I am traveling in Europe with my family so posts are not as predictable for the next couple of weeks but I will definitely be posting about Robert Rotenberg's new book, The Guilty Plea, as set out on Features of What's Coming.
****
13. - 526.) The First Rule by Robert Crais – After Joe’s former mercenary colleague, Frank Meyers, and his family are massacred in their home Joe seeks revenge. A thriller featuring Joe Pike is going to have a high body count. With violent Slavic gangs from Eastern Europe providing the bad guys there are no shortage of candidates. Joe is a very direct man and the book follows his uncomplicated style. Joe’s violent character prevents a reader liking him but he commands respect. With Joe a reluctant conversationalist the dialogue has the laconic feel of a Spenser mystery. He even follows the Spenser approach to detecting by poking around and stirring things up and see what happens. Elvis Cole actually does more of the detecting. Joe handles the action sequences. It did seem implausible Joe was so far ahead of the police when the surviving sister of a deceased nanny in Frank’s home was part of a Serbian crime family. A baby’s presence does affect Joe. While not one of his best the story flows swiftly and smoothly. I started the book Saturday afternoon and finished on Sunday evening. With the taciturn Joe who lives by a simple violent code there is not a lot of opportunity for introspection. Joe is a better secondary than primary character. (Mar. 14/10)
No comments:
Post a Comment