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Wilson Mystery #3
In Plain Sight
“Wilson is worthy to stand next to Loren Estleman’s Peter Macklin and Donald Westlake’s Parker” (Publishers Weekly). Wilson has tried to put his criminal past behind him—but now a random car accident has interfered with his plans and pushed him back in the crosshairs. Dirty cops have gotten their hooks in him and want to use him as bait, telling him the only way to stay out of cuffs is to put someone worse in them. Knowing that justice isn’t blind in the city, Wilson picks a fight with the Russian mob to lure both the corrupt cops and brutal robbers into a trap, in a desperate attempt to scavenge his freedom again . . . “A very good series.” —Booklist
- GenresCrime
205 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 1, 2010
2 people are currently reading
29 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
May 7, 2022
Excellent; Continuing character: Wilson; in the hospital in police custody, Wilson is caught between a Russian who wants him dead and the corrupt police; as usual, his ruthless, no holds barred way of living leaves a high body count
May 10, 2017
Wilson lives in Hamilton, ON. All his life, he'd worked for an Italian mobster, Paolo. Paolo recently was killed (something Wilson had a hand in). Leaving the scene of Paolo's killing, Wilson has the misfortune of being hit by a drunk driver and wakes up in the hospital.
The police don't know who he is but Detective Morrison has taken a special interest in him. Morrison knows Wilson was involved in Paolo's death and is willing to use him to lure in something which will get him promoted. Wilson has to choose between helping Morrison or going to jail. So Wilson goes after Igor, with whom he has a history, to lead him to Sergei, the head of the Russian mob in Hamilton. But Igor is still carrying a grudge against Wilson because of an incident a couple years ago which makes him a very dangerous and crazy opponent.
This is the third (of six) in the Wilson series. Though it is part of series, it works as a stand alone as there is enough information provided from the other two (Wilson encountered Igor in the first book and this book happens minutes after the second book ended). As with the first two, I liked the writing style. It was blunt and to the point. As a head's up, there is swearing and violence.
I look forward to reading more books by this author.
Blog review post: http://www.teenaintoronto.com/2017/05...
The police don't know who he is but Detective Morrison has taken a special interest in him. Morrison knows Wilson was involved in Paolo's death and is willing to use him to lure in something which will get him promoted. Wilson has to choose between helping Morrison or going to jail. So Wilson goes after Igor, with whom he has a history, to lead him to Sergei, the head of the Russian mob in Hamilton. But Igor is still carrying a grudge against Wilson because of an incident a couple years ago which makes him a very dangerous and crazy opponent.
This is the third (of six) in the Wilson series. Though it is part of series, it works as a stand alone as there is enough information provided from the other two (Wilson encountered Igor in the first book and this book happens minutes after the second book ended). As with the first two, I liked the writing style. It was blunt and to the point. As a head's up, there is swearing and violence.
I look forward to reading more books by this author.
Blog review post: http://www.teenaintoronto.com/2017/05...
March 10, 2020
I really liked the first 2 Mike Knowles books I read but I can only give this one a 3 star. It's a pretty short book, I finished it in a couple of days. Not a lot of character development, just a lot of violence. The characters are all a bit cliche and the protagonist is a... I don't really know what he is, just that he woke up in a hospital and started killing people in revenge. The book doesn't really have an ending and I guess it's part of a series that you should read to get the full gist of it. This will be my last book from this author.
November 21, 2017
Noir set in Canada. Good, if you like this type of blunt, unadorned thriller with plenty of violence and no good guys. More than in the previous two books, this one's ending left things up in the air without any real resolution and makes it almost mandatory to read the next book to find out what's going on.
June 2, 2012
The story opens immediately after the end of Grinder with Wilson in the hospital, having been hit by a car. The story takes off from there. Wilson is threatened by a police officer unless he provides leads that will further the detective's career. Enter Igor, a character from an earlier novel. The story winds around from there with Wilson trying to use Igor to lead him to Sergei, the head Russian crime boss in Hamilton. All in all a very entertaining book.
Knowles style of writing is easy to adapt to for the reader. As mentioned, it is mostly narrative. The fact that the novel is very short, 188 pages, is not really a factor other than leaving the reader wanting more. There is very little back story to the Wilson character. Each books adds a little more to his life history. There is also very little wasted verbiage. If Knowles had so desired he could have padded the book with another hundred or so pages of useless information. To his credit, he didn't.
Knowles style of writing is easy to adapt to for the reader. As mentioned, it is mostly narrative. The fact that the novel is very short, 188 pages, is not really a factor other than leaving the reader wanting more. There is very little back story to the Wilson character. Each books adds a little more to his life history. There is also very little wasted verbiage. If Knowles had so desired he could have padded the book with another hundred or so pages of useless information. To his credit, he didn't.
April 25, 2011
I enjoy a good crime fiction novel. Mike Knowles has written an excellent gritty crime novel. A criminal that goes by the name "Jame Moriarty" is in bind. He's being cashed by the police and the Russian mob. He doesn't have many options but to play ball to escape the police and mob.
If gritty Canada is something you want to know more about this book has it. Learn about the dirty side of Canada as one criminal has to hide in plain sight to escape being arrested by Maori cop and a Russian mob Lt. seeks revenge on him.
I felt the book was awesome. I enjoyed reading about how he had to work both sides just to even have a chance of making it out. Knowles weaves a story in and out that makes you wonder what will happen next and what happens next is never a let down. Moriarty is one tough cookie and he won't let anyone take him down.
If gritty Canada is something you want to know more about this book has it. Learn about the dirty side of Canada as one criminal has to hide in plain sight to escape being arrested by Maori cop and a Russian mob Lt. seeks revenge on him.
I felt the book was awesome. I enjoyed reading about how he had to work both sides just to even have a chance of making it out. Knowles weaves a story in and out that makes you wonder what will happen next and what happens next is never a let down. Moriarty is one tough cookie and he won't let anyone take him down.
October 22, 2011
An engaging, and electrifying read, yet it exemplifies all that is great, and not so great, in the Crime Noir genre.
The action begins immediately, without any pretense of background. The protagonist is never named, however, later in the story, he offers the name, 'James Moriarty' (Sherlock Holmes's arch nemesis).
The plot is almost too difficult to figure out, and the bad guys use the good guys, and allegiances change at will.
The only noteworthy element is that the action turns on a rather alarming degree of police corruption and the Russian mafia, although the entire novel is set in the rather isolated city of Hamilton, Ontario. An unlikely place for this kind of international crime connection, but the novel careens at a blistering pace, and succeeds on that level.
A fast-paced adventure if you are a fan of the genre, and are not too hung up on 'who, what, or why'.
The action begins immediately, without any pretense of background. The protagonist is never named, however, later in the story, he offers the name, 'James Moriarty' (Sherlock Holmes's arch nemesis).
The plot is almost too difficult to figure out, and the bad guys use the good guys, and allegiances change at will.
The only noteworthy element is that the action turns on a rather alarming degree of police corruption and the Russian mafia, although the entire novel is set in the rather isolated city of Hamilton, Ontario. An unlikely place for this kind of international crime connection, but the novel careens at a blistering pace, and succeeds on that level.
A fast-paced adventure if you are a fan of the genre, and are not too hung up on 'who, what, or why'.
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April 29, 2011Arthur Ellis Award nominee
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews