Blown Away

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Summary: Blown Away
Review: I read this astounding book by chance only last week, with the horrors of 9/11 still haunting us all. Wiltse seemed to be looking into the future with this plot that reveals how terribly vulnerable to attack New York, or any city in the country really is. There seem to be enough characters to populate a city, and what an interesting city that would be for he draws them quickly, deeply, and with a reality that is often funny at the same time it frightens.

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Summary: Becker is the Best
Review: Just when I thought David Wiltse could not write a better book, I got "Blown Away". You have all of the edge of the first Becker books with the added humor of bit players. He has you chewing your nails one moment and laughing out loud in the next. Wiltse has perfected the serial killer books and John Becker is the most intriguing characther I've read. With his wife slowly recovering from injuries and coming upon an unknown 'type' of killer, Becker could not rely on the instincts that has guided him in the past books. I cannot recommend David Wiltse enough. He is the best kept secret in fiction. If you haven't tried any of his books, take some time off work and read all of the Becker series.Erma Arthur, Reading Forum Assistant, MS

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Summary: please, does anybody know if another wiltse is due?
Review: see above==i keep looking for wiltse books to no avail

Rating:
Summary: Exceptional
Review: Since this book is several years old, I won't bother with a precis of the plot, that having been done by others. But I do want to say how happily I was struck by the author's use of character. That's an ingredient missing all too often in crime fiction. Sure, the plot is twisting and involving and there is plenty of tension, etc, but, almost uniquely, it is all performed by some very real, very complicated characters. I found it quite exceptional.

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Summary: New Discovery
Review: The book takes place in New York City. What happenes is this guy named Jason Cole is a terrorist, and is blowing up trancars and bridges. He disguises himself as "Spring". He told the FBI that if they didn't give him $5Million in cash then he would blow up the whole New York City. One of the FBI agents named Karen takes matters into her own hands. She decides to pretend to be this women named Robin. She heard of the guy Spring and told him she would like to go on a date with him. He calls her and tells her where to meet him at. So she gets a rental car and buys a new outfit, to fit the description of Robin. She drove to the place spring told her to meet him at. She was waiting at a red light when someone opened the door, got in and another guy had her at gun point. The other guys name is Donny. He had cole tell her where to go. They drove all the way to Ithica, and Donny had the gun to her head the whole time.
Cole made her drive to the middle of nowhere. He had an abandoned house back there. By this time no one knew where Karen was. One of the other agents got information about this "Spring" guy and drove up to his house, the agents name was Meisner. Donny had a feeling someone was there. So he hid until he heard him come near the house. All of a sudden there was a knock on the door. "Hello,anyone home"? Cole heard the door open slowly , but he could barely see because of the darkness. Then he heard a shot and donny came running. Then out of coles mouth came an evil laugh.
You'll have to read the book to find out what happens to Karen, Donny, and Spring.
These are the literary elements the author used; Foreshadowing, surprise ending, and conflict.
For foreshadowing he gave hints about spring and you always knew when he was going to blow something else up.
The surprise ending wasn't what I expected it to be. I can't tell you what happens so you'll have to read the book!
and for the conflict spring has a problem with the FBI and wants $5million or he'll blow up the city.
Foreshadowing- The use of clues that suggest events that have yet to occur.
Surprise ending- a conclusion that violates the expectations of the reader.
Conflict- A struggle between opposing forces

I really liked this book because you never knew what was going to happen next unless the author used foreshadowing, it made you wanting to read more.

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Summary: John Becker is one scary agent
Review: This is the second book I've read of the FBI Agent John Becker series by Wiltse. Becker's a troubled, on-the-edge sort whom the bad guys fear will go nuts and whack them just because he can't help himself. Sort of a disturbing characteristic to find in an FBI agent. Characterizations were excellent from the gangbanger street types to the hitman wannabe to the redhaired blushing female agent with the gun strapped to her thigh. Excellent

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Summary: Goodbye to Becker?
Review: This seems to be the last of the Becker series which is a crying shame because this one, like all the rest, is sooo good. But then the four Wiltse books that preceded Becker and the two that have followed so far, the Billy Tree books, Heartland and A Hangman's Knot, are just as good. The important thing is to keep the guy writing, anything--and I've just read two of his plays and they, too, are sooo good-- You can read something about the plot in the other reviews, but why bother? Just plunge in and enjoy the crisp, unusual, abundant characterizations, the tension, the suspense, the excitement, the crackling, funny dialogue that are the hallmarks of the Wiltse books (and plays, too, as it turns out.) More, Mr. Wiltse, more! Please?

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Summary: Dismal Plot and Characters Make This Wiltse's Nadir
Review: What I really want to know is whether David Wiltse is going to write more Becker books. I have really enjoyed this series and enjoy Mr. Wiltse's writing style. I would recommend Michael Connelly who I also enjoy greatly.