Customer Reviews

A Slow Walk to Hell

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

A thouroughly entertaining military police procedural. Marty, Amanda, and Simon once again do what they do best by solving a grippping, sad murder story with many twist and turns, and shocking revelations. Mr Davis fans will not be disappointed with this well written novel. As usual, I can't wait to see what comes next with these three.

Warrentown, Virginia Chief of Police Martin Collins raises his thirteen-year-old daughter on his own since his wife died five years ago. He is not ready to let go of the past even though he cares deeply for Major Amanda Gardner, a situation that becomes very awkward when they are forced to work together. That happens whenever Martin works as a civilian consultant for the Air Force's Office of Special Investigations.

Their latest case involves the death of Major Franklin Talbot who was involved in a scandal when his boss Colonel Kelly brought charges against him because his subordinate told him he was a homosexual. That affair was squashed thanks to the machinations of Congressman Garrison Harris, the chairman of the House Appropriations Committee and the person expected to become the next President of the United States. As Martin and Amanda delve into the homicide, the body count rises.

A SLOW WALK TO HELL is a fascinating police procedural that is a partnership between the OSI and the Arlington Police Department. Readers get a fascinating look at how the same investigation is handled by civilians and the military. The issue of Don't Ask, Don't Tell is used as a plot device to emphasize how unworkable the policy actually is (sexual preference does not protect anyone from enemy weapons). Patrick A. Davis knows how to tell a terrific story by creating characters that matter.

Harriet Klausner

One of his outstanding books. Patrick A. Davis has become one of my favorite authors.

Do yourself a favor and get yourself a copy of A Slow Walk To Hell. This book adds to Patrick A. Davis's long list of fast-paced, suspenseful military thrillers. I don't understand why this author isn't a bigger "name" among thriller lovers. A Slow Walk To Hell involves an Air Force investigator assigned to the torture-slaying of an officer who becomes embroiled in a possible hate crime with high-ranking officers and the victim's uncle, the leading presidential candidate, as the chief suspects. Its plot is well-developed and filled with twists and turns, and its characters are multi-dimensional and interesting. If you decide to read A Slow Walk To Hell make sure you have a lot of spare tme because once you start it, I don't think you'll be able to put it down for any length of time. Without going into detail, the reason I'm not giving the book a 5-star rating pertains to its ending, which, while surprising, isn't explained clearly enough (at least for me). Enjoy!

Davis has foud niche with his military crime fiction. A terrific story with a neat surprise at end. He moves through the world of the Pentagon and joint chief of staff easily, and his characters have a lot of bite to them. The one problem he has fallen into, and why I gave this only 4 stars, is that he is becoming repetitve in his books with witnesses being shot just as they are being interviewed. It happens in nearly every book he has written.

Air Force investigator Martin Collins and Major Amanda Gardner are called upon to investigate the torture-slaying of Major Franklin Talbot, the nephew of the next president of the United Sates. Major Talbot revealed that he was gay to Colonel Kelly, but after Colonel Kelly reported him and brought him up on charges, Talbot denied it. Talbot's powerful uncle, Congressman Harris, circumvented what could have been blown up into a full-blown scandal. Unable to prove his charges, Kelly was conveniently reassigned out of the country. Now Talbot is dead and Kelly is back in the country and a prime suspect. The further along in their investigation Martin and Amanda get,the more complicated it gets and the more people end up dead.

He and Major Gardner have many times worked investigations together, but this time proves awkward for them. Martin has lost his wife Nicole five years earlier and is raising his 13-year old daaugher. He and Amanda have had a romantic relationship, but Amanda decided to move on when Martin was not ready to let go of his deceased wife. Now Amanda is engaged and Martin realizes that he loves her. The dynamic in their relationship coupled with an interesting plot makes for a very good story.

Patrick Davis does know how to tell an interesting story. It was an intricately woven plot that examines the military "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy along with some religious/homosexual behavior/guilt issues. The one thing that annoyed me though, was a plot device that Mr. Davis used to keep the reader from knowing some pertinent details of the story. It was almost like the characters were whispering behind your back. Once or twice would have been okay, but it happened time and time again. There had to be a better way to move the story along with the obvious one character telling another character something, but leaving the reader in the dark.

Martin Collins is the chief of police in a small Virginia town not far from Washington,D.C. Also, he is a former Lt. Col. in the Air Force OSI and is subject to being called back to investigate special cases. He has a 13 year old daughter and has been involved in a romantic relationship with a fellow female officer which has not been fulfilled since he has had problems getting over the death of his wife. An military officer is brutally tortured and killed. The murders to wipe out witnesses to the blackmail plot continue.
A general who is a friend of his from college is a prime suspect.
A congressman who seems to be assured of election as the next president is a key figure as is his wife a beautiful former Olympic athlete. A number of high level officials are involved in homosexual situations. Plenty of excitement along the way.