This review is by contributor Eric Edwards.—PCN
While leaving a bar one night, newly married university teacher Jake Reese is jumped from behind, but instead of taking his wallet, his attackers cut off his ring finger along with his wedding band. He wakes up in the hospital with his wife and his best friend by his side, along with the cops. Jake tries to write it off as a simple assault and robbery, but the detective in charge isn’t buying it, and Jake’s straight-laced new bride suddenly needs time to think a few things over. It seems Jake has a criminal past which may have come back to haunt him. With one phone call, he knows he can make all his troubles disappear, as well as get the answers he needs, but it will surely cost him the life he has struggled so hard to rebuild.
Rector knows how to keep the action moving and the tension building to keep the reader guessing what will happen next, but he falters whenever it comes to giving Jake any kind of street savvy. This would be fine if Jake’s crimes from his youth don’t get mentioned so often. So limited are his basic survival instincts, and so few specifics are given about what Jake did that landed him in juvenile detention, one can almost conclude he simply got caught passing notes during class at a very strict private school. Luckily, this doesn’t completely derail the story because the author keeps throwing in twists. Jake’s bewilderment about his situation is shared by the reader, resulting in a quick read that will keep you guessing right up to the end.
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7 Comments
Lauren
October 27, 2011 at 8:45 amI love me some John Rector. First picked up The Grove and really enjoyed it, despite a slight supernatural bent that doesn’t normally fit my bailiwick. The writing pulled me in. Based on The Grove, had great anticipation for The Cold Kiss which, while different, didn’t disappoint one iota. So I pre-ordered Already Gone and was excited to see it download the other day. Can’t wait to get to it, and your review tells me that John didn’t disappoint again this time around. I also recommend the other two to anyone who hasn’t read them.
Eric Edwards
October 27, 2011 at 9:01 amI haven’t read them yet, Lauren, but I am inspired to pick them up. Is there one you would suggest I grab first?
Lauren
October 27, 2011 at 9:49 amI haven’t read Already Gone yet, so if you take that one out of the equation, I would say try The Grove if you like a little of the “unknown” in your reading and The Cold Kiss if you want a straight-up “regular folks making questionable choices” ride. Can’t lose either way (I don’t think), and John’s stuff is nice, neat prose, so I think both are under 300 pp.
Let us know what you think if you do pick one up!
Lauren
Eric Edwards
October 27, 2011 at 3:30 pmThanks, Lauren. Will let you know what I think.
EIREGO
October 27, 2011 at 8:59 amI like the premise and the way the story seems get moving right away. Haven’t read his other stuff. I take it this is a stand alone and I don’t need to have read his previous novels?
Lauren
October 27, 2011 at 9:05 amEIREGO – All three are stand alones, you can start any old where.
EIREGO
October 27, 2011 at 5:06 pmThanks, Lauren!