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Crissa Stone #3
Shoot the Woman First
In the third stunning novel in Wallace Stroby's acclaimed crime series, a professional thief desperately tries to help the family of her slain partner—even if it costs her her life
A half million dollars in drug proceeds, guarded by five men with automatic weapons. For Wallace Stroby's determined heroine, professional thief Crissa Stone, and her team, stealing it was the easy part. But when the split goes awry in a blaze of gunfire, Crissa finds herself on the run with a duffel bag of stolen cash, and bound by a promise to deliver part of the take to the needy family of one of her slain partners.
In pursuit are the drug kingpin’s lethal lieutenant, and a rogue Detroit cop with his own deadly agenda. They think the money’s there for the taking, for whoever finds her first. But Crissa doesn’t plan to give it up without a fight, even as her mission of mercy puts her and a young child in mortal danger, with forces on both sides of the law closing in. After all, a debt is a debt . . . even if it has to be paid in blood.
Wallace Stroby delivers another powerful, lyrical novel, his third featuring one of the most original female characters in hardboiled fiction.
A half million dollars in drug proceeds, guarded by five men with automatic weapons. For Wallace Stroby's determined heroine, professional thief Crissa Stone, and her team, stealing it was the easy part. But when the split goes awry in a blaze of gunfire, Crissa finds herself on the run with a duffel bag of stolen cash, and bound by a promise to deliver part of the take to the needy family of one of her slain partners.
In pursuit are the drug kingpin’s lethal lieutenant, and a rogue Detroit cop with his own deadly agenda. They think the money’s there for the taking, for whoever finds her first. But Crissa doesn’t plan to give it up without a fight, even as her mission of mercy puts her and a young child in mortal danger, with forces on both sides of the law closing in. After all, a debt is a debt . . . even if it has to be paid in blood.
Wallace Stroby delivers another powerful, lyrical novel, his third featuring one of the most original female characters in hardboiled fiction.
285 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 19, 2013
4 people are currently reading
498 people want to read
About the author
Wallace Stroby
27 books108 followersWallace Stroby is an award-winning journalist and the author of the novels
Cold Shot to the Heart, Gone 'Til November, The Heartbreak Lounge and The Barbed-Wire Kiss..
A Long Branch, N.J., native, he's a lifelong resident of the Jersey Shore. "The Barbed-Wire Kiss," which The Washington Post called "a scorching first novel ...full of attention to character and memory and, even more, to the neighborhoods of New Jersey," was a finalist for the 2004 Barry Award for Best First Novel.
A graduate of Rutgers University, Stroby was an editor at the Star-Ledger of Newark, Tony Soprano's hometown newspaper, for 13 years.
Cold Shot to the Heart, Gone 'Til November, The Heartbreak Lounge and The Barbed-Wire Kiss..
A Long Branch, N.J., native, he's a lifelong resident of the Jersey Shore. "The Barbed-Wire Kiss," which The Washington Post called "a scorching first novel ...full of attention to character and memory and, even more, to the neighborhoods of New Jersey," was a finalist for the 2004 Barry Award for Best First Novel.
A graduate of Rutgers University, Stroby was an editor at the Star-Ledger of Newark, Tony Soprano's hometown newspaper, for 13 years.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews
February 6, 2024
4 stars
short review for busy readers: #3 in the Crissa Stone series and just as good as the previous two. Lean almost telegraphic writing, fast-paced, lots of action, great characters, super dialogue. Unfortunately, it also follows the same plot pattern as the previous two and is therefore somewhat on the predictable side. Could be read as a standalone.
in detail:
The Crissa Stone series is simply fantastic.
I don’t want the following critique to mar what I think’s extraordinarily well done work. I’d recommend this series to anyone. But there is a pattern developing with the plots that's making the series more predictable than it should be.
The novels open with a cash heist being planned. Crissa knows and trusts at least 1 of the men in the crew, but not all of them. Something goes dreadfully wrong during or after the heist and that guy(s) she trusts gets killed. Crissa is left on her own running from the heavily armed, heavily determined bad guys. In the end, there’s a showdown and Crissa is the only one left with all limbs still attached.
And so it is with this one.
To his credit, Stroby finds very different and fresh ways to have that scenario happen. The details of the set ups from one novel to the next bear no resemblance to each other, except that they all involve cash theft. There are surprisingly few series characters and almost no series plot. It’s all about the crime and how Crissa comes out on top.
But by now we know what’s coming, even if we have no idea how it’s going to come. And that is turning out to be the Achilles heel of this absolutely grand series – structural predictability.
Hopefully, the 4th (and so far final) instalment will break this pattern, but most likely not. I’m still looking very forward to it.
I read this novel as part of the Serial Challenge 2024.
short review for busy readers: #3 in the Crissa Stone series and just as good as the previous two. Lean almost telegraphic writing, fast-paced, lots of action, great characters, super dialogue. Unfortunately, it also follows the same plot pattern as the previous two and is therefore somewhat on the predictable side. Could be read as a standalone.
in detail:
The Crissa Stone series is simply fantastic.
I don’t want the following critique to mar what I think’s extraordinarily well done work. I’d recommend this series to anyone. But there is a pattern developing with the plots that's making the series more predictable than it should be.
The novels open with a cash heist being planned. Crissa knows and trusts at least 1 of the men in the crew, but not all of them. Something goes dreadfully wrong during or after the heist and that guy(s) she trusts gets killed. Crissa is left on her own running from the heavily armed, heavily determined bad guys. In the end, there’s a showdown and Crissa is the only one left with all limbs still attached.
And so it is with this one.
To his credit, Stroby finds very different and fresh ways to have that scenario happen. The details of the set ups from one novel to the next bear no resemblance to each other, except that they all involve cash theft. There are surprisingly few series characters and almost no series plot. It’s all about the crime and how Crissa comes out on top.
But by now we know what’s coming, even if we have no idea how it’s going to come. And that is turning out to be the Achilles heel of this absolutely grand series – structural predictability.
Hopefully, the 4th (and so far final) instalment will break this pattern, but most likely not. I’m still looking very forward to it.
I read this novel as part of the Serial Challenge 2024.
August 18, 2015
This isn’t going to do a thing to help Detroit's image.
In this third book of the series, Crissa has traveled to the Motor City to take part in heisting a sizable amount of cash from a local drug kingpin. Despite Crissa’s caution and competence things take a bad turn. There’s more trouble on the way when the kingpin hires an ex-cop named Burke to track down the thieves and his missing money.
It’s tempting to just call Crissa a female version of Richard Stark’s professional thief/anti-hero Parker, and it’s obvious that he was an inspiration to Wallace Stroby. However, it isn’t like he just put a dress and a wig on Parker. Crissa actually has emotions and a conscience, and sometimes her life would be easier if she didn't. While she’s more than capable as a thief as well as dealing with violent situations her default state isn’t to kill anyone causing a problem in front of her, and she’s also struggling with the loneliness and lack of connections that come with living outside normal society.
The book also tips the cap to Elmore Leonard with the dedication and its dialogue and characters, particularly Burke who is a great villain with shades of Leonard in his take-no-shit attitude and no nonsense way of going after the money. The Detroit and Florida settings are another nod to Leonard, and decaying Detroit filled with blocks of vacant houses and businesses is a great stage for a crime novel like this.
Each book in this series has gotten me more involved and excited about Crissa as a character and reading about her trying to deal with bad people while keeping her essential humanity intact is a refreshing change from the usual sociopath that most authors feel like a bad guy (or girl) character such as a professional thief needs to be. I’m already looking forward to the fourth one.
In this third book of the series, Crissa has traveled to the Motor City to take part in heisting a sizable amount of cash from a local drug kingpin. Despite Crissa’s caution and competence things take a bad turn. There’s more trouble on the way when the kingpin hires an ex-cop named Burke to track down the thieves and his missing money.
It’s tempting to just call Crissa a female version of Richard Stark’s professional thief/anti-hero Parker, and it’s obvious that he was an inspiration to Wallace Stroby. However, it isn’t like he just put a dress and a wig on Parker. Crissa actually has emotions and a conscience, and sometimes her life would be easier if she didn't. While she’s more than capable as a thief as well as dealing with violent situations her default state isn’t to kill anyone causing a problem in front of her, and she’s also struggling with the loneliness and lack of connections that come with living outside normal society.
The book also tips the cap to Elmore Leonard with the dedication and its dialogue and characters, particularly Burke who is a great villain with shades of Leonard in his take-no-shit attitude and no nonsense way of going after the money. The Detroit and Florida settings are another nod to Leonard, and decaying Detroit filled with blocks of vacant houses and businesses is a great stage for a crime novel like this.
Each book in this series has gotten me more involved and excited about Crissa as a character and reading about her trying to deal with bad people while keeping her essential humanity intact is a refreshing change from the usual sociopath that most authors feel like a bad guy (or girl) character such as a professional thief needs to be. I’m already looking forward to the fourth one.
October 19, 2015
This is another excellent entry in Wallace Stroby's series featuring Crissa Stone. Stone is a career criminal and, as any number of people have suggested, she might well be the female version of Richard Stark's Parker. She's tough, smart and nimble--qualities that have served her well in each of her outings.
This story is set in Detroit and opens when an insider provides Crissa and her team with the low-down on the way in which a drug kingpin moves his money. There's a point where the money is vulnerable and Stone, working with three men, plans to relieve the kingpin of $500,000. Crissa has worked with two of the men before; the fourth member of the crew is a cousin of one of the two and a virgin who's pulling his first job.
The heist goes as planned, but everything turns to crap immediately thereafter. There's a firefight in which several people die and Crissa escapes with about half of the money from the job. Crissa was fairly close to one of the crew that didn't make it, Larry Black, and once safe, she figures that she has a moral responsibility to get Black's share of the loot to his family.
This will be way easier said than done because naturally the drug lord wants his money back and is hot on her trail. So is a corrupt former Detroit cop who's particularly good at tracking down bad guys and who would like to add the money from the robbery to his retirement fund. It all makes for a heart-pounding ride. Stroby writes a spare story that's stripped to the bones and moves at a breakneck pace. The characters are all well-drawn and Crissa Stone is a particularly engaging protagonist. One can't help but root for her, even though she is on the wrong side of the law. This is three winners in a row for Stroby and Crissa; I'm eagerly looking forward to the fourth.
This story is set in Detroit and opens when an insider provides Crissa and her team with the low-down on the way in which a drug kingpin moves his money. There's a point where the money is vulnerable and Stone, working with three men, plans to relieve the kingpin of $500,000. Crissa has worked with two of the men before; the fourth member of the crew is a cousin of one of the two and a virgin who's pulling his first job.
The heist goes as planned, but everything turns to crap immediately thereafter. There's a firefight in which several people die and Crissa escapes with about half of the money from the job. Crissa was fairly close to one of the crew that didn't make it, Larry Black, and once safe, she figures that she has a moral responsibility to get Black's share of the loot to his family.
This will be way easier said than done because naturally the drug lord wants his money back and is hot on her trail. So is a corrupt former Detroit cop who's particularly good at tracking down bad guys and who would like to add the money from the robbery to his retirement fund. It all makes for a heart-pounding ride. Stroby writes a spare story that's stripped to the bones and moves at a breakneck pace. The characters are all well-drawn and Crissa Stone is a particularly engaging protagonist. One can't help but root for her, even though she is on the wrong side of the law. This is three winners in a row for Stroby and Crissa; I'm eagerly looking forward to the fourth.
August 31, 2015
I love Stroby’s writing – he’s a savvy and polished writer of noir crime fiction. I’ve worked my way through just about all the books he's written to date and have found him to be uniformly excellent. Well, in truth I found his first two books, the Harry Rane stories, to be probably a little less accomplished than everything that’s followed but they are still a cut above ninety percent of the crime based books out there.
When I picked up Cold Shot to the Heart a few years ago I was instantly taken with his dark heroine, Crissa Stone, a female thief with a moral compass. She’s tough, very tough, but her heart seems to be in the right place. This is the third book of the series and, for those who have yet to discover it, all you need to know is that she has a daughter who is looked after by another woman and who she rarely sees and a man who’s incarcerated in a Texas prison and who she sees even less of. But they are nonetheless ever present in these books, they drive her on variously giving her purpose (the daughter she longs to be re-united with) and professional guidance (received wisdom from the expert criminal mind that mentored and developed her into the consummate operator she now is).
In this episode, Stone is sizing up a job in Detroit. Working with a small team, the aim is to hit a local drug dealer’s operation and make away with a circa three hundred thousand dollars. It all looks simple enough on paper, but things don't quite go to plan - as you knew they wouldn't - and suddenly Stone has a particularly (deliciously) unsavoury character on her tail whilst she's still trying to deal will the outfall from the job. The action is brilliantly handled and nicely spaced out in a book that's as much about feelings and desires as it is about the heist and the chase. The prose is sharp and sparse and conversations are short and to the point. It’s classy stuff.
There is a fourth book in this series awaiting my attention – attention it will receive quite shortly. I look forward to gobbling anything Mr Stroby has to offer for years to come.
When I picked up Cold Shot to the Heart a few years ago I was instantly taken with his dark heroine, Crissa Stone, a female thief with a moral compass. She’s tough, very tough, but her heart seems to be in the right place. This is the third book of the series and, for those who have yet to discover it, all you need to know is that she has a daughter who is looked after by another woman and who she rarely sees and a man who’s incarcerated in a Texas prison and who she sees even less of. But they are nonetheless ever present in these books, they drive her on variously giving her purpose (the daughter she longs to be re-united with) and professional guidance (received wisdom from the expert criminal mind that mentored and developed her into the consummate operator she now is).
In this episode, Stone is sizing up a job in Detroit. Working with a small team, the aim is to hit a local drug dealer’s operation and make away with a circa three hundred thousand dollars. It all looks simple enough on paper, but things don't quite go to plan - as you knew they wouldn't - and suddenly Stone has a particularly (deliciously) unsavoury character on her tail whilst she's still trying to deal will the outfall from the job. The action is brilliantly handled and nicely spaced out in a book that's as much about feelings and desires as it is about the heist and the chase. The prose is sharp and sparse and conversations are short and to the point. It’s classy stuff.
There is a fourth book in this series awaiting my attention – attention it will receive quite shortly. I look forward to gobbling anything Mr Stroby has to offer for years to come.
January 12, 2016
Crissa Stone is back at it again. She's reunited with a couple of old colleagues (including Charlie Glass from the check cashing heist in Cold Shot to the Heart) and is getting ready to rob a car-full of cash just sitting out in the middle of a Detroit street. But, once again, everything gets all screwed-up, dumbasses make mistakes, people get shot, and Crissa ends up being hunted for the dough.
And yet again, Crissa lets her sense of morality and goodness get in the way. That's the thing that sets her character apart from her male literary counterpart, Parker, who she's constantly compared to. She actually has a heart, no matter how much she tries to conceal it. I guess that's a good thing, but if she didn't feel the need to do things like help a dead friend's family, things would go a lot easier for her. But, on the other hand, if she didn't do those things we wouldn't have these fun, action-packed books. Like the two previous books, this one is sleek and propulsive with very little filler. Another exciting chapter in a consistent series about one badassanti-heroine!
And yet again, Crissa lets her sense of morality and goodness get in the way. That's the thing that sets her character apart from her male literary counterpart, Parker, who she's constantly compared to. She actually has a heart, no matter how much she tries to conceal it. I guess that's a good thing, but if she didn't feel the need to do things like help a dead friend's family, things would go a lot easier for her. But, on the other hand, if she didn't do those things we wouldn't have these fun, action-packed books. Like the two previous books, this one is sleek and propulsive with very little filler. Another exciting chapter in a consistent series about one badass
"When they're training these counterterror teams, they tell them when they're going into a situation where there's multiple targets––men and women– you shoot the women first."
"Why?"
"Because in a gang or a crew or whatever, a woman's got to be three times as tough, three times as committed, three times as hard-ass for the men to take her seriously."
February 22, 2015
Apparently, I'm one who loves hard-boiled series. And while I'm not obsessive about it, I strongly prefer to read in order.
This is the third and last book in the series. Wallace Stroby's writing has been compared to Elmore Leonard's and apparently he loves the comparison dedicating this book to the now late Leonard. Not a bad comparison if you ask me.
This Crissa Stone is one tough cookie. A protag who with every book becomes more close to me knowing full well that she's a crook. But she is damned hard not to like and care about.
I love the cover, the picture of Crissa. That is her, exactly. They must have gotten the picture from her latest passport and Texas DL.
I have stopped reading an author because they forgot to read up on the geology of the area (in this case, Florida.) One author wrote there were hills on the west coast of Florida. False.
But in this instance, Stroby wrote about a little creek behind the house and someone was throwing pebbles or rocks in the water. (This was at St. Augustine Beach.) In Florida, we don't have pebbles like Stroby described. But because of the great writing, Stroby gets a pass.
I hesitated on the stars but golly, gee, thanks to Wallace Stroby--
Crissa R O C K S!
This is the third and last book in the series. Wallace Stroby's writing has been compared to Elmore Leonard's and apparently he loves the comparison dedicating this book to the now late Leonard. Not a bad comparison if you ask me.
This Crissa Stone is one tough cookie. A protag who with every book becomes more close to me knowing full well that she's a crook. But she is damned hard not to like and care about.
I love the cover, the picture of Crissa. That is her, exactly. They must have gotten the picture from her latest passport and Texas DL.
I have stopped reading an author because they forgot to read up on the geology of the area (in this case, Florida.) One author wrote there were hills on the west coast of Florida. False.
But in this instance, Stroby wrote about a little creek behind the house and someone was throwing pebbles or rocks in the water. (This was at St. Augustine Beach.) In Florida, we don't have pebbles like Stroby described. But because of the great writing, Stroby gets a pass.
I hesitated on the stars but golly, gee, thanks to Wallace Stroby--
Crissa R O C K S!
September 12, 2021
I haven’t read this author before but will definitely read more by Wallace Stroby. Its kind of unusual to have a main character be a career criminal and to be able to empathize with them.
I haven’t read any other books in this series but didn’t feel the lack. This book was action packed but the author also took the time to develop the main characters. It was an interesting switch in terms of characterization; a criminal who was ethical and humane versus a former cop who was rotten to the core.
I haven’t listened to Coleen Marlo before but I thought she did a good job narrating this book with female, male, and child voices of different ethnicities and regional backgrounds.
I haven’t read any other books in this series but didn’t feel the lack. This book was action packed but the author also took the time to develop the main characters. It was an interesting switch in terms of characterization; a criminal who was ethical and humane versus a former cop who was rotten to the core.
I haven’t listened to Coleen Marlo before but I thought she did a good job narrating this book with female, male, and child voices of different ethnicities and regional backgrounds.
March 10, 2019
Crissa is an interesting female protagonist, the story engaging and entertaining. Not sure I’ll continue with the series.
March 31, 2020
#3 in the Crissa Stone series. This 2013 series entry by author Wallace Stroby is a sterling addition. I now kick myself for wasting years looking for additional entries to Stroby's Harry Rane series and bypassing the earlier entries to this series that were waiting to be read. Better late than never, to coin a cliche. Crissa Stone is one of the toughest female protagonists you will come across and a standout in the restricted genre of criminal as series lead.
In Detroit, careless drug lord Marquis Johnson's sloppy operation offers a tempting take of up to $500,000, that turns out to be $325,000. When the heist hits a snag that results in the deaths of Crissa's two ad hoc partners, Charlie Glass and Larry Black, she heads for Florida with half the loot. There she hopes to find Black's family to share bad news and some of the money, but ruthless ex-cop Frank Burke is following the same tracks. As Burke leaves a trail of bodies in his wake, Crissa puts her life on the line to keep Black's widow and little girl safe.
In Detroit, careless drug lord Marquis Johnson's sloppy operation offers a tempting take of up to $500,000, that turns out to be $325,000. When the heist hits a snag that results in the deaths of Crissa's two ad hoc partners, Charlie Glass and Larry Black, she heads for Florida with half the loot. There she hopes to find Black's family to share bad news and some of the money, but ruthless ex-cop Frank Burke is following the same tracks. As Burke leaves a trail of bodies in his wake, Crissa puts her life on the line to keep Black's widow and little girl safe.
October 27, 2014
I found out after I read this book that it is #3 in a series. I did not feel that I was missing anything; the book gave a bit of back-story, but not so much that if I read the first two books I'll feel like I already know everything. It was an interesting "on the run with the drug dealers' money" story. I really liked the main character Crissa Stone and without knowing the book was part of a series in which she is the main character, I really didn't know if she'd make it out - given the title, who knew? Anyway, I enjoyed the book, particularly Crissa's and the little girl Hayley's characters and their relationship. I can easily see reading more in this series, although I have quite a few series going now, so I'm not sure I want to add any more at the moment. Good book though.
June 10, 2016
Without being sexist or misogynistic this is a great title for a novel. It's the third in Wallace Stroby's, Crissa Stone series and the second one I've read.
Crissa is a career criminal and is in Detroit to pull off a heist of drug money with a crew made up of guys she worked with before and also an inside man from the drug cartel. They pull off the heist but afterwards things take a turn for the worse and Crissa finds herself on the run from a bent ex-cop who is hell bent on retrieving all the stolen drug money for himself.
I read this novel over the course of a day as I found I could just not put it down. The plot is not original by any means but it's the characters and the choices they make that drives the story along. Crissa, although a criminal, tries to put things right by delivering her parter's share of the drug money to his family, while the ex-cop is totally motivated by greed and will do anything to retrieve the money for himself.
Another great story by Wallace Stroby who is fast becoming one of my favourite crime writers.
Crissa is a career criminal and is in Detroit to pull off a heist of drug money with a crew made up of guys she worked with before and also an inside man from the drug cartel. They pull off the heist but afterwards things take a turn for the worse and Crissa finds herself on the run from a bent ex-cop who is hell bent on retrieving all the stolen drug money for himself.
I read this novel over the course of a day as I found I could just not put it down. The plot is not original by any means but it's the characters and the choices they make that drives the story along. Crissa, although a criminal, tries to put things right by delivering her parter's share of the drug money to his family, while the ex-cop is totally motivated by greed and will do anything to retrieve the money for himself.
Another great story by Wallace Stroby who is fast becoming one of my favourite crime writers.
January 22, 2014
Another great read from a very talented author. If you don't know who Stroby is, you better find out because he is poised to be one of the best crime writers in years to come. This is a book that moves at a brisk pace - the action is fast and quick, and you barely have time to take a breath as the plot moves from beginning to end. The dialogue is sharp - like Elmore Leonard and Robert Parker, and the prose is spare yet effective.
You'll fall in love with Crissa Stone - a methodical, smart, "two moves ahead" kind of criminal who just happens to be a woman. The story is tight and well-paced - if you're like me, you'll find out that the bad guys aren't so bad and the good guys aren't so good. But Wallace Stroby has written a first-rate book.
You'll fall in love with Crissa Stone - a methodical, smart, "two moves ahead" kind of criminal who just happens to be a woman. The story is tight and well-paced - if you're like me, you'll find out that the bad guys aren't so bad and the good guys aren't so good. But Wallace Stroby has written a first-rate book.
March 6, 2025
2nd reading
November 7, 2019
Crissa Stone, the criminal Wallace Stroby challenges his readers to love, makes her way to Detroit for this caper. She's part of a 4 person team that intends to swipe a half-mil from a drug kingpin. Crissa's a very organized and methodical planner and when the timeline moves up she uncharacteristically misses a 'tell'. The heist doesn't go exactly as planned, the aftermath is a mess, and Crissa returns to her home base seemingly safe. But that's not the end by any means. A dirty ex-Detroit cop with a money problem and no morals whatsoever is 'hired' by the ripped off drug king to find his cash and the bodies begin to pile up.
'Shoot the Woman First' is one of those books where you pretty much know what's going to happen all along the way. You may not know exactly the 'how', but you can picture the end result and a great writer will keep you hooked on the story. Far too many thriller and crime fiction novels end with big 'shoot-em-ups' or totally unexpected twists- not that there's anything wrong with that per se, but Stroby doesn't play that way. There's the level of violence you'd expect from career criminals and their ilk, but it all feels realistic and expected and the plots play out in a sort of linear fashion. There are unexpected twists and turns along the way, but they always seem organic and consistent with the plot.
Is Wallace Stroby the 'new Elmore Leonard'? Based on what I've read so far, he's right up there for me. Great plots, a fine recurring character, propulsive writing, top-notch dialogue, excellent storytelling... it's all there.
'Shoot the Woman First' is one of those books where you pretty much know what's going to happen all along the way. You may not know exactly the 'how', but you can picture the end result and a great writer will keep you hooked on the story. Far too many thriller and crime fiction novels end with big 'shoot-em-ups' or totally unexpected twists- not that there's anything wrong with that per se, but Stroby doesn't play that way. There's the level of violence you'd expect from career criminals and their ilk, but it all feels realistic and expected and the plots play out in a sort of linear fashion. There are unexpected twists and turns along the way, but they always seem organic and consistent with the plot.
Is Wallace Stroby the 'new Elmore Leonard'? Based on what I've read so far, he's right up there for me. Great plots, a fine recurring character, propulsive writing, top-notch dialogue, excellent storytelling... it's all there.
May 15, 2022
I will admit the title intrigued me. Wallace Stroby he is definitely new to me but I have the distinct feeling we’re going to get to know each other very well. I’ll like Carissa Stone and her hard view of life and how to survive it. Everyone in this book minus two characters were bad or doing the wrong thing or not being their best self or being pure scum. It was all shades of gray. The tension the way the plot evolved and its resolution all pleased me. The one thing I did wrong was read this one first #3 and not #1 in the series but that will be rectified.
May 30, 2017
I LOVE the Crissa Stone series, and I loved this, the third installment. Crissa is a tough, intelligent female protagonist who takes on hardened male criminals and kicks their butts. Stroby and Crissa never disappoint. This is one of my all time favorite series. No summary--just dive in, sit back, and enjoy every word.
September 9, 2019
I like this series because the stories are tight, believable and well written. The mood, set up and the jobs Crissa pulls off owe a lot to the Parker series by Stark(Westlake), but there's a lot more to Crissa's character. We're led to believe that these heists are just temporary, until Crissa can spring her man from a Texas jail and reunite with her daughter. She has empathy, a trait that Parker seems to lack entirely. Money is a means to an end, not the only focus. Or so we're led to believe.
In this one, Crissa teams up with a few reliable men and one wild card to pull off a heist and snag a load of drug money. But of course things don't go smoothly. One of the crew goes down in the crossfire, and Crissa (in a particularly non-Parker like move) chooses to find the guy's wife and kid and give them his share of the take instead going into hiding. Meanwhile, the drug lord hires a dirty-ex cop to find the stolen money. He's ruthless and resourceful, and it's doesn't take long to track her down.
Too bad that there is only one book left (to date), because the series has improved with each story.
In this one, Crissa teams up with a few reliable men and one wild card to pull off a heist and snag a load of drug money. But of course things don't go smoothly. One of the crew goes down in the crossfire, and Crissa (in a particularly non-Parker like move) chooses to find the guy's wife and kid and give them his share of the take instead going into hiding. Meanwhile, the drug lord hires a dirty-ex cop to find the stolen money. He's ruthless and resourceful, and it's doesn't take long to track her down.
Too bad that there is only one book left (to date), because the series has improved with each story.
September 9, 2018
Worum geht es?
Ein neuer Job für Crissa Stone. Fast eine halbe Millionen Dollar soll hier zu holen sein. Drogengeld, welches bei einer laschen Übergabe, die von nur drei bewaffneten Kerlen bewacht wird, abgegriffen werden kann. Mit im Team ist ein alter, vertrauenswürdiger Kollege, ein neuer Kollege, mit dem Crissa schon zusammen gearbeitet hat und dessen Cousin. Fast schon zu einfach gelingt der Coup, doch die Aufteilung des Geldes endet im Kugelhagel – einer hat falsch gespielt. Und nun befindet sich Crissa auf der Flucht, mit einem Großteil des Geldes, den Schergen des Drogendealers auf den Fersen und einem korrupten Cop im Nacken, der seine eigenen Ziele verfolgt.
Einer wie der andere?
Klar, Crissa ist eine Diebin und wie in den beiden vorigen Teilen der Serie (Kalter Schuss ins Herz / Geld ist nicht genug) geht sie ihrem täglichen Geschäft nach. Mit Köpfchen und überlegt, abwägend. Somit ist der Raub natürlich immer Bestandteil des Krimis, doch die Komplikationen sind nie dieselben. Und auch Crissa muss eben Köpfchen beweisen, damit sie da heil und mit möglichst ihrem Anteil der Beute herauskommt.
Opfer, Tat und Täter
Ein kleines Mädchen, Kollegen, der Cop und der Drogendealer.
Themen
Ein Raubüberfall, eine Flucht, ein Showdown. That’s it. Einfach, aber genial. Ganz nach der Devise „Show, don’t tell“ ist der Krimi minimalistisch, mit knappen Worten, aber voranpeitschend, soghaft geschrieben.
Was war gut?
Crissa Stone ist eine Hauptfigur, die ihresgleichen sucht. Sie ist einfach klasse, richtig dufte, sie könnte auch einem Affen Bananen klauen und es wäre trotzdem ein Erlebnis. Crissa gibt noch was auf Ehre, den Gaunerkodex und ihren moralischem Kompass. Klar ist sie eine Diebin, dabei muss man aber nicht über Leichen gehen. Außer man wird gezwungen. Aber das gilt es zu vermeiden. Wallace Stroby ist es gelungen, eine Protagonistin zu schreiben, die sich ganz sicher hinter keinem Mann verstecken muss und trotzdem nicht nur beinhart ist. Eine Diebin, aber was für eine.
Was war schlecht?
Nichts.
FAZIT:
Die Reihe ist perfekt geschrieben, Crissa Stone ist eine geniale Ausnahmeerscheinung im männerlastigen Hardboiled-Genre und schon allein deshalb wert, dass jeder sie kennt. Wem das noch nicht reicht, dem sei einfach dieser ungeheuer spannende Krimi empfohlen. Und wer Crissa dann mal kennt, wird ihr nicht mehr entkommen. Eine unverzichtbare Bereicherung der deutschen Krimi-Landschaft!
Ein neuer Job für Crissa Stone. Fast eine halbe Millionen Dollar soll hier zu holen sein. Drogengeld, welches bei einer laschen Übergabe, die von nur drei bewaffneten Kerlen bewacht wird, abgegriffen werden kann. Mit im Team ist ein alter, vertrauenswürdiger Kollege, ein neuer Kollege, mit dem Crissa schon zusammen gearbeitet hat und dessen Cousin. Fast schon zu einfach gelingt der Coup, doch die Aufteilung des Geldes endet im Kugelhagel – einer hat falsch gespielt. Und nun befindet sich Crissa auf der Flucht, mit einem Großteil des Geldes, den Schergen des Drogendealers auf den Fersen und einem korrupten Cop im Nacken, der seine eigenen Ziele verfolgt.
Einer wie der andere?
Klar, Crissa ist eine Diebin und wie in den beiden vorigen Teilen der Serie (Kalter Schuss ins Herz / Geld ist nicht genug) geht sie ihrem täglichen Geschäft nach. Mit Köpfchen und überlegt, abwägend. Somit ist der Raub natürlich immer Bestandteil des Krimis, doch die Komplikationen sind nie dieselben. Und auch Crissa muss eben Köpfchen beweisen, damit sie da heil und mit möglichst ihrem Anteil der Beute herauskommt.
Opfer, Tat und Täter
Ein kleines Mädchen, Kollegen, der Cop und der Drogendealer.
Themen
Ein Raubüberfall, eine Flucht, ein Showdown. That’s it. Einfach, aber genial. Ganz nach der Devise „Show, don’t tell“ ist der Krimi minimalistisch, mit knappen Worten, aber voranpeitschend, soghaft geschrieben.
Was war gut?
Crissa Stone ist eine Hauptfigur, die ihresgleichen sucht. Sie ist einfach klasse, richtig dufte, sie könnte auch einem Affen Bananen klauen und es wäre trotzdem ein Erlebnis. Crissa gibt noch was auf Ehre, den Gaunerkodex und ihren moralischem Kompass. Klar ist sie eine Diebin, dabei muss man aber nicht über Leichen gehen. Außer man wird gezwungen. Aber das gilt es zu vermeiden. Wallace Stroby ist es gelungen, eine Protagonistin zu schreiben, die sich ganz sicher hinter keinem Mann verstecken muss und trotzdem nicht nur beinhart ist. Eine Diebin, aber was für eine.
Was war schlecht?
Nichts.
FAZIT:
Die Reihe ist perfekt geschrieben, Crissa Stone ist eine geniale Ausnahmeerscheinung im männerlastigen Hardboiled-Genre und schon allein deshalb wert, dass jeder sie kennt. Wem das noch nicht reicht, dem sei einfach dieser ungeheuer spannende Krimi empfohlen. Und wer Crissa dann mal kennt, wird ihr nicht mehr entkommen. Eine unverzichtbare Bereicherung der deutschen Krimi-Landschaft!
August 9, 2016
This was a solid contemporary noir-style crime-gone-wrong book. Definitely enjoyable, well-written and to the point.
The main character, Crissa, is likable and accessible, and does not make nearly as many stupid decisions as so many heroes/heroines do, in fact after the first few chapters I found her doing things the way I wanted, and making the decisions I felt were best. I can't stress enough how this never happens in books. She is an interesting (if at times not seamless) mix of professional thief/badass/human being, and she compartmentalizes/processes her emotions and decisions in a way that completely makes sense. The way she handled (after the first few chapters) every situation was perfect, and the final confrontation was great.
I was floating between 4 and 5 stars, because the Big Bad is despicable (as, I'm sure, he's supposed to be) and honestly his pages take up too much of the book. But, ultimately, I went with 5 because this is a book that is straight to the point, does not contain page-filling prattle, does not throw in a love triangle or any other nonsense just to check off a "list of necessary plot-points", and does not mess around trying to make everyone happy or specifically trying to piss anyone off. It is a simple heist-gone-wrong where the action scenes are just as well-written as the drama; , not-overly-cynical, not-needlessly-gory but still thoroughly noir . I have found this combination rare, and absolutely enjoyable.
I received this as a promotional copy via a GoodReads Giveaways contest.
The main character, Crissa, is likable and accessible, and does not make nearly as many stupid decisions as so many heroes/heroines do, in fact after the first few chapters I found her doing things the way I wanted, and making the decisions I felt were best. I can't stress enough how this never happens in books. She is an interesting (if at times not seamless) mix of professional thief/badass/human being, and she compartmentalizes/processes her emotions and decisions in a way that completely makes sense. The way she handled (after the first few chapters) every situation was perfect, and the final confrontation was great.
I was floating between 4 and 5 stars, because the Big Bad is despicable (as, I'm sure, he's supposed to be) and honestly his pages take up too much of the book. But, ultimately, I went with 5 because this is a book that is straight to the point, does not contain page-filling prattle, does not throw in a love triangle or any other nonsense just to check off a "list of necessary plot-points", and does not mess around trying to make everyone happy or specifically trying to piss anyone off. It is a simple heist-gone-wrong where the action scenes are just as well-written as the drama; , not-overly-cynical, not-needlessly-gory but still thoroughly noir . I have found this combination rare, and absolutely enjoyable.
I received this as a promotional copy via a GoodReads Giveaways contest.
December 12, 2013
In Wallace Stroby's "Shoot the Woman First," Crissa Stone and a band of fellow thieves stake out drug dealer's drop. Stroby describes the setting in lean, poetic prose: "Empty windows, dark doorways. Ghost town. Deadtown. She pictured the vacant paces inside the buildings, trash-strewn floors, broken glass."
Crissa is a survivor. A former junkie, she was rescued and mentored by a master thief. He taught her to plan every detail of a heist, to trust her instinct and walk away if a setup feels sketchy. Something seems off to her about this job but she ignores her misgivings because desperately she needs the quarter of a million in cash she'll score to help the man to whom she feels she owes her life.
She doesn't bargain for Eddie the Saint, a former police officer who makes his living stealing back and exacting revenge for crooks like the drug boss that Crissa burgles. Killing is a perk, as far as Eddie is concerned, as he goes about recouping his client's losses and leaving a trail of mayhem and dead bodies in his wake.
This third Crissa Stone novel is delivered in propulsive prose and smart dialogue reminiscent of Robert B. Parker or Elmore Leonard and laid on with the same kind of dry brush. For fans of noir, this is among the best of the current breed.
Crissa is a survivor. A former junkie, she was rescued and mentored by a master thief. He taught her to plan every detail of a heist, to trust her instinct and walk away if a setup feels sketchy. Something seems off to her about this job but she ignores her misgivings because desperately she needs the quarter of a million in cash she'll score to help the man to whom she feels she owes her life.
She doesn't bargain for Eddie the Saint, a former police officer who makes his living stealing back and exacting revenge for crooks like the drug boss that Crissa burgles. Killing is a perk, as far as Eddie is concerned, as he goes about recouping his client's losses and leaving a trail of mayhem and dead bodies in his wake.
This third Crissa Stone novel is delivered in propulsive prose and smart dialogue reminiscent of Robert B. Parker or Elmore Leonard and laid on with the same kind of dry brush. For fans of noir, this is among the best of the current breed.
November 22, 2015
Chrissa Stone is a professional thief. Her and her team are after a
half million dollars in drug proceeds guarded by five men with auto-
matic weapons. Stealing it is easy but the split goes awry in a blaze
of gun fire. Crissa is on the run with a bag of money and a promise
to deliver part of it to the needy family of one of her slain partners.
In pursuit is the drug kingpins lethal lieutenant a rogue Detroit cop
with his own agenda. Crissa doesn't plan on giving up without a fight
and her mission of mercy puts her and a young child in mortal danger.
With forces from both sides of the law closing in this debt seem like
it's going to be paid in blood. This is book three in the Crissa Stone
series and anyone looking for a quick read with a good story should like
this one. I gave it a 4.
half million dollars in drug proceeds guarded by five men with auto-
matic weapons. Stealing it is easy but the split goes awry in a blaze
of gun fire. Crissa is on the run with a bag of money and a promise
to deliver part of it to the needy family of one of her slain partners.
In pursuit is the drug kingpins lethal lieutenant a rogue Detroit cop
with his own agenda. Crissa doesn't plan on giving up without a fight
and her mission of mercy puts her and a young child in mortal danger.
With forces from both sides of the law closing in this debt seem like
it's going to be paid in blood. This is book three in the Crissa Stone
series and anyone looking for a quick read with a good story should like
this one. I gave it a 4.
April 13, 2015
PROTAGONIST: Crissa Stone
SERIES: #3 of 3
RATING: 4.25
WHY: Crissa Stone is a professional thief who is generally the planner for the various jobs she pulls off. With the aid of 3 men, the latest heist involves hundreds of thousands of dollars to be stolen from a Detroit drug lord. The robbery itself goes well; it's only afterwards that things go terribly wrong. Loyalty overrides common sense as she attempts to provide the family of one of the crew with his share of the proceedings. The plot moves at a fast pace, but the best thing in the book is the character of Crissa. She's practical and no-nonsense, hard but not hard-hearted. I love how Stroby keeps things real and avoids going over the top with the plot or the characters.
SERIES: #3 of 3
RATING: 4.25
WHY: Crissa Stone is a professional thief who is generally the planner for the various jobs she pulls off. With the aid of 3 men, the latest heist involves hundreds of thousands of dollars to be stolen from a Detroit drug lord. The robbery itself goes well; it's only afterwards that things go terribly wrong. Loyalty overrides common sense as she attempts to provide the family of one of the crew with his share of the proceedings. The plot moves at a fast pace, but the best thing in the book is the character of Crissa. She's practical and no-nonsense, hard but not hard-hearted. I love how Stroby keeps things real and avoids going over the top with the plot or the characters.
November 18, 2013
I won this as an "Advanced Reading Copy". This was the first time I have read anything by Wallace Stroby. It took me a few pages to figure out who the "good guys" were suppose to be. Plenty of action to keep me turning the page. I didn't care for the crude language but, the story line was very gripping! Action packed and great ending! I do hope though that the final copy will have the errors corrected. Nothing major, just a word left out here and there.
December 20, 2013
A female Parker? Not quite but the third in this series is definitely a solid hard-core crime read.
Crissa, our anti-hero professional thief, is a survivor and will go to any lengths to do it. In this one she also feels compelled to protect a 6 yr old girl (daughter of dead partner. Will her ache of motherhood be her downfall?
Crissa, our anti-hero professional thief, is a survivor and will go to any lengths to do it. In this one she also feels compelled to protect a 6 yr old girl (daughter of dead partner. Will her ache of motherhood be her downfall?
December 26, 2013
When I saw the date for publication of the third Crissa Stone, I was thrilled. Crissa is a wonderful character, one of the few females in the hard-boiled genre. This book is the best yet, in my opinion. It's a fast read, but the plotting, dialogue and characterizations are first rate. More, please.
February 11, 2014
Hard-boiled and fast paced story. Starts off a bit slow, but once the heist takes place there is no letup. Stroby's dialogue is sparse and to the point,no waste. The characters are tough with a take no prisoners ethic. Not the kind of folks you would ever want to run into anywhere except on the pages of a book.
November 14, 2013
This is a good read. A woman decides to take a job "just because" and it goes terribly wrong. She finds herself running for her life. This is a book I got from goodreads first reads. This is an ARC and I got it for free.
December 20, 2013
He's Good
I've read every book Stroby has written and he is becoming one of my favorite authors. Very much in the Stark/Parker mode. Well written, tense, succinct, violent. Loved it. You will too..Read it. Read all his books.
I've read every book Stroby has written and he is becoming one of my favorite authors. Very much in the Stark/Parker mode. Well written, tense, succinct, violent. Loved it. You will too..Read it. Read all his books.
March 28, 2014
The protagonist is a criminal, but seemingly a criminal with heart. She makes an interesting character and the book is well written. Another series and author for my to read shelf.
July 28, 2017
I discovered this book, "Shoot the Woman First" by Wallace Stroby after I read a review by James Thane. " He should know a good writer when he sees one, "I thought, and Mr. Thane was correct. Mr. Stroby is one heck of a crime writer. It is quite a book, very fast- moving and tensely plotted.
The plot is simple. Crissy Stone is a thief. Her heists are meticulously planned and carried out, but sometimes things go wrong. Members of the heist crew are killed as is one of the drug crew carrying the drug money. Crissy goes on the run, knowing that there will be hard mend after her and the money.The
. The characters, Crissy, and the ex-cop(who is in the employ of the drug dealer whose money was lifted) chasing her, are vividly captured in few words. The action scenes are crisp and hard-hitting .It is obvious that Stroby is careful with the language and never uses more words than necessary to do the job. The reader's attention never wanders from the story for a moment.
This book put Crissy Stone and her creator, Wallace Stroby on my reading list. I will have to look for the preceeding installments and other novels by him. Recommended.
Some violence. No obscene language that I recall and no sex.
The plot is simple. Crissy Stone is a thief. Her heists are meticulously planned and carried out, but sometimes things go wrong. Members of the heist crew are killed as is one of the drug crew carrying the drug money. Crissy goes on the run, knowing that there will be hard mend after her and the money.The
. The characters, Crissy, and the ex-cop(who is in the employ of the drug dealer whose money was lifted) chasing her, are vividly captured in few words. The action scenes are crisp and hard-hitting .It is obvious that Stroby is careful with the language and never uses more words than necessary to do the job. The reader's attention never wanders from the story for a moment.
This book put Crissy Stone and her creator, Wallace Stroby on my reading list. I will have to look for the preceeding installments and other novels by him. Recommended.
Some violence. No obscene language that I recall and no sex.
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