Stephen Cannell has created a masterpiece! Every book in the Shane Scully series has you sitting on the edge of your seat, the action, mystery, drama. And it must have super glue on the pages, because you can't put it down until you've reached the end! Wish they'd turn them into movies/tv series! Write faster, Mr. Cannell! We need more Shane Scully!!

Cannell does it again. One of my all time favorites. Well draw characters. Fast paced with a great plot. He is a genius!

I find myself in agreement with most of the other reviewers in regard to this latest Shane Scully novel. It's a pretty good read, smoothly written, but with some major flaws most of which have been pointed out by previous reviewers.
A couple of things stick in my craw, though, and one is the scene in which Shane and Scout are in her loft apartment in L.A. and he looks out the window and sees Nob Hill. Since Nob Hill is in San Francisco, Scout's apartment must be several thousand feet high. Another is when Shane observes a saguaro cactus just outside Bakersfield. Anyone who ever lived on the California desert knows you're not going to see the majestic saguaros except very near the Colorado River, and usually on the Arizona side of the border.
Of course, these are minor glitches, but they indicate a carelessness and lack of fact checking that hurts the book. Combine them with the other obvious flaws and it all adds up to a book that falls sadly short of what we have come to expect from this author.
Cannell needs to devote a little more time and effort to his next novel. At least be geographically accurate, for crying out loud.

Stephen Cannell has to be one of the best writers in terms of delivering consistently high quality page turning (or in this case, disk swapping) books...and continued his streak with a Three Shirt Deal.

This book is extremely entertaining, and keeps you thinking. He does reuse some of the same things from books past, such as Shane breaking the rules, getting in trouble with the bosses, and a hidden agenda just waiting to be discovered.

I also like the linear sequence of his books, and the fact they build on the previous stories, and the story lines keep progressing. It allows a much closer bond with the characters. Here, with the marital issues between Alexa and Shane, you are drawn to just pull for them, that they can work it out. His character development is so good, its like you know the characters, and are friends with them.

All I can say is I hope to read even more about my "friends", if he continues this series. If you have read the others in this series, or this would be your first...this will not let you down.

This isn't the best of the Shane Scully novels but it's a good read. There isn't any real twist in the plot as this novel is more a character study about Scully and how his relationship to his wife has changed because of her being shot in the last novel. The ending is a bit pat and some of the injuries that Scully takes are over the top to the point where you wonder how he's even a functioning human being let alone a hero cop. If your a fan of the series you'll enjoy the book.

The Shane Scully series is outstanding; great characters, imaginative plots and fun reading. He is a 'gritty' writer with edgey characters. I've read every one of his novels and eagerly look forward to each new one, it's a fun ride and a fast read. His wife, Alexa, throws some surprises at you. If you like Stephen J. Cannell you will not be disappointed!

As much as I hate to admit it, WHITE SISTER, the sixth Shane Scully novel, somehow slipped by me. So I was a little shocked to find that Scully's unique and successful marriage to his department's chief was being strained and in danger of failing. It seems that a head wound that Alexa suffered in that book has left her with severe personality changes, which has Scully wondering what happened to the woman he married. And when Secada "Scout" Llevar, a beautiful investigator from Internal Affairs, asks him to look into a case, his previously monogamous feelings are tempted to wander.

Though Stephen J. Cannell is certainly not known as a romance writer, he always manages to include enough of a tender backstory to add dimension to his street-wise, tough-guy characters. He has a brilliant knack for creating people who are at once realistic and bigger than life. They are quick thinking, fast talking and capable --- perhaps willing to bend the rules but always with the goal of justice in mind.

A small-time crook is serving a life sentence for the murder of his mother. He admitted to the crime but now claims his confession was coerced by the cops. As Llevar tries to convince Scully to investigate, she chides his reluctance: "I thought you were supposed to be a White Knight...a walk-alone who wants to get it right and doesn't sweat the fallout." Scully replies, "That's the Disney movie. In the Miramax version I s*** my pants and run like a rabbit." It's this kind of dialogue that crackles throughout the book and brings on waves of nostalgia for the old "NYPD Blue" series.

As he begins delving into the case, Scully quickly spots inconsistencies that should have been picked up by the original investigator. Yet they were overlooked by both the police and the district attorney who, by the way, is now running for mayor. And candidate Tito Morales is not eager to have any of his old cases turn up as bungled. Meanwhile, an apparently innocent man is being victimized by gang members in prison and kept in the general population by mysterious political maneuverings. Instead of being intimidated by the powerful forces that would shut down the investigation, Scully and Llevar work even harder to uncover the truth.

The white-knuckle climax of THREE SHIRT DEAL is one of the most exciting ever, nearly costing Scully his life. And, even when you think you have it all figured out, Cannell throws in a few more surprises just to add to your enjoyment. The underlying morality and dedication of characters like Shane Scully provide us with both entertainment and encouragement. Thank you, Mr. Cannell, for all the good reads!

--- Reviewed by Maggie Harding

I like Cannell's writing. And, I like him. Cannell's website, beside promoting his work, is also a tutorial for aspiring novel and screenwriters. He comes across as a regular guy who cares about who reads his works and those who might join the fraternity.

However, picking Scott Brick to read this book for the CD edition was a bad choice. It ruined the book for me until I read the hardback this week. Scott Brick, who a lot of people like, is one of the worst readers in the business and grates upon my eardrums. From what I've read, I'm one of the few who think this. Oh, well.

Just my dime's worth.
- Terry Norman

Asked by beautiful Internal Affairs detective Secada "Scout" Llevar to help investigate the claims of small-time crook Truit Hickman, convicted of killing his mother, that he has been framed by the police, Shane Scully takes on a violent Hispanic gang, a millionaire powerbroker, and a frontrunner in L.A's mayoral race, risking his family, his job, and his life to uncover the truth. bt.
Though not his best work, Cannell still writes an entertaining thriller. I thought the ending was wrapped up a little too quick, and as one reveiwer mentioned some of the issues in the story were either not addressed or didn't make a lot of sense (Everyone against Scully for one).
I still enjoyed the novel, and even though it's an average Cannell novel, his fans will still enjoy it.

I've been a major fan of Cannell since he created "The Rockford Files" (one of the all time great TV shows), and of the previous Shane Scully novels. I wanted to like this latest entry more than I did, though.
Scully's marriage has been shakey after his wife, LAPD chief of detectives and his boss, began behaving erratically after getting shot in the head in "White Sister". Enter alluring internal affairs officer Secada Llevar, who draws Scully's eye during this difficult marital period. She convinces Scully to assist her in looking into a suspicious murder case, in which a man named Tru Hickman may have been wrongly convicted of murder. Llevar believes the conviction was secured by corrupt cops, though she's been ordered to leave the case alone. Never one to back down from conflict, Scully agrees to investigate, especially after learning that the lead detective on Hickman's case was Brian Devine, with whom Scully has scuffled before. Scully uncovers some high-level shenanigans amid mayoral politics, while struggling to resist the sexy Llevar and remain faithful to his wife. Scully remains an engaging hero, and I continued to root for him in "Three Shirt Deal". However I felt the corruption case at the center of the book wasn't terribly original, and there were a few too many loose ends and implausibilities on the way to a resolution. That said, I'm sure I'll pick up the next Shane Scully novel as soon as it comes out.
Also recommended: A Stranger Lies There - this mystery won the Malice Domestic Award for best first mystery, and earned "two thumbs way up" from the other major online bookseller's Editorial Review.

As this novel begins, it is concentrating on the problem Shane Scully is facing concerning his wife, Alexa. She was shot in the head in the previous novel (White Sister) and although recovering, it is going slowly and badly as far as Shane is concerned. He knows she is having convulsions. He has found that she is on medication. Their once close and loving relationship has deteriorated and Alexa is having great difficulty in her position within the LAPD. Scully is an LAPD Detective. Alexa head of the LAPD Detective Bureau, i.e. his boss.

Enter Secada (Scout) Llevar, an LAPD Detective who has uncovered a badly prosecuted case which she believes has resulted in the wrongful incarceration of a young man who was charged with killing his mother. Her stirring around in the case has gotten her in trouble with her superiors who have told her to forget it. She smells corruption and coverup and comes to Scully, because of his well deserved reputation of taking on difficult matters.

She has selected well. Against his better judgement he takes a look at the case and becomes convinced that something indeed is rotten and that it may well involve an old nemisis, Lt. Brian Devine.

Ignoring orders to drop the case gets both Scout and Scully in a large amount of hot water with their superiors and as they start to unravel the facts surrounding the case, numerous powerful and unseemly characters are turned up as well.

To go on and on with the plot of the story would be self defeating as the interesting aspects of the story are the twists and turns planned by the author.

If you have been a Shane Scully fan in the past, I believe you will find this to be up to Cannell's previous efforts. It is a real "roller coaster" as those who have read it found out.

This book is definitely two stories instead of one. The first story is character development for Shane and Alexa. For those that don't follow the series, Alexa is recovering from a severe head injury that has produced severe behavioral effects. The second story is a generic corrpution mystery.

I've been following the Shane Scully series from the Tin Collectors. I'm an avid fan. For those that have read previous books and are interested in the Shane/Alexa personal development saga after White sister, buy the book used. If you're new to the series, start with Viking Funeral or Vertical Coffin instead and work forward chronologically.

In fact, it saddens me to say this, but I'm a little disappointed in the book. There were many incongruities in the relationship story and many loose ends left unresolved. Alexa's numerous behavioral transformations are hard to believe. The speed at which Alexa and Shane's marital problems appear to get resolved defies reality.

The corruption part of the story had many incongruities as well -- especially toward the end. Furthermore, it just wasn't that exciting. As an example, The system seemed to be against Shane from the start with no real reason given -- I assumed it had something to do with the mayoral politics, but the bureaucrats blocking the investigation weren't directly tied to the mayoral politics in play. And at the end, it all seems to magically clear up with not even an attempt at closure.

Chief Filosiani, who has been a friend in previous books is largly absent. Chooch makes a couple of cameo appearances, but that's it.

After White Sister, I couldn't wait for the next book. Now that it's come, I find myself wanting quality over quantity.

The Three Shirt Deal is Cannell at his best. Not only does this book have a plot full of twists and turns, with interesting characters and backgrounds (some based on actual events), but it is one of the best yet with respect to Shane Scully's tumultuous personal life. One of the things that sets Cannell's novels apart from others in the genre is that he always deals with characters you are invested in and involves them in dramatic personal conflicts that lift the quality of the material far above the average police thriller. Great work, Steve!

Three Shirt Deal picks up where White Sister left off in the Shane Scully series, yet it's also a good introduction to the characters if you are a newbie. it's very exciting and kept me on the edge of my seat!

I like this novel alot because it weaves an exciting mystery in with a believable protrayal of Shane and Alexa's troubled marriage. The two stories in one novel inter-mix well.

Not only is the book good, but I ran across the www.ThreeShirtDeal.com web site which has some videos and other goodies on it: