What do readers think of Crime of Privilege by Walter Walker? Write your own review.

This book is compelling and fast paced, you WANT to know what's going to happen. But there is nothing new or unique about it and what makes it "average" for me is the writing. It's like reading a guy's journal, there aren't those literary moments where you want to quote what the author said or wish you had said it yourself.

The first part of this book was really fast paced and interesting. I liked the George Beckett character, the plot and his attempt to "put things right" was interesting, but as the story moved along, the characters were not well developed and I lost interest in his "process" that seemed rather clunky and contrived. The fact that powerful people live by different rules isn't new and I have read several books with the same "theme". I probably would not recommend this to my book group - it is sort of "well, so what is new about this??" I wanted to like it better than I did, but have read so many like it - the short chapters were nice though.

This was a fast paced mystery and a good story. The characters were believable, though not always likable. There were definitely plot elements that brought the Kennedy family to mind and raised the issue of the inequality of the justice system when wealth and power are involved. The plot slowed down at the end, but overall an enjoyable book.

The plot of this novel has a familiar ring to it. Power, politics and privilege are all bought with money and connections. A lone individual, George Becket, is sucked into the vortex of an event because he happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. He continually makes poor or just plain wrong conclusions and is easily manipulated. But he is a likable character without much depth.

This was an enjoyable page turner with a weak and unsatisfying ending. The location of the story and the family that it revolves around are recognizable which leaves the reader with the sense that you know how the book will end long before you come to the last page.

That the wealthy and powerful have a different justice system than the average American is not really a revelation to most of us. Crime of Privilege tracks members of a well-known family from Cape Cod that has extensive political and societal connections. The family, through their minions, is able to hush up crimes and indiscretions done by many members of the extended family. The story is initially told through a series of flash-back and fast-forward scenes. The mystery is written in a first-person narrative from the perspective of a low-level district attorney, who happened to be present at a Palm Beach crime. This attorney, Georgie Beckett, is not a very endearing protagonist. The pacing of the book is quite disjointed and sometimes tedious. Characters and storylines are described in extensive detail and then that particular thread of the story is dropped. I had great hopes for reading this book, yet was mildly disappointed throughout.

This is a murder mystery of page-turning quality. The protagonist, George Becket, is a persistent, likable, naive young man. For me, the rest of the main characters were a large lump of the entitled "American Royalty". I did not get to really know any of them. The idea that money brings power is repugnant to me. I am sorry that many of us, as free citizens, are willing to accept the privilege that accompanies money and power. I just do not want to believe that money and power puts people above the law.

I love to read and finished the book quickly. However, the theme, as I perceived it bothers me.

George Becket, now an attorney in the district attorney office of Cape Cod, had "friends" and friends of friends while growing up. Some of these friends were part of a wealthy and privileged family, the Gregory's.
Two young women, one from Cape Cod, the other visiting south Florida were involved with the family and friends. One committed suicide, the other was murdered.
George, years later, is tasked with the job of finding who murdered the woman. The problems he deals with appear monumental due to the Senator's powerful influence. The investigation takes him to Europe, Hawaii, and Central America.
The plot and characters were good but sometimes confusing. Overall I enjoyed the book although at times it was slow going.

This is a gripping mystery of crimes perhaps committed by a family of wealth and privilege. A young assistant prosecutor, who witnessed one of the crimes when he was a college student, is the one trying to pursue justice. His path is encumbered at every step by those beholden to the powerful Cape Cod dynasty. He is relentless in his pursuit and appears to have solved the murder mystery but is thwarted in his attempt to bring the perpetrator to justice. Even though the victim of the murder is the daughter of another rich and powerful man, the prosecutor is made aware that the justice system is not always blind when political influence is involved.