Tom Corcoran Books In Order

Publication Order of Alex Rutledge Mystery Books

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Publication Order of Short Story Collections

Publication Order of Non-Fiction Books

Publication Order of Akashic Noir Books

Publication Order of Anthologies

Tom Corcoran has held many different jobs in his life. Some jobs include screenwriter, disc jockey, U. S. Navy officer, freelance photographer, AAA travel counselor, computer graphic artist, automotive magazine editor, and journalist. He also provided seven album covers for his friend Jimmy Buffett, and also co-written the songs “Fins” and “Cuban Crime of Passion”. Tom wrote an essay for a two disc set that Jimmy Buffett released called “Jimmy with a capital L”. Corcoran has also co-written songs with John Frinzi for a couple of his albums. He also provided photography for book jackets. Some of which include Winston Groom (“Forrest Gump”), Les Standiford (“Last Train to Paradise” and “Black Mountain”), James W. Hall (“Hot Damn”), and Thomas McGuane (“An Outside Chace”). He also co-owns The Ketch and Yawl Press, a company that publishes novels involving South Florida.Some of the authors that have had books published by The Ketch and Yawl Press include: Ben Harrison, Wright Langley, Stan Windhorn, Richard Meade Bache, James McLendon, and Pat Parks.

He writes the Alex Rutledge Mysteries (includes novels and some short stories), some books about Mustangs, a book about Jimmy Buffett (the book documents Jiimmy Buffett’s time in Key West, Florida), and has published books containing his photography that were taken in Key West.

“The Mango Opera” is the first book in the Alex Rutledge Mystery series written by Tom Corcoran. Alex Rutledge usually does work for magazines, but will also do some crime scene shoots for the City of Key West Police Department. His usual laid back, easy going, easy living on the island lifestyle is destroyed after a series of murders pushes him into rather familiar territory. Someone is targeting and killing women who have been with Alex intimately. It might be either a coincidence or conspiracy or that Alex is crazy. Alex is quickly made out to be the prime suspect in the case. A case that not only has the county sheriff looking into it, but also the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. He must figure out who is actually killing the women before it completely ruins his life. He must do all the work by himself to clear his name.

Some of the fans liked the way that you are not really sure who is a good guy, and who is a bad guy. Some liked the way that the novel keeps you guessing until the very end of the book. The book also shows that Tom really knows Key West and reminds people how great the place is, even with how tourist-y it has gotten. The novel almost requires the reader to keep notes as things happen very fast, but the book is very fast paced and hard to put down. The novel is full of great dialogue, some dark but still appropriate humor, and well-drawn characters, history of the island.

Some readers felt that this book was a little slow moving. Some thought the book was a little too complicated for them, with all the interconnected plots and long list of characters in it. Some felt as though it might pick up, but it never does; it stays boring throughout the novel.

“Gumbo Limbo” is the second book in the Alex Rutledge Mystery series written by Tom Corcoran. It is the first day of Alex’s first day off in months. Late in August, everything is going pretty good, that is until Alex gets a call from Zach Cahill (an old buddy of Alex’s from his time in the navy). Zach has become a successful banker in Chicago, and is drunk at eight o’clock in the morning at a place called Sloppy Joe’s. Not only that, but he wants Alex to join him for a beer to celebrate. Eight minutes later, when Alex gets to Joe’s, Cahill is gone; the only thing that remains is Zach’s gold watch. Things quickly go from bad to worse. A murder at noon in the tourist part of town, a tossing of a local bartender’s abode, and Alex running into an ex-mistress named Abby convince him that all the events are related in some way. That’s not the end of the strange happenings for Alex. He must help his friend, and that will require he go to New Orleans to figure things out. It uncovers a twenty year old smuggling plot.

Readers liked the way he paced the book and the realism that he uses. Tom throws out little pearls of wisdom about different things life, death, love both past and present. The plot meanders, says some, but Tom Corcoran is skilled enough to take the readers through the whole thing and still leave them absorbed in the whole thing. The book is fun and funny. Readers read through the books as fast as they get them; the book provides a great enjoyable read for readers. He has an attention to detail and keen ear for writing excellent dialogue. Fans of the book loved the way he reminds readers of what it is like in Key West and the twist and turns will keep readers flipping pages and makes for yet another fantastic read.

Some still had problems with the amount of characters that were in the book; it was still hard to follow. Some readers said they gave up on even trying to follow some of the useless characters in the book; they felt parts of it were a jumbled up mess. Some feel that the wisdom in the book is the real reason to read the book and not the mystery. The mystery, they felt was weak. Some readers felt that Corcoran tries to hard to prove how much of a Key Wester he is and they grew tired of Alex’s descriptions of the various kinds of food that he eats. They felt that he spends too much time talking about the local geography and should probably just include a map in the next book.

Readers agree that Corcoran captures the atmosphere and setting of Key West (not to mention the mood and attitude you feel while there). Corcoran is the latest author from southern Florida to captivate readers. Most feel that Key West is still an expatriate paradise, a place where it is always party time, and a place where pirates hide. Corcoran does very little, if anything, to put these rumors to rest. Instead, he gives the reader quite a bit of the history of Key West.

One Response to “Tom Corcoran”

1. Judge Sam Harrod: 3 years ago

   Tom Corcoran is “As GOOD as it Gets !”

   Reply