I've praised Russell James several times recently, so I'll
just add that Slaughter Music is just as impressive as the
earlier books. James goes much deeper into the multiple
viewpoint, multiple plotline crime novel. I'm looking forward
to his new one. (His Payback, also recommended, is available
cheap from www.1bookstreet.com.)
Russell Atwood's East of A may not live up to the adulatory
blurbs on the cover, and it doesn't quite sustain the
world-weariness it seems to be shooting for, but it's still a
nice, solid series debut. The plotting is pretty much there
and the character has promise. A little bit of work on a more
consistent tone and Atwood's there. I'll definitely pick up
the second when it hits paper.
I've seen some praise for Marvin Albert on the list, so I
finally dug out the original paperback Stone Angel which I've
had for a long, long time. I was a bit disappointed. Pierre
Ange seemed to be an all too convenient, and without any real
conflict or uncertainty, amalgam of French and American
traits, making him more a collection of quirks than a real
character. The plot also seemed to float back and forth
between a PI novel and a thriller about terrorism. Do the
later books in the series improve? Or is Albert's rep built
on his earlier books before this series?
Mark
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