Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Rogue Island (Liam Mulligan) by Bruce DeSilva


This is one writer who honors his influences. Not only does he frequently mention books by Loren Estleman, Robert B. Parker and others in the novel, his style is also a fantastic amalgam of every great hardboiled writer you know. I was especially reminded of a bit leaner, less wordy Estleman.
Liam Mulligan is one of those hardboiled reporters that seem to be back in style. A cool, wisecracking guy with a failed marriage (and what a crazy wife he has)he doesn't back down easily when investigating some fires. As stuff gets more personal and the victims are closer to him he decides to pull a Spenser-like deal with the devil.
The setting of Rhode Island is pretty new, everything else in this novel isn't. What it IS is a combination of everything you love in hardboiled crime wrapped up in one neat package. My favorite of the year so far.

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