Rating: 
Summary: Smooth and sleek
Review: Another addition to Hall's well written Florida thrillers. Things are not as they usually are. The FBI aren't heroes. The Travis McGee hunk is a slacker. The killer is no genius. And the heroine is slow on the uptake. But it all feels right and you can't put it down. Another A+ effort. Another look at the fertile Florida thriller scene.
Rating: 
Summary: Rough Read
Review: First of all, despite what the header for this listing says, this is not a Thorn book; It's a stand-alone novel with new characters. Secondly, unlike Hall's Thorn books, Rough Draft just isn't very good. If you've read most of Hall's books like I have, you're probably beginning to feel like if you've read one, you've read them all. A fine writer in his early years, Hall has now gotten stale and boring. The plot for this book was fragmented and patched together, with a twist ending that just didn't work at all for me. The entire idea for this book seemed like a throwaway, something that Hall came up with at the last minute just to crank another book out. Reviewers make a big deal out of Hall's villians, and they are pretty interesting, but the female villian in this one is just like every other female villian that Hall creates, and the male villian needed more fleshing out to be truly classic. The good guys, however, are so plain and vanilla that I never cared one bit about them throughout the entire book. It was a struggle to get through this one, and I can't recommend it to anyone. For a good read, try one of Hall's earlier books instead.
Rating:
Summary: Generally enjoyable read, but not among the genre's best
Review: Halls' Rough Draft is a solid entry into the mystery genre. Hannah Keller is a police officer who gets up before the sun every morning to pen her first thriller. It hits it big, but when she rushes to her parents' home with the joyful news, she finds them dead, and her son, who witnessed the killings, in shock. Some years later, she is a successful crime writer who gets sucked into an FBI scheme to catch another killer using her as bait.The plotting is generally solid. Keller is a fairly engaging character, although she is overshadowed by the FBI Agent, Frank Sheffield -- a sea kayaking beach bum who is trying to get to retirement in one piece -- who steals the show. The musings on the writer's craft and life are a bit self conscious and I found them distracting. The villain is a little too far over the top, and there are some utterly gratuitous bits of gross out in the book that are truly sophomoric (wait till you hear about the villain's disturbing childhood). On balance, however, a strong entry, and I'll certainly read any sequel, if only to see what becomes of Frank Sheffield.
Rating: 
Summary: Underappreciated James W. Hall scores again.
Review: Having read James Hall from the beginning I rank "Rough Draft" as his finest yet. Those other reviewers, for whom this is their first James Hall, have a lot of treats waiting for them. "Rough Draft" is a complex thriller, taking the cat and mouse game to new heights. Mr Hall's easy to read flowing writing style allows the reader to keep up with the twists, turns and red herrings without confusion. The chacters are deeply drawn and we get good insight into their professional and personal sides. Full of drama, suspense and tension this tale almost turns the pages for you. It took me a bit of willing suspension of disbelief concerning the villain's homicide method (but that's why they call it fiction). The conclusion was satisfying and whodunit a worthy surprise. I feel Mr. Hall could have another successful series if Frank and Hannah started their own PI firm. Count me among those puzzled by Mr. Hall's lack of recognition. He writes the Florida crime/mystery novel as well as anyone, and better than most.
Rating:
Summary: Another winner from James Hall
Review: I eagerly await each new book from James Hall, having read him from the beginning. Rough Draft is another outstanding South Florida suspense story. Each Hall book is completely different, with new characters, etc. But they retain the riveting writing style, perverse humor, and intriguing plot that grab you and won't let go. Hal and Misty in Rough Draft are characters that border on preposterous yet are still very believable in today's violent world. Hall doesn't seem to get the same recognition as Carl Hiiason, Elmore Leonard or some other current greats but he's number one on my list of favorites.
Rating: 
Summary: A good, but not great story
Review: I enjoyed this book, and I'll agree with some of the other reviewers who said that the plot was solid. But having said that, I don't think this book was as good as it could have been. I think maybe that had something to do with the killer, who plodded along like a dolt doing what he had to do, and the way he killed people. I give the author credit for his imagination in that area, but I had a hard time seeing how it could actually be done. I also didn't particularly care for the mother in this story. Having been a cop before she turned to writing, I guess I expected more from her -- in the sense that she should have been a little more savvy -- when it came to facing danger. The story itself is interesting. It has a little of everything -- action, romance, and suspense. But it fails in putting it all together into a compelling read. My guess is, that different characters could have pulled this one off, and made this into the great story it could have been. I would recommend it, but I suggest you borrow it from the library or purchase the paperback.
Rating:
Summary: Hall at his best!!
Review: I have read all of his books. Liked most of them, but this one goes to the head of the class. Hannah Keller is a big step up for the author. Thorne of his early books is kind of a caricature of the Florida guy who finds himself in interesting messes and gets through them. Hannah Keller is definately not Thorne. Of course there is a guy named Hal whom you can grow to be terrified of. There is our FBI trying to catch Hal, which I fervently hope bears no resemblance to the FBI in this novel. There is the US Senator who is somehow controlling the FBI's hunt for Hal to avenge his daughter's murder. There is the bumbling, but honest FBI agent who is on a career ending mission. There is Misty - whom you will not ask any one to sing Misty For Me for you. This is a delicious soup..one that works through the whole book. James W. Hall is growing as an author and that is always a fun thing to watch and experience as a reader. Hop on and hang on - its a bumpy ride.
Rating:
Summary: Hall is in his element ... again!
Review: In the office of her young son's psychiatrist, writer Hannah Keller finds a copy of her first novel which is marked up with notes and some sort of coded messages. Does this have anything to do with the brutal murders of her parents 5 years before? What does fugitive financier J. J. Fielding have to do with those murders and the messages? Why is the FBI watching Hannah and who is watching the FBI watch her? The suspense mounts as maverick agent Frank Sheffield searches for answers from both professional and personal perspectives. The characters in this novel are especially well fleshed out with their own unique sets of quirks and problems. The story begins building up steam early on and maintains its frenetic pace all the way to the exciting climax. This is highly recommended reading.
Rating:
Summary: Love all of his Books
Review: James Hall does an excellent job! His books are an interesting read and keep you turning the pages. His main Character Thorn is very well done.
Rating:
Summary: Hall is at the top of his form here
Review: James Hall has rapidly become one of my favorite authors, whether he's writing another book in his Thorn series, or the stand-alone thrillers he's been producing lately. _Rough Draft_ is one of his stand-alones, but the characters he creates here are compelling enough to warrant their own series. Single mother Hannah Keller, a former policewoman turned bestselling author, is concerned about her withdrawn son. The boy apparently was an eyewitness to the murder of his grandparents many years before by a man Hannah's father was prosecuting for embezzlement. The FBI is aware of her circumstances and an especially devious agent-in-charge sets up an elaborate sting, aimed at the vicious mob killer, Hal Bonner, an odd, inhuman, almost robotic man, with a grisly trademark to his slayings. The agent in charge of the investigation into the death of Hannah's father years before, Frank Sheffield, shows up again and starts to fall in love with Hannah. Just based on this brief summary, you'd be right in thinking this is a pretty convoluted plot for a thriller, but Hall makes it work. His characters are real, believable human beings and they're often put in situations of extreme jeopardy. Not all will survive. It is also to Hall's credit that he almost manages the feat of making us care about the inhuman Hal, who becomes involved in a love affair of his own during the course of the story. This is an excellent, fast-moving thriller, and highly recommended.
| 
