Border Dogs (Hardcover)

~ (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Palmer's impressive second novel works at several levels as an exploration of borders and boundaries. California border patrol cop James Reese begins to suspect that a colleague is sabotaging his equipment after he almost dies during a fire while his team tries to smoke out the "coyotes" who guide illegal Mexican aliens into the U.S. Reese has ample reason to point the finger at a younger co-worker, Leo Tutrone, especially since Reese stole Tutrone's sexy girlfriend, Mercedes, and then married her. Reese's suspicions continue to grow when he learns of Leo's ties to a dangerous coyote named Richard Serrano, who goes by the nickname of "Anteater." Investigating Serrano, Reese learns that he played a pivotal role in the conviction of Reese's birth father, who died in prison after being framed for the drowning of a young pregnant woman. Palmer's prose is especially impressive in the first half of the book as she captures the edgy uncertainty of the ongoing battle between the coyotes and the border cops. A similar edginess extends into Reese's personal life, as he tries to sort through his mixed feelings for his wife while dealing with his continued attraction to a former girlfriend, who works as a photographer for the border patrol. The chapters in which Reese investigates the crime are more generic, but he's an intriguing protagonist, and Palmer creates a mysterious, compelling atmosphere while maintaining command of the narrative. This is a solid second novel for Palmer after her well-reviewed All Saints, and it establishes her as a writer with considerable range.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

A colorful portrayal of border life, written with steady-handed compassion ... suspenseful. -- San Diego Union-Tribune, October 20, 2002

A fascinating look at race and family, loyalty and allegiance, at lives that straddle borders both physical and figurative. -- The Rocky Mountain News, November 1, 2002

A writer with skill and courage ... Palmer does the big scenes as perfectly as the small ones. -- Chicago Tribune, November 24, 2002

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 305 pages
• Publisher: Soho Press; First Edition ~1st Printing edition (October 15, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1569473153
• ISBN-13: 978-1569473153
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.8 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #3,072,445 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Lesson in Craft, March 6, 2003

By A Customer

In this story of a man torn between cultures, choices, and identities, Palmer does an amazing job of continually upping the stakes for James Reese. A series of events--the escalating dangers of his job, his wife's pregnancy, and the death of his birth mother--come together to force him into a harrowing examination of his past. Palmer presents an utterly convincing male narrator whose difficulties are both global and personal. James is a character who will remain in your mind long after you've finished the book.

Furthermore, Border Dogs functions as a beautiful example of how a novel should be written, combining an almost thriller-like sense of tension with a precise yet lyric style. Palmer is both a writer's writer and a reader's writer; her novel is not only a page turner but a lesson in craft.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Curve Balls of Life, February 26, 2003

By A Customer

I am not a professional reviewer and do not know much about border agents and patrolling, but there is something I do know about, and that is life sure can throw some tough curve balls at you. I think Palmer brilliantly depicts the vagaries of life, the insecurities which we all face in our love, our work, and relationships. Her protagonist is an imperfect man trying to find the right path in a world that surrounds him with deceit and danger. I can identify with that.
Palmer's language is real, her characters true, her descriptions so compelling that I can taste the grit, the dust, the ash on my tongue as her character traverses the desolate landscape of the desert as well as the haunting shadows of his life.
I actually enjoyed this book more than All Saints, and I loved that book as well. Looking foward to a third novel from this exceptional writer.

3.0 out of 5 stars Halleluyah! A book starring a Border Patrol Agent!!, January 18, 2004

By	Antonio Ortiz "Agent Ortiz" (Dallas, TX) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Border Dogs (Paperback)

The Border Patrol has been all but invisible in the area of pop culture. I only know of only two movies about the Border Patrol (Borderline and The Border) which came out in the early 80s and this ONE novel. That's pathetic, since I'm going to be a Border Patrol Agent and am looking for some fictional material to psych me up. Border Dogs does indeed portray the dangers that the BP face in their duties, and Reese is shown to be a stalwart hero.
Karen Palmer wrote a great murder mystery, primarily in the subtleties of the characters' actions and words in the story. She knows enough not to hit her reader over the head with an explanation for everything, but lets the pieces slowly, but eventually, form together in the reader's mind. I was totally impressed by Palmer's skilled grasp for vivid detail of, not only the desolate California and Mexican environments, but of the characters' appearances. Overall, Border Dogs does suck you in like a good, solid story should.
The only reason why I didn't give it a higher review was because of (I kid you not) the last FOUR pages. The writer sandbags the reader with her liberal viewpoints on immigration and ultimately casts aside the important role the U.S. Border Patrol plays. If you're a conservative and read this book, you'll know what I'm talking about.