The Rabbit Factory by Marshall Karp
on March 17, 2011
Genres: Fiction / Mystery & Detective / General, Fiction / Mystery & Detective / Police Procedural
Pages: 524
Format: Audiobook, eBook
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The Rabbit Factory is the first book in Marshall Karp’s series featuring LAPD detectives Mike Lomax and Terry Biggs, and it’s a fantastic mix of mystery, satire, and heart. The story kicks off when the actor playing Familyland’s beloved mascot, Rambunctious Rabbit, is murdered on park grounds. What looks like one terrible crime quickly spirals into something bigger—a vendetta against Lamaar Studios itself, with threats that no one connected to the company is safe.
On the surface, this book delivers everything you’d want in a crime procedural: a layered mystery, sharp twists, and a pair of detectives who balance grit with humor. But what surprised me most was the depth of character woven into the story. Lomax, still grieving the loss of his wife, works through the pain of her absence in a way that adds real heart to the novel. His struggle to read the letters she left him brought me close to tears more than once. Biggs, his wisecracking partner, provides the perfect counterbalance with dry humor, and the two of them make such a memorable duo. And then there’s Big Jim—Mike’s father—who nearly steals the show every time he’s on the page with his larger-than-life personality.
I loved how this book managed to be funny and satirical without losing its emotional core. It’s not overly gory, so even readers who don’t typically pick up mysteries could enjoy it. For me, this was an unexpected gem. I didn’t quite know what to expect going in, but it turned out to be my second Karp book (outside of the series he co-writes with James Patterson), and it confirmed I’ll be reading more.
Overall, this was a solid 4-star read for me. The dry humor, quirky cast of characters, and the way Karp blends heart into a mystery really made it stand out. And I think part of why his stories resonate so much is because Karp himself comes across as such a relatable writer—it shows through in the way his characters feel real, flawed, and human, even in the middle of an outrageous mystery.
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