Crime of Privilege: A Novel (original 2013; edition 2013)

Crime of Privilege was a good read. There were unexpected twists to the age old story of the wealthy getting away with murder. Asst. D.A. George Becket is a little naïve but his story is real enough. Walker does a great job of creating characters that are interesting and engaging. The "truth" of the privilege enjoyed by the rich and powerful creates a thrilling plot. The ending was a little abrupt after the drama and intrigue but overall a good read. ( )

Crime of Privilege is the first book I have read by author Walter Walker and I was thrilled with this book. I was captured from the beginning.

Crime of Privilege has a murder and a rape in different locations and years apart and involve the main character George Becket. George was a college student when the rape occurred.

Now George is an Assistant DA in Cape Cod. He is approached by a father whose daughter was murdered in 1999. This is when George gets drawn into wanting to know murdered this young girl. Everything seems to point to an elite family named the Gregory's.

Walter does a great job showing exactly how the rich, elite, privileged get away with more then the average Joe. ( )

I had mixed feelings about this book.

On the plus side, the character development of George Beckett, the main character, is very good, his actions and motivations were natural results from his background. The second positive aspect of the story is that all of the questions raised throughout the book were answered, no threads left hanging. Flashbacks from the present to the crime itself are identifiable (I hate wondering where in time I am). Along that same line, the story progression in itself was logical, without jumps or gaps.

Best of all, the author did not fall victim to endlessly describing the various settings throughout the story. It honestly does not take three pages to describe a sitting room, and I appreciate that he avoided that trap. Do not think, however, that his settings were lacking. When George meets with one of his witnesses in a crowded cafe, the hustle and bustle are conveyed very succinctly.

Overall, the book is a thinly-veiled Kennedy-family-conspiracy/coverup affair. George's experiences involving Mr. Andrews, an integral part of the storyline, seem to me to be very far-fetched, and I found it to be not engrossing. ( )

This starts as a fast paced a novel, loosely based on several Kennedy family members and a crime in Florida many years ago. The book moved from present day back to the time of the original incident Sometimes hard to follow and more implausible as it proceeded, I lost interest by the end and found it difficult to finish. ( )

A first rate thriller! As the guest of a guest at a party thrown by one of America’s wealthiest and most powerful families, college student George Beckett witnesses an incident involving several young members of the privileged elite. When asked if he’ll testify George can’t say for certain exactly what it was he witnessed… was it simply a little drunken “fooling around” or something far worse? As a reward for what the family perceives as his “loyalty” George is the recipient of a few high powered favors. Nothing as crude or obvious as a bribe but George knows he’s been paid off. Years later he still thinks about the incident, has dreams about what he saw… and he still isn’t sure. As an unremarkable assistant District Attorney George is just coasting through life doing the bare minimum when he finds himself thrust into the midst of another old case involving members of that same family, this time there can be no doubt as to what happened… it was murder.

The story starts out fairly quickly, and never stops doing a slow consistent build right up until the final chapters. It does a few time leaps back and forth but does it in a smooth style that isn’t hard to follow. The story is introspective, anyone expecting a thrill ride of nonstop action will be very disappointed, George is trying to come to terms with what he's done and what he has to do. The end doesn’t wrap up in a tidy little bow, there is closure to the story but rather than a black and white resolution the reader is left in a gray area – some things will change others will always be the same.

There’s an awful lot going on in this story beneath the surface. It contains much in social commentary on things like (corrupted) power, (unearned) privilege and the often unhealthy influence of family dynasties. There is also a strong sense of paranoia that weaves throughout the plot. In a lot of ways it’s a conspiracy theorists worst nightmare come true. I was completely riveted by the story.

The character of George Beckett isn’t a knight in shining armor, his heroic qualities are minimal. Some readers might be put off by his apparent ambivalence to the things going on around him. I thought it added a sense of realism to the character, here’s basically a working class guy who has spent most of his life in relative comfort around the edges of the rich and powerful, now he can rock the boat and possibly sink himself in the process or do nothing and try to live with himself knowing he never even tried.

The book contains adult language, sexual situations and some violence.

*** I received a free Advance Readers Edition of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. There were no conditions given or promises made as to whether the review would be good, bad or indifferent – only that it would be my honest opinion. It is. ( )