Customer Reviews

Midnight Rambler: Library Edition

5 star:		(45)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Jack Carpenter is a former cop, turned abduction specialist. His last case on the force involved the "Midnight Rambler" a.k.a. Simon Skell. He got him convicted, but his methods forced his resignation - and cost him his wife. Even Jack's college-age daughter doesn't know what to think.

But Carpenter is good at what he does - and ekes out a living as a consultant to police department that need his experience to recover lost children. And he does just that. Then Jack's life threatens to unravel further. The body of the Midnight Rambler's last victim is found in her prostitute sister's backyard, with her pimp's cross, clutched in her hand.

Now the local radio shock jock is up in arms. Skell's wife and attorney are trying Jack in the media with his help, and more people are going missing. While the local police try to distance themselves from Jack, an FBI agent believes Jack's story - and together they begin to unearth a much greater problem than the Midnight Rambler. But getting to the truth puts everything at risk - witnesses who have stepped forward in the past are being killed or threatened, Jack's few remaining relationships are drying up, and someone's doing a great job of setting Jack up as the real Midnight Rambler!

The action never stops and you'd better be prepared to keep reading once you start! Like Tony Valentine (another of Swain's great characters), you'll find yourself pulling for Jack every step of the way.

Armchair Interviews says: Great to have a main character you really want to root for.

I first picked up a Swain novel revolving around his casino sleuth, Tony Valentine, several years ago and have read several since. I find the most interesting aspect of these Valentine novels to be the insights Swain provides into the underbelly of casino life. The rest of his work seems pedestrian and mundane to me and I began to wonder why I continued to read the series. When I read the slash page for "Midnight Rambler", I was quick to explore this new, "grittier" character and the promises of a new direction for Swain. Despite what you read in these reviews, Jack Carpenter is little more than recycled Tony Valentine in "Midnight Rambler".

In this first installment of an apparent new series, the promised grittier character that is more prone to violence and more explosive was apparently kept under wraps, or more accurately turned out to be Jack's dog, not Jack. The most exciting and interesting new character offered in this book is Jack's dog whose appearances I found myself anticipating more than Jack's. I did appreciate the insights into the realities of missing persons and lost children (statistical as well as anecdotal), and the harrowing scene in Disney World was a great case study in itself. But I felt the entire time that Tony Valentine had changed addresses and specialties.

There was a "softness" about the book and its characters in that as the mystery and conspiracy began to come into focus, the conspirators were too quick to "roll over" and take their medicine. I found a lot of character stereotyping from Jack's angry former police colleague, to Skell's groupie wife, to the fickle media, and to the child abusers themselves. There is a very readable mystery here, especially determining who the various conspirators are as things begin to unravel. But the various subplots are dealt with summarily and shallowly at times; for instance, there is little back story of why these abusers teamed up in the first place, what their interactions are, etc.

Warning disclaimer: Plot details follow for prospective readers. Similarly, the whole setup for Skell's release from prison and his intended revenge never really reaches the "payoff" the writer intended and I suspect the reader expected. The sudden demise of Skell's wife, his attorney, etc. seemed to be little more than sudden housecleaning by the author. And the author's failure to tie up all the loose ends--portending a follow up book is a device of which I have quickly grown weary.

Ex-cop Jack Carpenter's damaged reputation is on the line, but even worse, his conscience won't let him give up on the case that ruined his career and cost him his marriage. Although a number of women have fallen victim to murderer-pedophile Simon Skell, only one count comes before the court, along with the corroborating testimony of a young woman held captive and tortured by the wily predator. When the body that got Skell convicted shows up in a relative's back yard, indicating another may be the killer, Skell is on the verge of being released. If that happens, he will come after Carpenter and the lone witness against him, a stripper in Ft. Lauderdale. Jack scrambles to put together a viable case and keep Skell where he belongs, a nearly impossible task considering the damage done to the witness's testimony and Jack's already tattered reputation. Piece by piece, Jack assembles an intricate case that goes beyond the usual pedophile profile.

Ever since he left the force, Carpenter has dedicated himself to finding missing children, a commitment he unfailingly pursues. While dedicated to stopping Skell, Jack takes time out to help desperate couples, offering a chilling view of the world of child exploitation. All too often, Jack must face the parents with the worst possible news, so it is a relief when he successfully completes a few rescues while dealing with Skell's uncanny manipulation of public opinion, Skell's wife and lawyer holding frequent press conferences, setting the stage for Jack's ultimate denouement. A little worse for wear, living alone with hopes of reuniting with his wife of twenty years, Carpenter is a sympathetic protagonist, the underdog mercilessly taunted by the past and the very public exposure of his mistakes. In spite of what his fellow cops believe, Jack is not a corrupt opportunist who takes advantage of helpless women, nor has he betrayed his conscience in self-interest.

Swain masterfully assembles his cast: the intrepid Jack Carpenter, his faithful dog by his side; the distrusting Ft. Lauderdale cops; the more-supportive FBI; a self-serving shock jock; a serial killer with a genius IQ and a thirst for vengeance; and a motley crew of low-life's and crooks who dwell in the shadows, child exploitation a lucrative business. Worse, they feed off the innocence of victims, a perverted brotherhood. Carpenter smashes Skell's carefully constructed house of cards, one by one, doggedly following the disparate clues to a stunning conclusion. As the action builds, the cast is propelled through a maze of back alleys and false identities, the monster at the core proving impossible to catch.

Too much is at stake, not the least of which is the only witness to Skell's sick obsession, the landscape littered with the disappeared. Revealing the ugly underbelly of a particularly heinous crime, Midnight Rambler is compelling, Jack Carpenter a man to watch, a lone wolf in pursuit of justice. From Jack's local haunts in Ft. Lauderdale to Orlando and Disney's Magic Kingdom, no action is wasted, the violence never gratuitous, law enforcement balanced with the amoral mindset of sociopathic predators, Carpenter caught in the middle of a paradigm that favors the rights of the criminal, but just crazy enough not to care. Luan Gaines/ 2007.

Midnight Rambler (2007) is the story of an ex-cop whose career was destroyed by his violence against a serial killer who used a Rolling Stones song while torturing his victims. Jack ran the Missing Persons Division in Broward County Florida before leaving the force, and continues privately in that field while still trying to figure out what Simon Skell, the Midnight Rambler, did with the bodies of his victims. Then the body of one of the victims is discovered, and forensic evidence suggests that the wrong man may have been jailed. With his faithful dog, Buster, at his side, Jack races against the clock to gather new evidence to keep Skell behind bars. This thriller leaves much of the violence off-stage while keeping all of the tension front and center. Jack is a sympathetic protagonist, empathetic yet tough, and unlike most ex-cops in crime fiction, Jack does not struggle with alcohol addiction!

http://www.stopyourekillingme.com/S_Authors/Swain_James.html

First time reader of this author, I started this on vacation and could hardly put it down. Nonstop action and edge of my seat thrills. Love the character of Jack Carpenter and hope to see lots more of him.Will definitely pass his name along to my fellow readers.

I've enjoyed Swain's Tony Valentine novels and recently learned of his more recent character, Jack Carpenter. I'm glad I did. This book is fast-paced and was difficult to put down. I tore through it. It's a hard-hitting suspense novel with creative twists that keep it fresh. I'm from South Florida, and Swain (also a Floridian) does a great job capturing the seedy side of paradise. The scene in Disney World is spot-on.

I read this just after finishing Stephen King's "Under the Dome." I'm a big King fan, but I didn't love "Under the Dome." It just took too long for something big to happen. "Midnight Ramber" was the opposite. It seems like something big happens on every page. Highly recommended.

Midnight Rambler appears to be the first of a series featuring Jack Carpenter, a disgraced ex-cop, almost broke PI, who has a talent for finding "lost" children. The locale is the well worked ground of Southern Florida. Jack is a likeable protagonist - loving husband (although estranged from his wife), father (college age daughter) and dog owner (said dog borders on being a "partner" joining Jack on every road trip). Jack has a sense of humor, a temper, an exercise regimen, a set of seedy friends and enough "connections" to keep him informed or provide back-up and special favors when necessary. The plot revolves around the villain/case that sent Jack packing from the Police Dept. with his tail between his legs and now he has a chance to redeem himself. So all the formulaic "private eye bases" are covered.

The bad news. The story's plausibility factor is at times stretched beyond belief. The "bad guy", (with a genius IQ), not only manipulates his own cohorts but the justice system and its associated players - cops, forensic experts, judges - with an expertise that borders on farce.

Secondly, poor Jack with his "past" is constantly fighting an uphill battle in the credibility department with no one giving him the benefit of the doubt until the end.

The good news is that there are some extremely entertaining and poignant vignettes - for instance a kidnapping attempt at Disney World and the advice/solution Jack gives/provides to wealthy parents about the "disappearance" of their daughter.

Part of my problem with this book was the expectation level I had based on the previous reviews. Midnight Rambler is not a bad book - I just didn't find it a great thriller - simply an "average" one.

This is the first novel I've read by this author. I enjoyed the style in which he writes. The protagonist is a relatively complex character who certainly places himself in temptation's path but holds true to his morals to remain faithful to his wife, despite their separation. His compassion on another level is for the downtrodden women of society; castaways and runaways. The plot was also compelling enough to hold my interest and kept me looking forward to the next page.

James Swain is the author of a series of mysteries centered in the gambling world. The last one or two began to seem a tad rote. Probably recognizing the gambling world was covered, Mr. Swain changed gears and wrote this suspense filled mystery centered around missing children and adults. It is rare that an author can make such a switch, but Mr. Swain accomplishes it with aplomb and flying colors.

Jack Carpenter is an ex-cop thrown off the force for assaulting an abductor of women. As new evidence comes in on the conviction of the man he assaulted, the abductor, Skell, will have to released. Carpenter, a missing persons expert, has to get the goods on him to keep him imprisoned. Along the way, Carpenter shows his expertise in solviong a few missing children emergencies. These side sub-plots do not distract the reader at all. Rather, they add to the tension and suspense.

Carpenter suspects that Skell is behind more than just one abduction, but the bodies can not be found. He begins to learn, while the world is seemingly after him, that there is more to the abductions than thought and they may not be Skell's work alone.

Carpenter is a terrific character. He is down and out, yet his core is still, somehow in tact. He has depth that is rare in a stand alone novel. Usually it would take more than one novel to get a character so finely drawn.

This is a terrific mystery with good personalities all around, not just the main character. There are plenty of plot twists to keep any mystery fan engrossed. Highly recommended.

This novel has all of the marks of Swains Valentine series. The almost too easy successes salting the big, difficult question his detective is attempting to solve. Most of this is by the way of procedural information in little sub or side plots which show us the skill of an a main good guy. We also have the tangential, charming or appealing women, but no majorly distracting romantic plot for our slightly middle aged hero. In this case,an estranged wife and college age daughter .Instead of a slightlt rougish son, we have an appealing dog. Then too here's the south Florida attractiveness and speedy life-style of interstates, strip joints and beach/marina bars.

Instead of a retired Tony Valentine, the hero - Carpenter -is a forced off the force cop. The old-boy network and the compulsory by the book cops as well as the rough up the force media also is part of the picture. If you have read Swain's last two and had the feeling that he had about run out the string on casino scams ( I had the distinct sense of a couple of bar tricks by the end of the last)then you will be happy to know the old drive is back with a new ex-cop. This one dedicated to solving the problem of missing persons. Along the way, there's a bit to learn about how un-private you might think your moments of privacy really are as the last part of the tale drives toward revealing the methods of the villians. It is entertainment and doesn't get too preachy. I'd buy it again.