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Loading... The Devil's Right Hand (Jack Keller) (2005)by J. D. Rhoades
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Belongs to SeriesJack Keller (1) Awards
Fiction.
Mystery.
Suspense.
Thriller.
HTML: The critically-acclaimed debut novel by J.D. Rhoades, and the introduction of iconic bounty hunter Jack Keller. Keller is a man tormented by the nightmares he's had ever since a disastrous tour in Desert Storm. Destroyed by his experience, Keller now makes his living tracking bailjumpers for H&H, a North Carolina bail bonds company run by a reclusive, beautiful, and horribly scarred woman named Angela. In truth, Keller doesn't work bail enforcement to live, he lives to work: the only thing that breaks through the numbness is the thrill of the hunt, the sound of gunfire, the high that comes with each successful takedown. No library descriptions found. |
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Google Books — Loading... GenresMelvil Decimal System (DDC)813.6Literature English (North America) American fiction 21st CenturyLC ClassificationRatingAverage:
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The main characters are well realized and actually interesting, if familiar to mystery readers. The supporting cast, however, are uninteresting and cliched. Psycho cop? Check. Hot tempered detective with a chip on his shoulder out to get the main character? Check. Crazy bad guy? Check. White trash bad guy? Check. South American Cartel member bad guys? Yep, there too. It's a tough ride, making bad guys interesting and not outlandish. Outlandish villains would be bad fit for Rhoades' style, but the bad guys need to be interesting. I think maybe Rhoades sacrificed the bad guys to emphasize the main characters, which may have been a wise move. It was the main characters that carried the interest of the reader, not their adversaries.
Most of the pacing was fast and engaging, except when we had to spend too much time with the bad guys, then it slowed way down, and wasn't always that interesting. It worked best when the sections with the bad guys were kept short. The ending was nicely executed, and left me interested enough to read the next book in the series.
All in all a solid debut. The parts of the book that worked worked well, as Rhoades has created an interesting hero and supporting cast. The plot is engaging and well executed outside of the pacing issues. I hope to see more of Keller in his role as a bond recovery agent. ( )