As I continue my Jess Walter tour, I read this, his first novel, and thought it was excellent. A crime story about a serial killer in Spokane, this book is very character driven and reminds me of the work of Richard Price, Kate Atkinson, and Pete Dexter. The plot aspect drags a bit in the middle, but Walter's delving into the pysc of each character makes this an interesting read. Having read all his novels but one, I can see his evolution as a writer as he moves from the crime genre which was his background into his more recent novels which cover a wide range of subjects. If you are going to get into Jess Walter then you may want to do it in chronological order. I have been able get all of his books through the library. If you like a good crime story with complex characters, then this is a good read. ( )

This is probably the most demanding mystery I've read. The author sacrifices pace to bring readers inside the worlds of detectives tasked to catch a serial killer preying on prostitutes. These are individuals with a wide emotional range and different reasons for seeking to solve the case. The victims, street walkers in Spokane, are also mined for motivation, history, and behavioral characteristics. So we have literary elements grafted onto what typically is a plot-driven page-turner. Readers spend time learning about the major players--who include two hyper-ambitious profilers who seem more interested in career advancement than in catching a killer. Also, there are detailed descriptions of Spokane, a city not usually the site of detective tales. The actual case, which frustrates everyone for 95% of the work, is resolved in the last two chapters; the plot resolution is not nearly as satisfying as the character portraits, and the crime's solution is serendipitous rather than the work of either the police or the profilers. Yet, one of the detectives is a woman cop with grave self-doubts and it is her strength and moral rectitude that the resolution depends on. There are also elements of gender solidarity between this cop and one prostitute she feels particularly drawn to. Altogether, a very intelligent and well written work that doesn't care to stay within the lines of its genre. ( )

Another great novel by Jess Walter. I think this was his first work of fiction. It might be not as polished or perfect as a thriller by an experienced author, but Walter succeeded in writing a crime story that has at the same time a literary depth and an engaging, believable plot. Too often you find either one or the other, but not both elements in the same book. Characters are 3D sculptures, alive and breathing from the pages. You also have an original twist on the "cynical investigator who bends all the rules but in the end solves the case": here you have, in Dupree, a "cynical investigator who has a million theories and metaphors, but doesn't actually do much to help the investigation".

One to read a little slower than your typical beach or flight thrillers. ( )

The first two-thirds of this book were enjoyable to those who know and have lived in Spokane. It's always fun to read about a place that you are familiar with. However, as far as the story goes, I found the first half extremely slow. The last 100 to 150 pages were a good story. ( )

3.5 stars ( )