Void Moon

Rating:
Summary: Another dark and compelling tale from the master
Review: Michael Connelly hooked me and many others with Harry Bosch, so I had my doubts about getting to grips with a completely new cast of characters in Void Moon. But no worries, Connelly's skillful story telling and dark vision remain compelling.

The plot elements are described elsewhere on this site. Suffice to say that Connelly weaves it tight and gripping and doesn't let the reader go until the last page. Unlike some best-selling writers, Connelly is adept at both plot and characterisation. The dramatis personae are all horribly convincing, from the fallen angel female protagonist Cassie to the lugubrious Jack Karch. There's even some credible character background. For gadget lovers the author plots in some neat technical details that make a real contribution to the whole, but it's the characters and story line that keep things engrossing.

On the other hand, if you feel like a little light reading to lift your spirits and restore your faith in people, you'd be well advised to steer clear of Void Moon.

Rating:
Summary: Promising start, but can't hold its pace
Review: Nice book by Michael Connelly whose whole life seem to have taken place between L.A. and Las Vegas. The books starts of breathtakingly, the first part being a tour-de-force for any fan of "the great bank robbery". After that, though the book deteriorates a little and Connelly starts stretching the story to get his pages full.

The Story:

Cassie Black your perfect professional robber, out on probation. Circumstances let her have take on the last, big thing, which eventually leeds her back to the place where she lost the big love of her life, finally putting her against those responsible for his death.

The execution:

The build-up and the robbery itself is described in perfect manner, but Connelly does the mistake of stopping the action in the middle, switching the point-of-view and leave the rest of the robbery unexplained until the end. The second part of the book concentrates on the hit-man sent out for her and how he finds out about her. Enjoyable piece of investigation, but not really suspenseful. The last part is the showdown with each chapter changing the point-of-view. Though we're in for some surprises - as is usual with Connelly - the narration cannot pick up the speed again.

The Verdict:

If you're new to Connelly this is as pleasant an entry as it can get, since the book is very much outside of his usual universe and so you don't miss any background knowledge. For hardened Connelly followers there is one rule "There are no coincidents" and once you've learned that one, the book becomes too predictable. Enjoyable.

Rating:
Summary: Breaks out of the mold....
Review: for Michael Connelly. Interesting to see Connelly develop a feminine hero! Cassie is bright, articulate, completely believable. Karch, her adversary, becomes more interesting & despicable with every page. Great visuals of Las Vegas through the eyes/pen of a terrific author!

Rating:
Summary: Void Moon is a gripper!
Review: Cassie Black has paid her dues & is trying to be a model parolee in an imperfect system. Even though she's thriving at selling Porsches in Los Angeles, she's still got one more secret & one more bid for happiness.

Cassie's trade was robbing casino gamblers & she was very good at it until one disastrous night when everything went wrong & she wound up doing time. Now, after years of attempting to be a model citizen, something crops up that sends her spiraling off into panic & she sets about honing the only skills that ever made her money to spare. She seeks out an old friend for a fast, goof-proof job.

The job goes perfectly until she checks out her cache & crosses paths with her old nemesis, a private investigator with very dirty hands & murder on his mind. In the final twist of a riveting plot, Cassie Black steps out of the shadows & does the right thing. A satisfying read! Do check out my full review.

Rating:
Summary: Void Moon Leaves A Void!
Review: I have read every Connelly book, and this is the first one that I absolutely hate! There is not one character that I even like. Cassie is rarely in the book, and I couldn't get a feeling for her. I am forcing myself to finish because I received it as a gift from my daughter. Can't wait to read Darkness. Thank goodness I have a gift certificate for the hard cover!!

Rating:
Summary: One from the criminal's point of view
Review: I've read all of Connelly's excellent books, and it would not be too great a slander to say this is comparatively his weakest effort. But it's still a compelling read. Having mastered the police procedural genre, he tries his hand at what might be called the "perp procedural", with detailed descriptions of the finer techniques of high-tech burglary. The characters are well drawn as always, featuring his first female protagonist in Cassie Black. Jack Karch is a delectable villain, and could even teach Harry Bosch a thing or two about detective work. I'm not sure I fully buy into the murky logic of the whole Vegas caper as the various motives unfold - seems there might have been a more direct way for "Chicago" to get what it wanted - but it didn't spoil the pleasure. Connelly's the best, just keep them coming.

Rating:
Summary: Better than Bosch
Review: After the forays of other favorite authors away from their signature characters(think "Billy Straight"), I was leery about Viod Moon, especially given some of the negative reviews.

I can honestly say I enjoyed this book more than the Harry Bosch series. Although the main characters are morally corrupt, I found this story to be more suspenseful (and better written) than the past couple of Bosch installments.

Highly recommended!

Rating:
Summary: Michael Connelly -- Better than Ever
Review: I read Void Moon as soon as it was published. I have been a big fan since his first novel. This thriller does not disappoint, and I wasn't surprised it was optioned by a studio. The protagonist is what we would label a less-than-reformed criminal who's less sorry than just plain sorry she got caught. Yet we grow to care about her and appreciate her pain. Connelly has always been able to elevate his thrillers with his gift of establishing great characters, and Void Moon soars!

Rating:
Summary: Sophisticated Burglar
Review: Fairly choppy in the beginning, Void Moon unfolds into a spell-binding story about a state-of-the-art cat burglar who constantly surprises and captivates the reader. Held my interest through the last page.

Rating:
Summary: Pretty good until the end
Review: "Void Moon" is the third non-Harry Bosch book written by Michael Connelly, and the first book in which the main character is not a law enforcement (or ex-law enforcement) investigator. In fact, no character in the book is in law enforcement, well, except for one minor character who is a parole officer. Nope, this book is populated by burglars, fences, mobsters, and a murderer/amateur magician.

The main character, Cassie Black, served five years on a manslaughter charge when a burglary she was involved in went south. Her lover and accomplice died during the crime, and she was charged under felony-murder. At the beginning of the novel, she's been out on parole for 10 months, working at a Porsche dealership. She needs to leave L.A., though, because (the reader infers quickly) her daughter -- given up for adoption -- is about to be moved to Paris, and she wants to be near her.

Going legit hasn't paid off, so Cassie decides to get back in the business for one quick score, enough for her to retire on. Unfortunately, things never turn out like you expect, and the score leads to all sorts of other problems . . . such as Jack Karch, a sometime PI and sometime wet work man for a mobster who just happens to run the casino where Cassie's previous burglary took place.

"Void Moon" displays a lot of the usual trademarks of Connelly's writing: sharp dialogue, fluid narration, vivid characters. Cassie is generally likeable, even though she's an unredeemed criminal. Karch is pretty interesting too, even if he is quite ruthless.

The only problem with "Void Moon" is the ending, which just doesn't really hang together with the rest of the book.

If you like this book, you might take a look at Philip Kerr's "A Five Year Plan." Not to mention the other Connelly books. (I would recommend "The Concrete Blonde" and "Trunk Music.")