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A Dangerous Man: A Novel by Charlie Huston
Book Summary InformationAuthor: Charlie Huston Edition: Paperback Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published) Published: 2006-09-19 ISBN: 034548133X Number of pages: 286 Publisher: Ballantine Books
Book Reviews of A Dangerous Man: A NovelBook Review: A DANGEROUS MAN EQUALS A WONDERFUL READ Summary: 5 Stars
How anxiously I awaited this final book in the Hank Thompson series. This book DOES NOT disappoint. The writing is great, snappy, fresh, and keeps you guessing. The action never stops, the characters are great, and I love the NO QUOTATION use when it comes to conversation in this book. You MUST read this series and it runs as follows:
CAUGHT STEALING
SIX BAD THINGS
A DANGEROUS MAN
Hank Thompson is back and he is bad. But he does NOT want to be bad. His entire life is controlled by the Russian mob. He hates his life, but will do anything (and does!) to insure his parents are kept alive. Yes, if Hank does not do what the mob wants his parents will be killed. So, Hank turns into a killer for the love and the sake of his parents. What a guy!
What all started with baby sitting for his neighbor's cat turns Hank's life into a nightmare. In this final installment Hank is ordered to be a bodyguard if you will to a new minor league baseball star, Miguel and Miguel's life-long friend, Jay. YO!
Miguel is all and has all that Hank never achieved in his own life. Hank should have been/could have been a big league baseball star. Fate changes that for him. Hank takes an instant liking to the two young men, and they are off and running. The party scenes and baseball games will have you laughing. Hank is very good with his wit and sarcasm, traits of his that I adore. The three of them run into all sorts of problems, but manage to have fun. All three of them form a friendship. What I admired about Hank is while he knew that Miguel's life could have been his own life he never felt or showed any type of jealously. Their friendship is firm.
With the mob constantly watching Hank, keeping him under tabs, having him be a hitman for them, hurting people, killing people, Hank's life literally SUCKS. His entire life goes against the grain of his soul. He has had BAD plastic surgery on his face and is in constant pain. He has lost his friends, family, and his former life. What he hasn't lost is his heart and soul or his love of life.
The action never stops, the writing is wonderful, the characters are good when they should be and nasty when they have to be. Hank is a great character and one I will truly miss since this series is finished now. Mr. Huston has a winner with these three books and they should not be missed.
The character of Hank -- down on his luck, living a horrible life, good man turn killer, former almost big league ball player, former bartender - he is a true winner. You will love this guy. For some reason, I kept picturing Hugh Laurie from HOUSE being Hank. What a great idea for a MOVIE. These three books would make a kick butt movie.
Speaking of kicking butt, that is what this series does. You will enjoy it and must read these books. When I first ran across these books, they seemed like books men would enjoy, but every lady I know that has read them -- including me -- has LOVED them.
Do yourself a favor and read these books. Also, don't miss Mr. Huston's other book, ALREADY DEAD. If you enjoy vampire books, this one rocks. It is unlike anything vampire you have ever read. Joe Pitt, the main character, like Hank Thompson, has one thing -- ATTTITUDE.
READ THEM and ENJOY.
Thank you! Pam
Summary of A Dangerous Man: A Novel?Among the new voices in twenty-first-century crime fiction, Charlie Huston . . . is where it?s at.? ?The Washington Post
?Huston writes dialogue so combustible it could fuel a bus and characters crazy enough to take it on the road.? ?The New York Times Book Review
Reluctant hitman Henry Thompson has fallen on hard times. His grip on life is disintegrating, his pistol hand shaking, his body pinned to his living room couch by painkillers?and his boss, Russian mobster David Dolokhov, isn?t happy about any of it. So Henry is surprised when he?s handed a new assignment: keep tabs on a minor league baseball star named Miguel Arenas.
Henry has no pity for the slugger and the wicked gambling problem that got him in trouble, but he can?t help liking the guy. After all, Henry used to be just like him: a natural-born ball player with a bright future. But hell, that was long ago. Before Henry did some guy a favor and ended up running for his life. Before his girlfriend and buddies got gunned down by someone on his tail. Before he agreed to buy his parents? safety with a life of violence.
And when Miguel gets drafted by the Mets and is sent to the Brooklyn Cyclones, Henry must head back to New York, back to the place where all his problems began?and where Henry might find a real reason to keep living, a reason that may just cost him his life.
?Huston reminds me of all my favorite writers?Pete Dexter, Robert Stone, Crumley. If there is such a thing as compassionate noir, Charlie has found it. He?s a true marvel.? ?Ken Bruen, author of The Guards
?Charlie Huston is the real deal.? ?Peter Straub
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