Title: The Adventures of a Problem Solver I: The Beginnings
Author: Richard V. Martin
Publisher: XlibirsUS
ISBN: 978-1524511609
Pages: 378
Genre: Fiction
Reviewed by: Allison Walker
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Faced with pressure to take over the family business and fighting the fear of becoming his father, prodigal son Garrett Kannis strikes out on his own in an action packed book by author Richard V. Martin titled The Adventures of a Problem Solver I: The Beginnings.
For most of his life, Garrett Kannis is the perfect son. He achieves good grades in school, is a victorious athlete and by the time he graduates high school has several prestigious universities jockeying for his attention. But then tragedy strikes as Garrett’s beloved mother falls ill and dies, leaving her son confused and heartbroken. Without her guidance, and questioning what he really wants from life, Garrett abandons his thoughts of attending Harvard University and pursues a degree in criminology; choosing to instead dedicate his life to helping people.
As a character, Garrett Kannis is almost too good: effortlessly smart, handsome, unwaveringly successful, brave, compassionate, generous, and – above all – a ladies’ man. Unfortunately the only thing that does not come easily to Garrett is the solving of crimes. For those, he must pool his resources and delve into resourcefulness. In keeping with the novel’s title, this story does not disappoint its readers, as The Adventures of a Problem Solver I must keep his wits about him in this succession of high profile clients, befuddling crimes and achieving clever solutions.
The endless array of mysteries keeps the story lively and interesting. Garrett’s Problem Solvers must be unafraid to experiment with some rather creative, and sometimes questionable, solutions; for instance, beating and tying up the bad guys, or role playing as a potential victim. But the detectives’ fame does not come without a price. As Garrett continues to expand his business and reputation, he finds his life threatened multiple times. The adventure is not without humor, but also not without tragedy.
As Garrett struggles to discover his own identity separate from the man his father desperately wants him to be, he finds himself caught between two worlds. On one hand, Garrett is gifted with his father’s business acumen. His two small offices of three employees each have bloomed into three thriving, internationally renowned “Problem Solver” locations. But are wealth and prestige really what Garrett wants? Or, more importantly, what he wants for his son? When Garrett’s son is born, he swears the boy will be raised with all the love and care he and his wife can give him; he swears to give the boy the childhood he never had. Unfortunately, what Garrett wants for his son may not be what the boy’s conniving grandfather has planned. Time and again Garrett finds himself in the middle of two difficult decisions, struggling to find a reasonable compromise.
The Adventures of a Problem Solver I: The Beginnings, is an exciting and fast-paced story with more than a hint of the American Dream written throughout the book. Richard V. Martin created the adventures of Garrett Kannis as being: one part action, one part romance, two parts danger – all blended together into a totally captivating read.
