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Bobby Drake #2
Sometimes the Wolf
From the author of the critically acclaimed THE TERROR OF LIVING.
288 pages, Paperback
First published September 23, 2014
37 people are currently reading
997 people want to read
About the author
Urban Waite
16 books67 followersUrban Waite is the author of The Terror of Living, named one of Esquire's Ten Best Books of the year. His latest book is The Carrion Birds, an Indie Next Pick and the recipient of starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Booklist. His short fiction has appeared in the Best of the West anthology, the Southern Review, and other journals. He has degrees from the University of Washington, Western Washington University, and Emerson College. He lives in Seattle with his wife.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 99 reviews
July 27, 2023
Ok, I have to offer a sort-of anti-spoiler right up front. Sometimes the Wolf is a sequel to Waite’s first novel, The Terror of Living, but I have not read the earlier book, so cannot really bring to the table a familiarity with the characters who appear in both books. Nor can I comment on continuity of setting, theme or imagery. So I feel at a disadvantage. On the other hand, I am forced to look at StW as a stand-alone work, which may be a good thing, as most of us human sorts do read books one at a time. Just lettin’ ya know.
Bobby Drake is a deputy Sheriff in Silver Lake, Washington. There is an apple orchard in the backyard of the home he shares with his wife, Sheri. The home that used to belong to his father, Patrick, a former local police chief, who was sent away for 12 years for smuggling drugs. The orchard is no longer harvested. This is no Eden. Patrick is being released.
Urban Waite - from his site
You might think this would be a happy occasion, but Bobby had to sacrifice a lot when his father was sent up, and hangs on to his resentment like a cocked gun. A DEA sort by name of Frank Driscoll does not think Patrick should ever have been let out, and makes it his business to keep his canines well lodged in Patrick’s case. Seems two federal agents lost their lives a dozen years back, and Driscoll knows in his bones that Patrick is responsible, evidence or no evidence. He also seems as flush with available time as Special Agent Dale Cooper. And add in two baddies, who leave a trail of bodies in their rear-view. (I was reminded of Mr. Wint and Mister Kidd of Diamonds are Forever, or, even more, of Steve Buscemi and Peter Stormare in Fargo) in their quest for the usual, hidden cash. I imagine a sign – Welcome to Silver Lake – Population: declining. Like Ray Lamar, the returning prodigal in Waite’s last novel, The Carrion Birds, Patrick espouses a desire to just move on with his life. Fat chance.
The father-son theme gets a boost from the addition of a third generation, with Patrick’s father, Drake’s grandfather, Morgan, joining the scene. He is a tough and interesting old coot and you can see some of him in his progeny.
Waite tosses in a couple of females, one of whom figures in the story meaningfully, but this is very much a guy cast. The author is a fan of Cormac McCarthy and the red grimness of the environment here reflects what one might expect of McCarthy in a more southerly tale. In fact a whole “red in tooth and claw” notion is introduced early with a gutted deer and another new arrival to town, a literal lone wolf. Despite Waite having been raised in Seattle, and having attended college in Washington as well, it did not strike me particularly as a tale about the northwest. It seemed that it might have been as easily set in the southwest or northeast. But the locals do feel at home in their environment, and their sharp edges echo the woodsy chill of the region.
There are some items about the book that I felt could have been put to better use. The lone wolf is introduced immediately, but then does not reappear as an actual thing until near the end of the book. It would have been better, IMHO, to have reinforced the lone-wolf imagery at work here with a few more touches of the natural sort. A female Fish and Wildlife Service agent is also introduced early, with hints of a potential special connection to Drake, and is then disappeared, along with the wolf, until near the end. More could certainly have been made of that character. I cannot speak to Terror of Living, but his previous novel, The Carrion Birds seemed somehow heftier, like there was more going on thematically, which may or may not matter to you. Of course I projected more into that book than the author actually put there, and may be doing the same here. I was looking for wolfy elements, given the title. False threats yielding to a real one, crying wolf. But that did not seem present. There was, however, some fun with Little Red Riding Hood material as a dark sort stalks some prey.
Family loyalty comes in for consideration here, as it did in Carrion Birds. How much loyalty does Drake owe the returning Patrick? What can he do when what his wife needs from him is at odds with what his father needs? And where is the line drawn between loyalty to family and community? Can one remain moral and help out a criminal?
The author keeps the action moving, switching between Patrick, Morgan, the dark duo, and Drake. Sometimes the Wolf qualifies as a page-turner. Waite can certainly spin a yarn. You will want to know what happens, and will feel enough for Drake, in particular, to care. I will definitely be reading whatever he comes out with next. Urban Waite is definitely a writer worth watching.
Review first posted – 9/20/14
Publication date – 10/21/14 (HC) - 7/28/15 (TP)
This review has also been posted at CootsReviews.com
=============================EXTRA STUFF
Links to the author’s personal, Google+ and FB pages
Bobby Drake is a deputy Sheriff in Silver Lake, Washington. There is an apple orchard in the backyard of the home he shares with his wife, Sheri. The home that used to belong to his father, Patrick, a former local police chief, who was sent away for 12 years for smuggling drugs. The orchard is no longer harvested. This is no Eden. Patrick is being released.
Urban Waite - from his site
You might think this would be a happy occasion, but Bobby had to sacrifice a lot when his father was sent up, and hangs on to his resentment like a cocked gun. A DEA sort by name of Frank Driscoll does not think Patrick should ever have been let out, and makes it his business to keep his canines well lodged in Patrick’s case. Seems two federal agents lost their lives a dozen years back, and Driscoll knows in his bones that Patrick is responsible, evidence or no evidence. He also seems as flush with available time as Special Agent Dale Cooper. And add in two baddies, who leave a trail of bodies in their rear-view. (I was reminded of Mr. Wint and Mister Kidd of Diamonds are Forever, or, even more, of Steve Buscemi and Peter Stormare in Fargo) in their quest for the usual, hidden cash. I imagine a sign – Welcome to Silver Lake – Population: declining. Like Ray Lamar, the returning prodigal in Waite’s last novel, The Carrion Birds, Patrick espouses a desire to just move on with his life. Fat chance.
The father-son theme gets a boost from the addition of a third generation, with Patrick’s father, Drake’s grandfather, Morgan, joining the scene. He is a tough and interesting old coot and you can see some of him in his progeny.
Waite tosses in a couple of females, one of whom figures in the story meaningfully, but this is very much a guy cast. The author is a fan of Cormac McCarthy and the red grimness of the environment here reflects what one might expect of McCarthy in a more southerly tale. In fact a whole “red in tooth and claw” notion is introduced early with a gutted deer and another new arrival to town, a literal lone wolf. Despite Waite having been raised in Seattle, and having attended college in Washington as well, it did not strike me particularly as a tale about the northwest. It seemed that it might have been as easily set in the southwest or northeast. But the locals do feel at home in their environment, and their sharp edges echo the woodsy chill of the region.
There are some items about the book that I felt could have been put to better use. The lone wolf is introduced immediately, but then does not reappear as an actual thing until near the end of the book. It would have been better, IMHO, to have reinforced the lone-wolf imagery at work here with a few more touches of the natural sort. A female Fish and Wildlife Service agent is also introduced early, with hints of a potential special connection to Drake, and is then disappeared, along with the wolf, until near the end. More could certainly have been made of that character. I cannot speak to Terror of Living, but his previous novel, The Carrion Birds seemed somehow heftier, like there was more going on thematically, which may or may not matter to you. Of course I projected more into that book than the author actually put there, and may be doing the same here. I was looking for wolfy elements, given the title. False threats yielding to a real one, crying wolf. But that did not seem present. There was, however, some fun with Little Red Riding Hood material as a dark sort stalks some prey.
He balanced the two coffees in the claw of his upturned palmMy, what large hands you have. And
His hair was slicked back and the suit was too big on his thin bones.suggesting, to me, anyway, someone of the lupine persuasion donning granny garb. Instead of having to go through the woods to get to grandma, it is grandpa here. But I could be making this all up. Take it for what it’s worth.
Family loyalty comes in for consideration here, as it did in Carrion Birds. How much loyalty does Drake owe the returning Patrick? What can he do when what his wife needs from him is at odds with what his father needs? And where is the line drawn between loyalty to family and community? Can one remain moral and help out a criminal?
The author keeps the action moving, switching between Patrick, Morgan, the dark duo, and Drake. Sometimes the Wolf qualifies as a page-turner. Waite can certainly spin a yarn. You will want to know what happens, and will feel enough for Drake, in particular, to care. I will definitely be reading whatever he comes out with next. Urban Waite is definitely a writer worth watching.
Review first posted – 9/20/14
Publication date – 10/21/14 (HC) - 7/28/15 (TP)
This review has also been posted at CootsReviews.com
=============================EXTRA STUFF
Links to the author’s personal, Google+ and FB pages
March 11, 2018
Disgraced former sheriff Patrick Drake is paroled after twelve years in prison and returns home to the small town in Washington state where his life went south and where his son and daughter-in-law still live in the house that used to be his. His son, Bobby, is still embarrassed about the crimes his father committed and the relationship between the two is seriously strained. Still Bobby invites his father to stay with him and his wife while Patrick figures out what to do with the rest of his life and while father and son try to determine what, if any, sort of relationship they might have going forward.
Complicating matters is the fact that Patrick was convicted of a robbery from which the money was never recovered. There's $200,000 out there somewhere, and while Patrick claims he knows nothing about it, some determined people on both sides of the law refuse to believe that and will not let Patrick or his family rest until the money turns up.
In the especially nasty department are two convicts who knew Patrick inside. As an ex-lawman, Patrick was especially vulnerable in prison and "bought" protection by promising to pay off the two once he was released if they would keep him safe inside. They weren't supposed to be out for another ten years or so, but once Patrick is free, the two manage an escape. They are now hot on the trail of Patrick and the money.
At one level, this is a gripping crime novel with plenty of action. But more than anything, it's a story about family and the relationships that exist among family members. Patrick's son, Bobby, has been enormously conflicted ever since his father was accused of the crime. But rather than moving away and attempting to create a new life for himself, he remains in the small town where he grew up. Though now married himself, he continues to live in the house where he was raised, with all of the memories it holds. And if that weren't enough, he has followed in his father's footsteps and is now a deputy sheriff in the department his father betrayed.
Also in the mix is Patrick's own father, who lives a hermit-like existence out in the middle of nowhere, and Bobby's wife, Sheri. Bobby and Sheri have suffered a tragedy of their own; their relationship is troubled as well, and the last thing they need are the emotional complications and the danger that Patrick will bring into their home.
Waite writes beautifully; the characters are expertly created, and the sense of place is overpowering. When I finally pulled this book off the shelf and finally got around to reading it, the sales receipt fell out and I realized that I'd had this book on my TBR shelf since November of 2014. I really wish I'd gotten to it a lot sooner.
Complicating matters is the fact that Patrick was convicted of a robbery from which the money was never recovered. There's $200,000 out there somewhere, and while Patrick claims he knows nothing about it, some determined people on both sides of the law refuse to believe that and will not let Patrick or his family rest until the money turns up.
In the especially nasty department are two convicts who knew Patrick inside. As an ex-lawman, Patrick was especially vulnerable in prison and "bought" protection by promising to pay off the two once he was released if they would keep him safe inside. They weren't supposed to be out for another ten years or so, but once Patrick is free, the two manage an escape. They are now hot on the trail of Patrick and the money.
At one level, this is a gripping crime novel with plenty of action. But more than anything, it's a story about family and the relationships that exist among family members. Patrick's son, Bobby, has been enormously conflicted ever since his father was accused of the crime. But rather than moving away and attempting to create a new life for himself, he remains in the small town where he grew up. Though now married himself, he continues to live in the house where he was raised, with all of the memories it holds. And if that weren't enough, he has followed in his father's footsteps and is now a deputy sheriff in the department his father betrayed.
Also in the mix is Patrick's own father, who lives a hermit-like existence out in the middle of nowhere, and Bobby's wife, Sheri. Bobby and Sheri have suffered a tragedy of their own; their relationship is troubled as well, and the last thing they need are the emotional complications and the danger that Patrick will bring into their home.
Waite writes beautifully; the characters are expertly created, and the sense of place is overpowering. When I finally pulled this book off the shelf and finally got around to reading it, the sales receipt fell out and I realized that I'd had this book on my TBR shelf since November of 2014. I really wish I'd gotten to it a lot sooner.
April 29, 2017
You know, sometimes - for a long time at a stretch - it's like it hadn't happened. Not to me. Maybe to somebody else, but not to me. Then I remember, and when I first remember I say, no, it could not have happened to me.... (Quote at the start of the book, from All the King's Men by Robert Penn Warren).
I like this writer, got to know him through his book The Terror of Living, read it couple of years ago and it is recommended for those who like gritty, dark stories in the wilderness.
I love gritty wilderness books. Always looking for those stories. This book has got it all.
Plus a poetic simple way of writing. Reference to Cormac McCarthy but then different....
The struggle of a son whose father returns home from prison.
All this in the wilderness of woods, mountains, woodlands, mountain streams....
The wolf must be a symbol of the father. A lonely drifter....
More to follow.... almost midnight here now.... just finished the book :-)
Loved it.
Twelve years ago Sheriff Patrick Drake, hit with money troubles and a wife seriously ill at home, dying, fell in with some unsavoury men- and was caught and convicted for a serious crime. Today, Patrick is out on parole under the watchful eye of his son, Bobby, now deputy sheriff. Bobby has carried the weight of his father's guilt for too long. Not long after Patrick's release, a terrifying threat from his old life reappears and this time no one will be spared...
I like this writer, got to know him through his book The Terror of Living, read it couple of years ago and it is recommended for those who like gritty, dark stories in the wilderness.
I love gritty wilderness books. Always looking for those stories. This book has got it all.
Plus a poetic simple way of writing. Reference to Cormac McCarthy but then different....
The struggle of a son whose father returns home from prison.
All this in the wilderness of woods, mountains, woodlands, mountain streams....
The wolf must be a symbol of the father. A lonely drifter....
More to follow.... almost midnight here now.... just finished the book :-)
Loved it.
Twelve years ago Sheriff Patrick Drake, hit with money troubles and a wife seriously ill at home, dying, fell in with some unsavoury men- and was caught and convicted for a serious crime. Today, Patrick is out on parole under the watchful eye of his son, Bobby, now deputy sheriff. Bobby has carried the weight of his father's guilt for too long. Not long after Patrick's release, a terrifying threat from his old life reappears and this time no one will be spared...
July 9, 2022
“Sometimes the Wolf” is a slow-paced thriller with literary pretensions involving three generations of lawmen-turned-lawbreakers, two greedy killers and a lone she wolf, all of whom are roaming hills of Washington state.
Themes: “a man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do,” cops are people too, nature - both animal and human, jail-birds, generational conflicts, “I fought the law and the law won..sorta”.
I’ve never seen this before: a boring “thriller”. Normally, the biggest sin a writer can commit is being boring, but to be boring in the THRILLER genre... mister, that takes special skill.
Not only is the pacing so slow you're tapping your fingers and mumbling "c'mon already", but the main characters (Bobby and Patrick Drake) are flat, featureless “typical” guys as relentless in their normalcy as two bars of soap. There’s nothing there to make you care about them, or their financial problems. Not even if the two murderous goons chasing them get them and jump rope with their guts.
How different this story would have been if, let’s say, FBI agent Driscoll were the MC! Or even grandpa Drake. And here is what I believe the major fault in the novel is - it’s got the wrong protagonist(s).
But with the choice of “Drake” as the MC, the plot develops into a second problem. It’s been done many times before, and unfortunately, the author does nothing new with it this time, except placing it in a naturalistic setting, and adding literary overtones by adopting a sentence fragment style.
Oddly, that’s exactly what slows the pace - the literary pretensions.
In all fairness, though, the setting details are well done. We do get a strong sense of place. My edition terms the novel a “neo-Western” because of that, I suppose, and the wolf metaphor that informs the title. (hungry wolves hunting a starving wolf...just like the Forestry Commission is hunting the lone starving wolf.)
I skimmed the last ⅓ just to find out if Cheryl’s body got found and who killed whom in the end. That, also, was fairly predictable. This casual discount rack pick was honestly not worth the 3.50 I paid for it, so I'd like to give it only 1 star, however the setting details bump it up to 2.
Themes: “a man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do,” cops are people too, nature - both animal and human, jail-birds, generational conflicts, “I fought the law and the law won..sorta”.
I’ve never seen this before: a boring “thriller”. Normally, the biggest sin a writer can commit is being boring, but to be boring in the THRILLER genre... mister, that takes special skill.
Not only is the pacing so slow you're tapping your fingers and mumbling "c'mon already", but the main characters (Bobby and Patrick Drake) are flat, featureless “typical” guys as relentless in their normalcy as two bars of soap. There’s nothing there to make you care about them, or their financial problems. Not even if the two murderous goons chasing them get them and jump rope with their guts.
How different this story would have been if, let’s say, FBI agent Driscoll were the MC! Or even grandpa Drake. And here is what I believe the major fault in the novel is - it’s got the wrong protagonist(s).
But with the choice of “Drake” as the MC, the plot develops into a second problem. It’s been done many times before, and unfortunately, the author does nothing new with it this time, except placing it in a naturalistic setting, and adding literary overtones by adopting a sentence fragment style.
Oddly, that’s exactly what slows the pace - the literary pretensions.
In all fairness, though, the setting details are well done. We do get a strong sense of place. My edition terms the novel a “neo-Western” because of that, I suppose, and the wolf metaphor that informs the title. (hungry wolves hunting a starving wolf...just like the Forestry Commission is hunting the lone starving wolf.)
I skimmed the last ⅓ just to find out if Cheryl’s body got found and who killed whom in the end. That, also, was fairly predictable. This casual discount rack pick was honestly not worth the 3.50 I paid for it, so I'd like to give it only 1 star, however the setting details bump it up to 2.
December 23, 2014
Three generations of Drake men, and none of them really good at talking. It seems to be a recipe for some kind of trouble. Grandfather Morgan Drake goes off to a reclusive life in a small cabin. His son Patrick Drake, once the local sheriff, ends up isolated in a state prison. And Patrick's son Bobby, now a deputy sheriff, cannot seem to talk to his wife Ellie. Little things, but they add to the mix when Patrick is released into his son's custody, and two escaped cons come looking for him, wanting the money Patrick may have taken from drug dealers. Patrick expresses his love for Bobby by keeping a file of news clippings about his son's basketball triumphs—and Bobby throws angry taunts at his dad. The money, how much it is and where it is hidden, motivates the actions of many of the characters, and the moral ambiguities of everyone except Ellie color the actions taken.
I really enjoyed reading the book, and found myself puzzling over some of it, particularly the ending, instead of sleeping. I'm hooked on Urban Waite, and will be seeking out the other books he has written.
I really enjoyed reading the book, and found myself puzzling over some of it, particularly the ending, instead of sleeping. I'm hooked on Urban Waite, and will be seeking out the other books he has written.
January 14, 2015
This is one of those lean, gritty crime novels where you've seen the plot a million times before but it's written so beautifully you don't care. Characters you care about and two nasty villians make for a gripping tale of a family torn apart by a desperate criminal act resulting in jail time and broken promises that come back to haunt them big time. Highly recommended.
March 15, 2018
Well, sorry- this just did not do it for me. At the very most I would stretch to give a three star. But I just can't.
Throughout the telling, and it's not overlong- I kept waiting and waiting to find the real bridges to what connects these characters. I'm still waiting and the abrupt ending was more than off-putting. It was strange and as floating away miasma surrounds as the few seconds of connections to joy that any characters here held in core for any of the other characters. I can see that others felt differently and saw the father / son bonding and history in somewhat of a different light. Even so, it's too dark and negative to sustain much tension between the two.
But this was more about the locale, the physical surrounds, the she wolf and that atmosphere in that town- than it was about family. To me, it was. And it had so much gratuitous violence that I think it could be classed in my "Deliverance" category for goodly portions of the book.
Very sad and quite incomplete. More unsaid than said. Absolutely not a writer that I'd care to try again. More than a dozen times in this book I was pronoun confused too. It's a prose style I find slow, drawling and often with strange jumps. I wanted to know what happened to the coffee shop waitress and that's the only thing that kept me going until I wanted to know if Sheri held a similar fate.
The lack of trust and so little that is voiced. And much of that truly not felt here in response? UGH!
Throughout the telling, and it's not overlong- I kept waiting and waiting to find the real bridges to what connects these characters. I'm still waiting and the abrupt ending was more than off-putting. It was strange and as floating away miasma surrounds as the few seconds of connections to joy that any characters here held in core for any of the other characters. I can see that others felt differently and saw the father / son bonding and history in somewhat of a different light. Even so, it's too dark and negative to sustain much tension between the two.
But this was more about the locale, the physical surrounds, the she wolf and that atmosphere in that town- than it was about family. To me, it was. And it had so much gratuitous violence that I think it could be classed in my "Deliverance" category for goodly portions of the book.
Very sad and quite incomplete. More unsaid than said. Absolutely not a writer that I'd care to try again. More than a dozen times in this book I was pronoun confused too. It's a prose style I find slow, drawling and often with strange jumps. I wanted to know what happened to the coffee shop waitress and that's the only thing that kept me going until I wanted to know if Sheri held a similar fate.
The lack of trust and so little that is voiced. And much of that truly not felt here in response? UGH!
November 7, 2014
“The man locked away for a third of Drake’s life, Sheriff Patrick Drake, a legend in his time with no other family left in Silver Lake except his son and daughter-in-law."
“It was almost twelve years to the day since his father had been sentenced. In the years past Drake had searched for some sign of his father in his own face, looking at himself in the mirror of his cruiser, or under the bright changing-room lights of the department. The genes there that all who met him said were evident in his face. A fine line dividing the two of them, a reason Drake had tried so desperately in the last twelve years to distance himself from the father everyone could see within him.”
Father and sons, sins of fathers, appear in fiction again and once again under the careful mastery of yet another capable author unflinching in pace and unflinching with the want to read more of in this thriller.
I have loved every novel of this authors since is debut with Terror of Living and this one continues on from that tale.
Follow ons, sometimes are a hard act for any author to continue successfully, for Urban Waite its a walk in the park, but also with wolves, money and truths.
He has you in his grasp with everything unfolding at hand and wastes no pages, clear and hits straight home with changing narratives and changing paces you are really not allowed to step back, i am sorry to say but have to run it right through to the end of the tale.
The author has done something key and important, something that really oozes success and that is sentences with the right words and economy keeping you at the edge of the cliff at times, a thriller in a sense and also a very human event unfolding with very serious matters in the balance.
He is a haunted soul the main character, son of Patrick Drake, Bobby, when he was seven his mother died.
Plenty of things needed settling, between father and son, the lack of for one of presence, that empty place in his heart, the hurt his father left behind.
The father was wanting to make good of the wrong all his life, when the time came, just being released from prison, time the very precious element of life, is vanishing faster than the wolves can return within their perimeter.
http://more2read.com/review/sometimes-wolf-urban-waite
January 25, 2015
Really taut, beautiful writing; the book jacket calls it "literary suspense" and compares it to the work of Dennis Lehane and Elmore Leonard, and I think that's apt. A deputy in Washington state, Bobby Drake, has agreed to look after his ex-sheriff, ex-con father, Patrick, after he's released from twelve years in prison. Patrick wants a new start, but the threads tying him to his former life are inescapable, and Bobby has to make some hard choices. Really about the thorny dynamics between fathers and sons, with lots of sharp characterizations, including that of Patrick's own father, who lives a hermit-like life in the wilderness. I read it in two sittings and would give it 4 1/2 stars if I could.
August 30, 2015
I had put this on a list of "must reads" and requested it from the library, but to save my life, I can't remember why. The only thing I can think of is I must have read a highly favorable blurb somewhere from some person or on some website I respect. It's probably a good thing I don't remember because that respect would be diminished.
"As muscular and laconic as anything by Cormac McCarthy" says the cover blurb. I've only read one book by McCarthy (The Road) and I did not enjoy it. This should have been my warning when I picked it up.
Let it be known, however, my quibble is not with the story. The story's fine: A disgraced sheriff is released from prison to the custody of his adult son, now the deputy sheriff of the same small town, but the FBI agent who investigated his previous crime still doesn't believe justice has been served; family drama ensues. All the twists and turns are quite well done.
My quibble is with the writing itself, most especially with the constant incomplete sentences that make up the majority of the paragraphs. At times I found myself saying, out loud, "For crying out loud, just put a verb in there, would ya?" I also rewrote sentences in my head as I read them, adding punctuation here, joining clauses and making complete sentences there, so the paragraphs weren't so choppy and disjointed. This is not "muscular and laconic", this is lazy writing and turn-a-blind-eye editing.
Look, I'm all for authors developing their own style, and use of the occasional subordinate clause in place of a full sentence is fine for effect -- emphasis being on "occasional" -- but generally speaking, the conventions of sentence and paragraph structure must still apply, or else why bother?
"As muscular and laconic as anything by Cormac McCarthy" says the cover blurb. I've only read one book by McCarthy (The Road) and I did not enjoy it. This should have been my warning when I picked it up.
Let it be known, however, my quibble is not with the story. The story's fine: A disgraced sheriff is released from prison to the custody of his adult son, now the deputy sheriff of the same small town, but the FBI agent who investigated his previous crime still doesn't believe justice has been served; family drama ensues. All the twists and turns are quite well done.
My quibble is with the writing itself, most especially with the constant incomplete sentences that make up the majority of the paragraphs. At times I found myself saying, out loud, "For crying out loud, just put a verb in there, would ya?" I also rewrote sentences in my head as I read them, adding punctuation here, joining clauses and making complete sentences there, so the paragraphs weren't so choppy and disjointed. This is not "muscular and laconic", this is lazy writing and turn-a-blind-eye editing.
Look, I'm all for authors developing their own style, and use of the occasional subordinate clause in place of a full sentence is fine for effect -- emphasis being on "occasional" -- but generally speaking, the conventions of sentence and paragraph structure must still apply, or else why bother?
September 17, 2014
This book was sent to me for free by the publisher as an ARC. It is labelled "Advance reader's Edition." I did not find any typos.
I give this book 3.5 stars(rounded up to 4). The central character, Bobby Drake, is referred to as "Drake' in the text, even though there are 2 other Drakes(father and grandfather) who are referred to as Patrick and Morgan respectively. I found this slightly annoying, causing me to downgrade the book to 3.5 stars. For the first 50 pages, I would go back to make sure which "Drake" was doing what.
The first 50 pages or so started out slow, but the suspense built up as various people try to find missing drug money from 12 years ago. Patrick may or may not know what happened to the money. There are 2 killers and a DEA agent also looking for the money. The title has to do with a subplot, a wild wolf appearing in this rural area of Washington--the first wolf in decades.
Bobby Drake is trying to make sense of his relationship with his father, released from a 12 year prison sentence for smuggling drugs while he was sheriff. Booby, now a deputy sheriff, has agreed to take his dad in as part of a parole agreement. As a result,he becomes involuntarily involved and is put in danger because of his dad and the money.
I enjoyed reading the book and watching how the plot played out
I give this book 3.5 stars(rounded up to 4). The central character, Bobby Drake, is referred to as "Drake' in the text, even though there are 2 other Drakes(father and grandfather) who are referred to as Patrick and Morgan respectively. I found this slightly annoying, causing me to downgrade the book to 3.5 stars. For the first 50 pages, I would go back to make sure which "Drake" was doing what.
The first 50 pages or so started out slow, but the suspense built up as various people try to find missing drug money from 12 years ago. Patrick may or may not know what happened to the money. There are 2 killers and a DEA agent also looking for the money. The title has to do with a subplot, a wild wolf appearing in this rural area of Washington--the first wolf in decades.
Bobby Drake is trying to make sense of his relationship with his father, released from a 12 year prison sentence for smuggling drugs while he was sheriff. Booby, now a deputy sheriff, has agreed to take his dad in as part of a parole agreement. As a result,he becomes involuntarily involved and is put in danger because of his dad and the money.
I enjoyed reading the book and watching how the plot played out
December 31, 2014
What would you do if your town sheriff father was tried, convicted and jailed for drug smuggling and distribution? Dropping out of college and joining the local police force probably isn't your first thought, but Bobby Blake does just that. When Patrick is, after 12 years, released from prison, Bobby and wife Sheri take him in, all the while wondering whether Patrick can stay out of trouble. How has prison changed him? Has prison changed him? The answer, of course, is yes... and no. Trouble from before Patrick's arrest follows him, and the ways in which he's changed lead to trouble for his family and former deputy, now sheriff.
The metaphor of the wolf is a good one. Not only is there a search and hunt for a lone female wolf roaming the area of the Cascades where the action takes place, Patrick could be seen as a lone male wolf. He's violent, but it's because that's how nature sometimes is, not because he wants it.
The writing is something of a mix between Kent Haruf and Mickey Spillane, which can be an interesting mix as well as annoying. Overall, this was really more of a 3.5 but I was feeling generous.
ARC provided by publisher.
The metaphor of the wolf is a good one. Not only is there a search and hunt for a lone female wolf roaming the area of the Cascades where the action takes place, Patrick could be seen as a lone male wolf. He's violent, but it's because that's how nature sometimes is, not because he wants it.
The writing is something of a mix between Kent Haruf and Mickey Spillane, which can be an interesting mix as well as annoying. Overall, this was really more of a 3.5 but I was feeling generous.
ARC provided by publisher.
June 4, 2015
This just has a menacing and evil vibe to it from the very beginning. And you wonder about the title and its relationship to the plot but it all become clear at the end. Waite is masterful in reflecting violence, futility, desperation, and beauty in the place and in the characters. Bad decisions continue to haunt a former lawman once he gets out of prison and seeks a rapprochement with his son, now a lawman as well. The bad guys are coming and they are merciless in their pursuit of some drug money. There's also an OCD DEA agent hounding the ex-con. All meet in a confusing melee in Washington's Seattle and Cascade Range. Lots of surprises by Waite in this noirish tale of family taking care of family. It should be a movie. It's one of those books you have to stop and relax because it's so intense. Nothing predictable about this book. Good ending.
March 5, 2015
Sometimes the Wolf by Urban Waite is a mystery crime novel that hides a serious family drama. Tense and powerfully plotted father and son issues drive this novel of murder, kidnapping and stolen drug money in the Pacific Northwest winter. Waite's prose and pace is filled with well developed characters and the spellbinding morality of Dennis Lehane police dramas or the down home spin of a Cormac McCarthy novel. Waite also uses his setting, to expertly set a tone of isolation and despair.
"..Looking at his father now, with his hair grown out and a beard matted across his face, his skin pulled flat in places and creased in others, Drake felt like he didn't know his father the way he should. So much time had passed with nothing being said between them. Patrick wearing the same clothes he'd gone in with twelve years before, outdated and now large on his thin, muscular frame.
Behind, the guard closed the door and Drake heard the latch fall as Patrick crossed the lot to where he waited by the car. The old canvas coat open at Patrick's chest, revealing the flannel shirt and jeans he'd gone in with all those years before.
"I see you've gone wild," Drake said, gesturing to his father's white mane.
Patrick smiled. He'd been in there a long time. And the creases on his skin looked all the deeper. "I've always been wild," he said...
Deputy Bobby Drake picked his father up outside of the prison after twelve years. Patrick Drake had been Sheriff before a DEA sting operation had caught him running drugs across the Canadian border. Now after being locked up for twelve years, Patrick was hoping to make amends with his son and what remained of the family he had left behind. But sometimes the past doesn't stay in the past and with hundreds of thousands of dollars of drug money missing, Patrick's past wasn't going to leave him alone.
DEA agent Driscoll is sure that Patrick knows where the missing money is as well as how two known gangsters ended up killed twelve years ago and he isn't about to back down now. He's been waiting for Patrick to get released and he isn't above using Bobby to get his father.
But Driscoll isn't the only problem as two more men, recently released from prison, come knocking. They want the money too and they will go much farther than Driscoll to find it.
Bobby must now find out the truth of what happened all those years ago and fast. They have his wife. The DEA is threatening to take his job and his home. And his recently released father Patrick, who he is responsible for, has just gone missing.
Sometimes The Wolf is a tense crime drama along the lines of Fargo. The bad guys are just a little badder then they have to be and the good guys really aren't all that good. With everyone after their own agendas, how they get there means as little to them as the people they hurt along the way.
At the center of the story is Bobby Drake and his relationship with his estranged father Patrick. Bobby had to give up so much of his own life when his father went to jail. A disgraced sheriff and dying other, left Bobby with a burden no young man should have to carry in a small town where everyone knew your business. Now with his father back, he is torn between reconciliation and recrimination. But when his wife is kidnapped and the reality that his father had been hiding drug money all this time, Bobby is left with the only option available. To save his family and life, even if it means turning his father in.
Waite creates colorful characters with a backdrop as formidable as the frozen northwest.
Sometimes is a strong read with lasting depth.
"..Looking at his father now, with his hair grown out and a beard matted across his face, his skin pulled flat in places and creased in others, Drake felt like he didn't know his father the way he should. So much time had passed with nothing being said between them. Patrick wearing the same clothes he'd gone in with twelve years before, outdated and now large on his thin, muscular frame.
Behind, the guard closed the door and Drake heard the latch fall as Patrick crossed the lot to where he waited by the car. The old canvas coat open at Patrick's chest, revealing the flannel shirt and jeans he'd gone in with all those years before.
"I see you've gone wild," Drake said, gesturing to his father's white mane.
Patrick smiled. He'd been in there a long time. And the creases on his skin looked all the deeper. "I've always been wild," he said...
Deputy Bobby Drake picked his father up outside of the prison after twelve years. Patrick Drake had been Sheriff before a DEA sting operation had caught him running drugs across the Canadian border. Now after being locked up for twelve years, Patrick was hoping to make amends with his son and what remained of the family he had left behind. But sometimes the past doesn't stay in the past and with hundreds of thousands of dollars of drug money missing, Patrick's past wasn't going to leave him alone.
DEA agent Driscoll is sure that Patrick knows where the missing money is as well as how two known gangsters ended up killed twelve years ago and he isn't about to back down now. He's been waiting for Patrick to get released and he isn't above using Bobby to get his father.
But Driscoll isn't the only problem as two more men, recently released from prison, come knocking. They want the money too and they will go much farther than Driscoll to find it.
Bobby must now find out the truth of what happened all those years ago and fast. They have his wife. The DEA is threatening to take his job and his home. And his recently released father Patrick, who he is responsible for, has just gone missing.
Sometimes The Wolf is a tense crime drama along the lines of Fargo. The bad guys are just a little badder then they have to be and the good guys really aren't all that good. With everyone after their own agendas, how they get there means as little to them as the people they hurt along the way.
At the center of the story is Bobby Drake and his relationship with his estranged father Patrick. Bobby had to give up so much of his own life when his father went to jail. A disgraced sheriff and dying other, left Bobby with a burden no young man should have to carry in a small town where everyone knew your business. Now with his father back, he is torn between reconciliation and recrimination. But when his wife is kidnapped and the reality that his father had been hiding drug money all this time, Bobby is left with the only option available. To save his family and life, even if it means turning his father in.
Waite creates colorful characters with a backdrop as formidable as the frozen northwest.
Sometimes is a strong read with lasting depth.
March 5, 2016
I’m not a big reader of mysteries and thrillers but this year I’m trying to widen my reading net and have been picking up more than usual. Such was the case with Sometimes the Wolf by Urban Waite, a title that I’ve had on my Kindle for longer than I care to admit. I’m one of those readers who tends to ignore books that have been on my Kindle for too long but if this one is any indication, I need to rectify that starting now.
Sometimes the Wolf is part mystery, part family drama. It tells the story of Patrick, a former sheriff released on parole after 12 years, and the son he left to deal with the aftermath. Their relationship is tenuous, at best, but the secrets that Patrick keeps hidden threaten to expose just how fragile it is. To complicate matters, Patrick’s past catches up with him in ways that put everyone he cares about at risk.
This book was exactly what I needed. I’ve been reading some dense non-fiction books lately and found myself needed a break. Sometimes the Wolf fit the bill perfectly, offering up a great story of father/son conflicts, small town secrets, and a zigzagging path to an ending that could have gone any other way. The book easily could have been longer and I wish that the characters were more fully developed. The relationships contained within the story were extremely complicated and could have been explored more deeply, but I can also see how doing so would have altered the book as a whole and don’t fault the author for it.
Where the book lacks character development, it makes up for in detail. The entire book takes place in the Pacific Northwest and it is clear from the beginning that Waite has an incredible respect for the land. His best imagery was in his descriptions of the land, from the landscapes to the smell of nature. It was easy for me to see what the characters were seeing, despite having never been to the area. And, of course, I appreciated the symbolism of the wolf, which plays an integral part in the story but that I won’t expound on because I don’t want to ruin anything for you.
For the full review, visit The Book Wheel.
Sometimes the Wolf is part mystery, part family drama. It tells the story of Patrick, a former sheriff released on parole after 12 years, and the son he left to deal with the aftermath. Their relationship is tenuous, at best, but the secrets that Patrick keeps hidden threaten to expose just how fragile it is. To complicate matters, Patrick’s past catches up with him in ways that put everyone he cares about at risk.
This book was exactly what I needed. I’ve been reading some dense non-fiction books lately and found myself needed a break. Sometimes the Wolf fit the bill perfectly, offering up a great story of father/son conflicts, small town secrets, and a zigzagging path to an ending that could have gone any other way. The book easily could have been longer and I wish that the characters were more fully developed. The relationships contained within the story were extremely complicated and could have been explored more deeply, but I can also see how doing so would have altered the book as a whole and don’t fault the author for it.
Where the book lacks character development, it makes up for in detail. The entire book takes place in the Pacific Northwest and it is clear from the beginning that Waite has an incredible respect for the land. His best imagery was in his descriptions of the land, from the landscapes to the smell of nature. It was easy for me to see what the characters were seeing, despite having never been to the area. And, of course, I appreciated the symbolism of the wolf, which plays an integral part in the story but that I won’t expound on because I don’t want to ruin anything for you.
For the full review, visit The Book Wheel.
November 3, 2014
A grim tale about family, trust, and forgiveness, Sometimes the Wolf is dark with a constant tension that prevails throughout the story. Deputy Bobby Drake of the tiny northwestern town of Silver Lake brings his father back home after twelve years in prison. The former sheriff of Silver Lake, Patrick, was convicted of drug running and murder, leaving a rumor that hundreds of thousands of dollars in drug money is hidden. It must be more than just a rumor when the current sheriff discovers dead bodies, Patrick goes missing, and Bobby Drake finds himself fearing for his family.
Tautly told with a consistent pace, the story mostly follows Drake as he tries to track down Patrick and protect his family. As he begins to dig into the past he discovers his father could not have been alone in his drug running enterprise. More dead bodies pile up and the fact that two escaped and dangerous convicts are also searching for Patrick proves to Drake that the money that disappeared over twelve years ago is definitely not a rumor.
While the book has its episodes of violence, the most draining aspect for the reader is the tension. The author has written scenes full of suspense that can put a knot in your stomach. The gorgeous forested Pacific Northwest scenery provides no relief with its elemental untamed, and unforgiving, wilderness. The setting could not be more perfect for this story of dangerous men who make the wild animals appear humane.
I have never read an Urban Waite novel before and apparently this book is part two in a series. But, the way it is written allows the reader to enjoy this book without any second book confusion. In fact, this almost reads like a stand-alone. Despite the darkness and the unrelenting tension, I find I do want to read the first book. And, if there is a follow-up to this one, I will read it.
Highly recommended for mystery readers who prefer dark atmosphere and don’t need their story fluffed up or dampened in order to enjoy it.
Tautly told with a consistent pace, the story mostly follows Drake as he tries to track down Patrick and protect his family. As he begins to dig into the past he discovers his father could not have been alone in his drug running enterprise. More dead bodies pile up and the fact that two escaped and dangerous convicts are also searching for Patrick proves to Drake that the money that disappeared over twelve years ago is definitely not a rumor.
While the book has its episodes of violence, the most draining aspect for the reader is the tension. The author has written scenes full of suspense that can put a knot in your stomach. The gorgeous forested Pacific Northwest scenery provides no relief with its elemental untamed, and unforgiving, wilderness. The setting could not be more perfect for this story of dangerous men who make the wild animals appear humane.
I have never read an Urban Waite novel before and apparently this book is part two in a series. But, the way it is written allows the reader to enjoy this book without any second book confusion. In fact, this almost reads like a stand-alone. Despite the darkness and the unrelenting tension, I find I do want to read the first book. And, if there is a follow-up to this one, I will read it.
Highly recommended for mystery readers who prefer dark atmosphere and don’t need their story fluffed up or dampened in order to enjoy it.
September 10, 2015
An outstanding literary thriller that places Waite alongside the likes of James Lee Burke and John Hart: elegantly written rural noir with swirling undercurrents of personal and societal issues.
Set in the natural wonder of the Pacific Northwest, SOMETIMES THE WOLF sees the return of Deputy Sheriff Bobby Drake (from Waite's highly acclaimed debut THE TERROR OF LIVING), who is still trying to live with the ongoing impact of his father Patrick, the former Sheriff, being imprisoned for drug running.
Patrick had single-handedly raised his family in a small mountain town after his wife's death, but financial pressures led him to bad people and worse choices, and he was convicted of one of the biggest crimes in local history.
Twelve years later, Bobby is faced with Patrick being released from prison, and all the conflict and confusion his reintegration into 'life outside' may entail. While the Drakes might want to just get on with their lives, others don't want to let them - including a relentless DEA agent and Patrick's former prison mates.
Bobby has his own problems too: his father has cast a long shadow over his life, personally and professionally, and he's curtailed his own dreams along the way. In a small town, people don't forget easily, and his family legacy is a mixed one at best. When trouble brews, Bobby is forced to make some tough decisions about where he stands, as a cop, a husband, a son, and a man.
Urban Waite spins a masterful tale, full of emotional impact as well as page-turning storytelling. He writes in uncommonly beautiful, searing prose, demonstrating (like Burke, Hart, and others) that crime fiction can be literary as well as entertaining. A tale that is as thought-provoking as it is entertaining.
This is a very, very good book that's cemented Urban Waite onto my must-read list.
Set in the natural wonder of the Pacific Northwest, SOMETIMES THE WOLF sees the return of Deputy Sheriff Bobby Drake (from Waite's highly acclaimed debut THE TERROR OF LIVING), who is still trying to live with the ongoing impact of his father Patrick, the former Sheriff, being imprisoned for drug running.
Patrick had single-handedly raised his family in a small mountain town after his wife's death, but financial pressures led him to bad people and worse choices, and he was convicted of one of the biggest crimes in local history.
Twelve years later, Bobby is faced with Patrick being released from prison, and all the conflict and confusion his reintegration into 'life outside' may entail. While the Drakes might want to just get on with their lives, others don't want to let them - including a relentless DEA agent and Patrick's former prison mates.
Bobby has his own problems too: his father has cast a long shadow over his life, personally and professionally, and he's curtailed his own dreams along the way. In a small town, people don't forget easily, and his family legacy is a mixed one at best. When trouble brews, Bobby is forced to make some tough decisions about where he stands, as a cop, a husband, a son, and a man.
Urban Waite spins a masterful tale, full of emotional impact as well as page-turning storytelling. He writes in uncommonly beautiful, searing prose, demonstrating (like Burke, Hart, and others) that crime fiction can be literary as well as entertaining. A tale that is as thought-provoking as it is entertaining.
This is a very, very good book that's cemented Urban Waite onto my must-read list.
January 20, 2015
SOMETIMES THE WOLF
Urban Waite
SOMETIMES THE WOLF is a spellbinding novel with a vivid sense of place, and a family torn apart by violence with horrible consequences.
Sheriff Patrick Drake is out of prison after serving twelve years when convicted of one of the biggest crimes in local history. His son, Bobby Drake is now the deputy sheriff whose tried to distance himself from his father and family.
But small towns have long memories and his father's old life and crime come back to become a major threat to all their lives.
A beautifully written but grim tale about family, trust, forgiveness and father son relationships.
Highly Recommended
Urban Waite
SOMETIMES THE WOLF is a spellbinding novel with a vivid sense of place, and a family torn apart by violence with horrible consequences.
Sheriff Patrick Drake is out of prison after serving twelve years when convicted of one of the biggest crimes in local history. His son, Bobby Drake is now the deputy sheriff whose tried to distance himself from his father and family.
But small towns have long memories and his father's old life and crime come back to become a major threat to all their lives.
A beautifully written but grim tale about family, trust, forgiveness and father son relationships.
Highly Recommended
April 28, 2015
One of the hardest things an author must do to win our approval as readers is to make us care about the characters. It's not easy to do. And in this lethargic, somewhat depressing drawl of a shortish novel, I found myself wondering how it could possibly perk up. Towards the end, it did, but with gratuitous violence, missing communication of things unsaid, and a rather abrupt ending. I don't know how anyone could give this one five stars!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 17, 2018
A quick read, well written and suspenseful.
May 10, 2018
This was my first encounter with the very talented Urban Waite, but I predict it will not be my last. This is a 4.5 star book, with great pacing, wonderful and richly complex characters, and enough lasting questions woven within the plot to keep one thinking about it long after finishing the last page.
Patrick Drake, a former sheriff and the father (and co-protagonist) of Bobby (now a sheriff's deputy), on parole and apparently planning to recover a bundle of stolen money that he'd squirreled away while he was sheriff of a small Northwestern town finds that promises made while in prison are coming back to haunt him. I won't review the complex story, as there are plenty of sources for that right here in Goodreads. What I shall tell you is that the Drake family, consisting now of Morgan (grandfather to Bobby), Patrick, and Bobby are all inherently good people, but with their own flaws and moral dilemmas. We sympathize with Bobby, whose image of his father is shattered at a young age as the latter is arrested for drug smuggling. Never mind the higher purpose behind a sheriff turning to crime (wife dying of cancer, got to pay bills); Patrick remains aware that he is an ex-con who can never shake that which got him jailed. Still, compared to the characters populating this book, motivated by various levels of greed and grandiosity, Patrick is a very likeable fellow.
This book is something of a hybrid inasmuch as it is a crime-novel as well as an exploration of souls, of small town loyalties, of marriage and family ties, and, peripherally, of the fate of a wolf. Not that the latter plays that much of a role, but figuratively, the lone wolf, shed of its pack, is rather symbolic throughout this novel. As I said, Mr. Waite is an author with whose works I look forward to becoming more closely acquainted. A very rewarding read that I highly recommend.
Patrick Drake, a former sheriff and the father (and co-protagonist) of Bobby (now a sheriff's deputy), on parole and apparently planning to recover a bundle of stolen money that he'd squirreled away while he was sheriff of a small Northwestern town finds that promises made while in prison are coming back to haunt him. I won't review the complex story, as there are plenty of sources for that right here in Goodreads. What I shall tell you is that the Drake family, consisting now of Morgan (grandfather to Bobby), Patrick, and Bobby are all inherently good people, but with their own flaws and moral dilemmas. We sympathize with Bobby, whose image of his father is shattered at a young age as the latter is arrested for drug smuggling. Never mind the higher purpose behind a sheriff turning to crime (wife dying of cancer, got to pay bills); Patrick remains aware that he is an ex-con who can never shake that which got him jailed. Still, compared to the characters populating this book, motivated by various levels of greed and grandiosity, Patrick is a very likeable fellow.
This book is something of a hybrid inasmuch as it is a crime-novel as well as an exploration of souls, of small town loyalties, of marriage and family ties, and, peripherally, of the fate of a wolf. Not that the latter plays that much of a role, but figuratively, the lone wolf, shed of its pack, is rather symbolic throughout this novel. As I said, Mr. Waite is an author with whose works I look forward to becoming more closely acquainted. A very rewarding read that I highly recommend.
January 11, 2015
Former sheriff Patrick Drake is finally getting out of jail, twelve years after he got caught in a drug-dealing scheme. His son Bobby was twenty when he went away and is now a deputy in Patrick's old small-town department. Patrick's father Morgan is living off the land in a rural cabin far outside town and knows more than anyone realizes about his son's past misdeeds. The sequel (companion, perhaps?) to the author's debut The Terror of Living (which I have not read), SOMETIMES THE WOLF opens the day Bobby Drake picks his father up from prison. Bobby doesn't know Patrick's past is following them and about to catch up in a dangerous way.
As crime thrillers go, the setup isn't stunningly new. Bad men believe Patrick still has some of the drug money hidden away, and naturally they want said money, and naturally they'll do anything to get it. What makes this novel interesting is the interplay between three generations of Drake men, how they talk to each other and what they think of each other, who respects whom and who doesn't (the latter should be somewhat obvious). The reason I come back to this genre time and time again is because while the setups are always familiar, the conclusions often are not. An author can start off with a premise like this one and do almost anything with it. What Urban Waite chooses to do with it is the main source of my disappointment.
A secondary source is the writing itself. The sentence fragments in this book might outnumber the complete sentences, and they're often clumsily rendered as dependent phrases (an entire book of "The quick brown fox jumping over the lazy dog"). The point of view isn't very deep, but there are too many paragraphs of character introspection to call it omniscient. For example, when the scene takes place from Bobby's point of view, the reader is frequently told "Drake was angry at his father," "Drake didn't know what to say," "Drake didn't know how he felt about that." Speaking of Bobby Drake, he's referred to in narrative as "Drake" throughout the book (even in his father and grandfather's scenes), another thing that keeps the point of view on the surface.
In addition to the stylistic problems, the characters are more than a little frustrating. The status in this book belongs too much to the villains. Bobby seems to be the protagonist, judging from allotted page time, but he's a passive entity in most of the plot pieces. He's called "smart" more than once, but he spends the entire book being fed information (and he has to be the only sheriff's deputy in history to knock on a door and then turn his back so the bad guys can jump him). His most decisive actions come after the climax and are actually decisions not to act. Perhaps Mr. Waite made Bobby a helpless character on purpose, but this combined with the choice to leave most of the character relationships unresolved makes for a dissatisfying read.
It's a well-paced story with a good balance of description, dialogue, and action. Morgan, Patrick, and Bobby are an interesting trio of action and consequence, of decision and fallout, of loyalty and distrust. There's a quality of understated reality to the book overall that feels authentic, not forced. If I hadn't tripped over so many pointless sentence fragments, and if the main characters had exhibited a bit more competence and determination in their lives overall, this might have been a four-star read for me.
As crime thrillers go, the setup isn't stunningly new. Bad men believe Patrick still has some of the drug money hidden away, and naturally they want said money, and naturally they'll do anything to get it. What makes this novel interesting is the interplay between three generations of Drake men, how they talk to each other and what they think of each other, who respects whom and who doesn't (the latter should be somewhat obvious). The reason I come back to this genre time and time again is because while the setups are always familiar, the conclusions often are not. An author can start off with a premise like this one and do almost anything with it. What Urban Waite chooses to do with it is the main source of my disappointment.
A secondary source is the writing itself. The sentence fragments in this book might outnumber the complete sentences, and they're often clumsily rendered as dependent phrases (an entire book of "The quick brown fox jumping over the lazy dog"). The point of view isn't very deep, but there are too many paragraphs of character introspection to call it omniscient. For example, when the scene takes place from Bobby's point of view, the reader is frequently told "Drake was angry at his father," "Drake didn't know what to say," "Drake didn't know how he felt about that." Speaking of Bobby Drake, he's referred to in narrative as "Drake" throughout the book (even in his father and grandfather's scenes), another thing that keeps the point of view on the surface.
In addition to the stylistic problems, the characters are more than a little frustrating. The status in this book belongs too much to the villains. Bobby seems to be the protagonist, judging from allotted page time, but he's a passive entity in most of the plot pieces. He's called "smart" more than once, but he spends the entire book being fed information (and he has to be the only sheriff's deputy in history to knock on a door and then turn his back so the bad guys can jump him). His most decisive actions come after the climax and are actually decisions not to act. Perhaps Mr. Waite made Bobby a helpless character on purpose, but this combined with the choice to leave most of the character relationships unresolved makes for a dissatisfying read.
It's a well-paced story with a good balance of description, dialogue, and action. Morgan, Patrick, and Bobby are an interesting trio of action and consequence, of decision and fallout, of loyalty and distrust. There's a quality of understated reality to the book overall that feels authentic, not forced. If I hadn't tripped over so many pointless sentence fragments, and if the main characters had exhibited a bit more competence and determination in their lives overall, this might have been a four-star read for me.
December 2, 2014
“Sometimes The Wolf” by Urban Waite is a first-rate thriller but also examination of the ties that bind a family together – or break it apart.
Deputy Sheriff Bobby Drake is headed to prison to pick up his father Patrick, incarcerated twelve years ago for drug running. Patrick Drake had been Sheriff at the time, but like many people he had financial woes that seemed insurmountable. The only recourse he could see was to break some of the very laws he was sworn to protect. He got caught.
When that happened, Bobby watched his own life derail. It wasn't his fault, but he felt obligated to give up his plans in order to deal with the aftermath of what his father had done. Despite that, he lived his life as best he could with his wife Sheri, and he went to see his father only once during the preceding twelve years.
And now here his father was, a free man and an immediate reminder of "all the old memories, all the things that had occurred in the past..." His father tried to reassure him: Don't worry. What's done is done. Things will be fine. To Bobby, however, having his whole life turned upside-down – by his father, no less – was a scar that couldn’t be smoothed over with a few encouraging platitudes. He’ll make an effort, though, which is all he can do.
On the drive home, Bobby notices his father glancing in the side mirror as if looking for someone, and when stopped for gas they both take not of a car parked in a nearby lot with two men sitting inside doing nothing. Bobby’s occupational instincts make him wary, but his father dismisses it. When they reach the highway again there is no sign of anyone following them.
That parked car, however, did indeed contain two men on the hunt for Patrick. They did time with him, and they’ve escaped. He owes them a debt and they aim to collect, and they’re not above resorting to violence to get their way.
As a condition of parole, Patrick is staying with Bobby and his wife. Bobby isn’t interested in spending too much time with his father but he also hasn’t decided if he can trust him enough to leave him on his own. When he embarks on a hunt for a wolf that’s been seen in the area Bobby takes his father along and discovers that twelve years in prison did not degrade the man’s skill with firearms.
On a few occasions Bobby and Patrick make the rounds, stopping in to see old friends and catching up. One face in the crowd is unwelcome – Agent Driscoll, a DEA agent involved in Patrick’s case all those years ago. Agent Driscoll still has questions about some things that happened back then, and especially about the murder of two men and the disappearance of a large sum of money shortly before Patrick went to prison.
One night Bobby leaves a bar early and Patrick stays behind with Gary Elliot, an old friend of Patrick’s and the current Sheriff. The next thing Bobby knows, it’s one o’clock in the morning and Agent Driscoll is at his door, telling him that Patrick ran off into the woods and disappeared.
Now the hunt is on, for both Patrick and the money he’s suspected of hiding. The escaped convicts show up to complicate things even further, but eventually Bobby manages to track down his father. At that moment he comes face-to-face with that age-old question: Am I my Father’s Son?
Deputy Sheriff Bobby Drake is headed to prison to pick up his father Patrick, incarcerated twelve years ago for drug running. Patrick Drake had been Sheriff at the time, but like many people he had financial woes that seemed insurmountable. The only recourse he could see was to break some of the very laws he was sworn to protect. He got caught.
When that happened, Bobby watched his own life derail. It wasn't his fault, but he felt obligated to give up his plans in order to deal with the aftermath of what his father had done. Despite that, he lived his life as best he could with his wife Sheri, and he went to see his father only once during the preceding twelve years.
And now here his father was, a free man and an immediate reminder of "all the old memories, all the things that had occurred in the past..." His father tried to reassure him: Don't worry. What's done is done. Things will be fine. To Bobby, however, having his whole life turned upside-down – by his father, no less – was a scar that couldn’t be smoothed over with a few encouraging platitudes. He’ll make an effort, though, which is all he can do.
On the drive home, Bobby notices his father glancing in the side mirror as if looking for someone, and when stopped for gas they both take not of a car parked in a nearby lot with two men sitting inside doing nothing. Bobby’s occupational instincts make him wary, but his father dismisses it. When they reach the highway again there is no sign of anyone following them.
That parked car, however, did indeed contain two men on the hunt for Patrick. They did time with him, and they’ve escaped. He owes them a debt and they aim to collect, and they’re not above resorting to violence to get their way.
As a condition of parole, Patrick is staying with Bobby and his wife. Bobby isn’t interested in spending too much time with his father but he also hasn’t decided if he can trust him enough to leave him on his own. When he embarks on a hunt for a wolf that’s been seen in the area Bobby takes his father along and discovers that twelve years in prison did not degrade the man’s skill with firearms.
On a few occasions Bobby and Patrick make the rounds, stopping in to see old friends and catching up. One face in the crowd is unwelcome – Agent Driscoll, a DEA agent involved in Patrick’s case all those years ago. Agent Driscoll still has questions about some things that happened back then, and especially about the murder of two men and the disappearance of a large sum of money shortly before Patrick went to prison.
One night Bobby leaves a bar early and Patrick stays behind with Gary Elliot, an old friend of Patrick’s and the current Sheriff. The next thing Bobby knows, it’s one o’clock in the morning and Agent Driscoll is at his door, telling him that Patrick ran off into the woods and disappeared.
Now the hunt is on, for both Patrick and the money he’s suspected of hiding. The escaped convicts show up to complicate things even further, but eventually Bobby manages to track down his father. At that moment he comes face-to-face with that age-old question: Am I my Father’s Son?
October 24, 2014
Sometimes the Wolf is a crime thriller, but it is also a story between father and son and how time distance and danger would test the limits of their relationship.
Patrick Drake was a Sheriff but a bad decision and a reckless action had thrown him into prison. He was supposed to lead a normal life, raising his family in a small mountain town at Silver Lake, Washington, and catching bad guys, but fate seems to have another plan laid out for him. His wife passed away and he was faced with financial woes. What's a desperate man to do at that point? As foolish as this sound, he had turned to smuggling drugs and got caught. He spent twelve years in jail, and now he's out of parole under his son, Bobby Drake's watchful eyes.
Bobby used to have dreams. He has a basketball scholarship to Arizona but he has to forgo his dream since his father’s guilt. As if that's not enough, he's now deputy sheriff in his father’s old department, and despite all those years have gone by, most people in their small town still remember his father's deeds. However, the Drakes are far from having peace as not long after Patrick’s release, a threat from his past reappears.
The opening is quite a stunner with the murdering scene, but left enough intrigue for readers to find out what it has to do with the Drakes. What also makes this story a compelling read is the element of trust. Should Bobby trust his superior, who's used to work with his father? And most importantly, does he think his father had killed two men and had those drug money stashed away? Like a lone wolf being hunted, Bobby soon finds himself like that wolf he and Ellie, a Fish and Wildlife staff, who tried to track down after it has made its appearance at Silver Lake in fifty years.
Filled with tension and mystery, Sometimes the Wolf is a gripping thriller not only about the crimes and murders but of family intrigue, deception and loyalty as well. Mr. Waite captured those tense feelings through his wonderful prose which I find captivating. There is something about his writing that I find quite different from other thrillers; it's like there's more finesse and artsy in his style and I find it refreshing. The way he described the relationship among the three Drakes men (Patrick, Bobby and Morgan, who's Bobby's grandfather) truly defines that saying about blood is thicker than water, no matter whatever the circumstances is and to me, that melancholy feeling is just so great given the premise. However, despite the beauty, I was somewhat skeptical towards the ending, for I felt something was amiss but I'm willing to let it go because, well, sometimes things are better if one left unsaid.
Patrick Drake was a Sheriff but a bad decision and a reckless action had thrown him into prison. He was supposed to lead a normal life, raising his family in a small mountain town at Silver Lake, Washington, and catching bad guys, but fate seems to have another plan laid out for him. His wife passed away and he was faced with financial woes. What's a desperate man to do at that point? As foolish as this sound, he had turned to smuggling drugs and got caught. He spent twelve years in jail, and now he's out of parole under his son, Bobby Drake's watchful eyes.
Bobby used to have dreams. He has a basketball scholarship to Arizona but he has to forgo his dream since his father’s guilt. As if that's not enough, he's now deputy sheriff in his father’s old department, and despite all those years have gone by, most people in their small town still remember his father's deeds. However, the Drakes are far from having peace as not long after Patrick’s release, a threat from his past reappears.
The opening is quite a stunner with the murdering scene, but left enough intrigue for readers to find out what it has to do with the Drakes. What also makes this story a compelling read is the element of trust. Should Bobby trust his superior, who's used to work with his father? And most importantly, does he think his father had killed two men and had those drug money stashed away? Like a lone wolf being hunted, Bobby soon finds himself like that wolf he and Ellie, a Fish and Wildlife staff, who tried to track down after it has made its appearance at Silver Lake in fifty years.
Filled with tension and mystery, Sometimes the Wolf is a gripping thriller not only about the crimes and murders but of family intrigue, deception and loyalty as well. Mr. Waite captured those tense feelings through his wonderful prose which I find captivating. There is something about his writing that I find quite different from other thrillers; it's like there's more finesse and artsy in his style and I find it refreshing. The way he described the relationship among the three Drakes men (Patrick, Bobby and Morgan, who's Bobby's grandfather) truly defines that saying about blood is thicker than water, no matter whatever the circumstances is and to me, that melancholy feeling is just so great given the premise. However, despite the beauty, I was somewhat skeptical towards the ending, for I felt something was amiss but I'm willing to let it go because, well, sometimes things are better if one left unsaid.
July 16, 2015
Mysterious Book Report No. 185
by John Dwaine McKenna
Falling from grace, for whatever reason, has been an enduring theme throughout human history and all of world literature. Whether it’s from individual malfeasance, political upheaval or personal relationships gone bad, we humans seem endlessly fascinated when the high and mighty ‘take their licks’ and ‘get theirs.’
Sometimes the Wolf, (Wm Morrow/Harper Collins, $26.99, 277 pages, ISBN 978-0-06-221691-5) by up-and-coming author Urban Waite, is a study of one man’s fall from grace and his son, who is trying to understand his father . . . who was once an elected county Sheriff . . . and is now a just-released felon who has served ten years in the Washington State Penitentiary. The felon on parole is names Patrick Drake. He’s the ex-sheriff who took to running drugs across the Canadian border in order to pay for his wife’s chemotherapy and cancer treatments. Then, two men are killed, the DEA gets involved and Patrick goes to prison. There, as an ex-lawman, he has to buy protection in order to stay alive . . . which he does with promises of payment from hidden drug monies once he’s released. As the story begins he’s out, living with his son Bobby—whose a grown man and a deputy sheriff—marriage is in trouble because of the emotional baggage his father’s crime and incarceration has brought to their family and small town. As Patrick tries to readjust to life on the outside, threats from his old life start resurfacing and this time, no one is spared.
The author’s prose is terse, direct and to the point, driving the narrative with a relentlessness that all crime fiction lovers will find irresistible. Like the novels of Elmore Leonard, the action never stops until the last page. That’s where you’ll be wishing for more from this exciting author.
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by John Dwaine McKenna
Falling from grace, for whatever reason, has been an enduring theme throughout human history and all of world literature. Whether it’s from individual malfeasance, political upheaval or personal relationships gone bad, we humans seem endlessly fascinated when the high and mighty ‘take their licks’ and ‘get theirs.’
Sometimes the Wolf, (Wm Morrow/Harper Collins, $26.99, 277 pages, ISBN 978-0-06-221691-5) by up-and-coming author Urban Waite, is a study of one man’s fall from grace and his son, who is trying to understand his father . . . who was once an elected county Sheriff . . . and is now a just-released felon who has served ten years in the Washington State Penitentiary. The felon on parole is names Patrick Drake. He’s the ex-sheriff who took to running drugs across the Canadian border in order to pay for his wife’s chemotherapy and cancer treatments. Then, two men are killed, the DEA gets involved and Patrick goes to prison. There, as an ex-lawman, he has to buy protection in order to stay alive . . . which he does with promises of payment from hidden drug monies once he’s released. As the story begins he’s out, living with his son Bobby—whose a grown man and a deputy sheriff—marriage is in trouble because of the emotional baggage his father’s crime and incarceration has brought to their family and small town. As Patrick tries to readjust to life on the outside, threats from his old life start resurfacing and this time, no one is spared.
The author’s prose is terse, direct and to the point, driving the narrative with a relentlessness that all crime fiction lovers will find irresistible. Like the novels of Elmore Leonard, the action never stops until the last page. That’s where you’ll be wishing for more from this exciting author.
Like the review? The greatest compliment you can give is to share it with others on Facebook and follow us on Goodreads.
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November 9, 2014
Urban Waite's The Terror of Living was an intriguing, mesmerizing novel. And Sometimes the Wolf, Waite's third novel, continues and expands upon the tale begun there. The Pacific Northwest is filled with incredible beauty and Waite captures it perfectly. He also captures the period of time where smuggling BC Bud (marijuana) into Washington state was a huge business. (Now that Washington has legalized recreational marijuana that clandestine trade may be dissipating...or not...time will tell).
Deputy Sheriff Bobby Drake's father, former Sheriff Patrick Drake, was incarcerated for events surrounding the smuggling of marijuana into the US. Sometimes the Wolf opens with Patrick's release from prison. It is a tense time for his son Bobby who is now employed in his old department in the small mountain town of Silver Lake. The Northern Cascades of Washington state is a wild and glorious area. And as you descend the mountains to the east, the desert like Okanogan Valley opens to you. It is in these two areas that the story is set. Such conflicting terrains but both so tantalizing. Just like this story.
I was on the edge of my seat throughout this book. It was fast moving and filled with twists. Who to trust? Who is telling the truth? From the DEA agent who has been staying close the last twelve years, to Patrick's family and his former prison mates...everyone seems to have a stake in Patrick's release. Where is the missing $200,000...and is it really $200,000? Can Patrick live in Silver Lake after everything that has transpired.
Sometimes the Wolf is a riveting tale! What a great title. It fits perfectly. You don't have to have read The Terror of Living to enjoy Sometimes the Wolf but if you have not read it yet you should. Urban Waite is a great author. If you enjoy mysteries and thrillers and you enjoy a well written book, then Sometimes the Wolf is for you!
Deputy Sheriff Bobby Drake's father, former Sheriff Patrick Drake, was incarcerated for events surrounding the smuggling of marijuana into the US. Sometimes the Wolf opens with Patrick's release from prison. It is a tense time for his son Bobby who is now employed in his old department in the small mountain town of Silver Lake. The Northern Cascades of Washington state is a wild and glorious area. And as you descend the mountains to the east, the desert like Okanogan Valley opens to you. It is in these two areas that the story is set. Such conflicting terrains but both so tantalizing. Just like this story.
I was on the edge of my seat throughout this book. It was fast moving and filled with twists. Who to trust? Who is telling the truth? From the DEA agent who has been staying close the last twelve years, to Patrick's family and his former prison mates...everyone seems to have a stake in Patrick's release. Where is the missing $200,000...and is it really $200,000? Can Patrick live in Silver Lake after everything that has transpired.
Sometimes the Wolf is a riveting tale! What a great title. It fits perfectly. You don't have to have read The Terror of Living to enjoy Sometimes the Wolf but if you have not read it yet you should. Urban Waite is a great author. If you enjoy mysteries and thrillers and you enjoy a well written book, then Sometimes the Wolf is for you!
October 26, 2014
Sometimes The Wolfe
By
Urban Waite
What it's all about...
Patrick Drake has been in prison for 12 long years. He once was a sheriff but something that he did went terribly wrong. A huge amount of money is missing...two really bad men are after him...a federal agent is after him...his son Bobby doesn't trust him...and people are disappearing all over the place!
Why I wanted to read it...
This is one of those high tension books...you know that bad things are happening the moment Patrick leaves prison...it's one of those kinds of books where you just know that very bad things are always just around the corner. The book is awesome but it's the movie I don't want to see...violence, no mercy, and bad stuff everywhere. Sigh!
What made me truly enjoy this book...
I am not sure that I enjoyed this book but I was tense the entire time I was reading it. I mean these very bad men are watching Patrick the minute he walks out of the prison doors...it's tense, intense and I had no clue how this story would end...would the good guys win or would these very bad men kill everyone?
Why you should read it, too...
If you are a reader who likes a book that can be very dark and filled with tense life threatening situations...you will love this book. Add to it the sadness of the lone wolf who is always in the background...it's just a book that you will think about for quite a while.
My intension is not to be vague about this book but events occur the moment Patrick walks out of the prison gates...there are secrets and lies and these two men...the big one and the small one who kill and kill without mercy. Just know that if this chilling sort of book filled with heartless killers is something that you enjoy reading about...you will not be misguided by reading this book!
By
Urban Waite
What it's all about...
Patrick Drake has been in prison for 12 long years. He once was a sheriff but something that he did went terribly wrong. A huge amount of money is missing...two really bad men are after him...a federal agent is after him...his son Bobby doesn't trust him...and people are disappearing all over the place!
Why I wanted to read it...
This is one of those high tension books...you know that bad things are happening the moment Patrick leaves prison...it's one of those kinds of books where you just know that very bad things are always just around the corner. The book is awesome but it's the movie I don't want to see...violence, no mercy, and bad stuff everywhere. Sigh!
What made me truly enjoy this book...
I am not sure that I enjoyed this book but I was tense the entire time I was reading it. I mean these very bad men are watching Patrick the minute he walks out of the prison doors...it's tense, intense and I had no clue how this story would end...would the good guys win or would these very bad men kill everyone?
Why you should read it, too...
If you are a reader who likes a book that can be very dark and filled with tense life threatening situations...you will love this book. Add to it the sadness of the lone wolf who is always in the background...it's just a book that you will think about for quite a while.
My intension is not to be vague about this book but events occur the moment Patrick walks out of the prison gates...there are secrets and lies and these two men...the big one and the small one who kill and kill without mercy. Just know that if this chilling sort of book filled with heartless killers is something that you enjoy reading about...you will not be misguided by reading this book!
Read
December 20, 2016this book was written like it should've been made into a movie but i guess it didn't make the cut
anyways this is about a rural town deputy sheriff who's dad was the sheriff back when he was young but he was arrested for drug running and he went prison with rumors of a huge amount of cash hidden somewhere in the Forrest and other rumors of other corrupt police officers in cahoots with the sheriff
the town in the book is a fictional town in the middle of nowhere its not referencing a real town whatsoever any ways about 20 years later his son is the sheriff of the town and he has to take his father in his house because he's being released and he has to help him assimilate into society and he has to figure out if his father actually hid money that rumored to be in the forest and he has too wonder who is it that helped his father in the drug running and theres also 2 escaped prison mates of his who protected him in prison in exchange for a big cut of the money and they are trying to get to him to torture the where about of the money to have for themselves and they'll do anything to get it
this book was an ok read at best i liked the descriptions of the rural surroundings
and i also liked the side story of a lone wolf sightings and killings of live stock and the deputy sheriff with the help of a wildlife ranger has to hunt down and trank`the wolf to bring it to another place to let it looses deeper in the forest miles away from any town
this was a relatively dull read and a easy read i finished the book in like three days tops and it wasn't really that intense with action it was book with more of a story line than anything else
i give it a 5/10 because i liked the side story of the wolf best out of the book
anyways this is about a rural town deputy sheriff who's dad was the sheriff back when he was young but he was arrested for drug running and he went prison with rumors of a huge amount of cash hidden somewhere in the Forrest and other rumors of other corrupt police officers in cahoots with the sheriff
the town in the book is a fictional town in the middle of nowhere its not referencing a real town whatsoever any ways about 20 years later his son is the sheriff of the town and he has to take his father in his house because he's being released and he has to help him assimilate into society and he has to figure out if his father actually hid money that rumored to be in the forest and he has too wonder who is it that helped his father in the drug running and theres also 2 escaped prison mates of his who protected him in prison in exchange for a big cut of the money and they are trying to get to him to torture the where about of the money to have for themselves and they'll do anything to get it
this book was an ok read at best i liked the descriptions of the rural surroundings
and i also liked the side story of a lone wolf sightings and killings of live stock and the deputy sheriff with the help of a wildlife ranger has to hunt down and trank`the wolf to bring it to another place to let it looses deeper in the forest miles away from any town
this was a relatively dull read and a easy read i finished the book in like three days tops and it wasn't really that intense with action it was book with more of a story line than anything else
i give it a 5/10 because i liked the side story of the wolf best out of the book
October 18, 2015
My first book by Urban Waite. He's terrific! He packs power and tension into his somewhat spare verbiage. Apparently already gaining a major name from dark novels often taking place in the Pacific Northwest. Here Patrick Drake was Sheriff in a small town, his wife died, and he fell apart, went into deep debt, and to get buy and care for his son, Bobby. So Patrick starts dealing drugs, is arrested and serves 12 years in jail. Bobby eventually becomes Deputy Sheriff so his involvement with his dad often has a blurring of the son/law enforcement officer lines. Patrick managed to survive as a lawman in prison, getting the protection of some brutal inmates with promises of sharing some of his drug money, now deeply hidden in the northwestern woods. But around the time of Patrick's release, the brutes escape... The action revolves around Bobby, Patrick, Bobby's wife, their marriage troubled since a painful miscarriage, Patrick's father, Morgan, the brutes, and Gary, now Sheriff, who had more involvement in the hiding of the money than he cares to acknowledge. It's a thriller, but also probes the complicated often painful relationship between Bobby and his once honorable now disgraced father, and between Bobby and Sherri, struggling to save their marriage. And there's a wolf out there, the state is struggling to save this crucial predator, but as their numbers grow, local livestock are endangered...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 9, 2015
There are No werewolves in this novel. This is an unusual kind of crime novel.
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