Sandra Nichols Found Dead

Jerry Kennedy #4

by George V. Higgins

Appointed by former classmate Judge Henry Lawler to prosecute the boyfriend of a murdered woman, Jerry Kennedy has difficulty proving the guilt of the defendant, a more than likely suspect, when the victim's body is discovered long after her death

Genres: Fiction, Crime, Mystery Thriller

241 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 1996

About the author

George Vincent Higgins was a United States author, lawyer, newspaper columnist, and college professor. He is best known for his bestselling crime novels.

Reviews

[Darwin8u · Rating 3 out of 5]

A legal thriller, that exists entirely in preliminary work? A murder mystery where the murderer doesn't get thrown in jail? What about where one of the victims might not even want his mother's murderer to be found at fault? In fact, this book exists in a space where they aren't looking to prove he did it beyond reasonable doubt, but only to a standard of balance of probability, say 51%? Higgins is playing with the form and his language is delicious. His idioms are adictive, but he also doesn't quite pull it off. It felt like eating a meal prepared by a world-class chef who is sorta playing around and enjoying himself. If you like the chef and like the process, this is a good place for you. If you are looking for a perfect book, maybe not.

[Adam McPhee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Higgins has never let me down but I made the mistake of consuming this as an audiobook instead of actually reading it. In theory, it's the perfect novel for an audiobook: first person pov with a lot of dialogue, but almost always being relayed as the narrator telling you what someone told him. So, like in real life, it makes sense for one guy to read the whole thing. But I just couldn't do it. I think audiobooks would be made illegal if we lived in a democracy that actually lived up to its ideals or even just if we truly valued culture.

There's a really good bit at the end about sparrows and robins, maybe the only bit of nature writing Higgins has ever done, but it really tied in well to the story and I loved it. The story is maybe the lowest stakes Higgins I've ever seen, or maybe the most impersonal is a better way of putting it. It's not bad, I've always loved Higgins' asides and tangents, but they felt really interminable in this slow reading.

[columbialion · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was my first time reading Higgins. The author's style (if indeed is replicated throughout his other works) is an acquired taste at best. His formulation and use of strange contractions, which apparently are without boundaries, as they appear liberally throughout; using verbs, nouns, adjectives and even proper names equally. Additionally his 1st person style is at times a rambling almost streaming conscienceness, which is difficult to follow.
Th storyline and plot is thin, the intrigue develops primarily around the Kennedy's character's ability to navigate through successive interviews, reconstructing a legal pathway to press forward with a wrongful death lawsuit....kind of dry stuff for a mystery. Anyway, I'll suspend final judgement and will give Higgins a secondary go of it with another title.....to be continued.

[False · Rating 3 out of 5]

Higgins writes such marvelous scenes: a plant thief in a protected wetlands discovers a body, neglected children at a boarding school, lunch at Locke Ober (R.I.P.) This book had good flow to it and danced around an interesting legal principle involving wills and pre-nuptial intent. While finishing this book today, a math teacher was killed by a freshman pupil in Danvers, Massachusetts, and I wondered what Higgins would do with this. He's going to be tried as an adult.

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

"No one ever called me cuddles"

Sure, you like George Higgins. But have you ever met this Higgins. You say you like his dialog. But how about all dialogue, about anything, all the time??

Yes, he I s still better than most writers. But this was overwhelming and baffling. Minor characters go on and in about the least interesting stuff. It's still interesting to some degree but I spent much of the time wondering why a particular character went on and on about something utterly personal and pointless. If you cut all that out , it book would be a third of what it was. Sometimes it was an utter surprise when the plot returned back to Jerry. It split time in flashbacks twists and turns. So many different people are talking it was effectively dickensian -- a portrait of mass holes in the early nineties

If you are a Higgins completions and must read this book, please keep track from the beginning of all the various lectures on all the various subjects. It's staggering

[Clark M. Neily, Jr. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this is a little gem, and actually one of his best. It should be preceded by Defending Billy Ryan.

[Amy Kathleen]

This was my first and last book by this author. The 1st person view, drifted off into ramblings. I just find it hard to believe that this was a work by a best selling author and not a 12 year old.

[Selma · Rating 3 out of 5]

Extremely quirky writing that starts slowly and becomes entertaining.