The Covey Jencks Mysteries

Love and Murder Deep in the Heart of Texas

De: Shelton Williams

Narrado por: Stephen E. Lookadoo Jr.

Shelton Williams' book, The Covey Jencks Mysteries: Love and Murder Deep in the Heart of Texas, is more than a collection of mysterious tales of murder and investigation. By bringing to life these characters, the author has highlighted global issues such as racism, political extremism, and human trafficking. In the midst of it all is our interracial protagonists, hell-bent on discovering the secrets lurking in the dark shadows of Odessa, Texas.

©2022 Shelton L. Williams (P)2022 Shelton L. Williams

Entertainment that brings these stories to life

Covey Jencks and his better half, Jay Jay, are an unlikely couple I want to meet and talk with over dinner. Covey a white Texan, a high school football legend, an attorney, and a loyal friend who asks questions and fascinatingly delivers results. His previous acquaintances rounded out his support team. Imagine leaving a lucrative law practice in Washington, D.C., and returning to Odessa, Texas, to establish a law practice from scratch.

Jay Jay Qualls, a black Texan, well-educated, self-sufficient hard worker, and actress, knows what she deserves and is unwilling to settle for anything less. She provides a powerful viewpoint for Covey that creates a sense of balance for the pair. The 'power couple' title, they earned in a press comment, illustrated the strong relationship built on honesty, communication, and deep-seated compassion for one another and others. Their solid foundation unites them through racial turmoil and assumptions that allow them to win because of their multiple viewpoints of each situation they investigate.

The descriptions of the towns, times, attitudes, and problems reflect Texas, both good and bad. There was nothing sugar-coated with the realism delivered in the three mysteries. Humor, mystery, intrigue, and outlandish characters make each of the three tales worth every second. I learned a bit about the history of West Texas at a level I’d not previously known, though I lived in Texas during these times. The pacing of the stories, peeling back the layers of the clues, and putting the puzzle together was engaging. Well-done audiobooks are perfect for long drives, with this collection going to the top of the great fun ones.

Narrator Stephen L. Lookadoo, Jr. delivered a delightful rendition of this trio of stories. The voices were consistent with spot-on inflection points every step of the way. I found the action-packed stories entertaining due in part to the excellent delivery by the talented narrator. I heartily recommend these stories for lovers of mysteries, with a great foundation of Texas.

Great narration plus fantastic stories

Having read the original Covey Jencks novel, which I did not review, and the second, Covey and Jay Jay Get Educated, which I did, I was curious to hear the audiobook, with all three books narrated by the same person, and presented in one, neat, bundle. I was not disappointed. While I'm a rare audiobook-listener and generally only listen to books I've read in print, I'm falling more in love with the medium. As I had not read the third book in this collection, The Chinese Murder of Edward Watts, I was a bit concerned about following the plot, but these books are so perfectly paced and well plotted, and balance humor and more serious scenes so well, that I had no issues.

As a refresher, the first book introduces us to Covey Jencks and his partner in solving crime (among other things), JayJay Qualls and sees them solving a case in Jencks's hometown of Odessa, Texas where he recently returned. It involved Mexican gangs and a Boston mobster, and set the tone for the sarcasm-laced, deeply respectful and affectionate relationship between the two leads. The second book sees Covey and JayJay  finding the truth behind the death of one of Covey's friends as well as other mayhem on a college campus, and the third involves a trip to China to solve a murder that involves characters there and in the USA, including a group of Chinese gangsters.

What all three novels have in common, aside from Covey and JayJay, are the deft uses of language, and the way author Williams imbues his stories with social consciousness and uses them to discuss everything from immigration and racism to sexism and sex trafficking. He does this while never making the reader - or listener - feel hammered to death by a cause, or overdoing the darker aspect of these subjects, but wrapping them in mysteries laced with humor and wry turns of phrase that are completely engaging.

As audio books, each of these has been released on its own, albeit with diffrerent narrators. What makes this omnibus audiobook edition so special is that the same narrator is with us all the way through. A good narrator can make or break and audiobook. In this case, Stephen E. Lookadoo's folksy warmth only enhances the source material. He sounds like someone Covey Jencks would know; he sounds like someone the author would know. He has that kind of familiar voice that makes you think you've heard him before - and maybe you have - but even when he's playing a down-home hick he never seems uneducated. He also used just enough accent and pitch change to evoke the different characters without sounding forced or fake. A lot of male narrators turn female characters into caricatures; Lookadoo does not.

The combination of Williams's vivd storytelling and Lookadoo's narration gives the listener the perfect blend of substance and style. The vocal performance is perfectly matched to the relatively quick pace of these novels, and you never feel breathless from trying to keep up, or bored because things are too slow.

At nearly eighteen hours, this omnibus is a meaty undertaking. Personally, I prefer longer audiobooks because I can live with them for several evenings and really absorb the story. In this case, that time gives us three distinct, yet still connected, mysteries that were fantastic in print, an even better in this format.

Goes well with: cold beer - Shiner is good - and a plate of ribs, cole slaw and mac-n-cheese.

Gripping Novel

This collection of the Covey Jencks series is memorable. The author does a fantastic job with the selection of the audiobook for this collection of titles. Narrator Stephen Lookadoo has a voice that fits perfectly for the audio versions of these three titles. I can't imagine how hard it is for an author to search for a narrator that has the ability to due the story justice and capture the attention of the reader the entire time. I am a huge fan of audiobooks. I also tend to transfer between reading the book and listening to it simultaneously.

The three books in this audiobook collection were Covey Jencks (book 1), Covey and JayJay Get Educated (book 2), and The Chinese Murder of Edward Watts (book 3).

Covey Jencks :This story is set the stage and the development of the beloved main character Covey. We get to see the full back story and development of Covey and his relationship with JayJay. Something from his past drew him back to his hometown and he intends to see it to the end. This book is a well-developed, fast paced, engaging novel with many twists and turns. This is definitely a page turner and one you would not want to put down.

Covey and JayJay Get Educated : This book is filled with twists, turns , and interrogations. There were numerous occasions where I gasped out loud while reading and laughed at the interactions between the main characters and supporting characters. Throughout the whole novel I thought I had a pretty good idea of why the murders occurred until closer towards the end and I noticed there was a bigger issue at hand than the murders.

The Chinese Murder of Edward Watts : The story is filled with “ghosts” from the past coming back to “haunt” Covey and JayJay. This comical pair are a match made in partner heaven as they navigate an investigation with multiple loopholes. I did not expect this many twists and turns when I began diving into this novel and I was thoroughly surprised as the story continued to develop.

I highly recommend you check out this audiobook collection as you won't be disappointed. You will enjoy this novel if you are looking for a thought-provoking adult mystery novel that focuses on social issues deep in the heart of Texas. This Texas-sized series will leaving wanting more from the author and wanting to finish the entire collection in one sitting.
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Perfect binge-listen to enjoy the whole series

Revisiting the Covey Jencks world & reading these books with my ears was a blast. And the timing was perfect as I was listening while driving right across West Texas, putting me solidly in the setting of the books (especially book three as I watched pumpjack after pumpjack pass by and smelled that smell -- of money, my daddy used to say).
With a new narrator, Stephen Lookadoo, great new features, and all three stories, back-to-back for perfect binge-reading, it was even more fun than the first times around.

I have established that I really like these stories since I’ve: 1) read all three books with my eyes; 2) listened to all three books as stand-alones, and 3) now, listened to the eighteen hours of the omnibus edition. And yet, I still picked up on new nuances, chuckled again at the humor, and thanks to a faulty memory, was anxiously awaiting the resolutions to the pickles in which Covey and JayJay managed to land.

“Texans I have found to be interesting folks in state or out. We just can’t help it.”

The updated preface from the author is enjoyable, as is the very informative brand-new Foreword, which is as long as some of the chapters of the book but a fascinating addition. Part ode to the author, part ode to Odessa and West, by God, Texas, MUCH an ode to the characters of Shelly Williams’s characters.

I intend to get the print version of this book because that’s how I roll, and because I imagine I’ll revisit the stories again and the omnibus edition with the best cover of all will be the way to do it. But I’m happy I read it with my ears because it will be Stephen Lookadoo’s version of Covey that I’ll hear in my head. Again, PERFECT.

Funny and Well Written Collection of Mysteries

I’ve already read and reviewed the books in this omnibus and I was worried that I’d be bored with a re-listen. But honestly, I was quite entertained! I enjoyed reacquainting myself with the characters and remembering the details of the mysteries. (Click here to see the other reviews.)

Narrator Lookadoo is engaging with an easy to listen style. As previously, I appreciate the straight-forward and conversational language used in the novels. This makes listening to the audio inviting. Lookadoo really nails the West Texas accents and characters in these novels. The narration of the characters is distinct, including JayJay’s voice. The audio production is well done and listening to the novels is a pleasure.

These novels are funny, well-researched, and well-written in a conversational tone. The Texas quips stand out on second reading.

“Younger Edward, as many West Texans say, was all hat and no cattle.”

I'm still chuckling at that!

I appreciated the blending of historic facts and information with fictional storytelling and characters. The historic setting of the mid to late 1990’s provides a lens to view current times. Topics in these novels are just as relevant today as they were in the 1990s (homophobia, racism, Chinese American relations, oil boom and bust cycles, and more). The pop culture and movie references are enjoyable to read and had me laughing many times throughout the novels.

The secondary characters almost steal the show in these novels. Each is fully developed and entertaining to say the least! From the team at Covey and Associates (M.A. & Jack) to the cast of characters Covey and JayJay meet along the way (a ghost, a Boston gangster, spies, amongst others), I can easily picture these characters and their interactions with Covey and JayJay.

COVEY JENKS: The scenes where J.J. and Covey become reacquainted is even more poignant knowing how their relationship progresses throughout the novels. The historic scenes blend well with the current scenes. I really enjoyed when the characters and together, breaking down the crimes and determine who is guilty.

COVEY JENKS GET EDUCATED: The addition of JayJay’s point of view and narration in this novel is a real boon! Her POV really adds to the novel, giving us scene details when Covey is not around. Liberal vs conservative Texas is at the forefront of this novel. This reads as very current. Plus, I did not see those twists at the end coming, even the second time!

THE CHINESE MURDER OF EDWARD WATTS: Of the three, this one reads as the most Columbo-esque. The murder of Edward Watts takes place at the beginning of the novel (and it’s in the title!), while solving the murder unfolds throughout the rest of the novel. Overly large personality Randy Jordan makes his debut in this novel. I'd read more of his stories anytime!