Publisher: Harper
Date of publication: January 2015
In this spellbinding new novel of suspense fromNew York
Times bestselling author James Grippando, Miami’s top prosecutor
becomes a prime suspect in his wife’s disappearance, which may have a chilling
connection to the woman he can’t forget.
Unbelievable was the word for her. Samantha Vine was
unbelievably beautiful. It was unbelievable that she’d married me. Even more
unbelievable that she was gone. . . .
Samantha died too soon. Abe Beckham’s new wife has helped
him through the loss, but some say it was a step back for Abe to marry
Angelina, a love from his past. Abe doesn’t want to hear it, and he’s even
managed to remain a star prosecutor at the Miami State Attorney’s Office
through his ups and downs.
Then everything goes wrong. A woman’s body is discovered
dumped in the Everglades, and Abe is called upon to monitor the investigation.
The FBI is tracking a killer in South Florida they call “Cutter” because his
brutal methods hark back to Florida’s dark past, when machete-wielding men cut
sugarcane by hand in the blazing sun.
When Angelina goes missing, the respected attorney finds
himself under fire. Suspicion surrounds him. His closest friends, family,
professional colleagues, and the media no longer trust his motives. Was
Angelina right? Was their marriage not what they’d hoped for because he loved
Samantha too much? Or was there another woman . . . and a husband with a dark
side who simply wanted his new wife gone?
I'll be honest, I was a bit underwhelmed by this book. Cane and Abe is supposed to be a "spellbinding novel of suspense". Instead, I felt like it was a frustrating mess. The story involves Abe Beckham, a prosecutor for the state of Florida. He is called out the scene of a crime that may include a body left by a serial killer known as Cutter. It turns out that the body was a woman who he had a one night stand with years before. Soon, he is a suspect in the killing.
I had a few things I didn't like about the story. First, I didn't like that way it waffled between Abe's first person past tense POV and everyone else's third person POV. I found that disorienting. Second, I think I would have liked to read about either the serial killer or that murder of Tyla. The serial killer case is solved in a kind out of the blue way and I felt a bit cheated. As for the Tyla murder case, I found myself wanting to throw that book across the room. All of the characters and their decisions were frustrating and exhausting. I could only take so much of it in one sitting. There are a couple of twists in the end, but those didn't make me stop hating the ending. But then I'm not a fan of open-ended endings to begin with so a bit more closure would have been nice. I like my suspense wrapped up in a neat bow and I didn't get that.
The one thing that I did find interesting was the history of the sugar industry and the can cutters. I found myself actually wishing the author would have gone into it more in depth with that story line. Maybe if it had been more about the serial killer, he would have.
This is the first book I have read by this author. I'll probably give him another try. Maybe I'll try out one of his Jack Swyteck books for a Throwback Thursday post.
I had a few things I didn't like about the story. First, I didn't like that way it waffled between Abe's first person past tense POV and everyone else's third person POV. I found that disorienting. Second, I think I would have liked to read about either the serial killer or that murder of Tyla. The serial killer case is solved in a kind out of the blue way and I felt a bit cheated. As for the Tyla murder case, I found myself wanting to throw that book across the room. All of the characters and their decisions were frustrating and exhausting. I could only take so much of it in one sitting. There are a couple of twists in the end, but those didn't make me stop hating the ending. But then I'm not a fan of open-ended endings to begin with so a bit more closure would have been nice. I like my suspense wrapped up in a neat bow and I didn't get that.
The one thing that I did find interesting was the history of the sugar industry and the can cutters. I found myself actually wishing the author would have gone into it more in depth with that story line. Maybe if it had been more about the serial killer, he would have.
This is the first book I have read by this author. I'll probably give him another try. Maybe I'll try out one of his Jack Swyteck books for a Throwback Thursday post.
About the author:
James Grippando is a New York Times bestselling
author whose novels are enjoyed worldwide in twenty-six languages. Black
Horizon is his twentieth novel published by HarperCollins, the
eleventh in the acclaimed series featuring Miami attorney Jack Swyteck. He is
also the author of Leapholes for young adults. Grippando was a
trial lawyer for twelve years before the publication of his first novel in 1994
(The Pardon), and he is now counsel at one of the nation’s leading law
firms. He lives and writes in South Florida.
Purchase Links
James’s Tour Stops
Thursday, January 8th: Gspotsylvania:
Musings from a Spotsylvania Dog and Bird Mom
Tuesday, January 13th: Vivacious
Hobo
Tuesday, January 20th: Mockingbird
Hill Cottage
Wednesday, January 21st: My
Bookish Ways
Thursday, January 22nd: Built
by Story
Monday, January 26th: From the TBR Pile
Tuesday, January 27th: Kritters Ramblings
Wednesday, January 28th: Brooklyn Berry Designs
Thursday, January 29th: Booked on a Feeling
Tuesday, February 3rd: A Dream Within a Dream
Wednesday, February 4th: Why Girls Are Weird
Monday, February 9th: BoundbyWords
Tuesday, February 10th: Sharon’s Garden of Book
Reviews
Wednesday, February 11th: The Year in Books
Thursday, February 12th: Living in the Kitchen
with Puppies
Friday, February 13th: FictionZeal
Date TBD: Sidewalk
Shoes
1 comment:
Darn, I'm sorry that this one didn't turn out to be your cup of tea, but thanks for your honest review of the tour.
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