Michael Wiley

The protagonist in Trouble in Mind by Michael Wiley is Sam Kelson, a retired police detective, turned private I. He has an interesting back story; he was shot in the head resulting in damage in the part of the brain that controls inhibitions. Sam says whatever comes to mind and answers questions with the truth no matter what the consequences. In a profession where truth telling may get one in trouble, this creates particularly difficult situations. So while the disinhibition generates interesting conflict, the situations he puts himself in are illogical and at times ridiculous. He is so often incompetent - after people break into his office 5 times due to an inadequate lock, he still doesn't change it to protect himself. I rolled my eyes at his ineptitude too many times to be interested in reading more about him.… (more)

Sam Kelson turned private investigator is a former narcotics policeman whose career ended after being shot i the head by a drug dealer. His injury caused a condition known as disinhibition which leaves him unable to tell a lie or keep a secret. After the injury, Sam is divorced, but is devoted to his daughter Sue Ellen.

Sam is hired by a new client to help her brother but it is a set up and he is arrested for murder. Sam sets out to try and find out who set him up while the murders countinue to grow. At the same time he continues to irritate everyone by continuous talking, and blurting out everything he is thinking

A very good mystery with a great cast of characters. Look forward to his next book.

I received this book in exchange for a review.… (more)

A noir detective novel set in present-day Chicago. The catch with the protagonist is that he has a traumatic brain injury from being shot in the head two years previously when he was a police officer and a drug bust went awry (the drug dealer was killed). This brain injury causes Sam Kelson to lack inhibition- he just says whatever's on his mind at the moment, including hitting on women in his vicinity or being unable to hide from a killer who asks where he is. This character aspect is reminiscent of the main character in Motherless Brooklyn who has Tourette's Syndrome and cannot stop interjecting non-sensical statements and phrases into just about any conversation. Both characters are social outcasts- in the case of Kelson, his wife even divorced him, and he has few friends. Trouble in Mind is decently written for a noir suspense mystery, with some good writing popping up frequently, however, the plot meanders and turns in on itself a few times as Kelton searches out the same people in the same spots over and over. Sam Kelson is an endearing figure, however, in a world of crazy characters. Recommended as a quick noir detective read, but probably won't win any awards (famous last words?).… (more)