Getting Out of Dodge: Peril 2

Raise a glass to Ger! He's at it again!
Author Ruby Barnes has provided a great deal of fun, lots of laughs and not just a few near spills in his latest -- Getting Out of Dodge: Peril 2. His main character, Ger Mayes, brings us up to date, after an early release nine years into his prison sentence. He's older, but only a tiny bit wiser.

His little lad still makes most of the major decisions along the way and despite the jams he fell into into before, he settles into a new life in Kilkenny with almost exactly the same degree of denial. It seems that many of his life decisions are being made for him and not always to his own best interest. His choices of friends and business associates, lined up against a wall, would spell doom for anyone show more else, but not for Ger.

Ger remains one of my favorite characters in recent fiction, and at read's end, there is just enough carrot left dangling on the end of the stick (even a tiny bit of redemption), to keep me anxious for the next book. I can easily recommend this book for anyone who enjoys a tight-paced caper and has a sense of humor. show less

It is mildly reminiscent of Ray Banks Cal Innes books. Not a rip off of them, just similar in some sense... Might be the U.K. setting.

Anyway, I have to say that this book singlehandedly stopped my growing dislike for ebooks. Over the past few months I had read several ebooks and they ranged from bad to absolutely unreadable. This book makes up for all that and is as good as any book of its genre: flawed man dropped into circumstances he has to overcome in whatever way he can, regardless of whether it is 'right' or not.

Does he follow his genitals around a bit too often? Sure. But they are as good a plot device as any other 'tool' leading the main character into the next action setting would be. I might go as far as saying I think the show more number of 'romantic' interests was the only drawback to the story: by Ger's own account, he is balding and not particularly attractive and yet all but one of the women in the book want to have sex with him. Naw, I don't think so.

Other than this wishful thinking, the story is nicely complex. It is wrapped up quickly - one might expect a longer ending, given all the build up to it, but it is satisfactory. I didn't read the first book, and I think I would have liked to do so before reading this, only because then Ger's complacency to fall back into the ways he did might have made more sense ( I.e. why did he return to Kilkenny if he had enough money to go anywhere?)

I will, however, look for more books by this author. I like the crisp story, and the hint of noir, and the flawed main character who we can still like. show less

As good as the first! Is there a sequel?

This is Ruby Barnes’ sequel to Peril. At the end of Peril you aren’t quite sure what Ger’s future will be, but he’s such a bad guy you would be satisfied with anything bad. At the beginning of this book that – yes! – he’s been punished. You know he won’t ever redeem himself, but you can’t wait to see what happens to him this time. He picks up right where he left off. He’s still conceited and arrogant and insecure all at the same time. The pace moves right along; you can never anticipate what trouble Ger will be in next, but it will be humorous and a little poignant as well. Just when you think his behavior can’t get worse it does. You aren’t on his side, but you don’t show more want him to disappear.

At the end of this book, as in Peril, you aren’t quite sure what Ger’s future will be. Maybe there is a #3 in the series in the works, fingers crossed.

Great read! Would definitely recommend. show less

Ger Mayes, the protagonist in Ruby Barnes' previous novel, Peril - which I haven't read yet - is released from prison after serving nine years for committing Ireland's biggest drug heist. Adviced to get out of the Dodge as soon as possible, Mayes stays in Ireland, rebuilds his normal life piece by piece again. Next to a home, furniture, a couple of girlfriends, it comes down to renewed contacts with the Romanians that caused his imprisonment. Guided by his libido, instead of proper senses, he gets entangled in James Bond-like crime scenes in Kilkenny again. Will this anti-hero be able to do something against trafficked women?
Barnes writes with humorous twists in his plot, and enough pace to keep your attention. Getting out of Dodge: show more Peril 2 is a funny crime thriller with a local flavour of Irish people and geographies. show less

I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an HONEST review. Keep in mind that this is my OPINION...

Initially the book for hard for me to understand and "get into" since this is part II and I didn't read part I. The story itself wasn't bad but it didn't have any twists or turns or "edge of the seat" occurrences...it was basically linear and very little excitement.

So with a below average to average story line, why did I give it three stars? For some reason I liked the main character Ger. He was kind of stupid, digging himself into messes but he seemed real. It seemed like he made mistakes because of his weaknesses, not because the author needed "speed bump" somewhere to make the book more interesting.

Would I read another in show more this series? Probably not...but I would PROBABLY read another book from this author (depending on the story topic). show less

Her Mayes is just out of a 9 yr stint in prison...He May end up back in, unless he can figure out who’s framing him for murder...Goid Thriller/Mystery