Kevin’s Corner
Retired Detective Harry Bosch has always needed a mission—a case to work. Thanks to changes in command leadership at the LAPD and intense lobbying by his former partner, Kizman Rider, his three year forced retirement is over. Bosch returns to work out of the fifth floor of Parker Center (Police Headquarters) in the Open-Unsolved Unit. With a warning to do things the correct way from the new Chief of Police ringing in his ears, Bosch gets his first case seventeen years in the making.
Back in 1988, a sixteen-year-old girl disappeared from her home. Mislabeled as a runaway, the case was mishandled from the beginning. Two days later, her body was found nearby in a wooded area at the base of an Oak tree. Dead by way of a bullet from the .45 caliber Colt semiautomatic handgun found at her feet, investigators mistakenly believed it was a suicide. It wasn’t until days later and the autopsy results came it that the case was finally classified as a homicide but possible critical evidence in her home as well as the death scene was never recovered. That fact along with numerous other problems doomed the case to failure.
That is until the unit is alerted that some DNA evidence taken at the time off the murder weapon matches to a possible suspect. Despite internal political pressures and a determined effort by some within the Department to impede the investigation, Bosch has a mission and isn’t about to stop regardless of the personal consequences. His mission is to not only find the killer or killers but to bring some answers to grieving parents who have suffered the pain of not knowing who or why for far too long.
While a strong and well written mystery, this latest Harry Bosch does not have the same emotional edge of the early ones such as “The Black Echo” and “The Black Ice.” Harry has continued to mellow some since his forced retirement and that mellowing is very apparent in this novel. While he is still driven to provide answers for the survivors and some sort of justice for the dead victims, the episodes of his red rage as well as his instances of walking the tightrope of personal control have steadily diminished over the last several books. Even when confronted with vents that would have triggered a more emotional reaction in the past, Bosch is able to hold things together well and react accordingly. The older and emotionally wiser Harry Bosch walks to the edge and looks over but does not willingly dive deep into the pool of rage.
Not to say this isn’t a good book. On so many levels it is as Bosch and Rider work a case where Department politics, race relations, and time have played huge factors. The novel continues a strong and very enjoyable series. It is only when measured against the earl Bosch novels that this most recent installment does not measure up. Then again, we all are supposed to learn from our past and Bosch has which helps him close out a few other things as well.
The Closers
By Michael Connelly
www.michaelconnelly.com
Little, Brown and Company
www.twbookmark.com
2005
ISBN # 0-316-73494-2
Hardback
403 Pages
More next time and as always feel free to drop me a note here or at Kevin_tipple@att.net with your comments, observations, and suggestions.
Thanks for reading!
Kevin R. Tipple © 2005
Sunday, July 31, 2005
Thursday, July 28, 2005
Shadows of Pain and Light
Kevin’s Corner
One of the fun things about reviewing (and no, it’s not the money) is finding new authors and series that one might not have known about otherwise. I was recently sent the forth book in this series, “Hard, Hard City” by Jim Fusilli for review for the Mystery Morgue. By the way, if you haven’t ever read the Mystery Morgue run by Jeff Cohen, you owe it to yourself to look at http://breakthroughpromotions.com/mm.htm You also ought to read his books as well, both in fiction and non-fiction, but I digress. Having read and enjoyed “Hard, Hard City” so much, it seemed an excellent idea to look for the rest of the series. For once, my local library had them all.
The series opens with “Closing Time” and it is in this book we meet many of the principal characters. Terry Orr is mourning the violent passing of his wife Marina and their baby boy as well as dealing with thoughts of vengeance and retaliation against the man he believes is responsible. Since the police have been unable to help, Terry has put his successful writing career on the backburner and is aggressively learning how to be a private investigator. He believes by doing so he can achieve his goal of apprehending the man responsible for the virtual destruction of his family. Some would say he also put on the backburner his beautiful 12-year-old daughter, Gabriella (affectionately nicknamed “Bella”), but he would strongly disagree.
He would argue that he is dealing with things as best as he can. That is all he can do, day-to-day, as he adjusts but he sees Marina and the baby symbolically in everything around him. He certainly does when he sees Judith Henley Harper and their chance meeting on a New York City street is another dig into his soul. Harper used to be his wife’s agent as Marina painted beautiful pictures that sold and sold very well. Thanks to her paintings and Terry’s own book sales, money still isn’t an issue in their home. The last thing he wants to do is to go to the old art gallery as he will be forced to confront memories of happier times and the sadness of today. But that is exactly what Harper wants Terry and Bella to do, as there will be a showing of a new artist in a few days. Bella who has been after her father to write again, to get out and live again, thinks it is a wonderful idea. Before long, commitments are made and they go to the showing.
Which almost proves fatal as a bomb explodes during the show seriously injuring Harper who is saved only by Terry’s quick thinking in the aftermath. Harper unknowingly becomes a client for Terry as he launches a personal investigation into who did it and why. He also takes on another client, this time in the form of an elderly dead man, when he launches an investigation into the murder of Cabdriver Aubrey Brown. Like the Harper case, it became personal for entirely different reasons after finding the man dead in his livery cab. As he works two very divergent and difficult cases, he begins to see commonalities in both as well as links to himself while dealing with the challenges of moving on and being a good father.
This first novel lays an extensive foundation of the series with the introduction of so many of the continuing secondary characters. Told exclusively through Terry’s viewpoint, the reader sees his world as he sees it and through judicious use of dialogue how others see him. Unlike so many novels today that shift through various points of view, a reader of this novel is immersed deeply into Terry’s world and never once jarred out of it over the course of the 275-page book.
While the psychological component of the past and those issues as well as his resulting emotions are a major theme of the work, the author does not let that interfere with the twin case storylines. Instead, the thematic elements are balanced with the cases and current day life issues in such away to not only further round out the characters but to move the story forward. Not an easy task but one the author does seamlessly in page after page.
After you have had your fill of the summer beach books, take a look at this one for some mystery meat. I can guarantee you won’t be disappointed.
Closing Time
By Jim Fusilli
G. P. Putnam’s Sons
www.penguinputnam.com
2001
ISBN # 0-399-14793-4
Hardback
275 Pages
More next time and as always feel free to drop me a note here or at Kevin_tipple@att.net with your comments, observations, and suggestions.
Thanks for reading!
Kevin R. Tipple © 2005
One of the fun things about reviewing (and no, it’s not the money) is finding new authors and series that one might not have known about otherwise. I was recently sent the forth book in this series, “Hard, Hard City” by Jim Fusilli for review for the Mystery Morgue. By the way, if you haven’t ever read the Mystery Morgue run by Jeff Cohen, you owe it to yourself to look at http://breakthroughpromotions.com/mm.htm You also ought to read his books as well, both in fiction and non-fiction, but I digress. Having read and enjoyed “Hard, Hard City” so much, it seemed an excellent idea to look for the rest of the series. For once, my local library had them all.
The series opens with “Closing Time” and it is in this book we meet many of the principal characters. Terry Orr is mourning the violent passing of his wife Marina and their baby boy as well as dealing with thoughts of vengeance and retaliation against the man he believes is responsible. Since the police have been unable to help, Terry has put his successful writing career on the backburner and is aggressively learning how to be a private investigator. He believes by doing so he can achieve his goal of apprehending the man responsible for the virtual destruction of his family. Some would say he also put on the backburner his beautiful 12-year-old daughter, Gabriella (affectionately nicknamed “Bella”), but he would strongly disagree.
He would argue that he is dealing with things as best as he can. That is all he can do, day-to-day, as he adjusts but he sees Marina and the baby symbolically in everything around him. He certainly does when he sees Judith Henley Harper and their chance meeting on a New York City street is another dig into his soul. Harper used to be his wife’s agent as Marina painted beautiful pictures that sold and sold very well. Thanks to her paintings and Terry’s own book sales, money still isn’t an issue in their home. The last thing he wants to do is to go to the old art gallery as he will be forced to confront memories of happier times and the sadness of today. But that is exactly what Harper wants Terry and Bella to do, as there will be a showing of a new artist in a few days. Bella who has been after her father to write again, to get out and live again, thinks it is a wonderful idea. Before long, commitments are made and they go to the showing.
Which almost proves fatal as a bomb explodes during the show seriously injuring Harper who is saved only by Terry’s quick thinking in the aftermath. Harper unknowingly becomes a client for Terry as he launches a personal investigation into who did it and why. He also takes on another client, this time in the form of an elderly dead man, when he launches an investigation into the murder of Cabdriver Aubrey Brown. Like the Harper case, it became personal for entirely different reasons after finding the man dead in his livery cab. As he works two very divergent and difficult cases, he begins to see commonalities in both as well as links to himself while dealing with the challenges of moving on and being a good father.
This first novel lays an extensive foundation of the series with the introduction of so many of the continuing secondary characters. Told exclusively through Terry’s viewpoint, the reader sees his world as he sees it and through judicious use of dialogue how others see him. Unlike so many novels today that shift through various points of view, a reader of this novel is immersed deeply into Terry’s world and never once jarred out of it over the course of the 275-page book.
While the psychological component of the past and those issues as well as his resulting emotions are a major theme of the work, the author does not let that interfere with the twin case storylines. Instead, the thematic elements are balanced with the cases and current day life issues in such away to not only further round out the characters but to move the story forward. Not an easy task but one the author does seamlessly in page after page.
After you have had your fill of the summer beach books, take a look at this one for some mystery meat. I can guarantee you won’t be disappointed.
Closing Time
By Jim Fusilli
G. P. Putnam’s Sons
www.penguinputnam.com
2001
ISBN # 0-399-14793-4
Hardback
275 Pages
More next time and as always feel free to drop me a note here or at Kevin_tipple@att.net with your comments, observations, and suggestions.
Thanks for reading!
Kevin R. Tipple © 2005
Sunday, July 24, 2005
Murder and Mayhem At Sea and On Land
Kevin’s Corner
In this sequel to “The Repo” written by Author Bill Eidson, the team of ex-DEA Agent Jack Merchant and boat repo contractor Sarah Ballard embark on another twisting tale. Against the background of their budding intimate relationship, Eidson weaves a tail of deception and greed that will wreak havoc on the guilty and the innocent alike.
No one really believes Matt Coulter’s story and even Matt isn’t sure it actually happened the way he remembers things. While the news reports of their ship going down, demasted in a fierce storm and the loss of his family believed drowned at sea tell one chain of events, he tells another. Matt, who has suffered a severe head injury and resulting memory loss as well as other physical traumas, tells a tale of another boat arriving on scene and believes that his son and daughter were taken away on that boat while he and his wife were left to die in the storm tossed sea. His wife’s body was found a short time after he was rescued by Coast Guard Helicopter, but the kids were never found despite an extensive search. Matt is on a desperate search for help and for someone to believe his story.
Jack Merchant does and agrees to help with his first efforts aimed at trying to find the mystery boat based on a fragmentary description Matt remembers. His memory of a unique bow plate seems to be real and before long Merchant and Ballard are chasing leads and digging up secrets that others do not want found. The trail will lead to a violent confrontation at sea that will put their relationship to a horrendous test should they survive.
Continuing to build on the rich characters of Merchant and Ballard, Eidson has brought them to life once again in this engrossing story. Unfortunately, that can’t be said for the villains of the work. While all the motivations are not clear until the end of the novel, too often, the villains seem to be stereotypes. Edison does make a laudable effort to build depth to them and make them real, but they are all still weak from start to finish.
However, the weakness of the villains is a minor quibble considering the overall strength of the story. This is a fast paced complex read that provides, despite the character development issues noted above, and incredibly satisfying intense read all the way to the end. On all other levels, the book works and works incredibly well and is an excellent sequel to “the Repo.”
The Mayday
By Bill Eidson
www.billeidson.com
Kate’s Mystery Books
www.justincharlesbooks.com
2005
ISBN # 1-932112-33-2
Hardback
310 Pages
$24.95 US
More next time and as always feel free to drop me a note here or at Kevin_tipple@att.net with your comments, observations, and suggestions.
Thanks for reading!
Kevin R. Tipple © 2005
In this sequel to “The Repo” written by Author Bill Eidson, the team of ex-DEA Agent Jack Merchant and boat repo contractor Sarah Ballard embark on another twisting tale. Against the background of their budding intimate relationship, Eidson weaves a tail of deception and greed that will wreak havoc on the guilty and the innocent alike.
No one really believes Matt Coulter’s story and even Matt isn’t sure it actually happened the way he remembers things. While the news reports of their ship going down, demasted in a fierce storm and the loss of his family believed drowned at sea tell one chain of events, he tells another. Matt, who has suffered a severe head injury and resulting memory loss as well as other physical traumas, tells a tale of another boat arriving on scene and believes that his son and daughter were taken away on that boat while he and his wife were left to die in the storm tossed sea. His wife’s body was found a short time after he was rescued by Coast Guard Helicopter, but the kids were never found despite an extensive search. Matt is on a desperate search for help and for someone to believe his story.
Jack Merchant does and agrees to help with his first efforts aimed at trying to find the mystery boat based on a fragmentary description Matt remembers. His memory of a unique bow plate seems to be real and before long Merchant and Ballard are chasing leads and digging up secrets that others do not want found. The trail will lead to a violent confrontation at sea that will put their relationship to a horrendous test should they survive.
Continuing to build on the rich characters of Merchant and Ballard, Eidson has brought them to life once again in this engrossing story. Unfortunately, that can’t be said for the villains of the work. While all the motivations are not clear until the end of the novel, too often, the villains seem to be stereotypes. Edison does make a laudable effort to build depth to them and make them real, but they are all still weak from start to finish.
However, the weakness of the villains is a minor quibble considering the overall strength of the story. This is a fast paced complex read that provides, despite the character development issues noted above, and incredibly satisfying intense read all the way to the end. On all other levels, the book works and works incredibly well and is an excellent sequel to “the Repo.”
The Mayday
By Bill Eidson
www.billeidson.com
Kate’s Mystery Books
www.justincharlesbooks.com
2005
ISBN # 1-932112-33-2
Hardback
310 Pages
$24.95 US
More next time and as always feel free to drop me a note here or at Kevin_tipple@att.net with your comments, observations, and suggestions.
Thanks for reading!
Kevin R. Tipple © 2005
Friday, July 22, 2005
The "Prey" Legacy Continues.....
Kevin’s Corner
It starts, as many in this long running series do, with the discovery of a body. This time, the body is a dead woman posed on the banks of the Mississippi facing the lights of St. Paul. She is on display for all to see but for reasons Lucas Davenport and others do not yet realize. She has been whipped with something that has left long marks on her body from her collarbone to her knees. The depths of the blows, some directly on top of others and therefore deepening the original cuts, might have killed her. But the killer left no doubt when he slashed her throat. Her name was Angela Larson and she had been a young vibrant college student. Minneapolis Detective Sloan needs Lucas’ help on this and more than that he wants permission from his old friend to call Elle, Luca’s friend.
Sister Mary Joseph, “Elle,” is head of the Department of Psychology at St. Anne’s College and has known Lucas since both were in kindergarten. While their life paths diverged, she went to the convent and he into police work eventually rising to his current position as head of The Office of Regional Research in the BCA; they both deal with crime, murder, and the aftereffects on the survivors. Elle had suggestions and while Sloan and Lucas worked various angles using the resources of their respective units the case stalled. When the second violent crime happens, this time the brutal murder of a man and his young son; Lucas finds details that link the case to Angela Larson. With Lucas’ wife, Weather and his family out of town in London, England, Lucas has plenty of time and more than enough motivation to work the case fulltime and chase an elusive madman.
This is the seventeenth novel in the Prey Series and possibly one of the most gut wrenchingly violent in the series. The recent trend of Lucas and others swearing throughout the book with very little provocation, unlike the early ones in the series, continues. So too does the more distant hands of portrayal of Lucas as it has for the last several novels. Despite the familial influences of Weather and children, Lucas remains amore cold and distant person. However, the gut wrenching violence which leads ultimately to an intense climatic shootout inside a psychiatric facility reaches levels not seen since the very first novels of the series.
While characters continue to move forward in life, most notably Detective Sloan who provides a small personal secondary storyline, almost nothing is added to the other characters development wise. As such, while all the usual players familiar to readers of the series return, they may have aged chronologically, but they haven’t changed from what is expected. As such, the focus is completely on the case, which provides plenty of action and twists as they chase an elusive suspect. As usual in this series, the only humor in the main storyline is macabre at best. There is also a secondary storyline that is designed to provide some comic relief as Lucas attempts for reasons detailed in the novel, to determine what are the best 100 rock and roll songs of all time. Your choices when matched to the list at the back of the book may vary.
The resulting effort is a good read that grabs the reader from the beginning in a marked improvement from recent reads in this series. It provides a roller coaster effect for the reader and continues the Prey legacy. The intensity of the final fifty pages is some of the best writing this author has produced in quite some time and well worth a read in one sitting.
Broken Prey
By John Sandford
www.johnsandford.org
G. P. Putnam’s Sons
www.penguin.com
2005
ISBN # 0-399-15272-5
Hardback
326 Pages
$26.95 US
More next time and as always feel free to drop me a note here or at Kevin_tipple@att.net with your comments, observations, and suggestions.
Thanks for reading!
Kevin R. Tipple © 2005
It starts, as many in this long running series do, with the discovery of a body. This time, the body is a dead woman posed on the banks of the Mississippi facing the lights of St. Paul. She is on display for all to see but for reasons Lucas Davenport and others do not yet realize. She has been whipped with something that has left long marks on her body from her collarbone to her knees. The depths of the blows, some directly on top of others and therefore deepening the original cuts, might have killed her. But the killer left no doubt when he slashed her throat. Her name was Angela Larson and she had been a young vibrant college student. Minneapolis Detective Sloan needs Lucas’ help on this and more than that he wants permission from his old friend to call Elle, Luca’s friend.
Sister Mary Joseph, “Elle,” is head of the Department of Psychology at St. Anne’s College and has known Lucas since both were in kindergarten. While their life paths diverged, she went to the convent and he into police work eventually rising to his current position as head of The Office of Regional Research in the BCA; they both deal with crime, murder, and the aftereffects on the survivors. Elle had suggestions and while Sloan and Lucas worked various angles using the resources of their respective units the case stalled. When the second violent crime happens, this time the brutal murder of a man and his young son; Lucas finds details that link the case to Angela Larson. With Lucas’ wife, Weather and his family out of town in London, England, Lucas has plenty of time and more than enough motivation to work the case fulltime and chase an elusive madman.
This is the seventeenth novel in the Prey Series and possibly one of the most gut wrenchingly violent in the series. The recent trend of Lucas and others swearing throughout the book with very little provocation, unlike the early ones in the series, continues. So too does the more distant hands of portrayal of Lucas as it has for the last several novels. Despite the familial influences of Weather and children, Lucas remains amore cold and distant person. However, the gut wrenching violence which leads ultimately to an intense climatic shootout inside a psychiatric facility reaches levels not seen since the very first novels of the series.
While characters continue to move forward in life, most notably Detective Sloan who provides a small personal secondary storyline, almost nothing is added to the other characters development wise. As such, while all the usual players familiar to readers of the series return, they may have aged chronologically, but they haven’t changed from what is expected. As such, the focus is completely on the case, which provides plenty of action and twists as they chase an elusive suspect. As usual in this series, the only humor in the main storyline is macabre at best. There is also a secondary storyline that is designed to provide some comic relief as Lucas attempts for reasons detailed in the novel, to determine what are the best 100 rock and roll songs of all time. Your choices when matched to the list at the back of the book may vary.
The resulting effort is a good read that grabs the reader from the beginning in a marked improvement from recent reads in this series. It provides a roller coaster effect for the reader and continues the Prey legacy. The intensity of the final fifty pages is some of the best writing this author has produced in quite some time and well worth a read in one sitting.
Broken Prey
By John Sandford
www.johnsandford.org
G. P. Putnam’s Sons
www.penguin.com
2005
ISBN # 0-399-15272-5
Hardback
326 Pages
$26.95 US
More next time and as always feel free to drop me a note here or at Kevin_tipple@att.net with your comments, observations, and suggestions.
Thanks for reading!
Kevin R. Tipple © 2005
Wednesday, July 13, 2005
Crime Can Be Funny!
Kevin’s Corner
Lily Marsden is very good at what she does. She has managed to kill and kill again and her signature style is to leave no clues or trace of her presence. Her clients pay well for her work but she is starting to get tired of the hunt and killing. Her latest target, Max Vernon, gave her no problems and she was happy to leave him dead in his room at the Tropical Bay in Las Vegas.
But Max had two brothers, Hi and Norm. Two brothers with anger and resources who aren’t going to wait for the clueless cops to figure it out. They have a very good idea why Max was taken out and plan to start rolling up Vegas for the name of the shooter. They aren’t waiting and neither is Ken Staley, the owner of the Tropical Bay, who already had enough problems to deal with. He doesn’t think the cops can find the killer either and he knows he can’t have the publicity of a trial if the cops do find her. Lily made a mistake this time and both the brothers and Staley quickly know who she is and begin hunting her.
While the brothers and Ken want her dead, former officer Joe Wiley knows the execution of Max Vernon to be her work and needs her alive. The Vegas cops aren’t interested in his help so his long running solo chase of her continues. She is the key to his clearing his severally damaged reputation in Chicago. He has no intention of backing off and his efforts are constantly interfered with by two crazy gamblers who don’t take losing well and don’t know when to quit in anything.
This novel quickly becomes a fast fun read as the point of view constantly shifts through a large ensemble cast of characters. Many of the characters are off the wall funny, while others manage to get off an occasionally funny line or two to break up the serious sections of the book. There is a certain inevitability to the read as it becomes clear that everything and everyone will collide in such a way at the end to border on the absurd.
Despite all the humor, the core mystery is complicated and rather intense. The book fully engages the reader and keeps one steadily turning the pages. While occasional bordering on the madcap, the tone overall is relatively serious and a novel well worth reading and enjoying.
Bullets
By Steve Brewer
Speck Press
www.speckpress.com
2005
ISBN # 0-9725776-7-X
Large Trade Paperback
299 Pages
$13.00 US
More next time and as always feel free to drop me a note here or at Kevin_tipple@att.net with your comments, observations, and suggestions.
Thanks for reading!
Kevin R. Tipple © 2005
Lily Marsden is very good at what she does. She has managed to kill and kill again and her signature style is to leave no clues or trace of her presence. Her clients pay well for her work but she is starting to get tired of the hunt and killing. Her latest target, Max Vernon, gave her no problems and she was happy to leave him dead in his room at the Tropical Bay in Las Vegas.
But Max had two brothers, Hi and Norm. Two brothers with anger and resources who aren’t going to wait for the clueless cops to figure it out. They have a very good idea why Max was taken out and plan to start rolling up Vegas for the name of the shooter. They aren’t waiting and neither is Ken Staley, the owner of the Tropical Bay, who already had enough problems to deal with. He doesn’t think the cops can find the killer either and he knows he can’t have the publicity of a trial if the cops do find her. Lily made a mistake this time and both the brothers and Staley quickly know who she is and begin hunting her.
While the brothers and Ken want her dead, former officer Joe Wiley knows the execution of Max Vernon to be her work and needs her alive. The Vegas cops aren’t interested in his help so his long running solo chase of her continues. She is the key to his clearing his severally damaged reputation in Chicago. He has no intention of backing off and his efforts are constantly interfered with by two crazy gamblers who don’t take losing well and don’t know when to quit in anything.
This novel quickly becomes a fast fun read as the point of view constantly shifts through a large ensemble cast of characters. Many of the characters are off the wall funny, while others manage to get off an occasionally funny line or two to break up the serious sections of the book. There is a certain inevitability to the read as it becomes clear that everything and everyone will collide in such a way at the end to border on the absurd.
Despite all the humor, the core mystery is complicated and rather intense. The book fully engages the reader and keeps one steadily turning the pages. While occasional bordering on the madcap, the tone overall is relatively serious and a novel well worth reading and enjoying.
Bullets
By Steve Brewer
Speck Press
www.speckpress.com
2005
ISBN # 0-9725776-7-X
Large Trade Paperback
299 Pages
$13.00 US
More next time and as always feel free to drop me a note here or at Kevin_tipple@att.net with your comments, observations, and suggestions.
Thanks for reading!
Kevin R. Tipple © 2005
Tuesday, July 12, 2005
No People and Evil Lurking
Kevin’s Corner
A standard of science fiction is the idea of the vanished people. A small town will be eerily silent, or even a big city, and while the buildings still stand, the people will be gone. Travelers of one type or another will stumble across the vacant buildings and try to figure out just what happened to all the people. This classic idea is used to great effect in this latest novel of the series.
Grace MacBride, Annie Belinsky and Sharon Mueller were to take a road trip from Minneapolis to Green Bay, Wisconsin at the request of the local Police. There is a concern among some in the Police force that a serial killer might be at work and in the beginnings of a spree. Thanks to their software and the reputation they have made helping Police Departments since the events depicted in “Monkeewrench” their offer of free help is accepted. Their road trip quickly becomes a nightmare as they get lost, their car breaks down, their cell phones won’t work, and their walk through the woods brings them to a ghost town where nothing, neither man or animal, is alive.
They have stumbled across the very small town of Four Corners, Wisconsin. The entire town, such as it is, is completely devoid of life. Counters have been washed, dishes done, and everything is spotless but no animals, people, or wildlife such as birds or squirrels are around. It seems as if the classic science fiction premise has happened and every living thing has been catalogued and removed. But space aliens wouldn’t have needed to cut the phone lines. As Grace, Annie, and Sharon struggle to figure out what has happened and stay alive, the men in their lives launch a rescue mission with virtually no idea where to begin looking for them.
After the mind numbingly boring read of “Live Bait” this third novel in the series is a welcome return to what made the series worth reading in the first place. While some new information is added to the development of these continuing characters, especially in regards to the women on the run, the effort is secondary to the main thrust of the book, which is an action adventure read. Secondary to that point also is the resolution of at least two storylines from the first book that should have significant impact on the further development of the series.
The entire thrust of the book is not the mystery surrounding what happened in Four Corners, part of which becomes very obvious early on. The thrust is in providing an intense action adventure oriented read designed to keep the reader glued to the page despite whatever might be happening in the real world surrounding the reader. The authors pull the feat off masterfully by shoving the reader to the edge of the seat and keeping him or her there the entire time while the action flows at a breathtaking pace. This is an intense read and certainly a book to read this summer—preferably while alone.
Dead Run
By P. J. Tracy
G. P. Putnam’s Sons
www.penguin.com
2005
ISBN # 0-399-15246-6
Hardback
326 Pages
$23.95 US
More next time and as always feel free to drop me a note here or at Kevin_tipple@att.net with your comments, observations, and suggestions.
Thanks for reading!
Kevin R. Tipple © 2005
A standard of science fiction is the idea of the vanished people. A small town will be eerily silent, or even a big city, and while the buildings still stand, the people will be gone. Travelers of one type or another will stumble across the vacant buildings and try to figure out just what happened to all the people. This classic idea is used to great effect in this latest novel of the series.
Grace MacBride, Annie Belinsky and Sharon Mueller were to take a road trip from Minneapolis to Green Bay, Wisconsin at the request of the local Police. There is a concern among some in the Police force that a serial killer might be at work and in the beginnings of a spree. Thanks to their software and the reputation they have made helping Police Departments since the events depicted in “Monkeewrench” their offer of free help is accepted. Their road trip quickly becomes a nightmare as they get lost, their car breaks down, their cell phones won’t work, and their walk through the woods brings them to a ghost town where nothing, neither man or animal, is alive.
They have stumbled across the very small town of Four Corners, Wisconsin. The entire town, such as it is, is completely devoid of life. Counters have been washed, dishes done, and everything is spotless but no animals, people, or wildlife such as birds or squirrels are around. It seems as if the classic science fiction premise has happened and every living thing has been catalogued and removed. But space aliens wouldn’t have needed to cut the phone lines. As Grace, Annie, and Sharon struggle to figure out what has happened and stay alive, the men in their lives launch a rescue mission with virtually no idea where to begin looking for them.
After the mind numbingly boring read of “Live Bait” this third novel in the series is a welcome return to what made the series worth reading in the first place. While some new information is added to the development of these continuing characters, especially in regards to the women on the run, the effort is secondary to the main thrust of the book, which is an action adventure read. Secondary to that point also is the resolution of at least two storylines from the first book that should have significant impact on the further development of the series.
The entire thrust of the book is not the mystery surrounding what happened in Four Corners, part of which becomes very obvious early on. The thrust is in providing an intense action adventure oriented read designed to keep the reader glued to the page despite whatever might be happening in the real world surrounding the reader. The authors pull the feat off masterfully by shoving the reader to the edge of the seat and keeping him or her there the entire time while the action flows at a breathtaking pace. This is an intense read and certainly a book to read this summer—preferably while alone.
Dead Run
By P. J. Tracy
G. P. Putnam’s Sons
www.penguin.com
2005
ISBN # 0-399-15246-6
Hardback
326 Pages
$23.95 US
More next time and as always feel free to drop me a note here or at Kevin_tipple@att.net with your comments, observations, and suggestions.
Thanks for reading!
Kevin R. Tipple © 2005
Monday, July 11, 2005
The Obligations of Friendship
Kevin’s Corner
One would think that by now that the assorted thugs, punks, and lowlifes that inhabit the fair city of Boston would have figured out that if they mess with Hawk, they better kill him. Make a run at Hawk and let him live and he will look to even the score and settle the debt. That is precisely what happens in this recent release.
Somebody attempted to kill Hawk while he was protecting bookie Luther Gillespie. The unknown shooter put three shots into Hawk’s back between his shoulder blades. After taking Hawk down, Gillespie was killed but the killing didn’t stop there. Also killed were Gillespie’s wife and two of his three kids. The surviving child was at daycare and thus physically able to escape the bloodbath of his family. The deaths were meant to send a message and Hawk has one of his own to send back.
As soon as Hawk gets out of the hospital and is physically able to do what he does best once again, he wants to track down those responsible. Not just the people who pulled the trigger but the person or persons who ordered the deed done. All he knows for sure was that the people he suspects were members of the Ukrainian mob, but he does not yet know their names. Once he knows for sure that they are guilty, he plans on pursing his own kind of justice for what they did and wants Spenser’s help. Spenser agrees and while Hawk begins the slow and painful rehabilitation process, Spenser begins working the case, troubled by the moral implications of what is to come, but knowing he has obligations.
This latest novel in the Spenser series features the minimalist scene descriptions and massive amounts of dialogue the author is known for while weaving a complex tale of justice and vengeance. Parker toys with the ideas of justice and vengeance, ideas common in the series, in new ways as Hawk and Spenser are both forced to confront at a deeper level than before what they have done and what may come as well as who they ultimately are as human beings. What works for one may not, and often does not, work for the other. At the same time, when the need arises, one would do whatever the other asked. Such contemplations trouble Spenser at times as he is faced with the moral quandary of exactly how far to go. With the help of Susan, he is able to work through what needs to be done for friendship and debts owed.
That is not to say that the contemplation of the morality of their actions, which adds significant depth to the characters this go around, impedes the story in anyway. Using the Ukrainian mob with a modern day version of small town corruption reminiscent of the Old West, Parker once again sets up the battle lines of Spenser/Hawk against the far more numeric forces of evil. As in the last several novels of the series, Spenser and Hawk recruit allies who once were former foes to fight on their side because all recognize that there are far more serious enemies that must be dealt with.
Devoted and vocal readers of the long running series know exactly what is in store in each book. In this case, they would be right.
Cold Service
By Robert B. Parker
G. P. Putnam’s Sons
www.penguin.com
2005
ISBN 0-399-15240-7
Hardback
305 Pages
$24.95 US
$36.00 Canada
More next time and as always feel free to drop me a note here or at Kevin_tipple@att.net with your comments, observations, and suggestions.
Thanks for reading!
Kevin R. Tipple © 2005
One would think that by now that the assorted thugs, punks, and lowlifes that inhabit the fair city of Boston would have figured out that if they mess with Hawk, they better kill him. Make a run at Hawk and let him live and he will look to even the score and settle the debt. That is precisely what happens in this recent release.
Somebody attempted to kill Hawk while he was protecting bookie Luther Gillespie. The unknown shooter put three shots into Hawk’s back between his shoulder blades. After taking Hawk down, Gillespie was killed but the killing didn’t stop there. Also killed were Gillespie’s wife and two of his three kids. The surviving child was at daycare and thus physically able to escape the bloodbath of his family. The deaths were meant to send a message and Hawk has one of his own to send back.
As soon as Hawk gets out of the hospital and is physically able to do what he does best once again, he wants to track down those responsible. Not just the people who pulled the trigger but the person or persons who ordered the deed done. All he knows for sure was that the people he suspects were members of the Ukrainian mob, but he does not yet know their names. Once he knows for sure that they are guilty, he plans on pursing his own kind of justice for what they did and wants Spenser’s help. Spenser agrees and while Hawk begins the slow and painful rehabilitation process, Spenser begins working the case, troubled by the moral implications of what is to come, but knowing he has obligations.
This latest novel in the Spenser series features the minimalist scene descriptions and massive amounts of dialogue the author is known for while weaving a complex tale of justice and vengeance. Parker toys with the ideas of justice and vengeance, ideas common in the series, in new ways as Hawk and Spenser are both forced to confront at a deeper level than before what they have done and what may come as well as who they ultimately are as human beings. What works for one may not, and often does not, work for the other. At the same time, when the need arises, one would do whatever the other asked. Such contemplations trouble Spenser at times as he is faced with the moral quandary of exactly how far to go. With the help of Susan, he is able to work through what needs to be done for friendship and debts owed.
That is not to say that the contemplation of the morality of their actions, which adds significant depth to the characters this go around, impedes the story in anyway. Using the Ukrainian mob with a modern day version of small town corruption reminiscent of the Old West, Parker once again sets up the battle lines of Spenser/Hawk against the far more numeric forces of evil. As in the last several novels of the series, Spenser and Hawk recruit allies who once were former foes to fight on their side because all recognize that there are far more serious enemies that must be dealt with.
Devoted and vocal readers of the long running series know exactly what is in store in each book. In this case, they would be right.
Cold Service
By Robert B. Parker
G. P. Putnam’s Sons
www.penguin.com
2005
ISBN 0-399-15240-7
Hardback
305 Pages
$24.95 US
$36.00 Canada
More next time and as always feel free to drop me a note here or at Kevin_tipple@att.net with your comments, observations, and suggestions.
Thanks for reading!
Kevin R. Tipple © 2005
Saturday, July 09, 2005
Feel Like Getting Even?
Kevin’s Corner
For schoolteacher Rob Carus the future appears to be great. Beth Lawter has accepted his proposal of marriage and the couple is extremely happy. Rob has finally found the one woman he wants to spend the rest of his life with. That future is shattered when Rob and Beth on separate bicycles are hit by an SUV that flees the scene.
As the vehicle with Illinois tags leaves their broken bodies and mangled bicycles behind, Rob manages to tell a good samaritan the license plate before losing consciousness. While paramedics are able to help Rob, as is the hospital he is soon transported to, nothing can be done for Beth who died at the scene. Rob is devastated and his recovery, both physically and mentally, certainly isn’t helped by the fact that the negligent driver is allowed to get away with it by the courts.
Rob becomes obsessed with making the driver pay one way or the other. Something the man who identifies himself as Trey Wright plays upon when he comes to Rob with a plan. There is a secret organization known to its members as “The Circle.” Each member is a survivor looking to make the person who killed a loved one pay the ultimate price of death. Trey pulls Rob into a scheme for vengeance that backfires in ways Rob never saw coming.
Like in his enjoyable novel “Abducted” justice is a theme in this work. In this case, the justice theme takes the form of vigilante justice something that has been explored in countless movies and books over the years. However, instead of the often cartoonish violence surrounding the concept frequently used in other works, here the author explores the emotional angles to the concept. Not only the motivations for the act, but the guilt as well as joy after justice is served is explored through several characters besides Rob. In interesting secondary storylines, obsession in the form of a young student’s attentions upon an older teacher is also explored as well as the idea that the mistakes of the past are never really over for anyone.
The result is a fast and fun read that features interesting characters, a few twists and plenty of action to keep the reader tuning the page. In so doing, the author puts his own spin on the age old question as to how far one would go to right a wrong. Something that seems to become increasingly relevant these days.
Vengeance
By Brian Pinkerton
Leisure Books
www.dorchesterpub.com
2005
ISBN 0-8439-5532-5
Mass Market Paperback
324 Pages
$6.99 US
$8.99 Canada
More next time and as always feel free to drop me a note here or at Kevin_tipple@att.net with your comments, observations, and suggestions.
Thanks for reading!
Kevin R. Tipple © 2005
For schoolteacher Rob Carus the future appears to be great. Beth Lawter has accepted his proposal of marriage and the couple is extremely happy. Rob has finally found the one woman he wants to spend the rest of his life with. That future is shattered when Rob and Beth on separate bicycles are hit by an SUV that flees the scene.
As the vehicle with Illinois tags leaves their broken bodies and mangled bicycles behind, Rob manages to tell a good samaritan the license plate before losing consciousness. While paramedics are able to help Rob, as is the hospital he is soon transported to, nothing can be done for Beth who died at the scene. Rob is devastated and his recovery, both physically and mentally, certainly isn’t helped by the fact that the negligent driver is allowed to get away with it by the courts.
Rob becomes obsessed with making the driver pay one way or the other. Something the man who identifies himself as Trey Wright plays upon when he comes to Rob with a plan. There is a secret organization known to its members as “The Circle.” Each member is a survivor looking to make the person who killed a loved one pay the ultimate price of death. Trey pulls Rob into a scheme for vengeance that backfires in ways Rob never saw coming.
Like in his enjoyable novel “Abducted” justice is a theme in this work. In this case, the justice theme takes the form of vigilante justice something that has been explored in countless movies and books over the years. However, instead of the often cartoonish violence surrounding the concept frequently used in other works, here the author explores the emotional angles to the concept. Not only the motivations for the act, but the guilt as well as joy after justice is served is explored through several characters besides Rob. In interesting secondary storylines, obsession in the form of a young student’s attentions upon an older teacher is also explored as well as the idea that the mistakes of the past are never really over for anyone.
The result is a fast and fun read that features interesting characters, a few twists and plenty of action to keep the reader tuning the page. In so doing, the author puts his own spin on the age old question as to how far one would go to right a wrong. Something that seems to become increasingly relevant these days.
Vengeance
By Brian Pinkerton
Leisure Books
www.dorchesterpub.com
2005
ISBN 0-8439-5532-5
Mass Market Paperback
324 Pages
$6.99 US
$8.99 Canada
More next time and as always feel free to drop me a note here or at Kevin_tipple@att.net with your comments, observations, and suggestions.
Thanks for reading!
Kevin R. Tipple © 2005
An Entertaining Read
Kevin’s Corner
Books released straight to mass market paperback suffer a cruel fate by reviewing standards at most sites and periodicals. They simply aren’t reviewed. Much like “direct to video” in the movie industry, such books are considered as to be unworthy of a review and thus aren’t covered. As my work over the years as well as my thoughts when I have commented on the subject should make clear, I don’t care which publisher put the book into print or how it arrived. I just want a good story worth reading. Author Brian Pinkerton certainly delivers while working a premise all too real for parents.
Every parent’s nightmare comes alive in this novel titled “Abducted” which also provides one very good read. Returning home from a night out celebrating her decision to leave her corporate job and be a stay at home mom for their young son, Anita and her husband Dennis Sherwood are immediately concerned. Not only is the nanny’s car missing from the usual spot at the curb outside their home, but also the house is silent when they enter. Their nanny does not meet them and a quick check confirms Tim is not in his crib as he was just a couple of hours earlier. Not only are Pam and Tim both missing, so too is the cash that Dennis had hidden in a drawer.
The police become involved and Pam quickly makes clear that she has no intention of giving the child back. Pam has betrayed their trust and is convinced that no matter the outcome, she has done the right thing. Powerless to stop her, Anita can only stand by as the unthinkable happens and her world comes crashing down with drastic repercussions for everyone.
This engaging read quickly becomes a roller coaster ride of emotion as the reader is pulled into Anita’s world. A world where few can be trusted, even those she had always counted on, to help her search for her child against all odds. Betrayal is a strong theme of the work as well as justice and both run heavily throughout the work.
However, while those themes are clear and covered, they do not make the novel a heavy or complex read. Instead, the action-oriented storyline propels the work forward and keeps the reader entertained as the pages go by. Interesting characters, fast pacing, and plenty of twists and turns make this book a fun summer read.
Abducted
By Brian Pinkerton
Leisure Books
www.dorchesterpub.com
2004
ISBN 0-8439-5331-4
Mass Market Paperback
341 Pages
$6.99 US
$8.99 Canada
More next time and as always feel free to drop me a note here or at Kevin_tipple@att.net with your comments, observations, and suggestions.
Thanks for reading!
Kevin R. Tipple © 2005
Books released straight to mass market paperback suffer a cruel fate by reviewing standards at most sites and periodicals. They simply aren’t reviewed. Much like “direct to video” in the movie industry, such books are considered as to be unworthy of a review and thus aren’t covered. As my work over the years as well as my thoughts when I have commented on the subject should make clear, I don’t care which publisher put the book into print or how it arrived. I just want a good story worth reading. Author Brian Pinkerton certainly delivers while working a premise all too real for parents.
Every parent’s nightmare comes alive in this novel titled “Abducted” which also provides one very good read. Returning home from a night out celebrating her decision to leave her corporate job and be a stay at home mom for their young son, Anita and her husband Dennis Sherwood are immediately concerned. Not only is the nanny’s car missing from the usual spot at the curb outside their home, but also the house is silent when they enter. Their nanny does not meet them and a quick check confirms Tim is not in his crib as he was just a couple of hours earlier. Not only are Pam and Tim both missing, so too is the cash that Dennis had hidden in a drawer.
The police become involved and Pam quickly makes clear that she has no intention of giving the child back. Pam has betrayed their trust and is convinced that no matter the outcome, she has done the right thing. Powerless to stop her, Anita can only stand by as the unthinkable happens and her world comes crashing down with drastic repercussions for everyone.
This engaging read quickly becomes a roller coaster ride of emotion as the reader is pulled into Anita’s world. A world where few can be trusted, even those she had always counted on, to help her search for her child against all odds. Betrayal is a strong theme of the work as well as justice and both run heavily throughout the work.
However, while those themes are clear and covered, they do not make the novel a heavy or complex read. Instead, the action-oriented storyline propels the work forward and keeps the reader entertained as the pages go by. Interesting characters, fast pacing, and plenty of twists and turns make this book a fun summer read.
Abducted
By Brian Pinkerton
Leisure Books
www.dorchesterpub.com
2004
ISBN 0-8439-5331-4
Mass Market Paperback
341 Pages
$6.99 US
$8.99 Canada
More next time and as always feel free to drop me a note here or at Kevin_tipple@att.net with your comments, observations, and suggestions.
Thanks for reading!
Kevin R. Tipple © 2005
A Tortured Soul
Kevin’s Corner
A recurring theme of the Elvis Cole series has been the fact that Cole has never known who his biological father was. What he has been told about him may in fact be nothing more than lies. Raised first by his mentally ill mother and then later by grandparents, Cole has always been haunted by the question. That theme becomes the focus of the latest Robert Crais novel, “The Forgotten Man.”
Cole is still dealing with the fact that Lucy and her son, Ben, have left him behind as well as other recent events. His personal life has taken a tremendous toll on him physically and mentally with one sign of it being that he hasn’t been seen out in public or at his office in weeks. As the novel begins, Cole is asked to come out to a crime scene by Detective Kelly Diaz of the LAPD. It isn’t the first time P. I. Cole has been asked to come to a crime scene. What makes it different this time is, according to Diaz, the man as he died told her he was Cole’s father and was looking for him.
Forced into going to the crime scene to look at a man who he wouldn’t be able to recognize even if it was his father, Cole gradually moves back into the land of the living. Not only does he begin to once again appear in his office, he begins to work the case driven by a need to know if it was his father. After all, not only did the man tell Diaz that he was Cole’s father, he was carrying press clippings featuring various news stories about Cole and his cases. He does it, not because he really believes the man was his father, but because he needs something to do to occupy his mind and tamp down his always prevalent self-destructive impulses. Since the aftermath of Ben’s kidnapping and the violent rescue, which resulted in their leaving town, Cole has been in a deep depression. Now he has a mission. Identify the deceased and investigate the circumstances surround his death.
While the novel does involve other characters, the work primarily revolves around Cole and his resurrection. Cole faces great trials, both physical and mental, and by the time he is through, as in any resurrection style story, he has becomes reborn in a sense. In so doing, the further emotional evolution of the character, especially across the last several novels, continues.
While it does, Robert Crais does not allow that exploration and thematic messages, to get in the way of an outstanding story. Featuring interesting characters, a complex mystery, and plenty of action, this latest novel in the Elvis Cole series is another strong read and should please his legion of fans.
The Forgotten Man
By Robert Crais
www.robertcrais.com
Doubleday
www.doubleday.com
ISBN 0-385-50428-4
Hardback
342 Pages
$24.95 US
$34.95 Canada
More next time and as always feel free to drop me a note here or at Kevin_tipple@att.net with your comments, observations, and suggestions.
Thanks for reading!
Kevin R. Tipple © 2005
A recurring theme of the Elvis Cole series has been the fact that Cole has never known who his biological father was. What he has been told about him may in fact be nothing more than lies. Raised first by his mentally ill mother and then later by grandparents, Cole has always been haunted by the question. That theme becomes the focus of the latest Robert Crais novel, “The Forgotten Man.”
Cole is still dealing with the fact that Lucy and her son, Ben, have left him behind as well as other recent events. His personal life has taken a tremendous toll on him physically and mentally with one sign of it being that he hasn’t been seen out in public or at his office in weeks. As the novel begins, Cole is asked to come out to a crime scene by Detective Kelly Diaz of the LAPD. It isn’t the first time P. I. Cole has been asked to come to a crime scene. What makes it different this time is, according to Diaz, the man as he died told her he was Cole’s father and was looking for him.
Forced into going to the crime scene to look at a man who he wouldn’t be able to recognize even if it was his father, Cole gradually moves back into the land of the living. Not only does he begin to once again appear in his office, he begins to work the case driven by a need to know if it was his father. After all, not only did the man tell Diaz that he was Cole’s father, he was carrying press clippings featuring various news stories about Cole and his cases. He does it, not because he really believes the man was his father, but because he needs something to do to occupy his mind and tamp down his always prevalent self-destructive impulses. Since the aftermath of Ben’s kidnapping and the violent rescue, which resulted in their leaving town, Cole has been in a deep depression. Now he has a mission. Identify the deceased and investigate the circumstances surround his death.
While the novel does involve other characters, the work primarily revolves around Cole and his resurrection. Cole faces great trials, both physical and mental, and by the time he is through, as in any resurrection style story, he has becomes reborn in a sense. In so doing, the further emotional evolution of the character, especially across the last several novels, continues.
While it does, Robert Crais does not allow that exploration and thematic messages, to get in the way of an outstanding story. Featuring interesting characters, a complex mystery, and plenty of action, this latest novel in the Elvis Cole series is another strong read and should please his legion of fans.
The Forgotten Man
By Robert Crais
www.robertcrais.com
Doubleday
www.doubleday.com
ISBN 0-385-50428-4
Hardback
342 Pages
$24.95 US
$34.95 Canada
More next time and as always feel free to drop me a note here or at Kevin_tipple@att.net with your comments, observations, and suggestions.
Thanks for reading!
Kevin R. Tipple © 2005
Wednesday, July 06, 2005
The Power of Coincidence
Kevin’s Corner
Ex-con Matt Hunter is trying to rebuild his life and move forward after his four year prison sentence. His future was changed forever by a justice system that ignored his claim of self-defense. It has been nine years since his release but the fear of prison, the fragility of freedom, is something that is always there in the back of his mind.
His rebuilt life begins to unravel when he gets a strange cell phone call from his pregnant wife—or at least from her cell number. A photograph appears of a man mockingly waving at him. Considering how rare his wife, Olivia, used the camera equipped cell phone, Matt is perplexed. The man seems proud of himself and Matt has no idea who he is. Matt’s emotions quickly get the better of him when a second call comes in from her phone. This time it is a video sequence that seems to depict his wife cheating on him with the man from the still picture.
Matt can’t reach her where she is supposed to be and when he finally does, he realizes without a doubt that his beautiful wife, the mother of his child to be, is lying to him. He doesn’t know why. Nor does he know why a man was tailing him and why that same man is now dead. Nor does he know why his name has turned up in an investigation concerning a murdered nun. He does know that he can’t trust the system to clear him having failed him before. He needs answers to a past that both he and Olivia had sought to put behind them before they have chance to live, let alone have a life together like their dreams.
While an enjoyable read with interesting characters and plenty of action filled plot twists, coincidence plays a heavy role in the work almost to the point of absurdity. All the coincidences can’t be detailed in this review as to do so would remove any need whatsoever to read the book. However, there are so many, including two in the final twist sequence, that the read generates a laugh out loud moment as opposed to the shocking suspense intended.
However, if the reader can totally suspend disbelief for the entire 370-page novel, the result is an entertaining read that easily passes a few hours. This hardback also features a short story “The Rise and Fall of Super D” containing his very much missed character Myron Bolitar.
The Innocent
By Harlan Coben
www.HarlanCoben.com
Dutton
www.penguin.com
ISBN 0-525-94874-0
Hardback
$26.95 US
$39.00 Canada
More next time and as always feel free to drop me a note here or at Kevin_tipple@att.net with your comments, observations, and suggestions.
Thanks for reading!
Kevin R. Tipple © 2005
Ex-con Matt Hunter is trying to rebuild his life and move forward after his four year prison sentence. His future was changed forever by a justice system that ignored his claim of self-defense. It has been nine years since his release but the fear of prison, the fragility of freedom, is something that is always there in the back of his mind.
His rebuilt life begins to unravel when he gets a strange cell phone call from his pregnant wife—or at least from her cell number. A photograph appears of a man mockingly waving at him. Considering how rare his wife, Olivia, used the camera equipped cell phone, Matt is perplexed. The man seems proud of himself and Matt has no idea who he is. Matt’s emotions quickly get the better of him when a second call comes in from her phone. This time it is a video sequence that seems to depict his wife cheating on him with the man from the still picture.
Matt can’t reach her where she is supposed to be and when he finally does, he realizes without a doubt that his beautiful wife, the mother of his child to be, is lying to him. He doesn’t know why. Nor does he know why a man was tailing him and why that same man is now dead. Nor does he know why his name has turned up in an investigation concerning a murdered nun. He does know that he can’t trust the system to clear him having failed him before. He needs answers to a past that both he and Olivia had sought to put behind them before they have chance to live, let alone have a life together like their dreams.
While an enjoyable read with interesting characters and plenty of action filled plot twists, coincidence plays a heavy role in the work almost to the point of absurdity. All the coincidences can’t be detailed in this review as to do so would remove any need whatsoever to read the book. However, there are so many, including two in the final twist sequence, that the read generates a laugh out loud moment as opposed to the shocking suspense intended.
However, if the reader can totally suspend disbelief for the entire 370-page novel, the result is an entertaining read that easily passes a few hours. This hardback also features a short story “The Rise and Fall of Super D” containing his very much missed character Myron Bolitar.
The Innocent
By Harlan Coben
www.HarlanCoben.com
Dutton
www.penguin.com
ISBN 0-525-94874-0
Hardback
$26.95 US
$39.00 Canada
More next time and as always feel free to drop me a note here or at Kevin_tipple@att.net with your comments, observations, and suggestions.
Thanks for reading!
Kevin R. Tipple © 2005
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