Librarian Tim RecommendsThe Coldest Mile by Tom Piccirilli
Picking up where The Cold Spot left off, Chase has left the debacle of the Newark disaster behind him, and has taken a job driving for a mob family looking to make a score and then go after his arch-thief grandfather and the young child he may have with him. It's grifts, scams and violence galore as Chase mixes it up with small time hoods, mob hitmen and then finally the man who raised him and introduced him into "the bent life." This was a great and absolutely cracking story, filled with action and barreling through to a cliffhanger conclusion. Piccirilli has a great gift for dialogue and characterization and uses that ability to his fullest in creating a great story that is highly recommended to all fans of crime fiction.
The Renegades by T. Jefferson Parker
Parker's second novel to feature Los Angeles Sheriffs Deputy Charlie Hood is a well done thriller and police procedural which makes good on the potential of its inconsistent predecessor, L.A. Outlaws. In this story, Hood has transferred to the outskirts of the city, content to patrol the vast deserts and canyons while coming to grips with what happened in the previous story. Hood is partnered with Terry Laws, aka Mr. Wonderful, a cop with seemingly everything going for him. When Laws is gunned down in front of him, Hood must track down the killer and find out why Mr. Wonderful didn't always live up to his nickname. When Parker is on, as he is with this story, he writes wonderfully flowing dialogue that allows the narrative to shift between well drawn characters seamlessly and creating an interesting and coherent story. This is a solid thriller sure to entertain anyone who loves police procedurals.
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