Sam Crown enlisted in the Marines in 1970 in a fit of drunken pique. He became a fearless warrior, garnering the nickname of "Crazy Crown" by taking risks fighting the Viet Cong during some of the tough times of the Vietnam war. His valor and bravery earned him the Medal of Honor and a honorable discharge in 1973.
When Sam returned to the States, he went to college and received a degree in Criminal Justice. His "Crazy Crown" tactics came in handy during his tenure with the Orange County Sheriff's Department as a homicide investigator. After some disagreements with superiors and an especially bad domestic incident case, Sam decides to turn in his badge and go the private investigator route. He works for Mickey Malone Investigations, which does a lot of pro bono work for the more upscale Investigations International. There is a running joke about the fact that there is no Mickey Malone.
During his work as a PI, Sam finds Rebecca Rogers aka Becky, after coming upon men assaulting and killing her older sister. Sam and his parents take Becky in and nurture her amazing intelligence. Becky is a math whiz at thirteen, despite her abusive past.
As part of a case, Sam meets Rainbow Trout aka Bo. Bo is an FBI agent who has been wrapped up in her career. She is attracted to Sam, but she is leery of his womanizer reputation.
There is plenty of suspense, action and romance in this latest thriller by Wolf Wootan. The author takes the reader on a break-neck ride to an exciting denouement. Things are nicely tied up, but there is still an opening for a sequel.
Although thrillers are often more plot-based, Mr. Wootan has done a masterful job in developing characters you come to care about. Sam may have his "Crazy" side, but Becky and Bo seem to take off his rough edges and help him mellow. The reader sees both Becky and Bo bloom with the changes in their lives.
CROWN'S LAW is page-turning entertainment and sure to garner Mr. Wootan more fans. I highly recommend his earlier book, EDGE OF TOMORROW, to all who enjoy thrillers.
Roberta M. Austin, Reviewer for Romance Junkies, Murder & Mayhem Book Club, Amazon.com, A Romance Review
Historically, I have not been a big reader of mystery novels. As a career
police officer I’ve often found the portrayal of law enforcement to be, at
best, inaccurate and unreliable. As a result I haven’t invested much in
these types of books. Having read Mr. Wootan’s book, I’ve changed my mind.
Not only is this book far more realistic, it’s an outstanding read. It is a
genuine page turner, and one of the better books I’ve read in a long time.
The book is so well written, the reader can place himself/herself in the
shoes of the characters. It mixes suspense with emotion in such a manner
that the reader’s attention is never lost.
Mr. Wootan takes the characters and develops them and their relationships
extremely well and in a most believable sense. The plot of “Crown’s Law” is
also well developed and unusual. The combination of these elements results
in an outstanding book. If Mr. Wootan produces additional Sam Crown
mysteries, he can count me as a reader. I’ve been sold on your work sir.
Well done!
William E. Cooper, Reviewer for Reader Views (11/06)
A well-rounded, fun to read story of deception and love, January 5, 2007
Wolf Wootan is a bit of a
dude himself, having been an Air Force pilot. He also has more than forty
years as a computer geek. He has written hundreds of articles for government
and private industry, and published EDGE OF TOMORROW, a techno-thriller.
Wootan has degrees in Mathematics and Astrophysics.
Sam Crown comes from a wealthy family, with a socialite mother and a father
who is ex-CIA. Crown joined the Marines on a lark after high school, which
pushed him in the direction of law enforcement and private investigation
work. He found he couldn't "help people" while being constrained by law
enforcement rules and regulations. Sam is connected and well-respected. He
is forty-eight and still is the rich playboy, but isn't quite ready for
Becky...a genius waif from the streets whose sister is killed by thugs. Sam
takes Becky in and his parents quickly become co-parents with Sam, as they
educate and develop Becky's considerable intellectual talents. Little do
they know that Sam's dummy investigation firm, Mickey Malone Investigations,
will be the launching point for a murder that leads to International
espionage and FBI agent Rainbow "Bo" Trout. Sam's life will never be the
same as he and Bo identify the killers:
"'Well, Big Brother does screw up now and then,' laughed Sam. 'But I have a
possible solution. You won't tell me anything about your case, so I'll do
some guessing. Since you are looking for Mickey, your case must involve that
guy Jackson, who was shot - the guy who had Mickey's business card. Since
you seem to have been poorly briefed, maybe you don't know that Jackson has
been identified as William Winston. The cops here didn't get far on finding
his killer because you Feds swooped down and took all the evidence and the
case. Now, finally, you show up. It must be your case now, right?'"
CROWN'S LAW is a mystery/thriller rich in plot and characterization.
Wootan's knowledge of mathematics and astrophysics leaks through in his
tale, and his career as an Air Force pilot fills in the rest to form a
well-rounded, fun to read story of deception and love. Wootan is a bit of a
romantic himself, which makes for a fairytale ending and the promise of a
sequel. This reviewer is totally hooked and can't wait until his next book
comes out. Get writing Mr. Wootan!
Shelley
Glodowski
Senior Reviewer,
Midwest Book Review
Are you an aspiring detective (in your dreams)? Do you fantasize about an action-packed job with intriguing relations, impending danger, dangerous contacts, and, of course, wild sex. Then, you need to find your favorite imagination spot, pour a drink, and open the pages of Crown's Law. Once again, Wolf Wootan has captured the mind of the reader with the intriguing adventures of an ace detective as he and his family become personally involved in cracking a case involving very powerful influential crooks. The book is based mainly in the OC where Wolf resided for a number of years. This familiarity with settings draws the reader into searches for biker bars in Santa Ana, walks on the beach around Dana Point, and ventures into Little Saigon. I am looking forward to following Sam Crown as he brings out the Walter Mitty in me during the upcoming years of enjoyable reading.
Gary Carson