Chasing Darkness: An Elvis Cole Novel (Elvis Cole Novels) Review

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Chasing Darkness: An Elvis Cole Novel (Elvis Cole Novels) ReviewSo I'm beginning to feel like all of the big names in pop thriller/crime fiction - Lee Childs, James Lee Burke, James Patterson, and now Robert Crais, are getting either bored or lazy, or have somehow managed to misplace the passion and fiery writing that placed them in their well deserved positions (well, except perhaps Patterson) on the big best seller lists. Yes, I'm a Robert Crais fan. The early Elvis Cole was smart, funny, and in your face - definitely an updated, more hip, and slightly more irreverent version of the venerable Raymond Chandler's Phillip Marlowe and today's answer to the hard boiled LA that Chandler invented. And Joe Pike? In Crais' prime, can you think of a supporting cast member more menacing - a more cleverly and intelligently rendered butt-kicker - the hands down candidate for the guy you'd least want to have on the other side of a street fight - or any kind of fight? Leaves me yearning for "LA Requiem", "The Monkey's Raincoat", or Crais' outstanding stand alone effort, "The Hostage".
To be fair, "Chasing Darkness" is by no means a bad read. In fact, it starts out with an intriguing "murder in a locked room-like" premise that is genuinely gripping, and definitely held my attention. And without the distraction and baggage of Cole's annoying girlfriend Lucy hanging around to mush up the action, I was getting ready to declare that "Crais is back" after what a thought were a couple of sub-par installments. But before long it starts feeling a bit tired with crooked cop conspiracy theories and all too familiar themes. And the intimidating Pike is relegated to a near cameo role, emerging with only enough adrenaline to help Elvis beat up some kids. At the end of the day, the enigma unravels too easily, and if you devote more than a few seconds to dissecting the mystery, you'll find a hole big enough for Cole's 'vette and Pike's Jeep to drive through - side-by-side.
When all is said and done, "Chasing Darkness" is mostly an entertaining ride, but essentially flat - a journeyman's effort that had that "got-to-do-this-to-meet-my contract" feel to it. The Crais aficionado - like me - will want to read it, but it is far from his best effort, and a sure sign that the talented Mr. Crais should take the hint from Dennis Lehane and William Lashner, and take some well deserved time off to recharge his classic crime-busting mojo. And should he take this hiatus, Crais fans take heart - their are plenty of great new writers - Huston, Swierczynski, Gischler, McKinty, Doolittle and more - to fill the gaps while the old guys like Crais and Child take a vacation to remember the kind of writing that got them to the top.Chasing Darkness: An Elvis Cole Novel (Elvis Cole Novels) Overview

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Blowback: A Thriller Review

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Blowback: A Thriller ReviewBrad Thor's "Blowback" is an action-packed spy thriller about the complex world of international terrorism, biological warfare, religious fanaticism, and political corruption. The macho hero is Scot Harvath, a former SEAL who works for the Office of International Investigative Assistance in the Department of Homeland Security. He has repeatedly sacrificed his personal happiness and peace of mind in order to serve his country. Scott's archenemy is Khalid Sheik Alomari, a high-ranking al-Qaeda operative and ruthless assassin. Alomari has been traveling around the world killing Muslim scientists who may have unlocked the key to a devastating super weapon.
This scenario plays out against the background of a vicious power struggle between an ambitious Democratic senator named Helen Carmichael and Republican President Jack Rutledge. Carmichael will do anything to unseat the popular president, and she has been secretly compiling damaging information about Rutledge in order to turn public opinion against him. Scott Harvath soon becomes Carmichael's pawn in her scheme to destroy President Rutledge.
"Blowback" is timely story that is "ripped from the headlines," with references to people and organizations that we read about in the news every day. Brad Thor provides well-researched and detailed background information about the Muslim world, and he explores the many ways in which the United States is battling the terrorist threat posed by radical fundamentalists. Scot Harvath's courage, knowledge of weaponry, and unerring instincts make him a worthy and appealing hero, and for a change, the author doesn't provide his protagonist with a love interest to distract him from his duties. Although Scot does have a beautiful and brainy partner, a molecular biologist named Dr. Jillian Alcott, his relationship with her is strictly platonic. Jillian provides the scientific expertise that Scot needs in order to fight a terrifying biological weapon that may soon be unleashed against the United States.
At over four hundred pages, this novel is a bit too long. However, Thor keeps the narrative from dragging by shifting rapidly between characters in far-flung locales, such as France, England, Cyprus, Switzerland, Saudi Arabia, and Washington, D. C. You may need a scorecard to keep tabs on who is doing what to whom and why. However, "Blowback" packs an undeniable wallop, especially in light of the very real dangers that we face in today's frightening and unpredictable world.Blowback: A Thriller Overview

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Lost Light Review

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Lost Light ReviewFrom his first incredible book, "The Black Echo," LAPD Detective Harry Bosch has had one mission and one mission only as he sees it-to speak for the dead. To bring justice to those who have killed and some measure of comfort, no matter how small to the victims left behind as survivors. When he retired, he took his watch and his files and thought his mission was over.
Instead, while he does not have the authority of the badge any more, he realizes as time passes that the mission remains. In particular, a case from a four year old unsolved murder begins to work its way into his mind. Angella Benton, an employee of Eidon Productions, was found dead in the vestibule of her apartment building. Bosch was assigned the case and was working it days later on a movie set when the set was robbed of two million dollars during a brazen daylight robbery shootout. Bosch would wound one robber, none of whom were ever caught, and the money was never found. After the robbery and the resulting high profile glare of the media, the Benton case was pulled from Bosch and folded into the robbery investigation and given to two detectives from Robbery Homicide. Days later, while eating lunch, one of the detectives was killed and the other permanently paralyzed in a robbery at a neighborhood bar.
That was a death knell for the case as cops are a superstitious lot and there are always new cases that demand immediate attention. But Bosch without a badge is just as aggressive as he was when he carried the shield. He may be retired, but he still goes at it the only way he knows how and soon seems to have antagonized his former bosses as well as other parties. Before long, old friends are annoyed, a federal terrorism task force is involved and unhappy, as well as numerous other shadowy figures. Once again, violence comes home in more ways than one, but no matter what, Bosch won't stop.
As in the other novels of this enjoyable series, Connelly looks deep into the dark abyss that lurks within everyone where life is cheap and greed in the moment wins out over human decency. At the same time, by using an unexpected plot twist, one of several at the end, Harry is redeemed and temporarily at least, finds the peace and solace he has sought for in novel after novel.
While this book reads like it might be the final one in the Harry Bosch series, which has had one heck of a run, I hope not. If it is, Michael Connelly has fittingly ended the series by exploring and further developing his signature character. He has done so in new and unexpected ways while adding plenty of action, an intriguing core mystery as well as additional secondary storylines, and a fine plot. This is a top notch read and proof of why he is simply one of the best crime writers in the business today.Lost Light Overview

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The Messenger Review

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The Messenger ReviewThe Messenger by Daniel Silva is the most recent in his Gabriel Allon series, and I think it is the best of the bunch.
The Messenger opens in London where a professor of Middle Eastern studies is suspected of having Al-Qaeda ties. The Israeli Secret Service is on his tail when he is killed in an accident. The laptop he was carrying proves that not only was he a recruiter, but that he also was involved in an intricate plot against the Vatican.
Israeli agent Gabriel Allon is once again sent out into the field, trying to avert a tragedy in Rome. At the same time, the agency decides to find the source of terrorist funding through Saudi sources. The Israelis and the CIA concoct an intricate plot to discover the location of a Saudi terrorist financier. The plot involves a beautiful American art curator and an unknown Van Gogh painting.
The Messenger is such a good book in that Silva ties in so many things that are happening today. Al-Qaeda is planning terrorist acts, Saudis are financing the terrorists and can't be touched by the Americans, and the Americans are involved in covert and sometimes illegal operations. The plot of The Messenger is fast-paced and exciting, and it's one of Silva's strongest efforts yet. While Gabriel Allon still plays a major role in The Messenger, Sarah Bancroft (the American art expert who infiltrates a terror group) steals the show.
I have read all of Silva's Allon books except the first one, The Kill Artist, which I just obtained. While it might help to read them in order, it is not as critical as in some other series.
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From Potter's Field Review

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From Potter's Field ReviewAnother great book from Madame Medical Investigator Author Patricia Cornwell. Always well-researched, this time the book causes Dr. Kay Scarpetta, Marino and of course, FBI Agent Benton Wesley to investigate the death of a frozen naked woman propped openly in Central Park. Their path leads them to the parents of a psychotic serial killer, one of whom can see nothing wrong about her son and the other parent who would only see his if pointing a shotgun at the son's face. The woman's identity is a shock, as is Scarpetta's handiness with a side-arm. A must-read!From Potter's Field Overview

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Look Again Review

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Look Again ReviewI absolutely loved this book and disagree with other reviews that suggest Ellen should have simply called the birth parents and tried to work something out with them. That would likely never happened with the exception of a brief period of transition. This book portrayed a mother's love regardless of how you became a parent. Not only that, it had you asking yourself, would you, could you, make that call? There is a real emotional pull between doing what is right and NEVER wanting to give away your own child. I think that the way she goes about finding out the truth is a very real look at not wanting to show all your cards until you absolutely have to. Her reasons weren't completely selfish either, she clearly had the best interest of her child at heart or else she would have taken the advice of those telling her to just forget it. She knew it would haunt her always. Then you have to consider the fiction angle of a great writer. We wouldn't read the book if the story was sweet and simple and it wouldn't be a page turner without the drama and suspense of Ellen working the story through to find the truth and even when you think the truth is not in her favor, you are surprised to find you can't put this book down until you know the "truth". To me this book was so good, it stayed with me. I found I couldn't simply finish the book and move on to my next book. It was an emotional journey that had me just needing to take it all in and ask myself what I would do in the characters position's. My husband wouldn't even have to conversation with me when I tried to ask him what he or we would do. Just an impossible situation to ever have to consider. Loved it! Loved it!Look Again Overview

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The Lincoln Lawyer: A Novel Review

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The Lincoln Lawyer: A Novel ReviewAbraham Lincoln is revered by lawyers everywhere for his courtroom skills and practical wisdom. The Lincoln Michael Connelly refers is not Abraham, but rather the automobile.
Mickey Haller, son of an original Los Angeles superstar lawyer, owns several. At times the limousine business seems preferable to his own. But finally he gets, to his eternal regret the "franchise case", the kind of case that not only pays the bills but causes other clients to want his services.
A young rich real estate broker is charged in the attempted murder of a hooker. His insistence in his innocence causes Haller to realize he may have what he has always dreaded, the actually innocent client. But he finds his defense efforts in disarray as the case sours, and he himself becomes a murder suspect.
Non-lawyers usually do not write good legal thrillers. Michael Connelly, a former reporter and America's best mystery writer, is the exception that proves the rule. He has a great ear for the courtroom and a sense of the professional and economic dilemmas trial lawyers face.
I will say this, however, in real life no matter how secret the client confidence, lawyers are ethically able to access the expertise necessary to know how to respond to any dilemma in an ethically sound way. The real Mickey Haller would have picked up the phone to the Bar's hotline for an ethics opinion. That simple act would have destroyed a helluva tale.
I hope we will see more of Haller. He has his demons but he is not as dark a protagonist as Harry Bosch. The reality is, in his first legal thriller, Connelly has produced a book every bit as good as John Grisham's A Time To Kill. That is saying a lot.
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Without Remorse Review

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Without Remorse ReviewTom Clancy has created several fictional heroes that are at the heart of his many novels. One, of course, is John Patrick Ryan, who has served his country as a Marine, CIA officer, National Security Adviser, and President of the United States. With the exception of Red Storm Rising (a book that is not set in Clancy's "Ryan-verse"), Jack Ryan appears or is talked about in every novel from The Hunt for Red October to The Teeth of the Tiger.
The other major character Clancy readers have come to admire is John Clark, a man who works for the other side of the Agency as a paramilitary officer. Whether he is in Colombia using a laser target designator to help bomb a Medellin Cartel member's mansion or leading a multinational antiterrorist team called Rainbow, Clark is the type of man our government needs to use while denying his existence.
But John Clark has a past wrapped in mystery, one his family doesn't know much about and is a closely guarded secret. For John Clark was once ex-SEAL John T. Kelly, Vietnam veteran, avid diver and sailor.
But when Kelly's girlfriend is brutally murdered by a Baltimore drug lord's henchmen, the otherwise peacable and war-weary Kelly vows revenge. Dispensing his own version of street justice relentlessly and without remorse, Kelly must not only avoid being killed by the drug dealers, but he also has to evade the dogged detective work of Baltimore cop Emmett Ryan, a World War II vet and father of the future President.
Adding to his already complicated life, Admiral James Greer recruits Kelly to participate in a daring rescue mission into North Vietnam. But when a radicalized American antiwar activist gets wind of this secret military operation, events will drive John Terence Kelly down a path that he never intended to take.
Although published 11 years after The Hunt for Red October, this taut and thrilling novel is the first chapter of the long-running Jack Ryan saga. If you are just entering the Ryan-verse, read this entertaining book first.Without Remorse Overview

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Consent to Kill: A Thriller Review

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Consent to Kill: A Thriller ReviewArab terrorists, international assassins, and politically appointed nitwits, Vince Flynn's newest thriller delivers everything you have come to expect from the Mitch Rapp series. There is lots of action, impressive no nonsense black ops professionals, and edge of your seat suspense-filled plotting. As you might expect, Consent to Kill begins with Rapp doing what he does best, tracking down and killing a dangerous Islamic cleric with direct ties to suicide bombers. This little sidebar to the main story is meant to demonstrate Rapp's technical skill and sense of justice. In that respect it forcefully succeeds. Unfortunately Rapp has now reached that stage in his career where his reputation is legendary and his enemies are both numerous and extremely powerful and resourceful.
Until now Mitch has never had to face an opponent of equal talent, but that's what happens when a fundamentalist Arab billionaire places a twenty million dollar bounty on Rapp. Predictably he lives to fight again but only after losing everything that is precious to him. Now everyone who was involved in this attempted assassination is on the run as Rapp tries to piece together exactly who to blame. Rapp is the proverbial loose cannon that not only has the terrorists ducking for cover, but also has the chicken-hawk politicians trying to put him on ice as well.
Vince Flynn has another exciting eye-for-an-eye thriller that is sure to be enjoyed his many fans. My complaints are few, but I will list them here; the book could have been maybe 50 pages shorter without as much needless explanation; there are some loose ends that should have been tied up since most readers will be left wondering; and some of those 50 pages that could have been cut should have been devoted to better character development. But these are minor criticisms and on the whole the book is thoroughly enjoyable and matches Flynn's earlier fiction.
If you enjoy this book, then you might also enjoy the similarly themed/styled books of Daniel Silva and Brad Thor.Consent to Kill: A Thriller Overview

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The Watchman: A Joe Pike Novel Review

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The Watchman: A Joe Pike Novel ReviewIn Joe Pike, "the world's greatest detective's" enigmatic and stoically violent sidekick of the "Elvis Cole" novels, the talented Robert Crais has created one of most intriguing characters in contemporary popular fiction. But with the wisecracking Cole still mostly sidelined from injuries suffered in "The Forgotten Man", Pike takes center stage in this well plotted, fast moving crime drama.
With his red-arrowed deltoids "going forward, never back", Pike, to repay an old debt, reluctantly takes on the task of protecting Larkin Barkley, a spoiled LA society brat drawn with shades of Paris Hilton, right down to the rat-dog-in-the-purse detail. Returning home from late night revelry, Barkley t-bones a Mercedes full of the wrong people, and in a convoluted twist, ends up as a witness under protection. But when it becomes clear that the folks who'd prefer that Barkley not testify are deadly serious, Joe Pike gets the job of keeping the pouting debutant safe and sound.
As always, Crais' prose is witty and fast moving. Joe Pike, who is about as chatty as Mount Rushmore, is cleverly contrasted against Larkin's tantrums. And Elvis Cole, while taking care not to swing the spotlight too far away from Pike's solo debut, throws around enough of his patented one-liners to keep his hardcore base smiling. But if the bond that builds gradually between Joe and Barkley stretches the bounds of credibility just a bit, this is, after all, fiction, and besides, Crais does a masterful job of building the sexual tension and creating - perish the thought - the hint of a soft side to Pike's impenetrable persona.
While perhaps lacking the edge and grit of today's "garage writers of grime" - guys like Charlie Huston, Duane Swierczynski, Charlie Stella, or Victor Gischler - Crais' polished pages capture LA's sleaze and majesty, designed for appeal to broad audiences. All in all, a slick and well-rendered effort from one of today's best writers of mainstream fiction - top entertainment that is well worth the time and the 15-buck hardcover.The Watchman: A Joe Pike Novel Overview

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Prescription to Kill Review

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Prescription to Kill ReviewThis debut novel, by Elizabeth Sellers, is a medical murder mystery following the staff in a Neurosurgery Department in a hospital in Texas. Soon, Joan Murdock, an intern, has a close encounter with death. Her best friend dies, the doctors unable to save her. Joan will end up learning that your first suspicion is never right when it comes to murder.
I really love murder mysteries and this was no exception. The only part that I didn't quite enjoy was the beginning. I feel that the opening scene could have been more well written and frankly, more interesting. It was probably the only part of the book that bored me. But overall, great book!
I received a complimentary copy of Prescription To Kill as a member of the
Dorrance Publishing Book Review Team. Visit dorrancebookstore.com
to learn how you can become a member of the Book Review Team.Prescription to Kill Overview

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Broken Prey Review

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Broken Prey ReviewI am new to the "Prey" series by John Sandford. I am always pleased to stumble across another great Mystery writer...even better if it is a series with characters like Lucas Davenport you can watch develop from book to book. This is only the second book in the series I have read so far, my first was Chosen Prey, that was also good, but I liked Broken even better! My one complaint is I cannot find any lists anywhere to list the order of the books! I found one partial list in someones review of an earlier book. It is always better (for me at least-when it is a series like this with returning characters) when I get to read the books in the right order. Here is the list I have compiled to help other Sandford newbies like me:
1RULES OF PREY
2SHADOW PREY
3EYES OF PREY
4SILENT PREY
5WINTER PREY
6NIGHT PREY
7MIND PREY
8SUDDEN PREY
9SECRET PREY
10CERTAIN PREY
11EASY PREY
12CHOSEN PREY
13MORTAL PREY
14NAKED PREY
15HIDDEN PREY
16BROKEN PREY
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The President's Nemesis Review

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The President's Nemesis ReviewI thought this to be a unique thriller. It has a somewhat complicated plot but it definitely held my attention. It moved at a steady pace and your not ever sure what's going to happen next. A different kind of thriller, but one I really liked.The President's Nemesis Overview

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The Rainmaker Review

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The Rainmaker Review"The Firm" still remains John Grisham's best novel, but "The Rainmaker" is his funniest. I have never read a book that better managed to hit my funny bone straight on without tipping over the edge into farce (i.e., John Irving). This time around Grisham's hero is Rudy Baylor, in his final semester of law school and required by one of his professors to provide free legal advice at a Senior Citizens home. There he meets Miss Birdie, an old lady who apparently has millions of dollars salted away and who definitely needs a new will, and Dot Black, who's son Donny Ray is dying of leukemia while their insurance company refuses to pay for medical treatment. In the legal world a "rainmaker" is someone who brings in big clients (i.e., big money) to a law firm. When Rudy's future job suddenly disappears in the wake of a surprise merger, these cases might be his ticket to a promising legal career.
The villains are lawyers from a giant firm and a heartless insurance company, which is certainly stacking the deck but part of the fun. As with "The Pelican Brief" there is a bit of misdirection at the beginning in terms of getting a read on the main character. Rudy is broke and has some shady friends in the legal profession, but the bottom line is he is a good guy and he will do the right thing. Even if it means playing David against Goliath in a stacked courtroom where the presiding judge is best buds with the great Leo F. Drummond of the giant law firm Trent & Brent, representing the Great Benefits Insurance Company. But then Rudy gets a break. The presiding judge suddenly drops dead and his replacement, Judge Kipler, is a plaintiff's dream. Better yet, Rudy has the truth on his side.
The joy of this book is watching Rudy beat the bad guys. Every single lawyer's trick used by Drummond fails with Judge Kipler. Every dirty trick by the insurance company is exposed by Rudy, who comes up with some little twists of his own. Sure, all the rabbits getting pulled out of the hat is a bit excessive, but that is what makes this such a fun read. At the heart of this book is the quest for justice, but that does not mean we can not enjoy a little payback along the way. The romantic subplot between Rudy and Kelly comes across as something of a diversion from the main story, but at the end it gives the hero someone with whom he can ride off into the sunset. "The Rainmaker" is one of those books where you pick it up from time to time to read the good parts. If you saw the movie and enjoyed Rudy sticking it to the bad guys, then you should enjoy much more of the same in this novel.The Rainmaker Overview

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No Country for Old Men Review

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No Country for Old Men ReviewCormac McCarthy's first novel since completing the Border Trilogy in 1998 is a dramatic change of pace. Gone is the focus on the wild Texas plains and the encroachment of civilization. Gone are the lyrical descriptions of untamed nature and young love. Gone is the belief that love and hope have a fighting chance in life's mythic struggles. Instead, we have a much darker, more pessimistic vision, set in Texas in the 1980s, a microcosm in which drugs and violence have so changed "civilization" that the local sheriff believes "we're looking at something we really aint even seen before."
Forty-five-year-old Sheriff Ed Tom Bell must deal with the growing amorality affecting his small border town as a result of the drug trade. The old "rules" do not apply, and Bell faces a wave of violence involving at least ten murders. Running parallel with Bell's investigation of these murders is the story of Llewelyn Moss, a resident of Bell's town, who, while hunting in the countryside, has uncovered a bloody massacre and a truck containing a huge shipment of heroin. He has also discovered and stolen a case containing two million dollars of drug money, which results in his frantic run from hired hitmen. Hunting Moss is Anton Chigurh, a sociopathic cartel avenger, a Satan who will stop at nothing, the antithesis of the thoughtful and kindly Bell. A rival hitman named Wells is, in turn, stalking Chigurh.
By far McCarthy's most exciting and suspenseful novel in recent years, the story speeds along, the body count rising in shocking scenes of depravity. Bell's first person musings about crime, society, and the people around him break the tension periodically, allowing the reader to ponder the wider implications of the action and to see it as a symbolic struggle for man's soul between good and evil, love and hate, God and Satan. As the violence continues and Bell becomes more discouraged, he visits his elderly Uncle Ellis, a former deputy sheriff and war veteran, and as they talk about World War I and the Vietnam War, where they were willing to give their lives for a presumably winnable cause, the contrast between those battles and this battle on the home front is seen in broader and bleaker perspective.
McCarthy's desire to preserve traditional values, and his grim vision of the present and future, reflect a view of life that many readers will not share. The artistry the reader has seen in McCarthy's thematic development throughout the rest of the novel is sacrificed in the last forty pages, in which Bell's overt warnings and cautionary remarks about the future sound preachy. Still, the novel is breathtaking in its construction, and Sheriff Ed Tom Bell is one of McCarthy's best-drawn characters. (4.5 stars) n Mary Whipple
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Crushed Review

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Crushed ReviewI decided to purchase Crushed after reading and thoroughly enjoying Zipped and Crooked, other young adult novels by Laura and Tom McNeal. This husband and wife team always does a great job of writing from the perspective of average teenagers. In Crushed, the three main characters are Audrey, Wickham and Clyde. Audrey, an innocent and intelligent good girl falls for the smooth but mysterious new guy, Wickham. Blinded by her first love, she fails to notice that Clyde, Jemison High's resident oddball, has a crush on her too. Wanting to protect Audrey, Clyde follows his gut instinct and digs deep into the dark past of Wickham. In the mean time, an underground newspaper called The Yellow Paper circulates the school, ready to spill everyone's secrets with its witty and biting commentary on students and teachers.
Told from alternating viewpoints, McNeal and McNeal made it easy for me to really get to know the main characters. Audrey, who was naïve in the ways of love and friendship, gets a rude awakening when she is betrayed by people she loves the most and eventually comes out stronger on the other side. Her transformation is very believable and readers find themselves rooting for her even at her lowest moments. The only character of the novel that I found to be unrealistic was Audrey's best friend Lea. The development of Lea's personality, from shy and quiet, to reckless and rebellious was hurried. The surprising change was unexpected and happened to quickly to be believable. It also wasn't supported by clues in the text that might have explained why this transformation had occurred.
The intricate plot of Crushed is what really drives the novel. It starts off fast and keeps pace till the last chapter. The theme of the novel, that everyone has a secret, runs throughout and ties in with almost every single character's development. These secrets, some that The Yellow Paper decides to reveal, threaten to undo their seemingly perfect lives. Story lines that include a fatal car wreck, bankruptcy, and cancer, propel the novel past the average teen fair and give it a mature feel. By the end of the book, I was satisfied with the directions the authors decided to take the characters, and wasn't let down or disappointed.
The reason I enjoyed the book so much was because of how realistic it was. Gossip, rumors, cliques and crushes were all aspects of the novel that I could relate too. I love the fact that Crushed made me feel as if I could be there, at that same high school, walking amongst the characters. A believable suspense is also built up during the novel, which kept me reading until the end. This is mostly due to the wonderful writing style of the authors. McNeal and McNeal know how teenagers think and this fact comes through with their writing. The characters aren't your typical teenage stereotypes, and it helps seeing them from different points of view, a technique the writers have incorporated in all three of their novels. First love, physics reports and all of high schools other uncertainties are presented fully and truthfully.
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East on Sunset: A Crime Novel Review

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East on Sunset: A Crime Novel ReviewNo sophomore jinx for Ken Mercer, scoring again with "East on Sunset" and proving that he has the chops to match LA crime writers like Robert Crais or Michael Connelly.
Disgraced former LA narc detective Will Magowan was returned to more familiar SoCal turf after a brief exile in the Pacific Northwest in Mercer's debut, "Slow Burn." The classic tragic hero, Magowan is trying to put his busted life back together, reuniting with his estranged life and expecting a son. So when Will lands a security job with the LA Dodgers, things are looking up for the hapless Magowans - until Erik Crandall shows up. Crandall, a sterozoid-freak ex-con sent to San Quinton courtesy of Will in his LAPD days, is certain Magowan ripped off a half-million bucks worth of dope from the bust, and he wants it back. So the Magowan's briefly idyllic life begins spinning nightmarishly out of control at hands of the menacing Crandall, an unenthused LAPD, and Will's own stubbornness. Simple thuggery gets interesting when Will's once-partner apparently commits suicide, leaving behind what may be the clues to Magowan's fall from grace.
Mercer writes lean, clean prose like the pros - no ham fisted stabs at atmosphere or mood, Elmore Leonard or James Ellroy. He shoots straight from the hip, keeps the action clipping along - and if we're reminded once too much about deceased son Sean or are beginning to think the whining wife Laura is more of a threat than Crandall - hey, it's a small price to pay to welcome fresh talent to a tired genre. Mercer wins readers like Billy Beane wins baseball games - no All Stars in the characters, plot, mystery or setting, but by stitching together solid components that work well together, keep the reader engaged, and delivering the winning combination in the bottom of the ninth.
Well done, Ken. Looking forward to the continued adventures of Will "the thrill" Magowan!East on Sunset: A Crime Novel Overview

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The Scarecrow Review

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The Scarecrow ReviewMichael Connelly is easily one of the best crime fiction authors working today and The Scarecrow is a solid read, although I have to admit that after a great start the ending is a bit of let down. It isn't that the ending is bad (it isn't) - it's just that it follows a standard formula and was just too 'ordinary'.
The first half of The Scarecrow is exceptionally good. Connelly gives readers an insider's look at the inner workings of the newspaper business and the devastating effect that the internet and 24 hour cable news is having on it. I appreciated that our hero, reporter Jack McEvoy, starts chasing a story for reasons that are not entirely noble. When the grandmother of a gang member charged with murder insists her grandson is innocent, Jack follows up, not intending to prove the boy innocent, but rather to gain access to the family so he can profile the mind of a young killer. Of course, he does find evidence that leads the story in a different direction.
The greatest strength of Connelly's fiction is how thorough he is as a writer. For example: the killer is planning to frame someone (I don't want to give too much away) and Connelly has him address any holes in his plan, like the transportation of a firearm. Lesser authors would simply ignore the problem(s) and assume that readers wouldn't notice or would be willing to overlook the inconsistancies. Connelly though has his killer find a solution so that his plan is as realistic as possible. I appeciate that. I also appreciate that McEvoy and his partner FBI agent Rachel Walling don't just stumble around - they actually investigate, detect, and solve things. The criminals are intelligent too, which makes for a refreshingly smart read.
Unfortunately, after an exceptional start, it's as if Connelly switches onto autopilot for the second half of the novel and follows the Serial Killer Novel Playbook to the letter. Connelly uses one of the standard ploys of crime fiction: notably the `hero realizes the truth when he sees, hears, or says something unrelated to the crime that triggers a sudden epiphany, allowing him to save the day at the last possible moment." The other issue that I had with the final part of the novel is the behavior of the killer when he realizes that Jack and Rachel are onto him. He's been so cool and calculating throughout the novel but then over-reacts faced with Jack's flimsy `evidence'.
Is The Scarecrow worth reading? Absolutely. True, the ending was a bit of a let down after such a great start, but at least there was a great start and it wasn't that big of a let down. 3 ¾ stars.The Scarecrow Overview

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Requiem for an Assassin (John Rain, No. 6) Review

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Requiem for an Assassin (John Rain, No. 6) ReviewFor those of you who might have stumbled on this book without knowing the full scope of things, you will want to start the John Rain series from the beginning. The books in order are: Rain Fall, Hard Rain, Rain Storm, Killing Rain, the Last Assassin, and now Requiem for an Assassin. All are outstanding reads. If you pick up in the middle or here at the tail end, you will really be doing yourself a disservice. Get to know the characters in the same order as Barry Eisler did.
I'm a big John Rain fan. The books have done an excellent job of addressing a previously unfilled niche - not since Lustbader's early works anyway. John Rain, the protagonist, is the cool international ex-CIA operative, half Japanese, half American - patriot, father, and remorseless killer. Trained in classical Japanese Judo, and master of assassination via accidental causes. The killing style is unique and different - comparable to what Trevanian brought to Shibumi with his killing with common items (e.g. ballpoint pen, cards, etc.).
The latest installment is in my mind an improvement. I've really enjoyed all the books, but I felt the Last Assassin had a bit too much drama and fell slightly short of high-octane action seen in early books. In one review, it was compared to Desperate Housewives... unfair but funny. Fortunately, Requiem remedies that complaint in high fashion. I definitely can't agree with any "wussification" claim, because Rain is as ruthless and brutal in this Requiem as any of the pevious ones. That said, there is clearly a struggle between his "iceman" killer self and a softer emotionally-reachable person. But I in no way found that to detract from the character.
Like most good stories, John Rain is the reluctant actor. He wants to escape his role as a killing pawn (something he fears defines him), and take on what might be even more difficult challenges - regular life with women who both love and hate him, and a child who doesn't know he's his father. Of course that wouldn't make much of a story, so in steps Jim Hilger (the ex-CIA bad guy). He snatches the fun-loving sniper, Dox, who at times can't tell men from women, and uses him as leverage to get Rain to do three final kills. Fortunately, John Rain is experienced enough to ask the tough questions, like why does Hilger want them dead, what are their connections, and what assurances are there that he can be trusted to release Dox. With help from Kanezaki, Boaz, Delilah, and others, they go about setting things right.
Like all of the books, this book merges both international intrigue (in this case it involves oil) with Rain's personal challenges. That's one reason I recommend you start from the beginning. If you're looking for a stand alone thriller, you might be disappointed or at least not fully appreciate the character development. But if you're looking for a great addition to an outstanding collection, this one is a pure gem. Five stars!
Written by Arthur Bradley, author of "Process of Elimination" - an erotic martial arts thriller that pits a Kenpo Karate/Judo expert against a world-class sniper out to shape the presidential election.Requiem for an Assassin (John Rain, No. 6) Overview

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The Firm Review

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The Firm ReviewThe Firm was published in 1991, and almost overnight John Grisham became a household name and a force to be reckoned with in the realm of fiction. There must be something in the water down in Oxford, Mississippi; while Grisham is certainly no Faulkner, he is a man who knows how to make a novel come alive and ensnare any reader who comes along. I really do not care for lawyer-type novels as a general rule, and the fact that Grisham makes such stories so gripping and fascinating has me quite in awe of his talents. Mitch McDeere (whom many may still envision as Tom Cruise, since he played in the role in the movie based on this novel) is a highly intelligent yet monetarily challenged law student finishing up his degree with high honors at Harvard. Holding serious offers from prestigious Chicago and Wall Street law firms for his services, he decides to go ahead and hear the pitch from a smaller law firm in Memphis. What he hears is an offer he cannot believe and cannot refuse. A starting salary significantly higher than he would make elsewhere, promises of large bonuses for passing the bar exam and succeeding on the job, an ascension to partner in as short a time as a decade, a new house with a miniscule mortgage rate, a brand new BMW, and other perks soon have Mitch and his wife Abby settling down in Memphis to enjoy a life of luxury (albeit with hard work on his part). The firm really seems to care about Mitch and his family, wanting happy marriages with several children, to a degree that has Abby a little suspicious. Mitch passes the bar exam, and life is great, despite the fact he is working eighty hours or more a week. Then an FBI agent comes to see him, dropping hints of nefarious dealings at the law firm, asking him for help. Thus begins a journey in which Mitch must first decide whether to risk the lives of himself and his wife to violate his legal oaths and sell out the Mafia-controlled law firm, or take his chances, make his millions, and hope the feds don't find enough evidence to eventually land him and all of his coworkers in prison. It is really an exciting story, as the McDeeres have to deal with and evade both the feds and the Mafia in their efforts to somehow bring down the firm without sacrificing their own lives.
I found the schemes Mitch employed on his behalf were quite inventive and plausible, but as the novel progressed in the later stages I found myself wondering how the Mafia could really be incompetent enough in their surveillance to keep losing track of Mitch at crucial times. I can understand the feds having a little trouble staying a step behind him, but you would think that the Mafia could have put an end to all of these games (and to Mitch) long before he got into a position to bring them down. Also, Abby's transition from a housewife who wishes her husband wasn't spending all of his time at work to a wily assistant to her scared and scheming husband is a little abrupt. I also had a hard time completely liking the protagonist after a certain indiscretion on his part early on. I'm not complaining, though, because the tension of the novel ratchets up nicely in the final stages and kept me turning the pages with bated breath. I haven't read Grisham's more recent novels, so I can't say whether or not the quality of his writing has gone down over the years. What I can say, having read both A Time to Kill and The Firm, Grisham's first two novels, is that the man really and truly had 'it' at the start of his career. The action never ebbs, the story never bogs down, and the reader finds himself hanging on for dear life and loving every minute of it as he/she follows the course of whatever events Grisham chooses to relate.The Firm Overview

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