Cane
& Abe by James Grippando (Harper Collins, 2015, 368
pages, $24.99/10.99) is a disappointing detective novel because Abe
Beckham is an unreliable narrator. Not only does Beckham neglect to
tell the truth to his boss in the States Attorney's office and to
the police, he leaves too many holes in his narrative for the reader
in order to try to build suspense in this pretty thinly plotted story
set in the law firms and offices of high finance, mob influenced
businesses in Miami and the sugar cane fields of the area between
Clewiston and the resort cities of the coast. Grippando, who has
written more than twenty novels of which this is the first I've
read, has written a pretty sloppy book most notable for it's catchy,
punny title.
Abe's beautiful wife Samantha dies some
time before the book opens, and like many successful young men, he
remarries another beauty, Angelina, who he has known from before,
perhaps too soon in the grieving process. Samantha has left behind a
dependent and damaged older brother, whom Abe has promised he will take care for, leading to conflicts within his new marriage. Meanwhile a series of murders have been
taking place that share a pattern suggesting a serial killer
disposing of beautiful women...and Angelina disappears after a
disagreement over Abe's continued attention and care for his
brother-in-law. The coincidence raises questions that Abe can't
answer and he comes under suspicion in his own office, where his boss is
an ambitious female State's Attorney. This all becomes complicated by
the avaricious business practices of a corrupt family which owns
large tracts of sugar fields and imports illegal workers from Latin
America. So far so good, but Abe is caught in a lie to his boss,
which is fine for the plot, but, as the story reveals itself, I discover
that he hasn't been completely honest with me, the reader, either.
It's all right for an author not to reveal material to the reader,
because that's the stuff of cliff hanger chapter endings. It's not
all right, however, for him to shade the truth with him for the plot's sake. I need to
share in his surprise, hurt, and sense of disaster as things go wrong
for him, and he, as first person narrator, never convinces me. Therein lies the weakness of Cane & Abe.
James Grippando
"The first thing you should know about
bestselling author James Grippando is that he is no longer
clueless—so says his wife, Tiffany, after “A James Grippando
Novel” was a clue for #38 Across in the New York Times crossword
puzzle. James is the New York Times bestselling author of 22 novels
of suspense, including eleven in the popular series featuring Miami
criminal defense attorney Jack Swyteck. His latest, “Cane and Abe,”
a legal thriller set against the backdrop of Florida’s sugarcane
industry, has been heralded as “Gone Girl meets Grisham” and “a
wild ride through Presumed Innocent territory." His 23rd novel,
“Cash Landing” will be released in June 2015. James is also the
author of “Leapholes” for young adults. His novels are enjoyed
worldwide in 28 languages. He is now Counsel at one of the nation’s
leading law firms, where he specializes in entertainment and
intellectual property law, representing clients who have won more
than 30 Tony Awards. He lives in south Florida with his wife, three
children, two cats and a golden retriever named Max who has no idea
he’s a dog." (Goodreads Profile) I intend to read another Grippando
book to see whether my assessment remains consistent, he's had a weak go of it
on this one, or he's just not the right writer for me, any one of
which could be possible.
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