Fury

Rating:
Summary: An OK start, but could be better
Review: I have been a fan of Ford's Leo Waterman books since way back. They captured some essential nuances of Seattle and went below the synthetic chic of Nordstroms and Starbucks. In this latest book, Ford introduces a new protagonist, Frank Corso.

Corso shows much promise, but I am left with the feeling that Ford could have done more with the story. The female interest in the shape of Meg Dougherty, a free-lance photographer and a former paralegal, is portrayed well. The cameo appearance by Leo Waterman was a bit contrived - now we learn what Leo looks like physically and we find out that he has broken up with Rebecca, his main squeeze for the past 20 years or so. I look forward to seeing how this plays out in the next Leo Waterman book.

The story itself is well written and the premises are pretty apt given the fascination America has for serial murderers and the death penalty. Corso is a flawed hero with a lot of angst in his background, but the first book in what promises to be a fascinating series leads me to anticipate the second book which is said to be in the works, according to the cover blurb.

Now, if only someone would put J.P. Beaumont, Leo Waterman and Frank Corso into the same book - that would be really something!

Rating:
Summary: A nice break
Review: I have loved G.M. Ford's Leo Waterman books since my mother-in-law lent me Cast in Stone. Ford just has such a sense of place and style. I lived in the Seattle area for a year, and his books make me nostalgic for it.

Anyway, on to Fury. It's a nice break from the Waterman books, which I could sense Ford was running out of steam on. Leo makes a nice cameo that updates his fans on how he's doing since the *SPOILER for Deader the Better* break up with Rebecca *END SPOILER*

But other than that cameo, it's all about Frank Corso. Ford does a great job with this character. He's a recluse, a little bit eccentric, but still with a heart of gold. There's also an unlikely romance that I hope gets explored in subsequent books.

Dougherty is also intriguing, with an interesting backstory as well. I find it interesting that Ford created this character and makes her slightly more than a secondary character (though the book is still Corso's). I read in January magazine that he's had trouble writing female characters. Dougherty, though, is interesting, and I look forward to getting to know her better.

The mystery itself is well-done, with nice twists, especially the ending. I didn't see that coming, and was wondering how Ford was going to resolve everything. It's light, fluffy reading. Perfect for a rainy day (as Seattle has many of) or a day at the beach. It won't tax your brain, but it will engage your interest. Isn't that what mysteries are for?

Rating:
Summary: Splendid entertainment
Review: I love the Leo Waterman series. That said, it's often very difficult for a writer to break away to begin a new series. Difficult but in many cases a wise decision. Series writing is exceedingly difficult, in no small part because it's hard to maintain authorial interest in characters you've come to know--sometimes too well.

So this first of the new Frank Corso series is not only a good move on Ford's part, it's a particularly fine move. Corso is a fine creation, principled, funny, reticent, intelligent and dogged. When paired up with Meg Doughery, one of the most refreshingly engaging women to appear in print in recent times, these two make for splendid entertainment.

There is a good, solid story here, with multiple viewpoints all offered in a fashion that never detracts from the plot; the characters-both primary and secondary-are all fully developed and completely believable; there is much humor and a satisfying conclusion. This is a fine effort and I'll be waiting eagerly for the next Frank Corso book. Top marks and highly recommended.

Rating:
Summary: Fury
Review: Reclusive Frank Corso, disgraced ex N.Y. Times journalist, is working as a freelance syndicated columnist for the lowly Seattle Sun. He is the only person at the newspaper Leanne Samples, star witness for the prosecution in the Walter Himes 'Trashman' serial killer case, will talk to. Leanne is now saying she lied at the trial and the police won't listen to her. She thinks if Corso writes her story, it will stop Himes's execution, which is in 6 days. At the time of the trial, Corso was widely ostracized for voicing doubts about Himes guilt.

Leo Waterman makes a cameo appearance as the detective that locates Corso for Seattle Sun publisher, Natalie Van Der Horn; who pulls out her 'marker' and convinces him to write the story. He is paired with freelance photographer Meg Dougherty, who has a bizarre past of her own.

The subsequent investigaion by Corso and Daugherty make for a fast and furious storyline. In order for the governor to stop the execution, they have to find the real killer; and the clock is ticking...... The are twists and turns as the story moves at breakneck speed. I couldn't read fast enough.

Terrific plot, great characters. Buy it NOW!!

Rating:
Summary: Fury
Review: Reclusive Frank Corso, disgraced ex N.Y. Times journalist, is working as a freelance syndicated columnist for the lowly Seattle Sun. He is the only person at the newspaper Leanne Samples, star witness for the prosecution in the Walter Himes 'Trashman' serial killer case, will talk to. Leanne is now saying she lied at the trial and the police won't listen to her. She thinks if Corso writes her story, it will stop Himes's execution, which is in 6 days. At the time of the trial, Corso was widely ostracized for voicing doubts about Himes guilt.

Leo Waterman makes a cameo appearance as the detective that locates Corso for Seattle Sun publisher, Natalie Van Der Horn; who pulls out her 'marker' and convinces him to write the story. He is paired with freelance photographer Meg Dougherty, who has a bizarre past of her own.

The subsequent investigaion by Corso and Daugherty make for a fast and furious storyline. In order for the governor to stop the execution, they have to find the real killer; and the clock is ticking...... The are twists and turns as the story moves at breakneck speed. I couldn't read fast enough.

Terrific plot, great characters. Buy it NOW!!

Rating:
Summary: "In this dreary and comfortless region..."
Review: Sometimes my loyalties get in the way of good sense. When I think G. M. Ford, I think Leo Waterman, the slightly haphazard private investigator and the crew of alcoholics that act as his assistants. A little noir, often funny, these have been one of my secret delights for many years. All of a sudden, when I wasn't looking, Ford has started a new series with a totally different main character. My first reaction is 'who the heck is this Frank Corso, and what is he doing where Leo Waterman used to be?'

Corso, a newspaper writer nearly ruined by a reporting scandal, has made a new start in Seattle, writing columns and true crime books. Now a three-year-old story about a serial killer has come back to haunt him in the form of Leanne Samples, who was the main source of testimony against Walter Leroy Himes, and who now claims she lied. Himes is six days from execution and Corso wants nothing to do with the case, but fate has a way of playing tricks, and Corso finds himself digging through ancient history with the aid of Meg Dougherty, a tough lady photographer with a major tattoo problem.

Everyone wants Himes dead. He is an utterly irredeemable psychotic who, if he is innocent, is only so by accident. Corso finds himself at war with all of the Seattle police department and most of city hall. Everyone has something to hide. The only way to stop Himes execution is for Corso to find the killer himself. And that is likely to make Corso as dead as the eight victims.

Like a master, Ford picks you up on the first page, shakes you around until your brains rattle, slaps you into a rollercoaster seat and disconnects the brakes. Waterman fans will find that Ford has created a completely new character, fiercely private and attitude ridden. To make the break with the past complete, the pacing and style are different enough to make the reader feel that he has discovered an entirely new author. One who has no qualms about the occasional use of a two-by-four to get the reader's attention.

However, this isn't a simple tough guy noir story. There is as much solid detection as there is stomach churning. Plus some fine interior views of the dirty side of Seattle and the city's not so finest. Whether you are an old fan or someone considering making the first dip, you will find this a rewarding read.

Rating:
Summary: "In this dreary and comfortless region..."
Review: Sometimes my loyalties get in the way of good sense. When I think G. M. Ford, I think Leo Waterman, the slightly haphazard private investigator and the crew of alcoholics that act as his assistants. A little noir, often funny, these have been one of my secret delights for many years. All of a sudden, when I wasn't looking, Ford has started a new series with a totally different main character. My first reaction is 'who the heck is this Frank Corso, and what is he doing where Leo Waterman used to be?'

Corso, a newspaper writer nearly ruined by a reporting scandal, has made a new start in Seattle, writing columns and true crime books. Now a three-year-old story about a serial killer has come back to haunt him in the form of Leanne Samples, who was the main source of testimony against Walter Leroy Himes, and who now claims she lied. Himes is six days from execution and Corso wants nothing to do with the case, but fate has a way of playing tricks, and Corso finds himself digging through ancient history with the aid of Meg Dougherty, a tough lady photographer with a major tattoo problem.

Everyone wants Himes dead. He is an utterly irredeemable psychotic who, if he is innocent, is only so by accident. Corso finds himself at war with all of the Seattle police department and most of city hall. Everyone has something to hide. The only way to stop Himes execution is for Corso to find the killer himself. And that is likely to make Corso as dead as the eight victims.

Like a master, Ford picks you up on the first page, shakes you around until your brains rattle, slaps you into a rollercoaster seat and disconnects the brakes. Waterman fans will find that Ford has created a completely new character, fiercely private and attitude ridden. To make the break with the past complete, the pacing and style are different enough to make the reader feel that he has discovered an entirely new author. One who has no qualms about the occasional use of a two-by-four to get the reader's attention.

However, this isn't a simple tough guy noir story. There is as much solid detection as there is stomach churning. Plus some fine interior views of the dirty side of Seattle and the city's not so finest. Whether you are an old fan or someone considering making the first dip, you will find this a rewarding read.

Rating:
Summary: Fury, Fast & Furious
Review: There's lots of anger in this book, nicely diffused by the author's deft sense of humor. He gives us a brooding sense of place in a Seattle that has seemingly skipped summer this year in favor of rain, fog and more rain''living in Seattle is like being married to a beautiful woman who is sick all the time.'

Frank Corso, failed journalist and best selling true-crime writer, is obsessively private with an implacable sense of justice. (When did God die, and leave HIM in charge?) He is coerced into investigative reporting when a witness recants her charge of rape against a convicted serial killer facing execution in seven days. As her testimony was key to the prosecution, it is more than likely he is not The Trashman, a particularly hideous killer.

Sounds like a slam-dunk for a white knight to ride to the rescue, doesn't it? Well, not quite. Walter Lee Himes, the man on death row, is about the sorriest, despicable rag of humanity the author could conjure. He's ugly, slovenly, a child molester, has a petty crime record as long as your arm with a trash mouth that would even dismay the ACLU. The City of Seattle comprising the Mayor, politicians, police and general public; plus the victims' families are overjoyed that Walter Lee will breathe his last in six days. It isn't enough that Frank prove Walter Lee innocent; he must find the real serial killer. We are off on a breakneck, twist & turn yarn.

Mr. Ford draws some interesting characters, first and foremost sidekick Meg, a photojournalist, Goth lady, and victim of a terrible crime. Meg's sadistic ex-boyfriend turned stalker captured her and tattooed her entire body including her face. For some reason, this chilled and horrified me more than any mayhem ever could. It says much for the author's skill that you become far more interested in Meg than her tattoos. Robert Boyd aka Fury, the 'tagger' (graffiti artist) who saw something he shouldn't, is perfectly rendered as a kid in the 'hood who is the despair of his hard-working mother. The cops and politicians are a little over the top, sometimes their motives and truculence hard to understand.

This is a twist and turn brilliantly plotted book, guaranteed to rivet you to your chair. I thought the last twist was one too many, and a few characters that were uncomfortably close to their real-life counterparts (the newspaper owner a la Katherine Graham), but overall a fine read. I'll look for more of Mr. Ford's stories.

Rating:
Summary: Fury, Fast & Furious
Review: There�s lots of anger in this book, nicely diffused by the author�s deft sense of humor. He gives us a brooding sense of place in a Seattle that has seemingly skipped summer this year in favor of rain, fog and more rain��living in Seattle is like being married to a beautiful woman who is sick all the time.�

Frank Corso, failed journalist and best selling true-crime writer, is obsessively private with an implacable sense of justice. (When did God die, and leave HIM in charge?) He is coerced into investigative reporting when a witness recants her charge of rape against a convicted serial killer facing execution in seven days. As her testimony was key to the prosecution, it is more than likely he is not The Trashman, a particularly hideous killer.

Sounds like a slam-dunk for a white knight to ride to the rescue, doesn�t it? Well, not quite. Walter Lee Himes, the man on death row, is about the sorriest, despicable rag of humanity the author could conjure. He�s ugly, slovenly, a child molester, has a petty crime record as long as your arm with a trash mouth that would even dismay the ACLU. The City of Seattle comprising the Mayor, politicians, police and general public; plus the victims� families are overjoyed that Walter Lee will breathe his last in six days. It isn�t enough that Frank prove Walter Lee innocent; he must find the real serial killer. We are off on a breakneck, twist & turn yarn.

Mr. Ford draws some interesting characters, first and foremost sidekick Meg, a photojournalist, Goth lady, and victim of a terrible crime. Meg�s sadistic ex-boyfriend turned stalker captured her and tattooed her entire body including her face. For some reason, this chilled and horrified me more than any mayhem ever could. It says much for the author�s skill that you become far more interested in Meg than her tattoos. Robert Boyd aka Fury, the �tagger� (graffiti artist) who saw something he shouldn�t, is perfectly rendered as a kid in the �hood who is the despair of his hard-working mother. The cops and politicians are a little over the top, sometimes their motives and truculence hard to understand.

This is a twist and turn brilliantly plotted book, guaranteed to rivet you to your chair. I thought the last twist was one too many, and a few characters that were uncomfortably close to their real-life counterparts (the newspaper owner a la Katherine Graham), but overall a fine read. I�ll look for more of Mr. Ford�s stories.

Rating:
Summary: Ford creates a compelling new character
Review: Things I like about G.M. Ford:

Like the best mystery writers, the sense of place he creates is fine. People who live in Seattle and the Puget Sound will actually recognize the place he sets his stories in. He also paints a view of the Puget Sound area that comes off as grotesque. I believe this is more accurate than the cool, vibrant, hip place that we often see in the media.

His sense of humor is great. I laugh a lot reading his stuff. Although the situations he writes about are gruesome he softens it with a few laughs.

Things that put me off:

The Leo Waterman character in the books before this one spoke with Ford's voice - an east coast voice. For someone who is supposed to be a son of the Northwest - he doesn't resemble anyone I know here. However many supporting characters in the books I do recognize. This is a small nit - once I get going into one of his stories I usually forget it and it actually supports the grotesque view of the region.

In Fury, Ford gives us a new character, Tom Corso, a journalist who is actually a New York refugee and Steven Seagal look-alike. The story starts in a September following a spring and summer that produced no sunshine. Any Puget Sounder will remember years like this. Leo Waterman makes a brief but intriguing appearance in a small scene.

Again the situations are gruesome, punctuated with laughs. It starts off moving pretty good and it's very funny. It loses some steam towards the end but a twist keeps it going. Some of the gruesome depictions and metaphors are a little over the top. Seattle is sent up in a way that is subtle enough for deniability and un-subtle enough to be annoying to the powers that be. All in all, I enjoyed the book and look forward to the next Tom Corso story.

For the movie, I see the Coen Brothers casting Steven Seagal. If only they could get the guy to act.