This is a box set of the first four books of the Gus Mackie novella series. rev.010915
Story synopsis:
"Gus Mackie and the Hot Tamale"
Gus Mackie is not a Hollywood type private investigator, he not good looking, muscle bound or full of knowledge. He's rough around the edges and is imperfect. His cases are few and far between but he gets free rent by living in his office. His closest friend is a Native-American Police Detective who acts as his conscience and covers his ass from getting in trouble. Gus has been hired by a man to find out if his secretary is cheating on him, even though the man is married. On top of that the man's wife has had her half million dollar necklace stolen. Gus is conflicted when the wife hires him to find the necklace and tie her husband to the crime.
"Gus Mackie and the Missing Princess"
Gus Mackie's police detective friend, Bernie Longmire, comes to Gus with an offer of a special case. It has to be handled quietly since a country's fate is at stake. The country has a king and his daughter is missing. Bernie is tasked with finding her, before the King and Queen go back home from the United State for an important celebration. But if they don't have the daughter with them, the king's rule may be in jeopardy. Has the daughter been kidnapped by a cousin of the king, a duke who wants to take over ruling the small monarchy by force? Or has the girl just run away from the pressures of being a princess? Will they find her alive and well, or will they miss her as she is spirited away to parts unknown.
"Gus Mackie and Weeping Wife"
It was time for Gus to move to a better office and out of a slum area in Detroit. Police homicide detective, Bernie Longmire, and Angela, Gus' daughter, agree to help him move into his new office. Going back to the old office to get ready to move, they find a woman crying at Gus' door. She has a problem, she doesn't know where her husband is at. Did he run off with another woman or is he dead in a shallow grave. They were able to get the story from her despite all the crying she was doing and Gus took the case. After a quick move of Gus' meager belongings, he and Bernie go after the first possibility, was the missing man murdered? They talked to a co-worker of the missing man and got the name of someone who was threatening him. They go to talk to the suspect and end up having to break up a domestic fight and then find out the suspect may have an alibi. Gus goes out on his own and finds a place where the missing man could be hiding, and why he was hiding.
"Gus Mackie and the lost Heiress"
Gus Mackie was relaxing in his new office in a better part of Detroit when he saw the young woman in front of his building. She was reading the sign in the window telling the world that a private investigator worked there. Gus could see she was homeless and went to open the door as she stood looking apprehensive. She finally came in and told Gus about how she wanted to find her mother who gave her up for adoption when she was a child. The woman lived on the streets most of her life and wanted a family now. Gus takes the case and offers her a place to stay, as Angela, Gus' daughter, takes the her under her wing and gives her a new look. Gus brings his police detective friend, Bernie, along as they both go track down the woman's family.