- Paperback: 304 pages
- Publisher: Headline Review (14 Jun 2007)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0755335775
- ISBN-13: 978-0755335770
- Product Dimensions: 22.8 x 15.2 x 2.6 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 2,805,451 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Review
Fresh from five years in prison for a pot bust in 'A fine second thriller (after 2006's Smoked). Quinlan brings to glorious life several offbeat, at times deviant characters from roads less travelled. The plot hurtles along like an express train to its smashing climax.' 'Dismembered bodies and other nasty greetings begin to fall out of Quinlan's unhurried prose, which loops back and forth in time, and through soured deals and seamy scams, in a faint echo of Tarantino's mazy Pulp Fiction' 'This is the stuff - violent, pacy, stylish and funny' 'Quinlan is a confident storyteller who revels in twists and turns' 'An artfully plotted yarn... Quinlan has something of [Elmore] Leonard's gift for making his amoral cast sympathetic, even lovable, though the real baddie, the bullet-riddled Nestor Garcia, is memorably nasty''Patrick Quinlan's follow-up to his assured debut, SMOKED, is a well-plotted New York thriller... Quinlan delights in wrong-footing the reader. This is a fast-moving, hugely entertaining thriller' (Observer )
Review
'Dismembered bodies and other nasty greetings begin to fall out of Quinlan's unhurried prose' -- Financial Times 'An artfully plotted yarn... Quinlan has something of [Elmore] Leonard's gift for making his amoral cast sympathetic, even lovable, though the real baddie... is memorably nasty' -- Telegraph 'The plot hurtles along like an express train to its smashing climax' -- Publishers Weekly 'I love this author... SMOKED was a gem and this follows the same line portraying the underbelly of criminal life... in another well-plotted, violent caper' -- Sarah Broadhurst, Bookseller '[A] well-plotted New York thriller... Quinlan delights in wrong-footing the reader' -- Observer 'Quinlan creates memorable characters and off-the-wall plots' -- Mail on Sunday
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
What is your idea of the good life? Dick Miller once enjoyed what he dreamed about: Living in a house at the beach in California with a great view, having lots of money, and being able to smoke all the high quality weed he wanted. That's what life was like for him before he was imprisoned for dealing marijuana. Life takes another big step down for Dick when he awakens three years later with a painful headache, amnesia about the night before, and the dead body of his boss and former lover, Dorothy (Dot) Racine, in his trunk. How can he avoid another trip to the slammer?
As Dick deals with his disposal problem, we find that he has fallen in with crooks once again. While innocently seeking a job as a typist, Dick found himself unexpectedly working with Dot and Lydia who have been helping themselves to their company's cash flow through a series of bent computer programs. The story of how they set up the scam and the consequences are revealed slowly throughout the book. As a result, you'll find there are three mysteries that are gradually revealed in The Takedown:
1. Who killed Dot?
2. How was the scam set up?
3. How did the scam come unglued?
You'll quickly learn that there's a million dollars in cash at stake and lots of crooked characters who will stop at nothing to get it . . . especially freelance cocaine dealer, Nestor Garcia. Like the bumbling characters in Elmore Leonard's Detroit novels, lots of stupidity alternates with violence and risk in Takedown. But the book is really a crime novel rather than a mystery. The mysteries are primarily created to keep you from anticipating what will happen next in the plot.
The book has three primary weaknesses:
1. I didn't find any of the characters to be appealing (but perhaps you'll like Dick Miller better than I did) which limited my interest in the story.
2. There really isn't much mystery: It's more like pinning down details to satisfy your curiosity.
3. The ending is unsatisfying . . . and hints of a possible sequel. I think I'll pass if there is a sequel.
I was tempted to grade the book down to three stars but felt that the character development of Dick Miller was well done. I always admire stories that develop at least one character reasonably well. If you don't care about character development, you'll just see that as slowing the book down . . . and you may see this as a three star book.
I also thought that the noir elements of the story added good atmosphere that made the plot much more compelling than it otherwise would have been.
Watch out for manipulation!
As Dick deals with his disposal problem, we find that he has fallen in with crooks once again. While innocently seeking a job as a typist, Dick found himself unexpectedly working with Dot and Lydia who have been helping themselves to their company's cash flow through a series of bent computer programs. The story of how they set up the scam and the consequences are revealed slowly throughout the book. As a result, you'll find there are three mysteries that are gradually revealed in The Takedown:
1. Who killed Dot?
2. How was the scam set up?
3. How did the scam come unglued?
You'll quickly learn that there's a million dollars in cash at stake and lots of crooked characters who will stop at nothing to get it . . . especially freelance cocaine dealer, Nestor Garcia. Like the bumbling characters in Elmore Leonard's Detroit novels, lots of stupidity alternates with violence and risk in Takedown. But the book is really a crime novel rather than a mystery. The mysteries are primarily created to keep you from anticipating what will happen next in the plot.
The book has three primary weaknesses:
1. I didn't find any of the characters to be appealing (but perhaps you'll like Dick Miller better than I did) which limited my interest in the story.
2. There really isn't much mystery: It's more like pinning down details to satisfy your curiosity.
3. The ending is unsatisfying . . . and hints of a possible sequel. I think I'll pass if there is a sequel.
I was tempted to grade the book down to three stars but felt that the character development of Dick Miller was well done. I always admire stories that develop at least one character reasonably well. If you don't care about character development, you'll just see that as slowing the book down . . . and you may see this as a three star book.
I also thought that the noir elements of the story added good atmosphere that made the plot much more compelling than it otherwise would have been.
Watch out for manipulation!
0 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
What is your idea of the good life? Dick Miller once enjoyed what he dreamed about: Living in a house at the beach in California with a great view, having lots of money, and being able to smoke all the high quality weed he wanted. That's what life was like for him before he was imprisoned for dealing marijuana. Life takes another big step down for Dick when he awakens three years later with a painful headache, amnesia about the night before, and the dead body of his boss and former lover, Dorothy (Dot) Racine, in his trunk. How can he avoid another trip to the slammer?
As Dick deals with his disposal problem, we find that he has fallen in with crooks once again. While innocently seeking a job as a typist, Dick found himself unexpectedly working with Dot and Lydia who have been helping themselves to their company's cash flow through a series of bent computer programs. The story of how they set up the scam and the consequences are revealed slowly throughout the book. As a result, you'll find there are three mysteries that are gradually revealed in The Takedown:
1. Who killed Dot?
2. How was the scam set up?
3. How did the scam come unglued?
You'll quickly learn that there's a million dollars in cash at stake and lots of crooked characters who will stop at nothing to get it . . . especially freelance cocaine dealer, Nestor Garcia. Like the bumbling characters in Elmore Leonard's Detroit novels, lots of stupidity alternates with violence and risk in Takedown. But the book is really a crime novel rather than a mystery. The mysteries are primarily created to keep you from anticipating what will happen next in the plot.
The book has three primary weaknesses:
1. I didn't find any of the characters to be appealing (but perhaps you'll like Dick Miller better than I did) which limited my interest in the story.
2. There really isn't much mystery: It's more like pinning down details to satisfy your curiosity.
3. The ending is unsatisfying . . . and hints of a possible sequel. I think I'll pass if there is a sequel.
I was tempted to grade the book down to three stars but felt that the character development of Dick Miller was well done. I always admire stories that develop at least one character reasonably well. If you don't care about character development, you'll just see that as slowing the book down . . . and you may see this as a three star book.
I also thought that the noir elements of the story added good atmosphere that made the plot much more compelling than it otherwise would have been.
Watch out for manipulation!
As Dick deals with his disposal problem, we find that he has fallen in with crooks once again. While innocently seeking a job as a typist, Dick found himself unexpectedly working with Dot and Lydia who have been helping themselves to their company's cash flow through a series of bent computer programs. The story of how they set up the scam and the consequences are revealed slowly throughout the book. As a result, you'll find there are three mysteries that are gradually revealed in The Takedown:
1. Who killed Dot?
2. How was the scam set up?
3. How did the scam come unglued?
You'll quickly learn that there's a million dollars in cash at stake and lots of crooked characters who will stop at nothing to get it . . . especially freelance cocaine dealer, Nestor Garcia. Like the bumbling characters in Elmore Leonard's Detroit novels, lots of stupidity alternates with violence and risk in Takedown. But the book is really a crime novel rather than a mystery. The mysteries are primarily created to keep you from anticipating what will happen next in the plot.
The book has three primary weaknesses:
1. I didn't find any of the characters to be appealing (but perhaps you'll like Dick Miller better than I did) which limited my interest in the story.
2. There really isn't much mystery: It's more like pinning down details to satisfy your curiosity.
3. The ending is unsatisfying . . . and hints of a possible sequel. I think I'll pass if there is a sequel.
I was tempted to grade the book down to three stars but felt that the character development of Dick Miller was well done. I always admire stories that develop at least one character reasonably well. If you don't care about character development, you'll just see that as slowing the book down . . . and you may see this as a three star book.
I also thought that the noir elements of the story added good atmosphere that made the plot much more compelling than it otherwise would have been.
Watch out for manipulation!
0 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
What is your idea of the good life? Dick Miller once enjoyed what he dreamed about: Living in a house at the beach in California with a great view, having lots of money, and being able to smoke all the high quality weed he wanted. That's what life was like for him before he was imprisoned for dealing marijuana. Life takes another big step down for Dick when he awakens three years later with a painful headache, amnesia about the night before, and the dead body of his boss and former lover, Dorothy (Dot) Racine, in his trunk. How can he avoid another trip to the slammer?
As Dick deals with his disposal problem, we find that he has fallen in with crooks once again. While innocently seeking a job as a typist, Dick found himself unexpectedly working with Dot and Lydia who have been helping themselves to their company's cash flow through a series of bent computer programs. The story of how they set up the scam and the consequences are revealed slowly throughout the book. As a result, you'll find there are three mysteries that are gradually revealed in The Takedown:
1. Who killed Dot?
2. How was the scam set up?
3. How did the scam come unglued?
You'll quickly learn that there's a million dollars in cash at stake and lots of crooked characters who will stop at nothing to get it . . . especially freelance cocaine dealer, Nestor Garcia. Like the bumbling characters in Elmore Leonard's Detroit novels, lots of stupidity alternates with violence and risk in Takedown. But the book is really a crime novel rather than a mystery. The mysteries are primarily created to keep you from anticipating what will happen next in the plot.
The book has three primary weaknesses:
1. I didn't find any of the characters to be appealing (but perhaps you'll like Dick Miller better than I did) which limited my interest in the story.
2. There really isn't much mystery: It's more like pinning down details to satisfy your curiosity.
3. The ending is unsatisfying . . . and hints of a possible sequel. I think I'll pass if there is a sequel.
I was tempted to grade the book down to three stars but felt that the character development of Dick Miller was well done. I always admire stories that develop at least one character reasonably well. If you don't care about character development, you'll just see that as slowing the book down . . . and you may see this as a three star book.
I also thought that the noir elements of the story added good atmosphere that made the plot much more compelling than it otherwise would have been.
Watch out for manipulation!
As Dick deals with his disposal problem, we find that he has fallen in with crooks once again. While innocently seeking a job as a typist, Dick found himself unexpectedly working with Dot and Lydia who have been helping themselves to their company's cash flow through a series of bent computer programs. The story of how they set up the scam and the consequences are revealed slowly throughout the book. As a result, you'll find there are three mysteries that are gradually revealed in The Takedown:
1. Who killed Dot?
2. How was the scam set up?
3. How did the scam come unglued?
You'll quickly learn that there's a million dollars in cash at stake and lots of crooked characters who will stop at nothing to get it . . . especially freelance cocaine dealer, Nestor Garcia. Like the bumbling characters in Elmore Leonard's Detroit novels, lots of stupidity alternates with violence and risk in Takedown. But the book is really a crime novel rather than a mystery. The mysteries are primarily created to keep you from anticipating what will happen next in the plot.
The book has three primary weaknesses:
1. I didn't find any of the characters to be appealing (but perhaps you'll like Dick Miller better than I did) which limited my interest in the story.
2. There really isn't much mystery: It's more like pinning down details to satisfy your curiosity.
3. The ending is unsatisfying . . . and hints of a possible sequel. I think I'll pass if there is a sequel.
I was tempted to grade the book down to three stars but felt that the character development of Dick Miller was well done. I always admire stories that develop at least one character reasonably well. If you don't care about character development, you'll just see that as slowing the book down . . . and you may see this as a three star book.
I also thought that the noir elements of the story added good atmosphere that made the plot much more compelling than it otherwise would have been.
Watch out for manipulation!
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