Customer Reviews

The Mark (Henry Parker Novels)

5 star:		(28)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(11)

 

 

With the popularity of The DaVinci Code, and other thrillers like it, I feel too many authors are trying to make their works too complex and too intelligent. Jason Pinter, whom I have never heard of and I am sure you may not have either, has burst onto the scene with an extremely readable straight forward thriller in the Hitchcockian theme of the wrong man at the wrong place at the wrong time.

I read this book in 3 days, felt it was somewhat plausible, but most of all felt it was time well spent. The main characters are fairly well drawn out, but this is really a plot driven story more than anything. If you want a fairly quick read and something perfect for the plane or the beach that can simply take you away from every day life and not make you think too hard...this is it.

I actually picked this book up after reading Pinter's second novel, THE GUILTY. While the plot isn't the most original ever created--guy accused of murder, teams up with a headstrong, sexy female counterpart to clear his name and find the truth--it's handled much better than most in the genre, mainly because Henry Parker is an engaging protagonist, and the voice of the character is different (in a good way) than most in crime fiction. This book adds a bit of backstory to the Parker and Amanda Davies characters, so after the grabbing opening chapter there's a short lull, but once the plot is set it motion it's an awfully hard book to put down. It's not perfect--there are some improbabilities (name me a thriller that doesn't have a few)--but it's a very strong first novel. Pinter's second book actually has a more original storyline, but this book works in many ways as a good opening chapter to a longer story. Paired up with THE GUILTY, these are strong initial entries in what should be a terrific series.

Okay, I'm still unsure of my rating so I'll give it three stars as a "happy medium." At times I enjoyed Pinter's first book. The main character, Henry Parker, is hired by a New York newspaper. The next thing you know he's interviewing a guy at an apartment as part of an assignment. Within a minute or so after he leaves the interview, all hell breaks loose and Henry Parker is on the run for his very life.

I liked the fast pace of the book as well as the dialogue and plot, but I have to admit I had a hard time believing that the main character could handle himself so well under such unbelievable circumstances. Everyone wants to kill him, but he somehow outsmarts/outwits or just plain gets lucky too many times in the book. Still, it's a good read (not great) and I think the author may be one to watch for years to come.

The Mark has to be one of the best books I have read in many years! This book starts with a bang and never stops. Anyone who enjoys thrillers will absolutely love this one! Jason Pinter is the BEST and I can't wait to read his new book The Guilty. Henry Parker Rules!

I guess I was lucky and stumbled on this book while it was free. Despite the book being free, it doesn't change my opinion of the book.

The overall story of the book was great. I was really intrigued and had a hard time putting the book down for a long period of time. I had to know how the book ended and kept reading until I got there.

That is not to say that this was a perfectly written book though. In many ways I felt that the author was trying to hard to use descriptions and phrases that made the book just seem to drag on at points. The switching back and forth between telling the story in the first and third person was interesting but I think that it worked well. I just wish that the author had edited some of the fluff out of the book.

Still, because of a great story I have to give this 5 stars. Even at the current price, I think this book is a bargain, and I will look at more of the author's books to see if they peak my curiosity.

Excellent debut novel!

I saw The Guilty on the shelf at Coles when it came out and read the synopsis. It sounded intriguing. Plus, the quotes from authors I've read helped as well, so I picked it up. I hadn't realized it was the second book, so I picked up the first, The Mark. Am I ever glad I did!

And I had to agree with the reviews. The book is a gripping page-turner and I had a hard time putting it down. I felt bad for Henry, being stuck in the position he was in. While most of us would turn away and run for help, he jumped in with both feet - then had to run for his life. Henry is a good-guy through and through, with a mind that works quickly, making decisions I don't think I'd ever be able to make. He goes through a lot in seventy-two hours.

The characters involved really put the pedal to the metal, and there's no letting up. Plenty of action to keep a reader on their toes and their brains thinking. While the already know the who and how, it's the `package' that keeps a reader guessing.

An excellent debut novel. I immediately picked up The Guilty ... I'm already on chapter 7, LOL!

On the strength of the four star rating and the first few favorable reviews, I ordered this book. When I saw the blurbs ("Gripping," "Stunning," "Harrowing," "Top-notch,"etc. by big names Patterson, Deaver, Child, Gerritsen, and others, I had high hopes.

After reading the first two dozen pages, I lost interest and put it aside. Started again a couple of months later, but finally gave up after a hundred more pages. Totally implausible, crude plotting, stereotypical characters, poor writing, and worst of all, it became a chore and boring to read. It is easy to see why no publisher risked issuing it first as a hardback.

I can't understand the strongly favorable reviews by successful writers. Are they given out of sympathy or as a favor to the publisher? This experience confirms the skepticism I have always felt toward writers' recommendations of each others' books.

This book is the debut of character Henry Parker. While Pinter has some loose ends in the book, his very ample talent shines through. The book is fast-paced, and will force you to buy all of the Henry Parker books written to date. Henry is a character that I would like to see go the distance. Hopefully there are many more books to come from Pinter.

This is a fairly different type of book from what I've been reading, but I'm glad I read it. It certainly is fast-paced, never a dull or boring moment. The characters are solid, though a couple of times I was just a little confused, but for the most part if flowed nicely.

This is the kind of book that makes time fly by! I got clear images in my mind from descriptions. Dialogue was clear and direct, no questions as to who was speaking. Very believable story-line.

Highly recommended, especially for those who really like crime drama novels. Even those who don't should enjoy this one (which is me!)!

Had never heard of Pinter before picking up this book, reading the back cover blurb and deciding to give it a go but I will definitely be looking for more of his novels after this one. No it isn't the most realistic book in the world, but it is a fiction novel and not a non fiction book. Sure it would be easier to go to ground or even leave the island of Manhattan then Pinter illustrates but it wouldn't be much of a novel if Henry went to a store, stocked up on baked beans and other non perishables and holed up somewhere until his face wasn't fresh in the mind of every NY police officer and citizen on the street. Or if he simply swam across or stole a boat across the Hudson or something. Readers want a good fun action packed story, not a boring safe hide in a corner and hope no one discovers you're there because that's more realistic than what Henry does tale.

Basic plot - Henry Parker is a young journalist who has landed his dream job. He isn't content with just working for the New York Gazette, he wants to make his mark quickly and be writing the stories that matter, not the obituaries and the background on artists who have created giant tacky spiders. Unfortunately for Henry, he does make his mark, only he's not writing the story, he is the story. Unfortunately for Henry he was in the wrong place at the wrong time where a cop ended up dead and his photo is front page news under the headline Cop Killer. Now every NY cop wants the opportunity to deal out their own lethal justice and Henry hasn't a clue what is in a package they say he has as he's never even seen it. The police aren't the only ones who want that package and are prepared to do whatever it takes to get it back. Henry's only hope of survival is to find out why the cop was at the apartment, and what that package is that he and everyone else were looking for.

This is a great book, it's a fast read, short chapters full of action mean you keep telling yourself just one more chapter before I got to work/sleep or whatever. You won't want to put it down until you've finished and even then you'll be looking for the sequel The Guilty.