Oh, yeah, this has got to be one of the best PI stories I've read in a long time. Chercover neatly avoids all the normal "PI patter" that you associate with the genre, there's no smart mouth comebacks from Ray Dudgeon. This guy has problems but they don't rule his life. The best thing about him? He actually shows fear, not just for himself but for those around him. It's refreshing to see a male PI who isn't infallible, who actually gets hurt and winds up in the hospital. He's just a regular guy, not a superhero.
Another thing I like about "Trigger City" are his descriptions of Chicago. Bless the man, he didn't drive me down every street in the city and point out every damn building. He gave me the flavor of Chicago, the food, the smells, the sounds and the people in much the same way that James Burke shows us the cities and countryside of Louisiana. We get the skyline not the potholes in the street.
Now, I'm not much of a reviewer and have a hard time explaining a book without giving away the plot but I will say this, Chercover takes on the government and paints the picture that we all know exists but are too afraid to talk about.
I hadn't read the first book, "Big City, Bad Blood", in this series and thought I might be lost but the author does a fine job of making this book stand on its own with passing glances at what came before. Having read this one, I'll definitely find a copy of the first and will be waiting for the next.
I highly recommend this book to everyone. The story contains all the elements that embrace the PI and thriller end of the genre, but there's also a good mystery that's set up with plenty of clues to follow if you keep your eyes open. If you're looking for an exciting and thoughtful read, this is the book you've been waiting for.
10 comments:
Chercover is rewriting the rules of PI fiction at warp speed. I wouldn't even attempt to write a detective story these days unless I could come close... And Sean is safe because I can't.
Wow - much thanks to both of you for the very kind words. I'm really glad you enjoyed my work.
Take care,
S.
Welcome to The Corner, Mr. Chercover. Okay, just, WOW!
You've got to love it when the big guns stop by. That's just a class act.
I know exactly how you feel, David, and I'm in the middle of writing a PI short story! What was I thinking?
I'll have to chack out mr chercover but ray banks' cal innes is a pretty good spin on the pi- he's now a stroke victim!
I haven't read Ray Banks yet. I'll have to check him out. Finding books by new to me authors is always fun. You'll love "Trigger City" Paul.
Sean Chercover's books are terrific. I started with a short story by him in KILLER YEAR and graduated instantly to the books.
I have Ray Banks's SUCKER PUNCH waiting on deck. I've heard only good things about it.
Nice interview, Sandra.
Welcome to The Corner, Corey! I've never read any of Mr. Chercover's shorts but intend to rectify that. This book just blew me away. It's been a long time since I've sat down and got lost in a book.
I've heard that Ray Banks' books are excellent but heavy on the violence which kind of scares me. I don't mind the violence but I like the worse of it off page, if that makes sense. I imagination tends to over-do as it is.
Thanks, Patti! I'm still trying to figure out how to review a book without giving the plot away.
No, Sandra. I meant nice interview on Centralbookspot. Not that your review wasn't great too.
I thought you just mistyped, Patti, I didn't even know the interview was up until later. So thank you very much. You've got one coming up, too, don't you?
Post a Comment