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Victor Carl #6
Marked Man
It must have been a hell of a night. One of those long, dangerous nights where the world shifts and doors open. A night of bad judgment and wrong turns, of weariness and hilarity and a hard sexual charge that both frightens and compels. A night where your life changes irrevocably, for better or for worse, but who the hell cares, so long as it changes. It must have been a night just like that, yeah, if only I could remember it. All Victor Carl knows is that he’s just woken up with his suit in tatters, his socks missing, and a stinging pain in his chest thanks to a new tattoo he doesn’t remember a heart inscribed with the name Chantal Adair. My apartment is trashed, my partnership is cracking up, I’m drinking too much, flirting with reporters, sleeping with Realtors. Frankly, I’m in desperate need of something hard and clean in my life, and finding Chantal is all I have. Is Chantal Adair the love of Victor’s life or a terrible drunken mistake? Victor intends to find out, but right now he’s got bigger concerns. His client, a wanted man, needs to come in out of the cold, and he’s got a stolen painting for Victor to use as leverage. But someone is not happy that the painting has surfaced. Or that the client is threatening to tell all. Or that Victor is sniffing around for information about Chantal Adair. The closer Victor comes to figuring it all out, the deeper into danger he falls, as the ghosts of the past return to claim what’s theirs.
Mass Market Paperback
First published May 23, 2006
68 people are currently reading
296 people want to read
About the author
William Lashner
49 books303 followersWilliam Lashner is a former criminal prosecutor with the Department of Justice in Washington D.C. and a graduate of the Iowa Writers’ Workshop. His novels have been published world-wide and have been nominated for two Shamus Awards, a Gumshoe Award, an Edgar Award, and been selected as an Editor’s Choice in the New York Times Book Review. When he was a kid his favorite books were The Count of Monte Cristo and any comic with the Batman on the cover.
Under the pseudonym Tyler Knox he wrote the noir novel, Kockroach.
Series:
* Victor Carl Mystery
Under the pseudonym Tyler Knox he wrote the noir novel, Kockroach.
Series:
* Victor Carl Mystery
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
January 31, 2008
Philadelphia Attorney Victor Carl wakes up one morning in the vestibule of his apartment building, his suit disheveled, socks missing, and the name Chantal Adair inscribed on his chest. Victor can’t remember what happened the prior night and is on a quest to find out, along with who Chantal Adair is. But his efforts are waylaid by a stubborn Greek woman on her deathbed, demanding he bring her son Charlie Kalakos home in return for a favor Victor’s father owes her. Charlie is wanted by the District Attorney’s Office and the FBI for stealing a Rembrandt painting from a museum. Charlie wants to return home to tell his mother goodbye but Charlie’s partners-in-crime would prefer he stay gone. While negotiating with the authorities as well as considering a shady offer by an art dealer/mercenary named Lavender Hill, Victor hires his own investigator to find Chantal Adair. To his surprise, a young girl with the same name disappeared the night Charlie and his gang stole the Rembrandt. Could the two crimes be connected?
Each outing with self-deprecating Victor Carl is a treat for readers who like a good mystery with wacky characters and a narrative voice that entertains throughout. A flawed man who thinks worse of himself than he actually is, Victor is tempted by fame and money with an internal monitoring system that allows him to step outside the bounds of law, but just barely. Victor, who seems to remain in a self-identity crisis, is joined this time by his partner, Beth Derringer, the moral gauge of their partnership. Lashner’s excellent style offers plenty of humor enmeshed within a good story and characters that just can’t be matched. This series is a hard one to top.
Each outing with self-deprecating Victor Carl is a treat for readers who like a good mystery with wacky characters and a narrative voice that entertains throughout. A flawed man who thinks worse of himself than he actually is, Victor is tempted by fame and money with an internal monitoring system that allows him to step outside the bounds of law, but just barely. Victor, who seems to remain in a self-identity crisis, is joined this time by his partner, Beth Derringer, the moral gauge of their partnership. Lashner’s excellent style offers plenty of humor enmeshed within a good story and characters that just can’t be matched. This series is a hard one to top.
January 17, 2015
It's not necessary to have read any of the other books in the series to have enjoyed this book. I haven't and did enjoy the story. Flawed characters make for the best protagonist, and the main character comes with many flaws. Beyond that there is nothing special about this somewhat flawed lawyer and partial detective who wakes up with a girls named tattooed on his back and tries to find out why it got their. There not being anything special about the story is probably why it's so entertaining.
June 11, 2014
I picked this one up on the recommendation of a reader. Normally, I don't like to step into a series 6 books in, but every now and then I throw caution to the wind.
So Victor Carl is a criminal lawyer of some repute, but most of it not that positive, he has some serious relationship issues, a father in poor health, and an odd taste in clients. He's got an investigator (whose name escapes me, and I've already returned the book) who seems awfully good at his job, has a strange speech pattern, and disappears completely and inexplicably half-way through the book. He's got a partner in his law firm going though some sort of existential crisis that I'd probably only understand if I'd read the previous books.
Carl's got a headache of a case at the beginning of the novel -- an elderly Greek woman is on her deathbed (I only mention her ethnicity because she can't seem to go more than a sentence without bringing it up) and she wants to say goodbye to her son, a fugitive. Carl's job is to arrange with the authorities for that meeting to occur. It doesn't take long for Carl to find out that it's not just the authorities looking for the client, his former associates are as well. In the midst of that, speaking of headaches, Carl wakes up one morning, can't remember much about the night before -- other than there was a lot of alcohol, a blonde, and more alcohol involved -- with a woman's name tattooed on his chest. He just has no idea whose name that is.
Believe it or not -- that's not all there is to this book. A whole lot of plot lines -- many of which overlap in very odd ways -- Carl's got to save his own skin, save his client's, get his client to see his mother, find out who belongs to that name (and how it got on him), help his partner with a case and her crisis....aaand a few other things. On the whole, Lashner keeps things moving enough to keep you turning pages, yet doesn't let the multiple storylines confuse the reader.
Each character here is something else -- all individual, all worth more time than we end up spending with them. More than anything, his characters impressed me. Whether it's the agoraphobic pervert, the taxi driver with a shady past, the lawyer with a dark secret, the stripper trapped by a childhood tragedy -- they're all real, they're all human, they're all fully formed. Really strong stuff there.
I wasn't wowed by this book, but I was engaged and entertained. Victor's not as fun as Andy Carpenter, nor his style and case up to the standards of Mickey Haller -- but he's no slouch. I'm probably sold enough to track down book one and dip my toe into this stream at least one more time.
So Victor Carl is a criminal lawyer of some repute, but most of it not that positive, he has some serious relationship issues, a father in poor health, and an odd taste in clients. He's got an investigator (whose name escapes me, and I've already returned the book) who seems awfully good at his job, has a strange speech pattern, and disappears completely and inexplicably half-way through the book. He's got a partner in his law firm going though some sort of existential crisis that I'd probably only understand if I'd read the previous books.
Carl's got a headache of a case at the beginning of the novel -- an elderly Greek woman is on her deathbed (I only mention her ethnicity because she can't seem to go more than a sentence without bringing it up) and she wants to say goodbye to her son, a fugitive. Carl's job is to arrange with the authorities for that meeting to occur. It doesn't take long for Carl to find out that it's not just the authorities looking for the client, his former associates are as well. In the midst of that, speaking of headaches, Carl wakes up one morning, can't remember much about the night before -- other than there was a lot of alcohol, a blonde, and more alcohol involved -- with a woman's name tattooed on his chest. He just has no idea whose name that is.
Believe it or not -- that's not all there is to this book. A whole lot of plot lines -- many of which overlap in very odd ways -- Carl's got to save his own skin, save his client's, get his client to see his mother, find out who belongs to that name (and how it got on him), help his partner with a case and her crisis....aaand a few other things. On the whole, Lashner keeps things moving enough to keep you turning pages, yet doesn't let the multiple storylines confuse the reader.
Each character here is something else -- all individual, all worth more time than we end up spending with them. More than anything, his characters impressed me. Whether it's the agoraphobic pervert, the taxi driver with a shady past, the lawyer with a dark secret, the stripper trapped by a childhood tragedy -- they're all real, they're all human, they're all fully formed. Really strong stuff there.
I wasn't wowed by this book, but I was engaged and entertained. Victor's not as fun as Andy Carpenter, nor his style and case up to the standards of Mickey Haller -- but he's no slouch. I'm probably sold enough to track down book one and dip my toe into this stream at least one more time.
November 14, 2015
What a perfect way to finish my book challenge!! Loved that it kept guessing on each turn of a page. Until the puzzel was solved..
January 19, 2016
Ohh my God! So much twists and turns. All questions answered at the right time. Great plot, great development, and a really good ending.
I liked it very much! Thank you Carolina Gonzalez
I liked it very much! Thank you Carolina Gonzalez
August 26, 2023
"Marked Man" by William Lashner is a mystery novel that delves into the intricacies of crime and personal redemption. While it offers engaging elements, there are certain factors that temper its potential for a higher rating.
The protagonist, Victor Carl, carries the weight of his past while attempting to solve a complex case. Lashner's narrative style captures the essence of urban grittiness, and his exploration of morally ambiguous characters adds depth to the story.
The novel's pacing is generally well-maintained, with the plot evolving at a steady pace. Lashner's ability to craft suspenseful scenes contributes to a sense of intrigue, making readers eager to uncover the truth alongside the protagonist.
However, the story occasionally becomes entangled in its own complexity, leaving readers to navigate a web of subplots that may detract from the central narrative. While the intricate layers add depth, they can also slow down the pacing and result in moments of confusion.
The character development is another mixed aspect. While the characters possess multifaceted personalities, some interactions and motivations may come across as less convincing. This can occasionally undermine the emotional investment readers have in the unfolding events.
The protagonist, Victor Carl, carries the weight of his past while attempting to solve a complex case. Lashner's narrative style captures the essence of urban grittiness, and his exploration of morally ambiguous characters adds depth to the story.
The novel's pacing is generally well-maintained, with the plot evolving at a steady pace. Lashner's ability to craft suspenseful scenes contributes to a sense of intrigue, making readers eager to uncover the truth alongside the protagonist.
However, the story occasionally becomes entangled in its own complexity, leaving readers to navigate a web of subplots that may detract from the central narrative. While the intricate layers add depth, they can also slow down the pacing and result in moments of confusion.
The character development is another mixed aspect. While the characters possess multifaceted personalities, some interactions and motivations may come across as less convincing. This can occasionally undermine the emotional investment readers have in the unfolding events.
July 26, 2018
Victor Carl's ontmoeting met een vrouw in een bar in Philadelphia heeft grote gevolgen voor hem. Want de volgende dag wordt hij wakker met een tatoeage op zijn borst. Omdat Carl wil weten hoe die tatoeage er op is gekomen én wie de vrouw is wiens naam op zijn borst prijkt, gaat hij op onderzoek uit. Ondanks dat hij een aantal zaken heeft lopen waar hij druk mee is.
Eén van die zaken is de diefstal van een schilderij. Een diefstal die bijna dertig jaar geleden heeft plaatsgevonden. Want één van de daders wil het schilderij teruggeven aan de rechtmatige eigenaar. Dat gaat echter niet vlekkeloos, want zowel Carl als zijn cliënt komen in hachelijke situaties terecht. Omdat er meer partijen zijn die in het schilderij geïnteresseerd zijn.
Wie volgt? is van begin tot eind een boeiend boek. En ook in dit boek wordt de humor die Lashner zich blijkbaar eigen heeft gemaakt regelmatig aan bod. Waarbij het gelukkig nergens vervelend wordt. Opvallend vond ik dat de vrouwen die Victor Carl ontmoet stuk voor stuk aantrekkelijk zijn. Dit doet aan het verhaal echter niets af. Want dat is dik in orde.
Eén van die zaken is de diefstal van een schilderij. Een diefstal die bijna dertig jaar geleden heeft plaatsgevonden. Want één van de daders wil het schilderij teruggeven aan de rechtmatige eigenaar. Dat gaat echter niet vlekkeloos, want zowel Carl als zijn cliënt komen in hachelijke situaties terecht. Omdat er meer partijen zijn die in het schilderij geïnteresseerd zijn.
Wie volgt? is van begin tot eind een boeiend boek. En ook in dit boek wordt de humor die Lashner zich blijkbaar eigen heeft gemaakt regelmatig aan bod. Waarbij het gelukkig nergens vervelend wordt. Opvallend vond ik dat de vrouwen die Victor Carl ontmoet stuk voor stuk aantrekkelijk zijn. Dit doet aan het verhaal echter niets af. Want dat is dik in orde.
April 21, 2018
Another compelling Victor Carl read. Great start, where he wakes up to discover a name tattooed on his chest, with no recollection of who it is or why it's there. The reader doesn't find out till very late.
Around this mystery, Carl's picked up a client who is wanted by the FBI. This man just happens to be using a stolen Rembrandt to bargain with, while someone else doesn't want the man or the painting to survive.
I actually used a quote from Lashner's Victor Carl to open Part I of my own book:
“Plan?”
“You don't have a plan?”
“Plans fall apart,” I said. “A strategy is a mode of
operation infinitely adaptable to the truth of the situation
as we find it. I prefer strategies.”
“Okay. So you never told me your strategy.”
“Strategy?”
“You don't have a strategy either?”
“That, I'm working on,” I said.
Around this mystery, Carl's picked up a client who is wanted by the FBI. This man just happens to be using a stolen Rembrandt to bargain with, while someone else doesn't want the man or the painting to survive.
I actually used a quote from Lashner's Victor Carl to open Part I of my own book:
“Plan?”
“You don't have a plan?”
“Plans fall apart,” I said. “A strategy is a mode of
operation infinitely adaptable to the truth of the situation
as we find it. I prefer strategies.”
“Okay. So you never told me your strategy.”
“Strategy?”
“You don't have a strategy either?”
“That, I'm working on,” I said.
April 14, 2021
Attorney Victor Carl is barely making it in the legal profession. One night of too much drinking, and Victor wakes up with a woman's name tattooed on his chest. Victor's one client has secrets, a stolen painting, and multiple individuals willing to kill for it. As Victor works to help his client and find the woman whose name he carries on his chest, the deeper in grave danger he finds himself.
February 18, 2022
Love Lashner. His detective Victor Carl makes funny remarks. I was a Realtor for 54 years, not the kind in in the story though. There is a line in the book. “It’s always about business with a Realtor” so true. You’d probably never even remember or notice that line unless you are/were a Realtor. I laughed out loud.
May 10, 2022
Struggling Philadelphia criminal attorney Victor Carl wakes up with a new tattoo. The next day his father asks him to help an old lady reunite with her art thief son. He's been hiding for decades afraid of the FBI, the old gang and his mother.
I liked it but there was no connection. Maybe because it's the 6th in a series but my first.
I liked it but there was no connection. Maybe because it's the 6th in a series but my first.
February 24, 2025
"L'avvocato della notte" di William Lashner è un thriller avvincente con una trama intricata e un protagonista carismatico.
Victor Carl, un avvocato, si sveglia con un tatuaggio misterioso e si trova coinvolto in un caso che riguarda un dipinto rubato e un cliente pericoloso.
Un libro su cui non avrei scommesso un euro e invece mi ha tenuta incollata fino alla fine
Victor Carl, un avvocato, si sveglia con un tatuaggio misterioso e si trova coinvolto in un caso che riguarda un dipinto rubato e un cliente pericoloso.
Un libro su cui non avrei scommesso un euro e invece mi ha tenuta incollata fino alla fine
May 22, 2019
Lot of characters to keep straight. My 2nd book by this author. Enjoyed the first, tried a couple more which I put down. This one was a good story, but could have been written better. I may try one more.
September 1, 2020
Really enjoyable thriller cum private eye book. The fact that it was the first of the series that I've read and it's book no. 5 really didn't matter. The storyline has some nice neat twist and turns and it keeps you guessing as to who did what where.....
May 15, 2024
Not really that great, but I love the setting in Philadelphia and knowing the neighborhoods and other locales of the story. Story about a heist at the Barnes Foundation, a missing girl, a double crossing gang member, and the wages of sin.....
February 5, 2022
Hmmm. 3 1/2 stars.
December 1, 2022
Odličan krimi roman. Sve preporuke.
December 17, 2022
สนุกตื่นเต้น หาว่าเด็กหายไปยังไง มันเกี่ยวกับคดีโจรกรรมภาพเขียน แต่สำนวนแปลไม่ดีเลย ต้องแปลสำนวนการแปลของนักแปลอีกทีเพลียเลย
February 9, 2023
William Lashner ? Altijd goed !
June 18, 2023
I really enjoy this series. Victor Carl is a wonderful protagonist -- wry, self-aware, dogged, and an interesting mix of moralism and self-interest. Most of the books in this series involve him being sucked into unusual situations (usually in the hopes of making a quick buck) with vivid characters, where ultimately he finds a variety of different ways to prove to himself that there ARE things he values more than money. It's an entertaining ride and this book is no exception.
January 23, 2015
I read a bunch of Lashner several years ago now and really enjoyed his 'better than he wants to be' protagonist, Victor Carl. As is the way sometimes with series for me, though, I at some point stopped reading without ever having actually lost interest. So I was happy in a bit of a reading lull to pull this one off my shelves.
As usual, Victor is still hoping to be the bad boy who makes a killing without regard to scruples, but unfortunately for him, he still has some. That's what we know about him that he doesn't seem to know about himself, although to his regret, he's slowly realizing it. In the quest for one Chantel Adair, whose name has quite literally been tattooed on his chest without his consent, and while trying to pay back a family obligation by bringing an errant son back to his dying mother, Victor of course finds himself in more trouble than he ever anticipated.
Series regulars like Victor's law partner Beth and the private eye he hires, Phil Skink, have their roles here, but for the most part Lashner breaks out into new territory with a new cast of characters. I find this a greatly enjoyable series with a comic undercurrent, and wish Lashner was better known than he appears to be, at least out my way.
As usual, Victor is still hoping to be the bad boy who makes a killing without regard to scruples, but unfortunately for him, he still has some. That's what we know about him that he doesn't seem to know about himself, although to his regret, he's slowly realizing it. In the quest for one Chantel Adair, whose name has quite literally been tattooed on his chest without his consent, and while trying to pay back a family obligation by bringing an errant son back to his dying mother, Victor of course finds himself in more trouble than he ever anticipated.
Series regulars like Victor's law partner Beth and the private eye he hires, Phil Skink, have their roles here, but for the most part Lashner breaks out into new territory with a new cast of characters. I find this a greatly enjoyable series with a comic undercurrent, and wish Lashner was better known than he appears to be, at least out my way.
July 1, 2012
When I purchased this book, I didn't realize it was part of an ongoing series. I might have better understood Victor and his relationship with his partner if I'd read previous books, though it didn't matter much with this story.
On the positive side, the plot holds an intriguing mystery. Victor is a fun character who approaches life with dark humor, and doesn't always uphold the law as he should.
On the negative side, for me, this book had too much dead space within the 499 pages. It could easily have been condensed down to 300 or so for a much more engaging story.
The story started out strong, though it quickly became scattered and messy. There was a whole lot going on, yet there were also a whole lot of pages of nothingness. The characters here felt too much like people in an absurd sitcom. Everyone was excessively quirky and this made the entire story seem more like parody than a believable suspense novel.
Overall, this one just didn't work for me.
On the positive side, the plot holds an intriguing mystery. Victor is a fun character who approaches life with dark humor, and doesn't always uphold the law as he should.
On the negative side, for me, this book had too much dead space within the 499 pages. It could easily have been condensed down to 300 or so for a much more engaging story.
The story started out strong, though it quickly became scattered and messy. There was a whole lot going on, yet there were also a whole lot of pages of nothingness. The characters here felt too much like people in an absurd sitcom. Everyone was excessively quirky and this made the entire story seem more like parody than a believable suspense novel.
Overall, this one just didn't work for me.
September 21, 2011
Another in the author's Victor Carl series. Here we find lawyer Victor waking up after a rough night out with a tattoo on his chest with a girl's name on it, trouble is he has no idea who she is or how it got there.....
Victor is a bit of a mess, he wants to be a `player' but has not got a nasty enough streak to do it, so he lurches along wanting to make the jump to the big time, but some deep rooted morals keep him from the edge. In Marked Man, Victor is trying to re-unite a wanted man with his mother while trying to return a stolen painting. At the same time he is trying to find the girl whose name is on his chest and finds there may be a connection with his case.
This is perfectly entertaining if a little uneven in pace, Victor is an entertaining lead character and the author also introduces some interesting peripheral ones. The plot is interesting enough although a couple of the twists were rather obvious. So while not one of the author's best, it's not bad.
Victor is a bit of a mess, he wants to be a `player' but has not got a nasty enough streak to do it, so he lurches along wanting to make the jump to the big time, but some deep rooted morals keep him from the edge. In Marked Man, Victor is trying to re-unite a wanted man with his mother while trying to return a stolen painting. At the same time he is trying to find the girl whose name is on his chest and finds there may be a connection with his case.
This is perfectly entertaining if a little uneven in pace, Victor is an entertaining lead character and the author also introduces some interesting peripheral ones. The plot is interesting enough although a couple of the twists were rather obvious. So while not one of the author's best, it's not bad.
October 16, 2011
This is the first ‘Victor Carl’ book I have read. I did not know it was a series when I picked up this used book.
That being said, this wasn’t the best book I have ever read, but it wasn’t the worst. Victor is a lawyer trying to slowly move his way through each day. He somehow finds his way to solving a robbery, disappearance and murder. He seems a likable character, but some of the others in this book do not seem realistic.
The story begins with Victor waking up hung-over with a tattoo over his heart with a name of a girl he doesn’t know. His father asks for a favor and then he gets involved with an old robbery of a famous painting.
That being said, this wasn’t the best book I have ever read, but it wasn’t the worst. Victor is a lawyer trying to slowly move his way through each day. He somehow finds his way to solving a robbery, disappearance and murder. He seems a likable character, but some of the others in this book do not seem realistic.
The story begins with Victor waking up hung-over with a tattoo over his heart with a name of a girl he doesn’t know. His father asks for a favor and then he gets involved with an old robbery of a famous painting.
March 11, 2015
Quite the roundabout mystery. Victor Carl is basically a soft hearted guy that gets talks into helping people out. Not a highly successful lawyer, he gets the job done but doesn't make a lot of money. Interesting how he started out with one project, getting a painting returned and a guy to see his dying mother and ends up solving another mystery, that of a missing girl. The two are connected and the cast of characters involved is entertaining, at times almost slapstick. Glad to finally learn how he got the tattoo on his chest in the end and who put it there. That was one of the big questions from the start. Enjoyed the book
June 20, 2009
Sixth in series. Victor wakes from a stuor to find a strange woman's name tattooed on his chest. His search for the woman intersects with a client from his father's past. The search leads from the Jersey shore to Hollywood and back, and entails the disapperance of a child. Beth Derringer leaves the practice, leaving Victor as a sole practitioner. He ends the novel with a conundrum: does he accept a large check shadily obtained?
August 30, 2009
Another winner from my man William Lashner. This guy is the best law/crime/thriller writer I know. Can't wait to read another, too bad there are only two more of his I haven't read yet. To be savored...
January 30, 2010
An okay book. Got me distracted (during chemo). A heist long ago has neighborhood guys on the run--they were never caught--but the real secret is the girl that one of them killed. A lot of convoluted connections.
October 7, 2010
This is a cleverly plotted and well-written novel that begins with a bang, an attorney who awakes disheveled and with a tattooed name across his chest. His quest takes him from art robbery to murder and mystery. A good read.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews