Murder Book

Rating:
Summary: Original and fast-paced
Review: Good read, especially for seasoned readers of detective/crime novels. Original characters and good prose. I especially liked the lead characters imperfections because they were not always "politically correct". To be honest, the "tough cracking with a heart of gold recovering alcoholic who always does right" detective gets a little old. Only negative is - whats with the VCR'S??????

Rating:
Summary: Would make a great movie
Review: I hope Rayner is able to sell this as a movie because it would be even better with a third cut out of it. I thought it was a good story but I doubt there is anyone on the LAPD--or any police force--who is as articulate and introspective as the detective in this story.

Rating:
Summary: Good detecitve mystery
Review: I must say that this had to probably beone of my favorite murder mysteries that I've ever read. It's about a detective who's wife found out that he slept with another woman. She's going to leave him, but it's difficult for him to let that happen because his daughter from this marriage who he loves so much has to go with her mother. Although he's been recently assigned to a new murder case. But not just any murder case; The dead mother of the biggest druglord in Los Angeles. The detective wants his daughter and his ex-wife to be happy and have plenty of security, and while the detective is questioning the druglord in the precinct house, the druglord offers $500,000 for the name of killer. The detective does some searching and comes up with a name. Desperate to get the $500,000 to give to his ex-wife and daughter, he goes on a hunt for the killer. Can the detective convince the druglord that he knows who the killer is, so that the druglord will give the detective the $500,000? And can the detective really find this ruthless killer, before he himself gets killed?

One of the things that I liked most about this book was that there were not really any GOOD characters. They've all done something bad some time or another. It's about time a story didn't have a perfect character who saves the day all of the time.

If anyone wants a riveting murder mystery that actually makes some sense, and is surprisingly complex, then I'd say that "Murder Book" would be the best choice.

Rating:
Summary: Original and fast-paced
Review: No reader can reasonably complain about the prose and the plot. BUT, I hated the lead character! The other characters are realistic, except for the lead's wife - she is too good to be true. But the quality of the prose and the plot merit the rating.

Rating:
Summary: leave this book closed
Review: Philosophy is concerned with finding knowledge. And perhaps vocation needs philosophers like criminology; after all what makes a particular act bad or good. So it is ironic that so few philosophers are cops.
Billy McGrath is one of the few. Following years of study in England, he became an LA cop. A black woman has been found murdered in her house; a common crime with an uncommon victim. She is the murder of LA preeminent drug lord Ricky Lee.
Ricky offers Billy a million dollars for some information: the perpetrator's name.
Struggling to hold onto his conscience, and his deploring personal relationships, Billy must deliver the goods or face the anger of a man intent on executing 'justice'.
Murder Book is a generic thriller, inconspicous from the army of less than noteworthy novels. The plot, though nice, barely excites; even the philosopher side of the hero is not utilized: there was no pondering the merits of his despicable actions with Ricky Lee, no guilt over the blood money. What did he really study in England?
As lackluster writing, this book is as memorable as drinking bottled water.