Rated of 5
by Sue Disappointed
Maleeny's writing style is bright and fresh, pulling the reader into the story from page 1. It reminded me of Lee Child's thrillers. Things quickly take a downturn as murders and torture are described in sickening detail. One eye-gouging sequence keeps returning to my mind, and I only want to forget it. Gave up half-way through the book after repeated gross-outs. Yeech.
Rated of 5
by Joanne Greasing the Pinata by Tim Maleeny
The author's writing style, short chapters with attention grabbing first sentences and intriguing final lines,makes the story move right along. Private investigator Cape Weathers and his associates, trained by the Hong Kong Triad Sally and commitedly green Linda, comprise an oddly likable core trio.
This case is set primarily in San Francisco and Mexico. The plot revolves around current issues but is peppered with just the right amount of testosterone and old gumshoe style metaphors. Greasing the Pinata should appeal to readers who enjoy action mysteries. It might be interesting to see this author weave Cape and Sally into a more psychologically suspenseful who-dunnit in a future tale.
Rated of 5
by Barbara Greasing the Pinata
This book appears to have an identity crisis. Perhaps if I had read the first two about the characters it would be more clear. However, it has elements of "male cozy' with broad humor about stereotypical car salesmen and mafia, scary fish in the toilet, etc. combined with very dark violence, Chinese triads, and drug lords. I would prefer better developed characters that I really cared about.
Rated of 5
by Sally Organized violence
"No one believes they're going to die until it happens, and then it's too late." That's the great opening line of this fast-paced mystery. I read a lot of mysteries, mostly cozies and British police procedurals, so this was outside my normal range. There was some graphic violence, but I enjoyed the book very much in spite of it.
Rated of 5
by Anna Disappointed
Sad to say, this book didn't appeal to me at all. There was too much violence, unrealistic "high tech gadgets" and and so many characters it was hard to keep track of them. It didn't hold my interest and I found myself thinking, "okay, I need to finish this book so I can go on to something enjoyable."
I am the discussion leader for a large book group, 25 people, and I won't recommend the book to my group.
If you want a good mystery try reading some by Jefferson Bass. Recently I read "Flesh and Bone" my this author and couldn't put it down.
Rated of 5
by Beth Good, Not Great
I LOVE mysteries - all different kinds. I hadn't read Tim Maleeny before and looked forward to a new author, a new style. I would categorize this one as a semi-hardboiled action thriller. Maleeny has created a REALLY eclectic cast of characters and scenarios under the umbrella of "Anything Can Happen in Mexico": wisecracking former journalist turned PI (male); his protector, a deadly female ninja who relaxes by pretending to drown herself; a US senator and his adult children (indulged son and neglected daughter); a really creepy sociopath killer with pointy teeth and a priest fetish; a bunch of soul-less Mexican drug lords who I couldn't QUITE keep straight, and a supporting cast of homicidal foot soldiers and bag-men including a giant with no tongue. And - oh yes, the scorpions, piranhas, giant squid and creative weaponry fit in there somewhere, too.
There's a lot of action, a lot of violence (some of it quite disturbing), and sometimes the plot doesn't quite hang together, but somehow, given all this, I didn't bail on the book, and finished it thinking that maybe I'll try another one just to see.
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