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Van Shaw #3
Every Day Above Ground
A favor for a dying ex-con turns into a violent battle against a mysterious enemy for Van Shaw in this emotionally powerful and gritty thriller from the award-winning author of Past Crimes and Hard Cold Winter.
It sounds like a thief’s dream to Van Shaw: A terminally ill ex-con tells him of an easy fortune in gold, abandoned and nearly forgotten after its original owner died in prison. For the dying man, the money is a legacy to ensure his preteen daughter’s future. For Van, the gold is cash he desperately needs to rebuild his destroyed family home.
The grandson of a career criminal who taught him all the tricks of his trade, Van suspects that nothing is ever that easy. Sure enough, the safe holding the fortune is a trap—set by a mysterious player armed with tremendous resources and a lifetime of hatred. Now, Shaw’s partner is in the clutches of the hunters, and the former army ranger may be their next prey. But when the ex-con’s innocent daughter is threatened too, Van’s own hard childhood means he can’t let her come to harm.
To discover who has them in the cross hairs, Shaw must seek out the hunters’ real prey. His quest leads him from an underground bare-knuckle fighting ring, which may be fronting a darker purpose, to a massive pop-culture convention, where Van and his allies, Hollis and Corcoran, play a dangerous game with foes on every side. It also introduces Van to a brash and beautiful aspiring journalist who poses a whole different kind of personal risk.
For years, Van Shaw has tried to live every day above ground, on the right side of the law, even though crime is his gift . . . and in his blood. If he survives the coming storm, he’ll have to decide what he wants—and whether he can live as an outlaw without sacrificing his honor.
It sounds like a thief’s dream to Van Shaw: A terminally ill ex-con tells him of an easy fortune in gold, abandoned and nearly forgotten after its original owner died in prison. For the dying man, the money is a legacy to ensure his preteen daughter’s future. For Van, the gold is cash he desperately needs to rebuild his destroyed family home.
The grandson of a career criminal who taught him all the tricks of his trade, Van suspects that nothing is ever that easy. Sure enough, the safe holding the fortune is a trap—set by a mysterious player armed with tremendous resources and a lifetime of hatred. Now, Shaw’s partner is in the clutches of the hunters, and the former army ranger may be their next prey. But when the ex-con’s innocent daughter is threatened too, Van’s own hard childhood means he can’t let her come to harm.
To discover who has them in the cross hairs, Shaw must seek out the hunters’ real prey. His quest leads him from an underground bare-knuckle fighting ring, which may be fronting a darker purpose, to a massive pop-culture convention, where Van and his allies, Hollis and Corcoran, play a dangerous game with foes on every side. It also introduces Van to a brash and beautiful aspiring journalist who poses a whole different kind of personal risk.
For years, Van Shaw has tried to live every day above ground, on the right side of the law, even though crime is his gift . . . and in his blood. If he survives the coming storm, he’ll have to decide what he wants—and whether he can live as an outlaw without sacrificing his honor.
448 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published July 25, 2017
204 people are currently reading
653 people want to read
About the author
Glen Erik Hamilton
11 books296 followersGlen Erik Hamilton writes crime thrillers. His novels have been called “outstanding” (Publishers Weekly), “perfect mix of serious crime and caper movie” (Criminal Element), and “a must-read series” (Mystery Scene Magazine).
Hamilton's debut novel Past Crimes won the Anthony, Macavity, and Strand Magazine Critics Awards, and was also nominated for the Edgar®, Barry, and Nero Awards. Kirkus called Past Crimes “an exciting heir to the classic detective novel.” Each of his subsequent books in the Van Shaw series have earned starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, and more, and been published in North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, Turkey, the Czech Republic, and Japan.
Glen grew up aboard a sailboat in Seattle, Washington, and around the islands, marinas, and commercial docks of the Pacific Northwest. He served as President of the Southern California chapter of Mystery Writers of America from 2018-2019 and is also a member of International Thriller Writers and Sisters in Crime. He lives near Los Angeles with his family and openly acknowledges his addiction to Columbo.
Hamilton's debut novel Past Crimes won the Anthony, Macavity, and Strand Magazine Critics Awards, and was also nominated for the Edgar®, Barry, and Nero Awards. Kirkus called Past Crimes “an exciting heir to the classic detective novel.” Each of his subsequent books in the Van Shaw series have earned starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, and more, and been published in North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, Turkey, the Czech Republic, and Japan.
Glen grew up aboard a sailboat in Seattle, Washington, and around the islands, marinas, and commercial docks of the Pacific Northwest. He served as President of the Southern California chapter of Mystery Writers of America from 2018-2019 and is also a member of International Thriller Writers and Sisters in Crime. He lives near Los Angeles with his family and openly acknowledges his addiction to Columbo.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 83 reviews
February 2, 2018
Van Shaw is an ex-Army Ranger and the grandson of a career criminal who taught him all the tricks of the trade. But Shaw is trying to stay on the straight and narrow these days. He's working a part-time job and attempting to rebuild the family home in Seattle. Money is tight, though; taxes are due, and Shaw is in danger of losing the house to the tax collector before he can even finish rebuilding it.
Given these circumstances, Shaw is especially vulnerable when a terminally ill ex-con, fresh out of the pen, tempts him with a deal that seems just too good to be true. The ex-con, who was an acquaintance of Shaw's deceased grandfather, claims to know the location of a large stash of gold that was hidden in office building by a thief who couldn't ever get back to it. The building is abandoned and about to be demolished, and the ex-con insists that he and Shaw could waltz into the building and walk right out with the gold, leaving no one the wiser.
The ex-con needs the younger Shaw, because the gold is in a safe that was welded into the floor of the building. The ex-con can't crack the safe, but he's sure that Shaw can. Badly in need of the money he could score from the job, Shaw agrees, although he's very skeptical of the notion that $4 million in gold has simply been abandoned and forgotten.
And, of course, he's right.
The fundamental rule that any bent guy should learn right off the bat is that if a scheme sounds too good to be true, it always is! That said, if people in crime novels ever did the smart, sensible thing, there would be very few crime novels. In this case, the gold is there, all right, but the second Shaw cracks the safe, all hell breaks loose, and Shaw is going to have to spend the next three hundred and fifty pages trying to get out from under the shitstorm he's unleashed upon himself.
This is a gripping story, and Van Shaw makes an attractive, if flawed, protagonist. Hamilton writes cleanly and knows how to move a plot along. You might find yourself raising an eyebrow at the plausibility of some of the twists and turns in the book, but it's a fun ride and if you go with the flow, you'll be well entertained.
Given these circumstances, Shaw is especially vulnerable when a terminally ill ex-con, fresh out of the pen, tempts him with a deal that seems just too good to be true. The ex-con, who was an acquaintance of Shaw's deceased grandfather, claims to know the location of a large stash of gold that was hidden in office building by a thief who couldn't ever get back to it. The building is abandoned and about to be demolished, and the ex-con insists that he and Shaw could waltz into the building and walk right out with the gold, leaving no one the wiser.
The ex-con needs the younger Shaw, because the gold is in a safe that was welded into the floor of the building. The ex-con can't crack the safe, but he's sure that Shaw can. Badly in need of the money he could score from the job, Shaw agrees, although he's very skeptical of the notion that $4 million in gold has simply been abandoned and forgotten.
And, of course, he's right.
The fundamental rule that any bent guy should learn right off the bat is that if a scheme sounds too good to be true, it always is! That said, if people in crime novels ever did the smart, sensible thing, there would be very few crime novels. In this case, the gold is there, all right, but the second Shaw cracks the safe, all hell breaks loose, and Shaw is going to have to spend the next three hundred and fifty pages trying to get out from under the shitstorm he's unleashed upon himself.
This is a gripping story, and Van Shaw makes an attractive, if flawed, protagonist. Hamilton writes cleanly and knows how to move a plot along. You might find yourself raising an eyebrow at the plausibility of some of the twists and turns in the book, but it's a fun ride and if you go with the flow, you'll be well entertained.
June 7, 2018
Another great book in the Van Shaw series.
Van is minding his own business when an acquaintance of his grandfather's comes to him with a plan. There is an unguarded safe, in a building about to be torn down, with a fortune of gold inside. It sounds easy, too easy.
It sounds too good to be true, and of course, it is. The safe is guarded by men who capture Van's partner. Van tries to figure out what's going on, when the partner's teenage daughter shows up.
Hard boiled stuff. It's great.
Van is minding his own business when an acquaintance of his grandfather's comes to him with a plan. There is an unguarded safe, in a building about to be torn down, with a fortune of gold inside. It sounds easy, too easy.
It sounds too good to be true, and of course, it is. The safe is guarded by men who capture Van's partner. Van tries to figure out what's going on, when the partner's teenage daughter shows up.
Hard boiled stuff. It's great.
March 15, 2021
Former army ranger Van Shaw is in desperate need of money, so when one of his late grandfather’s former associates, Mickey, comes with a story of long forgotten gold, it is too much for Van to resist. Teaming up with Mickey, Van goes to the abandoned office where the gold is only to find they’ve walked into a trap. Mickey is captured by persons unknown and Van barely escapes. In order to get Mickey back, Van will have to figure out who laid the trap and what they want. Can he do it?
This is very different from my normal cozy reads, both in the inclusion of language and violence, but also because Van is really an anti-hero. This is the most he’s slipped into that role, however, and knowing him from the previous two books helped me still root for him. It really helps that I do like him and the other regular characters and I want to see them succeed. While a few of the events of the book are expected, there were still some twists I wasn’t expecting along the way, and I loved the creativity of some of the locations Van used over the course of the book in his attempts to defeat the villains and come out on top. This is a fun, fasted paced thriller that will keep you turning pages.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
This is very different from my normal cozy reads, both in the inclusion of language and violence, but also because Van is really an anti-hero. This is the most he’s slipped into that role, however, and knowing him from the previous two books helped me still root for him. It really helps that I do like him and the other regular characters and I want to see them succeed. While a few of the events of the book are expected, there were still some twists I wasn’t expecting along the way, and I loved the creativity of some of the locations Van used over the course of the book in his attempts to defeat the villains and come out on top. This is a fun, fasted paced thriller that will keep you turning pages.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
November 21, 2017
3rd book in this series, first one I have encountered. Well worth reading, and I'm tempted to go back and read the first two to get the full stories; the results and effects of which are mentioned in this book without the background information. The author has used the technique of interweaving two stories in one, telling the developing stories of an event of the twelve year old's life which has has an impact on his current adult life. At first it was a little dislocating, then I looked forward to the next time there was a chapter of the 12 year old's life, wanting to see how that was going to turn out almost equal to the tension of the current challenges which are the main body of the story telling.
January 17, 2018
Discovering this author has been one of my highlights of the past few years. Thanks to “best of books” lists, I read Past Crimes and was hooked. Van Shaw is a wonderful creation, a former army ranger and the grandson of a safe cracker, he struggles to stay on the right side of the law.
When one of his grandfathers old prison buddies contacts him straight from his prison release, needing help to open a safe containing gold bars, Van decides to help. His house has burned down and he is struggling with the taxes and repairs on it. But the safe is a trap and when Van realises this it is too late. Soon he is trying to keep those he loves from harm and find a solution to his problem.
When one of his grandfathers old prison buddies contacts him straight from his prison release, needing help to open a safe containing gold bars, Van decides to help. His house has burned down and he is struggling with the taxes and repairs on it. But the safe is a trap and when Van realises this it is too late. Soon he is trying to keep those he loves from harm and find a solution to his problem.
June 30, 2018
If it is even possible this book, the third in the Van Shaw series, is even grittier and more violent than the others. Sometimes I wonder how Van survives the things he gets into; but then again, he has had a lifetime of close calls and his reflections on his childhood makes everything even more real.
I really like this series: but my heart needs a break now, since I sort of read them all in a rather short time. Time for something a little easier on my blood pressure.
I really like this series: but my heart needs a break now, since I sort of read them all in a rather short time. Time for something a little easier on my blood pressure.
October 18, 2017
4.25 Stars I really enjoy this series. Van Shaw learned how to pick locks, crack safes and engage in high end thievery as a child from his grandfather and ultimate guardian. Each book so far has flashbacks to Van's childhood and relationship with his grandfather that sets the tone for who Van is. In addition to the flashbacks in this case, Van gets involved in a heist of $4 million in gold bars with another thief, O'Hasson, who was recently released from prison and came looking for Van's grandfather. O'Hasson has the information on the gold and safe, and it all seems too good to be true. Needless to say, things go terribly wrong, and Van finds himself in the middle of finding O'Hasson and the gold. This book like the others has a very clever plot, interesting characters, and a lot of action. I highly recommend the series.
January 27, 2020
I looked at the reviews after I decided on the one star. I do believe I read a different book than those that gave the five stars. This book was a train wreck or my old brain is not running on all cylinders. The story had one to many characters. The bad guy wasn't the bad guy and or guys or woman. The jump from past to present wasn't working for me. I am just making up excuses for a lousy book. I am done.
May 24, 2017
A disappointing follow-up to Past Crimes, this crime novel set in Seattle suffers from a confused plot with implausible characters and situations.
July 18, 2017
I must admit this is a very refreshing work of fiction. One like I've never read before. Get your copy!
January 13, 2018
Again, a wonderful read. Nail biting action, heart, humor and views of the past. Can’t wait for the next in the series.
January 18, 2018
I love this series, Van Shaw is an awesome character read all 3 of these books in December and can't wait for #4 to come out. Quick read, very entertaining.
July 18, 2018
Hamilton keeps improving with each book! Can't wait for the next one.
January 18, 2018
Great book, exciting story, love the main character and a couple of new ones that were added to this book. The character may be headed in a new direction, and I’m thrilled.
November 22, 2017
Seattle native Glen Erik Hamilton burst onto the crime writing scene two years ago with Past Crimes, a superb debut that introduced childhood thief turned Army Ranger Van Shaw, and went on to win the Anthony, Macavity, and Strand Magazine Awards for Best First Novel, and an Edgar nomination.
In this third installment in what’s a really top shelf series, Shaw is rebuilding his late grandfather’s destroyed home when a terminally ill ex-con who did a past job with his grandfather comes calling. The score on offer: a forgotten fortune in gold bars, abandoned in the floor safe of a destitute building. Having left the Army, a large part of Shaw wants to stay straight, but he’s also drawn to the opportunity to utilize his hard-earned safe-cracking skills, for a number of reasons. Only he and the ex-con aren’t the only ones with a plan, and they fall into a trap. Scrambling to survive, and with the life of an innocent young girl on the line, Shaw must enter an ultra-violent corner of the criminal underworld.
Hamilton writes really well-balanced thrillers, which blend page-turning plotlines with fascinating, memorable characters, good action, and a great sense of place. He sprinkles the narrative with fresh description, has a great turn of phrase, and overall just keeps the reader engaged on multiple levels. This is a very good tale in what is becoming a must-read series. I look forward to more from Hamilton.
In this third installment in what’s a really top shelf series, Shaw is rebuilding his late grandfather’s destroyed home when a terminally ill ex-con who did a past job with his grandfather comes calling. The score on offer: a forgotten fortune in gold bars, abandoned in the floor safe of a destitute building. Having left the Army, a large part of Shaw wants to stay straight, but he’s also drawn to the opportunity to utilize his hard-earned safe-cracking skills, for a number of reasons. Only he and the ex-con aren’t the only ones with a plan, and they fall into a trap. Scrambling to survive, and with the life of an innocent young girl on the line, Shaw must enter an ultra-violent corner of the criminal underworld.
Hamilton writes really well-balanced thrillers, which blend page-turning plotlines with fascinating, memorable characters, good action, and a great sense of place. He sprinkles the narrative with fresh description, has a great turn of phrase, and overall just keeps the reader engaged on multiple levels. This is a very good tale in what is becoming a must-read series. I look forward to more from Hamilton.
May 19, 2017
Basic synopsis: Van Shaw is a veteran and ex-safe cracker. He reluctantly agrees to take part in a heist after being contacted by an ex-con friend of his grandfather.
I mainly liked this book because it had good flow and was well written. It's one of those books that I could get into right away. I also liked the characters. There's only the main character Van Shaw, everyone is a supporting character but they are all well written.
However I found the plot more convoluted than it needed to be, there's a part I still don't fully understand. Also there's an unnecessary "save the children" element, i.e. the ex-con's young daughter was added as one of those characters who get themselves into trouble and need to be saved. If the story is good enough, you don't need this cliche. And finally there's a parallel narrative of Van Shaw as a 12 year old that's interspersed through the book but it doesn't have anything to do with the main plot. But I actually liked this part as it was well written and fun to read.
Overall, a nice book that was quick and easy to read with good character build up but less of a good plot. I would still read this author's other novels.
I got this book free as an uncorrected proof.
I mainly liked this book because it had good flow and was well written. It's one of those books that I could get into right away. I also liked the characters. There's only the main character Van Shaw, everyone is a supporting character but they are all well written.
However I found the plot more convoluted than it needed to be, there's a part I still don't fully understand. Also there's an unnecessary "save the children" element, i.e. the ex-con's young daughter was added as one of those characters who get themselves into trouble and need to be saved. If the story is good enough, you don't need this cliche. And finally there's a parallel narrative of Van Shaw as a 12 year old that's interspersed through the book but it doesn't have anything to do with the main plot. But I actually liked this part as it was well written and fun to read.
Overall, a nice book that was quick and easy to read with good character build up but less of a good plot. I would still read this author's other novels.
I got this book free as an uncorrected proof.
December 21, 2017
My review only relates to the audiobook, and I’m giving it three stars because of the reading performance. Though I’m not a native English speaker I find it odd that Jeff Harding would raise his voice at the end of almost every sentence. That’s really too bad!
I’ve read all three ‘Van Shaw’ novels so far and do love the series very much. A more talented narrator next time, please!
I’ve read all three ‘Van Shaw’ novels so far and do love the series very much. A more talented narrator next time, please!
November 29, 2017
he is trying to rebuild his grandfathers house that burned down in the last book. he was approached to crack a safe full of millions of $'s of gold bars in a abandoned bldg. but it was rigged and someone came to get them, it was a set up. the other guy got caught, set a fire, but he ran off. the other guys daughter showed up and he is trying to find her dad. the man is going to die which is why he wanted the $ for his daughter.
he got the girls dad out. he ended up in the hospital at the end getting more tests.
lots of people died, lots of violence. fires, shooting, stabbing.
i like this series
the old lady neighbor is going to take care of the girl. he is going to let the house go, he gave all the money to charity.
it will be interesting to see the next book in the series to see what changes his life will take.
he got the girls dad out. he ended up in the hospital at the end getting more tests.
lots of people died, lots of violence. fires, shooting, stabbing.
i like this series
the old lady neighbor is going to take care of the girl. he is going to let the house go, he gave all the money to charity.
it will be interesting to see the next book in the series to see what changes his life will take.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 1, 2019
I liked the first two books in this series. This one left me cold for some reason. I can’t pin it down to any one reason.
Part of it was, I think, the many secondary characters Hamilton uses. Nothing about many of them made them unique so I had trouble keeping them separate, so much so that about halfway through the book, I gave up trying.
Also, the main plotline was a little too convoluted to follow easily. And the flashback storyline about 12-year-old Van Shaw’s Christmas doesn’t seem to tie into the main plot or serve any purpose other than adding to the word count.
I rated it two stars, but 1½ stars (disappointing) would be a more accurate rating.
I won’t drop Hamilton from my ‘To Read’ list just yet, will give him another chance to stay on there. But if his next book is no better than this one, that’s where he’ll go.
Part of it was, I think, the many secondary characters Hamilton uses. Nothing about many of them made them unique so I had trouble keeping them separate, so much so that about halfway through the book, I gave up trying.
Also, the main plotline was a little too convoluted to follow easily. And the flashback storyline about 12-year-old Van Shaw’s Christmas doesn’t seem to tie into the main plot or serve any purpose other than adding to the word count.
I rated it two stars, but 1½ stars (disappointing) would be a more accurate rating.
I won’t drop Hamilton from my ‘To Read’ list just yet, will give him another chance to stay on there. But if his next book is no better than this one, that’s where he’ll go.
July 9, 2017
Hamilton is now one of my favorite authors. Not only does he place his stories in one of my favorite cities, but he has developed one of the most interesting characters in modern day fiction in Van Shaw. We learn a lot more about him in this 3rd book in the series. The plot was far more intricate than in the earlier books, showing Hamilton's progress as a writer. Other reviewers are critical of this, but I like books which are more demanding of me as a reader. I can hardly wait for the next installment.
I was lucky to receive a Proof copy of this book from Goodreads through the Giveaway program.
I was lucky to receive a Proof copy of this book from Goodreads through the Giveaway program.
June 12, 2017
I received this book from Goodreads in exchange for a review.
When a favor for a dying ex-con goes horribly wrong, Van Shaw finds himself up to his neck in trouble. Even worse, he has no real idea who the bad guys are and what they want. Van wants to live on the right side of the law, but each day is a struggle. His training wants to lead him down a different path.
Gritty and dark, this book will capture the reader’s attention and hold it. The story is well paced and the characters are all too believable.
When a favor for a dying ex-con goes horribly wrong, Van Shaw finds himself up to his neck in trouble. Even worse, he has no real idea who the bad guys are and what they want. Van wants to live on the right side of the law, but each day is a struggle. His training wants to lead him down a different path.
Gritty and dark, this book will capture the reader’s attention and hold it. The story is well paced and the characters are all too believable.
July 24, 2017
Excellent; Continuing character: Van Shaw; taking on what seems to be an easy and highly profitable job, Shaw gets caught between competing factions after gold and revenge and works to steer between his history and potential future (thanks to Goodreads for my receiving this great book through their giveaway program)
August 29, 2017
This might be the best fiction I've read thus far in 2017. First, I enjoy novels staged in Seattle, one of my favorite cities. Second, Hamilton's imaginative characters are off-beat and eminently likable. Finally, his plots are elegantly layered ... like a game plan for three-dimensional chess. Add Glen Eric Hamilton to your "must read" list if you enjoy intelligent crime fiction.
September 10, 2017
Glen Erik Hamilton knows how to keep you hooked from the very first page. The story is suspenseful and moves along at a nice clip. I found myself cheering for Van Shaw again as I did in the first two books. Great character development for the starring and secondary cast. Once again, I recommend this book for anyone who loves good thrillers.
June 13, 2017
The characters were well developed and interesting however the plot seemed like it had too much going on at once. It was almost hard at times to follow and keep up with everything going on. It was a good read though so I would give this book 4 stars.
September 16, 2017
Reviewers would probably call this tale "gritty." It's a rather violent story about a man raised by a thief, who becomes a thief himself. A decent plot with rather basic character development, probably as a book like this should be.
October 3, 2017
Fantastic!
In just three books, Glen Erik Hamilton has become one of my favorite authors. He writes a tight, edge of your seat story. Strong and believable characters. I can't wait for his next book!
In just three books, Glen Erik Hamilton has become one of my favorite authors. He writes a tight, edge of your seat story. Strong and believable characters. I can't wait for his next book!
June 25, 2017
The story was interesting and mysterious. I won this book from a Goodreads giveaway.
July 2, 2017
A favor for an ex-con turns into a fight against a mysterious enemy.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 83 reviews