CRASHED - Timothy Hallinan

ekaser · 12-27-2010, 11:50 AM

CRASHED by Timothy Hallinan is one of the best books I've read this year (and I've read a LOT of books this year!)

[This is a spoiler free review. Most of what I tell you about the book is revealed in the first few chapters.]

Junior Bender is a thief, a master thief. He's never been arrested or convicted. He's good. Unfortunately for him, he may be a little too good, as he's the one other criminals come to when they need help with something.

Junior has been 'hired' to steal a painting. The first problem is that the job almost gets the best of him when four ferocious rottweilers get loose in the house with him, and the second problem is when he finds out that the job was a frame-up, and is being used to blackmail him into doing another job.

Trey Annunciato is the daughter of a big crime boss, and is rumored to have knocked off her old man in order to take over. But now she wants to transition her crime organization into a series of legal businesses. She's making a trilogy of porn films starring Thistle Downing. Thistle Downing was an incredibly talented child actress on a TV series that ran for years. She's now 21, a drug addict, broke, and on her last leg. Trey is blackmailing Junior into making sure that Thistle survives long enough to make the films, and that she shows up on the set when she's needed.

The problem is, someone is trying to kill Thistle, and Junior has taken a liking to Thistle and hates to see her doing this to herself.

The book has a strong caste of wonderful characters, a plot that just carries you along so fast that you'll be lucky if you don't finish the book in one day (and get nothing else done, of course). I can't recommend the book highly enough. It's a fun, touching, tense, humorous and suspenseful mystery (yes, all of those things). It will leave you wanting more. Fortunately, it's the beginning of a new series, so there's more fun in store.

The book is available currently from Amazon on all of the Kindle platforms, and should be available on the Nook early next year. It can be purchased for $2.99 at:
AMAZON: Crashed by Timothy Hallinan

One of the best bang-for-your-buck deals of 2010!!!

DebbiM · 12-28-2010, 01:13 PM

I also enjoyed CRASHED very much. One of the best books I've read recently. At $2.99, it's a steal. And Junior is a great character who I look forward to reading about in future books.

Debbi

Debbi Mack
[In-text promotional links deleted - MODERATOR]

macabr · 12-30-2010, 02:05 PM

[Material deleted - copied from original poster --- Moderator]

I don’t own a Kindle. The Kindle application for the PC is free and incredibly easy to download; even I did it without a problem. Reading Timothy Hallinan’s books on a PC is far better than not being able to read them at all.

ekaser · 01-03-2011, 10:15 AM

I forgot to mention in my review: The second book in the series, The Little Elvises is pretty much done and should be released this spring sometime, I believe. I've seen an ARC of it, and unlike many series, it holds up VERY well to the first book, a great follow-on. This is going to be a wonderful series, I think!
I just discovered Mr. Hallinan this year, and haven't yet caught up with all of his novels, but I've immensely enjoyed all of them that I've read so far.

FatDog · 01-09-2011, 11:03 PM

I took your advice and ordered this book as my first read on my new Kindle.

A few chapters into it - not really getting my attention. While the writing was fun and wry, I did not connect to the main character.

But then.. it got better once the other characters got involved. I am nearly finished and find it to be a very enjoyable read. Thank you for the recommendation.

L.J. Sellers · 01-13-2011, 08:57 AM

I bought it too. I haven't read it yet, but I'm looking forward to it. Tim's Poke series was dropped by his publisher last year, so I'm excited to see his new adventures doing well.
L.J.

DebbiM · 01-14-2011, 11:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by L.J. Sellers

I bought it too. I haven't read it yet, but I'm looking forward to it. Tim's Poke series was dropped by his publisher last year, so I'm excited to see his new adventures doing well.
L.J.

Wow! I didn't know the Poke series was dropped. It's such a great series, too.

So much the better for him. Now he can publish them on his own as ebooks.

Debbi

Debbi Mack
[In-text promotional links deleted - MODERATOR]

ekaser · 01-17-2011, 01:21 PM

I, too, didn't know that the Poke series was dropped. I'm just starting to read it now, having read all six of his Simeon Grist mysteries, and the two Junior Benders. But I agree, the e-book revolution is going to be good for him and many other authors, in the long run. And good for readers, too, as we'll get to read some really good books that would never have gotten published otherwise. Unfortunately, we're going to have to wade through a lot of dreck to find them, too. I'll buy anything with Timothy Hallinan's name on it, sight unseen!

12-27-2010, 11:50 AM	#1
ekaser Opinion Artiste Posts: 301 Karma: 61464 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Albany, OR Device: Nexus 5, Nexus 7, Kindle Touch, Kindle Fire	CRASHED - Timothy Hallinan CRASHED by Timothy Hallinan is one of the best books I've read this year (and I've read a LOT of books this year!) [This is a spoiler free review. Most of what I tell you about the book is revealed in the first few chapters.] Junior Bender is a thief, a master thief. He's never been arrested or convicted. He's good. Unfortunately for him, he may be a little too good, as he's the one other criminals come to when they need help with something. Junior has been 'hired' to steal a painting. The first problem is that the job almost gets the best of him when four ferocious rottweilers get loose in the house with him, and the second problem is when he finds out that the job was a frame-up, and is being used to blackmail him into doing another job. Trey Annunciato is the daughter of a big crime boss, and is rumored to have knocked off her old man in order to take over. But now she wants to transition her crime organization into a series of legal businesses. She's making a trilogy of porn films starring Thistle Downing. Thistle Downing was an incredibly talented child actress on a TV series that ran for years. She's now 21, a drug addict, broke, and on her last leg. Trey is blackmailing Junior into making sure that Thistle survives long enough to make the films, and that she shows up on the set when she's needed. The problem is, someone is trying to kill Thistle, and Junior has taken a liking to Thistle and hates to see her doing this to herself. The book has a strong caste of wonderful characters, a plot that just carries you along so fast that you'll be lucky if you don't finish the book in one day (and get nothing else done, of course). I can't recommend the book highly enough. It's a fun, touching, tense, humorous and suspenseful mystery (yes, all of those things). It will leave you wanting more. Fortunately, it's the beginning of a new series, so there's more fun in store. The book is available currently from Amazon on all of the Kindle platforms, and should be available on the Nook early next year. It can be purchased for $2.99 at: AMAZON: Crashed by Timothy Hallinan One of the best bang-for-your-buck deals of 2010!!!

12-28-2010, 01:13 PM	#2
DebbiM Enthusiast Posts: 39 Karma: 50000 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Maryland Device: Kindle	I also enjoyed CRASHED very much. One of the best books I've read recently. At $2.99, it's a steal. And Junior is a great character who I look forward to reading about in future books. Debbi Debbi Mack [In-text promotional links deleted - MODERATOR] Last edited by Dr. Drib; 03-10-2014 at 12:29 PM.

12-30-2010, 02:05 PM	#3
macabr Junior Member Posts: 1 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2010 Device: Kindle PC	CRASHED by Tim Hallinan (spoiler free) [Material deleted - copied from original poster --- Moderator] I don’t own a Kindle. The Kindle application for the PC is free and incredibly easy to download; even I did it without a problem. Reading Timothy Hallinan’s books on a PC is far better than not being able to read them at all. Last edited by Dr. Drib; 12-31-2010 at 06:47 PM.

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01-03-2011, 10:15 AM	#4
ekaser Opinion Artiste Posts: 301 Karma: 61464 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Albany, OR Device: Nexus 5, Nexus 7, Kindle Touch, Kindle Fire	I forgot to mention in my review: The second book in the series, The Little Elvises is pretty much done and should be released this spring sometime, I believe. I've seen an ARC of it, and unlike many series, it holds up VERY well to the first book, a great follow-on. This is going to be a wonderful series, I think! I just discovered Mr. Hallinan this year, and haven't yet caught up with all of his novels, but I've immensely enjoyed all of them that I've read so far.

01-09-2011, 11:03 PM	#5
FatDog Witless protection Agent Posts: 290 Karma: 1002898 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Los Angeles Device: Kindle	I took your advice and ordered this book as my first read on my new Kindle. A few chapters into it - not really getting my attention. While the writing was fun and wry, I did not connect to the main character. But then.. it got better once the other characters got involved. I am nearly finished and find it to be a very enjoyable read. Thank you for the recommendation.

01-13-2011, 08:57 AM	#6
L.J. Sellers Novelist Posts: 287 Karma: 387979 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Eugene, Oregon Device: Kindle	I bought it too. I haven't read it yet, but I'm looking forward to it. Tim's Poke series was dropped by his publisher last year, so I'm excited to see his new adventures doing well. L.J.

01-17-2011, 01:21 PM	#8
ekaser Opinion Artiste Posts: 301 Karma: 61464 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Albany, OR Device: Nexus 5, Nexus 7, Kindle Touch, Kindle Fire	I, too, didn't know that the Poke series was dropped. I'm just starting to read it now, having read all six of his Simeon Grist mysteries, and the two Junior Benders. But I agree, the e-book revolution is going to be good for him and many other authors, in the long run. And good for readers, too, as we'll get to read some really good books that would never have gotten published otherwise. Unfortunately, we're going to have to wade through a lot of dreck to find them, too. I'll buy anything with Timothy Hallinan's name on it, sight unseen!