotten on a review. Thank you.

I appreciate you dropping by, mate!