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abruce19's review
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
bethr's review
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.0
3no7's review
5.0
“A Small Town” by Thomas Perry opens with a tragedy of epic proportions. On July 19, there was a disturbance on cellblock C of Weldonville Federal Penitentiary in Colorado. The prison break had been designed so multiple inmates executed every step accurately and methodically, like a well-designed piece of machinery. Twelve hundred inmates left prison that night; ninety-seven people were murdered including eight officers. For Weldonville, there were two times: the time before and the time after.
Detective Lieutenant Leah Hawkins mourned the loss of the city and the people she knew and loved. Two years later the FBI had still not found the twelve who engineered the massacre, and Hawkins was determined to change that. This task would be the ultimate test of her skills. She practiced; she trained; she studied; she equipped herself for the task. She had been a great homicide cop, and she did not need anyone’s help to commit a few murders.
Every aspect of her plan was comprehensive and meticulous. She was focused, systematic, and sometimes simply lucky. She took her time, a lot of time; after all, she had all the time she needed, but time was running out for the twelve. The twelve had not forgotten either; they were, after all, dishonest and vicious men. They would not let Hawkins just run through her list without complications.
“A Small Town” is full of tragedy, persistence, determination, and many lucky coincidences. Flashbacks fill in chilling details of the escape, expanding the actions and roles of prisoners, police, civilians, bystander, and relatives. “A Small Town” is easy to read with a compelling plot. Hawkins is a likeable character despite her operation, and her mission has a surprising and satisfying end. I received a review copy of “A Small Town” from Thomas Perry and Mysterious Press. It was easy to suspend reality during parts of Hawkins’ quest, and I found it fascinating and enjoyable to read.
Detective Lieutenant Leah Hawkins mourned the loss of the city and the people she knew and loved. Two years later the FBI had still not found the twelve who engineered the massacre, and Hawkins was determined to change that. This task would be the ultimate test of her skills. She practiced; she trained; she studied; she equipped herself for the task. She had been a great homicide cop, and she did not need anyone’s help to commit a few murders.
Every aspect of her plan was comprehensive and meticulous. She was focused, systematic, and sometimes simply lucky. She took her time, a lot of time; after all, she had all the time she needed, but time was running out for the twelve. The twelve had not forgotten either; they were, after all, dishonest and vicious men. They would not let Hawkins just run through her list without complications.
“A Small Town” is full of tragedy, persistence, determination, and many lucky coincidences. Flashbacks fill in chilling details of the escape, expanding the actions and roles of prisoners, police, civilians, bystander, and relatives. “A Small Town” is easy to read with a compelling plot. Hawkins is a likeable character despite her operation, and her mission has a surprising and satisfying end. I received a review copy of “A Small Town” from Thomas Perry and Mysterious Press. It was easy to suspend reality during parts of Hawkins’ quest, and I found it fascinating and enjoyable to read.
mikedeab63's review
2.0
I like a lot of Perry's past work so I'm trying to figure out why this one didn't work for me. He sets a gruesome but compelling hook with the opening prison break sequence and the female lead is interesting enough but yet...I wish there had been someone else with her on her vigilante missions to draw out the characterization more.
There is a lot of description and 'telling' in this book as Leah goes about her solo missions of revenge. Perry comes up with a few unique twists so it's not all one note but it still starts to get stale. There aren't enough complications for Leah (the book briefly does come alive when the cons go on the offensive mid-book) and why such a rational and decent seeming person like Leah would go all out for revenge starts to weaken over the course of the narrative.
There is a lot of description and 'telling' in this book as Leah goes about her solo missions of revenge. Perry comes up with a few unique twists so it's not all one note but it still starts to get stale. There aren't enough complications for Leah (the book briefly does come alive when the cons go on the offensive mid-book) and why such a rational and decent seeming person like Leah would go all out for revenge starts to weaken over the course of the narrative.
charlesminus's review
4.0
Perry loves intricate details. E.g., in this book he lovingly describes the security protections in a federal prison and how they are dealt with by the escaping prisoners. This is just one of the many illustrations he draws of the inner working of widely diverging systems from pistols to gravity irrigation.
The story set up is fairly simple and the resolution verges, I'm afraid, on revenge porn, but at least the bad guys are not made to suffer like the unfortunate ones in other authors (are you listening Lee Child?). Perry's writing style is transparent and keeps the action moving and unpredictable.
This is a good one to take up a couple of days on lock down.
The story set up is fairly simple and the resolution verges, I'm afraid, on revenge porn, but at least the bad guys are not made to suffer like the unfortunate ones in other authors (are you listening Lee Child?). Perry's writing style is transparent and keeps the action moving and unpredictable.
This is a good one to take up a couple of days on lock down.
hazelbright's review
5.0
Non-stop action in this excellent thriller. Not a single moment where people sit and blab the plot at you. The protagonist is both believable and compelling. This book incapacitated me for the full two days solid I spent reading it. Man, oh man, Thomas Perry has still got it.
borisfeldman's review
4.0
Dirty Harry in a skirt and heels.
Perry is underappreciated as one of the best, most thoughtful thriller writers in America today. I might have given it a five, but I hate a happy ending.
Perry is underappreciated as one of the best, most thoughtful thriller writers in America today. I might have given it a five, but I hate a happy ending.
weirdtea's review
2.0
I gave this a 2 because it really is...okay (IMO).
It is fast and mostly easy to read (a few awkward transitions and POV shifts, aside). I was entertained often enough—especially since I’m willing to suspend my disbelief at a lot of significant implausibility.
The style is way more “tell” than “show.” That choice made it easier to get through, actually. I don’t want to read the details of all the crimes that occurred in the town. I didn’t want another grimdark revenge tale like Joe Abercrombie’s Best Served Cold.
What it hurt was my connection to the characters and investment in some of the plot. I was never very worried about the main character. She was intriguing but not fleshed out.
Still, I kept reading. That’s a good sign. I thought one set piece was pretty cool and I thought it would be a satisfying finish.
And then I approached the end.
The last few chapters (or maybe the last plot arc) took a downturn and lost me. A couple cheesy sex scenes with no real relevance, a rushed ending, and a sketchy epilogue all landed flat.
It is fast and mostly easy to read (a few awkward transitions and POV shifts, aside). I was entertained often enough—especially since I’m willing to suspend my disbelief at a lot of significant implausibility.
The style is way more “tell” than “show.” That choice made it easier to get through, actually. I don’t want to read the details of all the crimes that occurred in the town. I didn’t want another grimdark revenge tale like Joe Abercrombie’s Best Served Cold.
What it hurt was my connection to the characters and investment in some of the plot. I was never very worried about the main character. She was intriguing but not fleshed out.
Still, I kept reading. That’s a good sign. I thought one set piece was pretty cool and I thought it would be a satisfying finish.
And then I approached the end.
The last few chapters (or maybe the last plot arc) took a downturn and lost me. A couple cheesy sex scenes with no real relevance, a rushed ending, and a sketchy epilogue all landed flat.
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