Marker: A Crime Novel [Hardcover]

Lowell Cauffiel (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1997

When an incriminating IOU belonging to Judge Nelson Connor falls into the hands of a cunning ex-convict who, in turn, tries to blackmail the judge, the tough judge shows the blackmailer a thing or two. By the author of Masquerade. "

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

True crime writer Cauffiel (Eye of the Beholder, LJ 7/94) enters the fictional territory of Elmore Leonard and Jack Higgins with his latest. Detroit judge Nelson Conner jeopardizes family and livelihood with high-risk actions: drinking to excess, occasional drug use, gambling, and helping Ozzie (a college pal and drug supplier) with a possessions charge. Ozzie owes Lawrence Gary, a newly freed convict who prefers planning elaborate crimes to legitimately employing his considerable photographic skills. Then Gary's slow-witted and violent partner, Torino Dentz, kills Ozzie, and they frame Connor. Discovering and dumping the body in a drugged and drunken daze, Connor is scared straight into a shaky recovery. While Gary tries to extort money from him, first with incriminating photographs and then by kidnapping his wife, Connor must remain sober. Moving via vignettes, the book reaches a denouement at the Labor Day Mackinaw Bridge walk. For all popular fiction collections, especially where Leonard et al. are in demand.?V. Louise Saylor, formerly with Eastern Washington Univ. Lib., Cheney
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Nelson Connor is a judge who likes his booze and his coke. Lawrence Gary is an ex-con who kills Connor's drug connection and takes incriminating photos of the drunken judge with the body and then puts the squeeze on Connor, who, meanwhile, is trying to pull his life together in a 12-step program. His only friend as he struggles to deal with Gary is another ex-con who speaks only in 12-step cliches but proves to be a streetwise partner at crunch time. Cauffiel, an acclaimed author of true-crime books, may remind readers of a young, tough Elmore Leonard. The similarities between this novel and Leonard's 52 Pick-Up (1974) are obvious, and Cauffiel, like Leonard, understands that it isn't the protagonist who makes a crime novel, it's the villain. Gary is a compelling bad guy who sees himself as a cut above conventional men. He is smarter than the judge, but the presence of a wily ex-con evens the odds in unexpected ways. A memorable fiction debut. Wes Lukowsky

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Press; 1st edition (July 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312155832
• ISBN-13: 978-0312155834
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 5.9 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,358,887 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Marker is marvelous, July 17, 2000

By 

"lairdk" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Marker: A Crime Novel (Hardcover)

I don't usually read the truly gritty novels, but this one caught my attention from the very beginning. Who could resist a novel that begins with yellow smiley faces on the walls of the Jackson prison and a convict who thinks he knows it all? Then there's the judge, a cocky personality who thinks he's got it all under control.

The judge is a boozer & also does drugs. Unwillingly he goes to Alcoholics Anonymous and then his house of cards begins to tumble down around his head. Everything seems to be going wrong.

Excellent writing, marvelous flow to the narrative and an insightful peek into the psyches of the various people involved. Highly recommended.