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The Fallen
My life was ordinary until three years ago when I was thrown out of a downtown hotel window. My name is Robbie Brownlaw, and I am a homicide detective for the city of San Diego. I am twenty-nine years old. I now have synesthesia, a neurological condition where your senses get mixed up. Sometimes when people talk to me, I see their voices as colored shapes provoked by the emotions of the speakers, not by the words themselves. I have what amounts to a primitive lie detector. After three years, I don’t pay a whole lot of attention to the colors and shapes of other people’s feelings, unless they don’t match up with their words. When Garrett Asplundh’s body is found under a San Diego bridge, Robbie Brownlaw and his partner, McKenzie Cortez, are called on to the case. After the tragic death of his child and the dissolution of his marriage, Garrett—regarded as an honest, straight-arrow officer—left the SDPD to become an ethics investigator, looking into the activities of his former colleagues. At first his death, which takes place on the eve of a reconciliation with his ex, looks like suicide, but the clues Brownlaw and Cortez find just don’t add up. With pressure mounting from the police and the city’s politicians, Brownlaw fights to find the truth, all the while trying to hold on to his own crumbling marriage. Was Garrett’s death an “execution” or a crime of passion, a personal vendetta or the final step in an elaborate cover-up?
9 pages, Audio CD
First published January 1, 2006
About the author
T. Jefferson Parker
108 books906 followersT. Jefferson Parker is the bestselling author of 26 crime novels, including Edgar Award-winners SILENT JOE and CALIFORNIA GIRL. Parker's next work is coming-of-age thriller, A THOUSAND STEPS, set for January of 2022. He lives with his family in a small town in north San Diego County, and enjoys fishing, hiking and beachcombing.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 187 reviews
October 3, 2009
RATING: 4.5
PROTAGONIST:
SETTING: California
SERIES: Standalone
Robbie Brownlaw is a homicide detective in San Diego, California. One day, he is eating a meal when he sees that a hotel across the street has caught fire. He dashes over to help out, rescuing several people. However, the last person he tries to help turns on him and throws him out of a hotel window, six floors up. Against all odds, Robbie survives. The main after-effect is that he now has synesthesia, a neurological condition where your senses get mixed up. Sometimes when people talk to him, he sees their voices as colored shapes. For examples, when someone is lying he sees red squares come out of their mouth, black triangles equal dread, and so on. As you can imagine, seeing the feelings that people are trying to mask when he interrogates them turns out to be a very useful tool, indeed.
The main case that Brownlaw is working on is the murder of one of the members of the Ethics Authority, a man of great integrity by the name of Garrett Asplundh. He is the kind of man who can't be bought, who is the proverbial straight arrow. Given his job, which is the equivalent of Internal Affairs but for the city government, he has many enemies. Robbie feels that he must have been on the verge of uncovering something very big which threatened someone badly. The suspense ratchets up as Brownlaw and his audacious partner, McKenzie Cortez, become entangled in schemes, political maneuvering and vice operations.
Fortunately, Parker doesn't over rely on the synethesia device and the investigation succeeds more from the hard work of the detectives than from anything that Robbie sees as he speaks to people. It's an added dimension to a very likeable character and very plausible. What's interesting with this character is that he's very sensitive in some ways, and incredibly oblivious in others, particularly to the feelings of his wife, Gina. I liked him a lot.
If I were to meet T. Jefferson Parker and tell him how much I liked the book, he would see pale blue ovals coming from my mouth, meaning sincerity. THE FALLEN is a compelling police procedural with a nicely complex plot and a very likeable protagonist. The synethesia element is a little added something that makes the book stand out; but even without that, this book is well worth reading.
POST REVIEW NOTE:
From an article on synethesia (http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler... "Imagine that when you see a city's skyline, you taste blackberries. Or maybe when you hear a violin, you feel a tickle on your left knee. Perhaps you are completely convinced that Wednesdays are light red. If you have experiences like these, you might have synesthesia."
PROTAGONIST:
SETTING: California
SERIES: Standalone
Robbie Brownlaw is a homicide detective in San Diego, California. One day, he is eating a meal when he sees that a hotel across the street has caught fire. He dashes over to help out, rescuing several people. However, the last person he tries to help turns on him and throws him out of a hotel window, six floors up. Against all odds, Robbie survives. The main after-effect is that he now has synesthesia, a neurological condition where your senses get mixed up. Sometimes when people talk to him, he sees their voices as colored shapes. For examples, when someone is lying he sees red squares come out of their mouth, black triangles equal dread, and so on. As you can imagine, seeing the feelings that people are trying to mask when he interrogates them turns out to be a very useful tool, indeed.
The main case that Brownlaw is working on is the murder of one of the members of the Ethics Authority, a man of great integrity by the name of Garrett Asplundh. He is the kind of man who can't be bought, who is the proverbial straight arrow. Given his job, which is the equivalent of Internal Affairs but for the city government, he has many enemies. Robbie feels that he must have been on the verge of uncovering something very big which threatened someone badly. The suspense ratchets up as Brownlaw and his audacious partner, McKenzie Cortez, become entangled in schemes, political maneuvering and vice operations.
Fortunately, Parker doesn't over rely on the synethesia device and the investigation succeeds more from the hard work of the detectives than from anything that Robbie sees as he speaks to people. It's an added dimension to a very likeable character and very plausible. What's interesting with this character is that he's very sensitive in some ways, and incredibly oblivious in others, particularly to the feelings of his wife, Gina. I liked him a lot.
If I were to meet T. Jefferson Parker and tell him how much I liked the book, he would see pale blue ovals coming from my mouth, meaning sincerity. THE FALLEN is a compelling police procedural with a nicely complex plot and a very likeable protagonist. The synethesia element is a little added something that makes the book stand out; but even without that, this book is well worth reading.
POST REVIEW NOTE:
From an article on synethesia (http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler... "Imagine that when you see a city's skyline, you taste blackberries. Or maybe when you hear a violin, you feel a tickle on your left knee. Perhaps you are completely convinced that Wednesdays are light red. If you have experiences like these, you might have synesthesia."
July 11, 2012
My local reading friend and I both love mysteries so we were talking about writers who won or were nominated for the yearly Edgars. From there we went on a venture to find and read as many authors as possible in that category. T. Jefferson Parker was Sandy’s find and she was bragging about him from the first book.
I was reading Michael Connelly and figured he couldn’t be as good as she felt he was because I had never heard of him. Wrong once again.
Great book, great characters and great plot all wrapped up into this nice package.
Detective Robbie Brownlaw was thrown from a six story building while trying to save an occupant who happened to be a little drunk and a lot suicidal. Robbie survives but is left with synesthesia, a neurological condition where your senses get ‘mixed up.’ His form of synesthesia is his ability to see colored forms from the mouths of people when they are talking so that he ‘sees’ their real emotion regardless of what they say. This gives him the ability to hear what people are saying and determine at the same time their real emotion. For example, a lie or deception would have red squares floating from their mouth, so Robbie knows the person is lying. Robbie sees all other human emotions such as sympathy, anger, apathy, happiness, violence or envy all with different shapes and colors. Envy is indeed the color green.
This ability assists Robbie as a detective with the San Diego Police Department however no one knows of his ability except his adored wife, Gina. He’s kept his ability to himself in part because he feels the SDPD would not allow him to continue in his career and others, of course, would think he was crazy or odd. They do already because he survived the six story fall.
A fellow officer of a separate ethics law enforcement agency commits suicide while investigating ethics violations in city government and it is quickly determined to be a murder.
Robbie and his partner Detective Mackenzie Cortez are assigned to the investigation which leads them to unravel what the ethics officer discovered. Two personal matters interfere with the investigation, both Robbie’s personal life with his wife Gina and the personal life of the ethics detective.
This was one of those books I did not want to put down. You’ve read them. I hated it when at night I would fall asleep reading because I would have read until the wee hours of the morning.
Looking back at the Jeff Parker books I’ve read, I gave two three stars and two, including this one, four stars. Damn good track record for an author I didn’t know and wasn’t even interested in reading. This one deserved all four stars and perhaps five if I wasn’t so stingy with those five stars.
I was reading Michael Connelly and figured he couldn’t be as good as she felt he was because I had never heard of him. Wrong once again.
Great book, great characters and great plot all wrapped up into this nice package.
Detective Robbie Brownlaw was thrown from a six story building while trying to save an occupant who happened to be a little drunk and a lot suicidal. Robbie survives but is left with synesthesia, a neurological condition where your senses get ‘mixed up.’ His form of synesthesia is his ability to see colored forms from the mouths of people when they are talking so that he ‘sees’ their real emotion regardless of what they say. This gives him the ability to hear what people are saying and determine at the same time their real emotion. For example, a lie or deception would have red squares floating from their mouth, so Robbie knows the person is lying. Robbie sees all other human emotions such as sympathy, anger, apathy, happiness, violence or envy all with different shapes and colors. Envy is indeed the color green.
This ability assists Robbie as a detective with the San Diego Police Department however no one knows of his ability except his adored wife, Gina. He’s kept his ability to himself in part because he feels the SDPD would not allow him to continue in his career and others, of course, would think he was crazy or odd. They do already because he survived the six story fall.
A fellow officer of a separate ethics law enforcement agency commits suicide while investigating ethics violations in city government and it is quickly determined to be a murder.
Robbie and his partner Detective Mackenzie Cortez are assigned to the investigation which leads them to unravel what the ethics officer discovered. Two personal matters interfere with the investigation, both Robbie’s personal life with his wife Gina and the personal life of the ethics detective.
This was one of those books I did not want to put down. You’ve read them. I hated it when at night I would fall asleep reading because I would have read until the wee hours of the morning.
Looking back at the Jeff Parker books I’ve read, I gave two three stars and two, including this one, four stars. Damn good track record for an author I didn’t know and wasn’t even interested in reading. This one deserved all four stars and perhaps five if I wasn’t so stingy with those five stars.
November 9, 2016
I like it when I find a good thriller. :D :D :D
*throws on keeper pile*
*throws on keeper pile*
March 31, 2026
TJP is a fantastic writer. This book was extremely dark.
Robbie is a great cop but he’s not great at relationships. I knew Gina wasn’t the one. Married at 19 almost never works. Robbie is better off. He was the giver and she was an obvious taker.
Solving Garrett’s murder was very twisty. Robbie has a gift that allows him to see if you are lying or not. It wasn’t overly used and was quite fascinating to read about.
By the end, you were shocked but also not. Rooting out corruption is not easy but Garrett was good at it. It’s not why he died though. The reason will make you sick. In the end, everyone got what they deserved.
The plotting and the pace were perfect. I’m just sad this is a standalone. I want more of Robbie.
Robbie is a great cop but he’s not great at relationships. I knew Gina wasn’t the one. Married at 19 almost never works. Robbie is better off. He was the giver and she was an obvious taker.
Solving Garrett’s murder was very twisty. Robbie has a gift that allows him to see if you are lying or not. It wasn’t overly used and was quite fascinating to read about.
By the end, you were shocked but also not. Rooting out corruption is not easy but Garrett was good at it. It’s not why he died though. The reason will make you sick. In the end, everyone got what they deserved.
The plotting and the pace were perfect. I’m just sad this is a standalone. I want more of Robbie.
May 18, 2017
I really liked this book, glad I picked it up from a friend. Good characterizations, a likable hero. Well-written, and I wasn't sure of the killer until the end. A dark story of corruption and self-importance among the powerful in San Diego, and also of love and loss. I found it hard to put down.
August 19, 2017
Very unusual book by having the detective suffer from synesthesia - it's a neurological condition that mixes up your senses. In his case, he can see a person's emotions by the 'colors' and 'shapes' of words when people are talking. Not only was the mystery interesting, I found myself intently searching for the next mention of a red square, or a yellow trapezoid. Loved the twist with this!!
June 19, 2012
I wonder if Mr. Parker leads a really sad and depressed life. Most successful writers will say that an aspiring writer should write what he knows. Judging by most of the offerings by Parker that I've read, he must really know depression.
The hero of this story is Robbie, a detective who has been promoted early, primarily because of a highly publicized incident in which he was thrown out of a tall building and lived to tell about it. Since the accident, Robbie has developed an extra-sensory gift\curse that causes him to see emotions as people speak in the form of colored geometric shapes. This makes it easy to tell when people are lying, embarrassed, or becoming aggressive. While I thought that the author was kidding with this angle, a search of the internet showed that indeed there is such a condition where sounds and sights stimulate other senses, etc. On the surface, Robbie is "the Fallen," by this I mean he is the title character.
Garrett is the public ethics investigator with dirt on just about everybody in the city of San Diego. He is also, "The Fallen", in that his life has fallen apart since the loss of his three year old daughter in a drowning accident. He is the murder victim, shot in his car on the side of a local road.
Robbie runs into a number of other "Fallen" folks, though. Obviously his investigation causes him to delve into what exactly Garrett was investigating and he uncovers a hotbed of corruption, sex scandal, and a prostitution ring. He runs into fallen women, fallen artists, fallen musicians, fallen politicians, fallen police officers. Just about everyone in this book can in one way or another be conmsidered "Fallen."
And that's the sad thing. In the middle of his investigation, Robbie's belove wife packs up and leaves him and he stumbles through the pain and suffering of that break up. He hurts and beats himself up and tries to win his wife back. As he does this he continues to investigate Garrett, only to discover that Garrett was also trying to win his wife back.
Two thirds of my way through the book I thought I had figured out the identity of the murderer. I'm not normally good at this, and felt cheated. Then, I discovered I was wrong.. WAY wrong.. (okay, sort of close, but not close enough to win a cigar or a kewpie doll)...Parker succeeded in dropping all the clues in front of my, but like a deft magician, got me looking at the wrong place, while missing the RIGHT clues that were there for the RIGHT Killer.
Parker wraps up the conclusion of the novel well. What I mean is that in a couple of pages he is able to summarize the aftermath of the investigation in an interesting manner and then move on to examining a possible future for Robbie. The wrap up was very well done.
While I enjoyed this book a lot, I only gave it three stars because it was so moody and depressing. I'm certain that was Parker's intent. I mean we see Garrett's deep, dark, pain and self-destructive behavior and the reader is invited to experience the sense of loss of that beloved daughter. We see how it affected Garrett and is touching Robbie emotionally as well. It is a well-written emotional book with some heart wrenching horrifying revelations toward the end. Overall, though, it was a bit too dark and too depressing to me. It just lowered my enjoyment slightly,. though it may not affect other readers in the same way.
The hero of this story is Robbie, a detective who has been promoted early, primarily because of a highly publicized incident in which he was thrown out of a tall building and lived to tell about it. Since the accident, Robbie has developed an extra-sensory gift\curse that causes him to see emotions as people speak in the form of colored geometric shapes. This makes it easy to tell when people are lying, embarrassed, or becoming aggressive. While I thought that the author was kidding with this angle, a search of the internet showed that indeed there is such a condition where sounds and sights stimulate other senses, etc. On the surface, Robbie is "the Fallen," by this I mean he is the title character.
Garrett is the public ethics investigator with dirt on just about everybody in the city of San Diego. He is also, "The Fallen", in that his life has fallen apart since the loss of his three year old daughter in a drowning accident. He is the murder victim, shot in his car on the side of a local road.
Robbie runs into a number of other "Fallen" folks, though. Obviously his investigation causes him to delve into what exactly Garrett was investigating and he uncovers a hotbed of corruption, sex scandal, and a prostitution ring. He runs into fallen women, fallen artists, fallen musicians, fallen politicians, fallen police officers. Just about everyone in this book can in one way or another be conmsidered "Fallen."
And that's the sad thing. In the middle of his investigation, Robbie's belove wife packs up and leaves him and he stumbles through the pain and suffering of that break up. He hurts and beats himself up and tries to win his wife back. As he does this he continues to investigate Garrett, only to discover that Garrett was also trying to win his wife back.
Two thirds of my way through the book I thought I had figured out the identity of the murderer. I'm not normally good at this, and felt cheated. Then, I discovered I was wrong.. WAY wrong.. (okay, sort of close, but not close enough to win a cigar or a kewpie doll)...Parker succeeded in dropping all the clues in front of my, but like a deft magician, got me looking at the wrong place, while missing the RIGHT clues that were there for the RIGHT Killer.
Parker wraps up the conclusion of the novel well. What I mean is that in a couple of pages he is able to summarize the aftermath of the investigation in an interesting manner and then move on to examining a possible future for Robbie. The wrap up was very well done.
While I enjoyed this book a lot, I only gave it three stars because it was so moody and depressing. I'm certain that was Parker's intent. I mean we see Garrett's deep, dark, pain and self-destructive behavior and the reader is invited to experience the sense of loss of that beloved daughter. We see how it affected Garrett and is touching Robbie emotionally as well. It is a well-written emotional book with some heart wrenching horrifying revelations toward the end. Overall, though, it was a bit too dark and too depressing to me. It just lowered my enjoyment slightly,. though it may not affect other readers in the same way.
February 12, 2012
This was the 1st free book I found on my new "ibooks" app for my phone. Because it was free, I was apprehensive as to whether it would be a good read. As it turned out, I really enjoyed it, and am looking up more of T. Jefferson Parker's books.
There were many characters, but they were developed enough to follow as the plot progressed. The story takes place in beautiful San Diego, California. (And, beautiful Sacramento was mentioned once in the book -- go Kings!) The main character, Robbie Brownlaw, a Homicide detective for the city of San Diego, is thrown from the sixth floor of the Las Palmas Hotel, and survives the fall without major injuries. However, Robbie develops a neurological condition called synaesthesia, due to the fall. For Robbie, he sees colors from a person's emotions when he/she speaks. He can detect envy, happiness, and deception. This aspect makes it very interesting throughout the story.
Robbie is very much in love with his wife, Gina. He describes many instances of their lives together throughout the book. She seems to have a different view of their relationship, though, and leaves Robbie, without any explanation. To be honest, this is the only part of the book that disappointed me. I guess because it's a fictional story, (and she was very cruel on her method of leaving) my cold-hearted side said, "Ok, Robbie, move on, get on with your life". So, when he would start thinking of her and trying to reconcile with her (which in real life is completely natural), I got irritated and wanted the story to move on to the investigation of Garrett's death.
The suspicious death of an investigator for the San Diego Ethics Authority Enforcement Unit, Garrett Asplundh, begins the story. He was a "watch-dog" for corrupt city administrators, politicians, and businessmen and women. Corruption was rampant. In this story, there is a prostitution ring with "high-class" hookers and "high-class" Johns. Is that a dichotomy? Before Garrett's death, he'd had video taken of politicians, police officers, and others in compromising positions with the above-mentioned women. Robbie and his partner, McKenzie Cortez, interview numerous individuals who all have good reason to see Garrett dead.
T. Jefferson Parker makes you feel as if you are right next to Robbie throughout the book, hearing his thoughts, feeling his worries and sad emotions. Robbie was truly a good cop and a good guy too. He was unpretentious and non-materialistic. His descriptions about his own car and clothing of others, several times throughout the book, gave that away. I kind of developed a crush on this perfect guy. Is that possible to have a crush on a fictional character? I was sad to finish the book. I felt like I lost a friend. I definitely recommend this book as a goodread!
There were many characters, but they were developed enough to follow as the plot progressed. The story takes place in beautiful San Diego, California. (And, beautiful Sacramento was mentioned once in the book -- go Kings!) The main character, Robbie Brownlaw, a Homicide detective for the city of San Diego, is thrown from the sixth floor of the Las Palmas Hotel, and survives the fall without major injuries. However, Robbie develops a neurological condition called synaesthesia, due to the fall. For Robbie, he sees colors from a person's emotions when he/she speaks. He can detect envy, happiness, and deception. This aspect makes it very interesting throughout the story.
Robbie is very much in love with his wife, Gina. He describes many instances of their lives together throughout the book. She seems to have a different view of their relationship, though, and leaves Robbie, without any explanation. To be honest, this is the only part of the book that disappointed me. I guess because it's a fictional story, (and she was very cruel on her method of leaving) my cold-hearted side said, "Ok, Robbie, move on, get on with your life". So, when he would start thinking of her and trying to reconcile with her (which in real life is completely natural), I got irritated and wanted the story to move on to the investigation of Garrett's death.
The suspicious death of an investigator for the San Diego Ethics Authority Enforcement Unit, Garrett Asplundh, begins the story. He was a "watch-dog" for corrupt city administrators, politicians, and businessmen and women. Corruption was rampant. In this story, there is a prostitution ring with "high-class" hookers and "high-class" Johns. Is that a dichotomy? Before Garrett's death, he'd had video taken of politicians, police officers, and others in compromising positions with the above-mentioned women. Robbie and his partner, McKenzie Cortez, interview numerous individuals who all have good reason to see Garrett dead.
T. Jefferson Parker makes you feel as if you are right next to Robbie throughout the book, hearing his thoughts, feeling his worries and sad emotions. Robbie was truly a good cop and a good guy too. He was unpretentious and non-materialistic. His descriptions about his own car and clothing of others, several times throughout the book, gave that away. I kind of developed a crush on this perfect guy. Is that possible to have a crush on a fictional character? I was sad to finish the book. I felt like I lost a friend. I definitely recommend this book as a goodread!
November 18, 2010
Robbie Brownlaw is high on life, working at the job he's always wanted and married to the girl of his dreams. He's about to learn one of life's most important lessons, however; everything can change in the blink of an eye. Brownlaw is one of the most interesting fictional detectives on my reading list. As The Fallen opens, he's literally taking a fall, from the 6th story of a burning San Diego hotel. He survives, but develops synesthesia. In his case, Robbie can see colors representative of the speaker's emotion while he's conversing with them. That unsettling conditions comes in handy when he questions witnesses, but it sure doesn't make his personal relationships easy to maintain. Imagine knowing instantly that someone is lying to you, or jealous.
Robbie's been back on the job for a few months, when an officer from the city's ethics commission is brutally murdered. His investigation takes him into the seamy underside of San Diego, a city that's so beautiful on the surface. As he proceeds with his inquiries, Brownlaw encounters high priced call girls, cops on the take, corrupt city officials, and the victim's wife, who has now lost both her little daughter and her husband within the space of nine months. In the midst of the turmoil, Robbie's own wife deserts him, leaving him stunned and heartbroken.
Intriguing, fully developed characters, suspenseful and dramatic plot, and well-honed prose combine to make The Fallen a high quality page turner. Now I'm off to check out Parker's other books.
Robbie's been back on the job for a few months, when an officer from the city's ethics commission is brutally murdered. His investigation takes him into the seamy underside of San Diego, a city that's so beautiful on the surface. As he proceeds with his inquiries, Brownlaw encounters high priced call girls, cops on the take, corrupt city officials, and the victim's wife, who has now lost both her little daughter and her husband within the space of nine months. In the midst of the turmoil, Robbie's own wife deserts him, leaving him stunned and heartbroken.
Intriguing, fully developed characters, suspenseful and dramatic plot, and well-honed prose combine to make The Fallen a high quality page turner. Now I'm off to check out Parker's other books.
September 9, 2018
"Although we call ourselves America's Finest City, there is a long tradition of collusion and corruption here in San Diego. Some of it once reached high enough to taint American presidency - Richard Nixon's. Some of it is low and squalid and oddly funny - a mayor in bed with a swindler, councilmen taking bribes from strip-club owners [...]"
I have been a San Diegan since January 1983 so I love reading books that convey the locales, moods, and feel of this beautiful city. T. Jefferson Parker's The Fallen (2006) does that very well. This is a re-read: I am coming back to the novel after about 11 years and liking it a little less than I had then, but I still think it is an outstanding police procedural with a touch of psychological crime drama.
The set-up is outstanding. During a hotel fire Detective Brownlaw attempts to save people trapped in their rooms but a man whom he tries to help throws him out of the hotel window. Thanks to falling on an awning over the hotel entrance Brownlaw survives, just barely, and after a long rehabilitation returns to work. The accident causes him to acquire synesthesia, a neurological condition that produces responses in a different sensory path than the one from which the stimuli come. He sees people voices as colored shapes.
The body of an Internal Affairs cop, who has recently been working for the Ethics Authority Enforcement unit, is found in his car near Cabrillo Bridge in Balboa Park. The cop has been shot at close range. Det. Brownlaw and his partner, McKenzie Cortez, are assigned the case. Virtually each step forward they make in their inquiry widens the scope of the investigation. For instance, the detectives discover a high-class prostitution ring whose clients include top officials from the city government and police force.
The author convincingly shows the deadly embrace between money and government. Elected politicians, city bureaucrats, commissioners, police captains and other notables are involved in elaborate and interlocking schemes of corruption that bring them money, power, and sex with beautiful young women. The corruption schemes increase their chances to win congressional or state assembly or senate seats that will allow them to get even more money, power and sex. Obviously, corruption is the engine that makes world go 'round and occurs whereever people lust for money, power, and sex - meaning everywhere. In this novel the corruption schemes involve underfunding city employees pension fund and tinkering with municipal bond ratings - this is clearly based on factual material; I remember reading about such schemes in the local paper.
The procedural thread in the novel is first-rate but the characterizations of the protagonists - the "good guys," meaning the detectives - lack strength, though. Particularly the portrayal of Det. Cortez is paper-thin and does not read as a real person; the entire thread of her affair with a hi-tech entrepreneur lacks plausibility.
When I read the novel 11 years ago I liked the synesthesia thread. Not any more. I mean synesthesia is obviously a real and fascinating phenomenon (for instance, Nabokov writes about it in Speak, Memory, see the review ), but here the author uses it as a cheap literary device - a lie detector. Uh-oh. Not good.
Three-and-three-quarter stars.
I have been a San Diegan since January 1983 so I love reading books that convey the locales, moods, and feel of this beautiful city. T. Jefferson Parker's The Fallen (2006) does that very well. This is a re-read: I am coming back to the novel after about 11 years and liking it a little less than I had then, but I still think it is an outstanding police procedural with a touch of psychological crime drama.
The set-up is outstanding. During a hotel fire Detective Brownlaw attempts to save people trapped in their rooms but a man whom he tries to help throws him out of the hotel window. Thanks to falling on an awning over the hotel entrance Brownlaw survives, just barely, and after a long rehabilitation returns to work. The accident causes him to acquire synesthesia, a neurological condition that produces responses in a different sensory path than the one from which the stimuli come. He sees people voices as colored shapes.
The body of an Internal Affairs cop, who has recently been working for the Ethics Authority Enforcement unit, is found in his car near Cabrillo Bridge in Balboa Park. The cop has been shot at close range. Det. Brownlaw and his partner, McKenzie Cortez, are assigned the case. Virtually each step forward they make in their inquiry widens the scope of the investigation. For instance, the detectives discover a high-class prostitution ring whose clients include top officials from the city government and police force.
The author convincingly shows the deadly embrace between money and government. Elected politicians, city bureaucrats, commissioners, police captains and other notables are involved in elaborate and interlocking schemes of corruption that bring them money, power, and sex with beautiful young women. The corruption schemes increase their chances to win congressional or state assembly or senate seats that will allow them to get even more money, power and sex. Obviously, corruption is the engine that makes world go 'round and occurs whereever people lust for money, power, and sex - meaning everywhere. In this novel the corruption schemes involve underfunding city employees pension fund and tinkering with municipal bond ratings - this is clearly based on factual material; I remember reading about such schemes in the local paper.
The procedural thread in the novel is first-rate but the characterizations of the protagonists - the "good guys," meaning the detectives - lack strength, though. Particularly the portrayal of Det. Cortez is paper-thin and does not read as a real person; the entire thread of her affair with a hi-tech entrepreneur lacks plausibility.
When I read the novel 11 years ago I liked the synesthesia thread. Not any more. I mean synesthesia is obviously a real and fascinating phenomenon (for instance, Nabokov writes about it in Speak, Memory, see the review ), but here the author uses it as a cheap literary device - a lie detector. Uh-oh. Not good.
"The red squares of deception rushed out of him. They were bigger than most I'd seen, and their sides were slightly dipped, concave, [...]"In 2006 I would have rated the novel with over four stars. Now it is just
Three-and-three-quarter stars.
November 4, 2017
Interesting. Nothing outstanding however.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 2, 2024
I pulled this out of a Little Free Library during a reading slump and this was just the thing to snap me out of it-an easy read with enough suspense to keep me engaged
December 29, 2009
This was okay.
I have really enjoyed Parker's earlier books Pacific Beat Laguna Heat but some of his more recent books have been somewhat disappointing this and Storm Runners both feel like they were written more quickly or without the same level of attention.
The characters here are decent, but I felt that they could have been more developed, I would have liked to have seen more dialogue to see how the characters interacted, rather than being told by the narrator, which would have been interesting if the narration had been infused with more personality.
The plot was interesting and the ending was an sort of an interesting twist, except that it kind of came out of no where and not all of the killer's actions were really explained.
I have really enjoyed Parker's earlier books Pacific Beat Laguna Heat but some of his more recent books have been somewhat disappointing this and Storm Runners both feel like they were written more quickly or without the same level of attention.
The characters here are decent, but I felt that they could have been more developed, I would have liked to have seen more dialogue to see how the characters interacted, rather than being told by the narrator, which would have been interesting if the narration had been infused with more personality.
The plot was interesting and the ending was an sort of an interesting twist, except that it kind of came out of no where and not all of the killer's actions were really explained.
February 5, 2014
Being a fan of police procedurals, I’ve been recommended to dive into the work of Jefferson T. Parker. So far I’ve enjoyed Silent Joe and California Girl, and some of the Charlie Hood series. I have conflicting impressions about The Fallen. I adored the compelling characterization of Robbie Brownlaw and that’s why I’m giving this book a 3-star rating, but I didn’t enjoy the storyline, nor the plot.
Overall this book depressed me a bit and I couldn’t wait to finish it. Don’t get me wrong, giving us a peek at the darker side of humanity is what makes this author work for me, but when the plot is equally disappointing, it’s hard to get excited.
On the other hand, learning about synesthesia was certainly a plus point. Synesthesia is a very unique neurologic phenomenon. The affliction made it possible for Robbie Brownlaw to read people and detect their “true colors” accurately. It came in handy in his job as an investigator, but in his personal life, I think he might have preferred not to have that gift.
Overall this book depressed me a bit and I couldn’t wait to finish it. Don’t get me wrong, giving us a peek at the darker side of humanity is what makes this author work for me, but when the plot is equally disappointing, it’s hard to get excited.
On the other hand, learning about synesthesia was certainly a plus point. Synesthesia is a very unique neurologic phenomenon. The affliction made it possible for Robbie Brownlaw to read people and detect their “true colors” accurately. It came in handy in his job as an investigator, but in his personal life, I think he might have preferred not to have that gift.
October 22, 2017
The cover blurb of this book had me intrigued;
"There was nothing special about San Diego detective Robbie Brownlow, until he plunged six storeys from a burning hotel. He was left with broken bones, a large scar, and synesthesia - a condition where words take on shapes and colours that indicate the speaker's emotions. "
.....but I'm sorry to say it's not lived up to expectations. For me, the Synethesia angle was really underplayed. While I didn't want chapter & verse on what colours & shapes Robbie was seeing in every conversation, a little more than "he saw the orange squares of deceit" would have been nice - how about his thoughts on what he'd seen? Surely as a detective he should be using this internal lie detector! All the references to Robbie's "talent" could be removed & it wouldn't make a difference to the tale....a reasonable story but for me it didn't fulfil it's potential.
"There was nothing special about San Diego detective Robbie Brownlow, until he plunged six storeys from a burning hotel. He was left with broken bones, a large scar, and synesthesia - a condition where words take on shapes and colours that indicate the speaker's emotions. "
.....but I'm sorry to say it's not lived up to expectations. For me, the Synethesia angle was really underplayed. While I didn't want chapter & verse on what colours & shapes Robbie was seeing in every conversation, a little more than "he saw the orange squares of deceit" would have been nice - how about his thoughts on what he'd seen? Surely as a detective he should be using this internal lie detector! All the references to Robbie's "talent" could be removed & it wouldn't make a difference to the tale....a reasonable story but for me it didn't fulfil it's potential.
April 30, 2012
It took me a bit longer to truly get into the story than I thought I would but ultimately it was a satisfying read. I liked the main character, the pacing was lively, and the mystery kept me interested. I picked it up because I'm fascinated with the mystery sub-genre involving detectives with synesthesia. On one hand, I like how Parker manages to incorporate the condition, making it a part of the character's life, instead of the primary thing that defines him. On the other, I wanted more of it. That shouldn't reflect poorly on the novel; it is just what I had hoped for. There is some excellent writing in this book--a few moments and phrases that come together perfectly. I think it was worth my time.
January 24, 2012
Fairly pleasant police procedural set in San Diego, California. The twist of having the protagonist detective be affected with the psychological disorder of being able to see the emotions behind people's words was oddly dispensible. Such an interesting quirk could have been much more integral to the plot.
Otherwise, the writing was top-notch. Characters were distinct and well developed (except several of upper-level cops that sort of mushed together). Settings were sometimes nicely done, other times irrelevent. The plot kept me guessing until the very end, along with the detectives.
Otherwise, the writing was top-notch. Characters were distinct and well developed (except several of upper-level cops that sort of mushed together). Settings were sometimes nicely done, other times irrelevent. The plot kept me guessing until the very end, along with the detectives.
December 19, 2013
I like to read books by local authors. According to my goodreads pages I read my first Parker book 6 years ago and also gave it 2 stars. So I don't think I'll read anymore. The author lives half an hour north of me and writes about the city an hour south of me. I don't spend much time in the city and was disappointed that I could only picture one of his landmarks. I liked the homicide detective protagonist and his female partner, and wanted them to find the murderer with a minimum of pain and for him to reunite with his wife, but we don't always get the ending we want.
June 11, 2009
I enjoyed silent joe so much I decided to read more by the same author. This one was not quite as good, but still entertaining. Detective is thrown from 5 stories up and when he recovers he synsythese (forgive the spelling). Still haven't had time to check if this is a real condition. When people speak he sees colored shapes coming from their mouth and certain colors mean they're being untruthful or mean or innocent.He's investigating who called an Ethics Investigator.
April 24, 2011
Very enjoyable read. Has a nice gimmick of having the detective have a form of synethesia where he can see colors and shapes when people talk. The shapes correlate to emotions, and more importantly for a detective...lies. He doesn't overuse the gimmick either, so it just nicely adds some info for the reader without giving up the game too quickly.
I'd definitely read another by him when in the mood for something light.
I'd definitely read another by him when in the mood for something light.
September 28, 2009
Once again, Parker plumbs the seedy world of Southern California politics and corruption in the context of the execution of an ex-cop, ethics investigator, who appears to have been murdered for what he has uncovered in respect of a local prostitution ring. The detective uses the case to help resolve his own inner demons (synethesia) and abandonment by the wife he adores.
August 16, 2018
3.5 / 5 stars. My second book by this author. The audio version for both books. Slow moving, good ending very light on action. Kind of wanders and quite a few characters to keep track of. Worth reading but no as good as The Famous and the Dead. Will still be reading more books by this author and was still glad that I read this book.
January 24, 2018
Another terrific story by T. Jefferson Park. Wonder if a series will continue with Detectives Robbie Brownlaw and McKenzie Cortez . . . Hoping so!
July 20, 2026
Well, after 34% in, I think I'm gonna DNF "The Fallen". Weirdly enough, I don't hate it. I just... don't care.
First off, the whole Synesthesia thing is so, so, SO underplayed and barely even mentioned- which is weird as the blurb makes you believe that Robbie's condition is one of the main is a central theme The reality is far from it. In fact, it's only ever mentioned when it's convenience, and then it's just mostly forgotten. Michael Cordy did a much better job with Synesthesia in his superb psychological thriller "The Colour of Death".
Secondly- on the one hand, there's an attempt to make the reader feel this investigation is really important, because the corruption it might uncover might pretty much ruin the entire city of San Diego. That, in itself, is a great plot. But maybe in the hands of a different author. Becasue this one just misses the mark, as his main character Robbie and his partner, McKenzie, the two detectives who investigate this apparent suicide, are so disinterested. They literally went from: "Oh, this corruption accusation might destroy our city" to both of them shrugging as if it's all nothing and doesn't matter. Robbie keeps thinking about his wife, Gina, who left becasue she needs time for herself for some reason she never explains (at least not where I am), while McKenzie... I don't know.
See, this is another problem this novel has. The characters are so underdeveloped and uninteresting and.. well, boring. Like this whole novel. I'm supposed to care about Robbie's problems with his wife, Gina, yet not once in the 34% I've read was there any dialogue between them, or any description of how they really feel or think. It's Robbie not understanding why Gina left, Gina acting weird, all described in such a cold, clinical, boring way.
One could propose that maybe it's all intentional, that the cold, uncaring vibe of this novel was done in purpose. I mean, F. Scott Fitzgerald did it in "The Great Gatsby", but at least there, it had a purpose- the coolness serves the themes, the emptiness of wealth, the illusion of the American Dream, the inability to truly know another person, so on and so forth.
But in "The Fallen" it's just as if no one cares and everyone is bored. Including the author himself, it seems. The coldness and uncaring and clinical descriptions don't seem to serve any purpose.
Also, this yet another novel I read occurring in San Diego where the author just fails completely to bring this amazing city- that has so much character and vibes and history- to life. It feels completely dead. In fact, you can replace San Diego with every other city, anywhere. That's how unremarkable and lifeless it feels in this novel.
Add the fact that there' absolutely no thrills, no suspense, no interest. Nothing. It really is very dry and boring novel.
So yeah. DNF at 34%. Good premise, abysmal execution.
If the characters and author don't care and are clearly bored, why should I?
First off, the whole Synesthesia thing is so, so, SO underplayed and barely even mentioned- which is weird as the blurb makes you believe that Robbie's condition is one of the main is a central theme The reality is far from it. In fact, it's only ever mentioned when it's convenience, and then it's just mostly forgotten. Michael Cordy did a much better job with Synesthesia in his superb psychological thriller "The Colour of Death".
Secondly- on the one hand, there's an attempt to make the reader feel this investigation is really important, because the corruption it might uncover might pretty much ruin the entire city of San Diego. That, in itself, is a great plot. But maybe in the hands of a different author. Becasue this one just misses the mark, as his main character Robbie and his partner, McKenzie, the two detectives who investigate this apparent suicide, are so disinterested. They literally went from: "Oh, this corruption accusation might destroy our city" to both of them shrugging as if it's all nothing and doesn't matter. Robbie keeps thinking about his wife, Gina, who left becasue she needs time for herself for some reason she never explains (at least not where I am), while McKenzie... I don't know.
See, this is another problem this novel has. The characters are so underdeveloped and uninteresting and.. well, boring. Like this whole novel. I'm supposed to care about Robbie's problems with his wife, Gina, yet not once in the 34% I've read was there any dialogue between them, or any description of how they really feel or think. It's Robbie not understanding why Gina left, Gina acting weird, all described in such a cold, clinical, boring way.
One could propose that maybe it's all intentional, that the cold, uncaring vibe of this novel was done in purpose. I mean, F. Scott Fitzgerald did it in "The Great Gatsby", but at least there, it had a purpose- the coolness serves the themes, the emptiness of wealth, the illusion of the American Dream, the inability to truly know another person, so on and so forth.
But in "The Fallen" it's just as if no one cares and everyone is bored. Including the author himself, it seems. The coldness and uncaring and clinical descriptions don't seem to serve any purpose.
Also, this yet another novel I read occurring in San Diego where the author just fails completely to bring this amazing city- that has so much character and vibes and history- to life. It feels completely dead. In fact, you can replace San Diego with every other city, anywhere. That's how unremarkable and lifeless it feels in this novel.
Add the fact that there' absolutely no thrills, no suspense, no interest. Nothing. It really is very dry and boring novel.
So yeah. DNF at 34%. Good premise, abysmal execution.
If the characters and author don't care and are clearly bored, why should I?
July 12, 2018
Suspense and entertainment with depth and style, Parker has penned another winner! Captivating plot, fully human characters, all against the authentically reproduced background of San Diego, America's Finest City. Parker, however, through his main characters, peels back the city's layers to reveal something far from "fine" in the city's leadership, as he travels the twisting trail to solving a baffling mystery.
This is not your average whodunit, it has a totally readable style, a wide range of life's characters and a title embodied in the novel. Detective Robbie Brownlaw, the main character, was quite literally "fallen" after being thrown from a sixth story hotel window. He rises to a new day with the added "gift" of synethesia, a neurological condition that allows him to "see" the words of a speaker, more specifically the emotions of the speaker presented as colored shapes. Using this tool in his role as a police detective, he encounters another fallen person, a city employee treading near dangerous secrets, who is felled by an assassin's bullet. The book ends with a dramatic fall by the murderer but not before the story has treated us to many ups and downs. Failed marriages, exploits and indictments of key sex scandal participants, countered by fresh starts by some characters.
All together a highly interesting, well executed mystery novel that is most definitely worth reading.
This is not your average whodunit, it has a totally readable style, a wide range of life's characters and a title embodied in the novel. Detective Robbie Brownlaw, the main character, was quite literally "fallen" after being thrown from a sixth story hotel window. He rises to a new day with the added "gift" of synethesia, a neurological condition that allows him to "see" the words of a speaker, more specifically the emotions of the speaker presented as colored shapes. Using this tool in his role as a police detective, he encounters another fallen person, a city employee treading near dangerous secrets, who is felled by an assassin's bullet. The book ends with a dramatic fall by the murderer but not before the story has treated us to many ups and downs. Failed marriages, exploits and indictments of key sex scandal participants, countered by fresh starts by some characters.
All together a highly interesting, well executed mystery novel that is most definitely worth reading.
March 8, 2021
This was my first read of a book by Parker and I don't know if I would return for more.
Police officer Robbie Brownlaw was thrown from a six-story building three years ago and survived, though now he can see shapes and colors when people speak, giving him the ability to be a human lie detector. Ethics Investigator was found shot dead in his car, and Brownlaw, now a detective, investigates.
Having Brownlaw have synethesia is an odd tic and one I've not heard of. This ability doesn't add much to the story. It could be excluded and nothing lost. It always took me out of the tale when it was dropped during dialogue.
I enjoyed the characters, with Brownlaw being very real, sans tic, and what he is enduring in his personal life is heartbreaking. Equally heartbreaking is the life, which is slowly revealed, of the murder victim.
Where I started to have issues is when it was revealed that practically everyone in a position of power or of wealth was guilty of something. I realize it's done so that everyone looks guilty of the crime, making readers second guess the killer's identity, but I stopped thinking anyone in San Diego was innocent. It did seem like overkill.
The identity of the killer was underwhelming and the climax involving the character was even more so. It seemed as if Parker just wanted to end the novel.
I enjoyed the protagonist and the victim, but no one else gave my anyone to root for.
Police officer Robbie Brownlaw was thrown from a six-story building three years ago and survived, though now he can see shapes and colors when people speak, giving him the ability to be a human lie detector. Ethics Investigator was found shot dead in his car, and Brownlaw, now a detective, investigates.
Having Brownlaw have synethesia is an odd tic and one I've not heard of. This ability doesn't add much to the story. It could be excluded and nothing lost. It always took me out of the tale when it was dropped during dialogue.
I enjoyed the characters, with Brownlaw being very real, sans tic, and what he is enduring in his personal life is heartbreaking. Equally heartbreaking is the life, which is slowly revealed, of the murder victim.
Where I started to have issues is when it was revealed that practically everyone in a position of power or of wealth was guilty of something. I realize it's done so that everyone looks guilty of the crime, making readers second guess the killer's identity, but I stopped thinking anyone in San Diego was innocent. It did seem like overkill.
The identity of the killer was underwhelming and the climax involving the character was even more so. It seemed as if Parker just wanted to end the novel.
I enjoyed the protagonist and the victim, but no one else gave my anyone to root for.
October 13, 2018
Robbie Brownlaw is a lucky man who survived a fall from six stories high. Now a homicide detective in San Diego PD he has to investigate the death of a former cop Gerrett Asplundh who was employed by the Ethics Authority of San Diego. His job to monitor the city workers for improprieties in their work place. At first it was thought to be a suicide but when it was clear that Garrett was murdered, Robbie along with his partner McKenzie Cortez swing into action.
Somewhere along the line Robbie has to deal with his wife Gina running out on him as his marriage increasingly hit the rock for no reason at all. The storyline is good but the plot is as bland as ever. Even the climax is not a climax as such. The author dealt with the aftermath of Robbie marriage in a more poignant tone. At the ripe old age of 29 life just begin for Robbie. Goodbyes are hard to say. I just hope the author would give Robbie a sequel because this book feel half done.
Somewhere along the line Robbie has to deal with his wife Gina running out on him as his marriage increasingly hit the rock for no reason at all. The storyline is good but the plot is as bland as ever. Even the climax is not a climax as such. The author dealt with the aftermath of Robbie marriage in a more poignant tone. At the ripe old age of 29 life just begin for Robbie. Goodbyes are hard to say. I just hope the author would give Robbie a sequel because this book feel half done.
November 6, 2019
This is my first book I've read in English (with more than 100 pages).
I gave it five stars, mainly for the plot. I am not really a fan of books that don't have a lot of dialogues, they are boring to me, and sometimes I also skip parts where there's a lot of describing and etc.
Something like this happend to The Fallen. So for the writing style, I give it 4/5.
Besides that, I loved the plot, I like how detective Robbie's new ability helps them around and the way he finds out which colour and shape are related to which emotions. Also, the way he tries to manage everything that's happening to him and around him.
The plot is twisty, keeping you on your toes, and from me it deserves a 5/5.
Anyways, I've finished the book a few months ago, so I have forgotten a lot of details, but I do remember enjoying it and I couldn't wait for the end and how would have everything been resolved.
So, from me, it's a big recommendation, I hope you guys like it as much as I did.
I gave it five stars, mainly for the plot. I am not really a fan of books that don't have a lot of dialogues, they are boring to me, and sometimes I also skip parts where there's a lot of describing and etc.
Something like this happend to The Fallen. So for the writing style, I give it 4/5.
Besides that, I loved the plot, I like how detective Robbie's new ability helps them around and the way he finds out which colour and shape are related to which emotions. Also, the way he tries to manage everything that's happening to him and around him.
The plot is twisty, keeping you on your toes, and from me it deserves a 5/5.
Anyways, I've finished the book a few months ago, so I have forgotten a lot of details, but I do remember enjoying it and I couldn't wait for the end and how would have everything been resolved.
So, from me, it's a big recommendation, I hope you guys like it as much as I did.
November 25, 2024
When you, in all innocence, picked up a book by an author unknown to you because it still looked new and unused (and it only cost $1) at the local thrift store, only to be utterly blown away and could not put it down until you’d turned the last page, then you proceeded to carry it in your heart after you put it down. Sure I wasn’t unprepared for its possible gulpability as the cover clearly warns “TWO-TIME WINNER OF THE EDGAR AWARD FOR BEST NOVEL” all in alarming capitals. I should have known I’ve struck gold. Still, I wasn’t so gullible as to believe a book by its cover. Only it gently held me by my waist from page one like the best kind of lover. It whispered to me of hearts and love and lost while we tried to solve a crime. It invited me to fall in love with the victim and the person trying to solve his death, not forcefully, never by force, but with eyes of observation. At the end, you realized it’s not a book about crime after all. It’s a book about heart. All of it. Five stars.
October 19, 2021
Lots of fallen people in this novel, not just our main character Robbie Brownlaw, who was actually thrown. The characters in this book were well developed and relatable. Everyone had their private side and their public persona. I liked how even though Robbie's life was falling apart with a good friend's murder and his wife leaving him, he had to keep on doing what he does. Parker made it feel like you were part of the investigation where little nuggets of information were added in with no conclusions drawn. I felt a certain someone wasn't looked at closely enough and at one point convinced myself that he dunnit. But alas, Robbie is a better detective than I and discovered the true mastermind. A very real feeling thrilling. Not all the bad guys get what is coming to them, just like what happens in real life.
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