Rough Treatment

Rating:
Summary: No sophomore jinx here
Review: Every bit as tightly woven as any in this marvelous series; it is more of a character study than the others. Master thief Jerry Grabianski is as finely wrought as his protagonist, DI Charlie Resnick. Less blood, more subtlety.

Rating:
Summary: Sophomore Slump
Review: The sequel to Lonely Hearts holds true to the curse of the "sophomore slump." After the crispness of the first book, something isn't quite as fresh here. Part of it may be that the criminals being pursued by the hero, Charlie Resnick, are burglars and mid-range drug dealers, instead of the serial killer of the previous book. What still holds one's attention, however, are the side stories in which the off-duty lives of the various police officers are given some play. Most interesting is the unflappable Super's paternal woes. Don't worry, the series picks up after this one.

Rating:
Summary: No sophomore jinx here
Review: The sequel to Lonely Hearts holds true to the curse of the "sophomore slump." After the crispness of the first book, something isn't quite as fresh here. Part of it may be that the criminals being pursued by the hero, Charlie Resnick, are burglars and mid-range drug dealers, instead of the serial killer of the previous book. What still holds one's attention, however, are the side stories in which the off-duty lives of the various police officers are given some play. Most interesting is the unflappable Super's paternal woes. Don't worry, the series picks up after this one.

Rating:
Summary: Diverting, but not the best of its kind
Review: This is a "police procedural", somewhat reminiscent of McBain's 87th Precinct books with a British flavor (or should I say flavour?). Unusually for a crime novel, there is no murder. The crimes are burglary and drug dealing. One of the burglars is a strikingly unusual crook who enjoys bird watching, seduces (maybe even falls for) one of his female victims, and saves the life of another of his victims who suffers a heart attack when he discovers the burglars in his home.

There is no real "mystery" here, since the activities of the criminals are described side-by-side along with the attempts of the police to find and arrest them. There are the usual side issues involving the personal lives of the police officers on the squad, and Harvey does a good job with that.

The one thing I found annoying about this novel is Harvey's penchant for giving us a conversation in which the participants speak indirectly and the reader can't figure out what they're talking about. Harvey isn't the only writer who does this, of course, but I have always found the practice to be smug and aggravating. There is an undertone of "If you were really paying attention, pal, you'd know exactly what they're talking about." I can do without the attitude, Mr. Harvey.

Otherwise the book is a completely professionally produced crime novel: pleasant for those who enjoy the genre, but unmemorable.

Rating:
Summary: Diverting, but not the best of its kind
Review: This is a "police procedural", somewhat reminiscent of McBain's 87th Precinct books with a British flavor (or should I say flavour?). Unusually for a crime novel, there is no murder. The crimes are burglary and drug dealing. One of the burglars is a strikingly unusual crook who enjoys bird watching, seduces (maybe even falls for) one of his female victims, and saves the life of another of his victims who suffers a heart attack when he discovers the burglars in his home.

There is no real "mystery" here, since the activities of the criminals are described side-by-side along with the attempts of the police to find and arrest them. There are the usual side issues involving the personal lives of the police officers on the squad, and Harvey does a good job with that.

The one thing I found annoying about this novel is Harvey's penchant for giving us a conversation in which the participants speak indirectly and the reader can't figure out what they're talking about. Harvey isn't the only writer who does this, of course, but I have always found the practice to be smug and aggravating. There is an undertone of "If you were really paying attention, pal, you'd know exactly what they're talking about." I can do without the attitude, Mr. Harvey.

Otherwise the book is a completely professionally produced crime novel: pleasant for those who enjoy the genre, but unmemorable.