False Friend

Detective Cooper Devereaux #2

by Andrew Grant

The second installment in the extraordinary Cooper Devereaux mystery thriller series, which combines the atmosphere of James Lee Burke and Craig Johnson with the noir brilliance of Robert Crais
An arsonist is targeting schools in Birmingham, Alabama with devastating effect. Detective Devereaux a man you can t quite trust and should never ignore must put a stop to the elusive pyromaniac s reign of terror before more damage is done. Or worse, before students lives are lost. But as Devereaux sifts through the ashes of the case, a grisly discovery at a burned-out school sends the investigation spiraling in a new, terrifying direction. The detective and his partner are dragged into a nightmare world by revelations of gruesome rituals, the disappearance of local citizens, and allegations against city officials of shocking crimes that stretch back decades.
With innocent lives on the line, progress is hampered by friction between the police department and the FBI, and interference from factions of the local underworld complicate matters further. Devereaux doesn t make excuses for his willingness to work outside the lines, but just as he needs to be at the top of his game, he s rocked by echoes from his troubled past that threaten to engulf his daughter and girlfriend and fracture the life he s only recently begun to rebuild.
Praise for Andrew Grant s RUN

An adrenaline-fueled thrill ride that will have your head spinning and your heart pounding. Joseph Finder
High stakes, high tension, and nonstop action . . . Hang on and enjoy this smart, original, and fast-paced adventure. Hank Phillippi Ryan
Relentless, twisty, and blistering fast, it s a book you don t dare start at bedtime. Sean Chercover
A whizbang of a novel with just the right dose of smart-ass. Chelsea Cain
Breathtakingly fast-paced. Harlan Coben
A perfect thriller smart, fast, and blazing with nonstop surprises. Robert Crais"

Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Fiction, Audiobook

304 pages, Hardcover

First published January 10, 2017

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

Andrew Grant (born 1968, Birmingham, England) is the younger brother of bestselling thriller writer Lee Child. After graduating from the University of Sheffield, where he studied Drama and English Literature, Grant founded a theatre company that produced original material, culminating with a critically successful appearance at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Grant remained in Sheffield after graduating from university but now lives with his wife, the novelist Tasha Alexander, on a nature preserve in Wyoming.

Series:
* David Trevellyan

Reviews

[Brenda · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was a struggle to read this book in its entirety. The multiple plot lines were confusing, and the main character isn't the least bit likable.

[Linda Munro · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had both high and low points; but, Detective Devereaux is one of those cops you don’t want to meet in a dark alley!

When local schools in Birmingham are targeted by an arsonists, Devereaux hops on board, attempting to stop the arsonists before more damage can be done, when the second school is hit, Devereaux shifts into high gear. But, when the skeletal remains of 4 bodies (minus the skulls of three) turn up at the first crime scene; Devereaux finds himself dragged into the realm of missing locals, rituals and allegations against city officials dating back decades.

Just as Devereaux begins his climb to the top of the heap, coloring outside the lines (in a manner of speaking) he finds his troubled past sucking at not only his own life but the life of his former girlfriend whom he had recently began rebuilding a relationship with and the daughter he just met…..

So much can happen when a former bad guy turned cop sets his mind towards the truth!

4 Star good!

[Steven R. McEvoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the eighth volume I have read by Andrew Grant, actually it is the sixth by just him, I have read the two he wrote with his brother Lee Child, published under the name Andrew Child. I believe Grant has 9 books published under the name Andrew Grant, and two contributions to anthologies. He has also contributed to one anthology as Andrew Child. I picked a few of his books after reading Even. I have enjoyed both his offerings in the Reacher series, and also now enjoyed the books I have read in his own series. I only have three volumes left to read written under this name.

I believe Grant has three series and a standalone novel. I decides to read the series in parallel, I have been reading a book in each series and circling back. I am certain I will read all the books he has published under this name and have read two thirds of them I hope he continues these series as well as taking up the penmanship of the Reacher novels.

I stated in a previous review that I had not known that Andrew Grant was Andrew Child and had read this story; I would have stated that it reminded me a lot of the Reacher novels. Except that David Trevellyan if still active duty for the Royal Navy and home office. But his style, panache, and focus are similar to Reacher’s. The same could be said for Detective Cooper Devereaux. And other that he is still actively a police officer even greater similarities.

Part of the description of this book states:

“An arsonist is targeting schools in Birmingham, Alabama—with devastating effect. Detective Devereaux—a man you can’t quite trust and should never ignore—must put a stop to the elusive pyromaniac’s reign of terror before more damage is done. Or worse, before students’ lives are lost. But as Devereaux sifts through the ashes of the case, a grisly discovery at a burned-out school sends the investigation spiraling in a new, terrifying direction. The detective and his partner are dragged into a nightmare world by revelations of gruesome rituals, the disappearance of local citizens, and allegations against city officials of shocking crimes that stretch back decades.

With innocent lives on the line, progress is hampered by friction between the police department and the FBI, and interference from factions of the local underworld complicate matters further. Devereaux doesn’t make excuses for his willingness to work outside the lines, but just as he needs to be at the top of his game, he’s rocked by echoes from his troubled past that threaten to engulf his daughter and girlfriend and fracture the fragile foundations of the life he’s only recently begun to rebuild.”

Cooper does not always follow the rules. But he always seeks to get the bad guys and protect the innocent. He has a storied past, and in this story that past catches up to him and there are secretes unravelled in the case he is working, that reveal things from his own past. He has a long unknown daughter in his life, and a new relationship with an estranged flame. He realised that he has others he cares about. Photoes, notes and ledgers are being left with his flame. And it is clear someone is irther trying to cause Cooper to be convicted or blackmailed. And all of this while someone is burning down schools.

A lot of readers of this book would make comparisons to Reacher, especially if they are aware of the author’s legal name. But Cooper is a different character and the story told in a different manner. I greatly appreciated seeing into Devereaux’s mind, process and thought patterns. Watching him put the pieces together and figure out what he is going to do about it. But at the ends of these story there are several loose ends. And Some of Cooper’s past is closing in around him.

This story was hard to put down. I stayed up again many hours later than I should have on a work night to finish the story. I devoured it over 2 days in a few different sittings. It is an excellent read. One of my favourites from Grant’s pen from those read to date. If you love a good crime, suspense, thriller with great action this is a book for you. I am certain fans of Reacher, Bourne, Jack Ryan would all appreciate Cooper and how he gets the job done. It was another great read from Grant’s pen!

[Richard · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disjointed! Written by Andrew Grant, and published by Ballantine Books, an imprint of Random House, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, New York in 2017, this book is the second of the author’s detective police procedural novels featuring Cooper Devereaux of the Birmingham, Alabama Police Department. At least three books of this series will have been published by January of 2018. I have now read all three of them. This author has talent and makes very few mistakes in his writing. The narrative is usually crisp, but not so much this time. I saw more mistakes than I expected to see, and the story was difficult to follow.

Unfortunately, the plot in this (the second) of the author’s False novels is not as good as the other two. It is somewhat disjointed and difficult to follow. Eventually, we figure out that there are at least three, and possibly more, criminals at work in this story, but there is no paucity of suspects.

The story has at least three separate, but independent, plot lines, with no apparent relationship between them. Because of this, the story seems chaotic. One plot line involves a serial arsonist who is setting fires to schools in the Birmingham area. A second plot line involves a serial killer who is dismembering his victims. It seems to have been lightly modeled after the Jeffry Dahmer case in Wisconsin in the early 1990s. The third plot line appears to be a scheme to blackmail Devereaux, himself. Or, perhaps, to destroy his relationship with the mother of his child, and current girlfriend, Alexandra Cunningham.

I noted some inconsistencies in the book, and it was pretty evident that the author was British when he frequently used terminology common in the U.K., but not so much in America. One of these is the use of the term “reversed,” instead of the much more common American term “backed up” when describing a vehicle backing out of a driveway or parking spot. Another was a reference to I-280 (page #186 and other locations), which is apparently supposed to be an Interstate Highway in the Birmingham area. Interstate-280 roads are spurs and connections to Interstate-80, which runs from San Francisco to the Metropolitan New York City area. It terminates in Teaneck, NJ. It is too far north to be anywhere near Alabama. On the other hand, there is a highway called US Highway 280 that does run into Birmingham, Alabama, but it is not an Interstate Highway.

On page #11, we learn that Devereaux has a “seven-year-old daughter” named Nicole. But on page #102, we are told that her mother is helping her with her “algebra lesson.” At age seven, an American child would normally be in second grade, although it is possible to be in either first or third grade, too. Second grade seems a bit early to be studying Algebra in the US. In this country, algebra is rarely taught before eighth-grade, and more often not before ninth- or tenth-grade. I first studied it in tenth grade, but that was a long time ago. Many of my high-school classmates never studied it at all.

Devereaux suspects his former school principal, Joseph Oliver, of being the person who has compiled a dossier on him, and is attempting to blackmail him. The motive for Oliver to do this, however, is never fully explained. We are told on page #71, for example, that “In the hierarchy of assholes who Devereaux held grudges against, Principal Oliver didn’t even make the top twenty.” There seems to be very little priory history between the two men, so how and why would Oliver come to be blackmailing Devereaux so many years later? (On page #147 we are told that Devereaux had crossed swords with Oliver many times nearly thirty years ago.) Apparently, the two men had not had any contact in all that time, making Oliver seem like a very improbable suspect to me. Besides, how would he obtain access to the materials he was using for the blackmail?

In another place, the author has an arson suspect take a crowbar, and a “white twenty-gallon container” from the back of his old Ford Pinto and prepare to break-in to a school. The only problem with that assertion is that twenty gallons of a liquid accelerant would weigh about 123 pounds, plus the weight of the container, because gasoline weighs a bit more than six pounds per gallon. It is difficult to imagine an arsonist able to easily throw and remove such a heavy object into and out of his car by himself. Napalm might be lighter than gasoline, but not that much lighter. Also, where would he be able to fill a white container with gasoline anywhere in the United States, which requires such containers to be red in color? Perhaps he meant liters, instead of gallons. A five-gallon gasoline container would hold almost 20 liters, I believe. Grant should have done better research before making this improbable assertion.

The book ends with a whimper. Devereaux learns the identity of the blackmailer, but we are left wondering who he is, what he had to with Devereaux’s past, and what will happen next. The author leaves this loose end dangling, so the story was unsatisfying to me. This book is not in the same league with the author’s other two False novels, warranting only two stars, at best. I can’t really recommend this book to readers of police procedural novels. I hope he does better with the next one.

[Donna · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. In Alabama, Detective Cooper Devereaux is investigating arson at schools. After some skeletons are found in one burned school, the investigation must include murder.

Part of the novel also deals with Cooper's renewed relationship with Alexandra and a 7 year old daughter he didn't realize he had. Although I missed the first Cooper novel, I think I picked up the most important parts about this relationship plus Cooper's background information.

I liked Cooper as a character with his propensity to sometimes operate outside boundaries of the law when necessary. I liked the author's style with some very short chapters but I was sometimes confused by the different points of view especially when I wasn't sure who that point of view was coming from. For example, I think I know who wrote the newspaper articles and blogs but a question arose in my mind if it was actually written by someone else and published under duress.

I saw several ambiguities where the author lets readers use their imagination instead of spelling out exactly what he is implying. The behavior of a very young character seems to be sociopathic but I got the impression that will be dealt with in another book.

[Dan Curnutt · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is an interesting premise for a detective story. We have an arsonist who is torching schools in the Birmingham Alabama area. Obviously there are many questions to answer, the Who, What, Why are the most important. Agent Devereaux will put together a group to investigate and bring to justice the individual responsible.

During the course of their investigation there will be other sub plots that come together, mainly to detail the "why" of the arsonists work.

I gave the book three stars for a couple of reasons. The chapters are all very short. Thus it appears that the writer is trying to keep them short for either the Film Noir aspect of writing or because he is feeding into the thought that Americans no longer have an attention span long enough to read twenty chapters at a time.

What I found annoying is that this caused the story to jump from one group people and one sub plot to another very often and you never really got into one particular subject but were jerked around from point to point.

So, for me, while there was a somewhat interesting story line I found I had to force myself to keep reading.

You might enjoy it better than I did, but those are my thoughts.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thus far I have really liked this series and hope that there will soon be a third one. The crime starts right off with the burning of a school and a mystery photo of the man that could have been the arsonist. The main characters in the series all have believable and likable characteristics but are human enough to show some flaws. The one character that I really get frustrated with is Diane, the reporter that lets her fifteen year old son walk all over her. Just lock the kid in the basement for Heaven's sake or grow a backbone:) More of Devereaux's former slightly shady background is explored and he is making strives to reconcile with Amanda his girlfriend and their seven year old daughter while trying to stop more fires from being set. I'll look forward to more of this series.

[LInda L · Rating 3 out of 5]

Let's see -- arson, serial killer, cop with questionable ethics, teen child with serious mental illness, younger child with scary mental symptoms -- believe it or not, that isn't all, but you have to read it to get the full monty. There will obviouslyl be a sequel or follow up in the series. Don't think I'll go ther

Re-read this 12/20 -- liked it enough for 4 stars this time.

[Sara Herring · Rating 2 out of 5]

too boring

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the Yin Yang symbol, the dark teardrop shape has a little white circle, while the white shape contains a corresponding dark circle. This is said to symbolize the fact that nothing is purely good or purely evil, but contains at least a little of both.

Andrew Grant explores this theme in “False Friend”, his second novel featuring Birmingham, Alabama detective Cooper Devereaux. There's an arsonist on the loose, burning down empty schools. There's a murderer on the loose, killing … well, they're not sure WHO he or she is killing, because they've only found skeletons – skeletons missing their skulls. And, to further complicate things, there's a blackmailer on the loose, targeting Devereaux himself.

Mr. Grant's characters seem to subscribe to the theory that “every silver lining has its cloud”. The reader begins to feel the stereotypical “trust no one” attitude that is typical of the characters of a noir novel or movie. One begins to suspect that even a red herring may be hiding something.

I don't think I've ever read a mystery novel where the mood was so overpowering as to render the plot – meaning the mystery itself – secondary.

I will happily read another book by this author. BUT not for awhile, I want something a bit more upbeat. Like “1984”.

RATING: 4 1/2 stars, rounded up to 5 stars where 1/2 stars are not permitted.

DISCLOSURE: I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book in a random draw. No obligations were requested nor bestowed, although a reasonably prompt HONEST review was hinted at.

[Warren-Newport Public Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

Andrew Grant just keeps getting better and better. I loved his first Detective Devereaux novel, False Positive (see my review here), and am delighted that he followed up with his latest, False Friend.
Deveraux is an extremely interesting character and I love that Mr. Grant parcels out information in a small stream, encouraging us to want to know more. This is a man who has ghosts in his past and a wish for a brighter future.

False Friend begins with an arsonist targeting schools in Birmingham Alabama. Detective Deveraux, the police department, and arson squad are working to figure out the reasons behind the fires before someone gets hurt. There doesn’t appear to be rhyme or reason behind the fires and soon the mystery is compounded by gruesome rituals, the disappearance of citizens and crimes that may go back for decades. While all of this is going, a secondary and compelling story involving Devereux’s past comes back to threaten the life he has begun with his girlfriend and daughter.

This is an action packed-tension-filled book that you won’t want to end….I am hoping for another! (Debbie)

[Kate Ayers · Rating 3 out of 5]

Better than three stars, but rated it there because there were almost too many twists. I like surprises and switchbacks, but I also like to be able to follow it without having to keep score. Maybe my cold was fogging my head, but I'd have liked a little simpler story. There's an arsonist in
Birmingham, Alabama, torching schools. So the question becomes whether he's doing it for revenge, coverup, insurance or the spectacle of it. Or...? Well, a lot starts happening. Meanwhile, Cooper Devereaux, our questionable hero cop, is trying to reunite with his girlfriend and newly discovered daughter. The pacing is fabulous, I'll give it that. It's just that so much is going on my head was spinning. Anyway, it's really worth a read. Just pay attention. I mean, Cooper is worth the read just as a character.

[Jackie Rogers · Rating 4 out of 5]

False Friend is a mystery with detective Cooper Devereaux. This character has had a rough life and has grown to be a partially responsible detective. Has trouble with relationships, but can solve crimes. It starts with an arsonist and ends with a blackmailer and a serial killer. Just another day in mystery novels. This one is unique in that our detective is wealthy and doesn't always work by the book. Did enjoy figuring out the who did what and was right on only one of the culprits. Look forward to another book. Thanks to Goodreads.

[Bonnie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the second book in the Detective Cooper Devereaux series. The setting is Birmingham, Alabama, where an arsonist is setting fire to schools. The storyline is all over the place - every character in this book has a multitude of flaws, including our protagonist. And there is a whole lot of stuff from the past that is haunting everybody! Then, of course, skeletons just happen to turn up at the scene of one of the fires. I was also not exeptionally happy with the short (3-4 page, for the most part) chapters. Too many things left unsaid at the end.

[Marisa Young · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in Birmingham Alabama, a detective is investigating fires at schools while dealing with a difficult personal life. He has reunited with a former girl friend and their daughter which he did not know about for 7 years. He is also dealing with a blackmailer that knows his dark secrets. Lots of interesting characters - kids do not come off well in this book. Ending leaves you wanting the next book.

[Frances · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read Grant's first couple of books and liked them okay; so, I thought I'd give this new series a try. This is the second book in the series and I may have missed out on something, by not reading the first; but I just could not get into it. I not only didn't find any of the (many) characters compelling, but also the (many) plot lines did not engage me. Maybe it is the winter blahs.
I do have the next book in the series, but I expect it will be quite a while before I read it.

[Chrissie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'd had this book on my TBR list forever so it was finally time.

And I was so disappointed. I saw another review say the book was 'disjointed'. That's being polite. Too many POVs. Too many side stories. Devereaux isn't even particularly likeable - he's thisclose to being completely crooked.

Sorry to say I think I'll be removing the rest of this author's books from my TBR list. There are so many better books out there.

[Angela Juline · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is just something about Grant's writing style that doesn't work for me. I never get into a flow, and the dialogue seems really strange. But, he does a good job setting up the next book, so I will keep reading the series.

[M. Mundy · Rating 2 out of 5]

False Friend was a difficult read for me because it is choppy. I finished the book because I read it with a friend. For me, there were too many story lines. Overall, the book lacked cohesiveness and quickly became boring. Worst of all, none of the characters were fully developed or appealing.

[Mary G. · Rating 3 out of 5]

A strong addition to Grant's Cooper Devereaux series. I am curious to see what happens next.

[Joanne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too choppy & broken up to enjoy reading

[Chuck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fast paced, well written in tough to put down mode.

[Wdmoor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly enjoyable, lots of devious twists and turns. Everyone is flawed and fascinating and the story line relentless.

Highly recommended

[Jeffrey · Rating 1 out of 5]

Much different writing style than his brother. More Harlan Coban than Lee Child.

[Lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF. Seems like it would be better classified as a young adult, writing was very juvenile, and a very simple story line and characters.

[Hrh Queencat · Rating 1 out of 5]

read up to page 35 and gave up

[Lorri · Rating 3 out of 5]

I both like and dislike the main character, which is why I read to the end. He is interesting, but not admirable, and all of his relationships seem complicated.

[Christie Garciaparra · Rating 5 out of 5]

A classic who dun it novel. Very well written however with great detail. I couldn't put it down. A murder mystery.

[Joni Kuzma · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had a Jeffrey Dahmer-esque vibe to it. Cooper Devereaux is a character with some depth and his relationship with Alexandra and Nicole will be fun to watch as the series goes on.

[Jayne Subwick · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was as excellent as the first book in this series! I’m heading to #3 next.