Emerson, Earl - Mystery Net Community

Earl Emerson Books

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Black Hearts and Slow Dancing is the first book in the series featuring Mac Fontana, the Washington ex-fire chief and acting sheriff. Other titles include: Help Wanted; Orphans Preferred; Morons and Madmen and Going Crazy in Public.
A second series features ex-Seattle cop, Thomas Black, now a private investigator, who is aided in his crime-solving adventures by his lawyer-wife, Kathy Birchfield. Vivid Seattle settings make this a must-read for Washingtonians. Titles include: The Rainy City; Poverty Bay; Nervous Laughter; Fat Tuesday and The Million Dollar Tatoo.

Emerson is a lieutenant in the Seattle Fire Department and a Shamus Award winner. He resides in North Bend, Washington.

Marcia Prater - 09:06am Jul 7, 1998 PST(#1 of 7)

I enjoy reading the Mac Fontana mystery series. As a firefighter myself I can really get into the stories and visualize the scenes. I love mystery books, but when I came across “Help Wanted: Orphans Preferred” and it also tied in with fire fighting I was hooked. Since then I have gotten every Mac Fontana book that has been published and I wait and watch for new ones to come out. A great mystery series, so keep them coming.

Annette Mentzer - 12:16pm Jul 13, 1998 PST(#2 of 7)

Love Emerson. Especially love his chapter titles in the Mac Fontana series. His sense of humor is hysterical. And I can just see "Staircase" as North Bend, Wa. Do wonder about the women Mac has wandering through his life though. His latest was the best on that score. He didn't sleep with any of the suspects. That part was kinda getting old. Not that I'm opposed to a little romantic tension to spice things up.

Liked his story where the firefighter was the firebug best. Interesting characters, realistic mystery and solution.

Dawn Dowdle - 06:06am Jul 21, 1998 PST(#3 of 7)

Did you hear his new book "Catfish Cafe" is due out 8/98. Don't know which character it is about.

Kathy Bennett - 01:00pm Aug 7, 1998 PST(#4 of 7)

Catfish Cafe is a Thomas Black book. It involves the daughter of his previous partner, whom I don't think we've met before. Earl Emerson is my absolutely favorite writer. If you get the chance to go to a book reading, take it. He's fun in person too.

Jim Charter - 08:27pm Sep 24, 1998 PST(#5 of 7)

Just finished reading "The Million Dollar Tattoo." Any book which starts with a character calling about a dead alien in his bed is off to a good start. Ending was a little weak but definitely good enough to continue with the series.

Fran Hinkel - 10:29am Mar 5, 1999 PST(#6 of 7)
You can check out anytime you like...but you can never leave!

Originally posted by Dawn Dowdle, Jul 1, 1998

He writes 2 different series. Both are set in Washington State. First he writes the Thomas Black series. Thomas is a PI. Good series. Then he writes the Mac Fontana series. He is a Fire Chief in a small town called Staircase. Both are GREAT. I FLY through the books. Let me know what you think.

Nicky Parkin - 01:48pm Aug 7, 1999 PST(#7 of 7)

I've been wanting to read either/both of his series for ages, but they aren't readily available in the UK, I'd have to order them from Amazon, BUT..the first are out of print, which would mean going against the grain and having to guess what's happened previously. Can anyone tell me which would be a good bet to start with? I've noticed everyone mentions his sense of humour, so they sound well worth reading!