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Frank Kearney and Jose Phelps #2
A Murder of Promise
In this new Washington, D.C., police thriller by the author of the highly- acclaimed A Murder of Honor , homicide detectives Frank Kearney and Jose Phelps search the anonymous playgrounds of cyberspace for a brutal stalker.
368 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published March 4, 2002
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
January 31, 2016
PROTAGONIST: Detectives Frank Kearney and Jose Phelps
SETTING: Washington, DC
SERIES: #2 of 3
RATING: 4.25
WHY: Veteran cops Frank Kearney and Jose Phelps, partners for 25 years, are assigned a case that soon leads them to believe a serial killer is at work. The interplay between the various characters was excellent, as were the procedural steps. A big fat clue was overlooked, but that flaw was somewhat redeemed by a nifty twist during the conclusion.
SETTING: Washington, DC
SERIES: #2 of 3
RATING: 4.25
WHY: Veteran cops Frank Kearney and Jose Phelps, partners for 25 years, are assigned a case that soon leads them to believe a serial killer is at work. The interplay between the various characters was excellent, as were the procedural steps. A big fat clue was overlooked, but that flaw was somewhat redeemed by a nifty twist during the conclusion.
October 16, 2019
An enjoyable, mildly gritty crime/detective page-turner set in Washington, D.C. It's satisfying in the same way a good Law and Order show is satisfying, though the pace drags a little in the middle. The characters and relationships are credible, and the story has enough realistic details to be (mostly) plausible.
If I want contemporary escapist detective fiction, I'd look for more by Robert Andrews.
If I want contemporary escapist detective fiction, I'd look for more by Robert Andrews.
December 16, 2023
I am liking this series. Interesting characters and the plots keep me guessing.
August 6, 2009
Robert Andrews used to be a Green Beret and a CIA operative. This might seem like useless information to someone who has never read any of his books, but it's relatively apparent that Andrews has had some sort of background in crime study. In fact, A Murder of Promise reads like an extended Law & Order episode.
That's certainly not a bad thing, as Andrews paints a fairly interesting picture of two close-knit cops working a homicide case that may or may not involve a serial killer. Andrews' characters are especially effective - Jose and Frank work well together, complimenting each other, finishing each others' thoughts, and generally seeming like they've made a friendship out of a tough job. A Murder of Promise showcases a lot of characters, and Andrews builds most up to round them out - even the dead ones.
But the pacing is a little slow, and one feels as though Andrews took his own knowledge of investigations too far. His prose is a rush of short, quick sentences, a great representation of cop detailing (though at first a little off-putting). Yet Andrews tends to include events that don't interest a whole lot, and while Frank and Jose make a likable team, the interrogations they produce can get a tad bit dry. Likewise, Andrews provides almost too much detail in some scenes; although it surely shows off Andrews' eye for info, it's not a necessity for the novel and bogs down some of the writing.
Andrews has succumbed to the upsetting theory that the unsuspected character who turns out to be the real killer will impress the reader with its twist. Instead, the ending feels contrived - a few hints and one lengthy scene with the killer are all that are provided in uncovering the mystery, resulting in a mix of enlightenment ("Ah-ha! I sort of suspected it was him based on metaphorical clues that could have been construed in a few different ways!") and frustration ("Well, that's a bummer - didn't really give me a chance to uncover the truth before the expository shit hit the fan...").
But cheer up - Andrews' lengthy plot will have the reader guessing at every turn, diving at every wild goose chase, and thinking that they're Encyclopedia Brown (sorry to say, though, that Encyclopedia Brown was a child detective finding wallets and missing kittens, so better luck next time). For the most part, A Murder of Promise is a solid read as long as one has patience; it will take you a while to get to the action-packed finale, sloshing through voluminous suspect interviews just as a PI might.
Damn realism.
That's certainly not a bad thing, as Andrews paints a fairly interesting picture of two close-knit cops working a homicide case that may or may not involve a serial killer. Andrews' characters are especially effective - Jose and Frank work well together, complimenting each other, finishing each others' thoughts, and generally seeming like they've made a friendship out of a tough job. A Murder of Promise showcases a lot of characters, and Andrews builds most up to round them out - even the dead ones.
But the pacing is a little slow, and one feels as though Andrews took his own knowledge of investigations too far. His prose is a rush of short, quick sentences, a great representation of cop detailing (though at first a little off-putting). Yet Andrews tends to include events that don't interest a whole lot, and while Frank and Jose make a likable team, the interrogations they produce can get a tad bit dry. Likewise, Andrews provides almost too much detail in some scenes; although it surely shows off Andrews' eye for info, it's not a necessity for the novel and bogs down some of the writing.
Andrews has succumbed to the upsetting theory that the unsuspected character who turns out to be the real killer will impress the reader with its twist. Instead, the ending feels contrived - a few hints and one lengthy scene with the killer are all that are provided in uncovering the mystery, resulting in a mix of enlightenment ("Ah-ha! I sort of suspected it was him based on metaphorical clues that could have been construed in a few different ways!") and frustration ("Well, that's a bummer - didn't really give me a chance to uncover the truth before the expository shit hit the fan...").
But cheer up - Andrews' lengthy plot will have the reader guessing at every turn, diving at every wild goose chase, and thinking that they're Encyclopedia Brown (sorry to say, though, that Encyclopedia Brown was a child detective finding wallets and missing kittens, so better luck next time). For the most part, A Murder of Promise is a solid read as long as one has patience; it will take you a while to get to the action-packed finale, sloshing through voluminous suspect interviews just as a PI might.
Damn realism.
August 8, 2015
There were a lot of characters in this book to keep track of. I found it rather difficult. Maybe the goal was to make you keep reading while confusing you. It worked. I finished the book. But found by the end I didn't really care who killed who. It didn't seem to matter any more. In fact, I just finished it and can barely remember who did what. I'm not saying it was a terrible book, because it wasn't. It still held my interest. And was written in a manner I found pleasing (do I sound like Temperence "Bones" Brennan a www bit?) which probably was the main reason for making me read through to the very end. Maybe I'll still try and hunt down the first book in this series. It may explain some of the characters better.
September 29, 2013
A deranged killer roams the streets of Washington DC, preying on women and capturing gruesome trophies. Two veteran homicide investigators - first introduced in A MURDER OF HONOR - find few clues at the morbid scenes, leading them to conclude that a very sick, but very intelligent murderer is at work. The plot develops nicely, as the investigators discover one thread, give it a tug, and begin to unravel the mystery. Andrews work is far superior to the average police procedural. His characters are real. The detective work is methodical. The suspense is compelling. This is the second in a three-book series ... the quality of the work begs for more.
December 23, 2015
A good mystery with interesting characters. A little slow in places. It got scary at the end, and a little anticlimactic. I don't like the politics parts. Most politicians should be in prison. Not sure yet if I'll read more by this author.
August 10, 2010
Very, very light reading. Something to start & finish (which I did) on a cross-country plane ride. Not a bad read, but forgetable.
April 4, 2015
Decent book. Kind of dragged at times. Plot was good and the characters were nicely written. Recommend.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews