What do you think?
Full Circle: A Mitch King Mystery
Mitchell King is a Houston private detective. Unlike the stereotypical pulp novel private eye, Mitch is at ease in today's society and embraces modern technology. He is highly intelligent, educated, and has interests in literature, art, and classical music. But Mitch has a conflicted self image that is beset with aching doubt and insecurity, and these failings can lead him to obsessive behavior. Mitch is also moody and quick to overreact, misjudging both friends and events around him. We follow Mitch not only through his involvement with client cases, but also sit beside him as he struggles to conquer the personal demons that plague his life.
Full Circle places Mitch King in a dilemma because he must divide his energies between two clients, and at this stage in his life, the strain can prove to be too great. First Mitch is hired to protect a sexy murder suspect but he becomes romantically involved, and that influences his judgment. Blind to his own failings, Mitch embarks upon a vendetta that brings him to near ruin. His reputation and honor are challenged as his fixation upon the woman affects his every move.
Mitch must then devote time to assisting a female NASA astronaut whose every move is under the microscope of government and public scrutiny. Not only does she need to prepare for an upcoming mission, but she's also being harassed and stalked by an emotionally disturbed admirer. The danger the astronaut faces in her everyday life is a far cry from the hazards of space travel, and her reliance upon Mitch's professional judgment may prove to be a mistake.
Full Circle is a realistic novel with authentic glimpses of people and places throughout the Texas Gulf Coast. The novel contains mature depiction of crime violence, with adult situations and language. Dialogue is brisk and lively. The writing is literate, at a comprehension level well beyond simplistic genre prose.
Full Circle places Mitch King in a dilemma because he must divide his energies between two clients, and at this stage in his life, the strain can prove to be too great. First Mitch is hired to protect a sexy murder suspect but he becomes romantically involved, and that influences his judgment. Blind to his own failings, Mitch embarks upon a vendetta that brings him to near ruin. His reputation and honor are challenged as his fixation upon the woman affects his every move.
Mitch must then devote time to assisting a female NASA astronaut whose every move is under the microscope of government and public scrutiny. Not only does she need to prepare for an upcoming mission, but she's also being harassed and stalked by an emotionally disturbed admirer. The danger the astronaut faces in her everyday life is a far cry from the hazards of space travel, and her reliance upon Mitch's professional judgment may prove to be a mistake.
Full Circle is a realistic novel with authentic glimpses of people and places throughout the Texas Gulf Coast. The novel contains mature depiction of crime violence, with adult situations and language. Dialogue is brisk and lively. The writing is literate, at a comprehension level well beyond simplistic genre prose.
248 pages, Paperback
First published May 19, 2009
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review
April 6, 2012
Full Circle (aka BLOOD SPIRAL) is a top notch P.I./police procedural that matches Robert B. Parker's "Spenser" in its modish sensitivity; Raymond Chandler, in its cracking imagery; and Mickey Spillane, in its moments of unflinchingly graphic violence. Author Sam Waas's impressive insights into private investigations--and human nature--boost this Houston-based book and its anti-heroic P.I. Mitch King to new heights in the crime fiction scene.
The cynical imagery of many private eye stories is still present in Full Circle. And while author Waas consistently channels greats like Raymond Chandler, in many instances, he surpasses them in his use of metaphors. Barbs like this beauty hit the bull's-eye: "The squat dented machine at the gate buzzed angrily and stuck out its paper tongue at me. I took the ticket. The box quit complaining and lifted its splintery wooden arm in a tired jerky arc."
Despite the sarcasm, the tone of Full Circle is one of surprisingly modern sensitivity and sensibility than of cold impunity. For example, Mitch has a homosexual business partner and bristles at homophobic remarks. He is friendly with the police, especially with a tough Jewish cop named Meierhoff (who he watches deal with prejudice). King himself is not only street smart, but college educated: Knowing his chromatographs from spectrographs proves handy when he's protecting an out-of-this-world smart and sexy scientist-astronaut from a stalker.
And though Mitch drives a 4 runner with GPS; has a knowledge and collection of guns to make Mike Hammer stammer; and performs many profitable private law enforcement jobs that make him more like Paladin than typical P.I., he seems empty inside. Ironically, it gives Mitch an impulsive quality that Full Circle dares to expose and explore.
Mitch's cruises in his vintage MGB roadster usually lead to police stations and stressful situations. Mitch is divorced and has a weakness for beautiful women (which gets him into trouble on one case). Material abundance vs. the insolvency of the soul is a classic theme many readers can understand, and gives the story a deeper meaning; and Mitch, a tragic flaw that bravado can't beat.
The only scratches on this otherwise sterling story are ones natural to many P.I./police procedurals. Blood Spiral sometimes loses the reader in its detailed narrative. While the plot is generally orderly, a couple of chapters (specifically those set within police HQ) slow the pace a bit. It's not enough for fans of the genre to worry about. But for those of the swift, screen-style action/adventure set, Full Circle's literary leanings may be a turn-off. And for those looking for a complex whodunit, Blood Spiral does provide two separate, authentic cases. But detective story devotees can probably figure them out early-on.
Still, Full Circle is an excellent first effort for Sam Waas that's highlighted by masterful use of metaphor and compelling characterizations of cops, clients, and killers. Above all, however, Mitch King sets the standard for the modern sleuth: one that is able to execute searches for self that are every bit as exacting and revealing as the quest to solve clients' cases.
As an aside, in the wake of Robert B. Parker's death, it would be interesting to see how a cogent writer like Waas would handle writing a new Spenser adventure.
The cynical imagery of many private eye stories is still present in Full Circle. And while author Waas consistently channels greats like Raymond Chandler, in many instances, he surpasses them in his use of metaphors. Barbs like this beauty hit the bull's-eye: "The squat dented machine at the gate buzzed angrily and stuck out its paper tongue at me. I took the ticket. The box quit complaining and lifted its splintery wooden arm in a tired jerky arc."
Despite the sarcasm, the tone of Full Circle is one of surprisingly modern sensitivity and sensibility than of cold impunity. For example, Mitch has a homosexual business partner and bristles at homophobic remarks. He is friendly with the police, especially with a tough Jewish cop named Meierhoff (who he watches deal with prejudice). King himself is not only street smart, but college educated: Knowing his chromatographs from spectrographs proves handy when he's protecting an out-of-this-world smart and sexy scientist-astronaut from a stalker.
And though Mitch drives a 4 runner with GPS; has a knowledge and collection of guns to make Mike Hammer stammer; and performs many profitable private law enforcement jobs that make him more like Paladin than typical P.I., he seems empty inside. Ironically, it gives Mitch an impulsive quality that Full Circle dares to expose and explore.
Mitch's cruises in his vintage MGB roadster usually lead to police stations and stressful situations. Mitch is divorced and has a weakness for beautiful women (which gets him into trouble on one case). Material abundance vs. the insolvency of the soul is a classic theme many readers can understand, and gives the story a deeper meaning; and Mitch, a tragic flaw that bravado can't beat.
The only scratches on this otherwise sterling story are ones natural to many P.I./police procedurals. Blood Spiral sometimes loses the reader in its detailed narrative. While the plot is generally orderly, a couple of chapters (specifically those set within police HQ) slow the pace a bit. It's not enough for fans of the genre to worry about. But for those of the swift, screen-style action/adventure set, Full Circle's literary leanings may be a turn-off. And for those looking for a complex whodunit, Blood Spiral does provide two separate, authentic cases. But detective story devotees can probably figure them out early-on.
Still, Full Circle is an excellent first effort for Sam Waas that's highlighted by masterful use of metaphor and compelling characterizations of cops, clients, and killers. Above all, however, Mitch King sets the standard for the modern sleuth: one that is able to execute searches for self that are every bit as exacting and revealing as the quest to solve clients' cases.
As an aside, in the wake of Robert B. Parker's death, it would be interesting to see how a cogent writer like Waas would handle writing a new Spenser adventure.
Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review