Sins of Two Fathers: A Novel [Hardcover]

Denis Hamill (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2003

You will now feel the pain I have felt for the past ten years, Hank Tobin. You are going to know what it is like to have your son suffer for the sins of his father, which is the worst pain any man will ever know.

Hank Tobin had it all: a popular column in a New York newspaper, a Pulitzer prize, and wealth that enabled him to live his boyhood dreams. But his world is shattered when his son -- himself an aspiring journalist -- follows an anonymous tip to a can't-miss front-page story: the firebombing of a Brooklyn mosque. Hank's son is accused of the crime, arrested, and thrown into prison. Hank soon discovers that his son was framed by a man who has been waiting a decade to have his revenge.

Sitting in a seedy New York bar ten years earlier, Hank overheard a janitor bragging that his son torched the home of a minority family to keep the neighborhood white. Hank's story of the event made the front page. The boy spent ten years in prison and the family was destroyed -- a minor event in the life of the columnist, a life-altering event for the janitor and his family.

Hank's life is in ruins. Divorced from his wife -- whom he desperately wants back -- and estranged by his daughter, Hank has lost his reputation, his career, and his family. To save his son from a long prison sentence, Hank must confront the vengeful man whose life he once carelessly destroyed.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

There are many fine things in Hamill's latest action-packed thriller, though a credible villain isn't one of them. There's a pitch-perfect portrait of a post-9/11 New York City-including details of what it's like to be stopped and strip-searched at JFK airport; what happens when you think a letter you've just received is laced with anthrax; how close you can come to dying by taking notes when a National Guardsman says you can't; or what it's like being on the wrong Brooklyn street when a militant Jewish vigilante group rolls by. There's also a juicy picture of media high life in Manhattan, the home turf of Hamill's hero, Pulitzer Prize-winning newspaper columnist and novelist Hank Tobin. The novel's only flaw is the all-knowing, all-powerful, endlessly resourceful "LL"-a vengeful father forced into drastic action by a column Tobin wrote 10 years ago that wrongfully sent his son to prison. "LL"-whose background as a janitor is unconvincingly offered to explain his instant access to everything from Tobin's private cell phone number to his newspaper health insurance-is using his superpowers to frame Hank's son, Henry Jr., a promising 22-year-old journalist, on the charge of bombing a Brooklyn mosque. Hank, separated from his retired cop wife and estranged from his family after years of boozing and related sins, strives for all kinds of redemption as Hamill's runaway train of a plot barrels along. Readers should enjoy the ride, especially the scenery.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

From the popular newspaper columnist and mystery author comes a novel about a popular newspaper columnist trying to solve a mystery. Hank Tobin, Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist for the New York Examiner, is having some problems. His wife has left him, accusing him of having an affair, which he denies (but do we believe him?). Somebody who calls himself LL is offering Tobin anonymous tips on hot stories (could LL be Hank's own son, a rival columnist?). And, when Hank digs into the fire-bombing of a Brooklyn mosque, he begins to suspect that the mysterious LL is behind it, and that it's all part of a twisted plot to get revenge on Hank (but for what offense?). Hamill tantalizes us from the get-go: the book opens with Hank working to free his son, who is facing 25 to life in prison for a crime Hank knows he didn't commit, and then skips back in time three days, when Hank is returning home from an assignment overseas. What could possibly happen in three days to put Hank's son, the up-and-coming newspaperman, behind bars? And what, if anything, does the mysterious LL have to do with it? This is a convoluted, thought-provoking novel that should appeal to readers keen on mysteries based on character and motivation, not on guns and chase scenes. It also offers a terrific, richly detailed portrait of contemporary journalism; Hamill shows us the newsroom environment and the daily life of a columnist with almost documentary realism. A real winner. David Pitt
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 384 pages
• Publisher: Atria; 1 edition (October 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 074346298X
• ISBN-13: 978-0743462983
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,636,034 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 Forgive me Father for I Have Sined, November 2, 2003

By 

Bill Cook (New Jersey) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sins of Two Fathers: A Novel (Hardcover)

Yo, mystery novel lovers gather 'round.

If you, like me haven't had your fill of lust, love, betrayal, murder, romance, devious characters, loyalty and good old fashioned family fun, all sandwiched between the covers of a single novel, journey as I did to the land of Hamill---no, not Pete, the other one, Denis (with one 'n).

In record time, for me, I spun my way through the pages of one of Denis Hamill's most recent literary efforts, his riveting and trimphant tour-de-force he called, "Sins of Two Fathers".

"Sins" is a first rate mystery novel complete with a delightfully intriguing Hitchcock-esque ending. Expect only the unexpected. The dialogue is crisp and fresh, at times inhospitable, but always interesting. His character portayals are sharply defined. Take furtive side-long glances at the males and prepare yourself to be captivated and seduced by the women.

You will agree it is time well spent.

Bill Cook

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sins vs. Redemption, May 9, 2004

By 

M. L Lamendola (Merriam, KS USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sins of Two Fathers: A Novel (Hardcover)

What a great book. Strong characters, nail-biting plot, and excellent dialogue. I enjoyed it thoroughly. How Hamill came up with such a complicated, unpredictable plot might make for a book in itself.

What happens when an arrogant columnist abuses his power and people get hurt? In this case, he creates a time bomb that ticks for 10 years. And the consequences explode from the pages. We see Hank Tobin face one challenge after another, with the rug continually yanked out from under his feet. His ex-wife Julie won't even talk to him, until circumstances force them to work together to save first their son from a frame-up. While they work against the clock, their daughter is also framed. With both of their 20-ish children facing stiff prison sentences for crimes the didn't commit, Hank Tobin's long list of enemies attacking him at every turn, ghosts of affairs and betrayed love spooking Hank and Julie, the situation looks hopeless time and time again.

But, they both have allies. And, they have each other. The thing is, it's hard to tell who their friends are and who their enemies are. This book has one surprise after another. You expect to see people constantly betrayed by their own weaknesses and that happens. But in this story, they are betrayed by their strengths, as well. While they overcome seemingly insurmountable odds, they remain human. And in that lies their only hope of salvation.

Adding to the flavor of the book is Hamill's detailed knowledge of New York City places and cultures. He also gives vivid descriptions of events--you can almost feel what the character must be feeling. For example, in one scene we see an immigrant of Arabic descent undergo a humiliating and terrifying search at an airport. In another scene, Hank barely escapes violence at the hands of a vigilante group. We also feel, right along with Hank, as he deals with his desire and love for his ex-wife. His anguish as a father with a son imprisoned for a crime he didn't commit also comes through. It's a story about parental love in various forms: twisted, abused, redeeming, lost, found, empowering, protecting, saving. It's a story about ambition in various forms, too. And it's a story about forces colliding, bouncing off of each other, seeking balance, and pushing people from rocks to hard places and back again.

Here's an interesting tidbit: I'm writing this review on Mother's Day, and my mother recommended this book to me. If you like a nail-biter, you will enjoy this book.

5.0 out of 5 stars Gripping suspense, October 22, 2003

By 

Jim A. McClellan (Houston, Texas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sins of Two Fathers: A Novel (Hardcover)

This gripping suspense story holds the readers interest until the very end. Hank is an engaging protagonist that is true to life and has a very interesting personality. I recommend this exciting story to all readers who like exciting thrillers...