The Pine Barrens Stratagem

I have been a fan of Ken Harris' writing for the better part of 10 years.  It has been fun ride watching his growth as an author.  From his short story, "Huckleberry's Hail Mary" to "The Pine Barrens Stratagem" it is evident that Harris is coming into his own.  <br /><br />Growing up as a child in the 70s this book takes me back to Friday nights - Sanford and Son, Chico and the Man, and then The Rockford Files.  "The Pine Barrens Stratagem" is funny and irreverent.  It was an easy read and has me pining for the next adventure of Steve Rockfish.  <br /><br />Take a chance on a new author, I know you won't be disappointed. <br />

As a child raised in the prime of 70’s television, The Pine Barrens Stratagem fills a void I had long forgotten existed. Harris does an exceptional job of balancing the “old school cool Private Investigator” architype within a modern-day crime scenario without feeling extraneous or forced. His layered and complex cast of characters connect easily with the reader as you explore the darkest corners of a crime that is decades in the making. Equal parts thrilling/ hilarious, and seasoned with just a dash of nostalgia, The Pine Barrens Stratagem delivers.

I was lucky enough to steal an advanced copy of this book, and I have to say... best choice I made all summer. This story is expertly-crafted and highly entertaining. Whether you're lounging in a hammock or killing time in county because you have bad friends and a worse lawyer, The Pine Barrens Stratagem is what you need. And I was delighted to learn a 2nd and 3rd installment are in the works. Keep your eye on this Harris kid. I think he's here to stay.

This new mystery was a delightful blend of old world and new world detective skills with Rockfish and his potentially new protege, Jawnie. These two are as far apart as you can imagine when it comes to their thoughts and abilities except when it comes to wearing a darn mask because of COVID.<br /><br />The mystery spans about a century when Rockfish is hired to investigate young women that went missing. There is a lot more to the story and it definitely ruffles some feathers once Rockfish lands in this small township and starts asking questions. The mafia plays a major role in what happens in this sleepy burg and they are not a fan of dredging up the past.<br /><br />The dialogue is snarky and witty, the characters a bit crazy in their actions, but paired together it creates a fascinating read for any mystery buff. Jawnie has a lot to learn about who to talk to and what to say when it comes to investigations, but Rockfish is a great teacher and there are only a few "I told you so" moments.<br /><br />This is set at the beginning of Covid-19 so there are a lot of references to the pandemic, wearing masks, hand sanitizer, and political jabs. I tended to skim over most of that because I really prefer to not have too much about the pandemic in my books since they are my form of escape, but it was rather comical to see many of the characters insist that others put on face masks and were rather insistent on it too. Of course, the face masks help during certain scenes when the bad guys don't want to be identified.<br /><br />I loved the ending and might have suspected some of it, but it sets it up for the next book due out in July 2022.<br /><br />We give this book 5 paws up.

Wow!<br /><br />Ken Harris’ The Pine Barrens Stratagem takes you on a fast pace crime adventure that covers a few decades. He weaves past crimes with a modern day twist that keeps you turning the pages. His characters are three dimensional and the relationships that unfold touch your heart. He creates vivid imagery bringing scenes to life making the reader feel they are right there in the story. The banter and body language between characters makes you laugh and relate to them cheering them on. This is a must read story!!

In Ken Harris's fast-paced, can’t-put-it-down thriller, Steve Rockfish takes his place in the PI pantheon alongside Philip Marlowe, Sam Spade and Jim Rockford. Chock-full of great characters and fast-paced action, this is a great start to what promises to be a fine series.

Read my review on NovelsAlive.com by clicking the link below. It is also posted in full.<br /><br /><a target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow" href="https://novelsalive.com/2022/02/24/5-star-review-the-pine-barrens-stratagem-by-ken-harris/">https://novelsalive.com/2022/02/24/5-...</a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />The Pine Barrens Stratagem: From the Case Files of Steve Rockfish by retired FBI agent Ken Harris brings a unique perspective to his writing in this fast-paced and quick read. It is reminiscent of old-time private investigators—Rockford or Columbo—holding my interest from the first page to the last. I certainly hope this is the first book of a series because I would definitely line up to read more!<br /><br />The prologue takes place in 1943 and sets the stage. Several twists and turns spring up in the story coupled with many threads to solve the murders/disappearances and other crimes in New Jersey during the 1940s—some crimes still being committed by those same “families” today while the pandemic rages around us. There are so many clues and storylines as we get introduced to a multitude of characters from different walks of life that have essential roles in the telling of this tale.<br /><br />Rockfish might finally have some monetary success when asked to do legwork into crimes committed by an L.A. producer who wants to create a docuseries. The producer needs someone more local to where the crimes were committed doing his legwork. <br /><br />Rockfish and McGee are an unlikely duo who bond when their knowledge and talents complement each other. Each is trying to keep the other safe as they gain the attention of the bad guys—corrupt cops, mafia members, and some crooked priests. Rockfish and McGee meet when Rockfish heads in her direction due to a clue from an elderly woman he had a chance encounter with at the airport. <br /><br />As the story unfolded, my heart was racing, and I could feel the adrenaline rush. As the crimes are solved, there is nice closure and a hint of what might come next in the epilogue, set in the current times. <br /><br />With witty dialogue, colorful characters, non-stop action, and a classic, fearless detective storyline, Harris has created a gritty and compelling new series that I am hooked on and can hardly wait for the next book in the series. Well done, Mr. Harris. Well done.

Looking for a great escape? Ken Harris’ The Pine Barrens Stratagem may be just the ticket. This ultra-current day detective story takes you on a wild trip to solve a forty year-old crime that leads to modern-day transgressions by the same bad guys. Two crime stories in one!<br /><br />When Private Detective Steve Rockfish is hired to investigate a forty year-old child trafficking ring for a Hollywood documentary producer, his nosiness gets the attention of corrupt people who are still using their power for naught, and they fear he just might uncover their current crimes.<br /><br />Harris skillfully captures the persona of the television detectives in the ‘70s, ’80s and ‘90s — sarcastic, wisecracking, fast-thinking/fast-talking/fast-driving private investigators, always looking out for those who weren’t given a fair chance. But it’s not a rerun of TV-rated crime fare, but a story that deals with tough, gritty and current issues like child trafficking and pandemic relief fraud. In fact, it’s so current you’d think Harris was in the next room, pounding out upcoming scenes as they happened in real life — Covid-19, political personalities, modern technologies, fashions and more. <br /><br />Harris’ prose is smooth and easy-going, with subtle wit that keeps you smiling from start to finish. The Pine Barrens Strategem is the sort of story you’d love to share with your father or son — both of you reading it at the same time and talking about it between readings.<br /><br />A good book can take us places we’ve never been before, introduce us to people we’ve never met, make us think about things in ways we never have before. Such is Ken Harris’ The Pine Barrens Stratagem.

“The Pine Barren Stratagem: From the Case Files of Steve Rockfish” by Ken Harris is a page-turner of a detective thriller set in the time of COVID.<br /> It’s October of 2020 and Baltimore Private investigator Steve Rockfish sits in his single-wide trailer in an existentialistic funk over the state of the nation, his over-due car payment, the disappearance of a lucrative client who might have been knocked off by the mob before paying his bill, and the COVID-19 epidemic, which has dried up his source of income because the cheating spouses he was typically hired to trail are now working – and staying – at home under the quarantine lockdown.<br /> Rockfish’s fortunes appear to turn when a young West Coast producer, working on a true crime podcast but unwilling to travel himself because of the epidemic, hires Rockfish to do some local research and interviews on the mysterious disappearance of young unwed mothers and their babies in the 1940’s in the rural South Jersey area known as the Pine Barrens.<br /> Rockfish’s inquiries lead him to a young African American woman named Jawnie McGee, an IT specialist who is the great-grand daughter of a white police officer who also disappeared during that time. What starts out as an archival sift through family memories and records ends up leading Rockfish and McGee from one dot to another, until the two find themselves looking at a decades-old ring of corruption, fraud and murder that links a small-town police force to La Cosa Nostra and a powerful prelate of the Catholic church.<br /> The storyline is thoroughly engaging, the action fast-paced and the characters colorful and well-drawn. The dialogue is peppered with wit and humorous South-Jerseyisms.<br /> Author Ken Harris is a former FBI intelligence specialist who drew on his career experience in crafting his wonderful story and characters.<br />

I may be dating myself—actually, there’s no “may be” about it—but my first thought when I read this synopsis was The Rockford Files, one of my all-time favorites of tv detective shows so I just had to read The Pine Barrens Stratagem. Granted, Jim Rockford was in California and Steve Rockfish is on the East Coast but that’s a minor detail. The important aspects are the similarity in personalities and the attitudes these guys bring to their cases, intriguing cases leavened with a good dollop of humor. As it turns out, author Ken Harris had Jim Rockford firmly in mind when he created Steve Rockfish.<br /><br />When Steve agrees to look into this old criminal activity, he has no idea how involved it’s going to get and, perhaps more importantly, that the people who perpetrated the child trafficking all those years past have not disappeared quietly. In fact, the bad guys have a new target for making money by taking fraudulent advantage of today’s pandemic but Steve wasn’t hired for that particular crime. After meeting a woman descended from a cop who went missing during the original child trafficking, the pair team up and find out much more than they bargained for.<br /><br />Mr. Harris has a lighthearted touch while still presenting some very serious criminal activity and I thoroughly enjoyed this first novel, with more to come in the second novel later this year. I definitely plan to read that one as soon as I can.