The Fallen

I've never been able to determine why T. Jefferson Parker doesn't end up on the best seller lists. He ranks right up there with the best, and is much better than some of those authors who hit the Top 10 every book. In "The Fallen", Robbie Brownlee of the San Diego Police Department has developed synesthesia after being thrown out of a window. (I had to research synesthesia since I'd never heard of it, and found it's a legitimate condition.) The author doesn't let Brownlee's condition overpower the plot, and the story and Robbie are central. Mr. Parker has a beautiful way with words, and I highly recommend this and all of Mr. Parker's works.

T. Jefferson Parker has been an A-List author of crime fiction almost since his first novel, LAGUNA HEAT, was published. With each subsequent book, Parker has demonstrated that not only is he better than anyone could anticipate but also that perhaps the depth of his talent has yet to be plumbed. This observation isn't prompted by any deficiency in his new novel; on the contrary, THE FALLEN goes places that Parker has not gone before. Parker's penchant for bringing a flawed, quirky, but ultimately upright protagonist to the party is present again in this novel with the introduction of Robbie Brownlaw. Brownlaw is an immediately likable character, a police officer who achieved his five minutes of fame as the result of miraculously surviving a rescue effort that went dramatically wrong. Brownlaw does, however, sustain physical trauma, leaving him with synesthesia. Synesthesia is a neurological condition that results in a mixing or blending of the senses; it is a rare condition, and there is some controversy within the medical field as to whether it exists at all. In Brownlaw's case, he occasionally sees shapes and colors when people speak and has learned that these shapes and colors can reflect the emotions and intent of the speaker. This is quite a tool for a police officer, and a lesser writer than Parker would have made the book's conclusion hinge on Brownlaw's neurological lie detector catching the bad guy in a climactic gathering of suspects. But no; Parker uses Brownlaw's condition as an important, but not all-inclusive, element of the story, one that helps propel the already fascinating story without carrying the entire weight of it. And what of the story? Brownlaw and his partner, McKenzie Cortez, are assigned to investigate the death of Garrett Asplundh, an ethics investigator for the City of San Diego. Asplundh, a former police officer, had a reputation as a straight-arrow officer who was trying to put his life together after the death of his daughter and a subsequent divorce. Asplundh's death at first appears to be a suicide, but the timing --- he was on the verge of reconciling with his ex-wife --- and circumstance of his death ultimately lead Brownlaw and Cortez to conclude that Asplundh was the victim of a skilled murderer --- and possibly someone known to Asplundh. The team begins to backtrack over Asplundh's investigation and finds that at the time of his death, he had been on the verge of preparing a report with serious repercussions for San Diego and its elected representatives. At the same time, however, Brownlaw is suspicious that Asplundh's death was not due to his investigation, but instead was a crime of passion. Brownlaw and Cortez do not lack for suspects possessing either motivation, and they doggedly pursue leads in all directions, even as Brownlaw's personal life begins to inexorably fall apart for reasons he cannot understand. THE FALLEN is Parker's best to date, an accolade that has been equally applicable to each

If you enjoy homicide detective procedurals, you're not going to be disappointed in this one. The writing is crisp, the plot is tight and well-crafted, and the characters involved are intriguing. The Fallen is the first novel by T. Jefferson Parker I've read. As I did so, I felt myself feeling kind of envious of those who have been in the loop on this fine writer all along. I bought this book based on the fact that the author has already won two Edgars, one award that consistently directs you to the creme de la creme of talent. I was not disappointed. I was also intrigued by the notion of a detective who sees colors corresponding to the emotions of people when they talk. I wondered how Parker would pull off a device like that. It turns out, he used a light hand in developing something that could have easily been overdone, and he made it quite believable that someone could actually have this ability. It worked! I was not disappointed in this book at all. There's lots of intrigue and strange situations, including the Squeaky Clean Prostitution ring whose class AAA prostitutes are required to drive around in VW convertible Cabriolets. This is an excellent book for curling up with in the evening, or for whiling a way a lazy weekend. Have fun!

Like the reviewer before me, I won't bother with rehashing the plot. Suffice to say that our hero is a cop working a tough case. What seperates this from so many police procedurals is Parker's writing, and his ability to present characters as multidimensional. Robbie Brownlaw presents one face to the world, but Parker lets the reader know - without being obvious or heavy-handed - just how complex a person he is, and he makes it seem like everyone has those complexities even if they're not always noticed. There were 2 facets to this novel that I think could have really harmed the book in the hands of a lesser writer. The first is the manner in which Robbie's ability manifests itself, which I believe would have been beaten to death by many authors. The second is the subplot involving Robbie and Gina's marital troubles. I've read many police procedurals where the personal relationships seem created for nothing more than filling pages, but this isn't one of them. For one thing, their discussions and problems are about as believable as any I've ever read in a novel. Secondly, the problems with Gina are the perfect vehicle for Robbie to use in his own self-examination, which adds greatly to his appeal and that of the book. Parker has already won a couple of Edgar awards, and it's easy to see why when you read this one. Great story and a terrific writer, probably the best book I've read so far this year.

I won't bother rehashing the story line as you can see that in the publishing reviews. I've been a fan of Parker's since his first book, and always look forward to the next. "The Fallen" is an excellent example of why. As a straight police procedural the book works very, very well; yet it's so much more. His characters, good and bad alike, are painted vividly and richly, and his protagonist (Robbie Brownlaw) truly comes to life as a very appealing and involving character. Parker has a terrific gift for conveying the moral complexity of real life, how even good people can be drawn into bad acts while they try to interpret the shades of gray between the black and white. He also acknowledges the basic human weaknesses, and how they can drive one compulsively, as they do the antagonist character in the piece (whose name I won't reveal so I don't spoil the plot). The subplot of Robbie's attempts to save his marriage to Gina, a potential distraction to the main story line if not handled skillfully, actually adds greatly to this novel; it gives us real insight into Robbie's character and motivation and is in itself very engaging. Parker's handling of setting is terrific; his contrasting portrayal of dark events against the glittering southern California backdrop is a wonderful counterpoint. I live in SoCal and can tell you he has it nailed to a tee. I strongly recommend this book, and eagerly await Parker's next.