Review: Crashed by Timothy Hallinan

A Mysterious Review of …

Crashed by Timothy Hallinan. A Junior Bender Mystery.

Review summary: The plot of this first in a series is nicely structured, cleverly taking advantage of a strongly developed lead character, a well drawn cast of supporting characters, and the (somewhat stereotypical) Southern California culture and lifestyle. But possibly most to its credit is that it doesn't veer to extremes, a credible — and most enjoyable — crime novel without becoming a parody of itself. (Click here for text of full review.)

Our rating:

Crashed
Timothy Hallinan
A Junior Bender Mystery
Soho Crime (November 2012)

Publisher synopsis: Junior Bender is a Los Angeles burglar with a magic touch. Since he first started breaking into houses when he was fourteen years old, he's never once been caught. But now, after twenty-two years of an exemplary career, Junior has been blackmailed by Trey Annunziato, one of the most powerful crime bosses in LA, into acting as a private investigator on the set of Trey's porn movie venture, which someone keeps sabotaging. The star Trey has lined up to do all that's unwholesome on camera is Thistle Downing, America's beloved child star, who now lives alone in a drug-induced stupor, destitute and uninsurable. Her starring role will be the scandalous fall-from-grace gossip of rubber-neckers across the country. No wonder Trey needs help keeping the production on track.

Junior knows what that he should do — get Thistle out and find her help — but doing the right thing will land him on the wrong side of LA's scariest mob boss. With the help of his precocious twelve-year-old daughter, Rina, and his criminal sidekick, Louie the Lost (an ex-getaway driver), Junior has to figure out a miracle solution.