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Whiskey Sour (Jack Daniels Book 1) Kindle Edition

4.3 out of 5 stars 8,333 ratings

FIRST IN AN EXPLOSIVE THRILLER SERIES, MILLIONS SOLD WORLDWIDE...

Lieutenant Jacqueline "Jack" Daniels is having a bad week. Her live-in boyfriend has left her for his personal trainer, chronic insomnia has caused her to max out her credit cards with late-night home shopping purchases, and a frightening killer who calls himself 'The Gingerbread Man' is dumping mutilated bodies in her district.

While avoiding the FBI and its moronic profiling computer, joining a dating service, mixing it up with street thugs, and parrying the advances of an uncouth PI, Jack and her binge-eating partner, Herb, must catch the maniac before he kills again...and Jack is next on his murder list.

Whiskey Sour is the first book in the bestselling Jack Daniels series, full of laugh-out-loud humor and edge-of-your-seat suspense.

WHISKEY SOUR by J.A. Konrath
You can't catch me...

If you are a more sensitive (or adventurous) reader, this handy scale rates specific categories from 1 (lowest) to 10 (highest) to give you some idea if this is your kind of book.

WHISKEY SOUR
Bad Language - 4
Scary - 8
Violent - 8
Funny - 8
Sexy - 3
Crossovers - Features Jack Daniels, Phineas Troutt, Harry McGlade, and includes characters from the Konrath Dark Thriller Collective, the Codename: Chandler series, and the Timecaster series.

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There are 24 books in this series.

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From the Publisher

From J.A. KONRATH - THREE THRILLING SERIES, ONE STORY WORLD

Jack Daniels Series

Jack Daniels Thrillers

Twenty-two gripping suspense novels, and dozens of short stories, starring Chicago Homicide cop Jacqueline "Jack" Daniels, career criminal Phineas Troutt, private eye Harry McGlade, and too many serial killers to count...

This series of complete--but connected--novels also ties in with the Konrath Dark Thriller Collective and the Codename Chandler series, pulling readers into a rich, layered world where any character can pop up in anyone's book... and they do.

Konrath Dark Thriller Collective

Konrath Dark Thriller Collective

Twelve edge-of-your-seat thriller novels featuring police officer Tom Mankowski, molecular biologist Dr. Frank Belgium, and ex-military Fabler as they face psychos, evil scientists, and worse...

This series of complete--but connected--novels also ties in with the Jack Daniels Thrillers and the Codename Chandler series, taking readers into a rich, layered world where any character can pop up in anyone's book... and they do.

Codename Chandler Series

Codename Chandler Series

Join secret agent Chandler, psychotic spy Hammett, and brilliant recluse Fleming as they fight to save the world--while also fighting each other--in eight jaw-dropping action tales...

This series of complete--but connected--stories also ties in with the Konrath Dark Thriller Collective and the Jack Daniels Thrillers, taking readers into a rich, layered world where any character can pop up in anyone's book... and they do.

THIS IS THE SERIES YOU'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR

Jack Daniels Books

WHAT MAKES A GREAT THRILLER

Checklist For Quick Reads
  • Thrilling
  • Funny
  • Scary
  • Romantic
  • Emotional
  • Twisty
  • Good Characters
  • Awesome Ending
GRIPPING

In fact you might grip so hard you'll break your ereader...

The Jacqueline "Jack" Daniels Series

THRILLS, LAUGHS, & SCARES

Looking for a pulse-pounding, nail-biting, can't-stop-reading series filled with suspense, terror, giggles, and a smattering of romance?

Looking for the worst villains, the most twists, the craziest mysteries, and the kinds of characters you wish were your real-life friends?

Looking for a fast, fun read that makes you smile and shriek, often on the same page?

Welcome to the world of Jack.

UNPUTDOWNABLE

Clear your schedule, because once you start you won't stop...

Editorial Reviews

Review

"The dialogue will have you laughing out loud even as you're gripping the pages in terror." - NYT bestseller Tess Gerritsen, author of Rizzoli & Isles

"Spend some time with Jack and the people in her life; I can promise you won't regret it." - NYT bestseller Kay Hooper

"Tougher than Kay Scarpetta, smarter than Stephanie Plum, Jacqueline Daniels rocks." - NYT bestseller Alex Kava

"Excellent smart-mouth thrills... my advice: Take a long sip." - NYT bestseller Lee Child

"I haven't actually read this book." - NYT bestseller Dave Barry

"I wish I was J.A. Konrath." - bestseller Jack Kilborn

From the Author

JA KONRATH BIBLIOGRAPHY

For the completists, or those with a bit of obsessive/compulsiveness, or the folks that just like my stuff and want to know how it all connects, I have a lot of recurring characters and intertwined series. If you need to know the best reading order, or how to make sure you haven't missed anything, check out the bibliography page on my website. You can also visit there to see when a new title will be released.

If you're just looking for a quick checklist, here are my main series.

These do not have to be read in any particular order, but I encourage you to read them all.

JACK DANIELS THRILLERS
#1-Whiskey Sour
#2-Bloody Mary
#3-Rusty Nail
#4-Dirty Martini
#5-Shot Of Tequila
#6-Fuzzy Navel
#7-Cherry Bomb
#8-Dead On My Feet
#9-Serial Killers Uncut (with Blake Crouch)
#10-Shaken
#11-Stirred (with Blake Crouch)
#12-Dying Breath
#13-Everybody Dies
#14-Rum Runner
#15-Last Call
#16-White Russian
#17-Shot Girl
#18-Chaser
#19-Old Fashioned
#20-Bite Force
#21-Jack Rose
#22-Witch Brew
#23-Pink Lady
#24-Bourbon Hammer
#25-Moscow Mule
Bonus #2.5-Lady 52 (with Jude Hardin)
Jack Daniels Stories Vol. 1 (Novella Collection)
Jack Daniels Stories Vol. 2 (Novella Collection)
Jack Daniels Stories Vol. 3 (Novella Collection)
Jack Daniels Stories Vol. 4 (Novella Collection)
Banana Hammock (Novella Collection)

THE KONRATH DARK THRILLER COLLECTIVE
#1-The List
#2-Origin
#3-Afraid
#4-Trapped
#5-Endurance
#6-Haunted House
#7-Webcam
#8-Disturb
#9-What Happened To Lori
#10-The Nine
#11-Second Coming
#12-Close Your Eyes
#13-Enraged
Bonus #4.5-Holes in the Ground (with Iain Rob Wright)
Bonus #5.5-Draculas (with Blake Crouch, Jeff Strand, F. Paul Wilson)
Bonus #6.5-Grandma? (with Talon Konrath)

TIMECASTER
#1-Timecaster
#2-Timecaster Supersymmetry
#3-Timecaster Steampunk

CODENAME: CHANDLER (with Ann Voss Peterson)
#1-Flee
#2-Spree
#3-Three
#4-Hit
#5-Exposed
#6-Naughty
#7-Fix (with F. Paul Wilson)
#8-Rescue
#9-Free

STOP A MURDER PUZZLE BOOKS
#1-How: Puzzles 1-12
#2-Where: Puzzles 13-24
#3-Why: Puzzles 25-36
#4-Who: Puzzles 37-48
#5-When: Puzzles 49-60
#6-Answers
Stop A Murder Complete Cases (Book 1-5)

MISCELLANEOUS
65 Proof - Collected Short Stories
The Globs Of Use-A-Lot 3 (With Dan Maderak)

EROTICA
Writing as Melinda DuChamp


MAKE ME BLUSH series
#1-Kinky Secrets Of Mister Kink
#2-Kinky Secrets Of Witches
#3-Kinky Secrets Of Six & Candy

ALICE series
#1-Kinky Secrets Of Alice In Wonderland
#2-Kinky Secrets Of Alice Through The Looking Glass
#3-Kinky Secrets Of Alice At The Hellfire Club
#4-Kinky Secrets Of Alice Vs. Dracula
#5-Kinky Secrets Of Alice Vs. Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde
#6-Kinky Secrets Of Alice Vs. Frankenstein
#7-Kinky Secrets Of Alice's Christmas Special
#8-Kinky Secrets Of Alice's New Year Ball

JEZEBEL series
#1-Kinky Secrets Of Jezebel And The Beanstalk
#2-Kinky Secrets Of Puss In Boots
#3-Kinky Secrets Of Goldilocks

SEXPERTS series
#1-The Sexperts - Kinky Grades Of Shay
#2-The Sexperts - Kinky Secrets Of The Pearl Necklace
#3-The Sexperts - Kinky Secrets Of The Alien

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00BBE4BFE
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ February 4, 2013
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2.6 MB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 298 pages
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Book 1 of 24 ‏ : ‎ Jack Daniels
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 out of 5 stars 8,333 ratings

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Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
8,333 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers enjoy this fast-paced crime novel filled with action, featuring an unyielding female protagonist and a wise-cracking badass character. The book is interspersed with humor, and customers find it well worth their time, with one customer particularly appreciating reading from both main characters' perspectives. The writing quality receives positive feedback, with one customer noting its clean language, while opinions about the violence level are mixed, with some finding it gory while others say it's not distressful.

712 customers mention "Enjoyment"673 positive39 negative

Customers find the book enjoyable and well worth their time, describing it as a great beach read that kept their interest.

"...Had a few twist and did not end a I would have though.but was still a good read. Will try other books in this seria" Read more

"...I read this book in 2 days. Great read!" Read more

"Good read. Well written, story line was fun and interesting holding this reader's attention. I've read better books, but I've read far worse ones...." Read more

"Great book . Loved that it covered humour, excitement and a win at the end . Jack Daniels is awesome." Read more

551 customers mention "Suspenseful story"512 positive39 negative

Customers enjoy the suspenseful story of this fast-paced crime novel filled with action.

"...Which is also fine. I really enjoyed the mystery and suspense and graphic nature of the book...." Read more

"...But if you like a good mystery with a "good" bad guy and a great heroine, then this just might be the book for you!" Read more

"...The book itself was tightly plotted and suspenseful...." Read more

"...The story counts. This is a good story. How do you make a Procedural Police Thriller seem new and interesting?..." Read more

394 customers mention "Character development"361 positive33 negative

Customers appreciate the character development in the book, particularly noting the unyielding female protagonist and Jack's likable personality. One customer mentions enjoying reading from both main characters' perspectives.

"Really good writing. Great characters. Page-turning suspense...." Read more

"Always looking for an enjoyable read. Fast paced, interesting characters, humor. Also, it's the first book of a series. Excited!😁..." Read more

"...Jack Daniels is a great character, too. Well written and tough, but not too tough...." Read more

"A most excellent read. Loved the characters. The storyline was smooth and captivating. The twists kept me intrigued...." Read more

391 customers mention "Humor"363 positive28 negative

Customers enjoy the book's humor, which is interspersed throughout the story with laugh-out-loud moments and the right amount of sarcasm, creating a fun bromance between characters.

"...I like the most about the Jack Daniels series is that: (1) they are funny, (2) well written, (3) entertaining and (4) just plain fun!..." Read more

"...that I would recommend to those that love page-turners, humor and a good cop winning over sickening evil...." Read more

"Funny, entertaining ,suspenseful story that is well written and will keep you reading late into the night to se what happens next...." Read more

"...but none in the Jack Daniels detective series. Great thriller with believable characters and a creepy killer called The Gingerbread Man...." Read more

344 customers mention "Writing quality"333 positive11 negative

Customers praise the writing quality of the book, describing it as a fast read with well-crafted dialogue, and one customer notes that the language is fairly clean.

"...most about the Jack Daniels series is that: (1) they are funny, (2) well written, (3) entertaining and (4) just plain fun!..." Read more

"...It was very well written, fast paced, and had moments of laugh out loud humor...." Read more

"...I'm glad I did. Whiskey Sour was a great, quick read. It's been awhile since I've read a cop vs. serial killer novel...." Read more

"...Fast paced and gripping, this book will keep you awake. Jack Daniels is a character you will love! I highly recommend this book." Read more

104 customers mention "Pacing"94 positive10 negative

Customers appreciate the pacing of the book, describing it as well-developed and moving fast with style, featuring a wise-cracking badass character.

"But amazing heroine. Jack Daniels is gutsy and smart with just the right amount of sarcasm...." Read more

"...She is not your "normal" star in a mystery that is fast moving and fun." Read more

"Fast moving, who done it? First book by a prolific author. Jack Daniels is a Lieutenant in the Chicago PD Violent Crimes Dept...." Read more

"...The main character, Jacqueline Daniels, is well developed, interesting and funny; you just want to find out what happens next to the sassy but..." Read more

67 customers mention "Series quality"67 positive0 negative

Customers love this series, describing it as entertaining and one of the best serial killer books they've read.

"...Great series." Read more

"...It was pretty good but repetitive in some parts. It wasn't a page-turner but it wasn't a bore either...." Read more

"...Will read the next installment. Good series." Read more

"...as it really sets the pace for the rest of the series ... a good start to a good series." Read more

252 customers mention "Violence level"106 positive146 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the violence level in the book, with some finding it not too gory while others describe it as graphic.

"...It was pretty graphic though, with too many gruesome and rather horrific and cringe-causing details...." Read more

"...The book is both gruesome and quite funny, a delicate balancing act for the best of writers, and J. A. Konrath is right up there...." Read more

"...good like Stephine Plumb books but found it was much more intense and scary." Read more

"Well paced, gory, funny(enough to make you ignore the gore!); enjoy the characters and their development, especially Phyn. Great Read" Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on May 14, 2013
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    Well of course you can if your name is Jack Daniels!

    The Lieutenant Jack Daniels series by J.A. Konrath is a hoot. There is everything that should make this series a pleasure to read: a crazed killer; a dedicated homicide detective and tons of humor. In "Whiskey Sour", Jack Daniels finds herself in quite the pickle...her boyfriend has left her for his personal trainer; her partner (Herb) is encouraging her to get back into the dating pool; and she is trying to catch a killer who leaves gingerbread men at the scene beside the bodies of mutilated women. To complicate matters "The Gingerbread Man" has found a game that he loves, killing and he's getting better at it. Once he's set his eyes on Jack, there is no stopping him. After all he lives to stalk, abduct, strangle, and mutilate women before disposing of their bodies, leaving behind a signature gingerbread man cookie. Jack just hopes that she can catching her latest nemesis.

    What I like the most about the Jack Daniels series is that: (1) they are funny, (2) well written, (3) entertaining and (4) just plain fun! For example, there is one scene in the book where two FBI profilers, who feed off of one another, rattle off a profile (in tandem) that simply had me in stitches. The claimed that the killer they were hunting liked..... line dancing...wearing women's underwear (probably his mother's)...is impotent (and maybe even gay)...hears voices (or maybe just his mother's).....is probably disfigured, disabled and/or maybe has acne scars...was dropped on his head...and likes western bars....and may even have a hunchback". And the laughs don't stop when they later revise the profile (to include something about a horse). In a way, these books remind me of the Stephanie Plum or Stephanie Bond series (although I think these are better written or have more personality)...in that there is a strong female lead character (who is funny and resourceful), who has relationship issues (clearly Jack is still in love with her ex-husband, she barely batted an eye when the boyfriend left her for his personal trainer). However, the strong female lead in this case Jack, doesn't mind a little introspection (looking inside herself) and she doesn't take herself too seriously. She isn't perfect but flawed (works too much and too hard; dedicated to her job; and suffers from insomnia.....and I'm not necessarily saying these are bad things. There are, of course, some other characters that are worth mentioning. Herb, her ever faithful partner (and at times brother figure) who has an ravenous appetite, tries to be the voice of reason and keep her on an enlightened path (even if he needs a pizza to do it); Harry, an old friend/partner who manages to get under her skin and yet help in his own way; and her mother (a retired cop who while growing old still manages a relationship with an elderly man that she claims is insatiable). And then there are the killers that Konrath creates, while they may not too original (in that all serial killers do basically the same thing....plot/plan, kill, and then make some stupid mistake that eventually gets them caught) , they always convey a sense of evil, which always makes the reader invest in the story.

    I really enjoyed "Whiskey Sour" and would recommend it! It would make a wonderful summer read while you sit on the beach.
    12 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on April 12, 2013
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    This review first appeared on Goodreads.com.

    Whiskey Sour is the first novel in the Jack Daniels series. Very easy reading, but it did make me think seriously about who we have become as a people. When I posted on Facebook that I was reading this book, one of my friends posted that she had listened to a later book in the series as an audiobook and found it too graphic for her taste. And graphic doesn’t begin to describe the murders that form the basis of this mystery thriller. My sister and I, both fans of tv’s “Criminal Minds,” have discussed whether shows of this type (and books and movies) haven’t become too graphic, too psychotic, too suggestive. It seems the goal is to have the goriest, dirtiest, most sickening murder done by the most sadistic villain. And I’ll admit to regularly following a whole host of tv series that fit into that category (including the new additions “The Following,” “Bates Motel” and “Cult.”).

    So, back to the novel. I did really enjoy this book. The author promised humor and there was a lot of that – not the laugh out loud humor of a Stephanie Plum, but definite humor. The author promised action and there was plenty of that. Suspense was ever present, too – in abundance!

    There were very few errors – but like Sinatra’s regrets, almost too few to mention. I’ll name the 4 that stopped my progress.

    1st: Maybe the Chicago Police Department uses the word ‘deposition’ to mean the statement taken from witnesses or suspects, but after 41 years in a law office, I can tell you for certain that when used in a legal setting, a deposition is not a statement taken by a police officer. That statement certainly can be an important piece of evidence in any ensuing court trial, but it does not carry the weight of a legitimate deposition – taken by an attorney, with a court reporter, the person giving the deposition and, at least in every case in which I was involved in those 41 years, that person’s attorney. A true deposition may be entered into testimony in court in lieu of live testimony and may be used to refute conflicting testimony given by the deponent in court. So, the use throughout the novel, but especially in the first chapter, of the word ‘deposition’ to mean ‘statement’ made me want to find Konrath’s address and send him a copy of Black’s. To my eye, this was the worst error of the lot and it occurred almost immediately in the novel and, yes, it almost made me put the book down and not read it. That would have been a shame, because, other than this, I thoroughly enjoyed the book.

    2nd: In Chapter 9, Jack’s partner, Herb, has to have 11 stitches in his tongue. Now, if you’ve ever had stitches in your mouth, you know one of the things you don’t do for a while is eat a lot of solid food. Yet, Herb, who literally eats his way through the novel, is eating a Hoagie sandwich just a few hours after being stitched. Even with his appetite, I found that unbelievable.

    3rd and 4th: Those pesky proof reading problems! Chapter 29, first sentence, Herb is spelled ‘herb;’ no capital. And in Chapter 34, Latham is spelled “latham;’ no capital. But I don’t think I saw even one glaring grammar error and those non-capitalized proper names were the only spelling errors I caught. All in all a very good result!

    As for the story, it was fun to read. The characters were well drawn and fleshed out – you either liked or hated them, or in the case of Harry McGlade, just shook your head a lot. The writing was riveting and, yes, the descriptions of the tortures and murders were sickeningly graphic. But the plotting was first rate. Sensible timelines, seamless changes between character outlooks, great image producing prose – top notch writing. How much did I enjoy the book? Well, the last novel I read (see review of "30 Pieces of Silver" here in my reviews) took me almost a month to read. This took me 2 days.

    Did I like Jack as much as I like Stephanie Plum, Temple Barr, Kinsey Milhone, Temperance Brennan or Anna Pigeon? No. But I didn’t like Kinsey Milhone in the beginning, either, so I’ll give Lt. Jacqueline Daniels another try.
    19 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Cheryl E
    5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome Read
    Reviewed in Australia on September 26, 2018
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    This is a 4.5 star read.

    A surprisingly great find on Kindle Australia, this is an exceptional murder mystery that kept me riveted to the page. Written in a very "blokey" style, our protagonist, Jack, is a female given more than her fair share of ribbing due to her name. There are amusing moments woven throughout the story and I especially liked the author's and protagonist's obvious disdain for the F.B.I.'s profiling unit. Highly recommended.
  • beenme
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great Story !!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 1, 2024
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    I only write reviews for ... a) the really good ones ... OR ... b): the REALLY bad ones.
    This is the former! Just right for reading when you're not feeling great yourself....
    Grrrreat storyline, right from start (some you have to coast along before it grips you) but this one
    actually starts interesting!
    Fast moving and you're not wasting time reading through lots of dull, meaningless conversations!
    I can certainly recommend this read - good stuff!!!
  • Kindle Customer
    4.0 out of 5 stars What A Kick!
    Reviewed in India on January 25, 2021
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Page turner of a novel.
    A psycho killer is on loose. The way he goes about killing his targets is just unbelievable and very INHUMAN.
    Lieutenant Jack Daniels along with detective Herb is imcharge of the investigation.
    The killer's main kick is derived from thinking of possessing Jack.
    Why is the psycho killing? Why does he want Jack?
    Read this novel to find out.
  • Terry Pigeon
    5.0 out of 5 stars I hate serial killers
    Reviewed in Canada on June 8, 2024
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Yes, I try to avoid stories involving serial killers, and picked this book up inadvertently. But, I gave t a few chapter and got to like the lead character enough to continue. I got hooked and it got that I couldn’t put the story down. A great read after all and I recommend you all give it a try - even if you’re not into serial killer stories.
  • Avid Reader
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great read!
    Reviewed in France on April 1, 2025
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    A good plot, characters you like or at least make you laugh. Very well written, à page Turner.
    Will read others.

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