SPIRAL - Actually I read this six months ago, but it's the
most recent Jeremiah Healy novel in his Cuddy series. It's a
darkening of the series with Cuddy's girlfriend getting
killed in an airplane crash at the beginning. of the book. I
sort of liked Nancy Meagher. If only she had given her ticket
to Susan Silverman! The bulk of the book takes place in
Florida.
DIGGER'S GAME - This is the first George V Higgins' novel I
have read. I shouldn't have waited this long. You can believe
his characters are real people. Almost all the book is
dialogue through which you get to know character. Sure, there
are some paragraphs to further the plot or setting, but they
are almost incidental.
FRIENDS OF EDDIE COYLE - This was Higgins first novel and of
the three I read it is the best. The style is the same, but
there is more attention paid to the plot and those who
interact with the hoodlums that populate Higgins' books. I
happened to turn on the tv after I finished this book, and by
coincidence the movie version of this book starring Robert
Mitchum was on. The movie was pretty faithful to the book and
uses Boston settings.. In some ways Higgins is perfect for
filming. The dialogue is still there, and the action because
it is evident on the screen.
COGAN'S TRADE - Another Higgins book. I didn't like this as
well as the other two, but it has its merits. It's similar
but it seemed stretched to even reach 200 pages. I don't
think there neeeded to be as much information on how to
transport sixteen stolen dogs in a limousine from Boston to
Florida where the dogs could be sold.
. DARKNESS TAKE MY HAND - This is the second Patrick
Kenzie - Angie Gennaro book by Dennis Lehane. I have a couple
of quibbles. I don't know why Lehane doesn't refer to the
newspapers as The Globe and The Herald. The other is that the
man Patrick is following goes to Bryce College in Brookline.
That's where I grew up. The streets and even the theater
Patrick follows him into are authentic, but not only is no
similar school in the town, there is no room in the town for
a college.
I also found a fairly major error. Towards the
beginning Patrick and Angie meet with the local Mafia head
whom Angie ascertains owes allegiance to the Patriso family.
She then states she is the only granddaughter of the
Patriso's don. This fact is repeated again in the book, but
later on we learn Angie has a sister, Renee. I guess Lehane
can later correct this by making Renee a half sister, but
it's a flaw
SPOILER
It's as more a thriller than anything else in the style of
having one surprise after another. I think the book would
have been better by having only one serial killer . .
Mark
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