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Mission Flats: A Novel
From the New York Times bestselling author of Defending Jacob
Former D.A. William Landay explodes onto the suspense scene with an electrifying novel about the true price of crime and the hidden corners of the criminal justice system. Only an insider could so vividly capture Boston’s gritty underworld of cops and criminals. And only a natural storyteller could weave this mesmerizing tale of murder and memory, a story about the hold of time past over time present–and the story of one unforgettable young policeman who ventures into the most dangerous place of all.
By a gleaming lake in the forests of western Maine, outside a sleepy town called Versailles, the body of a man lies sprawled in a deserted cabin. The dead man was an elite D.A. from Boston, and his beat was that city’s toughest Mission Flats .
Now, for small-town police chief Ben Truman, investigating the murder will mean leaving his quiet, haunted home and journeying to an alien world of hard streets and hard bargains, where the fierce struggle between police and criminals is fought for the ultimate stakes.
Ben joins a manhunt through Mission Flats, where cops are scrambling to find their number-one Harold Braxton, a ruthless predator targeted for prosecution by the murdered D.A. To the Boston police, Braxton is a marked man. But as Ben watches the shadow dance of cops and suspects, he begins to voice doubts about Braxton’s guilt…especially when he uncovers a secret history of murder and retribution stretching back twenty years…back to a brutal killing now nearly forgotten. As past and present collide and a bloody mystery unfolds, only one thing remains the most powerful
revelations are yet to come.
Mission Flats is at once a relentless page-turning mystery and a vivid portrait of a cop’ s life. Here are the street corners, courtrooms, and stationhouses; the deal makers, thugs, and quiet heroes. An unforgettable world–and the luminous, boundary-breaking debut of a new voice in suspense fiction–Mission Flats will haunt you long after the final pages.
Former D.A. William Landay explodes onto the suspense scene with an electrifying novel about the true price of crime and the hidden corners of the criminal justice system. Only an insider could so vividly capture Boston’s gritty underworld of cops and criminals. And only a natural storyteller could weave this mesmerizing tale of murder and memory, a story about the hold of time past over time present–and the story of one unforgettable young policeman who ventures into the most dangerous place of all.
By a gleaming lake in the forests of western Maine, outside a sleepy town called Versailles, the body of a man lies sprawled in a deserted cabin. The dead man was an elite D.A. from Boston, and his beat was that city’s toughest Mission Flats .
Now, for small-town police chief Ben Truman, investigating the murder will mean leaving his quiet, haunted home and journeying to an alien world of hard streets and hard bargains, where the fierce struggle between police and criminals is fought for the ultimate stakes.
Ben joins a manhunt through Mission Flats, where cops are scrambling to find their number-one Harold Braxton, a ruthless predator targeted for prosecution by the murdered D.A. To the Boston police, Braxton is a marked man. But as Ben watches the shadow dance of cops and suspects, he begins to voice doubts about Braxton’s guilt…especially when he uncovers a secret history of murder and retribution stretching back twenty years…back to a brutal killing now nearly forgotten. As past and present collide and a bloody mystery unfolds, only one thing remains the most powerful
revelations are yet to come.
Mission Flats is at once a relentless page-turning mystery and a vivid portrait of a cop’ s life. Here are the street corners, courtrooms, and stationhouses; the deal makers, thugs, and quiet heroes. An unforgettable world–and the luminous, boundary-breaking debut of a new voice in suspense fiction–Mission Flats will haunt you long after the final pages.
464 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2003
711 people are currently reading
4094 people want to read
About the author
William Landay
5 books2,590 followersWilliam Landay is the author of All That Is Mine I Carry With Me and three previous novels: Defending Jacob, which won the Strand Critics Award for best mystery novel; The Strangler, listed as a best crime novel of the year by the L.A. Times, Daily Telegraph and others; and Mission Flats, winner of the Dagger Award for best first crime novel. A former assistant district attorney, he lives in Boston.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 504 reviews
February 14, 2012
“Mission Flats” by William Landay, published by Dell.
Category – Mystery/Thriller
I had never heard of the author William Landay until a month ago when I read his novel, “Defending Jacob”. This was a truly exceptional read and you can find my review on “goodreads.com”. Suffice it to say I gave it the highest rating possible.
After reading “Defending Jacob” I went back to find what other books he had written. I just finished his first book, “Mission Flats”. What a marvel, I cannot determine which book is better, both are top notch and exceptional read that leaves the reader in doubt as to the outcome until the very end, and then expect the unexpected.
“Mission Flats”, a notorious drug and crime area in Boston, begins in a small town outside Boston. Chief Ben Truman comes across the body of a Boston District Attorney. The murder trail leads back to Boston and Truman becomes embroiled in the search for the killer out of his jurisdiction. In searching for the killer it is found that the murder may have it’s beginnings in another murder committed some twenty years ago.
Although the story seems convoluted with the many possibilities, it is very easy to follow. The fun is trying to figure out the good guys from the bad guys when maybe the good guys are the bad guys.
A total mystery package that will thrill even the most devout mystery fans.
William Landay has a way of sucking you in and turning you completely about then hitting you with a “hell” of an ending.
Category – Mystery/Thriller
I had never heard of the author William Landay until a month ago when I read his novel, “Defending Jacob”. This was a truly exceptional read and you can find my review on “goodreads.com”. Suffice it to say I gave it the highest rating possible.
After reading “Defending Jacob” I went back to find what other books he had written. I just finished his first book, “Mission Flats”. What a marvel, I cannot determine which book is better, both are top notch and exceptional read that leaves the reader in doubt as to the outcome until the very end, and then expect the unexpected.
“Mission Flats”, a notorious drug and crime area in Boston, begins in a small town outside Boston. Chief Ben Truman comes across the body of a Boston District Attorney. The murder trail leads back to Boston and Truman becomes embroiled in the search for the killer out of his jurisdiction. In searching for the killer it is found that the murder may have it’s beginnings in another murder committed some twenty years ago.
Although the story seems convoluted with the many possibilities, it is very easy to follow. The fun is trying to figure out the good guys from the bad guys when maybe the good guys are the bad guys.
A total mystery package that will thrill even the most devout mystery fans.
William Landay has a way of sucking you in and turning you completely about then hitting you with a “hell” of an ending.
May 19, 2022
Landay’s debut novel, a story set in the war between cops and drug gangs in the impoverished, crime ridden neighborhood Mission Flats. Ben Truman, a novice cop who happens to be chief of police for a tiny Maine hamlet discovers the body of a murdered prosecutor in one of the local cabins. He is miles out of his depth, but he hooks up with a retired Boston detective, and together they pursue a local gang leader, while stepping on the toes of the Boston PD and Boston prosecutors.
The story evolves realistically, the cops and crooks are all vivid, human, and irresistible. Dark secrets are revealed, and Landay piles surprise on top of surprise, for a thrilling conclusion. The trick with really good mysteries is to give us an unexpected turn, but a turn we believe could have happened. Landay does this like a pro, so the story is nothing but satisfying.
The story evolves realistically, the cops and crooks are all vivid, human, and irresistible. Dark secrets are revealed, and Landay piles surprise on top of surprise, for a thrilling conclusion. The trick with really good mysteries is to give us an unexpected turn, but a turn we believe could have happened. Landay does this like a pro, so the story is nothing but satisfying.
March 12, 2014
There's not much crime to speak of in the small town of Versailles (Ver-SALES), Maine. The chief of police, Ben Truman, is only 24 years old. He had been studying for his doctorate in history and returned home when his mother developed Alzheimer's. He eventually inherited the police chief job from his father. When Ben discovers the decomposing body of a prominent prosecutor from the Boston district attorney's office in a local cabin, life changes dramatically. Ben has never had to investigate anything more serious than the occasional case of vandalism. Even as he tries to assess the crime scene, he is blundering about and missing key pieces of evidence, which is pointed out to him by a retired homicide detective by the name of John Kelly. Although the case has been taken over by the Boston police, Ben feels that since this murder occurred on his home turf, he should be a part of the investigation. They just barely tolerate his intervention, keeping him at the edges of the case. But Ben made one smart move by deputizing Kelly, and he helps steer Ben through the investigation.
The dead prosecutor had been looking at some gangland activity in the Mission Flats area of Boston. Mission Flats is a hotbed of drug dealing, and the police quickly name Harold Braxton, drug runner and head of the Mission Posse, as the killer. As the hunt for Braxton broadens, the trail leads to two unsolved cases from years before. Sometimes working with the men of the Boston department and sometimes against them, Ben doggedly pursues the leads. It's a compelling and complex investigation which leads to a resolution that is like a punch to the gut, one of the most surprisingly effective conclusions I've seen in a crime novel.
The book is beautifully written, with an involving plot and textured characterization. All of the character portrayals were multi-layered; but unfortunately, I found a lot of inconsistency in the characters throughout the book. For example, Ben is depicted as being quite naïve, almost like a hayseed, and then expresses observations about life that sound like those of a much more seasoned and mature man. The prime suspect, Harold Braxton, is presented as the devil's agent and moves to something far more noble than would be supported in his role of gang leader.
After I finished reading the book and starting analyzing my reaction to it, the strangest thing happened. I was originally extremely impressed with this debut novel and had assigned it a rating of 4.5 on a 5.0 scale. But something kept nagging at me, the feeling that I had been taken for a ride. I finally realized that I felt deceived by the narrator. The book was told from the point of view of Ben. I'm sure you've heard of the concept of the "unreliable narrator", where you cannot trust what the narrator is telling you because he has colored it from his own viewpoint and is not necessarily presenting information objectively. However, in this case Landay didn't play fair at all in how Ben narrated the story. He deliberately didn't tell the truth about what he saw and knew and left out vitally important details. The author didn't seem to choose this approach to advance the book, but rather to misguide the reader and build a totally "surprising" ending. It's true that I was surprised; but upon reflection, I felt cheated as well. My rating of the book moved from 4.5 to 2.5. Landay has the raw talent, but the execution was flawed.
The dead prosecutor had been looking at some gangland activity in the Mission Flats area of Boston. Mission Flats is a hotbed of drug dealing, and the police quickly name Harold Braxton, drug runner and head of the Mission Posse, as the killer. As the hunt for Braxton broadens, the trail leads to two unsolved cases from years before. Sometimes working with the men of the Boston department and sometimes against them, Ben doggedly pursues the leads. It's a compelling and complex investigation which leads to a resolution that is like a punch to the gut, one of the most surprisingly effective conclusions I've seen in a crime novel.
The book is beautifully written, with an involving plot and textured characterization. All of the character portrayals were multi-layered; but unfortunately, I found a lot of inconsistency in the characters throughout the book. For example, Ben is depicted as being quite naïve, almost like a hayseed, and then expresses observations about life that sound like those of a much more seasoned and mature man. The prime suspect, Harold Braxton, is presented as the devil's agent and moves to something far more noble than would be supported in his role of gang leader.
After I finished reading the book and starting analyzing my reaction to it, the strangest thing happened. I was originally extremely impressed with this debut novel and had assigned it a rating of 4.5 on a 5.0 scale. But something kept nagging at me, the feeling that I had been taken for a ride. I finally realized that I felt deceived by the narrator. The book was told from the point of view of Ben. I'm sure you've heard of the concept of the "unreliable narrator", where you cannot trust what the narrator is telling you because he has colored it from his own viewpoint and is not necessarily presenting information objectively. However, in this case Landay didn't play fair at all in how Ben narrated the story. He deliberately didn't tell the truth about what he saw and knew and left out vitally important details. The author didn't seem to choose this approach to advance the book, but rather to misguide the reader and build a totally "surprising" ending. It's true that I was surprised; but upon reflection, I felt cheated as well. My rating of the book moved from 4.5 to 2.5. Landay has the raw talent, but the execution was flawed.
April 4, 2013
Like many of the other reviewers, I too read Defending Jacob and enjoyed it. I enjoyed Mission Flats as well, even though I did find it to be a little slow in the beginning. It did pick up and had many plot twists and turns all the way up until the end.
The one problem I found with the story is that certain things just don't fit. One of the major complaints about mysteries is that they don't make sense or are unbelievable. This is often the reason people will give when saying that they don't like to read a mystery. Of course true mystery fans will just answer with, "well you haven't read a great mystery then." While I think the story itself is great and most of it follows a logical path, there are certain parts of the book that are written in such a way that the reader is misled. I don't want to give anything away, but I will end by saying that if certain sections of the book were just written in a different format, I probably would have given this at least one more star.
The one problem I found with the story is that certain things just don't fit. One of the major complaints about mysteries is that they don't make sense or are unbelievable. This is often the reason people will give when saying that they don't like to read a mystery. Of course true mystery fans will just answer with, "well you haven't read a great mystery then." While I think the story itself is great and most of it follows a logical path, there are certain parts of the book that are written in such a way that the reader is misled. I don't want to give anything away, but I will end by saying that if certain sections of the book were just written in a different format, I probably would have given this at least one more star.
August 11, 2016
Μετά από πολύυυυυυ καιρό κάθομαι να γράψω κριτική γι' αυτό το βιβλίο! Όχι ότι δεν αξίζει, τουναντίον, είναι ένα αρκετά στιβαρό αστυνομικό μυθιστόρημα που κρατάει τον αναγνώστη σε αγωνία μέχρι την τελευταία του σελίδα!
Η ιστορία αναφέρεται στο διοικητή μιας μικρής περιφέρειας των Η.Π.Α. ο οποίος συμμετέχει στην εξιχνίαση ενός φόνου και ξαφνικά βρίσκεται και αυτός προσωπικά μπλεγμένος σε αυτόν, οπότε μετά ξεκινάει την προσπάθεια να αποδείξει την αθωότητά του!
Το βιβλίο είναι ευκολοδιάβαστο, δεν κουράζει και περιέχει αρκετό σασπένς ώστε να κρατάει καθηλωμένο τον αναγνώστη. Ο συγγραφέας θίγει τα κακώς κείμενα της αμερικάνικης (και όχι μόνο) αστυνομίας, με τις πλεκτάνες, τη διαφθορά και τα παιχνίδια εξουσίας που παίζονται εντός της, παρουσιάζοντάς τα με πολύ γλαφυρό τρόπο. Η αφήγηση σε πρώτο πρόσωπο βάζει τον αναγνώστη στη θέση του ήρωα, να βιώνει τα γεγονότα και τις αγωνίες του. Το μεγάλο ατού του βιβλίου είναι ότι ο Landay για άλλη μια φορά θέτει στον αναγνώστη διλήμματα και τον αφήνει να αποφασίσει μόνος του για την ορθότητα της συμπεριφοράς των πρωταγωνιστών και για τα όρια της ηθικής του καθενός μας. Το δεύτερο μεγάλου ατού του βιβλίου είναι το τέλος του (όσο κι αν κάποιοι μπορεί να το έχουν αντιληφθεί πρωτύτερα), το οποίο όντως είναι σαν "...μια σοκαριστική εκπυρσοκρότηση...!", όπως αναφέρει το Booklist.
Όμως, και σε αυτό το βιβλίο (όπως και στην "Υπόθεση Jacob") νομίζω ότι ο συγγραφέας έχει καλές και ενδιαφέρουσες ιδέες αλλά υστερεί λίγο στη συγγραφή, αδυνατώντας να πρωτοτυπήσει, να διαφοροποιηθεί, να προσφέρει κάτι το καινούργιο, να εξελίξει το αστυνομικό μυθιστόρημα, κρατώντας καθηλωμένο το βιβλίο σε μέτρια και συνηθισμένα επίπεδα. (7/10)
Η ιστορία αναφέρεται στο διοικητή μιας μικρής περιφέρειας των Η.Π.Α. ο οποίος συμμετέχει στην εξιχνίαση ενός φόνου και ξαφνικά βρίσκεται και αυτός προσωπικά μπλεγμένος σε αυτόν, οπότε μετά ξεκινάει την προσπάθεια να αποδείξει την αθωότητά του!
Το βιβλίο είναι ευκολοδιάβαστο, δεν κουράζει και περιέχει αρκετό σασπένς ώστε να κρατάει καθηλωμένο τον αναγνώστη. Ο συγγραφέας θίγει τα κακώς κείμενα της αμερικάνικης (και όχι μόνο) αστυνομίας, με τις πλεκτάνες, τη διαφθορά και τα παιχνίδια εξουσίας που παίζονται εντός της, παρουσιάζοντάς τα με πολύ γλαφυρό τρόπο. Η αφήγηση σε πρώτο πρόσωπο βάζει τον αναγνώστη στη θέση του ήρωα, να βιώνει τα γεγονότα και τις αγωνίες του. Το μεγάλο ατού του βιβλίου είναι ότι ο Landay για άλλη μια φορά θέτει στον αναγνώστη διλήμματα και τον αφήνει να αποφασίσει μόνος του για την ορθότητα της συμπεριφοράς των πρωταγωνιστών και για τα όρια της ηθικής του καθενός μας. Το δεύτερο μεγάλου ατού του βιβλίου είναι το τέλος του (όσο κι αν κάποιοι μπορεί να το έχουν αντιληφθεί πρωτύτερα), το οποίο όντως είναι σαν "...μια σοκαριστική εκπυρσοκρότηση...!", όπως αναφέρει το Booklist.
Όμως, και σε αυτό το βιβλίο (όπως και στην "Υπόθεση Jacob") νομίζω ότι ο συγγραφέας έχει καλές και ενδιαφέρουσες ιδέες αλλά υστερεί λίγο στη συγγραφή, αδυνατώντας να πρωτοτυπήσει, να διαφοροποιηθεί, να προσφέρει κάτι το καινούργιο, να εξελίξει το αστυνομικό μυθιστόρημα, κρατώντας καθηλωμένο το βιβλίο σε μέτρια και συνηθισμένα επίπεδα. (7/10)
November 19, 2011
I absolutely loved this book. It was fast moving, well written and the end was a big surprise. I didn't figure it out until it was actually revealed at the end. This was William Landay's first book which won an award for Best First Novel. Well deserved. If you like mysteries this is one of the best I've ever read.
I have downloaded his second book which is entitled The Strangler. If it is half as good as Mission Flats it will get five stars as well.
I have downloaded his second book which is entitled The Strangler. If it is half as good as Mission Flats it will get five stars as well.
September 11, 2016
Αστυνομικό μυθιστόρημα που δεν απογοητεύει. Ανατρεπτικό. Έχει περάσει λίγη ώρα που το τελείωσα και ακόμα σκέφτομαι πώς μέσα σε λίγες σελίδες ξεδιπλώθηκαν τόσες ζωές, αποτυπώθηκαν σχέσεις αστυνομίας/εισαγγελίας με τον υπόκοσμο και τον τρόπο που ο συγγραφέας σε έβαζε στα παπούτσια των ηρώων όταν σκεφτόσουν: εγώ στη θέση του τι θα έκανα;
Ο Μπεν Τρούμαν θα παρατήσει τις σπουδές του για να βρεθεί στους γονείς του όταν η μάνα του αρχίζει να εκδηλώνει Αλτσαχάιμερ. Θα γίνει ο διοικητής του αστυνομικού τμήματος μιας απομονωμένης επαρχίας στο Μέιν. Όταν βρει σε μια εξοχική κατοικία το πτώμα ενός άντρα που θα αποδειχθεί ότι ήταν του Ντάνζιγκερ, εισαγγελέα στη Βοστόνη, τότε με τη βοήθεια του συνταξιούχου αστυνομικού Κέλι και της κόρης του Καρολάιν, εισαγγελέα επίσης, θα ακολουθήσει τα ίχνη της υπόθεσης στη Βοστόνη. Ο αστυνομικός Γκίτενς θα αποτελέσει το μεγάλο σχολείο για τον τρόπο που εργάζονται και φέρονται οι συνάδελφοί του ενώ από τον Κέλι θα μάθει να αποκωδικοποιεί τις εικόνες γύρω του. Αυτό το βλαχαδερό, άσχετο με το επάγγελμα και την εικόνα του στιβαρού αστυνονικού είναι ο ήρωας, ο Μπεν Τρούμαν, ικανός να κρατήσει το ενδιαφέρον ενός βιβλίου; Ναι, είναι...
Ο Μπεν Τρούμαν θα παρατήσει τις σπουδές του για να βρεθεί στους γονείς του όταν η μάνα του αρχίζει να εκδηλώνει Αλτσαχάιμερ. Θα γίνει ο διοικητής του αστυνομικού τμήματος μιας απομονωμένης επαρχίας στο Μέιν. Όταν βρει σε μια εξοχική κατοικία το πτώμα ενός άντρα που θα αποδειχθεί ότι ήταν του Ντάνζιγκερ, εισαγγελέα στη Βοστόνη, τότε με τη βοήθεια του συνταξιούχου αστυνομικού Κέλι και της κόρης του Καρολάιν, εισαγγελέα επίσης, θα ακολουθήσει τα ίχνη της υπόθεσης στη Βοστόνη. Ο αστυνομικός Γκίτενς θα αποτελέσει το μεγάλο σχολείο για τον τρόπο που εργάζονται και φέρονται οι συνάδελφοί του ενώ από τον Κέλι θα μάθει να αποκωδικοποιεί τις εικόνες γύρω του. Αυτό το βλαχαδερό, άσχετο με το επάγγελμα και την εικόνα του στιβαρού αστυνονικού είναι ο ήρωας, ο Μπεν Τρούμαν, ικανός να κρατήσει το ενδιαφέρον ενός βιβλίου; Ναι, είναι...
March 10, 2016
Δεν μπορώ να πω ότι ενθουσιάστηκα με το πρώτο βιβλίο του William Landay, ο οποίος είναι συγγρα��έας του μυθιστορήματος "Υπόθεση Jacob". Η πλοκή αυτού του βιβλίου ήταν συνηθισμένη και σε αρκετά σημεία γινόταν κουραστική. Υπήρχαν σημεία όπου ο ρυθμός ήταν πολύ αργός και κάποια άλλα που ήταν υπερβολικά γρήγορος. Επίσης, κάποιες στιγμές ένιωθα ότι έχανε σε αληθοφάνεια το κείμενο. Εκείνο που μου άρεσε ήταν η ανατροπή στο τέλος, ουσιαστικά, όμως, θεωρώ πως η "Διπλή Παγίδα" είναι ένα μέτριο αστυνομικό μυθιστόρημα.
May 8, 2020
Δεν μπορώ να πω ότι ενθουσιάστηκα κιόλας. Καταρχήν περίμενα να είναι πιο "δικαστικό", αλλά αυτό ήταν καθαρό αστυνομικό. Θα μου πεις "Ποιος σου φταίει, τι μας νοιάζει τι περίμενες, ας διάβαζες καλύτερα το οπισθόφυλλο". Ε, καλά, είχα διαβάσει την "Υπόθεση Jacob" πρώτα και νόμιζα θα είναι σαν αυτό, τι να κάνω τώρα, ούτε που κοίταξα το οπισθόφυλλο πριν το πάρω. Οπότε μια απογοήτευση από την υπόθεση όλη την πήρα.
Επίσης, δεν είχε ιδιαίτερη ένταση. Όχι ότι δεν ήταν ενδιαφέρον, σε καμία περίπτωση, το διάβασα μάλιστα ευχάριστα και γρήγορα. Αλλά να: υπήρχε πολύς κόσμος που είχε πολλά μυστικά, κάποια από αυτά αποκαλύπτονταν ξαφνικά και χωρίς λόγο, δεν υπήρχαν ξεκάθαροι καλοί και κακοί και δεν συμπάθησα κανέναν από όλους εμφανίζονται έστω και για λίγο στην ιστορία. Τέτοια πράγματα.
Τέλος πάντων, ο συγγραφέας γράφει όμορφα και κατάφερε να μου κρατήσει το ενδιαφέρον παρόλα όσα είπα στην προηγούμενη παράγραφο, οπότε θα πάρει και τρίτο αστεράκι για τον τρόπο γραφής του.
https://kiallovivlio.blogspot.com/
Επίσης, δεν είχε ιδιαίτερη ένταση. Όχι ότι δεν ήταν ενδιαφέρον, σε καμία περίπτωση, το διάβασα μάλιστα ευχάριστα και γρήγορα. Αλλά να: υπήρχε πολύς κόσμος που είχε πολλά μυστικά, κάποια από αυτά αποκαλύπτονταν ξαφνικά και χωρίς λόγο, δεν υπήρχαν ξεκάθαροι καλοί και κακοί και δεν συμπάθησα κανέναν από όλους εμφανίζονται έστω και για λίγο στην ιστορία. Τέτοια πράγματα.
Τέλος πάντων, ο συγγραφέας γράφει όμορφα και κατάφερε να μου κρατήσει το ενδιαφέρον παρόλα όσα είπα στην προηγούμενη παράγραφο, οπότε θα πάρει και τρίτο αστεράκι για τον τρόπο γραφής του.
https://kiallovivlio.blogspot.com/
February 4, 2020
Μέτριο,υποτονικό,αδιάφορο,χωρίς καμία έκπληξη από την αρχή μέχρι το τέλος.Ήρωες επίσης αδιάφορους και όχι και τόσο συμπαθείς.
Σε κάποια σημεία κάτι πήγαινε να πει αλλά κάπου το έχανε.Είχα μάλλον πολλές βλέψεις γι αυτό το βιβλίο μιας και το προηγούμενο του ίδιου που διάβασα (Υπόθεση Jacob) ήταν εξαιρετικό.
2/5
Σε κάποια σημεία κάτι πήγαινε να πει αλλά κάπου το έχανε.Είχα μάλλον πολλές βλέψεις γι αυτό το βιβλίο μιας και το προηγούμενο του ίδιου που διάβασα (Υπόθεση Jacob) ήταν εξαιρετικό.
2/5
January 23, 2013
I hesitated to read this book after being thoroughly disappointed in Defending Jacob. Still, any author can turn out one bad book, so I gave Landay a second chance.
Mission Flats is better than Defending Jacob but not by much. Landay tells Ben Truman’s story in a conversational voice. The story reads like he’s telling the story to a friend not reporting on events. Then he goes and spoils that easy tone with long narrative passages (sometimes whole chapters) of Ben’s thoughts that slow the story down and take us out of the flow. Landay also breaks that conversational tone by starting two scenes with a statement of what’s coming, like, ‘The first time Caroline kissed me.’ Done consistently, it would have established a ‘rhythm’ for the book that would have worked very well, but only using it twice jars.
Throughout the book, I cared about Ben, was rooting for him to succeed. A small town police chief (the force consists of him and one other officer) who uncovers the murder of a big city DA and, shut out of the investigation by the state police, he heads for the big city to investigate it on his own. Along the way, he’s lied to, denied information, and at one point, accused of committing the murder he’s investigating yet he perseveres, digging for answers no one wants him to have.
Then Landay blows it. He throws in an ‘out of the blue’ twist that wasn’t hinted at in even the vaguest way earlier. He compounds this dirty trick by giving the twist another twist almost at the end, as if he had thrown the first one in without thinking it through then realized at the end he had to ‘fix’ it, so came up with the second one to solve the problem.
Readers like to see the main character grow or learn something over the course of a book, become a better person that he was, changed in some way from the person he was at the beginning of the book. None of those happen to Ben. At the end, he’s right back where he started only with more problems than he had at the start. That does not make for a satisfying conclusion, leaves the reader (at least this reader) feeling as if the story is incomplete.
After two disappointing efforts, William Landay is off my reading list.
Mission Flats is better than Defending Jacob but not by much. Landay tells Ben Truman’s story in a conversational voice. The story reads like he’s telling the story to a friend not reporting on events. Then he goes and spoils that easy tone with long narrative passages (sometimes whole chapters) of Ben’s thoughts that slow the story down and take us out of the flow. Landay also breaks that conversational tone by starting two scenes with a statement of what’s coming, like, ‘The first time Caroline kissed me.’ Done consistently, it would have established a ‘rhythm’ for the book that would have worked very well, but only using it twice jars.
Throughout the book, I cared about Ben, was rooting for him to succeed. A small town police chief (the force consists of him and one other officer) who uncovers the murder of a big city DA and, shut out of the investigation by the state police, he heads for the big city to investigate it on his own. Along the way, he’s lied to, denied information, and at one point, accused of committing the murder he’s investigating yet he perseveres, digging for answers no one wants him to have.
Then Landay blows it. He throws in an ‘out of the blue’ twist that wasn’t hinted at in even the vaguest way earlier. He compounds this dirty trick by giving the twist another twist almost at the end, as if he had thrown the first one in without thinking it through then realized at the end he had to ‘fix’ it, so came up with the second one to solve the problem.
Readers like to see the main character grow or learn something over the course of a book, become a better person that he was, changed in some way from the person he was at the beginning of the book. None of those happen to Ben. At the end, he’s right back where he started only with more problems than he had at the start. That does not make for a satisfying conclusion, leaves the reader (at least this reader) feeling as if the story is incomplete.
After two disappointing efforts, William Landay is off my reading list.
August 23, 2017
A well-written police/crime drama. I think I enjoyed this book more than Defending Jacob (that surprised me!).
February 27, 2024
"There is no end to any chain of events, ever. There is no cause without an effect, no incident without its sequel."
Well h*ll! I thought I had this one figured out then I didn't, sure did not see that coming! I've seen some negative reviews of this book unfavorably comparing it to the authors "Defending Jacob" novel, which I completely enjoyed, but I think the comparison is unfair as this is an altogether different story. This novel is a crime/thriller with some mystery thrown in, and as for me I really enjoyed it, it started out a little slow but it definitely picked up and closed with an unexpected twist. There's always a soft spot in my heart for tortured, small town police chiefs that love their moms.☺
Well h*ll! I thought I had this one figured out then I didn't, sure did not see that coming! I've seen some negative reviews of this book unfavorably comparing it to the authors "Defending Jacob" novel, which I completely enjoyed, but I think the comparison is unfair as this is an altogether different story. This novel is a crime/thriller with some mystery thrown in, and as for me I really enjoyed it, it started out a little slow but it definitely picked up and closed with an unexpected twist. There's always a soft spot in my heart for tortured, small town police chiefs that love their moms.☺
April 6, 2014
Slow and too predictable...and yet the so called twist just isn't believable. After reading Defending Jacob this book falls flat. I won't even bother with Landay's other book.
August 10, 2020
There were a few twists & turns in this police procedural. I think the book lends itself to being made into a tv film. I found some of the conversation parts a bit cheesy & it really grated on me that the character John Kelly pretty much called the police chief, Ben Truman, by his full name the whole way through the book.
An easy, fast read but for me not as good as Defending Jacob.
An easy, fast read but for me not as good as Defending Jacob.
June 2, 2020
This took me a while to read, I don’t know if it started slow, or it just took me longer to get into it. But mid-way into the book, I couldn’t stop. Similar to Defending Jacob, this book has twists I didn’t see coming.
September 3, 2018
This book was a disappointment to me, especially when I compare it to Landay's Defending Jacob . The latter had the suspense, careful character development and interest, which eluded me in this novel.
July 24, 2014
Μπεν Τρούμαν: ο νεότερος διοικητής αστυνομικού τμήματος στις ΗΠΑ εργάζεται στο Βερσάιγ, εγκαταλείποντας τις σπουδές Ιστορίας στο Πανεπιστήμιο της Βοστόνης. Η μητέρα του ανακάλυψε ότι πάσχει από Αλτσχάιμερ και βρήκε το θάρρος να αυτοκτονήσει πριν εκφυλιστεί η ασθένειά της. Αυτή η κίνηση στοίχειωσε για πάντα τις ζωές του γιου της και του συζύγου της, Κλοντ.
Ρόμπερτ Ντάνζιγκερ: εισαγγελέας από τη Βοστόνη. Το πτώμα του βρέθηκε σε αποσύνθεση σε ερημική κατοικία κοντά στη λίμνη του Βερσάιγ.
Χάρολντ Μπράξτον: επικεφαλής συμμορίας που διακινεί ναρκωτικά. Όλες οι αποδείξεις στρέφονται εναντίον του για τη δολοφονία του Ντάνζιγκερ.
Τζον Κέλι: αστυνόμος στο Τμήμα Ανθρωποκτονιών της Αστυνομίας της Βοστόνης, τώρα σε σύνταξη και ανέλπιστος σύμμαχος του Μπεν Τρούμαν στην εξιχνίαση του φόνου του Ντάνζιγκερ. Η κόρη του, Καρολάιν Κέλι, είναι Εισαγγελέας.
Ο Τζούλιο Βέγκα και ο Άρτι Τρούντελ είναι αστυνομικοί και χρόνια πριν την υπόθεση δέχτηκαν επίθεση στο Μίσιον Φλατς της Βοστόνης από πυροβόλο όπλο. Ο Τρούντελ πέθανε επιτόπου. Όλα δείχνουν ξανά τον Χάρολντ Μπράξτον.
Έχουμε λοιπόν μια ιστορία που ξεδιπλώνεται σε δύο παράλληλα επίπεδα: από τη μια αναζητούμε τρόπο να συλλάβουμε τον Χάρολντ Μπράξτον και για το φόνο του Τρούντελ τότε και για το φόνο του Ντάνζιγκερ τώρα. Ο Μπεν Τρούμαν αρνείται να του πάρουν την υπόθεση από τα χέρια και ταξιδεύει στο Μέιν για να παρακολουθεί από κοντά τις έρευνες. Σύντομα διιαπιστώνει ότι καλείται να αντιμετωπίσει ένα σάπιο σύστημα απόδοσης δικαιοσύνης και μια παρέα αντρών πολύ στενά δεμένη μεταξύ τους, τόσο πολύ που αν "σπάσει" κάποιος την αλυσίδα, η αλυσίδα τον πνίγει. Αλήθεια, μήπως όλα αυτά τελικά ξεκίνησαν το 1977, όταν δυο ληστές κακοποίησαν και σκότωσαν έναν καλό συνάδελφο; Μήπως στο παρελθόν έγιναν κάποια πράγματα που κάποιος ενδιαφέρεται να μείνουν κρυφά με κάθε κόστος; Ο Μπράξτον είναι ένοχος ή αποδιοπομπαίος τράγος; Και μήπως αν αρχίσουν τα πουλιά να κελαηδούν κάποιος θα τα πυροβολήσει στο τέλος; Μήπως ο Τρούμαν την ίδια στιγμή που παρακολουθεί και προσπαθεί να εξιχνιάσει την υπόθεση με ένοχο τον Χάρολντ Μπράξτον έχει κάποια άλλα, βαθύτερα κίνητρα, για να μείνει έξω από την υπόθεση; Και ποια είναι αυτά;
Ένα πολυεπίπεδο αστυνομικό μυθιστόρημα, όπου ο ιστός πλέκεται δεξιοτεχνικά, η δράση σε πάει από δω και από κει, χωρίς όμως να χάνει την πορεία της ποτέ. Η αγωνία κλιμακώνεται, τα χαρτιά ανοίγουν το ένα μετά το άλλο και στο τέλος του γύρου ένας είναι ο νικητής κι αυτός θα επιζήσει. Πάρτε βαθιά ανάσα και βουτήξτε στον σκληρό, πολυπρόσωπο, ανατρεπτικό, έντονα αφηγηματικό κόσμο του William Landay. Και προς Θεού, μην το ξεκινήσετε βράδυ, γιατί θα ξημερωθείτε!
Στα ελληνικά από τη Διόπτρα το 2013.
Ρόμπερτ Ντάνζιγκερ: εισαγγελέας από τη Βοστόνη. Το πτώμα του βρέθηκε σε αποσύνθεση σε ερημική κατοικία κοντά στη λίμνη του Βερσάιγ.
Χάρολντ Μπράξτον: επικεφαλής συμμορίας που διακινεί ναρκωτικά. Όλες οι αποδείξεις στρέφονται εναντίον του για τη δολοφονία του Ντάνζιγκερ.
Τζον Κέλι: αστυνόμος στο Τμήμα Ανθρωποκτονιών της Αστυνομίας της Βοστόνης, τώρα σε σύνταξη και ανέλπιστος σύμμαχος του Μπεν Τρούμαν στην εξιχνίαση του φόνου του Ντάνζιγκερ. Η κόρη του, Καρολάιν Κέλι, είναι Εισαγγελέας.
Ο Τζούλιο Βέγκα και ο Άρτι Τρούντελ είναι αστυνομικοί και χρόνια πριν την υπόθεση δέχτηκαν επίθεση στο Μίσιον Φλατς της Βοστόνης από πυροβόλο όπλο. Ο Τρούντελ πέθανε επιτόπου. Όλα δείχνουν ξανά τον Χάρολντ Μπράξτον.
Έχουμε λοιπόν μια ιστορία που ξεδιπλώνεται σε δύο παράλληλα επίπεδα: από τη μια αναζητούμε τρόπο να συλλάβουμε τον Χάρολντ Μπράξτον και για το φόνο του Τρούντελ τότε και για το φόνο του Ντάνζιγκερ τώρα. Ο Μπεν Τρούμαν αρνείται να του πάρουν την υπόθεση από τα χέρια και ταξιδεύει στο Μέιν για να παρακολουθεί από κοντά τις έρευνες. Σύντομα διιαπιστώνει ότι καλείται να αντιμετωπίσει ένα σάπιο σύστημα απόδοσης δικαιοσύνης και μια παρέα αντρών πολύ στενά δεμένη μεταξύ τους, τόσο πολύ που αν "σπάσει" κάποιος την αλυσίδα, η αλυσίδα τον πνίγει. Αλήθεια, μήπως όλα αυτά τελικά ξεκίνησαν το 1977, όταν δυο ληστές κακοποίησαν και σκότωσαν έναν καλό συνάδελφο; Μήπως στο παρελθόν έγιναν κάποια πράγματα που κάποιος ενδιαφέρεται να μείνουν κρυφά με κάθε κόστος; Ο Μπράξτον είναι ένοχος ή αποδιοπομπαίος τράγος; Και μήπως αν αρχίσουν τα πουλιά να κελαηδούν κάποιος θα τα πυροβολήσει στο τέλος; Μήπως ο Τρούμαν την ίδια στιγμή που παρακολουθεί και προσπαθεί να εξιχνιάσει την υπόθεση με ένοχο τον Χάρολντ Μπράξτον έχει κάποια άλλα, βαθύτερα κίνητρα, για να μείνει έξω από την υπόθεση; Και ποια είναι αυτά;
Ένα πολυεπίπεδο αστυνομικό μυθιστόρημα, όπου ο ιστός πλέκεται δεξιοτεχνικά, η δράση σε πάει από δω και από κει, χωρίς όμως να χάνει την πορεία της ποτέ. Η αγωνία κλιμακώνεται, τα χαρτιά ανοίγουν το ένα μετά το άλλο και στο τέλος του γύρου ένας είναι ο νικητής κι αυτός θα επιζήσει. Πάρτε βαθιά ανάσα και βουτήξτε στον σκληρό, πολυπρόσωπο, ανατρεπτικό, έντονα αφηγηματικό κόσμο του William Landay. Και προς Θεού, μην το ξεκινήσετε βράδυ, γιατί θα ξημερωθείτε!
Στα ελληνικά από τη Διόπτρα το 2013.
May 29, 2014
Mission Flats was a back-to-back read for me after finishing William Landay's - Defending Jacob. I enjoyed the first book and this second book did not disappoint me. A law degree from Boston College and several years as a prosecutor have obviously prepared our William Landay well for his career as a writer of crime novels. Mission Flats is much more than the straightforward police procedural it at first seems to be. As the plot unfolds, it becomes clear that the novel is a psychological study of a good man faced with impossible choices.
When his mother is stricken with Alzheimer’s disease, Ben Truman, leaves his doctoral studies and took a job as police chief of Versailles, Maine, planning to stay only as long as she needed him. When she dies, Ben is still in Versailles and now Chief of the town's police force. He knows that his father is an alcoholic who was known for his violent rages even during his years as police chief. Since nothing much ever happens in Versailles, Ben is not worried about his lack of experience at crime-solving. Therefore it is a real shock when he discovers the corpse of a Boston public defender in a remote cabin.
Ben could have left the matter to the Massachusetts law enforcement experts who arrived to take over the case. Perhaps it is his pride that sends him off to the Boston slum called Mission Flats to conduct his own investigation. Fortunately, Ben has the help of John Kelly, a retired Boston cop; his daughter Caroline, a lawyer; and Martin Gittens, a policeman with a wealth of knowledge and an unsavory reputation. Ben cannot prevent the past from catching up with him and his father. In both books, I was truly surprised by the endings and i will tip my hat to William Landay in giving the reader an very unconventional ending and something to think about.
When his mother is stricken with Alzheimer’s disease, Ben Truman, leaves his doctoral studies and took a job as police chief of Versailles, Maine, planning to stay only as long as she needed him. When she dies, Ben is still in Versailles and now Chief of the town's police force. He knows that his father is an alcoholic who was known for his violent rages even during his years as police chief. Since nothing much ever happens in Versailles, Ben is not worried about his lack of experience at crime-solving. Therefore it is a real shock when he discovers the corpse of a Boston public defender in a remote cabin.
Ben could have left the matter to the Massachusetts law enforcement experts who arrived to take over the case. Perhaps it is his pride that sends him off to the Boston slum called Mission Flats to conduct his own investigation. Fortunately, Ben has the help of John Kelly, a retired Boston cop; his daughter Caroline, a lawyer; and Martin Gittens, a policeman with a wealth of knowledge and an unsavory reputation. Ben cannot prevent the past from catching up with him and his father. In both books, I was truly surprised by the endings and i will tip my hat to William Landay in giving the reader an very unconventional ending and something to think about.
March 4, 2013
"Mission Flats" features small town police chief Ben Truman. His father was the chief before him and Ben left grad school in Boston so he could help care for his mother who had Alzheimer's Disease.
As part of his job, Ben checks the summer homes on the lake and this time, he finds the deceased body of a DA from Boston. The man had been murdered in a manner that pointed the finger at a drug dealer from Boston.
As the investigation gets under way, Boston officials try to take control but Ben insists that since the body was found in his town in Maine, he should be part of the team. To do this, he moves to Boston so he can have an active role in the investigation.
During the investigation, Ben is teamed with John Kelly, a savvy, retired Boston detective. As Ben is looking into the case, he finds more things that have been kept from the public and that someone doesn't want to be seen.
The author makes the reader care for what happens to Ben and the plot has a number of well placed surprises and an unforgettable conclusion.
"Mission Flats" is a past winner of the Dagger Award for best debut crime novel.
As part of his job, Ben checks the summer homes on the lake and this time, he finds the deceased body of a DA from Boston. The man had been murdered in a manner that pointed the finger at a drug dealer from Boston.
As the investigation gets under way, Boston officials try to take control but Ben insists that since the body was found in his town in Maine, he should be part of the team. To do this, he moves to Boston so he can have an active role in the investigation.
During the investigation, Ben is teamed with John Kelly, a savvy, retired Boston detective. As Ben is looking into the case, he finds more things that have been kept from the public and that someone doesn't want to be seen.
The author makes the reader care for what happens to Ben and the plot has a number of well placed surprises and an unforgettable conclusion.
"Mission Flats" is a past winner of the Dagger Award for best debut crime novel.
June 4, 2013
I read Defending Jacob and loved it. That's why I decided to read Mission Flats. Well, Mission Flats fell flat for me. I did manage to finish it, but it was a marginal crime/thriller that barely kept me interested enough to continue reading. This isn't at all what I had expected. I'll give it 2 stars instead of one just because this is one of the author's older works. Maybe his next novel after Defending Jacob will be awesome.
April 3, 2017
The writer has a talent for making evil seem completely banal and commonplace. This means that the reader has to pick the side they're on quite definitely as it's not chosen for you.
But in the end, I just couldn't deal with the spineless wishful thinking of the main character.
But in the end, I just couldn't deal with the spineless wishful thinking of the main character.
December 4, 2012
A darned fine rookie effort, written by the guy who gave us Defending Jacob.
October 19, 2022
3.5 stars rounded up. This book was a slow build for me, and there were even moments when I considered abandoning it. The blue-collar-white-Boston-Irish characters felt familiar enough to me to border on cliché—think Dennis Lehane crossed with Stephen King's Mr. Mercedes series—but it slowly won me over. Without getting into potential spoiler territory, the end satisfied my reservations about the stereotypical elements of the narrator's portrayal as a naive rural hick (Opie, one of the other cops calls him). Landay's portrayal of retired office John Kelly (I know, I know, it couldn't flash "Boston Irish" in any brighter neon) is compelling and his role as a kind of surrogate/professional father figure to narrator Ben Truman is touching. Less satisfying for me was the one female character, Caroline, who remained one-dimensional, her portrayal as "complicated" in fact trading in tired stereotypes about accomplished and/or single women (IMHO). And like some other reviewers, I thought the novel could have laid better/more groundwork for the sudden acceleration into its final act. But the geographical and legal detail are vivid and evocative, and Landay is an accomplished storyteller. I also came to this novel after reading Landay's more recent Defending Jacob, and although I preferred the later novel, this was a satisfactory genre read. Adding Landay to my regular rotation.
June 18, 2020
I read this after Defending Jacob (by this author) Although I liked Defending Jacob better, this was very good as well. I was really guessing right until the end. A solid cast of characters and quite a few surprises.
February 26, 2018
Great mystery. A little cliche & slow, but good read. Not truly sure who to trust until the end.
April 20, 2023
This was fun to read, a nice change of pace. Well-drawn characters, old and new crimes, various bits that were unexpected, along with the ending, which surprised me in a good way.
September 5, 2022
This is my third book by William Landry and I now add him to my favorite authors. Being from Massachusetts, I really enjoyed all the Boston references, but the story itself was what sold me. It had an interesting plot that had intriguing sub-plots that all made sense at the end.
February 20, 2021
Excellently narrated murder mystery. Ben Truman becomes the Chief of Police in Versailles (pronounced Ver sails NOT ver sigh) mostly, it seams, because his dad resigns the position and no one else is willing to take it. On a check of the cabins in his lake region, he discovers the first body which will send him to Boston entangled in murders that happened decades in the past and some still to come. Quite an entanglement which even has Truman suspected and not sure who to trust in the Boston Police Department.
I think Landay is over due for another mystery.
I think Landay is over due for another mystery.
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