A Rage in Paradise (Willy Hanson Novel)

Rating:
Summary: Very Classy
Review: It has been some time since I've read an Ralph Arnote novel. His wonderful characters come jumping off the page. Arnote has a great sense of mixing the crime fighting super rich like Willy Hanson and mixing in the rotten bad guys. At times Arnote is a mix between Elmore Leonard and Lawrence Sanders

This story centers on Cliff Blaylock, friend of Willy Hanson and coin collector. On his way home from a coin show Blaylock is robbed of his briefcase containing many coins, one which is a valuable mint condition penny. The robbery does not go off without a hitch. Blaylock shoots one of the robbers, only to find out that he has killed his next door neighbors son. Blaylock trys to cover up the killing until friend Hanson starts investigating on good faith to find the coins. Then the second robber starts blackmailing Blaylock for the the killing.

This story really zips along. You can also feel the tension the Blaylock is going through. Heavy Leval is your typical bad guy, who is easy to hate. Peaches Collins is another one of Arnote's middle characters who is generally good but caught in a bad place. In total the characters here are worth the read.

Rating:
Summary: Not bad....but somewhat confusing!!!
Review: Just got finished with this book...this is my fourth book in a week since my surgery...:) This one was pretty good, lots of action and twists and turns...although there was one thing that I had a hard time in deciding with this book. I was not sure if the author wanted us to feel sorry for one of the main characters (Cliff Blaylock) or not...in the beginning he was this poor soul who got robbed while leaving a coin show, and inadvertantly shoots/kills the neighbor kid (who was involved in the robbery) but shortly after the shooting Blaylock cannot bring it to himself to be honest and tell the authorities or family that he has made this terrible mistake. I was confused if I should feel sorry for this person or dispised him for all the lies he told throughout....another character that I was not impressed with was the mother of the slain teen. She showed very little remorse for the death of her son...and in the end seemed to deal with grief in a way most ppl would not....book ends with a bang....literally...
Would I read this author again??? Maybe...A Rage in Paradise was very intense in some spots...but again, very confusing in others...good beach read...but you may walk away shaking your head when finished with this one!!!!!

Rating:
Summary: good, average book
Review: This is a goo, solid, but average book. A good quick read with interesting characters and a story that builds up steam as it goes. A little like Elmore Leonard. If you need a book for a flight or for a doctors office visit, get this one.