Title: The Poet
Author: Michael Connelly
Genre: Mystery
Length: 598 pages
Plot Basics: Jack McEvoy is an ace reporter for the Rocky Mountain News, crafting his beat around getting the story of murders, the victims and their families. But when his twin brother, Sean, commits suicide, Jack becomes part of his own reporting. His doggedness with the case reveals startling information that lands Jack with the FBI and a nationwide manhunt for a serial killer obsessed with police officers and detectives. As the FBI closes in on the killer, known as the Poet, and Jack gets closer to the story of his career, the danger to him becomes very real.
Banter Points: Word Nerd started reading Connelly a few months ago to gear up for Bouchercon, reading his famous Harry Bosch series. After four of those, she's sold on Harry as a character, but sticking with publication order, picks up the Poet next, even though it jumps characters. And is she glad she did. Word Nerd was blown away by this one -- tight plot, vivid characters, spot-on pacing that kept her turning pages. Given her past career, Word Nerd doesn't normally like books with reporters as main characters, but Jack McEvoy is perfect, owing, no doubt, to Connelly's own background in newspapers.
Bummer Points: Word Nerd wishes more Connelly's backlist that she's still working through was Jack McEvoy instead of Harry Bosch.
Word Nerd Recommendation: Not ready to commit to another long series of mysteries? Skip right to this one. Perfect as a standalone read.
Author: Michael Connelly
Genre: Mystery
Length: 598 pages
Plot Basics: Jack McEvoy is an ace reporter for the Rocky Mountain News, crafting his beat around getting the story of murders, the victims and their families. But when his twin brother, Sean, commits suicide, Jack becomes part of his own reporting. His doggedness with the case reveals startling information that lands Jack with the FBI and a nationwide manhunt for a serial killer obsessed with police officers and detectives. As the FBI closes in on the killer, known as the Poet, and Jack gets closer to the story of his career, the danger to him becomes very real.
Banter Points: Word Nerd started reading Connelly a few months ago to gear up for Bouchercon, reading his famous Harry Bosch series. After four of those, she's sold on Harry as a character, but sticking with publication order, picks up the Poet next, even though it jumps characters. And is she glad she did. Word Nerd was blown away by this one -- tight plot, vivid characters, spot-on pacing that kept her turning pages. Given her past career, Word Nerd doesn't normally like books with reporters as main characters, but Jack McEvoy is perfect, owing, no doubt, to Connelly's own background in newspapers.
Bummer Points: Word Nerd wishes more Connelly's backlist that she's still working through was Jack McEvoy instead of Harry Bosch.
Word Nerd Recommendation: Not ready to commit to another long series of mysteries? Skip right to this one. Perfect as a standalone read.
1 comment:
Connelly's new book, The Scarecrow, has the same hero, only he's experiencing the same trauma as many a news reporter, having his job disappear out from under him. Haven't read it, yet.
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