Midnight Rambler: A Novel of Suspense
by James Swain
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Book Summary Information
Author: James SwainEdition: Mass Market Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2008-08-26
ISBN: 034547547X
Number of pages: 400
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Book Reviews of Midnight Rambler: A Novel of Suspense
Book Review: A great premise spread much too thin
Summary: 2 Stars
Let me start by saying that there are some good aspects to this book. The plot moves quickly and the basic premise of a serial killer tying his crimes to the lyrics of a Rolling Stones song is intriguing, like Charles Manson and Helter Skelter. Even though it has been done by many and to much greater effect, I actually like the ex-cop down on his luck character. It basically frees him up to handle things his own way with nothing to guide him but is own moral code. From that starting point almost anything can happen which is crucial for a thriller. And most of all I liked Jack Carpenter's niche: finding missing children. The profiling, and special forensics and intense investigation is fascinating.
That said, I found the characters, dialogue and writing style of James Swain to be very weak. Almost all of the characters are placed in the story to be a prop to aid the plot as it stumbles along. Each is very one dimensional and since we don't get to spend much time getting to know these folks it is very hard to generate any feelings for them, good or bad. I am sure that Simon Skell is a deeply disturbed and evil man but only because Jack Carpenter, the protagonist, tells me so. Unfortunately, Skell is only a name because we don't get to meet him until the very end and then only very briefly. I really wanted to hate this guy but I never got the chance. The lawyer, Snook, is a real slimeball but we didn't get a chance to spend any time with him, coming away with a slimy feeling. Even the good guys (and girls) in the story are held at arms length so I felt no connection. I want some good snappy dialogue that gives some insight into who these people are. And I want to feel some emotion: fear, dread, worry, anger, elation, and joy. Quite frankly, I felt robbed.
Finally, the setting. Florida is a great place to set a book and lots of authors have brought the sights, sounds, smells and even tastes to life (MacDonald, Hiaason, Hall). But I got very little atmosphere from Swain.
Again, there is much to like, especially if you aren't too demanding of your thrillers. I would love for this series to improve because I would love to follow Jack Carpenter around while he finds and returns children to their families. I hope the next book is a giant step forward.
Summary of Midnight Rambler: A Novel of Suspense
Explosive. Pulse-pounding. Heart-racing. From the bestselling author The Wall Street Journal hails as ?one terrific writer,? Midnight Rambler is the breakout thriller of the year?a brawny, brainy novel of suspense that pairs James Swain?s trademark smooth-as-silk prose with a plot bigger and bolder than anything he?s done before.In South Florida, Jack Carpenter is infamous. He?s the cop who busted the notorious serial killer Simon Skell?aka the Midnight Rambler?and sacrificed his badge and marriage in the process. Haunted by the Skell case, Carpenter now works as an abduction specialist in Fort Lauderdale, reuniting families with their missing children.
But the body of one of the Midnight Rambler?s victims has just been uncovered?and forensic evidence suggests Carpenter jailed the wrong man. With Skell just days away from release, the tarnished hero must reopen the case that shattered his life and the lives of eight murdered women.
As waves of heat and rain wash over the steamy streets, Carpenter races against the clock to reaffirm the case against Skell. Yet the deeper he digs, the more he starts to realize that Skell is just one piece in a terrifying puzzle of predation and murder, just one player in a shocking conspiracy that ranges across the state of Florida. And as the relentless Carpenter draws the net tighter, his enemies prepare to spring a devastating final surprise.
From the seaside bar that Jack Carpenter calls home to the glittering tourist kingdom in Orlando to the funky jungle of Coconut Grove, James Swain unleashes a wild ride into the heart of evil?with the Rolling Stones? ?Midnight Rambler? as the throbbing, terrifying soundtrack.
From the Hardcover edition.
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