6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Another JSB Winner, July 23, 2008
This review is from: Try Darkness (Ty Buchanan Series, Book 2) (Hardcover)
James Scott Bell scores again. Ty Buchanan, defender of the defenseless, takes on the case of a man accused of robbery and murder. The man claims he didn't do it, but eye-witnesses ID him. Or is it a case of mistaken identity? Ty is determined to find out. Then, a secretive woman with a six year old daughter seeks his help, only to wind up dead, leaving the little girl, with no last name, orphaned. Ty takes the child under his wing and sets out to find her mother's killer.
But Ty is on his own now, with no trial experience in criminal law, armed only with his sense of justice, sharp mind, and a dogged determination to push through all obstacles to find the truth. We met Ty in Try Dying, Book 1 of the Ty Buchanan mystery/thriller series when his fiancée was killed and he learned it wasn't just a freak accident--it was out-and-out murder. He took some hard knocks, even accused of murder, but fought his way through to the truth.
His sometimes smart-aleck and confident attitude gets his bell rung a few times in Try Darkness, too, Book 2. And his temper threatens to be his undoing a number of times. But the wise counsel of his friends Sister Mary Veritas, a Benedictine nun, and Father Bob, a disgraced priest, try to help him stay on track. Ty's home and sanctuary is in a trailer situated on the grounds of St. Monica's due to the Benedictine rule of hospitality, Sister Mary and Father Bob his only 'family.
Try Darkness is fast moving and action packed, with snappy dialog. The pages practically turned themselves as I read--as I've come to expect from a James Scott Bell book. I love the unique layout of the chapters, all 191 of them! But not to worry, they're not long. Some are only a paragraph, some may appear two to a page, maybe even, with the book open, you'll see five chapters between the two pages. It's fun, and kept me turning the pages. AND, there's no place to find an easy break where you feel ready to set the book aside. Can't be done. I read Try Darkness in less than two days, waking up in the night to my husband taking my glasses off, setting the book aside and turning out the light.
Do I recommend this book? Oh, yeah!
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Nary a wasted word and packed with action, Try Darkness is even better than Try Dying, July 18, 2008
This review is from: Try Darkness (Ty Buchanan Series, Book 2) (Hardcover)
Ever since his first novel came out in 1995, James Scott Bell's been an author to watch. "The Darwin Conspiracy", a sometimes tongue-in-cheek look at the evolution debate, put him on our radar. Two years later his legal thriller "Circumstantial Evidence" debuted, and since then Jim hasn't strayed too far from his suspense groove. In fact, when you pick up a Bell novel you can count on his trademark tag-line "The Suspense Never Rests" to be true.
That's certainly the case for his new Ty Buchanan crime/mystery series. In "Try Dying" (Book 1), Ty's character was established. He's a fighter, an attorney you don't want to push too hard. Yet we always suspected he had a softer side. Now in "Try Darkness" (Book 2), a little girl's mother is murdered and Ty becomes her impromptu guardian. Fatherly instincts Ty didn't even know he had bubble to the surface. He'll do anything to defend the young life under his care. Why was her mother murdered? What connection does the crime have with charges the mother was about to bring to the motel ready to evict them? As usual, there's much more going on than first meets the eye, and it's up to Ty to unravel the mystery and keep himself and his friends alive in the process.
Ty's character has developed, and he now gives legal advice to the poor and downtrodden. The pursuit of justice for his clients keeps him going and awake at night. He already lost everything in Try Dying, and he's still living at the St. Monica's community. So he has nothing to lose and little fear, a dangerous combination for his opponents. Not that he doesn't have his vulnerabilities--the wind's knocked out of him more than once. But like the crime fiction heroes of yesteryear, Ty Buchanan always clambers back on his feet. Even in the bleakest moments he'll press on--sometimes bleeding, sometimes barely able to see straight.
Every hero needs a confidant, and Ty's basketball wielding friend Sister Mary fills more pages here than in the first book. We're delving deeper into her character as she grapples with the struggle between her faith as a nun and the rules and regulations of the Benedictine community. Father Bob makes appearances as well, always available to offer wisdom and a caring ear to Ty.
Fans of Bell's previous inspirational novels won't be disappointed. In some ways the faith elements are even more prominent in this series, since the St. Monica's setting naturally sparks some spiritual conversations. But hard-boiled crime fiction lovers need not fear being preached at or hammered over the head with a "message". The story always takes center stage.
James Scott Bell's goal for this series was to write books in the vein of the great crime fiction stories of the 40's and 50's like "The Big Sleep" & "The Maltese Falcon". And for those weary of the gratuitous violence, sex, and language found in much of today's crime novels the Ty Buchanan series will be a breath of fresh air. Yes, bad stuff happens, but we aren't forced to watch it unfold in technicolor.
The scenes zoom. The plot zips. The dialogue zings. And the spiritual thread challenges us to re-think our worldview. It's almost like watching a movie unfold across the pages. As always, Jim is a wizard of surprises. Just when we think we might have things figured out he throws in a spiral we never saw coming. Nary a wasted word and packed with action, "Try Darkness" is even better than "Try Dying".
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AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH JAMES SCOTT BELL
by C.J. Darlington
Q: Share with us a little bit about what first drove you to write the Ty Buchanan series.
JSB: I get a lot of ideas from news stories. Several years ago a man shot his wife in South L.A., then drove to an overpass, got out, shot himself and fell a hundred feet to the freeway below. His body slammed into a car and killed the driver. That stayed with me. I thought, what an opening for a novel. (I can't help it).
So I started playing around with the incident in my mind, and wondered who would be most affected by this, and came up with a young hotshot lawyer, Tyler Buchanan, whose fiancée is killed on page one in an incident like that.
That started the ball rolling.
Q: How did you come up with the name for your lead character?
JSB: It was purposeful. One of my favorite Westerns is "Buchanan Rides Alone" starring Randolph Scott. He's a loner who rides into a corrupt town and helps a guy, and gets a lot of people mad at him. Sounds like Ty in Los Angeles.
Tyler was chosen because there's a fight going on inside him, a dark side that competes for attention. Sort of like an inner Tyler Durden from "The Fight Club".
That juxtaposition of these characters seemed like it would make great fodder for inner conflict, which is, after all, the most compelling aspect of a novel.
Q: Can you explain a little further?
JSB: Flat characters are ultimately dull, even if you put in all the plot fireworks you can. Inner conflict is essential to overcome this. I mean, look at "High Noon". The inner conflict is written all over Gary Cooper's face for the whole movie. And why not? He's probably going to be killed by the bad guys, and he's just married Grace Kelly. Grace Kelly! No wonder he's conflicted.
Seriously, as the town refuses to help him, and death becomes almost guaranteed, he knows he cannot back out. It would kill him inside. That's inner conflict. The character has to face a choice that means "dying inside" if he does the right thing.
Q: How did you develop the plot for the second book, Try Darkness?
JSB: Again, an item in the paper. There are low rent hotels in L.A. that sometimes play fast and loose with the law. In something called the "28 day shuffle," they force residents out before a full month, so certain renters' rights don't kick in.
I have Buchanan representing a poor woman who's getting this treatment. Of course, murder happens and Ty has to find out what's going on. Because he now has the woman's six year old daughter to protect.
Q: Have you found writing a series more challenging than writing stand-alone novels? Why or why not?
JSB: I am liking this series, becoming very fond of the characters. The challenge is to keep them growing throughout, even as they encounter twisting plot lines. But I enjoy the challenge.
When it's really done well, as in the books of Michael Connelly, it's incredibly satisfying. That's a high bar, but it's what I'm reaching for.
Q: What is the role of the Catholic characters - Sister Mary and Father Bob?
JSB: They represent one side in a multi-layered argument going on inside Buchanan. Spiritual interest is high in society right now, and why wouldn't it be, with the way things are? The search for answers is strong now, and I like having several different characters for Buchanan to play off.
There is Sister Mary Veritas, the basketball playing nun, and Father Bob, as you mentioned. There's also Barton C. "Pick" McNitt, a former philosophy professor who went crazy and now runs a coffee bar where Ty meets his clients. McNitt is an atheist who rails, Howard Beale style, against societal ills.
Then there's the simple innocence of a child, Kylie, who Ty has to protect.
All these things swirl around him as he deals with the loss of the woman he was going to marry.
Q: What are you hoping the Ty Buchanan series accomplishes?
JSB: Like any novelist, I want to give people a good read. I want them to fall in love with the characters. And I want to write about the search for justice in a dark world. That seems to be my theme, in all my books.
But whatever the theme, unless readers are compelled to turn the pages, nothing else will matter. So that's my first task.
Q: How many more books can we expect in the Ty Buchanan series and what's his next adventure?
JSB: The next one is Try Fear (mid-2009). This one is going to have a full on murder trial, and takes place mostly in Hollywood. I'd love to keep the series going after that. I have thirty good titles (when I get to "Try the Veal" I'll have to pack it in). The more the word gets out on the series, the better the chance it'll go on. So be sure to tell every reader to get a copy, and spread the word to their entire extended family.
Q: Umm...
JSB: No pressure.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Exactly What We Want in a Sequel, October 22, 2008
This review is from: Try Darkness (Ty Buchanan Series, Book 2) (Hardcover)
Ty Buchanan is certainly not your typical lawyer. After the tragic death of his fiancé, Ty moves into a trailer behind a convent and befriends a nun with a passion for hoops. Together they work to bring justice to the downtrodden that cross their path. Ty's latest case involves a young girl whose mother was brutally murdered before her eyes. As Ty and Sister Mary Veritas look further into the case, they uncover a conspiracy between a larger than life business mogul and Ty's old law firm. It will take every ounce of Ty's wit and Sister Mary's unwavering faith to bring justice and hope to the little girl that has stolen their hearts.
James Scott Bell has given us exactly what we want in a sequel: an even better story. I thoroughly enjoyed Try Dying, but this second installment really outweighs the first. Ty Buchanan is such an engaging character full of heart, flaws, and passion. His own personal search for truth and meaning is such a welcome addition to an already rich plot. Bell knows how to structure a plot (heck, he has written a book about it) and his talent is on full display here. Never does the story drag or cause you to wonder just how many more pages are left. This is truly one of the more engaging novels I've read in some time.
Let's not forget about the wonderfully strange cast of characters Bell treats us to. Sister Mary Veritas is a fun and complex counterpart to Ty and their relationship is wonderfully explored here. Father Bob and Pick McNitt are back and as entertaining as ever with their witty banter and unique perspectives. Bell also mixes in some new characters that are sure to become fan favorites.
Try Darkness holds it's own as a mystery and also works as a relevant exploration into faith. Ty and Sister Mary remind me of Dr. Brennan and Agent Booth on the TV show, Bones. Being a self proclaimed agnostic, Ty often butts heads with Sister Mary over issues of spirituality making for fascinating conversations between the two. Indeed, one of the most intriguing aspects of Ty Buchanan is his passion for helping and serving others despite his uncertainty about God.
James Scott Bell totally has me hooked and I am eagerly awaiting another installment in this impressive series.
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