Author: Paul Levine
Genre: Thriller, Series #1
Published: 2009
Personal Rating: 4/5 (very good)
Yearly Count: 94
Please Note: While being thankful for the opportunity to receive and read this book, I feel the need to post the blurb from its cover. However, in my opinion there is usually too much disclosed. Read at your own discretion.
From the inside cover:
Haunted by a tragedy in his past and wanted by the cops for his latest malfeasance, trail lawyer Jimmy "Royal" Payne needs to skip town. That's when he crosses paths with twelve-year-old Tino Perez, newly arrived from Mexico with nomoney and no papers. The gutsy kid first robs Payne, then pleads for his help. Marisol, the boy's mother, is missing, after crossing the border with a vicious coyote.
Payne doesn't go out of his way for anyone. But ex-wife Sharon, the L.A.P.D. detective he still loves, gives him a choice: help the boy or go to jail.
Following a chain of greed, corruption, and betrayal, Payne traces Marisol's steps from Mexicali to California's Hellhole Canyon, swept into the dark current of illegal immigration, human trafficking, and se*ual slavery. Soon the cynical lawyer and the savvy kid are bonding . . . and battling cunning predators on both sides of the border. It's the two of them against an army of cops, coyotes, vigilantes, and s*x slavers. Most dangerous of all is Simeon Rutledge, a wealthy grower and the biggest employer of farm workers in California.
Just why is Rutledge willing to bribe Payne - 0r kill him - to keep Marisol under wraps? Will Payne's quest redeem his mistakes and resurrect his dead marriage - or get him buried in a shallow grave? Either way, he'll find out there's no escaping his past . . . .
From the shadows of migrant stash houses to the fertile fields of the San Joaquin Valley, Illegal delivers a searing mix of live-wire prose, shattering violence, and rich characterization. Set against a backdrop of larger social issues, this is a masterful tale from one of the most skillful practitioners of the contemporary thriller.
Right from the start, I was caught up in the two main stories and didn't mind the switching from one to the other at all. Levine kept them both moving along at a fast pace and neither had any dull moments. My only complaint, which affected me a lot, were the scenes and talk of the se*ual slavery. It took the wind out of my sails. I almost dropped the rating more, but I enjoyed the first two-thirds too much to rate it lower. Illegal was a very good introduction to this new-to-me author. I will definitely be seeking out his past work and future novels of Jimmy Payne.
Hmm, you've given me a lot to think about on this one.
ReplyDeleteBermudaonion ~ I'm not sure why the se*xual slavery talk made me cringe so much (other than the obvious). I'm thinking it was just a timing issue - maybe a little more sensitive to the topic at the moment. ???
ReplyDeleteBermudaonion ~ Oh, I forgot to mention that I was enjoying it so much that when that happened it disappointed me. I didn't want that in the book. That's why demoting occurred.
ReplyDeleteGlad to see you enjoyed this book. I think I have several by this author to read. I'm always on the lookout for a great new thriller!
ReplyDeleteKristie ~ Oh, I'm interested in your thoughts on Levine's other books. I'll keep watching your posts. :)
ReplyDeleteGlad you enjoyed this one! I enjoyed this one as well as his other novels, the Solomon VS Lord series.
ReplyDeleteGlad you liked it. I would like to see more books talking about the trafficking issue but in a sensitive way.
ReplyDeleteKris ~ I discovered the Solomon vs Lord series on Amazon. I'm anticipating some good reads.
ReplyDeleteRachel ~ Not living remotely near the Mexican border, I really haven't had much exposure to the problem, but do know it exists. Books like this help bring it to light, even though they are fictional.