The Rain [Mass Market Paperback]

Keith Peterson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1, 1988

Mayforth Kendrick III had photographs to sell, but reporter John Wells refused the deal. This turned out to be a professional mistake when Kendrick was found murdered, and Wells had to face the "Men in Suits" who wanted to know why he had missed out on the biggest story in town.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Shortly after drug-dealer/pimp Mayforth Kendrick fails to sell incriminating pictures of a Senate candidate to investigative reporter John Wells ( There Fell a Shadow ), someone shoots Kendrick, and the pictures disappear. The fact that Wells has turned down a scoop puts his job on the line; he must break the story or else. The rugged chauvinist begins by tracking the woman in the photos, and ends by uncovering a murderer. A strongly focused, if see-through, plot, fiercely forceful action pitting good guy against bad, and a bit of romance contribute to the appeal of this series title.REK
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback
• Publisher: Bantam; First Edition edition (December 1, 1988)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0553276638
• ISBN-13: 978-0553276633
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,036,121 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Rain Falls Mostly On the Unjust, September 16, 2008

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Loren Eaton - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Rain Pb (Paperback)

If someone put a gun to your head and said your life depended on your ability to define a mystery or thriller, you'd probably walk away without breaking a sweat. But if the same assailant said, "Okay, wiseguy, tell me about hardboiled," you just might find a Niagara coursing down your neck. For every genre that pop culture canonizes, there are three left in the outer darkness, and hardboiled -- an unsentimental, rough-and-tumble cousin of noir -- falls into the latter category. That's a shame, because if it were more popular then perhaps Andrew Klavan's Edgar-winning novel The Rain would be widely available. As it stands, I had to wait for a British version to make its way over to me. But if life imitates this particular piece of art, the search is just part of the package.

New York Star reporter John Wells is after a girl. No, no, not like that. You see, one of his less-seemly contacts offered him some snaps of a congressman Paul Abingdon caught in a -- shall we say -- comprising position, but Wells turned him down. Ensuring that the news doesn't cater to the lowest common denominator is a matter of principal to Wells. And did I mention that the photos were taken in a bedroom? Well, before you know it Wells' contact turns up drilled between the eyes with a .22, the rumor about the politician is out, and every reporter in town is on it like a rottweiler on raw hamburger. The Star's brass isn't happy that Wells lost the biggest story of a very slow, very hot August. He has a week to get a scoop or he's out on his ear. Wells sees only two options -- find the pictures (which have mysteriously disappeared) or the girl in them.

Hardboiled is one of those rare genres where style is as important as substance, and Klavan (writing here under the pseudonym Keith Peterson) hits the proverbial nail on the head. The Rain's prose is tight, punchy and vivid, the dialogue winningly witty. An example? Sure. When Wells questions an NYPD detective about whether he has any leads, the detective quips, "No naked Abingdon pictures. No naked lady pictures. No naked Abingdon with a naked lady. Right now, as far as the New York City police department is concerned, you're a person who has sex fantasies about Senate candidates." The novel's no slouch in the thematic department either. Its ending serves as a piercing meditation on the nature of lust and personal corruption. The only place where it fizzles is in a portrayal of a misogynistic, Bible-thumping Pentecostal, a tired stereotype that ought to be permanently retired. Still, The Rain is refreshing -- even if you have to wait for it.