Customer Reviews

Loot the Moon

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4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
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1 star:		(1)

 

 

A carjacking gets the blood racing in this thriller, an adrenaline rush that is sustained throughout the story. In Rhode Island, Billy Povitch, a fairly unsuccessful gambler and former journalist who writes poetic obituaries at night for a newspaper, is struggling. A widower, Billy is raising his young son and trying to convince his debilitated father that life is still worth living, even on dialysis. Life is tough for this family, but not nearly as tragic as the fate of esteemed Superior Court Judge Gil Harmony, found shot to death the night of the carjacking incident. So when Martin Smothers, Patron Lawyer of Hopeless Cases, requests Povitch's aid, the novel is off and running.

Arsenault writes with an energy that is as much character-driven as plot, delving into the daily trials and disappointments that affect his protagonists and the outrageous behaviors of the criminal element, a vengeful mobster who makes liberal use of his hired muscle, a wise-cracking small-time thief named Scratch and a judge with a sterling reputation and lots of secrets. The judge's death is ruled opportunistic, but Smothers wants Billy to dig deeper into the facts, convinced it is a deliberate hit. And when Billy exercises due diligence, he uncovers shocking information and no shortage of suspects.

Arsenault takes a well-plotted thriller and turns it into something more, a study of human behavior and the vagaries of fate, where a frustrated attacker hides behind a shower curtain with a plastic bag over his head and an ice pick in his fist, where a judge's clerk learns more than she wants to know and a sometimes-investigator gets a beating while sinking into his own grave. With a style similar to Don Winslow (The Winter of Frankie Machine, California Fire and Life), this author has an eye for characters and a great sense of timing, where life pulls no punches and danger is right around the corner ready to pounce. Luan Gaines/2009.

Loot the Moon is a gripping whodunit that reads like a roller coaster ride. Superior Court Judge Gilbert Harmony is shot dead in his home during a break-in and the killer/thief dies in a car wreck fleeing the scene of the crime. Although the police consider the case open and shut, the judge's friend and former law-partner, Martin Smothers, doesn't.

Why would the thief shoot the judge and dash away without stealing anything? And why did he kidnap the judge's son at gun-point during his exit and then promnptly carjack a passing vehicle?

Martin enlists the aid of Billy Povich, a former journalist with a gambling problem, to help him figure out who hired the two-bit shoplifter turned killer/carjacker to murder the judge. Billy, battling personal problems that include an ailing father and an eight-year old son recovering from his mother's death, uncovers a handful of suspects that include the judge's jealous brother, his widow, and his mistress' son.

Mark Arsenault's writing is crisp, fast-paced, and peppered with insights that will make you laugh--and seriously consider your own relationships. The plot, with its twists and turns, is clever and suspenseful and ends on an unexpected and satisfying conclusion. The characters are quirky, endearing, and all too realistic. I literally couldn't put this book down once I started reading.

With the second book of the Providence-based Billy Povich series, Mark Arsenault has made my automatic-buy list. This humorous yet darkly noir novel packs plenty of action around serious philosophical questions about end-of-life issues and family relations.

In Rhode Island at the dog track, attorney Martin Smothers obsessively pleads with his friend former investigative journalist turned obit writer Billy Povich to look into the murder of Judge Gil Harmony. Two bit thief Adam Rackers assassinated the Judge during a car-jacking. Rackers died in the subsequent car crash, which left one survivor in critical condition Stuart Tracy. Smothers wants Povich to uncover who paid for the hit.

Povich begins his inquiry and quickly learns a local mobster threatened the judge and that his honor had a secret life in Manhattan where he kept a mistress who appears at the reading of the will. Menwhile Harmony's legal clerk Kit Bass is beaten up at a club owned by mobster Glantz. When someone threatens Billy, his son and his father, he takes on the case with renewed vigor.

In many ways this is a noir, but the hard boiled Billy is somewhat softened with family matters especially discussions with his dad over death that seems so timely. The story line is action-packed as Billy gets into all sorts of predicaments and the final twist is superb. The secondary eccentric cast enhances the engaging plot of the investigative GRAVEWRITER who in many ways brings out the best and worst in his support crowd.

Harriet Klausner

First Sentence: Tobacco smoke and moonlight filled the car.

Billy Povich lives with his ill, aging father and 6-year-old son above a funeral home in Providence, Rhode Island. Billy, a former investigative reporter, has a gambling problem and has been demoted to writing obituaries, but writes them with caring and respect. Defense attorney, Martin Smothers, asks Billy to dust off his investigative skills. Martin's friend, Judge Gilbert Harmony, has been shot by a supposed intruder, but Martin believes there is more to the story.

Of his character, Arsenault writes, "...his writing gave the paper a depth of soul it never had before." That's how I feel about Arsenault's writing. There are writers who happen to write excellent mysteries; then there are excellent writers who happen to write mysteries. He is the latter. From the first sentence, the descriptions of both place and people bring the book to life. I appreciate the Rhode Island setting as very few books are set there.

His characters are imperfect and wonderful. William Povich senior, who abandoned his family but is back and needs his dialysis sessions, and makes tapes for his grandson, Bo. Bo is a boy who's favorite toy is an Albert Einstein doll and who sneaks down to the funeral home each night to say goodnight to the dead. Martin, with an avid vegan wife and who, "performed a disrespected virtue--he legitimized justice. By defending villains who inflicted their sick dreams on the community, Martin redeemed all of us who lived under the law. Criminals brutalize us; in return we brutalize them by ending their lives in steel cages. The difference between what we do and what the villains do is the criminal defense lawyer." It's that ability to make me stop and think which sets Arsenault apart as a writer.

That's not to say the book also not a very good mystery. The plotting is excellent and includes illuminating advice from a dying mobster. There is wonderful, breath-catching suspense, an excellent twist and a very poignant ending. I highly recommend this book but do suggest first reading "Gravewriter."

LOOT THE MOON (Unl Inv/Jour-Billy Povich-Providence, RI-Cont) - Ex
Arsenault, Mark - 2nd in series
Minotaur, 2009, US Hardcover - ISBN: 9780312555764

In LOOT THE MOON, Billy Povich is approached by his friend Martin Sommers, a lawyer he used to do some investigative work for. Martin's mentor and a Superior Court Judge has been murdered and though the police have wrapped the case up, Martin feels there is more to the story and asks Povich to see what he can dig up. The man police say killed the judge, a low level thief, was also killed during the murder and it all seems just a little too convenient to Martin. There are facts that come to light that just don't add up. A few weeks before the judge was killed, he sentenced a local mob boss's son to life in prison and a public threat was made against his life. There's also the fact that the judge apparently was living a double life that his wife and son didn't know about. Then there is the judges brother, who is also a judge, but not as successful, who is sick and tired of living in his brother's shadow and is contesting the will. There's too many unanswered questions and Billy agrees to help his friend and soon finds his own life in danger, which tells him he must be getting close to the truth.

One of the things I liked about LOOT THE MOON is that it didn't matter that I hadn't read the first book in the series. The characters were easy to get to know and there weren't so many that it was hard to keep up with. I find that some mysteries have so many characters I get lost trying to keep them straight. That didn't happen here. Another reason I liked it is Mark Arsenault gets right into the meat of the story and you're off! It was fast-paced, kept my attention and was not unrealistic. The writing was smart and even had me chuckling at times at the wit. There's a personal story happening in Billy's life at the same time he's trying to figure out the mystery, and that balances out the book nicely.

The story is told from a few character's perspectives, which helps to get to know them, but is mostly told through Billy's eyes. The plot was very well thought out and kept me guessing until the end. All in all, I found this to be a very satisfying and entertaining mystery that I look forward to continiuing.

I will definitely be reading GRAVEWRITER very soon and I will be keeping up with this series. I like that the mystery was wrapped up in the end, but still allows Billy's story to continue. I think there will be many more interesting stories for Billy Povich to write.

I like mystery and suspense books that make me think. This book has stayed with me for several days after I raced through it. Highly recommended. There's lots of action and humor, but the novel also raises serious ethical questions and will remind you of your own imperfect family relationships.

Didn't connect with any of these characters, except maybe the young boy. This book is overtly contrived around the zinger that is placed at the end - no sophistication whatsoever. If you like seedy and trite with a dash of father-son angst, have at it. Wish I could get my money back.

Attorney Martin Smothers requires Billy Povich's assistance. Billy is a former journalist and gambler. Martin's mentor, Superior Court Judge Gilbert Harmony was shot and killed. Judge Harmony's death at first glance looks like a break in gone wrong. It seems though that Judge Harmony's killer got it in the end. The killer died in a car crash.

Martin believes better that the killing was personal and someone paid to knock Judge Harmony off permanently. Billy starts doing some digging. He uncovers a whole slew of shady characters. Billy's father is in the hospital, fighting for his life. Martin doesn't want to let his former mentor down. With Billy's hound dog attitude and Martin's quick wit, these two won't give up till justice is won.

Loot the Moon is the first book I have read by this author. I liked this book. Martin and Billy were engaging. I like that Martin did not come off as a sleazy lawyer. Though in my book, it was Billy who really stole the spotlight. He did most of the work...tracking down people, obtaining evidence and piecing it all together. There were a few times in the book, where I would start to lose interest but overall, I thought this was a good book. I would read another one by this author.