The Big Picture

Rating:
Summary: Well-plotted, high-concept yuppie speed-read that thrills.
Review: Astonishingly gripping for the first two-thirds of its length, THE BIG PICTURE has it all: great concept, superb characterizations, vivid style, and a compelling pace. The lead character, Ben Bradford, is a failed photographer who has become a dull-but-prosperous trusts-&-estates lawyer on Wall Street. Bradford's life is shattered when he discovers his wife is having an affair with the loser next door. An anguished Bradford confronts the lover, who taunts Bradford mercilessly. Bradford kills the man with a wine bottle. Rashly, he decides to cover up the murder by staging his own death and assuming the identity of the man he killed. This book is breathtakingly well-written, and perfectly captures the quiet desperation and abandoned dreams of working professionals in the 1990s. Candidly, around page 250, the book suffers from the "Indecent Proposal" syndrome, namely, once the spectacular deed is done, the intensity of the plot lurches to a disappointing halt. Things heat up again while on the lam in Montana. Still, The Big Picture is unputdownable good and Kennedy shows Grishamesque promise

Rating:
Summary: Fun book to read
Review: Ben Bradford is one unhappy Manhattan lawyer. His half million-dollar house and 300K salary are not enough to keep his wife satisfied and their once happy marriage is heading downhill fast. When Ben discovers his wife is having an affair with a neighborhood looser, a confrontation occurs that changes Ben's life forever.

Have you ever dreamed of leaving it all behind, turning your back on a career you hate, a sour marriage and starting entirely over? How about faking your own death, changing your name, and moving to a small city in the middle of no where? If you've ever considered it, then this book is for you.

Douglas Kennedy has written a compelling, easy to read novel, with superb diction. The author masterfully added suspense where I least expected it, and left me hanging at the end of several chapters. I enjoyed this book from beginning to end and would recommend it highly. For me, there were a couple of minor flaws, specifically some inconsistencies with Rudy Warren's character, which prevented me from giving a 5 star rating. However, this was a great read and I would certainly read more of Kennedy's work.

Rating:
Summary: Carefully drawn characters, good plot twists, fun to read
Review: Douglas Kennedy has written a well-crafted novel for yuppies burdened by mid-life crises and itching to be free. At its heart, it is as much a novel of ideas about identity, the burdens of obligations and honesty to one's self as a traditional narrative. But what makes it fun and interesting is that the story works just fine as a cliff-hanger(almost to the very end).The launching pad for Kennedy's meditation is the story of a miserable no-longer-young lawyer at a big New York City law firm who lives in the elite suburbs of Connecticut and whose marriage has been slowly disintegrating. When our hero discovers his wife is having an affair, a confrontation with her lover unexpectedly escalates into murder. Rather than throw himself on the mercy of the justice system, the lawyer determines to escape, which means, he quickly concludes, that he must disappear. From this premise, reader is invited to ponder perhaps the ultimate "what-if" question: How would my life change if I had to walk away -- irr

Rating:
Summary: Well written!
Review: This story is a great example of the negative effects that our actions can have. It is very entertaining to read. I highly recomended.