Book Review: Good Day in Hell

Reviewed By: Woodstock - RAM

Good Day in Hell     Amazon US PB Amazon US HC Amazon Canada PB Amazon Canada HC
J. D. Rhoades
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Thriller   Hard Boiled   Noir   Adventure
Series: Jack Keller # 2
St Martins Minotaur 2006

The book reviewer for the Washington Post has dubbed Rhoades' two novels "redneck noir," and certainly that classification would describe them, but it would be a mistake to dismiss them quite so quickly.

Rhoades' protagonist Jack Keller is a veteran of the first Gulf War, and carries significant emotional baggage as a result of his experiences. He has found a tentative stability by working for a bail bonding office, bringing offenders who have skipped bail back to court. What serves him well in this endeavor is his stubborn single mindedness. However, this single mindedness also gets him into deeper and deeper trouble when things begin to turn sour.

In this latest installment from Rhoades, two small time crooks seeking their promised fifteen minutes of fame have gone off on a rampage through small South Carolina towns. When they scoop up a cell phone from one of their murdered victims, they realized they can email photographs of their carnage to the press. This adds fuel to their vengeance, and they draw an ambitious local TV reporter into their wake.

Since one of the pair has skipped bail, Keller is pursuing them as well, and coping with the impact of his obsession on his personal relationships. Rhoades moves back and forth between the wandering murderers and Keller. An important woman in Keller's life who works as a local cop provides insight into local law enforcement's response to the mounting list of crimes.

There's a lot to enjoy here for lovers of noir and adventure.

Woodstock - RAM

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Woodstock - RAM