Helpful Score: 1
I almost always like Thomas Perry so I was anticipating this book with pleasure. The first chapter had me on the edge of my seat, but it didn't quite last through the whole book. The bomb maker's goal is to kill the entire LAPD bomb squad and has the skills to come up with all sorts of different murderous tricks to fool the experts. Perry keeps the bomb maker something of an enigma, a person who is never identified or really explained, and doesn't attempt to have the viewer identify with or root for this person. There is a lot of explanation about bombs: their triggers, their ingredients, placement etc. I enjoyed that, but it might be a bit too much for some readers.
Dick Stahl is a private security expert who used to be the Bomb Squad commander. With the loss of half their personnel, Stahl is called out of private business until they can staff up and catch the bomber. I never really got invested in Stahl's character, and I didn't find his relationship with his subordinate Hines very convincing. Stahl is presented as the superhero, the only one who can sniff out all the tricks the bomber is using; so Perry's plot had to have a reason (aside from getting blown up) to put him out of commission. Perry's attempt to humanize the reporter who breaks the story felt very forced, as though the editor insisted she had to be on the side of the good guys. And at this point, the motives of the bomb maker start to feel less convincing and more like a plot contrivance.
I enjoyed reading about the bomber's preparations, the attempts of the squad to defuse (pun intended) the situation, Stahl's mental process as he tries to think what the bomber would do next. I was a bit less enthused about the bomber's patrons, although it was certainly probable. But the resolution had me sitting back thinking "What? That's how he's going to end this"? Although, after spending a day thinking about it, I decided it was more amusing than frustrating. Ultimately, I'll go on the "I liked it" side for this book, but not as much as his earlier works.
Dick Stahl is a private security expert who used to be the Bomb Squad commander. With the loss of half their personnel, Stahl is called out of private business until they can staff up and catch the bomber. I never really got invested in Stahl's character, and I didn't find his relationship with his subordinate Hines very convincing. Stahl is presented as the superhero, the only one who can sniff out all the tricks the bomber is using; so Perry's plot had to have a reason (aside from getting blown up) to put him out of commission. Perry's attempt to humanize the reporter who breaks the story felt very forced, as though the editor insisted she had to be on the side of the good guys. And at this point, the motives of the bomb maker start to feel less convincing and more like a plot contrivance.
I enjoyed reading about the bomber's preparations, the attempts of the squad to defuse (pun intended) the situation, Stahl's mental process as he tries to think what the bomber would do next. I was a bit less enthused about the bomber's patrons, although it was certainly probable. But the resolution had me sitting back thinking "What? That's how he's going to end this"? Although, after spending a day thinking about it, I decided it was more amusing than frustrating. Ultimately, I'll go on the "I liked it" side for this book, but not as much as his earlier works.
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