Their Wildest Dreams : A Novel

Rating:
Summary: Character rich increasingly fast paced novel
Review: Several stories of varied characters converge in a literally explosive climax in this extraordinarily well written novel. On the Mexican US border outside of Tucson, lives Mackie Larkin, a divorced housewife who dreams of owning a dance studio but after a failed real estate deal, desperately needs money just to make ends meet. Her daughter, Lianne falls for an older man who works at the same ranch her father does. Nicholas Loeb is a mystery writer who travels to rural Arizona to get hands on experience in law enforcement. Buck Samsonov is a crime lord who runs a couple of strip joints in the region. All their paths converge in this very clever crime novel. The question is who will be on top in the end.
After a slow start the plot becomes increasingly fast paced once we get to know each of the characters and their separate problems. Alternate chapters are used initially to reveal the individual characters. Part of the change in momentum occurs when the characters' lives converge making the separation by chapter no longer necessary. The characters, a major strength of the work, are all original creations. The conclusion is a bit problematic and unrealistic. However, this one is well written and very much worthy of a reader's time.

Rating:
Summary: Fast, Fun and Clever!
Review: The pace of this book is much quicker than Mr. Abrahams' previous efforts. Additionally, he does a masterful job of injecting subtle, self-deprecating humor into the main character, Nick Loeb.

I thought the author's utilization of Amazon.com's book review feature was particularly clever.

The dialog is sharp and realistic, with many surprises along the steadily developing plot.

I have read several of this author's previous books, enjoying The Fan and The Tutor. I found Revolution #9, The Perfect Crime and Lights Out to be a bit slow and tedious.

This novel is definitely Mr. Abrahams' most entertaining effort to date.

Rating:
Summary: Mildly amusing
Review: Well, this is not Dostoevsky, no need to use your brains when you read this piece of work. Mildly amusing. Poorly developed charachters. The portrayal of Mr. Samsonov is way over the top,
where did he dig up such a character? All in all, readable but mind numbing.