Friday, August 22

Fidelity - Thomas Perry

PI Phil Kramer has a lifetime of experience - he would never have survived otherwise. So what made him relax his guard enough to be shot, in his own car, on a quiet street one evening? His wife Emily can't leave the question unanswered. Utilising the resources of the small private investigation company they set up, she begins to investigate the case herself, only to find more questions than answers.
Jerry Hobart, the man hired to kill Phil, has questions of his own. His contract extends to a hit on Phil's widow, but she's not acting the way he expects, and the usual easy kill isn't going a smoothly as he thought. When Jerry turns his attention to the man behind the hits he becomes focused on the idea of an even bigger score - an idea that could end in disaster for Jerry himself.
Perry's plot is told from both main protagonists points of view, a strategy that could ratchet up the suspense. For some reason, perhaps because there are too many characters and too many details, the result is instead little laboured and drags. Perry's writing is sparse and a delight to read, but the book as a whole just doesn't sparkle and I was disappointed. I know I've said it before, but try the Jane White series and be delighted by what Perry's capable of delivering. - Alex

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