Bloody River Blues

Bloody River Blues by Jeffery Deaver gives the reader what they expect from a Deaver novel. There are lots of suspects and motives to sort out and though some seem a little "ho, hum" in the end it all matters. The book has a good pace, but you can put it down and pick it up again when you have time to read, unlike some of Deaver's work that cost you sleep because you can't put them down.

i've been enjoying these early thrillers from Deaver a lot. (especially his RUNE series) this one is no exception. Its not exactly high-brow, but its a fast, entertaining read, as all his early thrillers have so far been. They have good plots, which are not very complex, and are easy to get your head around, they are also full of twists, as is the norm with Deaver. however, this one is a tiny bit disappoinging, because the cahracters are not as fleshed out as he is capable of. but, the writing is very good once again, the plot sustains interest, its a quick and enjoyable read, and is reccomended to all fans of Jeffery Deaver.

This book just sucks you in on the life of Pellam, a scout for a film company. He was a witness to a shooting that he wishes he never witnessed.

The 2nd in the Location Scout series, BLOODY RIVER BLUES, starts out like most good mysteries...Pellam literally gets caught in the middle of a hit on a person walking the street. When the dust settles, 2 people have been killed and a cop crippled.Pellam befriends the cop and together they try and put together the who's and why's. Deaver strengthens Pellam's character and lets him fight through all kinds of different scenarios to reach the truth. From beginning to end, Deaver never shys away from what Pellam has to do and draws into his world all sorts of bad guys, good guys and people who are definitely in the middle.Deaver delivers another strong mystery and you will be guessing up to the bone shattering climax as to whom did what. Jeffery Deaver triumphs again!

I enjoyed this book tremendously. If it hadn't said Jeffery Deaver on the cover, I never would have guessed the author. It doesn't have the pace, the painstaking clues, and the twists and turns in the plot that you expect from Mr. Deaver. What it does have is a fascinating group of characters, tremendous humor (most of it rather dark), and an interesting setting. The hero, John Pellam. is likeable, quirky and reminds me of many characters Harrison Ford has played--the average guy who is pushed too far and resorts to action. Donnie Buffett, the cop who was paralyzed by a gunshot wound early in the book, is no stereotype. His reactions to his terrible injury run the gamut and strike true. The only female in the cast is mysterious, but not in a femme fatale way. You keep wondering "what is she *doing* here??" The setting is Maddox, MO, a economically depressed river town whose only claim to fame is FDR once mentioned it in a Fireside Chat as an example of towns hard-hit by the depression. In this hard-scrabble town, a movie is being made. Hollywood lurks in the background.I recommend this enjoyable book highly.