Hackman Blues

Rating:
Summary: Good Parts Don't Quite Gell
Review: Some interesting possibilities (gay, bipolar, tough guy, criminal- detective as lead, Brixton-centered plot, oddball crime boss) don't really gel into anything that interesting. The con is asked to find a white girl in Brixton, which sounds simple, but causes all kinds of complications. The whole bipolar thing wears thin quickly, and the style isn't quite on.

Rating:
Summary: Brutal and fast-paced thriller
Review: Tony Brady is not a nice man, which sets him apart from many crime/thriller/suspense novel protagonists. He's not even particularly likeable. Further, he's manic-depressive, and walks a fine line between being able to exist in the world with the rest of us, and being carted off to the nearest padded room. He is, however, smart and cynical, with a wickedly funny take on the world around him.

Hackman Blues is as much an essay on modern life as it is a crime novel, and works terrifically well on both levels. Tony Brady is asked to find the daughter of a local 'businessman' (i.e. crook). He enlists the aid of his friend and former prison mate, Elias Rasheed Mohammed, and the adventure begins.

The novel doesn't give the reader much chance to catch their breath from beginning to end, and includes many plots twists and a heart-breaking ending.

It's not for those who like everything wrapped up in a neat package, or who have trouble with violence or profanity. But Tony Brady has a moral code of sorts that he's determined to live by, and watching him struggle to do the right thing is a great read.

Rating:
Summary: Brutal and fast-paced thriller
Review: Tony Brady is not a nice man, which sets him apart from many crime/thriller/suspense novel protagonists. He's not even particularly likeable. Further, he's manic-depressive, and walks a fine line between being able to exist in the world with the rest of us, and being carted off to the nearest padded room. He is, however, smart and cynical, with a wickedly funny take on the world around him.

Hackman Blues is as much an essay on modern life as it is a crime novel, and works terrifically well on both levels. Tony Brady is asked to find the daughter of a local 'businessman' (i.e. crook). He enlists the aid of his friend and former prison mate, Elias Rasheed Mohammed, and the adventure begins.

The novel doesn't give the reader much chance to catch their breath from beginning to end, and includes many plots twists and a heart-breaking ending.

It's not for those who like everything wrapped up in a neat package, or who have trouble with violence or profanity. But Tony Brady has a moral code of sorts that he's determined to live by, and watching him struggle to do the right thing is a great read.