Journal Entry 1 by gypsysmom from Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada on Sunday, May 03, 2009

I read An Ordinary Decent Criminal last year and thought it was a very good first book. Since then the author has become one of my Facebook Friends and he received the John Hirsch award for Most Promising Writer in 2009 (I guess one of those achievements is more significant than the other). Michael's birthday is today and I had to go to McNally Robinson (yes, my arm was twisted behind my back) to purchase another book so I decided to mark the occasion by purchasing this book. I'm looking forward to it. 

Journal Entry 2 by gypsysmom at Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada on Friday, August 05, 2011

Sadly, since the last entry Michael Van Rooy has died. He was on a tour promoting his third book and died suddenly in Montreal on January 27, 2011. I promised myself at the time of his death that I would read this book soon. So 6 months later I kept that promise.

Monty Haaviko, his wife, son and dog are still living in the North End. It's not the best neighbourhood but they are getting along. Monty is babysitting from home while his wife, Claire, is working in a real estate office. One of Claire's renters asks to meet Monty. She is involved with helping refugees move from Canada to the US and sometimes they can't cross the border legally. She wants to set up a route from south-eastern Manitoba through Lake of the Woods and into Minnesota that could be used for these people. Somehow she has learned of Monty's past and thinks he might be the person to provide security and logistics. She offers Monty $5000 cash for his work. After discussion with Claire Monty decides to accept. Thus starts his problems for this book. It turns out the smuggling route is desirable for moving drugs, guns and other illegal goods and a local con woman wants to take control of it. Only Monty stands in her way of doing so.

This book is not for the faint of heart. There is a lot of violence and a lot of crime. Some of the crime is perpetrated by Monty but always in furtherance of protecting the route or his family. But Monty certainly is feeling the temptation of his criminal past. I worry that he will fail to resist temptation in the future. I'll have to read A Criminal to Remember to see what happens next.

This is my first read for John Mutford's challenge to read 13 books by Canadian authors between July 1 2011 and June 30 2012. I have decided to make my personal challenge to read books by Canadian authors who are now dead. 

Journal Entry 3 by gypsysmom at Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada on Wednesday, August 10, 2011

I gave this book to my sister to read since she had read the first and the third in the series.