Customer Reviews

Bag Men

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I decided to read this debut by Mark Costello after enjoying his second novel Big If. A compelling period piece detailing crime and corruption in 1965 Boston, Bag Men is an impressive first novel by just about anyone's standard. While I wasn't entirely satisfied with how the story played out, there were more than enough compelling passages to keep me interested. Worth a look for fans of the genre.

Here's a book that could have been great but failed to completely deliver. It took me a while to figure out what was missing, because all the pieces seemed to be in place. At the end of the day, it just lacked a compelling sense of urgency that this genre needs. I kept thinking of James Ellroy's books, especially the L.A. Quartet, while I was reading Bag Men. There are some definite similarities other than the 1950's era, like having multiple plots involving different investigations that eventually become linked. The difference is that Ellroy's best books have the power to pull you in and keep you hooked, no matter how gruesome or unsavory the story becomes. Bag Men just never totally gelled for me, even though it was well written and had some very good passages.

Mark Costello's debut met with vast amounts of critical acclaim, which naturally set up a high level of expecatation for his next work. Fortunately he doesn't dissapoint as he delivers the truly gripping and well conceived story of Ray Dunn, a gifted assistant DA, and Manny Manning, an overly effective narcotics officer.

The story opens when Father George Sedgwick is found murdered on an airport runway. As assitant DA Ray Dunn works to solve this grisly death, his investigation begins to intertwine with narcotics officer Manny Mannings growing battle against a new wave of powerful drugs just beginning to hit the streets.

As the characters troubled backgrounds are revealed, and the plot races towards it's thrilling conclusion, you can't help sitting up late into the night to finish this great story.

Highly recommended for anyone who likes crime novels, but is looking for something more intelligent and original. Not your typical cookie-cutter story of murder and drugs, but a great work from one of our times up and coming great authors.