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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of the Year's Best,
By
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: The Perk (Hardcover)
I have no idea why this book is only available from the UK. This is the author's third book. Both of the previous novels were first rate legal thrillers and this one continues the tradition. The book jacket compares Giminez to John Grisham. In my opinion, he is better.
All of his novels are set in Texas, a place he knows and understands. This one takes place largely in Fredricksville as a former local football hero returns to his roots after an absense of twenty-four years. He left to go to Notre Dame and play as quaterback on their football team. Then on to law school, a large Chicago law firm where he was a star trial lawyer. He also left bitter and angry at his father following his mother's death. He returns with his two children following the death of his wife from cancer. Her death has left a large hole in his life and the lives of his children which he is trying desperately to fill. The novel is full of interesting and well drawn characters and the reader is quickly drawn into the story which is masterfully told by a novelist who uses dialogue with the same skill that Van Cliburn handled a piano. If you have previously discovered this author, he remains as good as you remember. If you have not, you have a wonderful treat in store. In fact, you have three.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Thank you Mr. Gimenez...,
By
This review is from: The Perk (Paperback)
"If you beg for it they will mail". Well that's not the exact quote but that doesn't make it less true. Trying to find this book here in the US has been nothing short of frustrating! Why, with the success of Mark's first two books, didn't the publishers didn't pick up his next one? Who knows, I just know that the US publishers are a bunch of [...] for not publishing this book. I wrote Mark about the pain I was feeling and he actually sent me `The Perk' and `The Common Lawyer'. WOW!
I like Mark's books for a number of reasons, the least of which is his ability to bring you in and make you want to be a part of the story. I felt it with `The Common Lawyer' and I really felt it with `The Perk'. The emotions that Beck was feeling with the loss of his wife, the fear of raising his kids, the uncertainty of coming back home, and the gulf between him and his father is a very moving sub-plot to this book. For me, it did start off a bit slow, and that was a bit unusual for one of Mark's books. Thankfully slow doesn't mean boring, and once this book's engine warmed up it purred like a vintage Mustang. Beck is a football celebrity in this small Texas town (Fredericksburg) but it's a town that he could not wait to get out of after high school. He vowed never to come back... ever... but life has a way of laughing at our arrogance in thinking that we can actually control it. He comes back to town and sees the effects of time and progress. While this community has kept its "small town mentality" it has also tried to accept the modern growth that comes with time. The dynamics are pretty funny if you think about it. An American town, controlled by old-school Germans, dealing with illegal Mexicans, all while trying to keep the Texas honored cult that is high school football. All of this is woven together in a book that is pretty hard to put down once you start. My synopsis in a hundred words or less: Beck Hardin, a football legend, comes back to town with his two kids after the death of his wife. He slowly starts to reconcile with his father who he hasn't spoken to in almost twenty four years. Oh yeah, he's a lawyer. The old Judge who pretty much hates illegal immigrants (Mexicans in this case) has just quit the bench. Most everyone wants Beck to run and has already started his campaign without him knowing it. His best friend back in high school has asked him to investigate the murder of his daughter. A sixteen year old sexual starlet who will do whatever and WHOever it takes to make it to Hollywood. This best friend is also the high school football coach who has more barley in his blood than plasma. He's also the coach of an extremely talented yet arrogantly privileged quarterback names Slade. With him they have a chance to win the State Championship, the first time since Beck. Unfortunately Slade has issues and demons that might derail that plan. Beck is put in the middle of a fight between the Mexicans and the Germans and the outcome could make or break this little town. This review, of course, doesn't even come close to the drama, heartache, grief, and small victories that Mark touches upon in this novel. Unfortunately, unless the American publishers pull their head out of their [...], people will miss this very, very, very good book.
5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Gimenez simply gets better!,
By
This review is from: The Perk (Hardcover)
Loved his first two books so much that I had to get this one from the UK. Plot is great. Characters were outstanding. This is one author I'd like to see write a long,long time.
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