Customer Reviews

Stone Rain

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is the fourth novel read through the eyes of the main character Zack Walker. Zack isn't the brightest guy in the world but he is certainly one of the most loyal to his family and friends. So when his ex neighbour Trixie Snelling, wants him to intervene and stop a journalist from writing a story on her and her bondage business which operates out of her basement, even though he knows doing so is unethical, may get his own journalistic career in jeopardy and most importantly his wife sort of doesn't like him spending time with the beautiful ex neighbour, he does anyway. Of course as always everything goes wrong and not only does he bring a lot of problems for himself and his wife at the Metropolitan newspaper, the story appears anyway. With his marriage falling apart, unemployment beckoning he decides to meet with Trixie once and for all and tell her she can't be a part of his life any longer. Meeting her at her house she is late, the lock doesn't seem to be engaged when she finally gets there and the reporter who caused all the problems is strapped to a bondage cross in the basement with his throat cut. Well his wife is definilty going to find out he was visiting now, especially since Trixie handcuffed him to the stairs and called her to come rescue him as she stole his car and fled. Throw in his son's first job at burger place that doesn't believe in health regulations run by some huge fat woman who don't take kindly to interfearers like him, a bad guy who picks his nose all the time and his marriage is going to be the least of his problems!

Stone Rain is good in that we get to learn a lot more about one of the other main characters in Barclay's debut novel Bad Move in Trixie. Like the other two sequels before this, Barclay does like to recount what went on in the former novels just for the sake of it when it isn't necessary for the story so I highly recommend reading these in order so your surprise and enjoyment factor isn't lessened. Plus you've still got the need for very convenient things to happen for Zack to get out of situations and the age old well why wouldn't you just call the cops when you're visiting the prison and the whole end part of the book wouldn't have needed to happen.

Barclay has gone on to write a couple of independent storyline novels, this is the last in the Zack Walker series at the time of this review however this story leaves it open for more in the future. The standalone stories such written more like Harlan Coben novels than Carl Hiaasen who this series was compared to, such as the masterpieces No Time for Goodbye and Too Close to Home have however been a lot more successful so it may be a while before Barclay reintroduces Zack to the pages.

If you haven't already done so, go and grab a copy of Bad Move and see just how good a character Zack Walker was before he lost the teach his family lessons, extreme cotton wool parenting trait.

In Linwood Barclay's fourth novel featuring trepid newspaper writer Zack Walker, Zack falls into two dangerous situations. His friend Trixie Snelling, accountant turned dominatrix, calls asking for help with a reporter who's been buzzing around her for a story. For reasons that later become clear, she's terrified of having her picture printed in the paper. And Zack's son Paul takes a job as a fry cook, only to discover that the trio of muscular Slavic women running the burger joint are serving up E. coli with their fries. The two threads of the story eventually combine, with both sets of bad guys intent on killing or maiming Zack, albeit with very different weapons. As usual, Zack's tendency to fall into trouble and not come clean about it soon enough also gets him in hot water at home. But what's unusual about this book is that the main story is punctuated by chapters detailing Trixie's colorful back story. This is necessary for our understanding, but for me these were the low points of the book. Frankly, I don't find Trixie a very interesting or sympathetic character. She's made a number of mistakes in her life that have put her friends and family in danger. And while one can try to exonerate her by saying that she was forced into them by her situation, well, she really wasn't. Given at various times in life a choice of two directions to take, she has invariably made the worse choice. So, I don't really care what happens to her. Barclay, however, tells a great story, and he ties up the various strands of the plot very neatly at the end. Still, if there's to be another Zack Walker novel, I'd prefer that the troubles Zack faces be closer to home. And, generally speaking, the more we see of Zack's friend, the enigmatic private eye Lawrence Jones, the better (provided that he, unlike Trixie in this outing, remains enigmatic).

-- Debra Hamel

I am an unabashed fan of Linwood Barclay's books. His character development is first rate, his plots are right in line with what really happens in life stretched out just a tad and he is hysterically funny. His hero, Zack, (if one can call an obsessive-compulsive worrier who lucks out when confronted with danger a hero) mirrors the way our society is trying to protect everyone to the point that we take all the fun out of life. I find myself laughing out loud at the twists and turns, Zack's interior monologues and ludicrous - yet somehow logical- solutions to the problems he encounters. That's a rarity for me, because most authors seem to try too hard for my taste. I wish someone would pick up these characters and make a series or movie (as long as they do it well and are faithful to his voice), so more people would read Barclay's books. If you like mysteries, love a laugh and want a fun read that you can't put down, give Barclay a try. Start at the beginning with his first book, though, because while they stand alone, there's more impact if you follow Zack from his very first encounter with criminal behavior. Stone Rain is the fourth, and I have to wait months for the next in the series.
Oh no, now I'M worried other readers won't get Barclay's sense of irony. I guess Zack is a little contagious!

In the last three years science fiction writer and reporter for the Metropolitan Newspaper Zack Walker has written some deadly stories that have fallen into his lap. He has crossed paths with criminals and his first person accounts are widely read although his editor would like to fire him and his wife Sarah would like to kill him for scaring her. He promises her to walk away from danger in the future, but he knows how difficult adhering to this pledge will be because he never looks for trouble but it always seems to find him.

His good friend Trixie, a dominatrix who works out of her house, asks Zach to talk to suburban newspaper reporter Martin Benson, who heard a rumor about her and wants to interview her. Trixie wants Zack to persuade Martin to drop the story, and especially not to take any pictures of her. When Zack refuses claiming journalistic ethics, Trixie tries to manipulate both men, but her picture appears in the Suburban anyway. This leads to Trixie running away with dangerous men sent by her former boss to get his money back from her on her trail. They use Zack and his wife to try and find Trixie otherwise Zack won't have to worry about his wife killing him. The crime boss will.

Linwood Barclay has written an exciting crime caper whose protagonist likes and needs action, but dives head first into disorganized dangerous dilemmas. Readers will empathize with Zack's wife who has to put up with his shenanigans There is plenty of action in STONE RAIN, but the heart of this tense thriller is the hero, who is in trouble with the law, his boss, his wife, and Trixie's enemies; just a normal day at the office for the Zackster.

Harriet Klausner

First, let me say that Linwood Barclay is one of my favorite authors. I've enjoyed all of his books immensely ..... except this one. I got so frustrated! I kept hoping that after all the trouble Zack has gotten into in the past, he would at least start to smarten up a bit. But no, he hasn't learned a thing as evidenced by what happens to him in this book and the choices he makes. I have to say that a lot of things should have been just common sense or caution learned the hard way from previous experience.

And yes, I realize that the trouble Zack gets into is all part of the character but I wish he'd start learning something from his past mistakes and maybe grow a pair for use at least once in a while to get himself out of trouble.

Trixie Snelling, the dominatrix who plays a supporting role in previous books in this series stars in this episode and lures our hero Zach Walker in yet one more humor packed and yet dark edged adventure. I do wonder if the author is retiring Zach with this book. He's written about three stand alone novels since this one. I do enjoy the character, but considering the quality of the author's later books, I wouldn't really miss Zach all that much.

Linwwood Barclay is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors in the genre. Sad sack hero Zack Walker, sci-fi writer and newspaper man and such a great family man can manage to find more convoluted troubles and this one gives his wife, Sarah her own pot of trouble. Zack Walker stories are so real. You can see the twists and laugh as he gets in deeper and deeper. This fourth book in the series is one of the better mysteries. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

It was very well-plotted, though more serious in tone than the series' other installments. I really enjoyed it! It was a lot of fun to read, but in a bittersweet sort of way, since it seems Barclay has abandoned the series. I suppose there was closure, but it just didn't feel like a series finale to me. I sincerely hope that he someday returns to the thrillingly hilarious escapades of Zack Walker.

this one will keep you riveted! get it and read it! I loved this and read it fast. you will not want to put it down!

An excellent story as are all of those by Linwood Barclay. He gets better wih each new novel.