Special Operations (Badge Of Honor)

I currently own every one of Mr. Griffin's novels. They come in about six series. This book and one other were needed to complete the set. I enjoy all of his books, but I am not sure where to rate some of them. I will say my favorite is the Badge of Honor Series about the Philadelphia Police Department (Currently an eight novel series). But right up there is his series on The (Marine) Corps (a ten novel series currently). There is a new Badge of Honor novel coming out in June. I can't wait.

I read Mr. Griffin for his wonderful characters and this series about the Men in Blue in Philadelphia has plenty of them. The book is set in the 1970's so it is dated and there are no modern electronic devices to aid the police in their very difficult jobs, but they still manage to do a credible job in keeping their city safe. This is the second book in the Badge of Honor series, and I enjoyed it very much! I will admit that there is not a lot of detail mentioned in the book as to the procedures that the police use to work their cases, but that does not make it less interesting, or less exciting. As always it's the characters that steal the story. I cannot wait to read more about "Sherlock Holmes, Dr. Watson and the Kid". (These are names that Inspector Wohl gives to two previously plain-clothes narcotics cops and their young sidekick.) I also enjoyed the spin that Griffin gives to the members of the press. Can't wait to read more.

This is the first WEB Griffin book that I have read that was not based on the military, so I was a little skeptical to start, but as in all my previous reads I enjoyed the heck out of it. His characters are all identifiable in fact I have met them all at some time in my not so short Life. As an ex government employee he is the best at describing the rivalries for power and the jealousy that goes with bureaucratic upheaval. The real trick is he does this with out boring us to death. All in all a great read.

The second of the Badge of Honor series is certainly better than the first(Men in Blue). There is enough action to keep one wanting to read more. In his usual style, Griffin provides his obligatory romantic trysts. Peter Wohl heads up the new Special Operations division and is personally charged with finding a serial rapist who has been terrorizing Philadelphia women. Young Matt Payne is involved in what proves to be an abrupt and very unlikely ending, sending readers on to book 3.

The whole Badge of Honor Series was absolutely wonderful and I'm a woman. The author seems to understand bureaucrats and the "system."I have one problem and that is the women in his novels are usually too tough. Once in awhile that's OK, but every one of them are the same. Wish he'd change them once in awhile. AND his hero's fall in love with great regularity with the same type of woman. That's my only complaint. Soften em up Griffin.