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The Hidden Assassinsby: Robert Wilson |
Death Bedby Stephen GreenleafDeath Bed is one of Stephen Greenleaf's earlier books, published originally by Dial Press, then by Bantam. Mr. Greenleaf shows all the promise of his later work here, with an intriguing story. What marks him as an inexperienced writer back then is his ever-present love of simile and/or metaphor (“A ring of black and gray hair circled his head like surrey fringe”). After the first ten likes I stopped counting. The metaphors themselves are certainly apt – but a good writer will use them sparingly. Although Mr. Greenleaf still demonstrates that love in his later works he must have learned some modification along the way, since they are far less frequent. Death Bed nonetheless has a well-thought-out plot with the almost requisite twist at the end. The characters are developed enough to make the story easy to follow, and you can easily sympathize with the protagonist.Death Bed continues a series starring the protagonist, John Marshall Tanner, a San Francisco Private Investigator. He initially takes on a case from Max Kottle, a millionaire dying of cancer who hires him to find his estranged son Karl. Karl Kottle happens to be one of those individuals who are emersed in anti-capitalistic demonstrations (similar to a good many rich man's sons), some of which involve destruction of property and even death. Karl obviously doesn't want to be found. Before Tanner can complete his mission, he reluctantly takes on another missing persons case – this one a journalist famed for getting his story under any circumstances. When a vicious organization kidnaps Karl and demands ransom money from Max to buy the needed weapons and explosives, the two cases eventually become related – and everyone Tanner interviews for information seems to wind up dead. Death Bed is one of the first five books published by Bantam Crime Line, and is now available in paperback If you don't happen to be as picky as I am with the English language and writing in particular, you will enjoy this story regardless of the plethora of similes. Alan Paul Curtis |
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