Book Review: Man Eater

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

Man Eater     Amazon US PB Amazon US HC Amazon Canada PB Amazon Canada HC
Ray Shannon
Class/Genre:   Mystery
Putnam, Feb 2003, $23.95, 320 pp.

Velocity Pictures executive Ronnie "Raw" Deal seems on the fast track to a vice presidency when a sleazy rival hurts her effort to sign Brad Pitts to perform in "Trouble Town". Upset, Ronnie goes to the Tiki Shack Bar to obtain a drink where Hitman Neon Polk beats up Denise "Antsy" Carruth over stolen drug money. Instead of ignoring the thrashing, Ronnie knocks out Neon with a bottle while Antsy flees the premises.

A few days later, Neon learns who his attacker is and cleverly enters her secure abode. Instead of killing her, he decides to extort cash from the wealthy bitch, but first rapes Ronnie and then gives her five days or he will kill her.

Desperate, Ronnie remembers a gritty crime script from an ex- convict, Ellis Langford. She thinks he might be her only answer to Neon because she refuses to pay this pig in a poke. Though he has problems with two thugs who he battered for attacking him while delivering pizza and a former spouse who hates him, he decides to help Ronnie because she is his ticket out of the no future delivery work.

In spite of the lights of Hollywood, MAN EATER is a dark gritty urban noir that contains a strong cast whose personalities are made quite clear from the start. The action is loaded as the story line never pauses for a breath yet enables the audience to understand the underlying motives of the three key characters even when its seems their behavior is crazy. This powerful suspense novel will make Ray Shannon as famous as his award winning not revealed real name.

Harriet Klausner

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner