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John Wells #3
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Един дребен мошеник, който се прехранва с наркотици и клюки, се опитва да продаде на вестниците скандални секс-снимки на виден конгресмен. И естествено си получава заслуженото. Но интригата тепърва се нажежава. Защото снимките изчезват. А конгресменът е кандидат за Сената и започва истинска хайка за снимките и момичето, което е на тях. Мафията, полицията, медиите - всички я преследват. Последен в играта се включва Джон Уелс. За да стигне пръв на финала, където го чака смъртоносна изненада - всички лъжат, всеки е под подозрение и нищо не е такова, каквото изглежда.
Кийт Питърсън е псевдоним на писателя Андрю Клаван - лауреат на наградата ”Едгар”.
Кийт Питърсън е псевдоним на писателя Андрю Клаван - лауреат на наградата ”Едгар”.
- GenresThriller
176 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 1988
43 people are currently reading
116 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
December 18, 2022
The third installment in Klavan's John Wells series. Written in the 80's, Wells is a veteran NYC newspaper reporter. A great mystery, extremely well written. Onto the 4th (and last installment) in the series.
March 5, 2020
The Rain (1989) by Keith Peterson (aka Andrew Klavan) – Andrew Klavan was a very successful author...now...he's made a name for himself as a very successful political analyst/humorist and has produced nearly a 1,000 shows...maybe you've seen his show or ads. Anyways, in the late '80's he wrote a four book series featuring grizzled tough-guy reporter John Wells...I've really enjoyed reading the first two...the third book, The Rain won the Edgar for the Best Paperback Original is good, not great, not bad (and not as good as the first two books in the series)...but, I know why it won the Edgar, Klavan picked up his game as a word-smith..the writing is fuller, expanded, and more dramatic...BUT...the plot of The Rain is very thin, and there are elements of Chandler snitched (think Moose Malone). As well, the plot line is rather boring...so...I'll give it 2.75 stars.
February 8, 2025
Kind of a throw back mystery - thoroughly enjoyable.
Will miss these characters now that I’ve finished the third in this trilogy. Fun mysteries with an old school feel to them. I recommend!
Will miss these characters now that I’ve finished the third in this trilogy. Fun mysteries with an old school feel to them. I recommend!
Want to read
November 28, 2019Synopsis: Mayforth Kendrick III had photos to sell, but reporter John Wells refused. Soon Kendrick was murdered, and Wells needed to explain.
November 26, 2022
The author keeps you hooked until the end - it's gritty, but entertaining.
September 2, 2023
Just OK. Short book with a little suspense
November 25, 2024
Not as good as book 2. Thinner plot.
February 21, 2020
Fast paced and entertaining. Once I understood the first person, curt speech pattern, tough guy style I appreciated it more.
September 16, 2008
From ISawLightningFall.com
If someone put a gun to your head and said your life depended on your ability to define a mystery or thriller, you’d probably walk away without breaking a sweat. But if the same assailant said, “Okay, wiseguy, tell me about hardboiled,” you just might find a Niagara coursing down your neck. For every genre that pop culture canonizes, there are three left in the outer darkness, and hardboiled -- an unsentimental, rough-and-tumble cousin of noir -- falls into the latter category. That's a shame, because if it were more popular then perhaps Andrew Klavan’s Edgar-winning novel The Rain would be widely available. As it stands, I had to wait for a British version to make its way over to me. But if life imitates this particular piece of art, the search is just part of the package.
New York Star reporter John Wells is after a girl. No, no, not like that. You see, one of his less-seemly contacts offered him some snaps of a congressman Paul Abingdon caught in a -- shall we say -- comprising position, but Wells turned him down. Ensuring that the news doesn’t cater to the lowest common denominator is a matter of principal to Wells. And did I mention that the photos were taken in a bedroom? Well, before you know it Wells’ contact turns up drilled between the eyes with a .22, the rumor about the politician is out, and every reporter in town is on it like a rottweiler on raw hamburger. The Star’s brass isn’t happy that Wells lost the biggest story of a very slow, very hot August. He has a week to get a scoop or he’s out on his ear. Wells sees only two options -- find the pictures (which have mysteriously disappeared) or the girl in them.
Hardboiled is one of those rare genres where style is as important as substance, and Klavan (writing here under the pseudonym Keith Peterson) hits the proverbial nail on the head. The Rain’s prose is tight, punchy and vivid, the dialogue winningly witty. An example? Sure. When Wells questions an NYPD detective about whether he has any leads, the detective quips, “No naked Abingdon pictures. No naked lady pictures. No naked Abingdon with a naked lady. Right now, as far as the New York City police department is concerned, you’re a person who has sex fantasies about Senate candidates.” The novel’s no slouch in the thematic department either. Its ending serves as a piercing meditation on the nature of lust and personal corruption. The only place where it fizzles is in a portrayal of a misogynistic, Bible-thumping Pentecostal, a tired stereotype that ought to be permanently retired. Still, The Rain is refreshing -- even if you have to wait for it.
If someone put a gun to your head and said your life depended on your ability to define a mystery or thriller, you’d probably walk away without breaking a sweat. But if the same assailant said, “Okay, wiseguy, tell me about hardboiled,” you just might find a Niagara coursing down your neck. For every genre that pop culture canonizes, there are three left in the outer darkness, and hardboiled -- an unsentimental, rough-and-tumble cousin of noir -- falls into the latter category. That's a shame, because if it were more popular then perhaps Andrew Klavan’s Edgar-winning novel The Rain would be widely available. As it stands, I had to wait for a British version to make its way over to me. But if life imitates this particular piece of art, the search is just part of the package.
New York Star reporter John Wells is after a girl. No, no, not like that. You see, one of his less-seemly contacts offered him some snaps of a congressman Paul Abingdon caught in a -- shall we say -- comprising position, but Wells turned him down. Ensuring that the news doesn’t cater to the lowest common denominator is a matter of principal to Wells. And did I mention that the photos were taken in a bedroom? Well, before you know it Wells’ contact turns up drilled between the eyes with a .22, the rumor about the politician is out, and every reporter in town is on it like a rottweiler on raw hamburger. The Star’s brass isn’t happy that Wells lost the biggest story of a very slow, very hot August. He has a week to get a scoop or he’s out on his ear. Wells sees only two options -- find the pictures (which have mysteriously disappeared) or the girl in them.
Hardboiled is one of those rare genres where style is as important as substance, and Klavan (writing here under the pseudonym Keith Peterson) hits the proverbial nail on the head. The Rain’s prose is tight, punchy and vivid, the dialogue winningly witty. An example? Sure. When Wells questions an NYPD detective about whether he has any leads, the detective quips, “No naked Abingdon pictures. No naked lady pictures. No naked Abingdon with a naked lady. Right now, as far as the New York City police department is concerned, you’re a person who has sex fantasies about Senate candidates.” The novel’s no slouch in the thematic department either. Its ending serves as a piercing meditation on the nature of lust and personal corruption. The only place where it fizzles is in a portrayal of a misogynistic, Bible-thumping Pentecostal, a tired stereotype that ought to be permanently retired. Still, The Rain is refreshing -- even if you have to wait for it.
October 12, 2016
This is the first of Klavan's books for me. I was both impressed and disappointed.
First the disappointment. Initially I thought the style was intended as a parody of detective mysteries, and I'm still not certain that it wasn't. If that was the case, I got it, but it grew old. "I stuck a cigarette in my mouth. I lit it. I rolled my chair around. I took a drag." (Not an actual quote but a very close approximation.) The editing was so obvious and easy that I caught myself editing as I read. Needless to say, it was repetitive, and the staccato sentences weren't used to good effect. It's not my genre, but I expect such devices to be there for a reason, and these didn't seem to have a purpose.
I have to say, that's a bit more harsh than I intend. The style IS effective, and certainly somewhat reflective of a journalist's efforts to tell his story. Klavan also has flourishes that are downright beautiful.
For all that, the characters were very believable, and I cared about them. Quite a lot, in fact. The story really drew me in, as well. It truly became difficult to put the book down. I will definitely read more. I do recommend the book, but I think a final copy edit might have improved it.
First the disappointment. Initially I thought the style was intended as a parody of detective mysteries, and I'm still not certain that it wasn't. If that was the case, I got it, but it grew old. "I stuck a cigarette in my mouth. I lit it. I rolled my chair around. I took a drag." (Not an actual quote but a very close approximation.) The editing was so obvious and easy that I caught myself editing as I read. Needless to say, it was repetitive, and the staccato sentences weren't used to good effect. It's not my genre, but I expect such devices to be there for a reason, and these didn't seem to have a purpose.
I have to say, that's a bit more harsh than I intend. The style IS effective, and certainly somewhat reflective of a journalist's efforts to tell his story. Klavan also has flourishes that are downright beautiful.
For all that, the characters were very believable, and I cared about them. Quite a lot, in fact. The story really drew me in, as well. It truly became difficult to put the book down. I will definitely read more. I do recommend the book, but I think a final copy edit might have improved it.
November 19, 2012
Jump into this action packed page turner, loaded with wit and humor;
follow this star reporter’s ethical conflict – to stick to real news or go for the gutter news we are all too familiar with – as he uncovers the
layers of lies and truths behind an aspiring politician caught in compromising pictures with a young woman.
Andrew Klavin joins the ranks of the hard boiled masters in this
must read mystery, THE RAIN. You won’t be disappointed.
follow this star reporter’s ethical conflict – to stick to real news or go for the gutter news we are all too familiar with – as he uncovers the
layers of lies and truths behind an aspiring politician caught in compromising pictures with a young woman.
Andrew Klavin joins the ranks of the hard boiled masters in this
must read mystery, THE RAIN. You won’t be disappointed.
October 5, 2013
The story was interesting and would habe been better if it hadn't been written like this. The rose was red. I saw the dog. IT ran. I followed it. It was fast. I mean really you couldn't form sentences better then that
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews