Where It Hurts - Reed Farrel Coleman

My review of Reed Farrel Coleman's Where It Hurts first appeared in Shelf Awareness for Readers. I am posting today with their permission. Hope you enjoy...

First line: "Some people swallow their grief."

Reed Farrel Coleman, author of the Moe Prager PI series and Robert B. Parker's Jesse Stone series, introduces Gus Murphy, a retired Suffolk County police officer who now drives an airport shuttle for the run-down Paragon Hotel of Bohemia. Murphy, haunted by the unexpected death of his son from a hidden heart defect two years earlier, also lives in the dilapidated old lodging facility.

Tommy Delcamino, a low-level thief Murphy arrested while still on the force, pays him a visit to request help. Tommy's son, TJ, was tortured to death and the police seem to be ignoring the murder, so Delcamino wants Murphy to look into it. Murphy explodes thinking the ex-con is trying to take advantage of Murphy's own personal tragedy. When Murphy goes looking for Delcamino, intending to apologize for his behavior, he encounters two armed men who escape while shooting Murphy in the leg, and finds the remains of the elder Delcamino.

Still reticent about investigating the murders, Murphy decides he needs answers why these men died. He had no answers, no one to blame for his son's death, and he thinks if he finds answers in this case they will help him heal; instead he opens a huge can of worms that just might kill him.

Sharp, clever dialogue, a dynamic cast of characters representing the cross-section of cultures in Long Island and an engaging plot keep Where It Hurts gripping and entertaining. Gus' authenticity, his flaws and his complexity make him a character readers will eagerly anticipate. An excellent beginning to a series with great potential.

Where It Hurts is available in hardcover (ISBN: 9780399173035) from Putnam and as an unabridged audiobook (ISBN: 9781504661140), narrated by Chris Andrew Ciulla from Blackstone Audio.

  

   

Brutality - Ingrid Thoft

Somehow this one slipped by. My review of Ingrid Thoft's Brutality first appeared in Shelf Awareness for Readers. I'm posting it (late--sorry) today with their permission. Hope you enjoy!

First line: "Liz Barone had come to the conclusion that if her illness didn't kill her, the medical and legal bills just might."

Spitfire private investigator Fina Ludlow returns for Ingrid Thoft's third hard-boiled crime novel, Brutality. Instead of receiving a case from her family's legal practice, Fina brings this one to them. But what she pedals as a potential payout may turn into a major disaster.

Bereft mother Bobbi Barone hires Fina to find who assaulted her adult daughter, Liz, leaving her for dead. The pool of suspects is large: Liz is pursuing a lawsuit against her college alma mater, plus there's no secret she and her boss do not get along.

As Fina scratches the surface of Liz's life, even more creepy crawlies emerge as potential assailants, leaving Fina with a full can of worms to investigate. Somewhere in that mix is a deadly snake, and when Fina pokes too close, she finds herself--and her family--in danger as well.

Brutality's plot contains excesses that slow the story's pace, but Thoft still keeps the suspense high and her readers engaged. This is in large part due to her fantastically quirky protagonist. Seeing more layers of Fina's complexity peeled away in each novel is as entertaining as figuring out who done it. Thoft continues to play up Fina's humorously oddball characteristics, like coveting a vending machine in Costco as "the answer to all my prayers." She also flushes out more of her PI's passionate side through Fina's relationships with her family and friends.

Mixing the traditional PI novel with her own secret ingredient--Fina Ludlow--Thoft once again creates an explosively fun read for any crime fan.

Brutality is available in hardcover from Putnam (9780399171185) and as an unabridged audio (9781490683713), narrated by Rebecca Soler, from Recorded Books.

   

   

Hush Hush - Laura Lippman

First line: "Transcript of interview with CAROLYN SANDERS, March 3."

Hush Hush marks Laura Lippman's return to her beloved Baltimore private eye, Tess Monaghan. And boy what a return this is.

Now juggling a rambunctious toddler, a household that includes three dogs, and her investigative career, Tess is pulled somewhat begrudgingly into a security consulting job. Tyner's client, Melisandre Dawes,  stood trial twelve years ago for killing her infant daughter but was found not guilty by reason of temporary insanity. After her release from the medical facility she was sent to for treatment, she left the country, her ex-husband and her two other daughters. Now she's returned in hopes of reuniting with the children she abandoned and making a documentary about herself.

Not everyone is happy about her return--she's been receiving threatening notes--so Tyner wants Tess and her partner Sandy Sanchez to evaluate the security of Melisandre's new apartment. Agreeing partly for the money and partly for her family ties to Tyner--he's married to her aunt--Tess agrees to go over the situation but wants to make it perfectly clear that they are having no part of Melisandre's movie and they are not security consultants by trade.

Tess wants to meet with Tyner and Melisandre then wash her hands of the whole deal, but a series of events leading up to new murder, in which Melisandre is the prime suspect, continue to pull Tess and Sandy back into the thick of a mad woman's life of drama.

While the issues dealing with child murder are often hot buttons for readers, Lippman treats this case with careful reverence. Tess's constant reflection on her own struggles as a mother tie her uncomfortably to this woman she simply cannot understand. She considers her actions but decides it's safer to just not think about it: "Of course it was crazy, but what did crazy mean?" In addition, Lippman has included a personal stalker for Tess. Someone is leaving her notes. Notes that start out relatively harmless but progress to judging her parenting skills, which in turn make Tess question her fitness as a mother. She contrasts her disorganized, exhausted skills to Crow's seemingly effortless approach. While most mother's don't have an anonymous stalker, they can likely empathize with Tess, whether receiving "advice" or flat out criticism in their own experiences. Putting on a strong mask in front of those people is much easier than controlling the self-doubt that permeates thoughts and fears.

While it is only a few sentences, Sandy's reaction to Melisandre's crime is also powerful. A former police detective he says, "it's the kind of thing--Guys who could make jokes about anything, they didn't joke about that. Cases like that, they can really screw you up." Horrendous crimes like the one Melisandre Dawes commits can affect so many people on different levels, and Lippman looks at several of those levels in this novel.

Equally engaging are the two daughters left behind by Melisandre. Alanna and Ruby weren't much more than toddlers when their mother murdered their baby sister.  Now teenagers, each has dealt with their multiple losses in different ways. Additional secrets seep out as the book progresses, but both girls are sympathetic characters and trying to envision their lives is an emotional element of the story.

Lippman is exceptional with complex, gripping characters who illicit a host of strong responses from readers: compassion, revulsion, adoration, empathy. Stimulating internal dialogue for the audience makes a rewarding reading experience. And Lippman delivers more than just stellar characters.

The plot of the novel is authentic and riveting. The twists and suspense make for a thrilling read that's still grounded in reality. It's a bit of a thief, though. Readers are likely to find hours missing unexplainably once they sit down with this books. Tess Monaghan is a Baltimore fixture, but this novel could be set almost anywhere given the storyline. Horror stories about filicide aren't relegated to a geographic area and Lippman does a exemplary job of touching her reader, regardless of age or gender or race or any other categorizing factor--this is a human story.

Whether you're a long time Tess Monaghan fan or you've never read the series before, Hush Hush can be read and enjoyed by any number of kinds of readers and on many different levels. It's books like Hush Hush that remind us all of our commonalities and human connections.

Tess Monaghan is back, and that's a very good thing.

Hush Hush is available in hardcover (ISBN: 9780062369758) from William Morrow. It is also available as an unabridged audiobook (ISBN: 9780062372352), narrated by Jan Maxwell, from Harper Audio.



Check out the Tess is Back microsite where you can listen to excerpts, see Baltimore locales from the series, learn about the characters and best of all, enter to win digital audio or ebook prizes from the series.

Hopefully you already know you can find Laura Lippman on Facebook and Twitter, but if not, connect with her there or her website.

My review today kicks off the TLC book tour for Hush Hush. Check out the schedule of blogs and see what others have to say about the book.

Disclosure: I do some contractual work for one of the owners of TLC Blog Tours. My work with them does not obligate me to a specific kind of review. The reviews are still my own opinions and reflect only my thoughts on the novels. If you care to read more, you can find more information on my Disclosure page.

The Detective and the Pipe Girl - Michael Craven

My review of Michael Craven's The Detective and the Pipe Girl first appeared in Shelf Awareness for Readers. It is appearing here today with their permission. Hope you enjoy:

First line: "I was in my office in Culver City, sitting at my desk admiring my new Ping-Pong table, when a man appeared in my doorway."

In classic private eye fiction style, Michael Craven introduces John Darvelle, a no-nonsense detective determined to right the wrongs he encounters in his Southern California practice. Darvelle is hired by a mega-star filmmaker to find Suzanne Neal, a former flame. He’s certain it will be an open-and-shut case--even more so when he easily locates Neal. During his investigation, however, a few details strike Darvelle as “off,” so when Neal winds up murdered, he vows to uncover the truth.

Working out of a warehouse office, complete with a ping-pong table and visiting cat named Toast, Darvelle taps into his network of sources and contacts. Before long, he finds himself in the dark depths of Hollywood’s elite, staring down the business end of a gun. What started out as a simple case just became complicated.

With a fun blend of humor and suspense, Michael Craven follows some of the genre’s traditions while putting his own twist on others, offering mystery fans a fresh approach to the PI novel. And while Darvelle is a fascinating character with endearing quirks, the supporting cast is equally engaging, prompting the hope that they will recur and flush out further in subsequent novels.

Darvelle has a tendency to veer off track in his narration, which may pull some readers out of the story, and detailed explanation of his travels sometimes sound like GPS directions, but the excellent characterization and well-constructed plot make these points inconsequential to the overall reading experience. PI fans can rejoice about this new kid in town.

The Detective and the Pipe Girl is available in paperback (ISBN: 978-0062305596) from Bourbon Street Books. 

Yesterday's Echo - Matt Coyle

First line: "The first time I saw her, she made me remember and she made me forget."

Matt Coyle makes his debut with former cop and current restaurant manager, Rick Cahill. While a police officer in Santa Barbara, Cahill is accused of murdering his wife. He was released but never cleared as a "person of interest" in the case. Now he's working with his college buddy Turk Muldoon at Muldoon's La Jolla restaurant.

Even trying to keep his head down and his nose clean, Cahill can't avoid trouble. It seeks him out in the form of a beautiful reporter named Melody Malana. After meeting one night in the restaurant, Cahill is unable to refuse her plea for help when she returns after hours with visible bruises. But the stakes go much higher than rescuing a damsel in distress when Melody's felon ex-husband is found dead in her hotel room along with evidence that Cahill had been there.

Corrupt cops, a former Vegas casino owner, and high ranking politicians are all tied up in the secrets surrounding the murder. Cahill has to figure out how to keep from being the scapegoat or this time could mean his life.

Yesterday's Echo is a solid first novel from Matt Coyle. Cahill encompasses many of the traditional P.I. characteristics, but he also has a more modern dimension, emotionally. His connections with friends, former girlfriends, even his dog, show a vulnerability that makes his struggle with the loss of his wife authentic and impactful.

Coyle throws a good mix of shady characters into the plot, several of whom end up surprisingly complex. The plot twists and red herrings keep the pace moving swiftly. And readers will find a scenic view of his Southern California setting.

Peppered throughout the novel are little writing gems. One of which is the book's title. Much the way Michael Koryta's Sorrow's Anthem hit me when the title's meaning was revealed, "yesterday's echo" is double-take worthy. It's thought-provoking and lasting...echoing, if you will.

PI and police procedural fans, Matt Coyle is a writer you'll want to watch. He's carving a place for himself in the genre and I'm excited to see where he goes from here.

Yesterday's Echo is available in hardcover (ISBN: 978-1608090761) from Oceanview Publishing. It's also available as a Brilliance unabridged audio (ISBN: 978-1469277462) narrated by Nick Podehl.

RUNAWAY MAN - David Handler

First line: "I couldn't stop staring at Mr. Classy Guy's shoes."

David Handler may be best known for his Hoagy and Lulu series, but up until The Runaway Man, I hadn't read David's work. Since The Runaway Man kicks off a new Handler series, featuring Benji Golden, I thought it would be the perfect place to start. And I chose the audio, narrated by a favorite of mine, Peter Berkrot. I don't think they could have found a better fit for this narration.

Benji is a private eye who specializes in finding people, especially young people. He works with his mother in their family business that his now deceased father, a former cop, started. Golden Legal Services is just a small business and they struggle against the big corporate firms, so when Peter Seymour of Bates, Winslow, and Seymour comes in with a job that seems slightly askew of the up-and-up Benji and his mother decide to take the case anyway.

Peter Seymour claims that he has a client that wishes to bequeath a substantial sum to a young man by the name of Bruce Weiner. But Bruce, unbeknownst to his parents and roommate, is missing from his college; Seymour wants Benji to find him. And Benji does find him, only he finds him dead.

Realizing that he led the killer to Bruce, Benji makes his mission to find out who killed Bruce and why. But his mission turns even deadlier before the answers can be unearthed.

Benji Golden is an odd mix of hormones and life experience, which make for a complex character that's two parts fun, one part curiosity and three parts compassion. Berkrot nailed the recipe and had me laughing, eye rolling and tearing up.  

Benji is the stand-out star in this book, but his mother Abby and the office manager Rita (both former exotic dancers) give Benji a run for his money. While Handler sexifies the women, he counters that brilliantly with brains for both babes. Berkrot emphasizes in both women how their intellect and life experiences drive who they are. But they're cagey as well. Life has taught them that their sex appeal is a tool and they're very adept at using it for the best intentions.

And while Benji has hormones raging throughout the novel, he also has restraint. Handler seems to be using Benji as a depiction of man's animal instincts versus his free will. While those elements of his character battle it out, his compassion reigns supreme. Berkrot displays the hierarchy perfectly. Misbalanced, Benji could come across as very unlikable; instead he's a hero.

The humor lends a lightness to the novel, but Handler juggles numerous social issues throughout the plot as well. The complexity results in an engrossing story and the beginning of what looks to be a winning new series. With any luck, Berkrot will remain the voice of this new star in PI novels.

Runaway Man is available on unabridged audio (ISBN: 9781469249483) from Brilliance Audio. It is also available in hardcover (ISBN: 9781250011626) from Minotaur.

HEADSTONE - Ken Bruen

First line: "He drained the last of the pint, thought,
'Christ, that was good.'"

Jack Taylor returns in Ken Bruen's ninth book of the series about the former guard turned Irish PI. Jack's damaged emotionally and physically, tainting his view of the world. But in HEADSTONE, he's daring to let hope weasel its way into his heart. That light is violently extinguished when a gang of sociopaths begin their march of terror through Galway and set their collective sights on Jack himself.

Ken Bruen fans will not be disappointed in his newest installment, labeled a "Jack Taylor novel of terror." Bruen's signature style glows as strong as ever: a pitch-black tone, with ever-so-tiny fissures of light and hope daring to invade the space. Damaged characters who simultaneously scare the bejesus out of you while making you want to take them home and protect them from all life's evils - give them the chance the world has deprived them of. John Lee, the HEADSTONE audiobook narrator, captures that dichotomy superbly. Lee allows the reader to hear and FEEL Taylor's rage and hopelessness, to experience the disbelief and horror.

Those not familiar with Bruen's work will easily be able to pick up HEADSTONE and join Jack Taylor's life odyssey mid-series. John Lee gives Bruen's unyielding sense of place dimension through his Irish brogue and obvious understanding of Taylor. Bruen's chilling atmosphere wraps around the reader in the form of Lee's voice.

I kept the print version of HEADSTONE close during my audio experience. It is a unique combination, probably enhanced by my American-ness. Bruen writes in a distinct style that is essential to the story. His placement of words on a page are just as much a part of his art as Jack Taylor. One shouldn't experience this series without experiencing the way Bruen has painted his pages. Lee gives sound to Taylor, a sound that a naive American with little experience of the variety in Irish dialect would completely botch without help. Experiencing the two together was an explosion of the senses - an experience I would recommend to any true crime fiction fan.

HEADSTONE is available in the United States in print (ISBN: 978-0-8021-2600-9) from The Mysterious Press and on audio from High Bridge Audio (ISBN: 978-1-61174-598-6). The audio runs 5 1/2 hours.

Q is for Quarry - Sue Grafton

As many of you may know, Sue Grafton's new book V is for Vengeance is coming out November 14th. The nice folks at Putnam asked if I would participate in their fun blog tour for this release, and I agreed. Lesa Holstine and I were asked to kick it off this week with reviews for Q is for Quarry. You can see Lesa's review here. As for mine, well here we go...

First line: "It was Wednesday, the second week in April, and Santa Teresa was making a wanton display of herself."

Southern California PI, Kinsey Milhone, is gearing up for her 37th birthday when a cold case lands on her doorstep. Well, actually Lieutenant Con Dolan lands on her doorstep. His good friend Stacey Oliphant, a retired sheriff's department officer, has cancer and Dolan wants to help his frame of mind. So when he runs across the file for a cold case, a case where Dolan and Oliphant actually found the victim, he approaches Kinsey to help them finally solve the murder of Jane Doe, stabbed to death and dumped in a quarry.

I have to read Kinsey Milhone novels in moderation. While reading them, I have strange cravings for fast food. Of course series devotees know that Kinsey is a bit of a fast food junkie, and in this outing she introduces Stacey Oliphant to the world of fast food. The two of them do a fast food joint tour throughout Q is for Quarry. And Stacey's over zealousness for the cuisine manages to make Kinsey crave healthy food! It's this lightness to Grafton's novels that makes them fun and entertaining. It brings her characters down to earth and makes us all feel a bit better about ourselves.

She blends the lightness of her protagonist with the heaviness of the cold case. That heft instills a sense of empathy in her characters. The need to identify a woman who was murdered 18 years earlier, to bring closure to her family, possibly justice to the victim, that's what we crave in our crime novels. The added element of Dolan and Oliphant's friendship and Dolan's need to help his friend in what may be his final days enhances that empathy.

At book 17 in the Alphabet series, Grafton is still doing a masterful job of balancing the blithe with the harrowing to produce an entertaining crime novel.

Q is for Quarry was originally published as a hardcover (ISBN: 978-0399149153) in 2002 by Putnam. It is available in trade paper (ISBN: 978-0425239001) from Berkley Trade, mass market paper (ISBN: 978-0425192726) from Berkley and on audio, narrated by Judy Kaye. For my audiobook readers, Kaye does a great job with this narration. It is available from Audible or your libraries may have the older version from Books on Tape. 

You can find Sue Grafton at her website or her Facebook Fan Page. And you can find the next stop on this blog tour here on Tuesday, October 4th.

As an added bonus, I get to offer you the second sneak peek of V is for Vengeance. Lesa offered the first snippet, so if you missed hers be sure to back up and read that one first. Then click here to continue. If you comment on all ten blogs for the blog tour, you'll be eligible to win one of three sets of books that include: Q, R, S, T, U in paperback and a copy of the new one, V is for Vengeance. So, to help you on that task, I'll give you a question to respond to..."If you could go out to dinner with Kinsey Milhone, where would you like to go?"

MISERY BAY - Steve Hamilton

First line: "It is the third night of January, two hours past midnight, and everyone is in bed except this man."

Foes join forces in Steve Hamilton's eighth book of his Alex McKnight series. Chief Roy Maven seeks Alex's help when his friend, Charles Razniewski, is looking for answers about his son's suicide. Alex doesn't think there's much he can do to help, but for the grieving father, he's willing to go ask some questions. When a few details seem a little off kilter, Alex starts to ask more questions and discover some other oddities. The problems only escalate when Razniewski is murdered in the Chief's house. Alex has stumbled onto something much bigger than a young man's suicide and if he doesn't uncover the truth, Chief Maven may be the next target.

The Alex McKnight series has consistently been a strong crime fiction series, but with MISERY BAY Hamilton's taken his characters to a new level. The dynamics have changed between Alex and Roy Maven as they share experiences that no humans should have to endure. They see new sides of each other and that connection is authentic and well constructed. The bruised egos and jostled reputations are believable, often humorous and heartfelt.

Hamilton once again uses his setting to not only compliment but enhance the plot and build suspense and mood.

I had to chuckle to myself because once again Hamilton got me. I was anticipating his use of a cliche construct only to have him turn the tables and show that he was very conscience of that cliche. I could almost see him sticking his tongue out and saying, "really Forbus, don't you know better by now?" And I should because Steve Hamilton has not let me down to date, and MISERY BAY was no different.

Hamilton pays homage to two other crime writers in MISERY BAY; pay close attention to find Reed Coleman and Jim Fussilli making appearances in this McKnight novel.

I listened to MISERY BAY on audiobook, narrated by Dan John Miller. I am a fan of Miller. I think he does an outstanding job with crime novel narration. His style is especially fitting for Alex McKnight. He's not overly dramatic, but he build an appropriate intensity when it's called for. Miller also brings out the mood that Hamilton creates through his setting, so that you can almost feel the environment where the story is taking place. This isn't a fast-moving novel; Miller sets an appropriate pace that also brings out qualities in the characters. A very well-done audiobook.

MISERY BAY is available from Brilliance in audiobook (ISBN: 978-1-441-81552-1) and from St. Martin's Minotaur in hardcover print (ISBN: 978-0-312-38043-4).

INNOCENT MONSTER - Reed Farrel Coleman

FIRST LINE: "Katy's blood was no longer fresh on my hands and after 9/11 people seemed to stop taking notice."

Moe Prager returns in his sixth book of the series. This time around his daughter Sarah breaks her estrangement with Moe to ask him for help finding Sashi Bluntstone, the missing daughter of her childhood friend. Sashi is eleven years old and has been missing almost a month when Sarah approaches Moe. Sashi also happens to be a great art prodigy who has been painting since she was four years old. The time elapsed since her disappearance coupled with the publicity of the case make it less than appealing to Moe, who hasn't worked a case in six years. But his desire to have his daughter back in his life drives his decision to try to find Sashi. As Moe dives head first into the New York art world, he discovers an inordinate amount of ugliness in a realm that is supposed to celebrate beauty.

Every book in the Moe Prager series has left an imprint on my reading soul. INNOCENT MONSTER may very well have left the biggest and strongest of those imprints. Few series have consistently had such a strong effect on me as a reader and as a person. But with Reed Farrel Coleman's award-winning series, that effect isn't a result of the plot ideas themselves but more Coleman's style of writing and his approach to those plot ideas. 

Moe is a series character who is not only searching for lost people but he's searching for his own identity. In INNOCENT MONSTER we're seeing him come more to terms with that identity. And Moe is written in such a way that the reader can't help but look at him/herself as Moe makes his self-discoveries. That's a pretty powerful connection between reader and book. Which in turn pulls the reader into the story more as a participant than as an outsider watching what's going on.

INNOCENT MONSTER is populated with a multitude of wonderfully colorful, rich characters who have been affected and shaped by their environments. All of that dimension comes through whether the character appears once or a hundred times in the novel. Coleman says that each person is the center of his or her own universe. Even though INNOCENT MONSTER is written in first person from Moe's perspective, Coleman still manages to take us to the center of each character's universe. While we may not always agree with a character's motives, we can understand them and thereby better understand the characters. The other task this accomplishes is painting each character as a possible suspect. Then the journey through the plot becomes a house of mirrors.

The plot of INNOCENT MONSTER is daring and powerful. Coleman has shown that he isn't afraid to venture into sensitive subject matter. He also isn't afraid to go against the grain to achieve his goal. Steeped in complex themes and moving symbolism, INNOCENT MONSTER is a timeless tale of humanity.

The Moe Prager books are ones that I know I will re-read many times because there is so much to digest in every part of every book. As with the previous books in the series, at the conclusion of INNOCENT MONSTER I found a plethora of ideas and situations and questions spiraling around in my head. There was much I wanted to process and ponder. Questions I was asking myself. This is simply not a book that will leave you alone once you've finished it. Those are the best kind.

INNOCENT MONSTER is available in hardcover (ISBN: 978-1-935562-20-7) from Tyrus Books.

Technorati Tags: Reed Farrel Coleman, book review, crime fiction

THE GUARDS - Ken Bruen

FIRST LINE: It's almost impossible to be thrown out of the Garda Siochana.

Jack Taylor is a former garda in Galway, Ireland. When he was ousted for his excessively alcoholic ways, he took up private detecting. Or rather, he started to "find things" because

"There are no private eyes in Ireland. The Irish wouldn't wear it. The concept brushes perilously close to the hated 'informer.' You can get away with most anything except 'telling.'"

In THE GUARDS, Taylor is called on to "find" the truth about a teen girl's suicide. Her mother, Ann, doesn't believe she would commit suicide and there has been an unusual number of suicides. All teen girls. All from drowning. Taylor tells Ann he can't make any promises, but he sets off to see what he can find. In his investigation he finds more than information on Sarah's death, he finds out about himself, about his friends, and about life in general.

I'm sure you've all experienced those books where you finish, close the book, sit back and think "Wow" simply because nothing else seems to come close to expressing the chaos of what you feel. That's what happened to me with THE GUARDS. Ken Bruen manages to yank on your heart while simultaneously tickling your funny bone. You don't really WANT to like the drunk, crass Taylor, but the kind genuine heart underneath won't give you a choice.

Bruen's writing style echos the sparseness of the land and its people. It also heightens Taylor's drinking episodes so that you're almost going through them yourself. Then when Taylor's struggling to stay away from the alcohol, you're struggling right along with him. Taylor's fighting to find his way, find where he belongs, but he's doesn't seem to have one place and he's constantly wandering to find it.

Combine that style with the richness of Bruen's content and there's no wonder at all why Bruen is one of Ireland's greatest writers today. Throughout THE GUARDS Taylor receives notices concerning a coat he was issued while a garda. He has neglected to return the coat and so continues to receive these notices. The coat and Taylor's actions in regards to the coat symbolize who Taylor is and what he is experiencing. Taylor doesn't play by the rules, but more by necessity than by choice. He's aware he's doing wrong but he doesn't do so belligerently; he does it to protect himself and survive.

The coat is just one small snippet of the richness of this novel. The huge insights that Bruen imparts with minimal words often left me speechless altogether:

"Sometimes, though, when people reveal a piece, they don't want an answer, just a receiver."

or

"My time in Ballinasloe, I thought of a hundred things. Most of a depressive nature. The roads not less travelled but blindly staggered upon. People who'd been kind to me and I had abused so very badly."

And Bruen's humor, while dark - this is afterall noir - is unmatched. I often found myself thinking, "I shouldn't be laughing, but gosh darn this is hysterical." And it isn't complex jokes. It's subtle nuances and turns of phrase. It's situational. Things you would think in your head sarcastically, Taylor belts out, full speed ahead:

"If you don't laugh at least once in the asylum, time to up the medicine."

If THE GUARDS isn't plenty of medicine for you, there may not be hope. Choosing one word to describe the THE GUARDS and wrap this review, it would have to be: sublime.

THE GUARDS was the recipient of a Shamus Award and is available in the United States from St. Martin's Minotaur in trade paper (ISBN: 978-0-312-32027-0).

Technorati Tags: Detectives Around the World, Ken Bruen, book review