Manhattan Is My Beat

Rating:
Summary: A refreshing surprise
Review: This early Deaver novel was a pleasant surprise. It is completely free of the foresic and scientific detail of the Lincoln Rhyme books, but is a page-turner in its own right. Deaver's charming protagonist, Rune, is a young woman who is constantly reinventing herself. If Lincoln Rhyme is driven my science and encyclopedic knowledge, Rune is just as driven by instinct and a pure, though unusual, moral code. Full of twists and turns and a series of suprises, it's a fun read.

Rating:
Summary: Early Deaver Lacks Depth
Review: This early work of Jeffery Deaver certainly lacks the depth of his current works. (Shallow Graves) Manhattan is My Beat references an old movie that has as it's theme the theft of one million dollars. Deaver's heroine, Rune, is a very light not well described character. She developes a careing relationship with an old man who has a passion for watching an old movie titled "Manhattan is My Beat." Their friendship takes Rune on a twisted search for a missing million dollars. During her search she must deal with paid killers and the United States Marshall Service. Figuring out who is who is the meat of the book. While the book will keep you thinking until the end, it is not filled with depth of plot, character development or sense of the city that we would expect from Deaver. Not long and easy to read. This is a very light book, with a much expected ending. Most of the characters seem to be very nice people. Would like to have known more about them. A nice two day read, but nothing more.

Rating:
Summary: A BRASH AND BREEZY PAGE TURNING READ...
Review: This is one of the author's earlier works, and while it is not one of his best efforts, it is still a cut above what is currently proferred by other writers of this genre. Jeffrey Deaver writes with a decidely contemporary feel, his prose always spare and lean. While he does not dwell unduly on character development, it does not deter from the book, as it is wholly plot driven, with enough twists and turns to keep the reader guessing until the last minute. It makes for a quick, enjoyable read.

The book revolves around a decades old bank robbery in which the million dollars heisted was never recovered. This robbery was memorialized in an old bete noire film entitled Manhattan is My Beat. Enter the story's unlikely heroine, twenty year old Rune of the purple hair, who work in a video store, squats in an abandoned loft which she calls home, and has an imagination that doesn't quit. When one of her video customers is killed execution style in his apartment, Rune is drawn into events of the past, as they converge upon the present. The now dead customer had repeatedly rented the film Manhattan is My Beat, and Rune firmly believes that there is a connection between his death and the age old bank heist. Her do or die resolve to discover why her customer was killed leads the moxie endowed Rune on a merry and dangerous chase. It is one which keeps the reader fully engaged and entertained.

Rating:
Summary: Not bad,the book had a nice atmosphere.
Review: This plot is rather simple, but kept my interest.Deaver has produced better works.The greatest thing (to me) in the story line was the beautiful city setting,which sets the scence for crime and mystery.

I found the main character (Rune) to be most annoying and unsuitable as a mystery solver. I thought Rune was a bit unrealistic as a character.Apart from that,it is not a bad read.

Rating:
Summary: Worth reading
Review: This very fast paced plot is easy to read and introduces a very attractive and quirky character, Rune, a very pleasant twenty year old girl full of dreams, instinct, passion and poetic creativity who works at a video store and starts by chance his own investigation about the murder of a customer whom she was very fond of Mr. Kelly

This tale is very original, consistent, well conceived, sweet and funny, has its own magic, keeps you guessing and wondering, delivers a lot of surprises and does not let you go until the very last page but having read many of the Deaver books and being the trickery his trademark, I was a little bit disappointed at how he employed some of his magic twists to solve some intricate situations because sometimes they came out all of a sudden and out of any logic (the same way Batman was set free of the bad guys traps in every chapter back in the 60's, or like Mr. Connelly did in The Poet near the ending), no cunning prior preparation, just the easy way (what a pity! no subtlety)

Rune is a character that deserves a participation in other books like the legendary Lincoln Rhyme does. How about to put them together ??

Rating:
Summary: Good for the "Quick Read" genre
Review: While this book may lack a thing or two in style and literary creativity, it still creates an admirable montage of events, centered around Rune, it's central character. Good to lose yourself in....Bad to look to for literary merit. Jeffery Deaver is not Ralph Ellison, quite obviously, but the storyline is great, with lots of surprises. Maybe I've been submerged in "Invisible Man" and "The Scarlet Letter" and "The Bell Jar" for too long, but, as my English teacher would say, this book qualifies as a "smut" book........but, a good smut book nonetheless.