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THE HIDDEN MAN by David Ellis

Putnam Adult, September 3, 2009, 336 pages

The Hidden Man appears to be the first in a new series featuring Jason Kolarich. Jason is a defense attorney in a fictitious city in the Midwest – i.e. much like Scott Turow’s books and intentional or not, just one of many similarities Ellis’ writing has with that author’s. After a brief moment in the legal spot-light defending a politician, Jason suffered a devastating personal tragedy, quit his high-profile job, curled up in a ball and as the book opens is now tentatively re-entering the world. He has his own private practice and his newest client is a childhood buddy accused of murder.

Here’s the good news/bad news. The underlying story-line, with both its layers and twists and turns, is very engaging. The murder case and Jason’s buddy/client are not what they first appear to be. There is much more to the story – which dredges up Jason’s past – and which the author does a very good job in telling. And as the tale unfolds, several sub-plots all tie together in the end to make for a pretty good conclusion.

The bad news is Jason as a protagonist. He’s portrayed as a cross between Bruce Willis and Woody Allen. One moment he’s a wise-cracking, take charge of the situation type of guy and in the next he’s a self-flagellating, poor me wimp. This makes for some credibility problems. When Jason does break out of his self-imposed funk with some clear thinking and quick action, it’s jarring.

As alluded to above, Jason suffered an horrendous personal tragedy “prior” to the story here. The reader learns the details as we get inside Jason’s head as he relives it - constantly. At first this reader was sympathetic but due to the sheer repetition it becomes tiresome. Combine this with Jason’s guilt concerning his buddy/client, and the reminiscing becomes aggravating, detracting from the storyline. I got it, Jason is a tortured soul, let’s move on.

Also there are some spectacular editing errors. The most glaring, an infant daughter of Jason’s appears on page 230 – out of nowhere and never to be heard of again.

I’ve read several of this author’s earlier books. His first, Line of Vision, is excellent, with a great plot – much like this book – and a streamlined narrative. But Ellis’ subsequent books foreshadowed the problems here, a tendency to overwrite.

Not a bad book, but just okay. I wouldn’t rush out to buy it.  

FRAMES by Loren D. Estleman

Forge Books (April 29, 2008), 272 pages

With Frames, author Loren Estleman, (the Amos Walker and Motor City series), introduces us to a new protagonist – Valentino. (The character has appeared in short stories; this is his full length novel debut.) Valentino is a young, (30ish), film archivist at UCLA who calls himself a “film detective”, because it sounds more intriguing and hopefully impresses women. In this adventure, Valentino buys himself an old classic movie theater which includes two items not listed on the real estate spec sheet – Forty plus cans of old film and a skeleton. The old film may or not be Erich von Stroheim's legendary epic, Greed, and it’s anybody’s guess as to the “identity” of the skeleton.

Valentino and his band of merry amateur detectives are soon on the case; attempting to preserve the film and solve a 50 + year old murder. The supporting cast, including Valentino’s mentor, are all likeable and the mystery, although not complicated, is engaging. If you are a film buff, there’s also plenty of movie trivia and Hollywood history to keep your attention. This is much lighter fare as compared to Estleman’s other books – That being said, Frames is good, but not a great read.

Raymond Thornton Chandler, father of the hard boiled detective story was born July 23, 1888 in Chicago, IL. His books include Farewell, My Lovely, The Lady in the Lake and The Big Sleep, (for a review – see What We’re Reading-Mysteries), which introduced the world to the quintessential Private Eye, Philip Marlowe.

Chandler was also quite the quipster – here are a few of my favorites.

 “Chess is as elaborate a waste of human intelligence as you can find outside an advertising agency.”

“I certainly admire people who do things.”

“If my books had been any worse, I should not have been invited to Hollywood, and if they had been any better, I should not have come.”

“The moment a man sets his thoughts down on paper, however secretly, he is in a sense writing for publication.”

“When I split an infinitive, God damn it, I split it so it will stay split.”

“From 30 feet away she looked like a lot of class. From 10 feet away she looked like something made up to be seen from 30 feet away.”

RULES OF BETRAYAL by Christopher Reich

Doubleday, (July 13, 2010), 384 pages

This author’s previous works include a fairly interesting World War II thriller, The Runner, and a handful of financial thrillers. As of late Reich has settled into a series featuring Jonathan Ransom, an altruistic, reluctant super-hero. Dr. Ransom is a physician working for Doctors Without Borders, performing medical miracles in Afghanistan. He’s also an amateur spy sucked into world of espionage because he’s married to a professional spy.

In Rules of Betrayal Jonathan is coaxed into picking up his patriotic sword when duty and country come calling – and to save his wife, who has gone missing on a covert mission. (There’s some “tension” in the Ransom marriage which only adds to our hero’s reluctance, but in the end he’s a team player and a good husband.) He goes through a very rushed James Bond training course in Israel and then is sent out on a solo mission to save his beloved and the world.

This book is very reminiscent of the works by Ian Fleming, Robert Ludlum and Tom Clancy – locales, military technology and an insider’s view of covert operations - which may sound good, but what I mean is that it is dated, very dated. You’ve read this story many times before and in much better books. When Jonathan survives an escape from a Taliban compound with all the associated gunfire and pyrotechnics, he was just doing “what anyone else would have done.” When pushed on the subject and his cool under fire he responds humbly, “He wasn’t looking for a medal.” You see Jonathan’s just an ordinary guy who is caught in extraordinary circumstances.

Rules of Betrayal is the third book in the Ransom series; I have not read the first two nor will I be reading the fourth. This novel was a chore to finish. Maybe I ask too much but I like my espionage thrillers with a little more depth to them. This reads like an old “A- Team” TV episode and I simply can’t recommend this book. In fact, my suggestion is to avoid it.