Very Bad Men (David Loogan Series #2)

I'll make this short, but ultimately very sweet... VERY BAD MEN by Harry Dolan is one of the most satisfying novels I've read in a long time. Why? Good question. Answers abound below... I first heard of Mr. Dolan when I spontaneously picked up a copy of his previous novel, BAD THINGS HAPPEN. I literally saw that book on a display, picked it up, read the jacket synopsis and thought it seemed interesting enough. Plus, I like giving new authors a shot. I read the book in one sitting and passed it on to friends and family, with glowing praise. The story of David Loogan and his complicated life was terse, energetic, passionate and clever. Now, when I say something is "clever," I mean it. I don't give that compliment very often. I liked everything about BAD THINGS HAPPEN and eagerly awaited the follow-up, VERY BAD MEN. I picked up VERY BAD MEN the day it came out, and read it as my schedule allowed...which was never often enough for my taste! David Loogan, Elizabeth and Sarah melded into a wonderful team (no spoilers here...you'll have to read it to see what I mean). Mr. Dolan's writing style is instantly accessible. Anyone who picks up one of his books will enjoy the tone and the overall feel of the prose. It's hard to describe just how much FUN it is to read his novels. And this novel is just as "clever" as his first. I've read that some folks thought the author let the last few pages/chapters "get away from him" or that there were too many twists at the end. I strongly disagree. One thing that I learned reading the earlier novel was that in David Loogan's world, there's always something "more" to an issue/situation...nothing is ever as simple as it seems. Yet it's not presented in an "over-done" way. If this makes any sense: the twists aren't really twists at all...they're simply the truth taking longer to show itself. It's a "brainy" book in disguise...never condescending, yet never pandering. Your brain will truly enjoy the read. I really want to discuss the book more in depth, but I don't want to ruin it for anyone who is planning on reading it. In general, just be assured that it's well-written, well-plotted and frankly, a hell of a ride! I look forward to Mr. Dolan's future work.

The Barnes & Noble Mystery Lovers Book Club all agree: Harry needs to keep writing! We all loved this book! Just as you're thinking you know "who done it," another character steps into the starring role! the plot is fast paced, the characters are complex and well-developed and the story line is suspenseful -- page-turning. We decided Harry is a master of mis-direction and he even leaves the reader with a surprise at the end of the book. Don't miss this one! Sue Malone

In Ann Arbor, Michigan David Loogan is the editor of Gray Streets mystery magazine. He lives with Police Detective Elizabeth Waishkey and her daughter Sarah. Someone leaves a manuscript outside the Gray Streets mystery magazine office. The story line focuses on two previous homicides; that of Henry Kormoran of Ann Arbor, and Terry Dawtrey who he killed when he got him temporarily released from prison to attend his father's funeral after Lark murdered the old man. Those already actually occurred and a third is about to happen, that of Sutton Bell of Ann Arbor. Elizabeth and David realize the link between this trio and author Anthony Lark is a Sault Sainte Marie bank robbery seventeen years ago. As Loogan investigates the disappearance of a reporter associated with the case and Waishkey tracks the serial killer, the raging paranoid Lark adds the editor, the cop and the daughter to his list of those needing his murderous attention. The two L's Lark and Logan makes this Michigan amateur sleuth mystery fun to read as the former is an intelligent but violent avenging killer and the latter works the manuscript as Bad Things Happen to Very Bad Men but he hopes not to a very diligent editor. Witty and filled with twists, Elizabeth sums up the investigations when she tells Loogan he knows how to charm people; readers will know so does Lark with a tire iron. Harriet Klausner

Very Bad Men as well as Bad men by Mr. Dolan are excellent. Did not skip one single paragraph or page.

Amazing and easy reaf

This new novel from the author of the acclaimed “Bad Things Happen,” his writing debut, has no ‘sophomore book’ problems. “Very Bad Men” immediately engages the reader, and one is quickly drawn into this compelling tale of murder, specifically, the murder of two men who were part of a bank robbery seventeen years ago, and the attempted murder of a third. All three men had been convicted, and served jail time of varying lengths. But what could be the motive? These three men had not seen nor contacted one another in all the intervening years. And the killer – for his identity is quickly revealed – is not a cool, professional hit man; that is immediately made clear. David Loogan, the editor-in-chief of a mystery magazine, receives, in a plain, unmarked envelope, what at first glance appears to be a manuscript, only several pages long, bearing no signature, the first line of which reads “I killed Henry Kormoran . . . “ Loogan, who lives with his ‘significant other,’ Elizabeth Waishkey, an Ann Arbor, Michigan, detective, and her precocious 16-year-old daughter, ultimately begins a kind of parallel and unofficial investigation. Each character in the novel is wonderfully well-drawn. These include the killer, who suffers from synesthesia, a rare affliction which results in a confusion of the senses, with words taking on dimensions far beyond their ‘normal’ printed appearance, according to his emotional reaction to them; Lucy Navarro, a young and rather endearing reporter, who comes up with a bizarre theory of the motive for the crimes; assorted politicians and their ‘handlers, among others. The writer invokes some wildly disparate images: Occam and his razor, Aristotle, jazz musician Charlie Parker; mystery authors Dennis Lehane and Michael Connelly; and a theme: “We all want to be known. To be seen for who we really are.” There are carefully placed, and easily missed clues, and startling and unexpected twists in this rather complex and engrossing novel, which is recommended.

I always know I will enjoy a book from the Amy Einhorn Books imprint of Putnam Books. Most of the ones I have read are by female authors- Kathryn Stockett's The Help, Sarah Blake's The Postmistress, Eleanor Brown's The Weird Sisters, and Liane Moriarty's What Alice Forgot. All of these books have strong female protagonists, which is part of the appeal for me. The latest book from the imprint has a male protagonist- Harry Dolan's Very Bad Men. It is the second novel in the series featuring David Loogan, an editor for a mystery magazine who lives with Elizabeth, a detective, and her teenage daughter Sarah, in Michigan. Loogan gets drawn into the case of Anthony Lark, a man who has murdered two men and is on his way to murdering another. All of the dead men were involved 17 years ago with a bank robbery that went bad, leaving a robber and a cop dead, and another cop paralyzed from the waist down. The story is told mainly from the points of view of Loogan and Lark. Both men are interesting characters, and seeing the story from each of their perspectives makes this a much stronger book. Senate candidate Callie Spencer, whose father is the paralyzed cop, is involved in the murders. But is she a target, a participant in the murders, or is Lark trying to protect her? Lucy Navarro, a reporter for a tabloid newspaper, is snooping around, and Loogan becomes her protector of sorts. When she gets too close to the truth and disappears, Loogan gets angry. Dolan takes care to create fully realized characters. I particularly enjoyed his portraits of the teenagers; Elizabeth's daughter Sarah, and Nick, the teenage son and brother of two of Lark's targets, were really on the money for me. The mystery of why Lark is killing these men is complicated and the reason really comes out of left field. I have to say I had absolutely no idea where it would end up, but it was a crazy trip getting there. If the author left clues as to what motivated Lark to kill, I did not pick them up. I found it satisfying that I really did not know where he was going until the end. This novel is crackling good literary crime fiction; it put me in mind of Sara Paretsky's novels. I'm going to seek out the first novel in the series and anxiously await the third one.

It seems that the more blurbs on the back cover from famous authors, the more disappointing the novel. I didn't get a free advance copy. What I got was a book that read pretty good, occasionally going off track. but around page 350 I began to feel like I was in a car with a drunk driver. The story started going all over the place, wild tangents that didn't make sense. We were running off the road. The story became so utterly ridiculous that I felt insulted that I had suffered the first 350 pages only to get to this. We didn't crash, but it wasn't the good ride it started out to be. Disappointing.

Very Bad Men By Harry Dolan is a very good book. This mystery is an easy read with a twisted plot, complicated and believable characters with wit and humor. Due to Dolan's great writing skills this book moves smoothly forward. Suddenly,I have a new favorite author. Try it you will like it.