Saralee Says
Charlie Parker, the ex-cop turned private detective, is the usual protagonist in the popular mystery series by author John Connolly that includes The Killing Kind (Pocket Star), Dark Hollow (Pocket Books) and The White Road (Pocket Star). Connolly's books featuring Parker have developed a loyal following because of the author's ability to write a great story and his distinctive style of writing which includes a wry sense of humor.
Although Parker does make a very brief appearance, Bad Men (Atria Books) introduces us to Joe Dupree. Joe's job is to protect the small island called Dutch Island once called Sanctuary in Maine, where most of the book takes place. As the story begins, the reader learns that something terrible happened in Sanctuary more than 300 years ago. There are bad people who want to murder and wreak havoc in the present and spirits who may or may not be helping them. Edward Moloch is as evil as bad men come and he plans to escape from prison and find his wife Marianne who is hiding on Dutch Island with their son. It is up to Dupree and rookie police officer Sharon Macy to protect the citizens of Dutch Island from the horrors, which are often unexplained, along with preparing for Moloch's arrival.
Did you think this book was too violent? Parts of it made me squeamish and were hard to read. How does Connolly compare to Dean Koontz, Stephen King and Thomas Harris as far as scaring you? Is Bad Men to be read late at night or in the safety of daylight? As for me, I will read the next book by Connolly that features Parker with joy and relief.
Larry's Language
The pace never slows in Bad Men as author Connolly, not to be confused with Los Angeles mystery writer Michael Connelly, takes us on a murderous journey from a Native American Indian attack 300 years ago to a jailbreak today to a cross country killing spree. Each of these events seems to happen in isolation, both in reference to each other and in terms of being cut off from the rest of society.
For our book club questions, this kind of writing is meant to evoke things that go bump in the night. Do you ever awaken suddenly thinking that you heard an unusual noise? Do you ever wonder if some stranger or alien presence is in your home? If so, this is not the kind of book to read when you are alone.
Connolly tightly weaves this story of a young mother, Marianne Elliott, fiercely protecting her young son Danny by moving across the country to a desolate island off the coast of Maine. Elliott completely changes her life and a good thing considering what a mess she had made up to that point.
Every good story needs a classic villain. The father, Edward Moloch, escapes from prison in a bloody rampage and, with his band of merry killers, Moloch sets out to trace his missing wife and child.
Connolly's most endearing character is Joe Dupree who serves as the sole island police officer and whose father and grandfather held the same job. Because of his huge physical size and gentle manner, Dupree is isolated from the other folks on the island but this only strengthens his resolve to serve and protect.
This book succeeds in establishing the insecurity and sense of fear that is necessary primarily by emphasizing the island's lack of connectedness to the mainland and by carefully creating a sense of place and a 300-year history of evil as Connolly describes the island.
This book confirms Connolly, who will sign his books at Davis- Kidd Bookstore on May 3, as one of our best thriller novelists along with authors Dean Koontz, Lee Child and Stephen King. Much like these other authors, Connolly succeeds in each of his books because of his sharp characterization, distinctive plotting and his writing instills a deep sense of unease and suspense in the reader.
Join us for our next book club discussion which will feature The Awakening by Kate Chopin.
