Five-Year Plan

As a not-so-avid reader, i picked this book up because it was so cheap and i needed something to read at the pool! It has met my expectations. A little romance, a little trash, a little humor; it is perfect for passing the time! I have really enjoyed it but have never read any other books by this author. I think for a hard-core reader, it may not do the trick, but for a quick and easy read, this is your ticket!

After reading ESAU and THE GRID, I was anxious to get my hands on another Philip Kerr novel. A FIVE YEAR PLAN is one of his best books yet! South Florida, gangsters, feds, and a plot to steal millions of dollars on the high seas are all part of the fun! The dialogue, the characters (especially Al), and the plot make it a hard book to put down. Not to give anything away, but watch out for the surprise ending!

If you're looking for a book to hook you from the start, if you're looking for some adventure, some danger, and a little romance and one heck of an ending--you're in the right place. I was a little skeptical about buying it because I really did not like Kerr's book, "Esau". However, that was balanced out by his book "The Grid" which I enjoyed. So, I took a chance, and what can I say, but that this was a very good book. It's a book I would "read" again, and recommend to a friend. (Review refers to the abridged audiotape version of the book.)

I would highly recommend this very funny easy-reading caper novel. I've read Elmore Leonard, and Kerr does it better here. Hilarious mobsters, witty ex-con hero, feisty g-woman, and a host of other eccentrics -- and somehow Kerr brings them all together in a believable thrilling plot involving an at sea heist. And as a film buff, I loved the endless references to the movies. (In fact, this novel's got movie written all over it.)

Phillip Kerr is probably better known for "The Grid" or "A Philosophical Investigation" than his wonderful "Berlin Noir" trilogy which is sad, since Berlin Noir is his best ever. A Five Year Plan is completely different from anything he has previously written but is recognisably the work of the Berlin Noir man all the same.Our hero leaves prison with a plan to make a lot of money very quickly, and therefore illegally. He approaches the boss crook, for whom he took the five year fall, for financial backing and sets off across the Atlantic on a yacht transporter. He is accompanied by multifarious crooks, millionaires, seamen and FBI agents and falls in love with an FBI lady on a mission to catch some other crooks. Will he get away with it? Will true love conquer all? Will he get everyone killed? It's always hard to know with Kerr and I'm not going to tell you.I strongly recommend this book. Kerr is a wonderful writer, akin to Michael Dibdin in the quality of his craftsmanship and flexibility. He writes witty, fluid and keenly observed prose and can always keep you up all night to finish just one more chapter.