Critics' Opinion:
Readers' rating:
Published Jul 2011
288 pages
Genre: Thrillers
Publication Information
The truth frequently hurts and rarely sets you free.
Ex-criminal Montgomery "Monty" Haaviko would prefer to be known as the friendly neighborhood daycare provider. Unfortunately, it's his criminal past (and his extensive bag of tricks of the trade) that brings him to the attention of Marie Blue Duck, a Canadian activist who wants Monty to set up a route to smuggle refugees into the US. Monty's skeptical of her offer, but the money is too good to refuse. Even his wife, Claire, who ensures Monty stays on the straight and narrow, thinks he should take the job.
Marry the first person who doesn't publicly ask about the knife in your sock and the pistol in your waistband.
Monty's carefully laid plans quickly go off the rails when he squares off against local thug Samantha Richot, who tries to seize the route. Their power struggle rapidly escalates into kidnapping, torture, and a daring and highly explosive stand-off. Just when Monty thinks he might just have it all under control, his old jailhouse crony, Hershel "Smiley" Wiebe, shows up on his doorstep. Monty is more than suspicious of Smiley's motives, but figures if you should keep old friends close, you should keep old cons even closer.
Smile. If nothing else it makes them nervous.
"Starred review. Superb... Rooy's wry narrative voice will be missed, though fans will have one last chance to hear it in the next book in the series, which Van Rooy finished before his untimely death at age 42 in January 2011." - Publishers Weekly
"Fans of hard-edged crime fiction will love this one." - Booklist
"Van Rooy's debut novel is gritty, full of plenty of dark humor and suspense." - The Oregonian
"Your Friendly Neighbourhood Criminal is even more fast-paced and entertaining than the first book was…. This book should come with a warning similar to those on some car commercials: 'Do not attempt to do what Monty does in these pages.'" -Prairie Fire (Canada)
"Michael Van Rooy is Canada's best-kept secret in crime fiction." - Steve Hamilton, Edgar Award-winning author of Misery Bay
This information about Your Friendly Neighborhood Criminal was first featured
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Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Michael Van Rooy was a full-time writer who lived in Canada. In his diverse career, he worked as a teacher, a newspaper editor, a bartender, a cheese maker, and a casino dealer. He won the 2009 John Hirsh Award for Most Promising Manitoba Writer. He died suddenly in January 2011.
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