An Ordinary Decent Criminal
Registered by gypsysmom of Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada on 5/27/2007
This book is in a Controlled Release!
This book is in a Controlled Release!
1 journaler for this copy...
The author of this book as well as Karen Dudley and Alison Preston, who are all mystery writers living in Winnipeg, took part in a panel discussion in celebration of Manitoba Book Week at Whodunit Mystery Bookstore on April 23, 2007. After a very interesting discussion I decided to pick up a book by each of the authors.
I was very pleasantly surprised by the writing in this book. Michael Van Rooy is to be commended for an excellent first book. He has another in this series out now and I'm looking forward to reading it.
Sam Parker (aka Monty Haaviko) is trying to go straight after a life of crime. He, his wife Claire, son Fred and dog Renfield have just moved into a house in Winnipeg's north end when 3 young toughs break in. Sam kills all three of them. That is the start of his involvement with the Winnipeg police, especially Sergeant Enzio Walsh. Walsh wants to pin murder charges on Sam and he brings in two heavies to beat a confession out of him. Sam is hardened by his life of crime and also pretty smart so he just takes the beating and then uses the police brutality to get the charges dropped. Walsh is furious and vows to run Sam out of Winnipeg. Meanwhile the cousin of one of the people Sam killed, Robillard, is also after Sam for revenge. Life looks pretty bad for Sam and at times he is a heartbeat away from returning to his life of crime. In fact, he does commit a number of criminal acts (the most outrageous being stealing a change machine from a suburban mall) but they are just a means to the end of freeing himself from the threats and harassment of Walsh and Robillard.
I must say that Van Rooy gets the criminal mindset perfectly. Whether Sam/Monty can continue to walk that fine line between risky but essentially law-abiding behaviour and actual law-breaking remains to be seen. I really enjoyed the continual references to Winnipeg streets, areas, parks, stores etc. It was fun to mentally follow along with Sam as he traversed the city.
I'm not sure where this will be released but I'll do it soon.
Sam Parker (aka Monty Haaviko) is trying to go straight after a life of crime. He, his wife Claire, son Fred and dog Renfield have just moved into a house in Winnipeg's north end when 3 young toughs break in. Sam kills all three of them. That is the start of his involvement with the Winnipeg police, especially Sergeant Enzio Walsh. Walsh wants to pin murder charges on Sam and he brings in two heavies to beat a confession out of him. Sam is hardened by his life of crime and also pretty smart so he just takes the beating and then uses the police brutality to get the charges dropped. Walsh is furious and vows to run Sam out of Winnipeg. Meanwhile the cousin of one of the people Sam killed, Robillard, is also after Sam for revenge. Life looks pretty bad for Sam and at times he is a heartbeat away from returning to his life of crime. In fact, he does commit a number of criminal acts (the most outrageous being stealing a change machine from a suburban mall) but they are just a means to the end of freeing himself from the threats and harassment of Walsh and Robillard.
I must say that Van Rooy gets the criminal mindset perfectly. Whether Sam/Monty can continue to walk that fine line between risky but essentially law-abiding behaviour and actual law-breaking remains to be seen. I really enjoyed the continual references to Winnipeg streets, areas, parks, stores etc. It was fun to mentally follow along with Sam as he traversed the city.
I'm not sure where this will be released but I'll do it soon.
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
I passed this book on to my sister as she is quite interested in local writers. This release is for the 2008 Never Judge a Book by its Cover challenge - Week 42 (MI in author's name).
I passed this book on to my sister as she is quite interested in local writers. This release is for the 2008 Never Judge a Book by its Cover challenge - Week 42 (MI in author's name).
