Synopsis/blurb....
Simon Crane retired from the police force after a crooked cop tried to kill him. He was broke, out of work and thankful to be alive. It wasn't the end of the world -- until she appeared.
She was Joanne Farrell, Crane's ex-girlfriend. Her boss, a top Mafia man, was dead and nearly three million dollars was missing. She knew she was the prime suspect. What she didn't know was that the Mafia had two other suspects: Mike Farrell, her ex-husband, an organization fall-guy with a chip on his shoulder... and Simon Crane.
From then on Crane was on his own with forty-eight hours to turn over the three million or the real thief... or to find a quiet place to die...
An okay book from Garfield, which means I enjoyed it, not as much as I had hoped to and not as much as previous books I've read from him - Deathwish, Hopscotch and What of Terry Conniston?
A mob boss gets killed and his safe which holds cash and secrets of his fellow mobsters - papers and blackmail material is ransacked and the victim's secretary is a suspect. She runs to ex-cop Simon Crane, a man she previously had a relationship with before working for crims and now Crane is the fall guy unless he finds who did the killing and stealing, and returns the goods and he's on a deadline.
An investigation, a few visits from some mob bruisers, a dirty cop with a hard-on for our man, a beating, a bit of love interest, an ultimatum, time pressures, some likely suspects, a few Q+A sessions with them, an ex-con ex-husband soon expired, and a bit more.
It's a book I read over a month ago and to be honest, already some of the finer details are evaporating from my memory. Not a particularly memorable read obviously, but once I got into the story I was interested enough to find out what happened. No real dislike for anything in the book, I probably just didn't particularly warm to the main character Crane or the woman he was trying to save. If they had ended up dead in a ditch rather than the eventual outcome, I doubt I would have shed a tear.
Setting, pace, story. resolution - all okay. I quite liked the ending. Decent writing, decent action and dialogue.
An okay read which passed some time and put another tick on the scoreboard.3 from 5
Read - March, 2020
Published - 1970
Page count - 200
Source - owned copy
Format - hardback omnibus edition with The Marksman
It is an interesting premise, Col. And it's interesting how much we're influenced by the way we feel about main characters in a story. If we like them, or at least care about them, then it's easier to get drawn in, and easier to remember everything about the story.
ReplyDeleteOn the face of it Margot, it had all the ingredients I like in a book, but something just wasn't there for me.... empathy for the main characters.
DeleteInteresting. Do you review works by independent authors?
ReplyDeletehttps://www.amazon.com/Appointed-Time-Joseph-Crushski/dp/B087FL752X
Thanks and yes, all the time.
DeleteI’d be **very interested** in your review of this adventure novel:
Deletehttps://www.amazon.com/Appointed-Time-Joseph-Crushski/dp/B087FL752X
Additional info here: https://theappointedtime.blog/
Kindle version too:
https://www.amazon.com/Appointed-Time-Joseph-Crushski-ebook/dp/B07FZ7XD3J
Thanks, I'll look it up.
DeleteIt is always interesting to hear about a Brian Garfield book, even if it isn't top notch. I still have only read Hopscotch but want to read more.
ReplyDeleteTracy, there's plenty to choose from thankfully.
DeleteCan’t recall if I read this one many years ago, Col. DEATH WISH was a good novel – better than the movie.
ReplyDeleteI quite liked the film actually, though it's been a few years since watching it. I'll try and read more from Garfield this year.
DeleteAfter looking over your 2019 best book reviews, I bought and read “The Catch” by Mick Herron. I enjoyed it immensely. Gritty. And compelling. I appreciate your reviews as a guide to some good reading.
ReplyDeleteHappy to be of service. I do like Herron's work.
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